Task #19: Read a book in which a character of color goes on a spiritual journey

[Julia]

I'm currently reading and enjoying Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José Older. I hope it fits the challenge. I enjoyed his fantasy novel Shadowshaper last year or the year before. My library system didn't have Salsa Nocturna: Stories.

[[deleted user]]

Another non-fiction possibility for this would be the book I read, The Ragged Edge of Silence: Finding Peace in a Noisy World by John Francis -- I would guess Francis' other memoir, Planetwalker: 22 Years of Walking. 17 Years of Silence., would also fit, though I haven't read that one to say for sure.

[Bobby]

After reading the Book Riot article on this challenge (https://bookriot.com/2017/01/06/read-...) I decided to throw out all my original choices and go with The Temple of Dawn by Yukio Mishima.

It is the third book in a tetralogy, however, and so far I've only read the first volume, so I will need to read Runaway Horses before this book so I don't read them out of order. I may end up using Runaway Horses for Task #22 (a book where all the point-of-view characters are people of color).

[Carol]

Bobby wrote: "After reading the Book Riot article on this challenge (https://bookriot.com/2017/01/06/read-...) I decided to throw out all my o..."

I'd have never thought of this. Adding The Temple of Dawn to my challenge now.

[Elyse]

I think I'll do The Autobiography of Malcolm X for this because it is also my X author for my personal ABC Author Challenge.

[Jenna]

Do any of you think "Labyrinth Lost" by Zoraida Cordova would count for this challenge?

[Diane]

What does the group think of When Breath Becomes Air? Would this fit the prompt? Summary of the book:
For readers of Atul Gawande, Andrew Solomon, and Anne Lamott, a profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir by a young neurosurgeon faced with a terminal cancer diagnosis who attempts to answer the question What makes a life worth living?
At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade's worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi's transformation from a naïve medical student "possessed," as he wrote, "by the question of what, given that all organisms die, makes a virtuous and meaningful life" into a neurosurgeon at Stanford working in the brain, the most critical place for human identity, and finally into a patient and new father confronting his own mortality.

[Bonnie G.]

Diane wrote: "What does the group think of When Breath Becomes Air? Would this fit the prompt? Summary of the book:
For readers of Atul Gawande, Andrew Solomon, and Anne Lamott, a profoundly movi..."

My favorite book of last year. I would not call it a spiritual journey.

[Shannon]

I would think "Kite Runner" and "Like Water for Chocolate" would work for this.

[Carol]

I anticipate reading Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse for this task.

[Barbara (The Bibliophage)]

Diane wrote: "What does the group think of When Breath Becomes Air? Would this fit the prompt? Summary of the book:
For readers of Atul Gawande, Andrew Solomon, and Anne Lamott, a profoundly movi..."

I disagree with Bonnie about this. The process of accepting terminal illness is definitely a spiritual journey. I think there's enough of the spiritual aspects in that book to count it.

[Monica]

I'm thinking Swing Time could work here. What do you all think?

[Sarah]

I went with Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

[Sarah]

Barbara wrote: "Can someone who has read Pull Me Under: A Novel tell me if it fits this task? It seems from the description that it's pretty likely, but I figured I'd check."

I read it and think it fits!

[Book Riot]

Some more ideas for this category that might help:

http://bookriot.com/2017/01/06/read-h...

[Elyse]

Melissa wrote: "Would Lion (aka A Long Way Home) qualify? The film is on my list, and I think reading the book it was adapted from could be interesting."

I don't know if it's a spiritual journey? I do also want to read it though!

[Vani]

Any mention of books on spirituality makes me want to run in the opposite direction, so I was wondering how to fulfill this task without buying anything new (vowed to only read books from my TBR pile to complete the challenge).

Went through the comments above for suggestions and fortunately, I already have some of these books and didn't realise they could fit this task.

Here’s my shortlist:
1) Siddhartha
2) The Autobiography of Malcolm X
3) The Color Purple
4) The Alchemist
5) Soul Mountain

Thank you for all the suggestions! :)

[Tim]

Jenna wrote: "Do any of you think "Labyrinth Lost" by Zoraida Cordova would count for this challenge?"

I do. It is the book I am reading for this task. I believe a few other people that have posted their list are reading it as well. I am about half way through and really like it.

[Leslie (updates on SG)]

I wonder whether The Way of the Strangers: Encounters with the Islamic State would fit for this category. The author, Graeme Wood, interviews a number of people - some of whom are POC - about their journeys that ultimately led to their support of the Islamic State.

Regardless, this recent book is worth reading given the current political climate in the U.S.

[Joy]

Martin wrote: "I may regret it, but I'm going to take a big bite for this one and read Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. I've wanted to read it for awhile, and now I have a reason to. It may be the biggest book..."

I read it more than 10 years ago, so my memory isn't crystal clear, but I don't think this fits for this task. Main character is Australian (not POC) and I don't recall that his various escapades include a spiritual journey. Although this would likely fit for the 5,000 mi away task, if you're in the US, Canada, etc.

[Jocelyn]

Erophilie wrote: "Do you think Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man would qualify as a "spiritual journey"?"

Did anyone answer this question? I think I might use it for "Classic by an Author of Color" instead, but just wondering?

[Rachel]

Sarah wrote: "I went with Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie"

I was thinking of this, but wasn't sure if it counted as a spiritual journey.

[Rainey]

Joce wrote: "Erophilie wrote: "Do you think Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man would qualify as a "spiritual journey"?"

Did anyone answer this question? I think I might use it for "Classic by an Author..."

I think it would count for either one.

[Karen]

Would "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" count for this?

[Penny]

Barbara wrote: "I disagree with Bonnie about this. The process of accepting terminal illness is definitely a spiritual journey. I think there's enough of the spiritual aspects in that book to count it. "

Really? I want to read this book so bad, and this task is one I´m having trouble with.

[Rainey]

I agree with Barbara on this one.

[Maryam]

Jenna wrote: "Do any of you think "Labyrinth Lost" by Zoraida Cordova would count for this challenge?"

That's what I decided on for this task!

[Bonnie G.]

I guess people define "spiritual" differently than I do. For me a spiritual journey involves a deep change in one's being, but tht didn't happen in When Breath Becomes Air. A very evolved person, an already deeply spiritual person, confronted his life and his own mortality. All good. It is an amazing book, just off topic in my opinion.

[Jill]

Martha wrote: "Stina wrote: "I just finished Alif the Unseen, and while it's not my favorite book and I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, it was pretty good, and I'd say it qualifies for this task. Think Snow Cr..."
I read that for one of the categories in last year's Read Harder Challenge... my biggest surprise of the year. I loved that book.

[Elizabeth]

I am almost finished reading Bone Black: Memories of Girlhood by bell hooks. I was reading it anyway and realised it worked for this category. It focuses around hooks' childhood, quilted together in three page memories of her youth. It displays different aspects of her life as a young black girl in a world that favours anything but. You can really see how her passion for social justice and feminism is formed, as well as for education and religion. Rather than being a single cohesive story, it shows many small stories that contributed to making her the person she is today, and the life that allowed her to form her core belief systems.

[Laurie]

For anyone who has read Purple Hibiscus, do you think it fits for this category?

[Jessica]

Yes, it's a journey of discovery

[Maryam]

Does A.D. 30 count for this challenge?

[Chinook]

I'm thinking about using The Atheist Muslim: A Journey from Religion to Reason. After all, a spiritual journey could end with a rejection of spiritual things.

[Annie]

SibylM wrote: "This is going to be a hard one for me. As an atheist with a kind of naturally snarky personality and take on the world, I hear "spiritual journey" and my eyes reflexively start rolling. On the othe..."
I hear you! Try "Coyote Blue" by Christopher Moore

[Carol]

Annie wrote: "SibylM wrote: "This is going to be a hard one for me. As an atheist with a kind of naturally snarky personality and take on the world, I hear "spiritual journey" and my eyes reflexively start rolli..."

This is too much fun as a suggestion. To make it easy for everyone, here's the link:

Coyote Blue

[Teresa]

I plan on reading Life of Pi. I won the book in a contest. I saw the movie a few years ago, so it won't be fresh in my mind.

[Beth]

Monica wrote: "I'm thinking Swing Time could work here. What do you all think?"

Not really. I don't think there is anything but the story of narrator x's life and the people she meets. It is more of a vague wander to adulthood.

[Zara]

Laurie wrote: "For anyone who has read Purple Hibiscus, do you think it fits for this category?" I don't think so... I read it recently, and I don't think it's a spiritual journey.

[Bonnie G.]

Two books I am thinking about have been asked about but no answers so I will ask again. Any thoughts on The Mothers or Swing Time? Both are on my short TBR, but I am not sure about the "spiritual journey" component.

[Zara]

Bonnie wrote: "Two books I am thinking about have been asked about but no answers so I will ask again. Any thoughts on The Mothers or Swing Time? Both are on my short TBR, but I am..." I'm really struggling with the meaning of this category. I don't think The Mothers counts for this, but I'm finding so little that I think really works... so maybe I'm wrong. (Helpful response, right?)

[Annie]

Wondering if American Gods or Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman count?
The main characters are men of color who discover they are part of deeper mythology.

[Bonnie G.]

Zara wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Two books I am thinking about have been asked about but no answers so I will ask again. Any thoughts on The Mothers or Swing Time? Both are on my shor..."

LOL, it is actually a pretty helpful response. I am a little frustrated too. I am just starting a book about a spiritual journey, The Butterfly Mosque: A Young American Woman's Journey to Love and Islam but it is not a person of color :(

[Chinook]

For now, I'm pencilling in The Hate U Give for this. I feel that Starr's journey through the aftermath of a police shooting fits the intent of the task. If I read something that fits better, I may shuffle things around.

[Veronica]

Bonnie wrote: "Two books I am thinking about have been asked about but no answers so I will ask again. Any thoughts on The Mothers or Swing Time? Both are on my short TBR, but I am..."

I just finished reading The Mothers and I suppose you could kind of classify what two of the characters go through as spiritual journeys, although I wouldn't be able to say exactly where they end up. It's certainly a meditation on what it means to be a mother - which may be spiritual to some - and there is a religious element to the book, so you could claim it if you're unable to find anything else that appeals to you.

[Teresa]

Here's a list of novels about spiritual journeys. I found it by googling the previous phrase. https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

[BookDrunkard is on storygraph as bookdrunkard78]

After reading the description of a spiritual journey, I think this could count My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Woman Discovers Her Family's Nazi Past in the book Teege discovers that her grandfather is the infamous Nazi Amon Goeth. She had no idea and begins a journey to find out she is, what this means to her and how she can go on with the knowledge. Does this sound like something that could work?

[Bonnie G.]

Veronica wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Two books I am thinking about have been asked about but no answers so I will ask again. Any thoughts on The Mothers or Swing Time? Both are on my shor..."

Thanks Veronica! I will look for a better fit, but I may end up using this.

[Bonnie G.]

Teresa wrote: "Here's a list of novels about spiritual journeys. I found it by googling the previous phrase. https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/..."

Thanks, I did a search as well. Unfortunately there are no POC on this list other than Eastern Philosophy books which are not my bag. There are tons of spiritual journey books I want to read, and tons of books by POC I want to read, but fusing those two things is proving difficult for me.

[Melinda]

Melissa wrote: "Amy wrote: "I'm thinking about The Underground Railroad for this one. I think my problem with this category is that unless a book has a very overt religious theme (which tends not to appeal to me) ..."

I used it for this catagory!