Annotations

by John Keene

Overview

"Genius—brilliant, polished and of considerable depth." —Ishmael Reed

An experimental first novel of poem-like compression, Annotations has a great deal to say about growing up Black in St. Louis. Reminiscent of Jean Toomer’s Cane, the book is in part a meditation on African-American autobiography. Keene explores questions of identity from many angles—from race to social class to sexuality (gay and straight). Employing all manner of textual play and rhythmic and rhetorical maneuvers, he (re)creates his life story as a jazz fugue-in-words.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780811213042
Publisher:	New Directions Publishing Corporation
Publication date:	10/17/1995
Series:	Paperbook Series , #809
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

John Keene is the author, co-author, and translator of a handful of books, including Annotations (1995) and Counternarratives (2015), both published by New Directions. Counternarratives received an American Book Award, a Lannan Literary Award, a Republic of Consciousness Prize (UK), and a Windham-Campbell Prize for Fiction. His most recent publication, Punks: New & Selected Poems (The Song Cave, 2021),received the 2022 National Book Award for Poetry, the Thom Gunn Award from the Publishing Triangle and a 2022 Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry. A 2018 MacArthur Fellow, he is Distinguished Professor and serves as department chair at Rutgers University-Newark

What People are Saying About This

Ishmael Reed

Keene's flow of ideas are brilliant, polished and of considerable depth.

Editorial Reviews

Set in St. Louis, Missouri, Keene's birthplace, the novel is his fictional debut. Annotations explores many complex issues. A coming-of-age story, the book references specific time periods and historical events through the cultural associations of the '40s and '60s. Rich in metaphor and highly poetic, Annotations is a poetic meditation about private lives and public events.

bn.com

Keene's slim first novel appears to be a disguised autobiographical narrative whose power resides in formidable imagery and the virtuoso use of language. The plot, if there is one, concerns a young black man's coming of age from birth to college years. Along the way while commenting aphoristically, he encounters many characters with unique personal outlooks and participates in gay and straight sexual experiences that he seems to avoid as often as not. But one does not read this book for its story. In fact, it should be read twice: once to get an idea of events and a second time to savor its language and pounding images (e.g., from the first page: "A crueler darkening, as against the assured arrival of dusk"). Keene's artistry makes him a writer to watch. Highly recommended for literary and African American collections.-Harold Augenbraum, Mercantile Lib., New York

Library Journal

A beautiful, poetic piece of experimental writing, centered around the experience of growing up Black in St. Louis. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews