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The Last of the Conquerors
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Last of the Conquerors is the debut novel by African-American journalist and editor William Gardner Smith. It was first published in 1948. The author, then aged 19, wrote the novel on the boat returning the US from Germany.
The novel concerns the author's experience as an African-American GI's serving in the racially segregated United States Army in US-occupied Germany aft ...more
The novel concerns the author's experience as an African-American GI's serving in the racially segregated United States Army in US-occupied Germany aft ...more
Mass Market Paperback, 202 pages
Published
1948
by New American Library
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Can you name another contemporary novel written about the experiences of Black G.Is in Germany after the war? It is well known how important this experience was for the development of the Civil Rights movement, but I certainly can't think of another novel dealing with it.
And, of course, the one novel that does is long out of print and very hard to find. I looked for a copy for over 2 years until suddenly one popped up for only a few quid (as opposed to the usual hundreds). There are three copie ...more
The novel is set in Germany post World War II, about the life and love of Negro soldiers in the US army. It is interesting, realistic and most of all, heartfelt. The dialogues between the main couple could have bordered on being saccharine and overly idealistic, but Smith treads the line carefully so that they remain 3-D and earnest. This is one of his biggest strength - even the minor characters are portrayed with such depth that forcefully demands sympathy.
Other plusses: The first person pers ...more
Other plusses: The first person pers ...more
Fascinating as a historical document and middling OK as a novel, this book tells the story of a black GI in Germany who has the usual passionate romance with a local woman, and much more interesting problems with a segregated, racist army. The atmosphere — one where black folk see glimpses of a better life in Europe — is unusually well captured. The writing is usually good — spoiled only by occasional stream of consciousness interludes that overdo the run on sentences.
Worth a reissue and a read. ...more
Worth a reissue and a read. ...more
Picked up this book at Spoonbill in Brooklyn with no idea what it was, no idea how it would change my life. I'd never heard of the events covered in this book, never knew that such a thing existed. It was such an interesting read. Well written and emotional, it pushed me to read more of Mr. Smith's work. I'm now reading it a second time. Definitely recommend it if you can get it.
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William Gardner Smith was an American journalist, novelist, and editor. Smith is linked to the black social protest novel tradition of the 1940s and the 1950s, a movement that became synonymous with writers such as Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, Willard Motley, and Ann Petry. His third book, South Street, is considered to be one of the first black militant protest novels. Smith's last published no
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Happy Women's History Month! One of the undisputedly good things about modern scholarship is that women’s history is finally getting its due....
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