Echo Tree

The Collected Short Fiction of Henry Dumas

Henry Dumas' fiction is a masterful synthesis of myth and religion, culture and nature, mask and identity. From the Deep South to the simmering streets of Harlem, his characters embark on surreal and mythic quests armed only with wit, words, and wisdom. Championed by Toni Morrison, Walter Mosley, and Quincy Troupe, Dumas' books have long been out of print. All of his short fiction is collected here, for the first time, and includes several previously unpublished stories.

Henry Dumas was born in Sweet Home, Arkansas, moved to Harlem, joined the air force, attended Rutgers, worked for IBM, and taught at Hiram College in Ohio and Southern Illinois University. In 1968, at the age of 33, he was shot and killed by a New York Transit Authority policeman.

©2003 Coffee House Press (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

A must buy!

Great stories and performances here. If you are into African American / ADOS fiction writing, it's a must buy!

Sanguine spirituality, scathing social criticism

Chances are you were recommended this book by someone familiar with the late Ms. Toni Morrison, who heavily promoted the work of Henry Dumas. Or perhaps you heard of how he met his tragic fate at the hands of New York City Transit Police, in 1968.

In short, Henry Dumas delivers edifying social commentary packaged in sometimes humorous dialogue. The bulk of the stories are based in the rural southern United States — a fact not lost on the masterful narrators.

Think of Zora Neale Hurston’s short stories such as “John Redding Goes to Sea,” or of Langston Hughes’ early poetry.