ThedefinitivebiographyofapivotalfigureinAmericanliteraryhistoryAmajorpoet,PaulLaurenceDunbar(1872-1906)wasoneofthefirstAfricanAmericanwriterstogarnerinternationalrecognitioninthewakeofemancipation.Inthisdefinitivebiography,thefirstfull-scalelifeofDunbarinhalfacentury,GeneAndrewJarrettoffersarevelatoryaccountofawriterwhoseGildedAgecelebrityasthe“poetlaureateofhisrace“hidtheprivatestrugglesofamanwho,inthewordsofhisfamouspoem,feltlikea“cagedbird“thatsings.JarretttellsthefascinatingstoryofhowDunbar,bornduringReconstructiontoformerlyenslavedparents,excelledagainstalloddstobecomeanaccomplishedandversatileartist.Aprolificandsuccessfulpoet,novelist,essayist,playwright,andBroadwaylibrettist,hewasalsoafriendofsuchluminariesasFrederickDouglassandOrvilleandWilburWright.ButwhileaudiencesacrosstheUnitedStatesandEuropeflockedtoenjoyhisliteraryreadings,Dunbarprivatelybemoanedshoulderingtheburdenofraceandcateringtominstrelstereotypestoearnfameandmoney.Inspiredbyhisparents’survivalofslavery,butalsoagitatedbyaturbulentpublicmarriage,beholdentoinfluentialbenefactors,andhelplessagainsthiswidelyreportedboutsoftuberculosisandalcoholism,hecametoregardhisracialnotorietyasacurseaswellasablessingbeforedyingattheageofonlythirty-three.Beautifullywritten,meticulouslyresearched,andgenerouslyillustrated,thisbiographypresentstherichest,mostdetailed,andmostnuancedportraityetofDunbarandhiswork,transforminghowweunderstandtheastonishinglifeandtimesofacentralfigureinAmericanliteraryhistory.
PLAYWRIGHT THREE PAUL novelist
