One of the most prominent contemporary analysts of the black experience, Toni Morrison has, within a decade, established herself as a significant American novelist. As a senior editor at Random House, a visiting lecturer at Bard College, and the divorced mother of two sons, Morrison must juggle schedules in order to find time for her writing. Yet, she observes, "Writing is the only thing I do that is for me.... I was over 30 when I began to write seriously and intelligently and I hope, honestly." With this commitment to serious writing, she has produced three extraordinary novels since 1970 and is nearing completion of her fourth one, "Tar Baby." Each of her novels has been critically acclaimed. However, the acclaim is not unqualified, probably resulting from the difficulty in understanding the sometimes bizarre content of the books rather than from deficiencies of style, structure, or vision.

Toni Morrison , nee...