In this definitive biography of Chester B. Himes, the African American author who had an extraordinary influence on black writers globally, Lawrence P. Jackson explores Himes' middle-class origins and his eight years in prison. He also recounts Himes' painful odyssey as a black World War II-era artist and his escape to Europe, where he became internationally famous for his Harlem detective series. Enhanced by friendships with Ralph Ellison, Richard Wright, and Carl Van Vechten, Himes published twenty literary works over a long career, including the bestsellers If He Hollers, Let Him Go and Cotton Comes to Harlem.
Lawrence P. Jackson is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of English and History at Johns Hopkins University. He is the author of The Indignant Generation and other works.
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Recorded On: Wednesday, September 20, 2017