Books by Black Authors

I love books and I love reading books by authors of diverse backgrounds. If there’s a good story in between the pages, I’ll most likely read it. That being said, I have a soft spot for books written by Black authors. Given that the term “Black” encompasses a global population on all seven continents that represents multiple cultures, languages and traditions, my penchant for reading books by Black authors still counts as diverse reading. What’s more, I figure I spent the first 25 years of my life believing that good literature was written by white people, so I read mostly white authors. So, you could say, I’m just correcting the literary mistakes of my past.

What follows are lists of books by Black authors that hold a special place in my heart.

Lori’s Five Favorite Books by Black Authors (for now).

*Note: This is an ever-evolving list

1.  Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie

Americanah is a coming-of-age story and a love story. Told from the perspective of Ifemulu, a young Nigerian woman who comes to the United States for college and ends up becoming a famous blogger on race. The story takes place on three continents – Africa, North America and Europe – and explores issues of race, identity, belonging and Black hair.

 

2. The Color of Water by James McBride

This is beautifully written memoir by a man who was raised to believe he was Black, only to discover later in life that his mother was actually an Orthodox Jew whose family had disowned her for marrying a Black man.

 

3. 32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter

Every woman needs some good chick lit on her favorites list, and 32 Candles is it for me. This book takes its title from the classic teen film, 16 Candles, but really this is an Ugly Duckling retelling with a hilarious Black woman from Mississippi in the starring role. There are so many twists and turns and laugh aloud moments in this book, I look forward to my re-reading every few years.

 

4. Small Island by Andrea Levy

Quite frankly, I loved every book written by Black British author, Andrea Levy, but Small Island is my favorite by a pinch. In this book, with a surprise twist, we meet two couples – one Black and one white – whose lives intersect in unexpected ways during WWII in England.

 

5. From Scratch: A Memoir by Tembi Locke

Because I love true stories about Black people in conversation with other cultures, I loved this heartbreaking yet ultimately uplifting memoir by Tembi Locke. In the book, Locke recounts her passionate love affair with her Italian husband, his untimely death from cancer, and her own “rebirth” in her husband’s home village in Sicily. (P.S. From Scratch will soon be a series on Netflix!) (P.P.S. You can hear my delicious conversation with Tembi Locke on the MAMP podcast.)

 

Eight Books By Black Authors that Every Black American Should Read

Note these books are not the same selections you’re going to find on all of the other “must read” lists featuring the same old list of well-known Black authors. My list has been carefully curated to include more women, and more diverse view points, and more agency, and more interactions with joy.

Never Caught: The Washington’s Relentless Pursuit of their Runaway Slave by Erica Armstrong Dunbar

Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America by Ayana Byrd and Lori L. Tharps

How We Fight White Supremacy by Akiba Solomon and Kenrya Rankin

The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X with Alex Haley

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Searching for Zion by Emily Raboteau

Kindred by Octavia Butler

Dreams from my Father: A Story of Race and Remembrance by Barack Obama

 

Five Books by Black Authors Every Black Teen Growing Up Surrounded by White People Should Read for Strength and Solidarity

1. Black Enough: An Anthology Edited by Ibi Zoboi

The perfect collection to help you remember that your Black is enough.

2. Black Ice by Lorene Cary

The perfect memoir to help you know that other Black people survived Caucasia in high school.

3. The Fall of Rome by Martha Southgate

The perfect novel to contextualize your private school experience.

4. Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant

The perfect YA romance with a Black girl in the starring role.

5. How to Be Black by Baratunde Thurston

The perfect book for a humorous but on-point perspective on what it means to be Black in America.

Even More Books For Diverse Readers

*For even more books suggestions, check out my curated lists at the My American Meltingpot Bookshop, sponsored by Bookshop.org. That’s where you’ll find my book lists that include: Books about Black Hair, Multicultural Memoirs, Picture Books featuring Multicultural Families and so much more. And please remember, that for every book purchased at the My American Meltingpot Bookshop, Bookshop.org makes a donation to independent bookstores across the United States. You can even designate which bookstore you want your donation to go to. So go buy some books!