Book Clubs Reading Great Books By Black Authors
Hayley Dennings
Discovering the work of Black authors
Every year we remember leaders who led the Civil Rights Movement, gathering inspiration in the fight for equality in the United States. But this important time is also about spotlighting the work of Black authors. While Black History month is a great time to celebrate Black people and their accomplishments, it’s important to remember to celebrate Black people throughout the rest of the year as well.I know how important it is to feel seen while reading, so the joy it brings me to read Black books gives me is indescribable. When I was younger, I did not have many options-it was rare to see a Black character in any engaging, positive light. But today, there are so many more Black authors being published, and I could not be happier about it.What are good book club books to read by Black authors?
Fable has many clubs reading books by Black authors, and today we have curated a list for you to enjoy.The Dangerous Women Book Club is currently reading Legendborn by Tracy DeonnThe Read in Colour Book Club is currently reading The City We Became by N.K. JemisinSapphic Lit Book Club is reading the Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda PetrusBook Talk Book Club is reading Seven Days in June by Tia WilliamsNot Your Side Character Book Club is reading Instructions for Dancing by Nicola YoonSpicy Romance Book Club is reading the Worst Best Man by Mia SosaLeVar Burton’s Book Club is reading Noor by Nnedi OkoraforNic Stone and Daniel Handler’s Book Club is reading Other People’s Comfort Keeps Me Up at Night by Morgan ParkerBlack Literature: Publishing needs diverse voices
The forces of systemic segregation have left a lasting mark on the publishing industry. From science fiction to romance novels, Black authors and black literature have been pushed to the margins for decades. All readers should fight for diversity in their favorite genres!“There’s a correlation between the number of people of color who work in publishing and the number of books that are published by authors of color,” said Tracy Sherrod, the editorial director of Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins that is focused on Black literature in an interview for the New York Times.That same NYT article explains how Toni Morrison leaving her position as editor at Random House altered the diversity in publishing: “The number of Black authors dropped sharply at Random House after Ms. Morrison left. Of the 512 books published by Random House between 1984 and 1990 in our data, just two were written by Black authors.”The rise of the Black Lives Matter movement in June of 2020 pushed a lot of Black authors to the top of bestseller lists. But since then, there has been a decrease in representation. The previous “support” now feels false and only implemented for the sake of following a movement, not because there is genuine care and passion towards uplifting marginalized voices. It is necessary to read diverse books all the time, not just when Black people are being especially affected. While reading, ensure to find books about Black joy and to not only read about Black trauma. Our joy is as important, too.type: embedded-entry-inline id: 68iCDugtkmQ19trTtt2Y5qKeep reading on Fable
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Hayley Dennings