[Arna Bontemps—Langston Hughes Letters 1925–1967 constitutes] a kind of collective authority. In surveying the American literary scene for a half a century, [Arna Bontemps and Langston Hughes] selected the Big Questions for literary discussion; they helped decide what trends to notice, what influences to count; they announced the up and coming young writers. They always knew how important it is for the Afro-Americanist to claim this kind of control.

While their influential voices were used mostly to the good, in fairness to the women artists that get mentioned in these letters, it must be said that they also contributed to the climate which made it hard for women to participate as equals in that tradition. (p. 2)

The main thrust of these letters, however, is to talk about themselves, to show their determination to refine their craft and gain recognition in the world of letters. They are nearly always...