Poignant

“Fat Time and Other Stories” by Jeffery Renard Allen reimagines iconic figures like Jimi Hendrix, Francis Bacon, Jack Johnson, Miles Davis, and Muhammad Ali to illuminate America’s evolution from the 20th to the 21st century. Guided by Allen, these characters offer insights into the nation’s journey. The collection weaves poignant portrayals of Black urban life with speculative history, all within the framework of African circular time. Amid these narratives, a delicate equilibrium balances the natural and supernatural, sacred and profane, real and fantastical, and creation and destruction. Extending the legacies of Ellison, Faulkner, Roth, and Reed, Allen’s work forges a unique path in American literature. “Fat Time and Other Stories” showcases his boundless creative depth, offering a window into painful realities.
–The New York Times Book Review