african-american africanamerican africanamericanmen africanamericans alienation americanfiction(fictionalworksbyoneauthor) americanfiction(fictionalworksbyoneauthor);africanamericans_fiction; award:national_book_award=fiction betrayal blackorafricanamerican children'sfiction classics conditionssociales conformity discrimination disillusionment fiction freedom general historical identity identity-crisis individualism inequity invisibility invisible longnowmanualforcivilization mentallyill modernliterature nationalbookawardwinner newyorktimesreviewed nouvelles open_syllabus_project oppression power psychologicalfiction race racerelations racism romans scientists social-injustice socialconditions society stereotypes unitedstates urbanlife