43 - An "own voices" book

[T.]

I found The Wrath and the Dawn on an "own voices" list. Is there any reason then, that the sequel, The Rose & the Dagger would not work for this prompt?

[The Chapter Conundrum (Stacey)]

T. wrote: "I found The Wrath and the Dawn on an "own voices" list. Is there any reason then, that the sequel, The Rose & the Dagger would not work for this prompt?"

I think that's a really tough question to answer not having read the books myself....to be honest even though I've seen The Wrath and the Dawn on a lot of own voices lists I'm not even sure it's actually own voices? From what I can find (which is very little) some people consider it to be own voices because it's set in a META (Middle East/North Africa setting) by an author of colour BUT despite the author maybe?? (can't find confirmation) having that heritage, she was definitely born in the US from what I could find so if you don't stretch the definition of own voices I'm not even sure it qualifies?? It certainly isn't the strongest example *unless there's some other way that this is own voices that I just don't know about*

Maybe someone else can enlighten us? xD

[Ellie]

According to Wikipedia Renee Ahdieh has a Korean mother and those books are based on her husband's Persian roots. So I wouldn't count them.

Someone writing fantasy based on their own heritage is arguably own voices though, especially if they are used as allegory for issues they face in the real world. Based on what I see in the YA community, books like Children of Blood and Bone are called own voices even though the authors are American.

[The Chapter Conundrum (Stacey)]

Ellie wrote: "According to Wikipedia Renee Ahdieh has a Korean mother and those books are based on her husband's Persian roots. So I wouldn't count them.

Someone writing fantasy based on their own heritage is a..."

Thanks Ellie for the clarification!

If it's her husband's heritage than it's definitely not own voices! I wonder why this book has crept into own voices book lists?

I should have been more clear on the American point sorry, I think it's totally fine for own voices to be people from anywhere but they should be writing their own experiences for a book to be considered a strong example of own voices. So an author born in the US for example who might be a 2nd or 3rd generation immigrant writing about someone who shares their culture in a world where the character is in the minority and experiences similar things is totally own voices whether that be written in the real world or in fantasy!

So in the example above, I understood that it was supposed to be own voices because of the setting (META) which is why I thought it was problematic that she was born elsewhere (in the US) and hasn't lived there. In that situation It's not the strongest example of own voices even if she has that heritage. (Otherwise it could kind of be like a Canadian person writing about German culture because their ancestry is German...obviously that isn't own voices because the lack of marginalization but you get my drift! They may share some similarities and experiences but it's not the same.)

Not that it couldn't arguably be considered own voices at all if she's writing about someone who shares her heritage because certainly they would encounter some of the same things, more just that there are stronger examples elsewhere! :) If she as a META background is writing META characters that share her own experiences then it would totally make sense but I also think her experiences would be different than that of her character because of the difference in settings.

[Ian]

I really wanted to pick up There There this year. I will hold off and use it to fill this prompt in 2019.

[Krissy]

I'm thinking about reading:


I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

Non-binary MC written by a non-binary author

[Debbie]

If you're looking for quick reads for this one, or you're a teacher (like me) who is looking to diversify your classroom books, I just came across this list:

https://medium.com/embrace-race/indig...

[Heather]

Would Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi work for this prompt?

[Lynna]

I think this would fit the category:

Invisible Man

[Debbie]

Just found this list from a TED talk - https://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/th...

The website I found it from it here: https://ideas.ted.com/your-guide-to-r...

[Sarah]

I think The Kiss Quotient would count because the author and the main character both have Asperger's, which is a central part of the story. Thoughts?

[Lindi]

Sarah wrote: "I think The Kiss Quotient would count because the author and the main character both have Asperger's, which is a central part of the story. Thoughts?"

Definitely! And such a cute story.

[Ariel]

Nadine wrote: "Hooray for OWN VOICES! This category has been getting more and more attention, which is wonderful! “Own voices” means that the author of a book with a main character who is part of a marginalized g..."

So are these only fiction books or does this category include memoirs?

[Soph ♡]

Ariel wrote: "So are these only fiction books or does this category include memoirs?"

I would think memoirs count as 'own voices'.

[Jackie]

I personally don't include memoirs as 'own voices', but that's really just me being nitpicky. There are a lot of ways to include nonfiction in this category though! For example, you could go with a history book or biography written by a member of the same community, like Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race. Since American history has largely been told by and about white people, a book about the role of black women in the space race written by a black woman fills a void we often overlook.

[Raquel (Silver Valkyrie Reads)]

Jackie wrote: "I personally don't include memoirs as 'own voices', but that's really just me being nitpicky. There are a lot of ways to include nonfiction in this category though! For example, you could go with a..."

I totally get being nitpicky over your own prompt choices, but I don't follow what there is to nitpick about with including memoirs in own voices. Do you mind explaining your thought process?

[Nadine in NY]

Ariel wrote: "So are these only fiction books or does this category include memoirs? ..."

Good question! I looked into it some more. The hashtag "#ownvoices" was originally created by Corinne Duyvis to promote more diverse children's literature. She's got a webpage devoted to questions about it now (which I would link to here, but my computer is NOT cooperating - I'm sure if you google you can find it). She defines it as "#ownvoices is simply a subcategory of diverse novels I think is worth highlighting," and she is clear about NOT wanting to moderate or regulate the definition. The original concept was for a character in a fiction novel to share the same marginalized identity as the author, BUT this has obviously grown from children's literature to adult literature and comics and picture books ... so why not nonfiction and memoirs too? If that's what you want to read, I'd guess that the term's originator would be fine with that.

[Ellie]

Here's the link:
http://www.corinneduyvis.net/ownvoices/

[Linda]

I think The Heart's Invisible Furies would work for this prompt. It was one of my most favorite books ever!

[Kerry]

Nadine wrote: "Ariel wrote: "So are these only fiction books or does this category include memoirs? ..."

Good question! I looked into it some more. The hashtag "#ownvoices" was originally created by Corinne Duyv..."

This prompt is included in this year's ATY's challenge and their definition was what Nadine described which is a fiction book.



I found these: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

[Jackie]

Raquel wrote: "Jackie wrote: "I personally don't include memoirs as 'own voices', but that's really just me being nitpicky. There are a lot of ways to include nonfiction in this category though! For example, you ..."

Well, in light of the original uses of the term (that I admit I wasn't aware of at all), it may be pretty pointless now to try to define it, but for me one of the key aspects of the 'own voices' movement is that there is a layer of removal between the persons (either fictional or not) in the book and the person writing them. For me, it's what distinguishes an 'own voices' book from the broader heading of 'diverse' books. To me personally, a memoir just doesn't fulfill the same role in our literature as an own voices book, because it's not specifically interacting with the problem of non-marginalized people dominating the written works about marginalized communities. The motto "nothing about us, without us" is unnecessary for memoir; no white person could write a memoir about the difficulties of growing up black.

As I said, it's a nitpicky distinction (that I probably shouldn't have brought up), but for me, a memoir isn't really in the spirit of own voices.

[Mary]

Do you think Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai would satisfy the "own voices" category?

[SadieReadsAgain]

Would The Whale Rider count? The author is Maori, and the book is about Maori people...but the main character is female, and the author is male. Is being Maori enough to make this own voices, or does the gender difference confuse matters?

[Nadine in NY]

Sarah wrote: "Would The Whale Rider count? The author is Maori, and the book is about Maori people...but the main character is female, and the author is male. Is being Maori enough to make this own..."

ah! the term's originator covered that technicality! She says YES, so long as the author and the character share at least ONE marginalized identity, it is "ownvoices."

[SadieReadsAgain]

Yay!

[Kimberly]

I am going to read Go Tell It on the Mountain. If I understand the genre correctly, I think this qualifies and I have been meaning to read James Baldwin.

[Yuval]

poshpenny wrote: "I found an amazing website! They have a tag for so many categories, and one for ownvoices!

Queer Books for Teens - Ownvoices"

Thanks for the link! I might be reading Sea Foam and Silence if I can find it somewhere... it could also fit the retelling of a classic prompt since it's a Little Mermaid retelling.

[Nicole]

I'm not sure if I really understand what this genre exactly is.
(maybe its a language problem)

I have a few books I want to read this year and that might fit.
Can someone tell me if they do?

Half of a Yellow Sun
Native Son
Americanah (I see, that there is already some confusion in this thread about it)

[Nadine in NY]

Nicole wrote: "I'm not sure if I really understand what this genre exactly is.
(maybe its a language problem)

I have a few books I want to read this year and that might fit.
Can someone tell me if they do? ..."

I don't think Half of a Yellow Sun really fits, since the characters are not really marginalized in the story (they are Nigerians living in Nigeria during war time, so they are definitely dealing with deprivation, but not because of a marginalized identity), but the other two books will work. "ownvoices" just requires that the author share at least one marginalized identity with the character. Adichie is a Nigerian who has lived in the US, and the main character in Americanah is a Nigerian living in the US, so I think it works. (Half of a Yellow Sun was a better book though!! If you can fit it into your reading, I recommend it!! perhaps you could read it for 'author is from Asia or Africa')

[Ian]

I think Half of a Yellow Sun works. It doesnt have to be marginalization to be "own voices." It just means that the author is a part of the culture they're writing about.

[SadieReadsAgain]

Ian wrote: "I think Half of a Yellow Sun works. It doesnt have to be marginalization to be "own voices." It just means that the author is a part of the culture they're writing about."

But would you describe a white, middle-class American male writing about a white, middle-class American male as own voices? I think marginalisation or some element of inequality/persecution/deprivation etc has to be represented.

[Ian]

I would but not in the way that we know this prompt asks for. I would consider that their "own voice," yes, but we can tell this prompt wants us to read outside of that bubble. But that is also not the background for Half of a Yellow Sun.

[Nadine in NY]

Half of a Yellow Sun is written by a more-or-less middle class Nigerian, about Nigerians. The characters do not have a marginalized identity in the society that they live in.

[Anabell]

I've wanted to read Now, Voyager by Olive Higgins Prouty for ages. I FINALLY found the book and its about a woman who has a mental breakdown. The author suffered that too so I think it will fit in to this category. (The book was made in to a movie in 1942 with Bette Davis. Which is really good. If you like her and old black and white movies)

[This Kooky Wildflower Loves a Little Tea and Books]

Ian wrote: "I think Half of a Yellow Sun works. It doesnt have to be marginalization to be "own voices." It just means that the author is a part of the culture they're writing about."

Books from marginalized voices are the prerequisite. Voices that tend to not get representation via the publishing world.

[Nadine in NY]

Anabell wrote: "I've wanted to read Now, Voyager by Olive Higgins Prouty for ages. I FINALLY found the book and its about a woman who has a mental breakdown. The author suffered that ..."


Confession time: I've heard of "Now, Voyager" but all these years I've been conflating it with the TV show "Star Trek: Voyager" and so I thought it was a science fiction book!!! I don't watch very many classic movies so I didn't know about the Bette Davis movie or that would have cleared things up for me! Oops!!

[Ian]

So, by Latanya's definition, Half of a Yellow Sun would still qualify under this prompt.

[Lisa]

I am doing A Voice of my Own … my cousin sent it to me, but I had not had time to read it yet. Perfect... now I will find that time.

[Sarah]

I'm trying to understand this prompt as I've never heard the term "own voices" before. Would Yes, You Can, Heather work? It's about the first deaf Miss America.

[Nadine in NY]

Sarah wrote: "I'm trying to understand this prompt as I've never heard the term "own voices" before. Would Yes, You Can, Heather work? It's about the first deaf Miss America."

"own voices" means that a character shares the same marginalized identity as the author. It's generally used to describe novels, but quite a few members are considering non-fiction for this challenge. So if the author of that book is also deaf, then yes it works.

[Rachel]

This one should fit the criteria twice right??

[Margaret]

I've read El Deafo and it is wonderful! I also read The Hate You Give and would recommend it as well.

[Lily]

I see the argument here that memoirs don't qualify, and if so, rule this one out. Otherwise, it is a delightful, sad, funny, challenging read/listen. I have the Audible version.

Trevor Noah Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

Here the marginalization comes from numerous directions, beginning as suggested by the title, but including crossing indigenous groups.

[Brooke]

For anyone who wants a lighter read, I just finished The Kiss Quotient and it would fit.

[Juliebean]

I went to a YA authors panel in September which included Tomi Adayemi and Marissa Meyers. One of the authors I didn't know was Alex London. He's a gay male, and he has a fantasy book out called Black Wings Beating. One of the main characters is a gay male, so it seems to me this would count. I picked up his book then and I think I'll read it for this prompt. I'm excited to read it.

I'd never heard of this category before but it makes such perfect sense.

[Marta Pereira]

Hello, I will read The Complete Persepolis for this topic. I guess it also is good for topic 31 - A book about a family.
I wish you great readings!
Big kiss from Portugal!

[Laura]

Brooke wrote: "For anyone who wants a lighter read, I just finished The Kiss Quotient and it would fit."

Oh cool. I've been wanting to read that

[laila]

Does Homegoing fit here?

[Nadine in NY]

labaum wrote: "Does Homegoing fit here?"

yes.

Each chapter is a different character, and in fact one of the last chapters is a character that sounds very autobiographical. And it's SUCH a great book! Hard to believe it was her debut - I can't wait to see what else she writes.

[laila]

Nadine wrote: "labaum wrote: "Does Homegoing fit here?"

yes.

Each chapter is a different character, and in fact one of the last chapters is a character that sounds very autobiographical. And it..."

Thank you :)