Cane MP3 CD in DVD case
Cane DVD cover

Cane

Jean Toomer


"Cane," written by Jean Toomer and published in 1923, is a pioneering literary work that defies traditional categorization, blending elements of poetry, prose, and drama. Set in the American South, the book is structured as a collection of vignettes, interconnected stories, and poems that capture the multifaceted experiences of African Americans during the early 20th century.

The work is divided into three distinct sections: the Southern rural vignettes, the urban stories in the North, and the poetic interludes. The Southern section paints a vivid portrait of the harsh realities of rural life, exploring themes of racism, poverty, and the complex interplay of racial identities. The Northern stories delve into the struggles and aspirations of African Americans as they migrate to urban centers, confronting issues of alienation and self-discovery. The poetic interludes provide emotional depth and reflection on the themes introduced in the prose sections.

"Cane" stands out for its innovative literary style, blending realism with symbolism and employing a range of narrative perspectives. Toomer's use of language, rhythm, and imagery creates a rich tapestry that captures the essence of the African American experience, highlighting the cultural, social, and psychological challenges faced by individuals within a racially divided society. The work's profound exploration of identity, heritage, and the human condition has earned it a lasting place in American literature, influencing subsequent generations of writers and thinkers.

From the Foreword...    

Reading this book, I had the vision of a land, heretofore sunk in the mists of muteness, suddenly rising up into the eminence of song. Innumerable books have been written about the South; some good books have been written in the South. This book is the South. I do not mean that Cane covers the South or is the South’s full voice. Merely this: a poet has arisen among our American youth who has known how to turn the essences and materials of his Southland into the essences and materials of literature. A poet has arisen in that land who writes, not as a Southerner, not as a rebel against Southerners, not as a Negro, not as apologist or priest or critic: who writes as a poet. The fashioning of beauty is ever foremost in his inspiration: not forcedly but simply, and because these ultimate aspects of his world are to him more real than all its specific problems. He has made songs and lovely stories of his land ... not of its yesterday, but of its immediate life. And that has been enough. - Waldo Frank

Play sample: 

Product Details

Read by: Jim Locke
Length: 4 hours 38 minutes
Type: Solo reading
Media: MP3 CD
Package: DVD case
Item No.: DB-1334
EAN: 0674012595337
List Price: $9.99

Credits

Production

Book Coordinator: Jim Locke
Meta Coordinator: MaryAnn
Proof Listener: Linette Geisel

Artwork
Cover: Cover of the first edition, 1923
Inset: Cover of the first edition
Inset: Drawing of Jean Toomer by Winold Reiss (c. 1925).  National Portrait Gallery.

The Recordings

About MP3 Audio

This MP3 digital audiobook is duplicated on compact disc in the MP3 audio format and is designed to play on any computer. It will play on CD and DVD players that are designed with MP3 capability. The files contained in an MP3 CD can be imported and played on mobile devices such as the iPod, iPhone, iPad, Android tablets and smart phones and on PSP (Play Station Portable) and PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) devices. Your CD/DVD player or mobile device owner’s manual should specify whether the device has MP3 compatibility. If the device is not directly compatible with the MP3 Audio format, the files on the MP3 CD can be copied onto a computer drive and then played on the computer media player or transferred to a mobile device.

The Recordings

These recordings were made using the author’s original published work, which is in the public domain. The readings were recorded by members of Librivox.org, which has generously made the recordings available to the public domain. While Librivox condones the sale and distribution of these recordings, it is not associated with the management or operations of MP3 Audiobook Classics. The audio files have been lightly edited and have been engineered using professional audio tools for maximum sonic quality. We spend considerable time and effort to ensure the recordings are free of noise, equalized for maximum listener pleasure, and that tracks are leveled and normalized to provide a consistent listening experience.

Table of Contents

Track Title Length
1 00 - Forward 7:10
2 01 - Karintha 4:51
3 02 - Reapers 0:59
4 03 - November Cotton Flower 1:15
5 04 - Becky 7:06
6 05 - Face 0:48
7 06 - Cotton Song 1:17
8 07 - Carma 6:09
9 08 - Song of the Son 1:55
10 09 - Georgia Dusk 2:13
11 10 - Fern 12:37
12 11 - Nullo 0:42
13 12 - Evening Song 1:06
14 13 - Esther 15:37
15 14 - Conversion 0:37
16 15 - Portrait in Georgia 0:48
17 16 - Blood-burning Moon 22:26
18 17 - Seventh Street 2:40
19 18 - Rhobert 4:10
20 19 - Avey 14:47
21 20 - Beehive 1:02
22 21 - Storm Ending 0:46
23 22 - Theater 12:37
24 23 - Her Lips Are Copper Wire 1:03
25 24 - Calling Jesus 2:28
26 25 - Box Seat 27:38
27 26 - Prayer 1:24
28 27 - Harvest Song 3:08
29 28 - Bona and Paul 22:07
30 29 - Kabnis, Part 1 43:31
31 30 - Kabnis, Part 2 54:23

 

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