In Search of a Beautiful Freedom, Farah Jasmine Griffin
In Search of a Beautiful Freedom, Farah Jasmine Griffin
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In Search of a Beautiful Freedom
New and Selected Essays

Author: Farah Jasmine Griffin

Narrator: Farah Jasmine Griffin

Unabridged: 13 hr 10 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/27/2023


Synopsis

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2023 by The Millions

Lively, insightful writings on Black music, feminism, literature, and events from a "masterful critic and master teacher" (Walton Muyumba, Boston Globe).

In Search of a Beautiful Freedom brings together the best work from Farah Jasmine Griffin's rich forays on music, Black feminism, literature, the crises of Hurricane Katrina and COVID-19, and the Black artists she esteems. She moves from evoking the haunting strength of Odetta and the rise of soprano popular singers in the 1970s to the forging of a Black women's literary renaissance and the politics of Malcolm X through the lens of Black feminism. She reflects on pivotal moments in recent American history—including the banning of Toni Morrison's Beloved—and celebrates the intellectuals, artists, and personal relationships that have shaped her identity and her work.

Featuring new essays along with ones first appearing in outlets such as the New York Times and NPR, In Search of a Beautiful Freedom is a captivating collection that celebrates the work of "one of the few great intellectuals in our time" (Cornel West).

About Farah Jasmine Griffin

Farah Jasmine Griffin is professor of African American and African diaspora studies and English and comparative literature at Columbia University. She is the author of Read Until You Understand, among other works. Recipient of a 2021 Guggenheim Fellowship, she lives in New York.


Reviews

Goodreads review by S.

Whenever I cracked open this book, it was like I was having a heart-to-heart with a bunch of women who've been through the same struggles and share a common history of generational hardships. Having lived in a place steeped in the rich tapestry of Black American culture, I couldn't help but wish I h......more

The opening essay was long and the subject dealt with misogyny and possible reasons why in spite of this behavior a male artist could be cherished by women for their artistic work. I struggle with this idea and did not want to entertain it. The essay did recognize we cannot accept this type of behav......more

Goodreads review by Donald

This book has changed me. I want to do this.......more

Goodreads review by LL

Marvelous. The writing is gorgeous, and the topics are varied and interesting. I enjoyed the author's thoughtful perspective throughout and how themes were woven together in the various sections. This collection is an evocative and insightful piece of writing. Expanded my thinking. Well done. Free co......more