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Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Goodreads Author

Born

The United States

Website

http://www.DolenPerkinsValdez.com

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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 · 141,968 ratings · 16,441 reviews · 9 distinct works • Similar authors

	Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup, Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Goodreads Author) (Introduction) 4.23 avg rating — 125,717 ratings — published 1853 — 595 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 — 111,487 ratings — published 2022 — 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
	Wench 3.74 avg rating — 18,504 ratings — published 2010 — 28 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 4.25 avg rating — 9,278 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 — 4,208 ratings — published 1868	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
	Stories from Suffragette City by M.J. Rose (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Fiona Davis (Goodreads Author) (Contributor)(Editor), Kristin Hannah (Goodreads Author) (Introduction) 3.85 avg rating — 1,874 ratings — published 2020 — 6 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 — 1,943 ratings — published 2015 — 16 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
	Tag min Hånd by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Goodreads Author), Line Jønsson (Narrator), Harvey Macaulay liked it 3.00 avg rating — 2 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
	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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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">
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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">
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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 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
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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

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“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

What shall we read in July, 2022? Books published after 1990.

Simon the Fiddler, by Paulette Jiles

17 votes 32.7%

Charms for the Easy Life, by Kaye Gibbons

15 votes 28.8%

Southernmost, by Silas House

8 votes 15.4%

Take My Hand, by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

4 votes 7.7%

Nail's Crossing, by Kris Lackey

4 votes 7.7%

The Right-Hand Shore, by Christopher Tilghman

4 votes 7.7%

52 total votes

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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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