Flying Home and Other Stories is a collection of stories by prominent American author Ralph Waldo Ellison (most notable for his National Book Award-winning novel Invisible Man). The stories in this compilation were published between 1937 and 1954, six being previously unpublished manuscripts.
In terms of theme and context, Flying Home and Other Stories represents a tremendous breadth in Ellison's career. Ranging from tales of the late 1800s Jim Crow South to 20th century Harlem, to even stories taking place in Europe in WWII, Ellison's stories are multifaceted and various. These stories represent his intelligent prose and brilliant incorporation of thematic elements to the fullest, staples of his writing that would shine in Invisible Man.
The collection has been critically acclaimed, praised as "ingenious" and "illuminating". Ellison won the National Book Award for Fiction in 1953 for Invisible Man, as well as the 1969 Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work, including these stories.
