beloved by toni morrison
I want to make sure my list contains some lesser known names as well as bigger ones, but I couldn’t leave Beloved out of my list. A book like Beloved doesn’t come around every day. With its haunting ghost and harrowing narrative, the novel manages to conceptualise the trauma of slavery and, strangely, ends somewhat optimistically. Mistakes made in the past continue in the present; the past cannot be something we run away from.Â
Any Toni Morrison book is worth reading, though I say that having not finished them all (yet), but Beloved is my favourite of hers that I’ve read so far.
such a fun age by kiley reid
This book definitely went viral at some point, and it certainly deserved to. Such a Fun Age was in my top reads of 2021, which is especially amazing given I completed 169 books that year. A young Black woman babysits for a white family, and is falsely accused of kidnapping her one day. The story follows not just the babysitter, but also the mother of the child, and how they react to what happened and relate to one another afterwards. I found it to be nuanced and vivid.Â
the hate u give by angie thomas
The Hate U Give is a great pick for younger audiences, but it’s definitely worth reading if you’re a bit older too. The book is very emotionally compelling; whenever I read it I’m left with a sense of outrage and I always cry. Not only is the novel powerful for the way it tackles racism and the nuances of such, but it also analyses, both explicitly and implicitly, the everyday systemic racism embedded in social structures. Overall, though, what is most stirring is its main character’s (Starr’s) refusal to stay silent. She is a very inspirational character, and the book as a whole is a call for action.
between the world and me by ta-nehisi coates
- Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
This book is not fiction, so when I read it I was gravitating away from my usual genres. What a good decision! I read this some time ago, in high school, but I would read it again in a heartbeat. Coates puts forward ideas about how to understand race in America. I am not American nor do I live there, so I think living there would provide a further connection to the novel, but even without living there I was extremely interested in the topics Coates covered.
dream count by chimamanda ngozi adichie (upcoming!)
Dream Count is not out yet, but I am dying to read it! There’s a talk on it happening in Toronto next month, so grab tickets if you get the chance (they might be sold out, but I’ve linked it below in case). Dream Count will follow four women and their longing and desires. Of course, I can’t properly review it without having read it, but I am beyond excited to read it next month.
Link to the Dream Count talk: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/torontointernationalfestivalofauthors/1540610
If you are having trouble accessing these books, check out the Toronto Public Library (or any library near you!). Here is a link to an article I’ve written about all the services the library can provide, as well as access to literature. https://www.hercampus.com/school/u-toronto/the-toronto-public-library-the-best-place-in-toronto/