Literary Masters is one series of the trio that makes up the Gale Study Guides to Great Literature (the others are Literary Masterpieces and Literary Topics). Each Literary Masters volume introduces a significant author and covers basic biographical information. Toni Morrison, who is African American and Native American, was born in Ohio during the Great Depression into a close-knit family. Reading and story-telling was important to her parents and all four children were encouraged to participate at an early age. Drawing from her heritage and ethnic background, Morrison's novels often share these common traits: the use of settings in small African American communities and a focus on women.
