Books by African Americans that should be better known
1

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2

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4.27 avg rating — 764 ratings
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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,515 ratings
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3.78 avg rating — 373 ratings
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3.93 avg rating — 175 ratings
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6

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3.73 avg rating — 335 ratings
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7

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4.06 avg rating — 3,541 ratings
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8

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3.73 avg rating — 41 ratings
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9

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3.87 avg rating — 1,074 ratings
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10

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4.18 avg rating — 4,491 ratings
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11

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4.31 avg rating — 270,269 ratings
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12

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4.13 avg rating — 2,157 ratings
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13

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4.09 avg rating — 6,231 ratings
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14

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4.18 avg rating — 217 ratings
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15

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4.20 avg rating — 4,803 ratings
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16

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4.12 avg rating — 60 ratings
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16

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4.50 avg rating — 936 ratings
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18

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4.33 avg rating — 4,905 ratings
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19

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4.20 avg rating — 39,586 ratings
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20

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3.78 avg rating — 126 ratings
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21

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 18 ratings
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22

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4.15 avg rating — 7,826 ratings
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23

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liked it 3.00 avg rating — 2 ratings
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24

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3.54 avg rating — 13 ratings
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25

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3.83 avg rating — 123 ratings
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26

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4.50 avg rating — 4 ratings
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26

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4.57 avg rating — 14 ratings
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26

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3.71 avg rating — 24 ratings
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26

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4.67 avg rating — 45 ratings
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30

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3.60 avg rating — 15 ratings
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30

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4.15 avg rating — 4,729 ratings
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30

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3.96 avg rating — 78 ratings
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30

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3.68 avg rating — 471 ratings
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34

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4.15 avg rating — 418 ratings
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35

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4.01 avg rating — 10,355 ratings
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36

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4.22 avg rating — 45 ratings
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36 books · 40 voters · list created October 4th, 2008 by Wilhelmina Jenkins (votes) .
18 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Wilhelmina 1557 books
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Comments Showing 1-9 of 9 (9 new)

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message 1: by Qiana (new)

Qiana What's wrong with me that I haven't ready ANY of these books??? Well, I've already voted for one "African-American treasure" this election cycle... so I'll have to wait to weigh in on your list, Mina. I'll put these on my "to-read" list asap.


message 2: by jo (new)

jo qiana, me too!!!! i haven't even heard of most of them? i guess it's because they are lost?

on the other hand, what counts as "lost" african american treasures? do they have to be neglected, or do they also have to be old? i know for sure they have to be treasures.

but what counts as a treasure? oh, shut up jo!


message 3: by William (new)

William I have read only one of them and I wasn't really feeling that story so I can't honestly call it a "treasure". I'll have to revisit this survey after I've had time to digest some of these new (to me) writers works.




message 4: by Carleen (new)

Carleen Thanks for this list!


message 5: by Carleen (new)

Carleen Just FYI but my novel Orange Mint and Honey came out a year ago, so not really very old, but hopefully you'll find it a treasure! And my 2nd novel Children of the Waters comes out in July.


message 6: by Fodowo (new)

Fodowo I would like to suggest Raymond Andrews books, Appalachee Red being one of them. He wrote 2 or 3 others before he robbed us of more of his work by killing himself. His books are truly lost Af Am treasures!


message 7: by Wilhelmina (new)

Wilhelmina Jenkins I've never heard of Raymond Andrews - looks likes a good one to try! Is Appalachee Red his best?


message 8: by Fodowo (new)

Fodowo Wilhelmina wrote: "I've never heard of Raymond Andrews - looks likes a good one to try! Is Appalachee Red his best?"

Yes, it is also the first. It isn't a series but there are vague references to the first in the others.


message 9: by Wilhelmina (new)

Wilhelmina Jenkins If I were being fair, I would take "Orange Mint and Honey" off of this list. It has become a genuine phenomenon! The movie based on this book, called "Sins of the Mother", will be broadcast on Lifetime on Feb. 7, 2010, starring the great Jill Scott! Now if only the same could happen for more of these great books.....


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