For readers looking to diversify their reading list and in honor of Black History Month, below are five great books by black authors. The book covers are linked to places you can purchase the books. The summaries to the right are from the publisher (though I did sometimes shorten them a bit). The writing below the covers are my thoughts on these great reads.
“Ifemelu and Obinze are young and in love when they depart military-ruled Nigeria for the West. Beautiful, self-assured Ifemelu heads for America, where despite her academic success, she is forced to grapple with what it means to be black for the first time. Quiet, thoughtful Obinze had hoped to join her, but with post-9/11 America closed to him, he instead plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London. Fifteen years later, they reunite in a newly democratic Nigeria, and reignite their passion—for each other and for their homeland.”
I read Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie with my book club and we all loved it. In fact, it was good enough to inspire me to read another of her books, We Should All Be Feminists. The thing that really struck me about Americanah was the difficulty this successful woman immigrant had in adapting to American life. It helped me to gain empathy for the struggles of immigrants to our country.
“Cora is a young slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. When Caesar, a slave who has recently arrived from Virginia, urges her to join him on the Underground Railroad, she seizes the opportunity and escapes with him. In Colson Whitehead’s ingenious conception, the Underground Railroad is no mere metaphor: engineers and conductors operate a secret network of actual tracks and tunnels beneath the Southern soil. Cora embarks on a harrowing flight from one state to the next, encountering, strange yet familiar iterations of her own world at each stop.“
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead was another book club read that sparked tons of discussion. The Pulitzer Prize sticker on the cover tells you everything you need to know about the quality of the writing. Cora’s journey along the metaphorical underground railroad illuminated a few parts of the slave experience that I wasn’t aware of before reading this.
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings captures the longing of lonely children, the brute insult of bigotry, and the wonder of words that can make the world right. Sent by their mother to live with their devout, self-sufficient grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother, Bailey, endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local “powhitetrash.” At eight years old and back at her mother’s side in St. Louis, Maya is attacked by a man many times her age—and has to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Years later, in San Francisco, Maya learns that love for herself, the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned.”
I listened to I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings on audiobook narrated by Angelo herself and boy was that a treat! Between her poetic use of language and her southern accent, it was ear candy (I don’t think that’s actually a thing, but it should be).
And yet another book club read, The Hate U Give was a surprise slam dunk for me. Thomas does a phenomenal job of depicting what it is like to walk two worlds. I especially appreciated that she depicted the complicated nuances of this situation in a way that felt authentic and respectful of all parties. A great book with a movie too!
“Pitched as “a poor man’s Halle Berry,” 41-year-old soap star Jo Randolph, has successfully avoided waiting tables since she left Midland, Texas at 18. But then, in the span of 24 hours, Jo manages to lose her job, burn her bridges in Hollywood, and accidentally burn down her lover/director’s beach house—after which she is shipped home to Texas by her agent to stay out of sight. The more Jo reluctantly reconnects with her Texas “roots”, the more she regains touch with herself as an artist and with what is meaningful in life beyond the limelight. The summer is cathartic for Jo, whose career and lifestyle have allowed her to live like a child for forty years, but who now must transition to making grown-up decisions and taking on adult responsibilities.”
In the Heart of Texas is a fun look at celebrity lifestyles and life in Texas. Jo is a hoot. Her antics always surprise, and you can’t help but root for her in spite of her crazy…or maybe because of it.
Also, if you enjoyed these recommendations, you might also enjoy my post featuring books about American Indians.