Download or read book The Collected Plays Illustrated written by George Bernard Shaw and published by e-artnow. This book was released on 2017-07-31 with total page 2740 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This carefully crafted ebook: "The Collected Plays (Illustrated)" is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents. George Bernard Shaw (1856 0́3 1950) was an Irish playwright, essayist, novelist and short story writer and wrote more than 60 plays. He is the only person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize in Literature (1925) and an Academy Award (1938). Table of Contents George Bernard Shaw by G.K. Chesterton Plays: Widowers' Houses (1892) The Philanderer (1898) Mrs. Warren's Profession (1898) The Man Of Destiny (1897) Arms And The Man: An Anti-Romantic Comedy in Three Acts (1894) Candida (1898) You Never Can Tell (1897) Three Plays for Puritans: The Devil's Disciple (1897) Captain Brassbound's Conversion (1900) Caesar and Cleopatra: A History (1901) The Gadfly Or The Son of the Cardinal (1898) The Admirable Bashville Or Constancy Unrewarded (1901) Man And Superman: A Comedy and A Philosophy (1903) John Bull's Other Island (1904) How He Lied To Her Husband (1904) Major Barbara (1905) Passion, Poison, And Petrifaction (1905) The Doctor's Dilemma: A Tragedy (1906) The Interlude At The Playhouse (1907) Getting Married (1908) The Shewing-Up Of Blanco Posnet (1909) Press Cuttings (1909) Misalliance (1910) The Dark Lady Of The Sonnets (1910) Fanny's First Play (1911) Androcles And The Lion (1912) Overruled: A Demonstration (1912) Pygmalion (1913) Great Catherine (Whom Glory Still Adores) (1913) The Music Cure (1913) Beauty's Duty (Unfinished) (1913) O'Flaherty, V.C. (1915) Macbeth Skit (unfinished) (1916) Glastonbury Skit (unfinished) (1916) The Inca Of Perusalem: An Almost Historical Comedietta (1916) Augustus Does His Bit (1916) Skit For The Tiptaft Revue (1917) Annajanska, The Bolshevik Empress (1917) Heartbreak House (1919) Back To Methuselah: A Metabiological Pentateuch (1921) In the Beginning The Gospel of the Brothers Barnabas The Thing Happens Tragedy of an Elderly Gentleman As Far as Thought Can Reach The War Indemnities This carefully crafted ebook: "The Collected Plays (Illustrated)" is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents. George Bernard Shaw (1856 0́3 1950) was an Irish playwright, essayist, novelist and short story writer and wrote more than 60 plays. He is the only person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize in Literature (1925) and an Academy Award (1938). Table of Contents George Bernard Shaw by G.K. Chesterton Plays: Widowers' Houses (1892) The Philanderer (1898) Mrs. Warren's Profession (1898) The Man Of Destiny (1897) Arms And The Man: An Anti-Romantic Comedy in Three Acts (1894) Candida (1898) You Never Can Tell (1897) Three Plays for Puritans: The Devil's Disciple (1897) Captain Brassbound's Conversion (1900) Caesar and Cleopatra: A History (1901) The Gadfly Or The Son of the Cardinal (1898) The Admirable Bashville Or Constancy Unrewarded (1901) Man And Superman: A Comedy and A Philosophy (1903) John Bull's Other Island (1904) How He Lied To Her Husband (1904) Major Barbara (1905) Passion, Poison, And Petrifaction (1905) The Doctor's Dilemma: A Tragedy (1906) The Interlude At The Playhouse (1907) Getting Married (1908) The Shewing-Up ...
Download or read book The Collected Works of Louisa May Alcott Illustrated Edition written by Louisa May Alcott and published by DigiCat. This book was released on 2023-12-17 with total page 5299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Collected Works of Louisa May Alcott (Illustrated Edition) offers a comprehensive collection of the literary works of Louisa May Alcott, one of the most acclaimed American authors of the 19th century. This anthology showcases Alcott's diverse writing style, from her classic novel 'Little Women' to her lesser-known works, encompassing themes of family, love, and social issues. The inclusion of illustrations enhances the reader's experience and brings Alcott's world to life. Alcott's poignant prose and relatable characters make this collection a timeless masterpiece of American literature. Louisa May Alcott's writing is characterized by its authenticity and insight into the human experience. Her deep understanding of interpersonal relationships and societal norms is evident in each of her works, making her a prominent voice in American literature. Alcott's own experiences growing up in Concord, Massachusetts, and her close relationship with her family undoubtedly influenced her writing, providing readers with a glimpse into her personal experiences. I highly recommend The Collected Works of Louisa May Alcott to anyone seeking to explore the depth and beauty of American literature. Alcott's timeless stories will captivate readers of all ages and leave a lasting impression.
Download or read book The Poems of Oscar Wilde written by O. Wilde and published by Рипол Классик. This book was released on 1935 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Delphi Collected Works of Confucius Four Books and Five Classics of Confucianism Illustrated written by Confucius and published by Delphi Classics. This book was released on 2016-08-29 with total page 3298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The philosophy of Confucius emphasises personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity, which were developed into a system known as Confucianism. Confucius is traditionally credited with having authored or edited many of the Chinese classic texts including all of the Five Classics. This comprehensive eBook presents the Four Books and Five Classics of Confucianism, with numerous illustrations, rare texts appearing in digital print for the first time, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Confucius and the Chinese Classics * Concise introductions to the texts * Features James Legge's seminal translations * All Four Books and Five Classics of Confucianism * Includes multiple translations of the ANALECTS, including a special dual text * Excellent formatting of the texts * Includes the legendary I CHING divination text * Features three biographies - discover Confucius’ ancient world * Scholarly ordering of texts into literary genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: The Four Books GREAT LEARNING DOCTRINE OF THE MEAN ANALECTS MENCIUS The Five Classics CLASSIC OF POETRY BOOK OF DOCUMENTS BOOK OF RITES I CHING SPRING AND AUTUMN ANNALS The Biographies THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF CONFUCIUS by James Legge THE LIFE, LABOURS AND DOCTRINES OF CONFUCIUS by Edward Harper Parker BRIEF BIOGRAPHY: CONFUCIUS Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles or to purchase this eBook as a Parts Edition of individual eBooks
Download or read book The Collected Plays of Edward Albee written by Edward Albee and published by Bloomsbury Academic. This book was released on 2007 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume contains the eight plays written by Albee during his first decade as a playwright, from 1958 to 1965. These range from the four one-act plays with which he exploded on the New York theatre scene in 1958-59 to his early masterpiece 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf' in 1961-62.
Download or read book THE COLLECTED WORKS OF E F BENSON Illustrated Edition written by E. F. Benson and published by e-artnow. This book was released on 2017-08-07 with total page 4965 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This carefully edited collection of "THE COLLECTED WORKS OF E. F. BENSON (Illustrated Edition)" has been designed and formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Table of contents Make Way For Lucia Queen Lucia Miss Mapp Dodo Trilogy Dodo: A Detail of the Day Dodo's Daughter or Dodo the Second Dodo Wonders David Blaize Series: David Blaize David Blaize and the Blue Door Other Novels The Rubicon The Judgement Books The Vintage Mammon and Co. Scarlet and Hyssop The Relentless City The Valkyries The Angel of Pain The House of Defence The Blotting Book Daisy's Aunt Mrs. Ames Thorley Weir Arundel Michael Up and Down Across the Stream Short Story Collections The Room in the Tower, and Other Stories The Countess of Lowndes Square, and Other Stories Historical Work Crescent and Iron Cross Edward Frederic Benson (1867-1940) was an English novelist, biographer, memoirist, archaeologist and short story writer, known professionally as E.F. Benson. Benson was also known as a writer of atmospheric, oblique, and at times humorous or satirical ghost stories.
Download or read book Plays by George Bernard Shaw written by George Bernard Shaw and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2004-08-03 with total page 528 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: George Bernard Shaw demanded truth and despised convention. He punctured hollow pretensions and smug prudishness—coating his criticism with ingenious and irreverent wit. In Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Arms and the Man, Candida, and Man and Superman, the great playwright satirizes society, military heroism, marriage, and the pursuit of man by woman. From a social, literary, and theatrical standpoint, these four plays are among the foremost dramas of the age—as intellectually stimulating as they are thoroughly enjoyable. “My way of joking is to tell the truth: It is the funniest joke in the world.”—G. B. Shaw With an Introduction by Eric Bentley and an Afterword by Norman Lloyd
Download or read book Delphi Collected Works of Karl Marx Illustrated written by Karl Marx and published by Delphi Classics. This book was released on 2016-12-14 with total page 1339 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: www.delphiclassics.com
Download or read book Delphi Collected Works of Niccol Machiavelli Illustrated written by Niccolò Machiavelli and published by Delphi Classics. This book was released on 2017-01-22 with total page 3529 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: www.delphiclassics.com
Download or read book Delphi Collected Works of Immanuel Kant Illustrated written by Immanuel Kant and published by Delphi Classics. This book was released on 2016-06-28 with total page 4727 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Regarded as the central figure of modern philosophy, Immanuel Kant produced comprehensive and systematic work in the theory of knowledge, ethics and aesthetics, which greatly influenced all subsequent philosophy. In his major work, ‘The Critique of Pure Reason’, Kant analyses the relationship between reason and human experience, moving beyond the failures of traditional philosophy and metaphysics. This comprehensive eBook presents Kant’s collected works, with numerous illustrations, rare texts appearing in digital print for the first time, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Kant’s life and works * Concise introductions to the essays * All the major works, with individual contents tables * Includes rare texts appearing for the first time in digital publishing * Images of how the books were first published, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts * Excellent formatting of the texts * Special criticism section, with 8 essays and books evaluating Kant’s contribution to philosophy * Features two biographies - discover Kant’s literary life * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: The Books UNIVERSAL NATURAL HISTORY AND THEORY OF HEAVEN DREAMS OF A SPIRIT-SEER DISSERTATION ON THE FORM AND PRINCIPLES OF THE SENSIBLE AND THE INTELLIGIBLE WORLD: INAUGURAL DISSERTATION 1770 THE CRITIQUE OF PURE REASON PROLEGOMENA TO ANY FUTURE METAPHYSICS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO PRESENT ITSELF AS A SCIENCE AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION: “WHAT IS ENLIGHTENMENT?" IDEA FOR A UNIVERSAL HISTORY WITH A COSMOPOLITAN PURPOSE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE METAPHYSIC OF MORALS METAPHYSICAL FOUNDATIONS OF NATURAL SCIENCE CRITIQUE OF PRACTICAL REASON CRITIQUE OF JUDGEMENT RELIGION WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF BARE REASON PERPETUAL PEACE METAPHYSICS OF MORALS: THE PHILOSOPHY OF LAW OF THE INJUSTICE OF COUNTERFEITING BOOKS ON EDUCATION The Criticism A COMMENTARY TO KANT’S ‘CRITIQUE OF PURE REASON’ by Norman Kemp Smith SCIENCE AND RELIGION — KANT, LAMBERT, LAPLACE, SIR WILLIAM HERSCHEL by Walter Libby THE PHILOSOPHY OF IMMANUEL KANT by A. D. Lindsay IMMANUEL KANT by Elbert Hubbard THE LAST DAYS OF IMMANUEL KANT by Thomas De Quincey AN OUTLINE OF THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN THOUGHT SINCE KANT by Edward Caldwell Moore KANT’S THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE by H. A. Prichard INTRODUCTION TO KANT by Ralph Barton Perry The Biographies MEMOIR OF KANT by Thomas Kingsmill Abbott IMMANUEL KANT by Robert Adamson The Delphi Classics Catalogue Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles or to purchase this eBook as a Parts Edition of individual eBooks
Download or read book Collected Plays for Children written by Ted Hughes and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume contains six plays suitable for performance by children. Four were published under the title The Coming of the Kings and Other Plays, and the other two are Orpheus, previously only published in America, and The Pig Organ published for the first time.
Download or read book The Decameron and Collected Works of Giovanni Boccaccio Illustrated written by Giovanni Boccaccio and published by Delphi Classics. This book was released on 2017-12-25 with total page 4283 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The poet and scholar Giovanni Boccaccio was a leading writer of the Italian Renaissance, now best remembered as the author of the famous compendium of tales ‘The Decameron’. Boccaccio helped lay the foundations for the humanism of the Renaissance, while raising vernacular literature to the status of the classics of antiquity. Noted for their realistic dialogue and imaginative use of character and plot, Boccaccio’s works went on to inspire Chaucer, Spenser, Shakespeare and countless other writers in the ensuing centuries. This comprehensive eBook presents Boccaccio’s collected works, with numerous illustrations, rare translations appearing in digital print for the first time, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Boccaccio’s life and works * Concise introductions to the novels and other texts * Multiple translations of ‘The Decameron’, including the first English translation by John Florio, 1620 * John Payne's complete translation, with all the hyperlinked footnotes - ideal for students * The original Italian text of ‘The Decameron’ * Rare translations of two novels, with individual contents tables * Images of how the books were first published, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts * Excellent formatting of the texts * The rare long poem ‘Il Filostrato’, available in no other collection * The key works of Chaucer and Shakespeare that were inspired by Boccaccio * Includes a translation of Boccaccio’s ‘De Mulieribus Claris’, first time in digital print * Features two biographies - discover Boccaccio’s intriguing life * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: The Decameron The Decameron: John Florio, 1620 The Decameron: John Payne, 1886 The Decameron: J. M. Rigg, 1903 The Decameron: Original Italian Text The Novels The Filocolo (Translated by H. G., London, 1566) The Elegy of Lady Fiammetta (Translated by Bartholomew Young, 1587) The Verse ‘The Knight’s Tale’ and ‘The Two Noble Kinsmen’ (Teseida) Il Filostrato (Translated by Hubertis Cummings) The Non-Fiction De Mulieribus Claris (Partially translated by Henry Parker, Lord Morely) The Life of Dante (Translated by James Robinson Smith) The Biographies Giovanni Boccaccio: A Biographical Study by Edward Hutton Giovanni Boccaccio by Francis Hueffer Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles or to purchase this eBook as a Parts Edition of individual eBooks
Download or read book Delphi Collected Works of Blaise Pascal Illustrated written by Blaise Pascal and published by Delphi Classics. This book was released on 2020-06-15 with total page 1943 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The French seventeenth century philosopher, Blaise Pascal was also a mathematician, physicist and master of prose. A child prodigy, Pascal had numerous interests and an innovative, untiring mind, making a significant contribution to a range of fields and studies. He laid the foundation for the modern theory of probabilities, formulating what came to be known as Pascal’s principle of pressure. He also propagated a religious doctrine that taught the experience of God through the heart rather than reason. An important mathematician, he went on to strongly influence the development of modern economics and social science. Pascal's most celebrated work is ‘Pensées’ (Thoughts), a collection of fragments left unfinished at his early death. It is a treatise on spirituality, representing a defense of the Christian religion, introducing the famous concept of "Pascal's wager". This comprehensive eBook presents Pascal’s collected (almost complete) works, with numerous illustrations, rare texts, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Pascal’s life and works * Concise introductions to the texts * All of the major works, with individual contents tables * Multiple translations of ‘Pensées’ * Features rare treatises appearing for the first time in digital publishing, including George Pearce’s seminal translations of uncollected ‘Thoughts’ * Excellent formatting of the texts * Rare letters and fragments, available in no other recollection * Special criticism section, with four essays evaluating Pascal’s contribution to philosophy * Features two biographies – discover Pascal’s incredible life * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: The Books Essay on Conics (1639) (Tr. Frances Marguerite Clarke) The Provincial Letters (1657) (Tr. Thomas M’Crie) On the Geometrical Spirit (1658) (Tr. Orlando Williams Wight) On the Art of Persuasion (1658) (Tr. Orlando Williams Wight) Thoughts (1670) (Tr. Charles K. Paul and William Finlayson Trotter) Thoughts on Eloquence and Style (Tr. George Pearce) Miscellaneous Thoughts (Tr. George Pearce) Thoughts on the Jesuits and the Jansenists (Tr. George Pearce) Thoughts and Notes for the Provincial Letters (Tr. George Pearce) On the Pope and the Church (Tr. George Pearce) Conversation on Religion (Tr. George Pearce) Letters and Minor Works (Tr. Mary L. Booth and Orlando Williams Wight) The Criticism Port Royal and the Jesuits: Blaise Pascal (1866) Pascal (1898) by Leslie Stephen Pascal (1900) by William Cleaver Wilkinson Pascal (1916) by John Cowper Powys The Biographies Pascal (1878) by John Tulloch Blaise Pascal (1911) by George Chrystal Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles or to purchase this eBook as a Parts Edition of individual eBooks
Download or read book Delphi Collected Works of Arthur Schopenhauer Illustrated written by Arthur Schopenhauer and published by Delphi Classics. This book was released on 2017-05-18 with total page 2822 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer is best known for his 1818 work ‘The World as Will and Idea’, which characterises the phenomenal world as the product of a blind and insatiable metaphysical will. Proceeding from the transcendental idealism of Kant, Schopenhauer developed an atheistic metaphysical and ethical system that is viewed by many as an exemplary manifestation of philosophical pessimism. His works on aesthetics, morality and psychology would exert a major influence on existential philosophy and Freudian thinking. This comprehensive eBook presents Schopenhauer’s collected works, with numerous illustrations, rare texts, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Schopenhauer’s life and works * Concise introductions to the major treatises * The complete essays, translated by T. Bailey Saunders in seven volumes, with individual contents tables * Major works include their original hyperlinked footnotes – ideal for students * Excellent formatting of the texts * ‘The World as Will and Idea’ translated by R. B. Haldane and J. Kemp, in the much expanded sixth edition of 1909 * Special Essays alphabetical contents list – find the essay you want to read easily * Features three biographies - explore Schopenhauer’s intriguing life * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: The Books ON THE FOURFOLD ROOT OF THE PRINCIPLE OF SUFFICIENT REASON THE WORLD AS WILL AND IDEA THE ART OF BEING RIGHT ON THE WILL IN NATURE ON THE BASIS OF MORALITY WISDOM OF LIFE COUNSELS AND MAXIMS RELIGION: A DIALOGUE THE ART OF LITERATURE STUDIES IN PESSIMISM ON HUMAN NATURE THE ART OF CONTROVERSY The Essays LIST OF ESSAYS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER The Biographies SCHOPENHAUER by Thomas Whittaker SCHOPENHAUER by Elbert Hubbard ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER by William Wallace Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles or to purchase this eBook as a Parts Edition of individual eBooks
Download or read book The Collected Works of G K Chesterton written by Gilbert Keith Chesterton and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 678 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Delphi Collected Works of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel Illustrated written by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and published by Delphi Classics. This book was released on 2019-02-25 with total page 2333 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The early nineteenth century philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel is an important figure of German idealism, who achieved wide recognition within the continental tradition of philosophy. He has since become increasingly influential in the analytic tradition and his canonical stature within Western philosophy is universally recognised. Hegel’s principal achievement was his development of a distinctive articulation of idealism, in which the dualisms of mind and nature and subject and object are overcome. His philosophy of spirit conceptually integrates psychology, the state, history, art, religion and philosophy. This comprehensive eBook presents Hegel’s collected works, with numerous illustrations, rare texts appearing in digital print for the first time, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Hegel’s life and works * Concise introductions to the major works * Rare treatises, with individual contents tables * Images of how the books were first published, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts * Excellent formatting of the texts * Special criticism section, with essays by Nietzsche, Marx and Schopenhauer, evaluating Hegel’s contribution to philosophy * Features a bonus biography – discover Hegel’s fascinating life * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: The Books The Phenomenology of Spirit (Translated by J. B. Baillie) The Logic of Hegel (Translated by William Wallace) Hegel’s Philosophy of Mind (Translated by William Wallace) Elements of the Philosophy of Right (Translated by S. W. Dyde) The Philosophy of Fine Art (Translated by F. P. B. Osmaston) The Philosophy of History (Translated by J. Sibree) Lectures on the History of Philosophy (Translated by Elizabeth Sanderson Haldane) Lectures on the Proofs of the Existence of God (Translated by Ebenezer Brown Speirs) The Criticism Prolegomena to the Study of Hegel’s Philosophy by William Wallace On Some Hegelisms by William James Preface to ‘On the Will in Nature’ by Arthur Schopenhauer Critique of Hegel’s ‘Philosophy of Right’ by Karl Marx Criticism of Philosophy by Friedrich Nietzsche The Biography Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel by William Wallace and John Henry Muirhead Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles or to purchase this eBook as a Parts Edition of individual eBooks
Download or read book The Black Church written by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2021-02-16 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The instant New York Times bestseller and companion book to the PBS series. “Absolutely brilliant . . . A necessary and moving work.” —Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., author of Begin Again “Engaging. . . . In Gates’s telling, the Black church shines bright even as the nation itself moves uncertainly through the gloaming, seeking justice on earth—as it is in heaven.” —Jon Meacham, New York Times Book Review From the New York Times bestselling author of Stony the Road and The Black Box, and one of our most important voices on the African American experience, comes a powerful new history of the Black church as a foundation of Black life and a driving force in the larger freedom struggle in America. For the young Henry Louis Gates, Jr., growing up in a small, residentially segregated West Virginia town, the church was a center of gravity—an intimate place where voices rose up in song and neighbors gathered to celebrate life's blessings and offer comfort amid its trials and tribulations. In this tender and expansive reckoning with the meaning of the Black Church in America, Gates takes us on a journey spanning more than five centuries, from the intersection of Christianity and the transatlantic slave trade to today’s political landscape. At road’s end, and after Gates’s distinctive meditation on the churches of his childhood, we emerge with a new understanding of the importance of African American religion to the larger national narrative—as a center of resistance to slavery and white supremacy, as a magnet for political mobilization, as an incubator of musical and oratorical talent that would transform the culture, and as a crucible for working through the Black community’s most critical personal and social issues. In a country that has historically afforded its citizens from the African diaspora tragically few safe spaces, the Black Church has always been more than a sanctuary. This fact was never lost on white supremacists: from the earliest days of slavery, when enslaved people were allowed to worship at all, their meetinghouses were subject to surveillance and destruction. Long after slavery’s formal eradication, church burnings and bombings by anti-Black racists continued, a hallmark of the violent effort to suppress the African American struggle for equality. The past often isn’t even past—Dylann Roof committed his slaughter in the Mother Emanuel AME Church 193 years after it was first burned down by white citizens of Charleston, South Carolina, following a thwarted slave rebellion. But as Gates brilliantly shows, the Black church has never been only one thing. Its story lies at the heart of the Black political struggle, and it has produced many of the Black community’s most notable leaders. At the same time, some churches and denominations have eschewed political engagement and exemplified practices of exclusion and intolerance that have caused polarization and pain. Those tensions remain today, as a rising generation demands freedom and dignity for all within and beyond their communities, regardless of race, sex, or gender. Still, as a source of faith and refuge, spiritual sustenance and struggle against society’s darkest forces, the Black Church has been central, as this enthralling history makes vividly clear.
