"The Talking Book" casts the Bible as the central character in a
vivid portrait of black America, tracing the origins of African-
American culture from slavery's secluded forest prayer meetings
to the bright lights and bold style of today's hip-hop artists.
The Bible has profoundly influenced African Americans throughout
history. From a variety of perspectives this wide-ranging book
is the first to explore the Bible's role in the triumph of the
black experience. Using the Bible as a foundation, African
Americans shared religious beliefs, created their own music, and
shaped the ultimate key to their freedom--literacy. Allen
Callahan highlights the intersection of biblical images with
African-American music, politics, religion, art, and literature.
The author tells a moving story of a biblically informed
African-American culture, identifying four major biblical images
--Exile, Exodus, Ethiopia, and Emmanuel. He brings these themes
to life in a unique African-American history that grows from the
harsh experience o