The novels of Toni Morrison, the first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, have inspired stimulating and original criticism. This volume embraces modern theoretic approaches without neglecting the more traditional fare of literary scholarship, providing insights into the structure, themes, language and contexts of her novels.

Each essay has been carefully selected for its contribution to current debates in African-American literary criticism, including the complex nature of African-American identities and the black nationalist aesthetic. The book will prove invaluable both for new readers and for those familiar with her work.