Billy Porter and Honorée Fanonne Jeffers.Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty; HONORÉE FANONNE JEFFERS/Instagram
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Buy It:Amazon,Bookshop.org
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Abrahms Books
Lin-Manuel Mirandawas a fan of the Emmy Award winner’s revealing autobiography about growing up Black and gay in the U.S. even before its October 2021 release. “There is only one Billy Porter. He is blazing a trail where none existed,” wrote the composer and actor. “Whether you noticed the brilliant blaze early (for me, it was his brilliant 2005 live album,At the Corner of Broadway and Soul) or his transcendent portrayal of Lola inKinky Bootsor the unforgettable Pray Tell onPose, once you see the light, there’s no going back. And it turns out his voice rings just as true on the page as it does on the stage. How lucky we are to witness it in our time.”
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Atria Books
Gabrielle Union told theNew York TimesthatThe Other Black Girlis one of the two books on her nightstand, according to herSeptember 2021 “By the Book” feature.
Rashida Jones is also a champion of the novel. She and Harris areco-writing a Hulu television seriesbased on the book, according to the paper. If that weren’t enough accolades,The Other Black Girlwas also selected for PEOPLE’sBest Books of Summer 2021.
“Funny and subversive, this debut about the trials of a Black assistant at a mostly white publishing house uses suspense, horror and satire to bring home the toll of workplace racism,” wrote Ellen Shapiro in her PEOPLE review.
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HarperCollins Publishers
“Any attempt to classify this ambitious work, which straddles genre, kicks down the fourth wall, dances with poetry, engages with literary criticism and flits from journalism to memoir to academic writing — well, that’s a fool’s errand and only undermines this insightful, ambitious and moving project,” wroteAn American Marriageauthor Tayari Jones in herJanuary reviewforThe New York Times.
“An essential meditation on the South, its relationship to American culture — even Americanness itself…” she continued. “This work — and I use the term for both Perry’s labor and its fruit — is determined to provoke a return to the other legacy of the South, the ever-urgent struggle toward freedom.”
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Riverhead Books
“A fantasy world as well-realized as anything Tolkien made,” bestselling author Neil Gaiman wrote in praise ofMoon Witch, Spider King.
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Courtesy of Gallery Books
Actress Kerry Washington, Me Too movement founder Tarana Burke and more have been raving about this collection of inspirational essays, which published in early February. “Tracey uses her own journey to help readers navigate the tumultuous terrain that is at the heart of holding on to our joy, especially for Black folks,” wrote Burke,author ofUnbound. “So many will find themselves in Tracey’s deeply self-aware, generous and lyrical writing, but more importantly, so many will see that everything we have been through and everything we have are the recipe for claiming and keeping joy.”
Washington also shared praise for the book: “A necessary testimony on the magic and beauty of our capacity to live and love fully and out loud.”
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Scholastic Inc.
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Viking Books
Amanda Gorman moved the country deeply when sheperformed her poem “The Hill We Climb"at President Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration on Jan. 20, 2021. It is featured in her collection of poetry that published in December, to great acclaim.
Former PresidentBarack Obamaand former First LadyMichelle Obamaapplauded the young poet after her televised performance.
“On a day for the history books, @TheAmandaGorman delivered a poem that more than met the moment,” wrote the former presidenton Twitteron Inauguration Day. “Young people like her are proof that ‘there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it; if only we’re brave enough to be it.'”
Wrote Mrs. Obamaon Instagramthe same day: “With her strong and poignant words, @amandascgorman reminds us of the power we each hold in upholding our democracy. Keep shining, Amanda! I can’t wait to see what you do next. 💕 #BlackGirlMagic.”
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Issa Rae is set to be anexecutive producer on the HBO series adaptationof Bennett’s bestselling hit, according to Deadline. The novel, which follows twin sisters from the rural south, has gotten love from other big names like Phoebe Robinson, Emma Roberts, Stacey Abrams and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.
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Viking
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G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Comedian Ali Wong chose Reid’s captivating debut about race, class and the pitfalls of good intentions for hersummer 2021 book picks for Goodreads. Reese Witherspoon also chose the novel for her book club.
“I don’t want to give away a single thing about this book. But I will tell you that I laughed during so many parts of this incredible novel,” wrote Wong. “It was an absolute JOY to read, and I found myself missing a lot of the characters and dialogue when it was all over.”
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Simon & Schuster
“I’m a sucker for stories that place love between Black people at the center of settings where, traditionally, Black love was thought impossible or unimaginable,” wrote 2021 National Book Award finalist Robert Jones Jr. in his review ofYonderforEntertainment Weekly’smost-anticipated books of 2022 list.
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Grand Central Publishing
“[A] sexy, modern love story to start the summer off right…” wrote the actress. “Expect lots of steamy scenes in this New York love story! The author, Tia Williams, writes with great humor and complexity about a myriad of topics, including the trappings of success, single parenting a teenage daughter, living with chronic indescribable pain, how to deal with a history of mental illness and addiction.”
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Delacorte Press
NBA star Stephen Curry gave this YA “West African–inspired, feminist fantasy series” love when he selected it for hisbook club with Literati.
“We tend to focus on individual strength, but true heroism relies on the strength of many,” Curry wrote. “As a father of daughters, I’m excited to see young women portrayed not only as fierce leaders, but loyal teammates.”
“InThe Gilded Ones, we’ll encounter an oppressive patriarchy. One that preordains women like Deka for a brutal death,” he continued. “To survive, Deka must join her fellow rejects — a sisterhood of warriors — to face their enemy. We’ll tackle issues of gender, race and redemption, all while immersed in Namina Forna’s beautiful West-African inspired world. And did I mention? There’s a twist.The Gilded Oneswill put a fire in you. I can’t wait to see where it takes us.”
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Ballantine Books
“When their Caribbean-born mom dies, estranged siblings learn she’s left a piece of her famous cake for them to share,” wrote author Marion Winik in herPEOPLE review. “But first they must confront secrets going back to a 1965 wedding where the groom died and the bride disappeared into the sea. A delicious debut.”
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Penguin
Activist Malala Yousafzai also has her own Literati Book Club.Yinka, Where Is Your Husband?was herFebruary 2022 selection.
“To too many women, these questions are familiar: Why are you still single? When will you get married?” wrote Yousafzai.
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Anchor
Misty Copeland isn’t just a principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre. She’s also an author, avid reader and fan of Slocumb’s debut.
“When a gifted Black musician’s priceless violin is stolen, the search is on for the culprits — and slavery-era secrets come to light,” reads the PEOPLE review of the book.
“The Violin Conspiracyreminds all of us that dreams are worth pursuing, no matter the obstacles in front of us,” explained Copeland. “The struggle to follow your heart is always the same — and this novel inspires us to take the chance, make the leap, and dare to be better. This was a wonderful read.”
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Birdsong, who has written for publications likeThe Paris Review DailyandAfrican American Review,has crafted “a glittering triptych novel told in three parts about three Black women with albinism in Shreveport, Louisiana,” according to the book description.
“WithNobody’s Magic,Destiny Birdsong has given us a devastatingly beautiful, sexy, searing gift,” wrote Deesha Philyaw, National Book Award finalist forThe Secret Lives of Church Ladies.“These are stunning, irresistible stories of Southern Black womanhood that I will return to again and again.”
Dantiel W. Moniz, author ofMilk Blood Heat,also praised the book: “As with her poetry, the stories inNobody’s Magicare striking and original, full of down-home hilarity, Black love, truth, grief, and the sometimes-uncertain roads one travels to accept the self. Birdsong’s is a powerful voice I’d follow anywhere.”
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Gallery Books
“Josephine’s moving struggle to build family and fortune will strike a chord in a story that is both timely and timeless —Carolina Builtis an exuberant celebration of Black women’s joy as well as their achievements!” wrote Kate Quinn,New York Timesbestselling author ofThe Rose Code.
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“Art always sustains and nourishes the soul. But for me, music and storytelling felt especially urgent during this pandemic year,“wrote former President Barack Obama on Twitteras an introduction to his “favorite books of 2021.” Walton’s much-loved novel about the extreme highs and devastating lows of an interracial rock duo in the 1970s was No. 3 on the list.
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Berkley
“You are carrying in your hands a Black woman’s heart,” wrote Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jericho Brown of this much-talked-about collection of poetry, which explores “the intersection of race, feminism, and queer identity.”
Explained bestselling author Morgan Jerkins, “This book is a haven for all the Black daughters out there, hoping to make sense of the power and powerlessness in their bodies, the connection to others’ bodies, and the moments of everyday life that comprise so much of our identities.”
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The Dial Press
Set to publish in early April, Stringfellow’s debut about three generations of a Southern Black family is already getting high praise.
“In luminous, lyrical prose, Tara Stringfellow sings the song of the North women — and the North men — with wisdom, humor, and deep humanity. Memphis is an American epic, a tribute to life in all of its sorrow and joyful resilience,” wrote Chloe Benjamin, bestselling author ofThe Immortalists.
PraisedRed at the Boneauthor Jacqueline Woodson, “Written with the grace of a poet,Memphisis as hopeful as it is heartbreaking. I fell in love with this family, from Joan’s fierce heart to her grandmother Hazel’s determined resilience. Tara Stringfellow will be an author to watch for years to come. A stellar debut.”
source: people.com
