Looking back on my high school experience, I realized that in all four years, there was only one required reading book that was written by a black author: A Raisin in The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. At the start of Black History Month, I began to reflect on how many books I have read that are written by black authors. Even though I am a huge bibliophile, I am embarrassed to admit that the list of books I have read written by black authors is rather short. So, I made it my mission to seek out more books from the black perspective. I walked over to the local McNally Jackson bookstore in Seaport and bought a tote bag full of books. Provided for you are some of my favorite books written by black authors that you probably didn’t read in your high school literature class.
To start off, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, written in 1952, is a novel with a nameless narrator. Ellison writes about the experience of a black person growing up in the south in the early 1930s. The story follows the trials and tribulations The Narrator faces when they join a brotherhood that sends them away to Harlem. In Harlem, The Narrator goes in disguise and meets some questionable characters. Throughout the story, The Narrator struggles to discover their self-identity and find their purpose. While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, however, I felt the book was overly detailed and the nameless character was hard to figure out. Invisible Man tells the incredible tale of The Narrator pursuing their destiny while on a quest for self-discovery. And Ellison has a poised writing style and a distinctive writing voice.
Another powerful read is Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid. This realistic fiction novel gives readers an honest look into the harsh realities of woke racism in Philadelphia. To briefly summarize, Such a Fun Age is about Emira, a 25-year-old black woman in the middle of a quarter-life crisis. To financially support herself, she takes on a job babysitting a little white girl, Briar. One night, Emira and Briar are at the supermarket when Emira is accused of kidnapping Briar. This event turns Emira’s world upside down. She faces brutal woke racism and ultimately decides to quit her job as a nanny. The story was intriguing and heartbreaking at times. Kiley Reid is overzealous when it comes to connecting the novel to the current epoch. Such A Fun Age is a well-developed novel that brings awareness to the dangers of woke racism in our country.
In addition, Passing by Nella Larson is a grappling novel about two light skin childhood friends that grow up to live completely different lives. Irene marries a black man, who is a doctor, and they raise their two children in Harlem, New York. Clare, on the other hand, lives in Chicago with her blatantly racist husband who does not know she comes from black ancestors. Irene and Clare reconnect by chance in New York. Clare begins to socialize more with black folks and can finally embrace her black roots. Trouble arises when her husband arrives and spreads racism and misogyny wherever he goes. The reader is taken on a journey full of scandal, heartbreak, friendship, and frustration. Passing is an emotional roller coaster embedded with vibrant imagery and an eloquent construction of words.
Mr Loverman by Bernardine Evaristo is a juicy read about family ties, infidelity, sexuality, and secrecy. The main character, Barrington, is a flamboyant seventy-four-year-old black immigrant man living in London with his wife, Carmel. The couple has been married for fifty years and has two children and one grandchild, but Barrington has a huge secret he has kept hidden for decades. He is a closeted gay man who has been madly in love with his friend, Morris, since childhood. Carmel, a borderline homophobe, is a deeply religious Christian who speculates that her husband is having an affair with multiple women. Barrington grapples with coming out and debating what to do about his marriage. He knows in his heart that Morris is the love of his life, but Carmel and their children have been his whole life for so many decades. This novel is a relatively quick read that will tug at your heartstrings. I suggest having a box of tissues nearby before, during, and after reading this book.
Lastly, Divine Blue Light by Will Alexander is a small book of surrealist poetry covering topics about biology, astronomy, politics, and philosophy. This pocket-sized poetry book is an ambitious read that will give readers a look into the exploration of time and space as well as the connection between humanity and nature. Alexander has a soothing writer’s voice that left me yearning to read more of his work.