Jamaican-born author and poet McKay (1889-1948) is often cited as being among the most notable artists of the Harlem Renaissance, particularly after the publication of his poem "If We Must Die." However, as Jarrett (English, U. of Maryland) explains in his new introduction to McKay's 1937 autobiography, his relationship to the movement was complicated by his experiences during world travel, his Marxist-informed politics, and his physical absence from Harlem. McKay describes the events that formed his positions on race, class, politics, and internationalism and takes a critical eye to how Black leadership of his time treated these topics. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)