Recommendations of books written by African-Americans please.
Recommendations of books written by African-Americans please.
251 Answers
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Loading Please wait
Recommendations of books written by African-Americans please.
Allegedy by Tiffany Jackson is great. Great mystery/thriller
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Americanah” is hands-down the best book I’ve read this year so far
She’s Nigerian, though ?
Ah, good point! Sorry about that.
That’s ok?… The point being that her book is great!
Also, Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi was one of the best books I read last year.
Never heard of it before…
It starts with two half-sisters in Ghana, one who is sold as a slave and the other who marries a slave owner, and it follows their descendants. I’m a sucker for family sagas, so I loved it.
I’m not too keen on family sagas, unlike you, but I am here to broaden my horizon (and my TBR list ?)
@Chloé I’m not keen on family sagas either, but Homegoing was riveting, couldn’t put it down
I feel like Homegoing is more of a family tree saga. It spans time, not a small family unit. It’s a beautiful account of how time and place shape your world. Highly recommend!
An American Marriage
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
The Plot is Murder by V. Burns
Americanah
Actually. She’s not African American. She’s Nigerian and the author and the character come to America and live here for many years. Depending on what you’re looking for, this may fit the bill. I absolutely loved it.
The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
Sing, Unburied Sing-Jessmyn Ward; Homegoing-Yaa Guadiana; An American Marriage-Tayari Jones; The Bluest Eye-Toni Morrison; Their Eyes Were Watching God-Zora Neale Hurston;
Beloved. Kindred. The Color Purple.
The Residue Years by Mitchell S. Jackson
The Sellout
LOVED this
Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup
The Binti series
Isn’t that Nigerian? I heard it’s fantastic though.
It’s an amazing series
@Howard I can’t wait to read it! She’s super fun to follow on Twitter.
Everything written by Toni Morrison… Maya Angelou’s autobiography… These are my two favourites… I
Toni Morrison & Maya Angelou are favorites!
I just discovered Maya Angelou’s
Mom & Me & Mom…I thought I had read all her autobiographies! She is one person I wish I would’ve met.
The content of our character, anything by Toni Morrison, biography of Paul Robeson by Duebner
The Book of Negroes- Lawrence Hill
Anything by Colson Whitehead.
A Twisted Ladder
Anything by @Roxane
I’ll admit to being disappointed by Bad Feminist.
@Karen it happens!
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
The Warmth Of Other Suns-Isabel Wilkerson; Just Mercy-Bryan Stevenson; The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age Of Colorblindness-Michelle Alexander
Obviously Toni Morrison
and James Baldwin
Anything by Alice Walker
Ta-Nehisi Coates [and don’t forget the comics written by him too!]
Difficult Women- Roxane Gay
Sula- Toni Morrison
Passing- Nella Larsen
Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue
Oh yeah, forgot that one!
Isn’t that an African book?
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
No One is Coming to Save Us by Stephanie Powell Watts
Wow! A cover with an Amy Sherald painting.
I Almost Forgot About You by Terry McMillan
The New Jim Crow by MIchelle Alexander
The one that is an absolute must-read.
Perfect Peace by Daniel Black
What a beautiful cover!
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Nigerian book. Great book though!
Ok I have a ton of them but this should be a start.
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Oh yeah, another amazing one!
I’d also recommend “SUCH SWEET THUNDER” (a novel) by Vincent O. Carter; “STANDING AT THE SCRATCH LINE” by Guy Johnson; “GOOD PEOPLES” by Marcus Major; “BLACK BOY” (memoir) by Richard Wright; “BLACK GIRL IN PARIS” by Shay Youngblood; “SEDUCED” by Nelson George; “JUST ABOVE MY HEAD” by James Baldwin; “WILD SEED” by Octavia Butler; and “THE HAND I FAN WITH” by Tina McElroy Ansa.
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson. Non-fiction, one of my favorites.
Balm by Dolen Perkins Valdez, the Wedding and The Living is Easy by Dorothy West.
I’m not African-American, but I wrote a book about one, Sally, born into slavery in 1858. I met her in 1961 when she was 103. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075MDXTQG/
Underground Railroad.
“THE SELLOUT” – Paul Beatty (winner of the 2016 Mann Booker Prize, one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world)
Their Eyes were watching God. By Hurston
A Lesson before Dying, Ernst J Gaines…
Tayari Jones
“I know why the caged bird sings” by
Maya Angelou
“THE BOOK OF HARLAND” by Bernice L. McFadden. In this novel, 2 African-American musicians in German-occupied France during WWII are arrested and placed in Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany.
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward excellent read!!
“NEGROLAND: A Memoir” by Margo Jefferson
Anything written by Zadie Smith (she’s not not African American, but she’s 1/2 Jamaican 1/2 British).
Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo (she’s not African American, but she’s Nigerian).
I saw Zadie Smith at an event last week. I bought her new book of essays, “FEEL FREE”.
“GHOSTS OF SAINT-MICHEL” by Jake Lamar; It’s an African American mystery novel set in Paris.
The Darkest Child
I Almost Forgot About You
Terri McMillan
Pearl Cleage, Walter Mosley
Mary Monroe
The New Jim Crow
Holler If You Hear Me
https://www.amazon.com/Salvage-Bones-Novel-Jesmyn-Ward/dp/1608196267/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520620578&sr=8-1&keywords=jesmyn+ward+salvage+the+bones
Great book! She’s also a Mississippian as am I. Proud to have her represent our state.
@Holly the writing coming out of your State is incredible! Be so very proud!
@Karen, thank you so much! What a kind thing to say. We so often get made fun of so it’s nice to read comments like this.
I know why the caged bird sings-Maya Angelo
Anything James Baldwin
“RENDEZVOUS EIGHTEENTH” by Jake Lamar. A thriller set in Paris featuring Ricky Jenks, an African American expatriate who makes a living as a piano player in a small cafe.
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
“MIND OF MY MIND” by Octavia Butler (fantastic novel)
Her books are amazing!
It was Octavia Butler who stimulated my interest in science fiction and speculative fiction, when I read her novel “WILD SEED” in 1994. Blew my mind! ?
I never like science fiction before her.
Thanks for the recommendation, she’s on my To Read list now!
She’s so fantastic!
Thanks all !
Quilt of Souls! Wonderful book.
I haven’t heard of this, but I looked it up because of your comment–and I think I may order it–sounds good!
She has written another one, soon to be published. I can’t wait!
I’ll order this-thanks for the recommendation!
Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Bishop
I heartily second this recommendation.
“JUBILEE” by Margaret Walker. I read this novel in high school.
https://www.amazon.com/Giovannis-Room-James-Baldwin/dp/0345806565/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520621496&sr=8-1&keywords=giovannis+room+james+baldwin&dpID=510laeTge4L&preST=_SY291_BO1%2C204%2C203%2C200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
Richard Wright’s Native Son or Uncle Tom’s Children
Or Black Boy
Native Son by Richard Wright. A disturbing account of how certain events can propel an outcome.
Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
Just finished that and I loved Native Son too!
The Color Purple by Alice Walker.
Anything by Octavia Butler especially Kindred.
Native Son by Richard Wright or Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison.
Attica Locke
Native son and Black boy by Richard Wright, Sula and Beloved by Toni Morrison, Why the Caged bird sings by Maya Angelou, Their eyes were watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Dreams from my father by Obama, Narratives of the life of Frederick Douglas, Incidents in the life of a slave girl by Harriet Jacobs,Invisible man by Ralph, Souls of black folk by W.E.B Dubois.
Invisible Man
Octavia Butler’s books, esp. Parable of the Sower/Parable of the Talents. Dystopian future, sci-fi, very rich and complex characters dealing with the complexities of race, economics, science, and more.
Catfish alley by Lynne Bryant. Cane river by Lalita tademy.
Loved Mudbound, but is Hillary Jordan African-American?
@Julia you are correct- she is not
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, The Sellout by Paul Beatty, anything by Toni Morrison, Native Son by Richard Wright.
Loved Native Son!!!
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward is amazing.
Americanah
Terry McMillan, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Tayari Jones (I read a lot of women authors)
Lalita Tademy – Cane Rive, Red River, and Cross Creek (I have not read Cross Creek yet, but LOVED the first two).
Anything by N K Jemisin who is the best SF/Fantasy author around right now.
Kindred by Octavia Butler, also her Parable books are excellent too
I was hoping someone mentioned NK Jemisin! She’s fantastic!
Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, maya angelou, Nora sealed herston, there are many many African American writers. I also like Octavia Butler and Walter mosley
Stay with Me
Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming was wonderful.
Just read it and I completely agree! It’s an “easy” read but one of those books that “stays”
with you…
Anything by Gwendolyn Brooks
The Color Purple
The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead, Acacia by David Anthony Durham, If Beal Street Could Talk James Baldwin, Brown Girl In The Ring – Nalo Hopkins, Beloved – Toni Morrison I’ll be back with more after work.
I loved Acacia
He’s amazing
The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Powerful. Invisible Man – Ralph Ellison.
Thank you all! One of my reading goals this year is to read books written by authors of different cultures, races and ethnicities. I love the diversity of this group. I didn’t want to start picking on my own, I wanted books that others thought were good.
The Mothers ? by Brit Bennett
Loved The Mothers
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Really good one voices book
Kindred, parable of the sower, parable of the talents – all by Octavia Butler
Whatever Happened to Interracial Love? by Kathleen Collins; We are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby; How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America by Kiese Laymon; Redefining Realness by Janet Mock; Delicious Foods by James Hannaham; Citizen by Claudia Rankine; This Will Be My Undoing by Morgan Jerkins
??
I put the feet there to follow this post. I need ideas as well
The feet represent my motivation for this thread. I want to walk in the footsteps of other races/cultures and ethnicities and see through their eyes.
Passing
By nella Larson
Toni Shiloh
Octavia E. Butler black science fiction writer.
Ditto
Kei Miller
Victor Lavalle and N.K. Jemisin
Tambourines to Glory by Langston Hughes is my current read
Toni Morrison has a few, haven’t read ‘enough all, but I rec this author, also Maya Angelou and Richard Wright.
Homegoing https://g.co/kgs/Z6nZk6
Great read!
Real American by Julie Lythcott-Haims
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (African in America ?)
I just started this….good so far. The color purple was one of my favorite movies, and I read the book many years later. The book is outstanding!
I read another by this author and it was excellent.
The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat.
Kaffir Boy.. and Native Son…(different authors)
Having Our Say by the Delany Sisters, one of whom lived to be 109. Enjoy.
Yes. Octavia Butler!!!!
Ever is a Long Time by Ralph Eubanks. also sharon Ewell Foster, Alice Walker, Zora Neale Thurston.
The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother. A memoir by James McBride
The Audacity of Hope by Barack H. Obama
Lots of great books and authors listed here. Adding Mama Day by Gloria Naylor. Not sure if Junot Diaz considers himself African-American (born in Dominican Republic, raised on New Jersey) or not, but he is great! Also adding Just Mercy by Brian Stevenson and anything by Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, James Baldwin, Octavia Butler. I enjoyed Michele Norris’s memoir and intend to read Isabel Wilkerson’s The Warmth of Other Suns (heard her speak years ago and was intrigued). Push by Sapphire was really hard to read, but really good. Mad at Miles by Pearl Cleage was another impactful read.
Kwame Alexander. YA author…so good!
Non-fiction, Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson, Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, Between the World and My and We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta’Nehisi Coats, Fiction, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, Salvage The Bones and Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward, Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, Walter Mosley to name a few of my favorites…
Great list!
You and I reading the same books ?
Walter Mosley. Walter Mosley. Walter Mosley.
If you like Mosley, you’ll love Chester Himes. Cotton Comes to Harlem, If He Hollers Let Him Go, The Real Cool Killers, A Rage in Harlem. Audible has a great narrator that they use for his books.
🙂 thank you
Yes!
Also, The Color Of Water
https://www.amazon.com/Color-Water-Black-Tribute-Mother/dp/159448192X
So good!
Me three on the recommendation! It made me so much more culturally competent. Great book club book too.
Anything by Octavia E Butler.
Everything by Octavia! Start with Kindred, next The Parable Series.
The hate you give
The Hate U Give
Anything by the following: Nnedi Okarafor. Roxane Gay. Octavia Butler.
The Hate U Give. Such a timely YA story
Warmth of Other Suns-great book.
And a foundational read for understanding American history.
Octavia Butler. N.k. Jemison. James Baldwin. Tananarive Due.
https://www.amazon.com/Having-Our-Say-Delany-Sisters/dp/0440220424
https://www.amazon.com/When-They-Call-You-Terrorist-ebook/dp/B071ZT28ZF/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520655199&sr=1-1&keywords=patrisse+khan-cullors
I just just finished this book and found it very eye-opening.
“Standing at the Scratch Line” Guy Johnson, the son of Dr. Maya Angelou???
Who knew he had a book?
@Karen I discovered it by accident, but it is excellent.???
@Michael thank you! I look forward to reading it.
“Their Eyes Were Watching God”
Native Son by Richard Wright, Autobiography of Malcolm X
Life on Mars (poems) by Tracy K Smith,
Ordinary Light by Tracy K Smith
Paul Beatty “The Sellout”
Amazing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018W1FUWQ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
The Hate U Give
Octavia Butler!!!
So many, but this is one of my favorite books ever https://www.amazon.com/Known-World-Edward-P-Jones/dp/0060557559
Their Eyes Were Watching God and Beloved are both excellent!
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, as well as Singin’ and Swingin’ and Getting Merry Like Christmas, both by Maya Angelou
Oh there is one out now called”Darktown” by Thomas Mulllen, if you read it you will send me a gift card, Atlanta hiring it’s first black Officers. Kidding no gift card , just read it,????
Toni Morrison for sure
The Turner House by Angela Flournoy
Yes! I loved this one
Their Eyes Were Watching God remains one of my favorite novels regardless of any criteria. Hurston was criticized in her day by everyone but her truth endures.
Walter dean Meyers is a great author
Anything by Neil deGrasse Tyson
Homegoing is amazing
A Perfect Combination by N Marie Kane
Nicola Yoon is a YA author, but her books are so beautiful. Everything, Everything and The Sun Is Also A Star. The Skin I Am In is another excellent book, and it is by Sharon G. Flake. Akata Witch and Akata Warrior is a fantasy series that takes place in Nigeria, by Nnedi Okorafor.
I keep coming back to this thread because I remember more writers! From my childhood, but everyone should read it, The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963.
David Haynes is a writer from St. Paul that I’ve really liked: Somebody Else’s Mama, Heathens, and All American Dream Dolls are thoughtful character studies of middle-class African Americans, and are a relieving change of pace from the harrowing likes of Homegoing and The Underground Railroad.
James McBride
https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/author/ref=mw_dp_a_ap?_encoding=UTF8&author=James+McBride&searchAlias=books&asin=B000AP9SB2
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Invisible Man- Ralph Ellison. And it’s incredible
The second novel in the Tremain Family Saga.
this was a great resource! http://avidbards.com/2018/02/04/black-history-month-reading-list/
Homegoing, The Underground Railroad and Americannah.
“Set in Greenwich Village, Harlem, and France, among other locales, ‘ANOTHER COUNTRY’ is a novel of passions — sexual, racial, political, artistic — that is stunning for its emotional intensity and haunting sensuality, depicting men and women, blacks and whites, stripped of their masks of gender and race by love and hatred at the most elemental and sublime. In a small set of friends, Baldwin imbues the best and worst intentions of liberal America in the early 1970s.”
Zora Neale Hurston Their Eye’s Were Watching God
I will send you my list of books read (2001 to today) and underscore those that were written by african americans….. There are so many great suggestions on this thread….
Could I have it too?
@Julia sure. I am condensing the list and will post it in a few days.
@Jewell , can you tag me on the list when you post it? I don’t wanna miss it.
@Julia that’s the plan!
Jewell A. Newton , thank you . You are nice.
Americanah.
Anything by Jason Reynolds! !!!!
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison!
Books by J California Cooper are outstanding! Her short stories are wonderful!
In honor of Black History month in February, I read the following books, all by African-American (or African) authors: Kindred by Octavia Butler; Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward; An American Marriage by Tayari Jones and Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche. All were very good. My favorite was Americanah.
Easy Rawlins series by Walter Mosley.
Attica Locke
“AND THEN WE HEARD THE THUNDER” – John Oliver Killens
This novel “follows the dreams, lies, and anguish of black World War II GI Solomon Sanders during his tour of duty in Indochina, Australia, and the United States. Harvard-trained in the law and a political moderate, Sanders is married to an upper-middle-class black woman who pushes him to ‘make something of himself’ by becoming an Army officer. Given his credentials, he appears a shoo-in for Officer Candidate School, yet he rejects the opportunity as the vestiges of Jim Crow racism, the strains of war, and his interactions with disgruntled black troops thrust him into black activism.”
@Komet I believe I will search that one out. Thanks???
Native Son, by Richard Wrigght (a masterpiece)
Anything by Jesmyn Ward.
Just saw this tweet today: “Celebrate Black authors every day, and add these unmissable titles to your TBR” https://twitter.com/bookriot/status/973189511051137024?s=21
I have been reading Victor Lavalle – The Changeling and now The Ballad of Black Tom. Very readable and fun.
Anything by Frank Yerby! I love his books.