Languages of Home

John Edgar Wideman, acclaimed since the early 1970s for his award-winning fiction and memoirs, has long been engaged in a project to redefine, from the perspective of an American of color, the wondrous and appalling power of his country’s literary culture and history. Now, curated by him, this first-time collection from his extensive body of long-form journalism and biographical essays offers readers a chance to see and judge for themselves how Wideman has proven himself to be a luminous witness of America’s history.

This volume goes beyond mere compilation; its challenging, insightful critical essays tell the story of a nation in transition—from the shame of legalized human slavery, to the civil rights movement, to the rise of the Obama era, and beyond. Originally featured in publications such as Esquire, Vogue, and The New Yorker, these narratives explore the elusive cores of American culture, politics, and identity.