Du Bose Heyward: A Critical and Biographical Sketch

"Du Bose Heyward: A Critical and Biographical Sketch" by Hervey Allen is a captivating biography that explores the life and literary achievements of Du Bose Heyward, a writer who significantly shaped American literature with his vivid portrayals of African American life. The book focuses mainly on Heyward’s famous novel, "Porgy," which tells the powerful story of an African American beggar with disabilities living in Charleston, South Carolina. Allen makes the case that "Porgy" presents a truthful and artistic picture of the African American experience, avoiding the typical biases and condescending stories common at the time. By closely studying Heyward's work, the biography uncovers how his deep understanding of Southern life and its challenges enabled him to create characters with genuine depth. Allen also shows how Heyward's work helped capture regional variety and the universal human experience, establishing him as a key player in the literary trends of his era.