Ralph Ellison wrote one of the most influential and important books of the 20th century: "Invisible Man." This seemed like it was the start to a major literary career, but Ellison never wrote a follow-up novel. His other major work was a collection of essays titled "Shadow and Act." Ellison died in 1994; several years later his second novel, "Junetenth," named for the day slaves were freed in Texas, was published. It was culled from a massive manuscript (some 2,000 pages) and so is an unfinished novel. As such, it's somewhat uneven and unfocused, but is essential for anyone interested in Ellison, which should be anyone who is interested in 20th century American literature. Introduction by Charles Johnson.

I mentioned this title in the ongoing review series "Literary Counterparts":

http://www.stevenarntson.com/2012/04/literary-counterparts-bronte-and.html