"Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick helps illuminate Hurston's path to iconic status...Add [Hurston's] matchless powers of observation, exemplary fidelity to idiomatic speech and irresistible engagement with folklore, and the outcome is a collection of value to more than Hurston completists. Any addition to her awe-inspiring oeuvre should be met with open arms." -- New York Times Book Review

"Fans and scholars of Hurston's work and the uninitiated alike will find many delights in these complex, thoughtful and wickedly funny portraits of black lives and communities... [Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick] is a significant testament to the enduring resonance of black women's writing." -- Washington Post

"With biting wit, Hurston gets to the heart of the human condition. . . her rediscovered stories will electrify." -- Booklist, starred review

"An illuminating and delightful study of a canonical writer finding her rhythm." -- Publishers Weekly

"These narratives comprise a rich tapestry of Hurston's matchless vision and talent." -- BookPage

"A reminder of why literature is so important. . .These short stories capture the essence of the African American life at the time, and offer a glimpse into how she became one of the more influential writers of the Harlem Renaissance." -- Cultured Vultures

"Read, and you'll almost wish you were slumped on a wooden chair on Jim's porch on a hot summer day. Read, because authenticity oozes from every page here and you can't help but like the men and women in the tales. Read, as author Zora Neale Hurston's wit shines between biting narrations and comments. . ." -- Miami Times

"Decades on, this new collection is a powerful reminder of her lasting resonance." -- Time magazine