"Filled with page-turning, lyrical passages that speak to a passion for words . A fascinating examination of literary life still in progress."- Times-Picayune (New Orleans) "Miller brings an accomplished poet's stunning language to this important memoir, and no one writes more eloquently about the lives-the triumphs and dilemmas-of black American men than he does."-Charles Johnson, author of Middle Passage "From deep within the soul of the accomplished poet that he is, Ethelbert Miller has given us a precious gem of a book, a book that will resonate with anyone who has experienced loss but remains determined to make a new day."-Jonathan Coleman, author of Long Way to Go: Black and White America "Ethelbert's memoir of a writer laboring to give birth to himself is a poetic and achingly beautiful meditation on loneliness and desire, love and loss, on the paradox of life and love in this postindustrial diaspora that is 'America.'"-Lori Tsang, author of Circumnavigation and Passage and Totems "Because of Mr. Miller's gifts for humor and for direct evocation of powerfully sad moments, this book is something of an emotional storm."- The Washington Times "A poignant memoir that belongs in all collections of poetry and African American literature.

"- Library Journal " Fathering Words is a book of many faces. It is an open-veined and honest thing, packed with poetic moves."- The Washington Post "Modest and sincere, this restrained memoir also succeeds as a superb document of the Black Arts Movement of the 1970s and the current African-American literary scene."- Publishers Weekly "A lovely coming-of-age story laden with pain and passion, testimony and gospel, laughter and love . Miller's wit and subtlety, his humor and generosity, marry with a language both efficient and rich."-Africana.com "Miller strikes a perfect balance between prose and sheer poetic dialogue."- QBR: The Black Review.