I saw a post on the Elle Magazine website a while back where Alisha Acquae wrote about the books she had read by black female authors. I thought this would be a lovely thing for me to do too! This year, one of my new year’s resolutions was to read more books and I’m determined to achieve this goal. Maybe some of you would also like to read a few of the books I’ve selected.
I’ve listed 6 books that I’m interested in reading/ have read bits of. These books are written by black women, some who I look up to, and others that I have recently come to learn more about. I am in no way saying that only black women should read these books, in fact, I really hope women (and men!) who aren’t black will also read these books to get a greater understanding of some of the things black women go through on a daily basis.
# 1
Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race
-by Reni Eddo-Lodge
This book is life-changing. From race, institutional/systematic racism and intersectionality, to employment, white privilege, and class, these are just a few of the many topics Eddo-Lodge discusses in her book. This book to me is not just a history lesson, but a life lesson.
# 2
-by Afua Hirsch
Firstly, the title is remarkable. It seems so simple yet we all know none of us would have realised its potential. It’s like in an art gallery when people claim they can create the ‘simple’ artworks that are peering back at them. They say it, but they wouldn’t actually do it. They couldn’t actually do it. Nestled inside this big book are topics such as heritage, class and identity. She discusses the realities of being a person of colour in Britain, and uses a format of memoir and research to do so.
# 3
-by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Wow, how this book articulates my feelings better than I ever could. Topics such as identity, language, race, cultural criticism, and even hair are unraveled more and more as the novel progresses. Although there are many differences between me and the protagonist, there are also factors about her that I can identify with. The main and more obvious one being that we are both black female bloggers sharing our thoughts on what is happening around us. Adichie does a great job of capturing your heart, mind, and soul while reading her novel. I didn’t just read this book, I experienced it.
#4
-by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
A sneaky extra book by Adichie that I had to mention. Adapted from her Ted X talk, Adichie offers readers an insight into her own experiences in the form of an essay. Now this is an essay I actually loved reading. She has a way with words that makes her points land in a powerful way. This book will hopefully open my eyes to what it really means to be a feminist.
#5
-by Yomi Adegoke & Elizabeth Uviebinené
I’m excited about this one. This is a book to inspire this generation of black British women. It gives everyone who isn’t a black woman an insight into what it’s like to be one. I believe it also houses inspiration, commentaries, and essays which I’m excited to read about. This book sounds a lot like a self-help book that I needed when I was a teenager, but I’m so happy that the youth of today are able to access this now.
#6
Little Black Book: A Toolkit For Working Women
-by Otegha Uwagba
I feel like this book will help me think of my dream job, gather all the resources I need, and start earning the hard-earned cash all within 1 month. It gives you all the information you need to flourish in your self-made career. From negotiating pay-rises to mastering the art of public speaking. There are also contributions from various creative women giving you a greater and more personal insight. Another great thing, it’s travel-sized! This means you can easily continue to let your mind wander over your potential profession(s) on the go. There are no excuses this time.
#7
What a Time to be Alone: The Slumflower’s guide to why you are already enough
-by Chidera Eggerue
This book is everything I want my blog to be. It celebrates black women and encourages the reader to do so too. It’s almost as if you’re in conversation with your best friend. There are also Nigerian proverbs scattered inside which I’m really excited to find. This book does a great deal to strengthen black women. I’m ready to feel empowered.
So overall, I’m excited to read/carry on reading these books this year and I hope some of you will also consider reading some of the books too. Read these books and continue to support black women out there!
MARK 11:24
she stands firm. 