In America, “The Stone Face” (1963) had been accepted by Farrar, Straus, like Smith’s three previous novels. In 1951, Smith, a Black journalist and novelist from Philadelphia, joined the celebrated cadre of African American expatriates who made France their home in the mid-20th century. “The Stone Face” represents the maturing of a voice determined to confound preconceived notions about patriotism, Blackness and sanctuary, and accordingly the story takes no prisoners, so to speak. The Algerian War began in 1954, three years after Smith arrived in France. With semi-autobiographical overtones, “The Stone Face” traces the journey of Simeon Brown, a journalist and aspiring painter who, like Smith, hails from Philadelphia.

Source: International New York Times July 13, 2021 15:00 UTC