African-American Writers is part of the publisher's A to Z of African Americans series, designed as biographical dictionaries for students and general readers. The current work has been revised by Reef, who updated the original edition, by Bader. Both Bader and Reef have backgrounds in American literature and do an excellent job on the approximately 160 entries. Each entry contains a short essay, ranging from one to three pages, that provides biographical material, a general discussion of the writer's work, and a brief list of sources for further research. More than 50 entries include a black-and-white photo of the author. Readers wanting to search for authors by genre; literary movement, subject matter, or style; or year of birth will appreciate the lists of authors under these categories, which precede the index. The revised edition contains new entries for a dozen authors, including Alvin Aubert, Marita Golden, and Randall Kenan. All entries from the previous edition have updated sources, and entries dealing with authors who are still publishing have updated essays. The cumulative "Bibliography and Recommended Sources" section following the entries has also been updated. The writers included cover a wide range of genres, including poetry, novels, short stories, plays, essays, and literary criticism. Coverage for children's and young adult writers is limited. Readers interested in children's and young adult authors should consult other works, such as Black Authors and Illustrators of Books for Children and Young Adults (Routledge, 2006). Otherwise, African-American Writers does a good job in serving as a general resource and is recommended for high-school, public, and undergraduate libraries. Also available as an e-book.

Gr 9 Up-In this clearly written, informative overview, Sickels examines the lives and major works of writers over the last 40 years. Eight authors are showcased, including Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Alice Walker, and Walter Dean Myers. Each chapter opens with a black-and-white photo and a brief biography, with the remainder of it dealing with a critical analysis of one or more of the writer's best-known works. Every critique includes a summary of the work and then a discussion of major themes. It's an approach that serves as a great introduction to some of America's major African-American writers. The list of additional reading suggests books by other major African-American authors, such as Richard Wright's Black Boy , Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man , and James Baldwin's Go Tell It on the Mountain . An extensive bibliography consists of works mainly from literary scholars who specialize in African-American literature. This is an outstanding contribution and should be a first purchase for high-school libraries. Carol Jones Collins, Hanover Park High School, East Hanover, NJ