Literary Fiction by People of Color discussion
Read And Recommended
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
Fantastic review, Faith. And thanks for putting it on my radar. I knew nothing of the author or the book.
ColumbusReads wrote: "Faith wrote: "My review of The Conjure-Man Dies: A Harlem Mystery: The first ever African-American crime novel by Rudolph Fisherhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/sh..."
Thanks. I had never heard of them either. The publisher is also planning to re-release the author's first novel next year.
Faith wrote: "ColumbusReads wrote: "Faith wrote: "My review of The Conjure-Man Dies: A Harlem Mystery: The first ever African-American crime novel by Rudolph Fisherhttps://www.g..."
I've been watching The Great Courses on Mystery and Crime fiction and he mentions it.
I just finished Buchi Emecheta's fascinating Second Class Citizen; it's a prequel to her In the Ditch I also came across an interesting article by Louise Owusu-Kwarteng comparing Emecheta's account in her novel to her parent's experience of coming to Britain in the 1960s.
"When the story of one is that of many"
https://www.pambazuka.org/pan-african...
Faith wrote: "My review of The Conjure-Man Dies: A Harlem Mystery: The first ever African-American crime novel by Rudolph Fisherhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
I've read this one and enjoyed it, was totally stumped by the crime! I really liked the details of life in Harlem.
Alwynne wrote: "Faith wrote: "My review of The Conjure-Man Dies: A Harlem Mystery: The first ever African-American crime novel by Rudolph Fisherhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/sh..."
I was stumped by the resolution too. And I agree about the Harlem details.
Finally read Gwendolyn Brooks's Maud Martha and thought it was brilliant, sensitive, poetic, insightful, just great in every way. It's ridiculous that a book like this is out of print!Link to my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Alwynne wrote: "Finally read Gwendolyn Brooks's Maud Martha and thought it was brilliant, sensitive, poetic, insightful, just great in every way. It's ridiculous that a book like this is out of print..."Sadly not all brilliant books stay in print, and some that aren't as brilliant manage to do so. Most books go out of print. It often makes it hard to read good suggestions. There are two copies of this in my library network, but both are in public schools so I am not sure if I'll be able to get it right now even though I put a hold on it.
I read it online via Open Library, have you tried that?
My review of His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Mediehttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I didn’t like this book, but I’m sure other people will.
I just wanted to let people know that if you have an Audible Plus membership The audiobook of Passing by Nella Larsen is free.https://www.audible.com/pd/Passing-Au...
My first review for the year is for the worthy Pulitzer Prize winner Beloved by Toni Morrison. It's hard to understand the kind of treatment 'former' slaves still endured after the end of the Civil War. Technically, it's an easy read; emotionally, it's a heartbreaker.
5★ Link to my review of Beloved
PattyMacDotComma wrote: "My first review for the year is for the worthy Pulitzer Prize winner Beloved by Toni Morrison. It's hard to understand the kind of treatment 'former' slaves still endured ..."Thanks for posting this. Beloved was a book discussion selection for this group a little over a year ago, here: Beloved group discussion, in case anyone is interested in posting further discussion there...
There is a previously unpublished book by Richard Wright being published this month, The Man Who Lived Underground. ARCs are currently available on Netgalley.
Thanks Faith it looks really fascinating.
I have read my first 5 Star read for 2021.The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr..
Stunning!
Jones's eye for characterizations and situations is exceptional.
A memorable and sensitive exploration of love, loyalty, and hope in the wake of atrocity written with a masterful use of poetic language.
Beverly wrote: "I have read my first 5 Star read for 2021.The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr..
Stunning!
Jones's eye for characterizations and situations is exceptional.
A memor..."
The buzz surrounding this one is incredible. I was DM'd by a bookseller in Capetown about it months before it's U.S. publication.
Glad to hear that it's buzzworthy!
Faith wrote: "I just wanted to let people know that if you have an Audible Plus membership The audiobook of Passing by Nella Larsen is free.https://www.audible.com/pd/Passing-Audio..."
Thanks Faith!
William wrote: "Beverly wrote: "I have read my first 5 Star read for 2021.The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr..
Stunning!
Jones's eye for characterizations and situations is excep..."
yes, it is
You Tube has several of his interviews re: The Prophets
I would expect The Prophets to be nominated for several rewards
Hello everyone!Hope this isn't against the rules. If so I do apologize in advance.
Me and some friends have started a new book club with the intention to add to our ever expanding reading lists, pretend like it's 2004 and have some fun.
The theme is light and darkness - we will be voting to read one dark book and one light book every month and discuss them. You bet most books will be by POC and Queer people. If you are interested in joining, here's the link: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Hope to see you there!
February is Black History Month, and I found James Baldwin's long story/novella Letter from a region in my mind online from 'The New Yorker Magazine'. Still relevant and worth remembering.
5★ Link to my review of Letter From a Region...
My review of Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 by Ibram X. Kendihttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Faith wrote: "My review of Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 by Ibram X. Kendihttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
I had actually pre-ordered this book and am counting it as my Black History Month treat.
I am looking forward to sitting down and reading it.
Beverly wrote: "Faith wrote: "My review of Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 by Ibram X. Kendihttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"
I hope you enjoy it. There's a lot of information there.
Bessie Smith by Jackie Kay. Kay looks at the life and work of iconic blues artist Bessie Smith, mingling this with memoir that details how her appreciation of Smith's music helped her to embrace her own identity as black and lesbian while growing up in an all-white community in Scotland. Some great elements but a little inconsistent and probably better if, like me, you're already a Bessie Smith fan.Link to my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A More Perfect Union by Tammye Huf, was a really great read
Nadine wrote: "I loved Chang-Rae Lee's latest, My Year Abroad. My review."Thanks, Nadine!
I have the book on library hold.
Read the classic The Ways of White Folks. I thought it was excellent!!Also finished Just Us: An American Conversation which is one of the best books on the American perceptions of race that I've read so far. Rankine does not disappoint!!
I highly recommend both!!
Monica wrote: "Read the classic The Ways of White Folks. I thought it was excellent!!Also finished Just Us: An American Conversation which is one of the best books on the American ..."
I second your comments!!
Beverly wrote: "Monica wrote: "Read the classic The Ways of White Folks. I thought it was excellent!!Also finished Just Us: An American Conversation which is one of the best books o..."
I read
The Ways of White Folks. I second your thoughts. It was an excellent read.
If you like fantasy that isn't set in faux medieval Europe, Rebecca Roanhorse's Black Sun will take you to faux pre-Columbian America. Most fantasy doesn't work for me, but this one did. My review.
I was completely caught up in Cathy Park Hong's essays in Minor Feelings: A Reckoning on Race and the Asian Condition, thoughtful and insightful mix of the personal and the political. Although it's not fiction she talks in detail about how her ideas and experiences re: race and racism inform her poetry. My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Sympathizer by Asian-American author Viet Thanh Nguyen won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, so I thought War + Big prize = Heavy (UGH). But I loved a preview chapter of his follow-up, The Committed, so I bought this first book and loved it! Some brutality, yes, but funny, informative and thought-provoking.
Plus, it's easy to read. You don't need a thesaurus or a history degree. 😊
5★ Link to my review of The Sympathizer
My review of Gone Missing in Harlem: A Novel by Karla F.C. Hollowayhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Nadine wrote: "If you like fantasy that isn't set in faux medieval Europe, Rebecca Roanhorse's Black Sun will take you to faux pre-Columbian America. Most fantasy doesn't work for me, but this one..."I really enjoyed this.
I just saw that How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House is our May Group Read, and wanted to put in a plug for the audiobook in case anyone is interested. Danielle Vitalis, the narrator, does a wonderful job with the island accents and really brings the book to life.
I despise self-promotion but I have to make a suggestion to the Recommended booklist of literary fiction by authors of color. I invite my fellow members to consider the award winning book, Child of Gilead."An artful, thought-provoking, and memorable work of fiction." (Kirkus Reviews)
CHILD OF GILEAD by Douglas S. Reed is an evocative, atmospheric work of literary fiction about children, families, and secrets. The writing is lyrical, philosophical, and has layered meanings for readers to interpret and enjoy. (IndieReader)
Layered, poetic, and richly nuanced, Child of Gilead is worthy of multiple readings. The novel unfolds with a parable-like precision and grace. Reed's prose is beautifully rendered and evocative. Highly distinctive and unique, this work of literary fiction is rich in metaphorical layers--some of which may puzzle and confound readers. Whether child and mother, Old Man, and Boy, characters in Child of Gilead occupy a world of roads and choices, faith, and lurking danger. While they resonate as archetypal within the body of the novel, they are no less vivid and complete. - (BookLife Prize Grand Winner General Fiction 2020 )
I just finished Real Life by Brandon Taylor and think it would be a excellent boon for discussion. It covers Black male queerness, racism within academia, issues of trauma related to sexual assault. The author is in his early 30s and has a short story collection coming out as well as two more fiction books coming!
I also just read REAL LIFE and I would love to talk about it! What did you think about the ending? Do you think the protagonist (I forget his name now!) ended up staying at Large Research University in small Very White Village?
My review of The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Waltonhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of Paradise Blue by Dominique Morisseauhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is a play that is available as an Audible Plus selection.
Literary Fiction by People of Color
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