“Callaloo is, without doubt, the most elegantly edited journal of African and African-American literature . . . today.” —Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Harvard University

“I can always count on Callaloo to keep me abreast of the best in black writing . . . It's been invaluable over the years.” —Paule Marshall, New York University

“Callaloo has emerged as our most important forum for fiction, criticism, and poetry by Afro-American writers . . . Crucial for understanding contemporary black literary practice.” —Charles Johnson, University of Washington

“Callaloo, one of the most influential publications on the contemporary black literary scene, provided its founder, Rowell, an English professor at the University of Virginia, the place to publish some of the finest writers in the African diaspora, from the Caribbean and the Americas to Europe. Assembling in this volume an impressive array of short fiction and poetry from the magazine's first 25 years, Rowell showcases the universality of the black aesthetic while celebrating its diverse handling of themes of sexual identity, regional conflicts, racial contradiction, political mayhem and generational issues . . . The offerings are stunningly fresh . . . If the originality and richness of the collection's fiction makes this book an essential for collectors of black literature, then the lineup of poets Lucille Clifton, Yusef Komunyakaa, Rita Dove, Ai, Cyrus Cassells, Audre Lorde, Clarence Major, Sonia Sanchez among others makes it doubly enticing. This memorable anthology will add considerably to the reputation of Callaloo and its editor . . . The broad scope and international sweep of this collection lift it head and shoulders above many other anthologies of black literature.” —Publishers Weekly

“A stunning collection of fiction and poetry from well-known and lesser-known writers, including Edwidge Danticat, Ralph Ellison, Gayl Jones, Terry McMillan, and John Edgar Wideman; among the poets are Lucille Clifton, Audre Lorde, Rita Dove, and Alice Walker. A reflection of the incredible diversity of writers of the African diaspora and the artistic achievement of black writers in the past 25 years.” —Vanessa Bush, Booklist

“An outstanding collection of literature of the African diaspora. African Americans like Octavia Butler, Ralph Ellison, Yusef Komunyakaa, and Alice Walker are featured, but this celebration also includes works by writers of African descent outside of America, including Aim Cesaire (Martinique), Maryse Conde (Guadeloupe), and Edimilson de Almeida Pereira (Brazil). The result ably represents the artistry of black literature and its diversity in culture, theme, and ideology. The foreword by Percival Everett, introduction by Rowell, and afterword by Carl Phillips are well worth reading for insight and perspective on the role of Callaloo in promoting art and aesthetics in black literature and freeing writing of the expectations of society.” —Jeris Cassel, Rutgers University Library, New Brunswick, Library Journal