Summary

Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick is an anthology showcasing 21 short, fictional and folkloric stories written by Zora Neale Hurston from 1921 to 1934—spanning the Harlem Renaissance. The anthology is prefaced by an Editor’s Note, Foreword, and Introduction. The Editor’s Note explains that the anthology is “an entirely new edition of Hurston’s short fiction,” and that the stories are “transcribed anew” (vii). The Editor’s Note describes how the editor preserves Hurston’s original copy whenever possible and explains the origins of the “uncovered” stories that had been buried in historic documents “until 2005” (viii).

The Foreword, titled “Love Letter and Testimony,” is written by Tayari Jones and praises Hurston’s “timelessness” and “insightful prose” (xii, x). Jones highlights that Hurston’s short fiction takes a “deep dive” into the “psychology, actions, and circumstances” of her characters (xi...