Kenan, as this book demonstrates, never aspired to be the next Baldwin in any literal sense, and much as he admired him, he had a complicated relationship, as a standout Black, gay, male writer, to the inevitable comparisons...More inclined toward the ancestral, the numinous and the folkloric, Kenan poses a question to his godson: 'Did you know, once upon a time, Black folk could fly?' Referencing the legend of Africans who escape enslavement by flying home, Kenan’s letter dreams a path forward using resources that lie deep in the past...This applies to the whole of 'Black Folk Could Fly,' a collection of essays that, while less known than his celebrated fiction — many appeared as introductions or in small magazines — provide rare insight into Kenan’s life and mind, while retaining the humor, humanity and elegant power for which he is loved...In a sense, the collected pieces function as memoir, or as a series of love letters to the forces that shaped the writer.
Stirring, deeply thought-through essays and letters on topics ranging from sexuality and racism to foodways and the sense of place...A superb introduction to a writer deserving much greater recognition.
This sublime posthumous collection of essays from novelist Kenan, who died in 2020, offers a moving take on the things that inspired his work, largely Southern culture...The pieces add up to a rich and rewarding testament to Kenan’s curiosity and candor...Fans and new readers alike will appreciate this opportunity to take in Kenan’s remarkable talent.
