Books have always been my happy place. Each summer I challenge myself to get through a list of 5-10 books (I've finished 8 thus far). Thought it'd be fun to see what are some of your favorite books/texts/poetry collections you've indulged recently? Or if you haven't created the time or had the time to sit with a book what are some of your past favorites?
Mine:
1. Native Son by Richard Wright
2. The Origin of Other by Toni Morrison
3. Don't Call Us Dead by Danez Smith
4. The Mother of Black Hollywood by Jenifer Lewis
5. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
6. The Devil Finds Work by James Baldwin
7. Failing Up by Leslie Odom Jr.
8. The Art of Life by Ernest Holmes
UP Next:
James Baldwin and The Queer Imagination by Matt Brim
Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
Gimme your lists! :ATLcameo:
Yeah. Sometimes reading a chapter before bed is effective.
Summer Favorites:
I Can?t Date Jesus by Michael Arcenaux
No Ashes in the Fire by Darnell Moore
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
I also read The Collected Work of Langston Hughes pretty regularly.
I haven't read in a while. I need to more though.
Bling by Erica Kennedy
I really enjoyed this book.
I have to cop Darnell's No Ashes in the Fire. Hearing nothing but great things. I'm a huge follower of his.
Now this is my kinda party
(https://uploadir.com/u/lya44xvp)
My go to genres vary from fiction to sociology to photography book and everything in between, but my all time faves I would recommend to anyone
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson (600 pages but it is a page turner)
Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward
Speedboat by Renate Adler
Race Matters by Cornell West
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin
Mind of My Mind by Octavia E. Butler
I'm leaving a ton more but I'll try add more later
I'm currently reading Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston and it's rough
Between the way Zora wrote it to mimic the man's dialect and the horror of what he went through, I don't know if I'll be able to finish this
:hmph:
I really need to get my hand on the Octavia Butler novel. I've only read Kindred. And it is one of my absolute favorites. Her structure and detail is unmatched. I've also come across Isabel Wilkerson novel recently. Definitely will read. Thanks Yummy!
Quote from: ANIMMAI on August 09, 2018, 10:23:01 PM
I'm currently reading Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston and it's rough
Between the way Zora wrote it to mimic the man's dialect and the horror of what he went through, I don't know if I'll be able to finish this
:hmph:
That's definitely been on my radar as well. She just documented what he spoke as he spoke it correct? And did Alice Walker help publish it?
d
Don't nobody on here read
b
Clearly there are folks on here who read.
I'm currently reading Choice Theory by William Glasser & The Bully by Paul Logan btw
:woohoo:
Quote from: Saeed. on August 09, 2018, 10:25:18 PM
Quote from: ANIMMAI on August 09, 2018, 10:23:01 PM
I'm currently reading Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston and it's rough
Between the way Zora wrote it to mimic the man's dialect and the horror of what he went through, I don't know if I'll be able to finish this
:hmph:
That's definitely been on my radar as well. She just documented what he spoke as he spoke it correct? And did Alice Walker help publish it?
Yea, the publishers wanted her to make the language more readable (?) and refused to publish it unless she revised the book. It ended up sitting in the archives at Howard University for like 90 years. Alice Walker wrote the foreword.
Quote from: ANIMMAI on August 09, 2018, 10:35:16 PM
Quote from: Saeed. on August 09, 2018, 10:25:18 PM
Quote from: ANIMMAI on August 09, 2018, 10:23:01 PM
I'm currently reading Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston and it's rough
Between the way Zora wrote it to mimic the man's dialect and the horror of what he went through, I don't know if I'll be able to finish this
:hmph:
That's definitely been on my radar as well. She just documented what he spoke as he spoke it correct? And did Alice Walker help publish it?
Yea, the publishers wanted her to make the language more readable (?) and refused to publish it unless she revised the book. It ended up sitting in the archives at Howard University for like 90 years. Alice Walker wrote the foreword.
I knew it was sitting in the archives for a long time, but I didn't know the reason. It has to be triggering reading about the traumas of slavery firsthand. I have to ready my heart for it. :uhh: :'(
these are my completed reads of the year
Arundhati Roy - The God of Small Things
Sebastian Barry - Days Without End
Rebecca Lee - Bobcat and Other Stories
Arkady and Boris Strugatsky - Roadside Picnic
N. K. Jemisin - The Fifth Season
Jamie O'Neill - At Swim, Two Boys
The Mother of Black Hollywood by Jenifer Lewis
Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin
The Unbound Soul by Richard Haight
Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority by Tom Burrell
The Power of your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy
Sula by Toni Morrison
My favorite Toni novels always change. Sula and Song of Solomon was it for the longest now it?s Beloved. Paradises heavy :'(
Bump.
Quote from: NIOBE. on August 09, 2018, 11:42:53 PM
My favorite Toni novels always change. Sula and Song of Solomon was it for the longest now it?s Beloved. Paradises heavy :'(
Paradise was a lot whew! But her books slay me even on re-reading.
:oof:
Quote from: D.I.E.G.O. on August 10, 2018, 11:54:05 AM
Quote from: NIOBE. on August 09, 2018, 11:42:53 PM
My favorite Toni novels always change. Sula and Song of Solomon was it for the longest now it?s Beloved. Paradises heavy :'(
Paradise was a lot whew! But her books slay me even on re-reading.
:oof:
I recently read her Origin of Others and she goes into detail about the world of Paradise and how she intentionally doesn?t name "who the white girl" is. It didn?t resonate until she highlighted it in her recent essays. I can?t wait to go back and re-read.
Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Speak No Evil by Ozudinma Iweala
There, There by Tommy Orange
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez
This is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz
Behold The Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue
And I'm gonna be biased and say mine, If You See Me, Don't Say Hi... :dead: ;-)
The New York Times is reviewing it in two weeks, hope they don't drag me, but I'll post it on here when it comes.
That?s amazing! Congratulations! Give us details.
Finally finished Barracoon
Jesus, that was depressing
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DjzU2nnUcAAIxMU.jpg)
Finally getting started on "Haiti Noir" :ATLcameo:
I finished the Trinidad Noir and Istanbul Noir anthologies last year and heard their were far more interesting ones in the series
Wish me luck
Who?s the author?
It's a collection of short stories from different authors, most are from the island.
Thank you for this thread king!
Im lurking because I have been trying to revive my interest in reading but I haven't really come across a book that helps with that. I just finished 'Why I Am No Longer Talking To White People About Race' by Reni Eddo-Lodge. That didn't really do it.
Im thinking of trying some Ta-Nehisi Coates books but to be completely honest, sociopolitical books from a Black perspective don't seem interesting to me atm. Anyone reading any good fantasy books?
I've read most of Toni Morrison's books. I think they are essential reading for African Americans. She is masterful in my eyes.
I would started with the Song of Solomon, Beloved (the film is trash but watchable) and A Mercy.
I also love Lionel Shriver she is so twisted and it is evident in her writing:
We Need to Talk About Kevin is one of the best books I've Ever Read (the film is trash but watchable)
So Much for That
Big Brother
Quote from: ANIMMAI on August 21, 2018, 08:05:42 PM
It's a collection of short stories from different authors, most are from the island.
Available on Amazon?
Quote from: Kurama on August 22, 2018, 02:20:19 PM
Thank you for this thread king!
Im lurking because I have been trying to revive my interest in reading but I haven't really come across a book that helps with that. I just finished 'Why I Am No Longer Talking To White People About Race' by Reni Eddo-Lodge. That didn't really do it.
Im thinking of trying some Ta-Nehisi Coates books but to be completely honest, sociopolitical books from a Black perspective don't seem interesting to me atm. Anyone reading any good fantasy books?
King get into ?Children of Blood and Bone?. It?s what I?d describe as Afro-Futurist fiction novel centered on African cosmology. I was so emotional and inspired. It?s pretty popular now.
Quote from: ANIMMAI on August 21, 2018, 07:22:45 PM
Finally getting started on "Haiti Noir" :ATLcameo:
I finished the Trinidad Noir and Istanbul Noir anthologies last year and heard their were far more interesting ones in the series
Wish me luck
What a snore, they put the most interesting stories in the beginning of the book and it just got more and more pointless as I kept reading.
And why do so many black writers insist on just finding new ways to translate violence, poverty and trauma? :uhh:
I'm looking for some of Essex Hemphill's poetry, but his books are selling for $150 plus on Amazon
And I'm not buying any used versions
(https://uploadir.com/u/1288j66a)
I need to get into Essex's work.
And what's wrong with investing in a used one sis?
(https://uploadir.com/u/1288j66a)
I just started "If Beale Street Could Talk" by Baldwin and I LOOOOOVE IT! I'm trying to read it before I see the film.
Quote from: NIOBE. on October 25, 2018, 07:35:34 PM
I need to get into Essex's work.
And what's wrong with investing in a used one sis?
(https://uploadir.com/u/1288j66a)
Essex really should be as important of a literary mind to black queer men as Maya Angelou is to black women. He really did pick up the baton from Baldwin and push the bounds on theorizing black queerness. We lost him way too soon. :stressed:
I've always ordered used books before and it's always a mess (torn pages, pages missing, books practically falling apart) ...no ma'am.
(https://uploadir.com/u/1288j66a)
My favorite genre is fantasy. The sheer number of fantasy books I could recommend would overwhelm you girls. My top recommendations would be:
Victoria Aveyard - Red Queen Series
1. Red Queen
2. Glass Sword
3. King's Cage
4. War Storm
Anne Bishop - The Others Series
1. Written In Red
2. Murder of Crows
3. Vision In Silver
4. Marked In Flesh
5. Etched In Bone
For light-hearted fun filled read, read the entire Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. You would regret it. A kii and a half with tons of action.
OK, Yumz. I finished Darnell Moore?s "No Ashes In the Fire" last weekend and I?ll finish Baldwin?s "If Beale Street Could Talk". Baldwin?s writing just takes the air out of the room.
Quote from: NIOBE. on November 15, 2018, 02:45:33 PM
OK, Yumz. I finished Darnell Moore?s "No Ashes In the Fire" last weekend and I?ll finish Baldwin?s "If Beale Street Could Talk". Baldwin?s writing just takes the air out of the room.
What's Darnell's writing like? I can't really tolerate a torture porn mess rn.
And woo I can't wait the film adaptation of Beale Street
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQXSforT_qQ
I need Go Tell It On the Mountain on the big screen next :gorlonfire:
Girl, Get Your Credit Straight!: A Sister's Guide to Ditching Your Debt, Mending Your Credit, and Building a Strong Financial Future by Glinda Bridgforth.
Acts of Faith: Daily Meditations for people of color. by Iyanla Vanzant. / This really helps center me on a daily basis.