The Word in Black and White

"[A] thoughtful, well-researched, and provocative study....Serves admirably as a primer for reading constructions of race in a variety of primary texts across a significant range of genres in early American literary and cultural history."--William and Mary Quarterly "Timely....An exemplary work of cultural history and literary criticism....A sophisticated authoritative book valuable to specialists and advanced students."--Choice "Nelson's well-written book exemplifies the effective use of literary theory. Her analyses of how seemingly opposed statements can support a shared agenda, or of how a single text can simultaneously critique and support a colonialist agenda should become touchstones for future discussions of race in American literature....Nelson's analysis is consistently enlightening and provocative....There is no better book on her subject."--Journal of the Early Republic "Very interesting and important new look at some old problems in the literary canon and its effects."--Eileen Oliver, Washington State University "This is a bold and valuable work that deserves the attention of anyone interested in American literature....Nelson's own voice is an important one in American literature and her words deserve serious attention."--Journal of English and Germanic Philology "Nelson provides the reader with some valuable and stimulating perceptions which will no doubt lead to much more discourse on the subject of race in our critical literature."--MELUS "[A] thoughtful, well-researched, and provocative study....Serves admirably as a primer for reading constructions of race in a variety of primary texts across a significant range of genres in early American literary and cultural history."--William and Mary Quarterly "Timely....An exemplary work of cultural history and literary criticism....A sophisticated authoritative book valuable to specialists and advanced students."--Choice "Nelson's well-written book exemplifies the effective use of literary theory. Her analyses of how seemingly opposed statements can support a shared agenda, or of how a single text can simultaneously critique and support a colonialist agenda should become touchstones for future discussions of race in American literature....Nelson's analysis is consistently enlightening and provocative....There is no better book on her subject."--Journal of the Early Republic "Very interesting and important new look at some old problems in the literary canon and its effects."--Eileen Oliver, Washington State University "This is a bold and valuable work that deserves the attention of anyone interested in American literature....Nelson's own voice is an important one in American literature and her words deserve serious attention."--Journal of English and Germanic Philology "Nelson provides the reader with some valuable and stimulating perceptions which will no doubt lead to much more discourse on the subject of race in our critical literature."--MELUS