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The holiday season is officially here! That means it’s time to make your list of gifts for friends and family and start shopping. But listen. Do we really need scented candles, socks, and expensive electronics? Perhaps it’s time to consider a more radical act of giving: books by Black women.
Why specifically black women? Well, think of all the ways racism and sexism make it more difficult to become a published author. In the world of literature, black representation among publishing staff and literary agents is severely underrepresented, particularly in decision-making roles.
A recent study by Lee & Low found that the publishing industry as a whole is 76% white, and the industry’s marketing department is, on average, 74% white. That means that even though black women authors publish many great books each year, they may not receive as much marketing dollars as white women authors.
Cherise Fischer, literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates, told The New York Times in 2021: Not all books get the same amount of gas. Some books come with a premium. Some people become regulars. ”
And at a time when book bans have removed the poetry of Amanda Gorman and the novels of Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, and Alice Walker from classrooms and libraries, gifting books written by Black women is a gift-giving revolution. It’s similar to.
So I asked my local black-owned bookstore to stock up on Jesmyn Ward’s latest releases for mom and dad, handed my siblings juicy romance books by Beverly Jenkins and Jasmine Guillory, and picked up Alice Walker’s The Color.・Gift “Purple” to everyone and have them read it. and Let’s watch a movie on Christmas Day. Oh, and someone you know will also love Viola Davis’ memoir (and Jada Pinkett Smith’s).
Need more book ideas? Here are five recommendations from Team Word In Black.
Published in 2015, Tanarive Due Her debut short story collection was nominated for an NAACP Image Award and was named one of the best books of 2015 by the Los Angeles Times. As digital editor Nadira Jamerson explains, the stories included “made me fall in love” black horror. If you’re looking for a thrilling read that combines black history with horror and fantasy, you’ll love this collection. ”
2. “My Sister, The Serial Killer” by Oyinkan Braithwaite
This 2019 page-turner is a Man Booker Prize nominee and was named Best Mystery/Thriller by the Los Angeles Times. Health data reporter Anissa Durham says this thriller novel is about a sister who cleans up after her beautiful sister who keeps “getting rid of” her boyfriend. But when her sister starts dating a doctor who works as a nurse, will she continue to stand by her sister or warn the doctor she’s had her eye on for years?
3. “Black Women Will Save the World” by April Ryan
“The pioneering White House correspondent spoke about the power and influence that Black women continue to have across generations,” education reporter Asia Sid says of Ryan’s 2022 book. “She explores the adversity that Black women endure and how they have turned pain into progress, chronicling her own personal journey.” A reminder of why the slogan ‘Girl Magic’ perfectly describes it.
4. “Kindred” by Octavia Butler
If you don’t have this 1979 science fiction masterpiece on your bookshelf, buy a copy for yourself and one for a friend. Health reporter Alexa Spencer said, “The story, which follows protagonist Dana back and forth between 1970s Los Angeles and the antebellum South, will captivate thrill-seeking readers.” Kindred is the perfect blend of history and compelling fiction. ”
5. “One Blood” by Denen Milner
Tell me a novel about identity, family secrets, and personal discovery. I was hooked. One Blood, published in September, is the latest work by Milner, a six-time New York Times bestselling author. This book tells us the stories of three generations of Black women, the challenges of motherhood, and the intergenerational trauma that divides us and unites us.
