Stanley Crouch on 'Reasons of State'

For decades, Stanley Crouch has cut a singular path through American culture. Once an aspiring jazz musician and later a noted cultural critic, he was friends with Ralph Ellison and Albert Murray, and later an intellectual mentor to Wynton Marsalis. For all of his intellectual virtuosity, we were still surprised to discover the book that Crouch wanted to recommend: Alejo Carpentier’s “Reasons of State.” —This author recommends— Reasons of State —More from this author— Interview: Stanley Crouch on 'The Artificial White Man: Essays on Authenticity'

Om Podcasten

Great writers are great readers. And they have amazing stories to tell. Not just about the books they write, but about the books they read.  Anne Strainchamps and the producers behind “To the Best of Our Knowledge” have been asking authors for years to tell a story about that one book that left a mark. A book they can’t forget. A book that changed everything. Now they’re sharing these stories with you, delivered in a weekly micro-podcast. New bite-sized episodes every Friday. Learn more at ttbook.org/bookmarks.