The Salt Eaters by Toni Cade Bambara, which I learned about while reading bell hooks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These are all such serious books.

If you like romance, any historical by Beverly Jenkins. She features different aspects of African-American history. Alyssa Cole and Rebekah Weatherspoon are other good authors.

If you like thrillers, My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite is interesting. It’s set in Nigeria.

Ahhh! For less serious books, I like the mystery series by A.L. Herbert — starting with Murder with Fried Chicken and Waffles. It gets bonus points for being (mostly) set in nearby PG County. The books cam be read as stand-alone mysteries, but I preferred reading them in order.

I’m not sure what’s still easily available, but the Blanche White mystery series by Barbara Neely is one of my favorites.

Real Men Knit — by Kwana Jackson is another book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Royal Holiday — by Jasmine Guillory is delightful. Very much a Fun Read.

For serious fiction, I probably recommend A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest Gaines more than any other book.

bell hooks is another author that I recommend a lot — for people looking for serious nonfiction.

Oops: I left out the mysteries by Karen Grigsby Bates: Chosen People and plain brown wrapper. I love everything about these books! Everything!

Anonymous wrote:These are all such serious books.

If you like romance, any historical by Beverly Jenkins. She features different aspects of African-American history. Alyssa Cole and Rebekah Weatherspoon are other good authors.

If you like thrillers, My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite is interesting. It’s set in Nigeria.

Ahhh! For less serious books, I like the mystery series by A.L. Herbert — starting with Murder with Fried Chicken and Waffles. It gets bonus points for being (mostly) set in nearby PG County. The books cam be read as stand-alone mysteries, but I preferred reading them in order.

I’m not sure what’s still easily available, but the Blanche White mystery series by Barbara Neely is one of my favorites.

Real Men Knit — by Kwana Jackson is another book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Royal Holiday — by Jasmine Guillory is delightful. Very much a Fun Read.

For serious fiction, I probably recommend A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest Gaines more than any other book.

bell hooks is another author that I recommend a lot — for people looking for serious nonfiction.

This is going way back, but I used to be obsessed with Tina McElroy Ansa. The Hand I Fan With used to be my favorite book. I found a copy in a free library recently and can’t wait to see if I still love this book, since I was a late teen last time I read it.

I love many of the books on the list, but agree that many of them are so serious. This one is lighthearted and just a beautiful story. Many of her books have the same characters/same town and build on each other (but can be read as a standalone IMO).

Anonymous wrote:These are all such serious books.

If you like romance, any historical by Beverly Jenkins. She features different aspects of African-American history. Alyssa Cole and Rebekah Weatherspoon are other good authors.

If you like thrillers, My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite is interesting. It’s set in Nigeria.

I’m with you on reading more entertaining books. My reading taste is middle-brow at best, and I’m comfortable with that.

Agree on My Sister the Serial Killer and Homegoing. Other fiction books I’ve enjoyed in recent years: The Death of Vivek Oji, Luster, The Other Black Girl, Such a Fun Age.

There was also a spy thriller from around the same time as My Sister the Serial Killer where the main character goes to Africa (maybe Nigeria?), but I can’t remember the title or author.

If you’re okay with depressing but beautiful books, I loved Ruby and Washington Black.

On the nonfiction front, Hood Feminism, A Black Woman’s History of the United States, Eloquent Rage, and Tressie McMillam Cotton’s essay book stand out (I’m very bad with names so hope I didn’t mangle the spelling). I also loved The Cook Up, by D Watkins, which is about growing up in Baltimore.

So many great suggestions! Thanks PPs (not OP).

The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

Last PP: also Razorblade Tears by S.A. Crosby

The Mothers and The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Edward Jones: All Aunt Hager’s Children

Dolen Perkins-Valdez: Take My Hand

Tara Stringfellow: Memphis

Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Adieche - Half of a Yellow Sun, Purple Hibiscus and Americana
I'm sure there are many more less obvious authors. I'm not a avid reader anymore.

I read them in the order you listed. Thought Half of a Yellow Sun was terrific, Purple Hibiscus was ok, but I really didn’t like Americanah.

There was something in the tone of Americanah that I found annoying. I don't know if that was intended as part of the psychology of the main character. I enjoyed the two others much more.

NP I didn’t really like the main character in Americanah. I found her tone annoying.

Machado de Assis.

Start with “Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas.”

These are all such serious books.

If you like romance, any historical by Beverly Jenkins. She features different aspects of African-American history. Alyssa Cole and Rebekah Weatherspoon are other good authors.

If you like thrillers, My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite is interesting. It’s set in Nigeria.

Raisin in the Sun - genius play that is so highly relevant today
Go tell it on the mountain - James Baldwin
Underground Railroad - Colson Whitehead