For him that stealeth, or borroweth and returneth not, this book from its owner, let it change into a serpent in his hand and rend him. Let him be struck with palsy, and all his members blasted. Let him languish in pain, crying aloud for mercy, and let there be no surcease to this agony till he sing in dissolution. Let bookworms gnaw his entrails…and when at last he goeth to his final punishment, let the flames of Hell consume him forever.” — Anonymous Curse on Book Theives from the Monaster of San Pedro, Barcelona, Spain

wrote: "In his terms he did not want to write about black love black passion black suffering black joy; he wanted to write about love and passion and suffering and joy. On the other hand Margaret Harrell has written that Anatole Broyard and other acquaintances were casually told that he was a writer and black before meeting him and not in the sense of having to keep it secret. Because of his artistic ambition in some circumstances he never acknowledged that he was part black.

In addition to his many reviews and columns he publiAnatole Broyardd short stories essays and two books during his lifetime. A Louisiana Creole of mixed race he was criticized by some blacks for "passing" as white as an adult and failing to acknowledge his African-American ancestry.