Recommend me books written by Black authors!

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

I'm not a huge audio fan but that's also a recommended audiobook - his voice is great with it. The ending had one of the most beautiful, personal miracle stories I've read. I agree with the recommendation.

Trevor did an episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld. He gave a short explanation of what that was like for the family. It was astonishing.

[BelleZora]

Thanks for the recommendation, issybird. These difficult times have been too much with me, and I need a break. I just picked up Blanche on the Lam. Looks like fun.

[Catlady]

Can anyone recommend books on the Tulsa Massacre, both nonfiction and fiction? I never heard of it before, sad to say. I've seen a handful of titles, but would appreciate any personal recommendations.

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Can anyone recommend books on the Tulsa Massacre, both nonfiction and fiction? I never heard of it before, sad to say. I've seen a handful of titles, but would appreciate any personal recommendations.

I had also never heard of this, which was amazing to me, considering the scope of the violence.

[John F]

How about Colson Whitehead. The Underground Railroad won the Arthur C. Clarke award (and a Pulitzer.)

[mirage]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Can anyone recommend books on the Tulsa Massacre, both nonfiction and fiction? I never heard of it before, sad to say. I've seen a handful of titles, but would appreciate any personal recommendations.

I don't know any books about the Tulsa Massacre, though there probably are some. But a similar 1898 event in Wilmington, NC, was written about in a recent book by David Zucchino called Wilmington's Lie. It's on my list, but I haven't read it. But I did hear him on a couple of podcasts and saw some video about it in a few places. Looks like a worthwhile read.

Originally Posted by John F

How about Colson Whitehead. The Underground Railroad won the Arthur C. Clarke award (and a Pulitzer.)

His The Nickel Boys also won the most recent Pulitzer.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by mirage

I don't know any books about the Tulsa Massacre, though there probably are some. But a similar 1898 event in Wilmington, NC, was written about in a recent book by David Zucchino called Wilmington's Lie. It's on my list, but I haven't read it. But I did hear him on a couple of podcasts and saw some video about it in a few places. Looks like a worthwhile read.

Thanks. My library has it, so I've added it to my wish list.

[Paperbackstash]

Originally Posted by issybird

This thread has made me recall a wonderful mystery series by Barbara Neely that I’d like to revisit. The Blanche White novels are about a black domestic worker and were described by Essence magazine as the first black woman detective written by a black woman. I read these a long time ago and they’ve stuck with me, and I see they’re now available as ebooks. Highly recommended.

These sounds great - saw available on KU, so going to try the first book soon.

[ilovereading.com]

Originally Posted by hildea

I'm looking for recommendations of books written by Black authors. I mostly read science fiction, fantasy, and romance, but I'm willing to try other genres as well.

Romance
I highly recommend Talia Hibbert, Alyssa Cole, Adriana Herrera, Beverly Jenkins and my personal favourite Kennedy Ryan.

You can also try Tasha L. Harrison, Jodie Slaughter, Christina C. Jones, Katrina Jackson, Dylan Allen, Jasmine Guillory, Piper Huguely, Lucy Eden, Charish Reid, Rebekah Weatherspoon, Pepper Pace, Tiana Laveen, Vanessa Riley, Kilby Blades, Danielle Allen, Tracey Livesay, Stacey Reid, Brittany C. Cherry, Reese Ryan... there are so many and ths list includes historical romance author too!

Also, as many more black romance authors publish independently including on KU I would look there too, some of those I mentioned above are on KU including some of Kennedy Ryan's books.


I will also second any recs for Queen Octavia E. Butler who is another one of my favourite authors overall. Her Earthseed Duet (Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents) are in my top 10 books of all time.


A mixture of authors of mostly Adult titles covering a range of genres including lit-fic, sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, horror;

Chimamande Ngozi Adiche, P. Djeli Clark,Steven Barnes, Attica Locke, Brandon Taylor, Colson Whitehead, George S. Schuyler, James Baldwin, Jason Mott, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Paul Beatty, Percival Edwards, Anissa Gray, Esi Edugyan, Jesmyn Ward, Margaret Wilkerson Sexton, Angela J. Ford, Zinzi Clemmons, Nisi Shawl, Jewell Gomez, Karen Lord,Candice Carty-Williams, Diana Evans, Dorothy Koomson, Helen Oyeyemi, Tade Thompson, Deji Bryce Olukotun, Ashley Beasley, L. L. Farmer, Marlon James, Claire O'Dell, Rivers Solomon, Akweke Emezi, LA Banks, Serissia Glass, Kai Ashante Wilon, Antoine Bandele, Evan Winters, Ono Ekeh, Elisabeth Thomas, Kiley Reid, Victor Lavelle, Tananative Due...

A mixture of authors of mostly YA titles covering a range of genres including sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, and romance;

Brandy Colbert, Tomi Adeyemi, Jason Reynolds, Bethany C. Morrow, Roseanne A. Brown, Elizabeth Acevedo, Kwame Mbalia, Jordan Ifueko, Sherri L. Smith, Cheryl S. Ntumy, Amanda Joy, Nic Stone,Tochi Onyebuchi, Michael Donkor, Charlotte Nicole Davis, Brittney Morris, Rena Barron, L. Penelope, Sharolyn G. Brown, K. Ancrum, Ibi Zoboi, Tiffany D. Jackson, Angie Thomas, Lamar Giles, Malorie Blackman, Chibundu Onuzo, Justin A. Reynolds, Kacen Callendar, Jay Coles, Kelly McWilliams...

As with romance, both of these lists could go on as there are plenty of black authors with books published. The problem is that other than the 'trendy' few that most people have heard of, very few ever get pushed by their publishers. The bookish community on youtube (booktube) is a great place to find discussions and recommendations for all types of books, not just those by black authors, and you can start by searcching 'black booktubers'... and it you have twitter access, follow the #PublishingPaidMe, not only what what disparities are highlighted, but also because it will connect you directly with many black authors.

[Pajamaman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdqLAeyqVr8

Gil Scott-Heron, known as the grandfather of rap, he personally preferred jazz. He wrote a biography, he wrote a novel, but above all he wrote poetry to music. He also loathed modern rap which he dismissed as 'posturing.' He fought for black rights all his life.

The above song--B movie--is particularly pertinent now. "Mandate my ass."
https://www.theguardian.com/books/20...t-heron-review

[Mikou]

I'm only on the 2nd book of the trilogy, but I would recommend the War of the Mein series by David Anthony Durham. The 3 books are Acacia, The Other Lands, and The Sacred Band. It is an epic fantasy series that I find very entertaining so far.

Another fantasy rec is Wind Follower by Carole McDonnell.

And if you read romance, I highly recommend Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert.

[ZodWallop]

Not fantasy, science fiction or romance, but I've enjoyed what I've read of Alice Walker. She's most famous for The Color Purple, of course. But I remember enjoying The Third Life of Grange Copeland and especially Meridian more.

There's a writer, Susan Straight. Be warned, she's a nice blond lady from Riverside, California. But her first three novels; I Been in Sorrow's Kitchen and Licked Out All the Pots, Blacker Than A Thousand Midnights and The Gettin' Place are very good examinations of being black in America. Good enough that I've not heard of any blow back on the fact that a white woman wrote them. I know I'm breaking from your request with her, but I'd recommend checking her out.

For fantasy, I read Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. But honestly, it was kind of a 'meh' book for me. Beautiful cover though. That's what sold the book for me.

When it comes to fantasy, I prefer what is called low fantasy or sword and sorcery. Simpler stories with lower stakes.

Thanks to this thread, I finally picked up Imaro by Charles R. Saunders. A black fantasy writer from the '80's who wrote what he called Sword and Soul. Low fantasy adventure stories featuring black protagonists with a fantasy-based African background rather than a European one.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by hildea

I'm looking for recommendations of books written by Black authors. I mostly read science fiction, fantasy, and romance, but I'm willing to try other genres as well.

Here are a few of my favourites:

Justina Ireland: Dread Nation

Incidentally, did you see that the sequel is on sale?

Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland is $2.99 at Amazon.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by mirage

I don't know any books about the Tulsa Massacre, though there probably are some. But a similar 1898 event in Wilmington, NC, was written about in a recent book by David Zucchino called Wilmington's Lie. It's on my list, but I haven't read it. But I did hear him on a couple of podcasts and saw some video about it in a few places. Looks like a worthwhile read.

Thanks again. I've now read Wilmington's Lie, as well as Tim Madigan's The Burning about the Tulsa massacre. Both were excellent, and I'm dumbfounded and disgusted that I never knew about the events described in these books.

Wilmington's Lie is about an out-and-out white supremacy coup in Wilmington, NC, in 1898, designed to oust and disenfranchise blacks. The Burning is about whites in Tulsa murdering blacks and burning down their homes and businesses in 1921, after the blacks tried to prevent a lynching.

[mirage]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdqLAeyqVr8

Gil Scott-Heron, known as the grandfather of rap, he personally preferred jazz. He wrote a biography, he wrote a novel, but above all he wrote poetry to music. He also loathed modern rap which he dismissed as 'posturing.' He fought for black rights all his life.

The above song--B movie--is particularly pertinent now. "Mandate my ass."
https://www.theguardian.com/books/20...t-heron-review

I had the chance to see Gil Scott-Heron perform live in a club a couple of times in the late 70s.

Originally Posted by Catlady

Thanks again. I've now read Wilmington's Lie, as well as Tim Madigan's The Burning about the Tulsa massacre. Both were excellent, and I'm dumbfounded and disgusted that I never knew about the events described in these books.

Wilmington's Lie is about an out-and-out white supremacy coup in Wilmington, NC, in 1898, designed to oust and disenfranchise blacks. The Burning is about whites in Tulsa murdering blacks and burning down their homes and businesses in 1921, after the blacks tried to prevent a lynching.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm grateful to have been of help.

Sadly, these two events are extreme, but otherwise common expressions of white supremacist activity in the post-reconstruction era the repercussions of which continue to this day. We in the US should all have been educated about the goings on in that time. I think in a lot of (or at least some?) school districts now, that history is taught. But it certainly wasn't to me in my time.

Worth mentioning along these lines is Emory University professor Carol Anderson's White Rage. I think she's the head of African-American studies there. It touches briefly on a string of historical injustices (to put it mildly) perpetrated on Black Americans throughout US history. She followed that up with a book about vote suppression in the US. Uplifting these are not, but they are illuminating reading.