Magical Negro

by Morgan Parker
Magical Negro cover
Good Books rating 4.42
Poetry
Technical:
  • ID: 755
  • Added: 2025-09-19
  • Updated: 2025-09-20
  • ISBN: 9781472154064
  • Publisher: Hachette UK
  • Published: 2019-02-07
  • Formats: 12
  • Reviews: 3
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Waterstones
Paperback • £10.99

Magical Negro by Morgan Parker is a collection of poems that delves into the complexities of Black American womanhood, blending personal narratives with broader societal themes. The poems explore topics such as loneliness, displacement, grief, and ancestral trauma, while also tackling stereotypes and tropes associated with Black Americans. Parker's work is both a testament to everyday Black experiences and a searing political protest, creating a space for witnessing and airing grievances. The collection is a mix of elegy and jive, joke and declaration, offering a rich tapestry of living documents, pleas, and unspoken anxieties that resonate across time.

Reviews
Book Critics · 2020-03-03
immersive 4.75

Parker's versatility with language is wondrous and immersive, making 'Magical Negro' a standout collection that feels both timely and timeless.

The reviewer is impressed by Parker's effortless versatility with language, which makes 'Magical Negro' a standout collection. They note how the poems feel both timely and timeless, tackling contemporary issues while also resonating with universal themes. The reviewer also highlights the collection's immersive quality, which draws the reader in and keeps them engaged from start to finish.

Quick quotes

    Morgan Parker's effortless versatility with language in Magical Negro is a wondrous and immersive experience.

    The collection is a testament to the complex, yet unwaveringly stunning depths of black womanhood.

    The poems masterfully play with and dismantle the concept of the 'magical negro' and the harm it has caused countless people.

Los Angeles Review of Books · 2019-02-25
thought-provoking 4.00

The poems in 'Magical Negro' are both playful and profound, blending elegy and joke, declaration and song. They explore themes of loneliness, displacement, and grief with a unique and vital transparency.

The reviewer appreciates the complexity and depth of 'Magical Negro', noting how Parker's poems blend different styles and themes seamlessly. They highlight the book's exploration of loneliness, displacement, and grief, which are presented with a unique transparency that feels both personal and universal. The reviewer also notes that the book's lack of straightforward illumination is part of its strength, making it a rich and thought-provoking read.

Quick quotes

    The Magical Negro elides and erases rather than illuminates, and this lack of transparency seems vital to Parker's aim with this book.

    These American poems are both elegy and jive, joke and declaration, songs of congregation and self-conception.

    The endlessly discussable quality means that Magical Negro would be a marvelous book club pick and fantastic in the classroom.

NPR · 2019-02-11
profound 4.50

The collection masterfully explores the impact of historical events on African-American lives, blending humor and gravity in a way that feels both personal and collective.

The reviewer praises 'Magical Negro' for its deep exploration of African-American experiences, particularly how historical events shape individual lives. They note the collection's unique blend of humor and gravity, which makes the poems both accessible and profound. The reviewer also highlights Parker's technical skill, which allows her to tackle complex themes with ease and grace.

Quick quotes

    Morgan Parker's new poetry collection explores the ways African-American lives are affected by historical events.

    The collection is a testimony to the complex, yet unwaveringly stunning depths of black womanhood.

    The poems are both elegy and jive, joke and declaration, songs of congregation and self-conception.

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