Being Property Once Myself: Blackness and the End of Man

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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.

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The September 2026 cover of PAW, featuring the headline "Minds at Play" written in game pieces — crossword, Scrabble, and Rubics Cube.
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