Lonely Crusade: The Life and Work of Chester Himes

Chester Himes, prolific yet overlooked, explored Black life, later known for his 'Harlem Cycle' detective novels.

Chester Himes was one of the most prolific Black writers of his time, yet he remains one of the least recognized in the United States, especially compared to his contemporaries Richard Wright and Ralph Ellison. His early novels combined biographical elements along with a rough, yet piercing, view of the effects of discrimination and disenfranchisement on African Americans. Such works, at times, befuddled and incensed both publishers and critics alike. Himes would later become known for his “Harlem Cycle” of detective fiction.