Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. A Reason to Read . . . ix
4. Introduction 1
5. Chapter 1. The Birth of Bigger Thomas 23
6. Chapter 2. Of Men and Monsters 50
7. Chapter 3. Lightning in a Bottle 67
8. Chapter 4. Bigger from the 1950s to the Black Arts Movement 86
9. Chapter 5. A Controversial Classic 102
10. Chapter 6. Bigger on Bigger 117
11. Chapter 7. The Value of a Literary Life 140
12. Acknowledgments 149
13. Notes 151
14. Index 169