With February being Black History Month, I wanted to highlight some of the books I’ve read recently written by Black Authors!
While this list doesn’t specifically focus on African-American writers, African-American authors have been integral to the evolution of the American literary genre. From the poetry of Phillis Wheatley, the journalism of Frederick Douglass, the pioneers and products of the Harlem Renaissance (such as Langston Hughes and and James Baldwin), to the 20th century ‘firsts’ of authors such as Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, and Alice Walker, the mark they have made on literature is undeniable.
The first part of this list will be reviews and recommendations, while the latter will be recommendations of books that I may not have read!
- The Maid and the Crocodile, Jordan Ifueko [Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance]
If you enjoy magic and godly power, this book may just be for you. Set in Oluwan, a West African based magical city, our main character is the classic ‘girl from the countryside, looking for a better life’. Simple, but one more thing- she accidentally intertwines her fate with a god.
If you’re looking for a book that tackles questions about magical fate and destiny, but also covers class-consciousness and workers rights on the same page, this may be for you. It contains “tropes” of found family, disability representation within its main character, and of course, the introduction to a new fantasy universe.
Personal Notes: Romance is not nearly close to being my favorite genre, but I would encourage those who are interested in character building, but especially worldbuilding, to take a chance on this book. Despite the strong romantic subplot, the world influences the characters and their relations to an astounding degree. Also, if you like the worldbuilding, you can also read another duology in the same universe!
2. Parable of the Sower, Octavia Butler [Science Fiction, Dystopia, Speculative Fiction]
At this point, this could be called realistic fiction… but in all honesty, if you would like to read a book that forces you to answer questions and create new ideas on your own beliefs, this should be your next read. While being brought up in many recent discussions due to its parallels to our world right now (taking place during the mid-2020s, issues regarding fires and drug addictions in Los Angeles, etc), the primary focus of this novel is not these parallels.
If you have ever wanted another description of God, or are interested in how to think of ‘religion’, this book may be for you. I appreciated the questions it asked through this, and would highly recommend them to anyone who has the energy to put into these thoughts!
Personal Notes: Probably one of my favorite dystopias. This has a similar setup to books such as Dry by Neal Shusterman, but takes a deeper look at it, and goes into further distressing topics. I’d say that there are a lot of topics that make the book feel ‘real’, but also doesn’t allow it to be the ‘escape from reality’ science fiction many of us are used to. I’d still recommend it nonetheless! Please keep in mind, this book covers sensitive topics.
3. Lagoon, Nnedi Okarafor [Afrofuturism, Alien Invasion, Science Fiction, Fantasy]
AMAZING book, amazing story. Taking place in Lagos, with aliens touching down in the waters only mere hundreds of feet away from the shore, chaos brings three people of very different backgrounds together in the midst of the new guests.
If you would like to see a science-fiction novel that takes place somewhere that’s NOT America, this is definitely one for you. Following a marine biologist grappling with the meaning of being a ‘wife’, a rapper questioning the meaning of fame, and a soldier running from the army, expect to learn about traditional Nigerian folklore through your science-fiction as well.
Personal Note: I think this falls into a bit too much fantasy for me to have enjoyed it as a clear-cut ‘science fiction’ novel [and if you read it, you’ll see why], but I immensely enjoyed the characters and the questions they brought up as themselves, as well as their different situations and backgrounds, giving a closer look into the myriad of experiences across the world. I do still think it’s a good read, but despite the premise, don’t go into it expecting science fiction! Please keep in mind, this book mentions sensitive topics.
Here’s the second part of this list- one’s I haven’t necessarily read, but in honor of the month I would like to put them out here!
- Homegoing, Yaa Gyasi [Historical Fiction]
- On Beauty, Zadie Smith [Contemporary Fiction]
- The Color Purple, Alice Walker [Historical Fiction]
- Beloved, Toni Morrison [Magical Realism, Historical Fiction]
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou [Nonfiction, Memoir]
- Go Tell It on The Mountain, James Baldwin [Autobiographical, Classics]
- Brown Girl Dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson [Memoir, Poetry]
- Notes of a Native Son, James Baldwin [Nonfiction, Essays]
- *Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Mildred D. Taylor [Young Adult, Historical Fiction]
- Legendborn, Tracy Deonn [Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance]
- The Warmth of Other Suns, Isabel Wilkerson [Nonfiction, Journalism, History]
*I’ve read this one, and would highly recommend it if you haven’t already read it. It’s a much “easier” read than some on this list, while still having conscious, important themes.
