The Street - by Ann Petry (Paperback)

About the Book

"The Street follows the spirited Lutie Johnson, a newly single mother whose efforts to claim a share of the American Dream for herself and her young son meet frustration at every turn in 1940s Harlem. Opening a fresh perspective on the realities and challenges of black, female, working-class life, The Street became the first novel by an African American woman to sell more than a million copies"--]cProvided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION FROM NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR TAYARI JONES

"How can a novel's social criticism be so unflinching and clear, yet its plot moves like a house on fire? I am tempted to describe Petry as a magician for the many ways that The Street amazes, but this description cheapens her talent... Petry is a gifted artist." -- Tayari Jones, from the Introduction

The Street follows the spirited Lutie Johnson, a newly single mother whose efforts to claim a share of the American Dream for herself and her young son meet frustration at every turn in 1940s Harlem. Opening a fresh perspective on the realities and challenges of black, female, working-class life, this classic American novel became the first novel by an African American woman to sell more than a million copies.

Review Quotes

"A major literary invention . . . A truly great book." --The Los Angeles Times "Overflows with the classic pity and terror of good imaginative writing." --The New York Times "A powerful, uncompromising work of social criticism. To this day, few works of fiction have so clearly illuminated the devastating impact of racial injustice." --Coretta Scott King "A classic of American realism . . . The Street rushes toward its fatalistic climax like a train toward a washed-out bridge." --Newsday