-
Your next favorite book
is waiting.
by Ralph Ellison
A radiant collection of letters from the renowned author of Invisible Man that trace the life and mind of a giant of American literature, with insights into the riddle of identity, the writer's craft, and the story of a changing nation over six decades.
These extensive and revealing letters span the life of Ralph Ellison and provide a remarkable window into the great writer's life and work, his friendships, rivalries, anxieties, and all the questions about identity, art, and the American soul that would bedevil and inspire him until his death. They include early notes to his mother, written as an impoverished college student; lively exchanges with the most distinguished American writers and thinkers of his time, from Romare Bearden, Saul Bellow, and friends and family from his hometown of Oklahoma City, whose influence would always be paramount.
These letters are beautifully rendered, first-person accounts of Ellison's life and work, and his observations of a changing world, showing his metamorphosis from a wide-eyed student into a towering public intellectual who confronted and articulated America's complexities in words.
"[A] model of scholarship...An impressively edited volume commemorates a canonical literary figure." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A splendid, indeed exemplary, collection, this is a remarkable historic document crafted with great scholarly acumen." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"An invaluable volume for Ellison scholars and recommended for all readers interested in American literature." - Library Journal
This information about The Selected Letters of Ralph Ellison was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Ralph Ellison is the author of the novel Invisible Man (1952), one of the most important and influential American novels of the twentieth century, as well as numerous essays and short stories. He died in New York City in 1994.
If you liked The Selected Letters of Ralph Ellison, try these:
by Virginia Evans
Published 2025
Discover the word-of-mouth hit hailed by Ann Patchett as "a cause for celebration"—an intimate novel about the transformative power of the written word and the beauty of slowing down to reconnect with the people we love.
by Jon Mooallem
Published 2022
From the discovery of the author's face in a century-old photograph to a triple-amputee hospice director working at the border of life and death, here are thirteen hopeful, heartbreaking, and profound essays from "one of the most intelligent, compassionate, and curious authors working today" (Elizabeth Gilbert).
by Michael Rosen
Published 2016
Michael Rosen takes you on an unforgettable adventure through the history of the alphabet in twenty-six vivid chapters, fizzing with personal anecdotes and fascinating facts
The less we know, the longer our explanations.
Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!
Can you name the title?
Test your book knowledge with our daily trivia challenge!
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
