Author: Ishmael Reed

Cites

• Johnny Carson (1)
  • IN: The Terrible Threes (1989) Fiction, American
    EPIGRAPH: When turkeys mate, they think of swans.
    FROM: The Tonight Show, (None), Interview, US
• Mark Twain (1)
  • IN: Juice! (2011) Fiction, American
    EPIGRAPH: "I want my nigger."
    FROM: Huckleberry Finn, (1884), Novel, US
• NULL (4)
  • IN: Juice! (2011) Fiction, American
    EPIGRAPH: Fox News Channel's Shepard Smith asked O. J. Simpson if he would take a lie-detector test. "I'm not going to be some dancing monkey for you guys," Simpson said.
    FROM: AP Online, (2000), Article, NULL
  • IN: Japanese by Spring (1993) Fiction, American
    EPIGRAPH: The Japanese are likened to the American Indian in their manner of making war. Our fighting men say that isn't fair to the Indian. He had honor of a sort. Moreover, even a dead Jap isn't a good Jap. His loving comrades mine him and set him.... Yet, such are the Nipponese. In death as in life, treacherous.
    FROM: The New York Times Magazine, (1942), Article, US
  • IN: The Terrible Twos (1982) Fiction, American
    EPIGRAPH: WASHINGTON (UPI) -- Confirming what many people already felt in their bones, the Commerce Department reported Sunday the rain-poor winter of 1980-1981 produced a slew of records and near records for the nation and nearly half the states.
    FROM: NULL, (None), NULL, US
  • IN: The Last Days of Louisiana Red (1974) Fiction, American
    EPIGRAPH: Gumbo, of all other products of the New Orleans cuisine, represents a most distinctive type of evolution of good cookery under the hands of the famous Creole cuisinières of old New Orleans. Indeed, the word "evolution" fails to apply when speaking of Gumbo, for it is an original conception, a something sui generis in cooking, peculiar to this ancient Creole city alone, and to the manner born. With equal ability the olden Creole cooks saw the possibilities of exquisite and delicious combinations of making Gumbo, and hence we have many varieties! till the occult science of making a good "Gumbo à la Creole" seems too fine an inheritance of gastronomic lore to remain forever hidden away in the cuisines of this old Southern metropolis. The following recipes, gathered with care from the best Creole housekeepers of New Orleans, have been handed down from generation to generation.
    FROM: "Gumbo À La Creole", The Picayune Creole Cook Book, (None), Book, NULL
• Quickskill (1)
  • IN: Flight to Canada (1976) Fiction, American
    EPIGRAPH: Dear Massa Swille: What it was? I have done my Liza Leap & am safe in the arms of Canada, so Ain't no use your Slave Catchers waitin on me At Trailways I won't be there I flew in non-stop Jumbo jet this A. M. Had Champagne Compliments of the Cap'n Who announced that a Runaway Negro was on the Plane. Passengers came up And shook my hand & within my hand & within 10 min. I had Signed up for 3 anti-slavery Lectures. Remind me to get an Agent Traveling in style Beats craning your neck after The North Star and hiding in Bushes anytime, Massa Besides, your Negro dogs Of Hays & Allen stock can't Fly By now I s'pose that Yellow Judas Cato done tole You that I have snuck back to The plantation 3 maybe 4 times Since I left the first time Last visit I slept in Your bed and sampled your Cellar. Had your prime Quadroon give me She-Bear. Yes, yes You was away at a Slave auction at Ryan's Mart In Charleston & so I knowed You wouldn't mind Did you have a nice trip, Massa? I borrowed your cotton money to pay for my ticket & to get Me started in this place called Saskatchewan Brrrrrrrr! It's cold up here but least Nobody is collaring hobbling gagging Handcuffing yoking chaining & thumbscrewing You like you is they hobby horse The Mistress Ms. Lady Gived me the combination To your safe, don't blame The feeble old soul, Cap'n I told her you needed some More money to shop with & You sent me from Charleston To get it. Don't worry Your employees won't miss It & I accept it as a Down payment on my back Wages I must close now Massa, by the time you gets This letter old Sam will have Probably took you to the Deep Six That was rat poson I left In your Old Crow
    FROM: Flight to Canada, (None), Poem, NULL
• James Bertolino (1)
  • IN: Flight to Canada (1976) Fiction, American
    EPIGRAPH: Evil dogs us.
    FROM: NULL, (None), NULL, US
• Aizawa Seishisai (1)
  • IN: Japanese by Spring (1993) Fiction, American
    EPIGRAPH: Today, the alien barbarians of the West, the lowly organs of the legs and feet of the world, are dashing about across the seas, trampling other countries underfoot, and daring, with their squinting eyes and limping feet, to override the noble nations. What manner of arrogance is this!
    FROM: Shinron, (1825), NULL, Japanese
• Jack London (1)
  • IN: Japanese by Spring (1993) Fiction, American
    EPIGRAPH: It was at Fort Yukon that White Fang saw his first white men. As compared with the Indians he had known, they were to him another race of beings, a race of superior gods.
    FROM: White Fang, (1906), Novel, US
• Elias Canetti (1)
  • IN: The Freelance Pallbearers (1967) Fiction, American
    EPIGRAPH: The excrement, which is what remains of all this, is loaded with our whole blood guilt. By it we know what we have murdered. It is the compressed sum of all evidence against us. It is our daily and continuing sin and as such, it stinks and cries to heaven. It is remarkable how we isolate ourselves with it. In special rooms, set aside for the purpose we get rid of it; our most private moment is when we withdraw there; we are alone only with our excrement. It is clear that we are ashamed of it. It is the age-old seal of that power-process of digestion which is enacted in darkness and which, without this, would remain hidden forever.
    FROM: Crowds and Power, (1960), Book, Bulgaria
• Shirley Temple (1)
  • IN: The Freelance Pallbearers (1967) Fiction, American
    EPIGRAPH: We felt so dirty after seeing it that we felt compelled to eat at Senor Picos, a popular Mexican restaurant. We ordered the spiciest food they had just to burn ourselves out, inside.
    FROM: after seeing Night Games, (None), NULL, US
• Blanche Knott (1)
  • IN: Reckless Eyeballing (1986) Fiction, American
    EPIGRAPH: What's the American dream? A million blacks swimming back to Africa with a Jew under each arm.
    FROM: Truly Tasteless Jokes, (1982), Book, US

Cited by

• Henry Louis Gates (1)
  • IN: Black Literature & Literary Theory (1984) American fiction, African fiction (English), American
    EPIGRAPH: Son, these niggers writing. Proganing our sacred words. Taking them from us and beating them on the anvil of Boogie-Woogie, putting their black hands on them so that they shine like burnished amulets. Taking our words, son, these filthy niggers and using them like they were their god-given pussy. Why...why 1 of them dared to interpret, critically mind you, the great Herman Melville's Moby Dick!
    FROM: Mumbo Jumbo, (1972), Novel, US
• Robert and Shea, Robert Wilson (1)
  • IN: The Illuminatus! Trilogy (1975) Fiction, American
    EPIGRAPH: The history of the world is the history of the warfare between secret societies.
    FROM: Mumbo-Jumbo, (1972), Novel, US