Poet, educator, and social activist Gwendolyn Brooks was a singular
force in American culture.
The first black woman to be named United States poet laureate, Brook's
poetry, fiction, and social commentary shed light on the beauty of
humanity, the distinct qualities of black life and community, and the
destructive effects of racism, sexism, and class inequality.
A collection of 30 essays combining critical analysis and personal
reflection, The Whiskey of Our Discontent presents essential elements
of Brooks' oeuvre - on race, gender, class, community, and poetic craft,
while also examining her life as poet, reporter, mentor, sage, activist,
and educator.
Quraysh Ali Lansana has written and edited more than a dozen books to
include BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip Hop. He
teaches writing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Georgia A. Popoff is a poet, educator, and editor, whose third
collection is Psalter: The Agnostic's Book of Common Curiosities. She
coauthored Our Difficult Sunlight: A Guide to Poetry, Literacy, and
Social Justice in Classroom and Community with Quraysh Ali Lansana.