Literary Fiction by People of Color discussion
Read And Recommended
I just narrated an audio book for Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup. (Published by Earls Edwards) This particular book has actual audio interviews of former slaves. Check out the book and the audio book will be out in about 2 weeks.
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That's really awesome, William. One of my good friends have been showing the documentary of Solomon Northrup's life to his young students for years now. Glad you had the opportunity to do this project.
William wrote: "I just narrated an audio book for Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup. (Published by Earls Edwards) This particular book has actual audio interviews of former slaves. Check out the book and the..."How exciting!
William wrote: "I just narrated an audio book for Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup. (Published by Earls Edwards) This particular book has actual audio interviews of former slaves. Check out the book and the..."This is one of my very favorite books! That's so fun that you did a narration of it.
R.E. wrote: "Murder Along Burley Creek is now on sale for 2.99 on Amazon. Great blend of historical fiction and urban fiction."Since this is your book, R.E., could you move your post to Member Writings and Requests, please? Or, if you prefer, I can move it for you.
I have just finished Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter by J. Nozipo Maraire. It is not a new book (it was published in 1997.) It had some of the same themes as Coconut, but the setting is Zimbabwe instead of South Africa. I think the shared message is that there is pressure/temptation for Africans to adopt, wholesale, the values of Europe (the former colonizers/oppressors) or of the U.S., at the expense of their cultural heritage. I felt that the message of Zenzele contained the hope that the people of Zimbabwe could find a way to hold on to their heritage while living in a global context.Although recalling the hardships of the struggle for independence, I think the timeframe of this book (the earlier years post-independence) was a less troubled time for Zimbabwe than we experienced in "We Need New Names".
Sue wrote: "I have just finished Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter by J. Nozipo Maraire. It is not a new book (it was published in 1997.) It had some of the same themes as Cocon..."I love this book, one of my favourites.
Enjoyed
The Secret History of Las Vegas: A Novelby Chris Abani
Splendid! Was my thought when I finished the last hauntingly suspenseful page of this intensely intimate novel exploring the human soul seeking redemption, revenge and acceptance to the question what do we owe to others and ourselves for their roles in our lives.
While I have read other Abani’s novels in the past, I was not quite sure what to expect as this book seemed it would a departure from his other work. So I was pleasantly surprised when discovering this was much more than a standard mystery story and what initially looks like separate storylines (serial killer, atomic testing, apartheid) effortlessly intertwine around your emotions as you are folded into the characters world. As one of the character states – “There is always blame, he said. There has to be, what is life without it?”
The lyrically assured prose is both beautiful and bold in a bracingly unexpected manner as the tightly-plotted storyline deals with people who are often voiceless until they disturb the tranquility of our charmed lives.
Long Division by Kiese Laymon....pretty early to call it my best book of 2014. But, it's already there.
Cheryl wrote: "Long Division by Kiese Laymon....pretty early to call it my best book of 2014. But, it's already there."I read it last year and loved it when I started, didn't know how I felt about it midway, and was just confused about how I felt by the time it ended. I'll be interested to see your summary on it.
Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America's Universities by Craig Steven WilderThis is a very impressive well-researched book. Wilder demonstrates American college's active participation in their contributions to a political, social, economic culture rooted in racism. The book covers the 1600s - 1830s period. Said he ended it there as this was when the psuedo-science of racial inferiority theories were developed at the universities and their separation for the their founding religious denominations resulting in the rise in prestige for the schools.
I'm looking back over my books of 2013 (every genre) and here are the ones I would recommend by authors of color (click on my rating to see my review):Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu (5 stars)
Dawn by Octavia E. Butler (5 stars)
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia (5 stars)
Angelfall by Susan Ee (4 stars)
A Red Death by Walter Mosley (4 stars)
Better Than by Leslie Esdaile (4 stars)
Vampire Hunter D by Hideyuki Kikuchi (4 stars)
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling (4 stars)
for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf by Ntozake Shange (I haven't reviewed it yet but I noticed it was one of our group's previous reads)
Also, I read an urban fantasy book that didn't quite reach my recommendation list, but it was still a good book and others might be interested if you like that genre: Affairs of the Dead by A.J. Locke (3 stars)
Finally, I was just forwarded this article about the world's debt to those held as slaves: The Reparations of History, Paid and Unpaid. This is a white male author, but the topic is relevant and his article was extraordinarily insightful to me - it is a gross injustice that the media and schools are not informing us about all the reparations made to white slaveowners as slavery was abolished, and that's just one of the topics. Wow, just wow. The article is an introduction to his new book, which is The Empire of Necessity: Slavery, Freedom, and Deception in the New World by Greg Grandin. I also noticed the article referenced Craig Steven Wilder's book that Beverly recommended above.
It seems I am reading excellent NF books this year.Slavery's Exiles: The Story of the American Maroons by Sylviane A. Diouf
This is a marvelous research study that informs about a very important missing piece of American history, slave resistance, and self-determination. This book does not leave any stone unturned as I was informed about the development of marronage in the South, borderland maroons, hinterland maroons, their everyday lives and much more. I appreciated how Diouf explored American marronage on the communal and individual levels. This helped to understand how marronage fit into the American landscape and social/economic/political conditions of the times. The stories of the individuals showcased the theory but most importantly illustrated the skills, intelligence and self-motivation to define themselves by their own terms and not to live under the control of others. One of the most fascinating aspects of learning about the everyday lives of maroons for me was about their dwelling structures – the caves and underground structures so close to those who were hunting them yet invisible. Lastly, I was also provided answers as to why this is not a topic as known as “runaways” – little sensationalism in the maroons’ daily lives, their autonomous survival without white involvement had little mass appeal, and southerners really did not want this known outside of their region because of their difficulty in capturing and eliminating maroons.
A must read for anyone who is interested in American history, slavery, and resistance to being enslaved. I look forward to this book winning many awards.
I was just blown away, absolutely and completely blown away, by Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being. It was a close loser on a recent poll. This book- the author pulls some really tricky stuff without ever feeling like she's pulling tricky stuff. It never feels forced, it is always emotional and touching and resonant. I can't recommend it enough.
Rashida wrote: "I was just blown away, absolutely and completely blown away, by Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being. It was a close loser on a recent poll. This book- the author pulls some rea..."I read this book last year and enjoyed - loved how the storylines from the different time periods intertwined and came together so seamlessly.
I know the book had many award shortlists and it was on several best of 2013 lists.
Andre wrote: "This sounds like a winnerhttp://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/02/boo..."
Thanks for sharing I hope to start this book very soon - it is sitting on my shelf and keeps calling my name but have a couple others to finish.
New book coming out that is a wonderful read, 'TIL THE WELL RUNS DRY by Lauren Francis-Sharma. The novel delves into a woman coming into motherhood, family secrets, love, pride and issues of race and class. It's also a novel centered around Blanchisseuse, a small village in Trinidad, and ending with Marcia's journey to America. It comes out the end of this month.
Ebony wrote: "New book coming out that is a wonderful read, 'TIL THE WELL RUNS DRY by Lauren Francis-Sharma. The novel delves into a woman coming into motherhood, family secrets, love, pride and issues of race ..."I'm looking forward to this one. And Lauren is one of our group members!
Wilhelmina wrote: "Ebony wrote: "New book coming out that is a wonderful read, 'TIL THE WELL RUNS DRY by Lauren Francis-Sharma. The novel delves into a woman coming into motherhood, family secrets, love, pride and i..."I too am looking forward to reading it.
I just love the cover!
It won't be published until September 9th, 2014, but I received a pre-publication copy of Bridgett M. Davis's new novel Into the Go-Slow and I absolutely loved it. Her first novel Shifting Through Neutral is a big favorite of mine and I was very happy to have the chance to read her new one. Tayari Jones predicted that this was going to be a great year for African American women authors and I think that she was right!
Three novels I'd like to recommend are ---1) Seduced by Nelson George
2) Body And Soul by Felicia Mason
3) Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
The Icarus Girl
by Helen Oyeyemi is a kind of spooky, imaginative, magic realism book about a young girl caught between two cultures - Nigerian and British. I don't want to give anything away but its really good, read it!
Just finished Nigerians in Space by Deji Olukotun 
Fascinating, fast-paced suspense/thriller (not sci fi). Page turner with odd, but engaging characters and an intriguing premise. Riveting. I hope this book gets widely read. I don't know the author, just appreciate a well written book.
Here are some other novels, which will make for ideal summer reading ---1) Standing at the Scratch Line: A Novel by Guy Johnson
2) Such Sweet Thunder: A Novel by Vincent O. Carter, an African American WWII Army veteran. Some scenes in the book involve African American soldiers in combat during the Battle of Normandy (France) in 1944.
3) Good Peoples by Marcus Major
4) Blood on the Forge by William Attaway
5) The Eden Hunter: A Novel by Skip Horack
Recently finished and recommend:
The Orchard of Lost Souls: A Novel by Nadifa Mohamed
My Song: A Memoir by Harry Belafonte
Forty Acres: A Thriller
It was bold and I'd even say brave on the part of the author to put something like this out there. Definitely a book that warrants discussion.
Shannon wrote: "Forty Acres: A Thriller It was bold and I'd even say brave on the part of the author to put something like this out there. Definitely a..."
Thanks - Have this book June list of reads.
Three more books to recommend for summer reading ---1) Rendezvous Eighteenth by Jake Lamar
"Ricky Jenks, an African-American jazz pianist who plays in a cafe, is besotted with Fatimah Boukhari, a French Muslim who will love and marry only another Muslim. Ricky's troubles begin when his flashy and hated cousin, Cassius 'Cash' Washington, arrives in Paris. A successful orthopedic surgeon who ran off with Ricky's bride the night before the wedding, Cash needs help in finding his current wife, Serena. Ricky reluctantly agrees to search for Serena, but he gets some confusing and inconsistent answers when he starts asking Serena's friends about her. When he finds the body of a prostitute in his apartment building's vestibule, Ricky becomes a suspect in her murder."
2) Ghosts of Saint-Michel by Jake Lamar
"Marva Dobbs has a life most people would envy. An American who has lived in Paris for most of her adult life, she runs a popular African-American soul food restaurant, and her thirty-year marriage has produced a beautiful grown-up daughter. So why is she jeopardizing everything for a fling with her sous-chef, a mysterious twenty-eight-year-old Algerian man named Hassan?
"Marva begins to ask herself the same question when she returns from summer vacation to find that Hassan is missing, and that he is the main suspect in the investigation into the bombing of a building in Paris that left one man dead. And then she disappears, leaving her bewildered daughter and secretive husband to put the pieces of the puzzle together."
3) Paris in April by Allan Dare Pearce
"Canada's greatest military disaster gave rise to Canada's greatest love affair. A biracial romance during the Second World War --- centered around Canadian participation in the Raid on Dieppe, France (August 19, 1942), the largest military disaster in Canadian history --- between an Essex County white boy, Aiken Day, and a lovely Afro-Canadian lady, Paris Chase."
I have read 2 books recently that I thought were absolutely wonderful. I have mentioned before here that I was looking forward to Time of the Locust: A Novel by Morowa Yejide, who is a group member and a friend of mine. I was blown away by this novel, both by the quality of the writing and the challenging themes it addresses. It's an unforgettable book. My review of it is here:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A completely different book that I thoroughly enjoyed is The Shadowed Sun by SF award-winning author N.K. Jemisin. I have read all 5 of her books and I think that she is the best SF author around. This is the second book in her Dreamblood series, but I think that it can stand alone very well. I also think that it may be the most accessible of her books for those who usually don't read SF.
I am hoping that the summer brings more books that are as impressive as these two!
Wilhelmina wrote: "I have read 2 books recently that I thought were absolutely wonderful. I have mentioned before here that I was looking forward to Time of the Locust: A Novel by [author:Morowa Yejid..."I too enjoyed The Shadowed Sun.
Definitely liked this duology and really would like to see more of that world.
Powerfull and poignant. Reminds me of 'A raisin in the sun'. What a tour de force ! This book really gets into the feelings and politics of family life !
The Invisible Mountain by Carolina De Robertis - I've just finished this book, written in 2010. It is set in Uruguay during the 20th century; the author's parents are Uruguayan. Although I thought it might be a tough book to read (the experiences of the women in the story include sexual abuse as a pre-teen, and rape and torture as a political prisoner), I loved the way that this book is written - and the themes of a nation's history, one's family, and the importance of each family's collective stories.
Sue wrote: " The Invisible Mountain by Carolina De Robertis - I've just finished this book, written in 2010. It is set in Uruguay duri..."I also have read this book and enjoyed learning more about Uruguay. The author has another book, Perla, this one is set in Argentina.
I would like to recommend "Drinking From a Bitter Cup" the debut novel by Angela Jackson-Brown. Following in the footsteps of her literary mothers, Toni Morrison, Alice Walkers, and Maya Angelou. Ms. Jackson-brown has crafted an honest detection of growing up in the south with family dynamics that are not of our own choosing.
I'd like to recommend ---1) OK, Joe by Louis Guilloux
This novel touches upon the pernicious nature of Jim Crow segregation in the U.S. Army during the Second World War as it impacted upon African American GIs in France.
2) Black Girl in Paris by Shay Youngblood
Drinking From a Bitter Cup by Angela Jackson-Brown
Thanks for this recommendation. So glad to have Prime and Kindle and be able to read it without fees.
Hi all, I just joined the group and I have already added a few books to my to-be-read list.I love reading romance novels and paranormal romance. Especially series. Not too many serial paranormal romance novels with POC in the lead. I was lucky to find L. A. Banks aka Leslie Esdaile Banks. She has also written under two other pen names. Unfortunately she passed away in 2011 from pancreatic cancer, just about the time I finished reading her Vampire Huntress series. The first book in the series is Minion.
My other current love right now is anything by Beverly Jenkins. She writes black historical romance and contemporary novels. I am on a mission to finish all of the historical novels and highly recommend them. Although the books are stand alone reads the characters often show up in the different books. The first book to start it off is Night Song.
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Angela Jackson-Brown's debut novel "Drinking from a Bitter Cup" was a great read and certainly worth the time. The character development was outstanding, the best I have read in some time. Ms. Jackson-Brown has a wonderful lyrical style to her writing. It is hard to believe that this is only her first novel. She is also a poet, award winning short story author "Something in the Wash" is amazing. I certainly hope we see this story in novel form soon. I believe Angela Jackson-Brown to be a rising star in African American literature, following in the footsteps of her literary mothers Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, and Zora Neale Hurston.
Robert wrote: "Angela Jackson-Brown's debut novel "Drinking from a Bitter Cup" was a great read and certainly worth the time. The character development was outstanding, the best I have read in some time. Ms. Jack..."I truly agree with you, this was a great book! It's one of those books that you'll wish it had been around when you were young, and in search of your own voice, your true self, your strength. It should be required reading for young women, and confirmation for older women (and men). I would have suggested it, but I truly thought it had already been a suggested read. I do not know how I happened upon it, but I'm so happy I did. Truly a book to add to your list of must reads.
Drinking from a Bitter Cup1978. The year I turned ten and the year my mama killed herself. She was thirty-five, and dying is the last thing that should have been on her mind.
After the death of her mother, Sylvia Butler's father, a man she knows only from an old photo, takes her from Louisville, Kentucky to Ozark, Alabama to live with his family. But his wife resents everything about this intruder, from her out-of-wedlock conception to her dark skin and nappy hair.
When the wife's younger brother Charles returns from Vietnam, Sylvia thinks she has found a friend and confidante, only to be hurt again, but this time, in a manner she never could have imagined.
Set under the backdrop of the Deep South in the 70s and 80s, this coming of age story of redemption and grace follows Sylvia in her journey from awkward girl to confident young woman, at last standing on her own.
One of the best novels I have read in a very long time. 121 reviews on Amazon averaging 4.6 out of 5 stars.
Literary Fiction by People of Color
Books mentioned in this topic
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Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers' Rights (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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Akwaeke Emezi (other topics)
Ashley Hope Pérez (other topics)
Nnedi Okorafor (other topics)
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I really enjoyed this book and it will be one of my top reads for the year.
McBride’s latest is a rambunctious imaginative historical adventure tale offering a fresh perspective on a volatile period in American history – John Brown’s zealous quest to free the slaves and the events leading up to raid on Harper’s Ferry. As the book opens in 1856 Kansas Territory, the narrator 10 year-old, Henry “Onion” Shackleford is learning a trade and slave survival tips witnesses his father being killed in a shoot-out between his master and the abolitionist John Brown. With John Brown winning this round, Henry is scooped up into the folds of John Brown and his crusade, and in the confusion is mistaken for a girl and called Onion. Onion is the perfect combination of youthful naivety and savvy with a dollop of mischief to capture the searing morally complex issues of race and identity of the times.
A consummate storyteller, McBride effectively uses sly humor and erudition, along with lyrically rich yet precisely raw language to keep the reader fully engaged in the exploits though we already know what happens at Harper Ferry in 1859. A combination of fictional and real characters highlights both that often issues are not just black and white but many variations in-between the spectrum and it is often an event that will force a person to move from the gray area to one of the ends, and success is often not the event itself but its legacy effect on what comes after.