The Truth of Toni Morrison

"Toni Morrison was many things in her lifetime-Nobel laureate, renowned author, Princeton professor, and generous mentor to young writers. Her appeal translated seamlessly to the internet, where old interview clips still bubble up regularly on social media, reminding us of her sharp wit and commanding presence. But, as Namwali Serpell argues in a new book of essays, "On Morrison," this undeniable star persona risks eclipsing the genius-and complexity-of the eleven novels she wrote."

""The Morrison project is to put Black life, and particularly the lives of Black women, at the very center of literature-but to do it in a way that's true to character and to human experience," Schwartz says. "The people she's writing about are damaged, are greedy, are jealous, are sad . . . and also are generous, and loving, and hurt and trying to heal.""

Morrison achieved public prominence through awards, teaching, mentorship, and memorable interviews. That public persona can overshadow the complexity and craft of her eleven novels. Key works include The Bluest Eye, Beloved, and Jazz, with Beloved widely regarded as a masterpiece and Jazz noted for formal experimentation. The novels place Black life, especially the lives of Black women, at the center and portray characters who are flawed, damaged, jealous, greedy, sad, generous, loving, hurt, and seeking healing. The emphasis lies on fidelity to character and human experience rather than idealization.

Read at The New Yorker