As I said before, it is important to support black creators and let their voices be heard. Supporting black artists is something we should always do, and I love this idea of celebrating Juneteenth by blacking out the best seller lists. I have provided some links below to the Amistad Books tweet and other articles that provide resources to find books by black authors, so if you want more information be sure to check below. I’m going to highlight the books I decided to purchase, but I highly encourage you to check out more resources and choose some books that appeal to you!
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett – This is the New York Times best selling authors second Novel. Brit Bennett’s first book is also a finalist for the NBCC John Leonard Prize for the best first book. The basis of her newest novel tells the story of two twin sisters who grew up in a small, southern, black community who ran away from home at age sixteen and lived very different lives after the fact. One sister lives with her black daughter in the town she tried to leave, while the other lives among her white family, that knows nothing of her past. The story is not just one that speaks on issues of race, but focuses on how a person’s past can shape their future and the choices they make, and why a person may be interested in living in a way that is not of their origins.
Deacon King Kong by James McBride – Award winning and Best-selling author James McBride brings forth a thrilling story about what happens to a group of eye witnesses of a shooting. The reason for this shooting and its effects make up the basis of the novel as we follow the lives of those who witnessed it and how it changed them. Through this journey we find out that these characters’ lives overlap more than we may have expected and the author teaches us that not all secrets are meant to be hidden. He also teaches us that in order to grow we must face the reality of change without fearing it.
To Live Woke by Rupert W. Nacoste, Ph. D. – Dr. Rupert Nacoste, the Social Psychologist who created the term ‘Neo-diversity’ and teaches the one-of-a-kind ‘Psychology of Interdependence and Race’ course at NC State University, brings us his fourth novel. In this novel, much like his teachings, he shares stories of his past experiences, having grown up in the Jim Crow legally segregated south and serving in Navy during a time that involved Race Riots, to give the reader some real life understanding and make the call to action for all people to truly embrace neo-diversity. Dr. Nacoste says ‘We can save the soul of America.’ and he uses this book as a way to really show us how we can contribute to this effort and actually understand what it means to ‘live woke’.
I haven’t read these books just yet, but I will be reviewing them on my podcast in a couple weeks after they arrive (so pick up your copies if you want to read along with me!).
Durham Tech Library Blog
More Book Resources:
https://www.vogue.com/article/25-new-books-black-authors
https://people.com/books/blackout-bestseller-list-books-black-authors/
https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/books/g26187205/best-books-black-authors/
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/the-read-down/books-by-contemporary-black-authors
Until next time
Let’s Get Psyched about Reading,
DJ Psyched