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Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Goodreads Author

Born

The United States

Website

http://www.DolenPerkinsValdez.com

Twitter

dolen

Genre

Historical Fiction, Fiction, Classics

Member Since

November 2009

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomdolenperkinsvaldez

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Dolen Perkins-Valdez is the New York Times bestselling author most recently TAKE MY HAND (2022). Take My Hand was awarded the 2023 NAACP Image Award for Literary Work-Fiction and the BCALA Fiction Award. It was named a Most Anticipated Book of 2022 in Newsweek, San Francisco Chronicle, Essence, NBC News, and elsewhere, and it was an IndieNext and LibraryReads pick for April 2022. The Washington Post called it "a jewel of a book." Her other novels include Wench (2010) and Balm (2015).

Dolen has established herself as a pre-eminent chronicler of American historical life. In 2017, HarperCollins released her first novel Wench as one of eight "Olive Titles," limited edition modern classics that included books by Edward P. Jones, Louise Erdrich, a ...more

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Dolen Perkins-Valdez’s books

Average rating: 4.25 · 137,104 ratings · 15,810 reviews · 11 distinct works • Similar authors

	Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup, Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Goodreads Author) (Introduction) 4.23 avg rating — 124,941 ratings — published 1853 — 2734 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Take My Hand 4.36 avg rating — 108,786 ratings — published 2022 — 26 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Wench 3.73 avg rating — 18,431 ratings — published 2010 — 27 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Happy Land 4.26 avg rating — 7,217 ratings — published 2025 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Behind the Scenes: Or, Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House by Elizabeth Keckley, Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Goodreads Author) (Introduction) 3.87 avg rating — 4,172 ratings — published 1868 — 338 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Balm 3.36 avg rating — 1,921 ratings — published 2015 — 15 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Me leve pela mão by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Goodreads Author), Thais Britto (Translator) 4.33 avg rating — 3 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	(WENCH) BY Perkins-Valdez, Dolen(Author)Paperbackon 01 Feb 2011 by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Goodreads Author), Unknown Author it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Balm: A Novel really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Steven Hahn. A Nation under Our Feet: Black Political Struggles in the Rural South from Slavery to the Great Migration.(Book review): An article from: African American Review 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Dolen Perkins-Valdez's Blog

Historical Fiction Week

Did you know that this is Historical Fiction Week on Goodreads? I'm taking questions via "Ask the Author" along with some AMAZING authors such as James McBride, Isabel Allende, Lisa See, Lalita Tademy, Tracy Chevalier, and others. I've even been asking questions of my favorite authors. Lol. Come join the fun and ask us something!

Dolen

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Published on August 04, 2015 20:10 • Tags: historicalfictionweek

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Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day, according to early...

Dolen is Currently Reading

Dolen Perkins-Valdez is currently reading

The Queens of Crime

by Marie Benedict (Goodreads Author)

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Jan 06, 2025 09:07AM

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Harlem Rhapsody

by Victoria Christopher Murray (Goodreads Author)

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Jan 06, 2025 09:02AM

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Dolen’s Recent Updates

Dolen Perkins-Valdez voted for Good Dirt as Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction in the Opening Round of the 2025 Goodreads Choice Awards. Cast Your Vote
Nov 12, 2025 11:54AM · 1 like · like
Dolen Perkins-Valdez finished reading Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 04, 2025 10:53AM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Dolen Perkins-Valdez has read Malas by Marcela Fuentes (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 06, 2025 09:07AM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Malas by Marcela Fuentes. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Malas by Marcela Fuentes <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Dolen Perkins-Valdez started reading The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Dolen Perkins-Valdez has read Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 06, 2025 09:06AM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Dolen Perkins-Valdez wants to read The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 06, 2025 09:03AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
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Dolen Perkins-Valdez entered a giveaway Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Dolen Perkins-Valdez voted for Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop as Readers' Favorite Fiction in the Final Round of the 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards. Cast Your Vote
Nov 26, 2024 07:42PM · like

More of Dolen's books…

Quotes by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (?)

“My children ain’t the only thing I love. If I was allowed, I reckon I’d love myself, too.”
― Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Wench

23 likes

“Our bodies belonged to us. Poor, disabled, it didn’t matter. These were our bodies, and we had the right to “decide what to do with them. It was as if they were just taking our bodies from us, as if we didn’t even belong to ourselves.”
― Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Take My Hand

11 likes

“Sometimes love can kill you, just like hate. You love too hard and you can lose yourself in other folks' sorrow. You hate too hard and you know the rest of that story.”
― Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Take My Hand

11 likes

See all Dolen Perkins-Valdez's quotes »

Polls

Time to vote for the nominations for May Member's Choice - voting will stay open until April 14th.
(there will also be nominations for our next nonfiction book on the homepage later today)

Pick your favorite - then plan to read it so our discussion will be a good one - Thanks

Lessons in Chemistry

by Bonnie Garmus

12 votes, 48.0%

Take My Hand

by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

10 votes, 40.0%

The Lightkeepers

by Abby Geni

2 votes, 8.0%

Have You Seen Luis Velez?

by Catherine Ryan Hyde

1 vote, 4.0%

25 total votes

2 comments

More...

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Next Best Boo...: Wench	16	34	Apr 11, 2010 03:47AM
The Next Best Boo...: The Book Ref	37	150	Apr 12, 2010 02:53PM

Dolen’s Friend Comments

Comments (showing 1-7) post a comment »

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message 7: by Kristine

May 31, 2025 07:34PM

It was such an Honor to listen to you in Greensboro, NC at the History Museum. I have all your books and love them. You were truly inspirational. I rated Happy Land and Take My Hand Here. I also Rated them on Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million 5 Stars. They are Fantastic. My Favorite Book Site is on Facebook, Friends & Fiction and I posted about Happy Land. You will see the listing if you look. I am a Top Contributor, so hope many people will read your outstanding books. All my best to you. Thank You for All You Do. 💕

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message 6: by Jaree

Aug 07, 2012 08:18AM

Free sample of the There's No Tomorrow
http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/3...

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message 5: by Lawrence

Mar 10, 2012 12:46AM

Thank you for accepting my friendship.

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message 4: by Dolen

Dec 08, 2010 10:15AM

Thanks, Pamela!! I'm writing another book. It isn't like Wench, but it is historical. Happy holidays. :-)

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message 3: by Pamela

Dec 08, 2010 07:50AM

Hey Dolen...Thanks for accepting my friendship...I love your book "Wench"...I love the subject matter...do you plan on coming out with another book like that one?

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message 2: by Jaree

Jul 02, 2010 06:40PM

Hello there =)

- Jay

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message 1: by Liane

Jun 26, 2010 03:45PM

Great to 'meet' you, Dolen. Greetings from the Caribbean!

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