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Without a clear monster or enemy attacking the land, it’s hard to know who is trying to squash dreams of a better world into nightmares of the past.  Join us for our next Virtual Book Club on Friday, February 12 at 7:30 p.m. CST, as we discuss the ways in which Hybern, what the princess of carrion should have done differently, and perhaps even a bit of our dreams of a better world.  The night will be dark and full of terrors spoilers as we chat about Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series and refresh in preparation to read A Court of Silver Flames starting next week.  Sign up here to receive all the details!

Let’s be clear about a few things dear readers.  We are not experts.  We read books, lots of them, and we value the ways books let us view perspectives and experiences we will never be able to understand in real life.  We value diverse books, and seek to incorporate more diverse books, authors, and voices in our lives.  Reading books isn’t an end, but a beginning, a window that gives you a peek into the experiences of others, a start to real change, if we treat it as only the start it is.  As we celebrate Black authors, we’re also bringing you a round of up resources with a focus on Black characters, Black authors, and Black voices who have taken on the burden of educating others who are not like them.  

Resources about Books:

Since we all love books, let’s also chat about Black owned businesses, bookstores specifically.  Condé Nast has done a great job in creating a list of Black owned bookstores you can shop online, including a list by state and of online-only shops as well as some of their reading guides.  For a more complete list, check out African American Literature Book Club (note – some shops listed do not sell online) and their booklist too.  

We Need Diverse Books is an organization that supports the production and promotion of books that “reflect and honor the lives of all young people.”  They have reading lists, resources for writers and illustrators, parents and educators, and even publishing professionals.  They’re also a nonprofit organization you can support with your charitable gifts.  

Kara Brown has been inviting us all to read a book with her each month and then join in a conversation about it with her and friends after.  We were inspired by her first selection and aspire to get back into the habit of joining Kara monthly and invite you to join us as we ReadaBook!withKara

Books at least one of us has read and recommends:

Fiction:

• My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
• The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
  • Check out our post here
• A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler*
  • Check out our post here
• The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray
  • Our August Virtual Book Club Pick
• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
  • Thanks Kara for the suggestion!  And we posted here.
• Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick by Zora Neale Hurston
• You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
  • Review coming on Thursday!
• Akata Witch (#1) by Nnedi Okorafor*
• Akata Warrior (#2) by Nnedi Okorafor*
  • Check out our post about the series here.
• Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
  • Check out our post here.
• Shuri: A Black Panther Novel by Nic Stone
• The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
• On The Come Up by Angie Thomas
  • Check out her January 2021 release Concrete Rose
• The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
  • Check out our post here

Nonfiction:

• Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender, and Parenting in America by Nefertiti Austin*
• The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom*
  • Check out our post here
• How to Fix a Broken Record: Thoughts on Vinyl Records, Awkward Relationships, and Learning to Be Myself by Amena Brown
• I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
  • Brown also offers resources on her website and social media accounts (linked on her homepage).
• The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power by Deirdre Mask
  • Check out our post here
• Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation by LaTasha Morrison
  • You can also checkout the organization – Be the Bridge – and the wide variety of resources they offer.
• The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein*
  • Check out our post here
• Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F. Saad
• Here for it: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America; Essays by R. Eric Thomas
• Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
  • Review coming later this month. 

*Denotes a favorite or honorable mention for the year we read it.

Authors / Books on our TBR list:

• Conjure Women by Afia Atakora
• The Toni Morrison Book Club by Juda Bennett, Winnifred Brown-Glaude, Cassandra Jackson, Piper Kendrix Williams
• Britt Bennett:  We’ve heard amazing things about this author, and have The Vanishing Half on hold.  
• Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden
• Alyssa Cole: It’s no secret we love romance, and we have been told (by Anne Bogel) that Cole is an author not to miss.  We’ll be reading and reviewing An Extraordinary Union in the coming weeks, but Cole has historical and contemporary romances as well as a new thriller When No One is Watching.
• Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
• Not So Pure and Simple by Lamar Giles is slated for review later this month.
• Jasmine Guillory:  Nikki read and recommends Royal Holiday, but we’re looking forward to going back to the beginning of the series.  
• Tristan Strong Series by Kwame Mbalia 
• The Color of Water by James McBride
• A Song Below Water (#1) by Bethany Morrow
• I adore Jo Saxton’s speaking, and the podcast she leads with Steph O’Brien and Edrin Williams (Lead Stories), but she’s also got several books, including The Dream of You which is in my TBR stack 🙁 
• Real Life by Brandon Taylor
• The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby
• The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

Amazon also created a quick link to Black stories and books available on their website, specifically ones that are currently available on KindleUnlimited.

There are also a ton of on screen ways to spend your time if you’re looking for a movie to watch with your Valentine.  At Nikki’s house, the adults watched The Free State of Jones a few weeks ago (check out this article from the Smithsonian on the true story behind the movie), and there’s always a favorite of Ashley’s, Black Panther.  She also had a LOT of feelings about Just Mercy that did not center around looking at Michael B. Jordan for 2 hours – and would not suggest watching it for good feels.

And if you’re a podcast person, Nikki is learning so much from The Promise and also highly recommends Mike Kelsey’s Episodes on That Sounds Fun (#223 with Annie F. Downs,  #231 with Jemar Tisby, Q&A with friends, and What do we do now).  

For you audiophiles out there, the ACLU had some of their Black staffers curate a playlist of Black music through the decades called Lift Every Voice. You can find it here on Spotify. 300 songs, 20+ hours. It’s an education in American music.

There are a ton of books to read and teachers who are putting out great lessons to those who are willing to learn and engage, and we hope you find something new here.  We’d also love to learn from the books and teachers who’ve guided you.  

What are your favorite titles by Black authors?  

Who are some Black voices we need to welcome into our lives?

~Ashley and Nikki

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