The World of Toni Morrison: A Guide to Characters and Places in Her Novels

Toni Morrison is one of the most popular and talented African American writers in history. Her thoroughness and universality draws from a wide range of mythic, biblical, and historical lore, as well as her illumination of the similarities between apparently unrelated people and places. Though her novels are often challenging, they richly reward the reader who explores their depths. This reference maps the terrain of Morrison's complex imaginary world.

This convenient guide to her novels contains more than 800 brief entries, highlighting all of her characters and settings, both major and minor. The reference also provides information on her many allusions to figures such as Moses, Thoreau, and W.E.B. DuBois. For the novice, this volume fosters an understanding and appreciation of her works. For more experienced readers, it demonstrates how Morrison draws on a vast wealth of material and points to new directions for exploring her universe.

GLORIA GRANT ROBERSON is Associate Professor and Reference Librarian at Adelphia University and was the bibliographer for the Toni Morrison Society newsletter.