Black Lives Matter

In the aftermath of the George Floyd murder by a cop in Minneapolis last week and the public response to protest this horrific tragedy, anti-racism books have become bestsellers and there are numerous lists about anti-racist books to read on the internet.  I have mentioned in an early blog post that I feel like reading is a form of activism.

Reading a book is an important first step that can be taken right now because it not only plays a role in becoming educated on an issue and it can also be the stepping stones for important internal reflection on the ways that racism is internalized in perceptions of the world.  I had White Fragility on my TBR list for quite some time and I found it to be an important book to read in continuing to educate myself on becoming more racially sensitive. It was excellent because the content was very straightforward providing a framework and review of the vocabulary for discussing these issues while still managing to make me feel uncomfortable enough to ask some of the difficult questions.

Looking for book lists are a great way to start. One of my favorites has been by the Feminist Book Club because it is a Minneapolis based (local to me) woman run business that I gobble up recommendations from already. It also has a great compilation of articles and organizations as well.

Since race is a serious issue I feel like a lot of times that the book lists I read are heavy on literary fiction and on sociological studies.  When you look at these lists this trend is very apparent. Goodreads has a very comprehensive list,  a large range of magazines are publishing lists ranging from Forbes to Good Housekeeping to Time to Glamour are publishing lists of books that are “must reads” right now.

I think there are some excellent more serious books out there…I loved Underground Railroad, Becoming, An American Marriage and Sing Unburied Sing. But frankly when it comes to reading diversely I think there is a lot of pressure to read more “serious” fiction when not reading nonfiction. It is a good thing to read a variety of genres and to find ways to continue to educate your mind beyond formal education. However I feel like if someone is in the regular habit of reading that it is more important to find ways to read diversely within favorite genres and subjects that are fascinating to them.  However in my quest to read more the Pulitzer Prize winning novels I still probably won’t be able to handle reading Gone With the Wind anytime soon as I have always had a hard time getting past the racism and this year living in the same community as George Floyd I probably will not be able to handle it at all.  But this year’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel Nickel Boys will be more timely when I am ready for it.

My true passion these days is for reading and collecting horror novels. I feel like looking for book choices within my passion is the best way for me to start if I am going to stay interested in what I am reading.  A lot of my favorite books by women of color are already listed on the ladies of horror fiction’s compilation list of diverse horror novels and Book Riot has another excellent list of horror fiction that I would highly recommend. Horror is what I love…but I know that you can also look for lists for other must reads within the genre you love whether it is romance novels, comic books, fantasy, poetry…there are lists for all kinds of readers out there! You do not have to change the type of books you read to make sure you are reading more people of color…you just need to be mindful about making sure you include a diversity of voices in the books that you do read.

But since horror is my jibe I would like to highlight what I consider notable horror by people of color if you want some good recommendations:

The Between by Tananarive Due

Coyote Songs by Gabriel Iglesias

Maria the Wanted by V Castro

How to Recognize A Demon Has Become Your Friend by Linda Addison

Graveyard Apartment by Mariko Koike (I blogged about this book when I first discovered blogging)

Kindred by Octavia Butler

 But please consult the links on to the other sites  as well for more excellent treats that you could find! There is a world of excellent books out there and I am only highlighting some of my personal favorites that I have discovered along the way!

Reading books is really only one of the ways that I can act more inclusive. There are many steps that need to be taken to be heading towards a more truly equal culture and I know that there is a lot more steps to be taken than reading a book.  I am a firm believer in starting to make changes in the opportunities that are already open to me. Since reading and writing about what I read is a huge chunk of what I like to do I know that dedicating some of my energy towards more inclusive books is a step that I can personally take.  

The truth is that no book I read or buy is going to make us automatically less racist. But reading does expose me to stories and ideas that I would not be exposed to on my own.  It opens my mind and heart more which is an important step to take if I am going to bring any change in the world. Even if I am only changing my own perspective, that is a good first step to take.