Being Property Once Myself: Blackness and the End of Man

Placeholder author icon
By Joshua Bennett *16

Published Dec. 16, 2021

In this gripping series of literary criticism, Bennett examines the works of Black authors from the 20th and 21st centuries including Zora Neale Hurston and Toni Morrison. Being Property Once Myself: Blackness and the End of Man (Harvard University Press) particularly focuses on the use of different animals by these authors to depict Black experiences. Bennett offers both sharp analysis and beautifully written prose in his debut book of literary criticism.

Paw in print

Image
PAW's October 2026 cover, featuring a photo of a loaf of challah bread and the headline "The Braids That Bind."
The Latest Issue

October 2026

Holding on to Jewish life; Katy Anderson Keating ’08’s career in wine; Hollywood loves Princeton.