In the wake of everything that has happened since the senseless and cruel murder of George Floyd, I have begun putting together a reading list of books I have found to be incredibly valuable over the last few years.
This list is by no means comprehensive and I will continue adding to it as I further my own education on Black life in America. I invite you to do the same, not only in furthering your own education, but adding to this list as well.
I am also adding fiction to the list in order to help amplify the voices of Black and African American authors.
Additionally, I am compiling a list of Black- and African-American-owned bookstores to order from. This is especially important now for many reasons. We need to show support for our Black Brothers and Sisters now more than ever as our country grapples with dismantling 400+ years of systemic racism. We also need to support small businesses as we also deal with the impact of COVID-19.
Any book marked with an * means I have not read it, but it has come to me highly recommended.
Please leave a comment with any books you feel should be added to this list. I would also like to include picture books, middle grade, and YA fiction and non-fiction here as well.
In Solidarity,
Sarah
Books recommendationS: The Hate U Give (Thomas)-YA, Mississippi Trial, 1955 (Crowe)-Middle School, Martin's Big Words (Rappaport)-picture book. For starters.
ReplyDeleteI LOVED 'The Hate U Give', I read it in one sitting, I could not put it down. I am reading 'On the Come Up' now by the same author. Thanks for the recs!
DeleteHey there, I'm not sure if you're looking for books that are about a certain thing? Or from a particular time period? But I know quite a few Adult Fiction books by black authors....
ReplyDelete(Classics)
Beloved by Toni Morrison (Also: Home, Paradise, The Bluest Eye, etc.)
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Roots by Alex Haley
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler (Also: The Parable of the Sower, etc.)
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup
(Contemporary)
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (Also: The Nickel Boys, etc.)
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Land of Shadows by Rachel Howzell Hall (Also: And Now She's Gone, etc.)
When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole (This is a mystery/thriller; she also writes romance)
YA
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Middle Grade
Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Thank you so much! This will be fantastic additions to the list. I am still trying to figure out the best way to display the information, if I should have separate pages or what. But this list you've given me is so incredibly valuable, thank you so much for taking the time to write this up for me.
DeleteThanks for this link. It is a great list.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I am still adding to it, and will continue to update as long as there are books to be posted. So, like, forever.
DeleteYes ! This is a good list .Thanks for uploading . I got PARABLE OF THE SOWER for Christmas 2022 .
DeleteAnd because it had such good book reviews , I will give it a try for summer reading 2023 .
I will add it to the list, thank you! I am always looking for more books to keep updating the lists.
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