Diversifying my Bookshelf: Black Authors

Hello and welcome back to Monika tries to diversify her reading list!

Something else that I want to be cognizant of, especially when it comes to reading Black authors, is that I don’t only read books about slavery or anti-racism. I think those books have a lot of important and should all be read, but I remember reading somewhere that you shouldn’t just read about Black pain, but also Black love, Black happiness, and Black joy. So I’m really trying to expand my library to include books like this too – if you have any suggestions please let me know! 🙂

Books that I am planning to read by Black Authors:

• When They Call You A Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors
• A Bound Woman is a Dangerous Thing by DaMaris B. Hill
• Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
• The Nickel Boys by Colton Whitehead
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
• If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin
• The Skin We’re In by Desmond Cole
• Decolonizing Madness by Franz Fanon
• How To Be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi
• Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
• Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
• The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
• Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia by Sabrina Strings
• A Black Woman’s History of the United States by Daina Ramey Berry, Kali Nicole Gross
• Red at The Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
• Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
• The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
• Medical Bondage: Race, Gender, and the Origins of American Gynecology by Deirdre Cooper Owens
• Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall
• Long Division by Kiese Laymon
• Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon

Of course, I could definitely still do with some broadening of my reading list to be more light and focused on Black happiness and Black joy, but I’m working on it! And going through my to-read list on Goodreads has made me feel a little bit better about my reading. I really do have a long list of BIPOC authors to read, I just need to purchase them and get going ahah. And I’ve very excited to start.

Let me know if you have any good suggestions for me, or see any books on the list that peak your interest!
Have a great day ducks, and I’ll be seeing you soon!
~ Mon