LibGuides: Book Recommendations: African American Writers &amp; Books

Fiction

Black History Month Fiction
(List & review by Heather McCormack, Vice President of cloudLibrary, Collection Development and Publisher Relations)

Readers have a wide selection of Black own-voices adult fiction to choose from this winter and spring! The buzz for Whiting fellow Kaitlyn Greenidge's sophomore novel, Libertie, is resounding; it's about a free-born Black woman in Brooklyn, NY, who loses her identity and her freedom via a marriage in Haiti. Walter Mosley returns with #15 in the best-selling Easy Rawlins series, Blood Grove, which finds the Black detective taking on the case of a damaged white Vietnam veteran amid the chaos of 1960s protest in Los Angeles. PEN/Faulkner Award winner Imbolo Mbue follows up Behold the Dreamers with How Beautiful We Were, which takes place in a fictional African village and captures its people's rebellion against colonialism. Also recommended: Dantiel W. Moniz's Florida-steeped story collection, Milk Blood Heat.

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
ISBN: 9780525658184
Publication Date: 2020
"A novel about faith, science, religion, and family that tells the deeply moving portrait of a family of Ghanaian immigrants ravaged by depression and addiction and grief, narrated by a fifth year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford school of medicine studying the neural circuits of reward seeking behavior in mice"--
Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge
ISBN: 9781616207014
Publication Date: 2021
"Coming of age as a free-born Black girl in Reconstruction-era Brooklyn, Libertie Sampson is all too aware that her mother, a physician, has a vision for their future together: Libertie will go to medical school and practice alongside her. But Libertie feels stifled by her mother's choices and is constantly reminded that, unlike her mother, Libertie has skin that is too dark. When a young man from Haiti proposes to Libertie and promises she will be his equal on the island, she accepts, only to discover that she is still subordinate to him and all men. As she tries to parse what freedom actually means for a Black woman, Libertie struggles with where she might find it-for herself and for generations to come"-- Provided by publisher.
Milk Blood Heat by Dantiel W. Moniz
ISBN: 9780802158154
Publication Date: 2021
"Set among the cities and suburbs of Florida, each story in Milk Blood Heat delves into the ordinary worlds of young girls, women, and men who find themselves confronted by extraordinary moments of violent personal reckoning. These intimate portraits of people and relationships scour and soothe and blast a light on the nature of family, faith, forgiveness, consumption, and what we may, or may not, owe one another. -- Provided by publisher.
Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory
ISBN: 9780593100813
Publication Date: 2020
"A chance meeting with a handsome stranger turns into a whirlwind affair that gets everyone talking. Dating is the last thing on Olivia Monroe's mind when she moves to LA to start her own law firm. But when she meets a gorgeous man at a hotel bar and they spend the entire night flirting, she discovers too late that he is none other than hotshot junior senator Max Powell. Olivia has zero interest in dating a politician, but when a cake arrives at her office with the cutest message, she can't resist--it is chocolate cake, after all."--Publisher

Reading Lists

Well-Known Writers' Lesser-Known Works
Most of us become most acquainted with the authors who change our lives through one seminal work. We read and reread it until the spine breaks and the pages wear. But our favorite writers are so much more than the works that garner the most acclaim. Get to know them fully by reading their books that receive less fan-fare. Here are some of our favorite gems from our favorite authors.--from The Culture.ForHarriet.com
PBS recommends....
They are poets, playwrights, novelists and scholars, and together they helped capture the voice of a nation. They have fearlessly explored racism, abuse and violence as well as love, beauty and music. While their names and styles have changed over the years, they have been the voices of their generations and helped inspire the generations that followed them. What follows is a list of prominent Black authors who have left a mark on the literary world forever.--PBS.org
Oprah's Recommendations!
You should always celebrate Black voices (not just during Black history month, y'all), and literature is one of the best ways to honor some of the community's most illuminating stories. Thanks to the work of African American authors, the world can better understand both the struggles and triumphs of Black people in America. From wise artists like Maya Angelou to new voices like Marlon James and Kiley Reid, and leaders like the Obamas, we've gathered some of the all time best books by Black authors to add to your reading list.--oprahmag.com

LibGuide: African American History and Literature

African American History & Literature
Find more resources and information about African American History and Literature on our LibGuide.

Book Recommendations

Fiction

Black History Month Fiction (List & review by Heather McCormack, Vice President of cloudLibrary, Collection Development and Publisher Relations)

Reading Lists

LibGuide: African American History and Literature

Black History Month Fiction
(List & review by Heather McCormack, Vice President of cloudLibrary, Collection Development and Publisher Relations)