Popular Book Clubs and the Marketing of African American Best-Sellers
Résumé
Twice in American cultural history, have book clubs significantly contributed to the making of African American (unlikely) best-sellers and the unexpected commercial success of now famous and acclaimed authors. This chapter investigates the circumstances in which these works were selected and documents the consequences on reception and sales. Both examples offer insight in the making of African American best-sellers and classics and challenge the notion that racially committed texts and literary masterpieces (such as Black Boy and Winfrey’s later selection of Beloved by Morrison) belong to the margin of a conservative book market and of mainstream American culture.