Maxwell, William J.

A guaranteed delight for fans of Maxwell’s and New Yorker–style writing, but may be a bit too fragmented for neophytes.

While Maxwell's interpretation occasionally strains itself and draws conclusions beyond where pure facts may dictate, this well-researched volume illustrates the paranoia and self-censorship that altered the course of African American literature for decades as a result of the bureau's surveillance. This scholarly work will appeal to academic readers with a particular interest in African American literature or the FBI.

Drawing from nearly 14,000 pages of FBI files, Maxwell uncovers the organization's efforts under J...