I chose these books because they were beautifully written.
The authors tell their stories in ways that feel very real, despite them all being fictional; we can all see a bit of ourselves in the characters that they flesh out, even if we don’t initially expect to. These books each cover a different scope of the vast experiences that Black people go through, but the fact that most of the characters are Black isn’t really the only point of any of these stories. Instead, the authors hone in on the aspects of the characters’ experiences (which are undoubtedly shaped by the fact that they are Black) to speak to broader themes of love, loss, pain, and resilience. As well, they are all different lengths, so hopefully, there is something for everyone!
Click on the book titles to learn more about each book. ?
- Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
- Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- Passing by Nella Larsen
- Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe
Photos courtesy of:
(in order of appearance)
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/19/half-of-a-yellow-sun-identity
https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Passing/Nella-Larsen/Restless-Classics/9781632062024
https://www.depop.com/products/anniuxs-things-fall-apart-chinua/