675 Zora Neale Hurston (with Cheryl Hopson) | Jack Kerouac's Newly Discovered Writings

The Road is set in a world that has been devastated by an unspecified cataclysmic event, resulting in the extinction of nearly all life on Earth. The story follows an unnamed father and his young son as they travel south along the road, carrying their meager possessions and a pistol with only two bullets. The father, suffering from a worsening respiratory condition, is determined to protect his son from the dangers of their new world, including cannibalistic marauders. Along their journey, they encounter various survivors, some of whom are cruel and others who show kindness. The novel explores themes of love, survival, and the preservation of humanity in a world devoid of hope. Ultimately, the father's health fails, and he dies, but not before ensuring his son's safety with a new family who may offer a chance for a better future.

The Dharma Bums follows Ray Smith, a beat writer, and his friend Japhy Ryder, a poet and Zen Buddhist, as they embark on various adventures, including mountain climbing, hitchhiking, and attending poetry readings. The novel is a reflection of Kerouac's own experiences during the San Francisco Renaissance and his fascination with Buddhism and the natural world. It explores themes of spirituality, the search for meaning, and the allure of nature, all set against the backdrop of the Beat Generation's rejection of mainstream American culture.

Published in 1940, 'Native Son' is a novel set in Chicago during the 1930s. It tells the story of Bigger Thomas, a 20-year-old Black man living in utter poverty on the South Side of Chicago. The novel follows Bigger's journey after he accidentally murders a young white woman, Mary Dalton, in a moment of panic. The book is a condemnation of social injustice and an unsparing portrait of the Black experience in America, revealing the tragic effects of racism, poverty, and hopelessness. Wright's work emphasizes the systemic causes behind Bigger's actions and the psychological toll of racism on Black society. The novel remains timely and relevant, addressing themes of race relations, violence, and the internalized powerlessness of Black Americans.

The novel follows Janie Crawford, an African-American woman, as she navigates through three marriages and her quest for love, freedom, and self-identity. Set in central and southern Florida, the story explores themes of race, gender, and identity, depicting Janie's transformation from a voiceless teenage girl to a woman who takes control of her own destiny. The narrative is marked by Janie's relationships with her husbands—Logan Killicks, Joe Starks, and Tea Cake—and her ultimate discovery of true love and independence.

This book is a collection of 36 essays that delve into the lives and creative expressions of Black women, highlighting their struggles and achievements in a society that often marginalized them. Walker draws on her own experiences and those of her mother and grandmothers, as well as other notable Black women writers like Phillis Wheatley and Zora Neale Hurston. The essays emphasize the importance of recognizing and honoring the artistic traditions and legacies of these women, who created masterpieces despite the hardships and limitations imposed upon them.

Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" is a satirical masterpiece that uses fantastical journeys to critique human nature and societal flaws. Gulliver's encounters with Lilliputians, Brobdingnagians, and other fantastical creatures serve as allegories for political and social issues of Swift's time. The novel's sharp wit and biting satire continue to resonate with readers today, offering a timeless commentary on human folly and the complexities of power. Gulliver's experiences highlight the absurdity of human conflict and the importance of reason and moderation. The book's enduring popularity stems from its ability to entertain while simultaneously provoking thought and challenging readers' assumptions.

In 'Black Boy,' Richard Wright recounts his early life in the Deep South, where he faced severe poverty, racism, and familial instability. The book chronicles his father's abandonment, his mother's struggles to provide for her children, and Wright's own experiences with hunger, violence, and racism. Wright's narrative also explores his intellectual curiosity, his rejection of religious dogma, and his eventual move to Chicago, where he continued to face racism and social injustices. The autobiography is a powerful account of Wright's formative years and his determination to become a writer despite the odds against him.

This book is based on Hurston's interviews with Oluale Kossola (also known as Cudjo Lewis) in 1927. Kossola recounts his childhood in Africa, his capture by another tribe, his confinement in a barracoon, and his brutal journey across the Atlantic on the slave ship *Clotilda*. The narrative includes his experiences as a slave in the United States, his life after emancipation, and the establishment of Africatown by *Clotilda* survivors. The book was published posthumously in 2018, after remaining unpublished for many decades due to its candid portrayal of the Atlantic slave trade and the use of vernacular English in the interviews.