A great American theorist of race, gender, living, and dying, poet and activist Audre Lorde created a body of work that was ahead of its time in its embrace of intersectionality. Lorde's writings have become increasingly influential since her death in 1992, contributing to the timeliness of the reissue of her 1988 collection, A Burst of Light. From reflections on her struggle with cancer to thoughts on lesbian sexuality and African-American identity in a straight white man's world, Lorde's voice remains enduringly relevant. Those who practice and encourage social justice activism frequently quote her exhortation, "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare." In addition to the journal entries of "A Burst of Light: Living with Cancer," this edition includes an interview, "Sadomasochism: Not About Condemnation," and three essays, "I Am Your Sister: Black Women Organizing Across Sexualities," "Apartheid U.S.A.," and "Turning the Beat Around: Lesbian Parenting 1986," as well as a new Foreword by Sonia Sanchez.
[back flap] The African-American poet and essayist Audre Lorde (1934-1992) dedicated her life and creative talents to the battle against racism, sexism, and homophobia. In addition to her critically acclaimed The Cancer Journals, Lorde's works include The Black Unicorn, The First Cities, Cables to Rage, From a Land Where Other People Live, and Coal. As well as winning a 1989 American Book Award for A Burst of Light and Other Essays, she received the Walt Whitman Citation of Merit in 1991, designating her poet laureate of New York; the 1988 Manhattan Borough President's Award for Excellence in the Arts; the Bill Whitehead Award for Lifetime Achievement; and honorary doctorates from Hunter, Oberlin, and Haverford Colleges. Poet, activist, and scholar Sonia Sanchez was the Laura Carnell Professor of English and Women's Studies at Temple University. She is the recipient of both the Robert Frost Medal for distinguished lifetime service to American poetry and the Langston Hughes Poetry Award. One of the most important writers of the Black Arts Movement, Sanchez is the author of sixteen books. Jen Keenan is an artist, designer, and DIY enthusiast, located in Brooklyn, New York. She was born in the cheese state, raised in the city of brotherly love, educated by the orangemen and women and works in the big apple.
She can be found at http://www.jenkeenan.com. Cover illustration (c) Jen Keenan. www.doverpublications.com [back cover] Winner of an 1988 American Book Award "The self-described black feminist lesbian mother poet used a mixture of prose, theory, poetry, and experience to interrogate oppressions and uplift marginalized communities. She was one of the first black feminists to target heteronormativity, and to encourage black feminists to expand their understanding of erotic pleasure.
She amplified anti-oppression, even as breast cancer ravaged her ailing body."--Evette Dionne, Bustle Magazine "When I don't know what to do, I turn to the Lorde."--Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Bitch Media.