Emily Bernard

Emily Bernard is an American essayist, professor, and literary critic known for her writings on race, identity, and African American experiences. Her most acclaimed work is the 2019 essay collection "Black is the Body: Stories from My Grandmother's Time, My Mother's Time, and Mine," which received the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose. Bernard serves as a professor of English and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at the University of Vermont, where she has taught since 2001. Her scholarly work includes "Remember Me to Harlem: The Letters of Langston Hughes and Carl Van Vechten," published in 2001, which examines the correspondence between these two significant figures of the Harlem Renaissance. Beyond her academic work, Bernard has contributed essays to numerous publications including The American Scholar, Best American Essays, and O, The Oprah Magazine. Her writing style combines personal narrative with historical analysis, particularly focusing on interracial relationships and family dynamics. Her works have earned multiple accolades, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and the Emily Clark Balch Prize from the Virginia Quarterly Review. Bernard's scholarship and personal essays continue to contribute to contemporary discussions of race, identity, and American culture.

Readers appreciate Bernard's raw honesty and ability to weave personal experiences with broader cultural analysis, particularly in "Black is the Body." Multiple reviews note her talent for making complex racial discussions accessible through intimate storytelling. Readers highlight: - Clear, elegant prose style - Balance of personal vulnerability with academic insight - Ability to discuss difficult topics without being didactic - Fresh perspectives on familiar themes of race and identity Main criticisms: - Some essays feel less developed than others - Academic tone in certain sections can be dry - A few readers found the narrative structure disconnected Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (500+ ratings) One reader on Goodreads wrote: "Bernard has a gift for making you feel like you're sitting with a friend having an honest conversation." Another noted: "Her writing transforms potentially contentious topics into thoughtful dialogues."

Black is the Body: Stories from My Grandmother's Time, My Mother's Time, and Mine (2019) A collection of personal essays exploring race, identity, and family through Bernard's experiences as a Black woman who grew up in the South, taught in the North, and married a white man.

Remember Me to Harlem: The Letters of Langston Hughes and Carl Van Vechten (2001) An edited collection of correspondence between Langston Hughes and Carl Van Vechten spanning 1925-1964, documenting their friendship and the Harlem Renaissance.

Carl Van Vechten and the Harlem Renaissance: A Portrait in Black and White (2012) A biographical study examining the complex relationship between white patron Carl Van Vechten and the artists of the Harlem Renaissance.

Some of My Best Friends: Essays on Lips, Kisses, and What Comes After (2023) A series of essays examining friendship, race, and human connection through Bernard's personal relationships and experiences as a professor and writer.

Teaching the N-Word (2005) An essay collection focused on Bernard's experiences teaching about race and racism in university classrooms.

Kiese Laymon writes memoirs and essays exploring race, identity, and family relationships in the American South. His work Heavy examines personal history and trauma with similar unflinching honesty to Bernard's writing.

Margo Jefferson chronicles Black cultural history and personal experience through a critical lens. Her memoir Negroland analyzes privilege and class within Black communities, sharing Bernard's focus on complexity in racial identity.

Claudia Rankine combines poetry and prose to examine race relations and microaggressions in America. Her book Citizen documents everyday encounters that reveal systemic racism, echoing Bernard's interest in how race shapes daily interactions.

Eula Biss writes essays connecting personal experience to broader social and historical context. Her work examines whiteness and racial privilege from a perspective that complements Bernard's explorations of these themes.

Sarah M. Broom tells family stories that illuminate broader histories of place and belonging. The Yellow House connects personal memoir to New Orleans history in ways that mirror Bernard's integration of individual and collective experience.