This year, Black authors gave us some of the most illuminating and one-of-a-kind stories. From debut authors to those who are well-seasoned, I’ve gathered my 10 picks of the best books by Black authors this year to add to your reading list and give as gifts.
Chain-Gang All-Stars, by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
A dystopian parody in which death-row inmates duel on TV for a chance at freedom, Adjei-Brenyah’s debut novel pulls the reader in, making us complicit with the bloodthirsty fans sitting ringside. As much as this book makes you laugh, you feel disturbed at the fact that it does. Nonetheless, you can’t stop reading. It’s also amid a love story between the two top competitors who are forced to choose between each other and freedom.
The Fraud, by Zadie Smith
Based on a celebrated 19th-century criminal trial in which the defendant was accused of impersonating a nobleman, Smith’s novel successfully taps into the social controversies of an era. Among them are a widowed Scottish housekeeper who avidly follows the trial and a formerly enslaved Jamaican servant who testifies on behalf of the claimant. Smith is a talented novelist, and she gives us the culture of the time while reflecting on whose stories are told and whose are overlooked.
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, by James McBride
The National Book Award-winning author of The Good Lord Bird sets this energetic novel in a dilapidated Pennsylvania neighborhood before and during the Great Depression. There, Black and Jewish residents come together to hide an orphan from state officials who want to send the boy to a terrible institution. Sometimes, these circumstances provide a sad story, but this is a book by James McBride. Vitality and humor are the foundation of this stories, even in the midst of despair.
How to Say Babylon, by Safiya Sinclair
Born in a seaside Jamaican village near Montego Bay, Sinclair grew up in a strict Rastafarian family. She wanted more than the Rasta wifedom that was mapped out for her, and in her memoir, she chronicles how she threw off that yoke. Doing so risked the wrath of her father, a reggae musician who feared that corrupting Western influences would ruin his daughter. Sinclair is one of my favorite poets, and the book grabs you with the beauty of her words.
The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts: The True Story of the Bondwoman’s Narrative by Gregg Hecimovich
In 2001, the professor and literary scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. purchased a novel of unknown authorship at an auction. He verified that it was authentic and had probably been written by a Black person before 1860. It was published to wide acclaim as The Bondwoman’s Narrative. With academics Gates and Gregg Hecimovich acting as editors, the book tells the incredible story of Hannah Crafts, the woman who wrote it, and of the efforts to discover her identity and reconstruct her trajectory. It is part thriller, part mystery, and part biography.
Maame by Jessica George
Families can be complicated. Twenty-five-year-old Madeleine “Maddie” Wright’s family is no different, and she is struggling. The daughter of Ghanaian immigrants settled in London, Maddie, working a dead-end administrative job, is responsible for the care of her father, who has advanced stage Parkinson’s disease. Her mother, who alternates between Ghana and London, is constantly critical of Maddie, but this does not stop her from guilting Maddie into shouldering the greater part of all financial responsibilities. Maame is her mother’s nickname for Maddie. In their native Twi, it means woman; the responsible one. As Maddie reflects on her life, she shares how she feels this nickname has somehow defined her, has determined how she is perceived by her family members, and has influenced not only how she interacts with others but also how she treats herself.
Quietly Hostile: Essays by Samantha Irby
Irby’s take on being 40+ in today’s culture is hilarious. If you’ve ever wondered about stupid things out loud, then this book is just the kind of stuff Irby describes. So, I burst out laughing whenever she suggested something unusual, like her love of QVC, a bachelorette party at Red Lobster, or the time the store on her book tour got robbed during her talk and they told her to just keep going. It’s brilliant, funny writing.
Homebodies, by Tembe Denton Hurst
Mickey loves her job in media, and she loves writing. Even though she only gets to write 10% of the topics she pitches, she knows she’s in a great position. When she’s suddenly let go, she’s furious at herself, her boss, the industry, and the systems that do not serve her. In a fit of rage, she pens a detailed letter outlining all the things she endured as a Black woman in media, hoping to get some coverage. At the same time, Mickey’s relationship with her girlfriend of over five years starts to unravel. With so much going on, she decides to head back to her hometown to decide on what’s next in her life.
We Are a Haunting, by Tyriek White
This book follows three generations of New Yorkers over thirty years. Grandma Audrey lives in Brooklyn and is on the verge of losing her apartment. Before she passed, her daughter Key could speak to the dead. Key’s son Colly grieves his mother’s death and learns he has a similar gift, all while navigating a world filled with injustices. The writing in this debut novel is poetic. It’s more slice-of-life and focuses on moments of these characters’ lives. The timeline skips around with each point of view. It discusses a range of topics, including systemic issues and generational trauma.
What Never Happened, by Rachel Howzell Hall
Twenty years ago, Colette’s entire family was brutally murdered. She moved away as soon as she was able and made a name for herself as an award-winning obituary writer. Unfortunately, she has to return to Catalina Island to help care for her aging aunt and to get some distance from her ex. Luckily, the local paper is owned by her college bestie and she is actually the owner of the house where her aunt has always lived. The island has an aging population, which means there’s no shortage of obituaries to write. But why are all the deaths so similar?
All of these great reads are available wherever books are sold. Consider purchasing your books from Bookshop.org, a platform that gives independent bookstores tools to compete online and financial support to help them maintain their presence in local communities.
