Cane

Written by Jean Toomer

Narrated by Audra McDonald

Narrated by six-time Tony Award-winning actress Audra McDonald, Jean Toomer’s revolutionary masterpiece Cane is exemplary of the era we now know as the Harlem Renaissance, and has come to be considered one of the classic works of American literary modernism. A boldly experimental “novel” mixing prose, poetry, and dramatic sketches, the book’s hallmark is its formal sophistication; sexuality, racism, and industrialization are among its major themes. Above all else it offers unforgettably evocative portraits of the African American lives Toomer encountered in rural Georgia, by turns down-to-earth, heartfelt, hauntingly lyrical.

Cover illustrated by: Laylie Frazier

Laylie is a digital illustrator from Houston, Texas. She combines texture, color, and pattern to create warm and expressive portraits. She often pulls inspiration from nature, utilizing abstract plant, mountain, and sun motifs in her backgrounds. She is currently illustrating middle grade and YA covers for publishing as well as working in advertising.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Spotify Audiobooks
• Release date: Apr 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9798368970943

Jean Toomer

Jean Toomer (1894-1967) was an American writer and prominent fixture during the Harlem Renaissance. He was born into a mixed-race family, including his grandfather, P. B. S. Pinchback, who was the first U.S. governor of African American descent. Toomer attended multiple universities focusing on a wide range of subjects like sociology, history and philosophy. He began writing essays about the African American experience, particularly in the southern states. His best-known work, Cane, was published in 1923 and was revered among both Black and white critics. It catapulted Toomer’s career making him one of the most recognizable writers of his era.