The Fire This Time

Randall Kenan has written a classic. Using his deep erudition, years of travel around the country studying the state of African-American affairs, and using evocative illustrations from contemporary lives - both his own and those of others - he has written a timeless work that will deserve its own response 50 years from now. As the father of a young African-American son and daughter, I hope that one day my children will read Kenan's book with profit. If there are no pat answers, if the "take-home" message is subtle, it is because the state of race relations in America today is subtle. And while it is true that at times I had to read his long sentences twice over to make sure I got them all, I began to wonder mid-way while reading this book, "Is Kenan deliberately echoing Baldwin's style?" Randall Kenan is a linguistic chameleon - read his novel "A Visitation of Spirits" and the incredible short story collection "Let the Dead Bury Their Dead" where almost every story has a different style and voice. I had not read Baldwin in years, and sure enough, when Kenan reproduces an entire paragraph of Baldwin at the end of the book, I knew it: Randall Kenan is paying homage to Baldwin even in his style. I especially loved Randall Kenan's metaphor of the Raven for the next generation of African-Americans. What is it? You'll have to read the book to find it; it is too subtle. I'll only ruin it by trying to paraphrase it here. Suffice to say, I hope my children will be ravens. You go, Randall Kenan Raven!

Randall continues to show how important dialog is amongst African-Americans. He is one of the great thinkers today. This book is a must read.