Nigger Heaven
New York: Avon Publishing Co., 1951. Reprint Edition. 12mo, publisher’s stiff illustrated paper wraps, edges stained red.
Pulp paperback printing of pioneering writer, art critic and photographer Carl Van Vechten’s divisive novel. A product of 1920s and 30s "Harlemania," the story centers on librarian Mary Love and aspiring writer Byron Kasson as they navigate the city’s milieu of intellectuals, reformers, and revelers. The book sparked immediate controversy upon publication, and quickly became one of the most discussed novels of the day. While it achieved strong sales and received praise from several prominent writers, it was predictably denounced within segments of the Black intellectual community. Most notably, W.E.B. Du Bois condemned the work as "an affront to the hospitality of black folk," fixing it in the canon as a work marked by enduring dispute. Publisher’s catalog number 314. Originally published in 1926, this 1951 reissue includes critical commentary by Black writer and journalist George S. Schuyler, who defends the novel as a work of fiction and argues that it should be judged on literary grounds rather than racial expectations. Some creasing and edgewear. Very good. Item #12516
$75.00