this post can't do this subject justice, but let me start here. several years ago, the excellent novelist Russell Banks wrote an article called "Who will tell the people? on waiting still for the great american creole novel"for Harper's magazine. he argues that our literature still hasn't told the story of america as one people -- all the different mixes as being from one great story and not disparate ones. he writes: "our [america's] story does not commence, Chapter One does not open, until we begin to mix." he wrote this in june 2000--i don't know that the Great one has been written yet. but i know i've written one that is pretty darn good. it is my great creole american novel.