Now and Then by Gil Scott-Heron

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gil Scott-Heron was a poet, writer, and musician whose work in the 1970s was a major influence on rap and hip-hop. Now and Then collects many of his poems and other writings. If you’re familiar with him, it’s got well-known song/poems like “Pieces of a Man,” “Whitey on the Moon,” and “The Revolution will not be Televised.”

Scott-Heron wrote biting social commentary and had a clever sense of wit. If you’re not familiar with him, though, this collection probably isn’t the best place to start. His delivery was fantastic, and many of these pieces were meant to be heard. I’d start with the albums Pieces of a Man or Winter in America, collaborations with the musician Brian Jackson. For those who already know Scott-Heron’s work, this collection but has many excellent poems, and I discovered several new gems.