Dark Matter: Reading the Bones (Dark Matter (Aspect))

Dark Matter: Reading the Bones is a second diverse anthology of science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction by an array of African-American authors includes both original works and previously published short fiction. Dark Matter is the first and only series to bring together the works of black SF and fantasy writers. The first volume, Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora, was featured in the "New York Times", which named it a Notable Book of the Year. Contents Introduction (Dark Matter: Reading the Bones) essay by Sheree Rene Thomas [as by Sheree R. Thomas] Ibo Landing (1998) / short story by Ihsan Bracy The Quality of Sand / short story by Cherene Sherrard Yahimba's Choice [Dossouye] / short story by Charles R. Saunders The Glass Bottle Trick (2000) / short story by Nalo Hopkinson Desire / short story by Kiini Ibura Salaam Recovery from a Fall / short story by David Findlay Anansi Meets Peter Parker at the Taco Bell on Lexington (2000) / short story by Douglas Kearney The Magical Negro / short story by Nnedi Okorafor [as by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu] Jesus Christ in Texas (1920) / short story by W. E. B. Du Bois Will the Circle Be Unbroken? (1974) / short story by Henry Dumas 'Cause Harlem Needs Heroes / short story by Kevin Brockenbrough Whipping Boy / short story by Pam Noles Old Flesh Song / short story by Ibi Zoboi [as by Ibi Aanu Zoboi] Whispers in the Dark (2001) / novelette by Walter Mosley Aftermoon / short story by Tananarive Due Voodoo Vincent and the Astrostoriograms / short story by Tyehimba Jess The Binary / short story by John Cooley BLACKout / short story by Jill Robinson Sweet Dreams / short story by Charles Johnson Buying Primo Time / short story by Wanda Coleman Corona (1967) / short story by Samuel R. Delany Maggies / short story by Nisi Shawl Excerpt from Mindscape / short story by Andrea Hairston Trance / short story by Kalamu ya Salaam The Second Law of Thermodynamics essay by Jewelle Gomez Her Pen Could Fly: Remembering Virginia Hamilton essay by Nnedi Okorafor [as by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu] Celebrating the Alien: The Politics of Race and Species in the Juveniles of Andre Norton essay by Carol Cooper .

Dark Matter is the first and only series to bring together the works of black SF and fantasy writers. The first volume was featured in the "New York Times," which named it a Notable Book of the Year.

Publishers Weekly

After the spectacular Dark Matter (2000), Thomas offers something of a mixed bag in her second anthology of speculative fiction from the African diaspora. Of the stories set during the days of slavery, ihsan bracy's "ibo landing" proves that stylization of subject matter can be more powerful than historical fidelity. The shimmering, brutal outlines created by such simple sentences as "each in their own way understood the distance. they would never again be home" stay with the reader for a long time. By contrast, the weight of research muffles the emotional impact of a story like Cherene Sherrard's "The Quality of Sand." Similarly, Charles R. Sanders's "Yahimba's Choice" seems written by an anthropologist studying a distant culture, the story unable to move past surface ritual and wooden dialogue. The strongest entry is Kuni Ibura Salaam's "Desire," an experimental retelling of a folktale that's wonderfully fresh, with exquisite detail: "Quashe's back formed one gleaming stretch of reptile skin. Her torso, neck, and arms were honey-amber, human-soft skin moist with river dew." This story will probably appear in at least one year's best collection. Other stories of note include Pam Noles's "Whipping Boy" and Tananarive Due's "Aftermoon." Solid reprints from Samuel R. Delaney and W.E.B. Du Bois, among others, round out the volume, along with several essays of varying quality. Agent, Marie Dutton Brown. (Jan. 2) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

This Rich Collection Displays Narratives Of Courage, From Women In An African Forest Challenging Deep Rooted Cultural Expectations To Hard Eyed Urban Men In American Housing Projects Resisting A Hostile World. Fiction. Ibo Landing / Ihsan Bracy -- The Quality Of Sand / Cherene Sherrard -- Yahimba's Choice / Charles R. Saunders -- The Glass Bottle Trick / Nalo Hopkinson -- Desire / Kiini Ibura Salaam -- Recovery From A Fall / David Findlay -- Anansi Meets Peter Parker At The Taco Bell On Lexington / Douglas Kearney -- The Magical Negro / Nnedi Okorafor-mbachu -- Jesus Christ In Texas / W.e.b. Dubois -- Will The Circle Be Unbroken? / Henry Dumas -- 'cause Harlem Needs Heroes / Kevin Brockenbrough -- Whipping Boy / Pam Noles -- Old Flesh Song / Ini Aanu Zoboi -- Whispers In The Dark / Walter Mosley -- Aftermoon / Tananarive Due -- Voodoo Vincent And The Astrostoriograms / Tyehimba Jess -- The Binary / John Cooley -- Blackout / Jill Robinson -- Sweet Dreams / Charles Johnson -- Buying Primo Time / Wanda Coleman -- Corona / Samuel R. Delaney -- Maggies / Nisi Shawl -- Excerpt From Mindscape / Andrea Hairston -- Trance / Kalamu Ya Salaam -- Essays. The Second Law Of Thermodynamics: Transcription Of A Panel At The 1997 Black Speculative Fiction Writer's Conference Held At Clark Atlanta University / Jewelle Gomez -- Her Pen Could Fly: Remembering Virginia Hamilton / Nnedi Okorafor-mbachu -- Celebrating The Alien: The Politics Of Race And Species In The Juveniles Of Andre Norton / Carol Cooper. Edited By Sheree R. Thomas. Sequel To: Dark Matter : A Century Of Speculative Fiction From The African Diaspora. Cover......Page 1 Title/Copyright......Page 2 Contents......Page 3 Reading the Bones......Page 4 Dedication......Page 5 INTRODUCTION......Page 6 IBO LANDING......Page 8 The Quality of Sand......Page 11 Yahimba’s Choice......Page 21 THE GLASS BOTTLE TRICK......Page 35 DESIRE......Page 43 RECOVERY FROM A FALL......Page 54 ANANSI MEETS PETER PARKER AT THE TACO BELL ON LEXINGTON......Page 61 THE MAGICAL NEGRO......Page 62 JESUS CHRIST IN TEXAS......Page 64 WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN?......Page 70 ’CAUSE HARLEM NEEDS HEROES......Page 74 Whipping Boy......Page 84 OLD FLESH SONG......Page 99 WHISPERS IN THE DARK......Page 107 AFTERMOON......Page 121 VOODOO VINCENT AND THE ASTROSTORIOGRAMS......Page 129 THE BINARY......Page 139 BLACKOUT......Page 150 SWEET DREAMS......Page 157 BUYING PRIMO TIME......Page 160 CORONA......Page 165 MAGGIES......Page 178 EXCERPT FROM MINDSCAPE......Page 189 TRANCE......Page 202 THE SECOND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS......Page 224 HER PEN COULD FLY: REMEMBERING VIRGINIA HAMILTON......Page 234 CELEBRATING THE ALIEN: THE POLITICS OF RACE AND SPECIES IN THE JUVENILES OF ANDRE NORTON......Page 237 CONTRIBUTORS......Page 242 COPYRIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS......Page 247 Footnote: 1 Anansi......Page 249 A second diverse anthology of science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction by an array of African-American authors includes both original works and previously published short fiction by Charles Johnson, Tananarive Due, Walter Mosley, W. E. B. Du Bois, Samuel R. Delaney, Nalo Hopkinson, Wanda Coleman, and other notable writers. 15,000 first printing. This volume introduces black science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction writers to the generations of readers who have not had the chance to explore the scope and diversity among African-American writers.