Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Hooray for OWN VOICES! This category has been getting more and more attention, which is wonderful! “Own voices” means that the author of a book with a main character who is part of a marginalized group is also part of that marginalized group. The definition of a marginalized group can be pretty broad, based on: skin color, ethnicity, sexual-orientation, gender identity, religion, etc.

I know I have a lot of books in my TBR that fit, I just need to choose one. (Sometimes settling on just ONE is the hardest part!)

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

are a few ideas that I can think of

So many! The Hate U Give is one of my favorites.

Others I like:
When Dimple Met Rishi
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
George
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Labyrinth Lost
American Born Chinese
Americanah
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
El Deafo

This comment may set the cat among the pigeons, but in my opinion a book like Americanah mentioned above would not count toward this goal because Adichie is a contemporary Nigerian author and Nigeria is a country where black people are the majority and enjoy full political power. In my opinion, the concept of "marginalized" only works in the context of their home country, not whether they'd be marginalized if they were transported to where the reader is. Which is not to say that all black writers from Africa haven't been marginalized. For example, I'd say that Es'kia Mphahlele would count as a marginalized author because he was banned from teaching anywhere in South Africa, spent twenty years in exile, and wrote in the context of the Apartheid government where black South Africans were treated as second-class citizens. But context is important, IMO. There's a category for books by Asian, African, and South American writers where Adichie and other non-marginalized African voices could be placed and count toward the ultimate goal. Personally, I'll probably be reading Adichie for that goal myself, although the book will likely be Half of a Yellow Sun because I'm fascinated by the Biafran conflict.

I probably won't be reading this one, because I've already read it, but one of my favorite novels is Erasure by Percival Everett, which is a blistering satire of the publishing industry and urban fiction, while also being a moving family drama and a satire of academic life (early on there's a dead-on parody of Barthes' S/Z). It's a seven-layer cake of a novel.

I'm considering reading the following books for this category:

Soledad Brother: The Prison Writings of George Jackson by George L. Jackson
Blood in My Eye by George L. Jackson
All Things Censored by Mumia Abu-Jamal
Soul on Ice by Eldridge Cleaver
Prison Writings: My Life is My Sun Dance by Leonard Peltier
Black Boy by Richard Wright
Native Son by Richard Wright

I think the brilliant satire The Sellout fits.

Nullifidian wrote: "This comment may set the cat among the pigeons, but in my opinion a book like Americanah mentioned above would not count toward this goal because Adichie is a contemporary Nigerian author and Niger..."

Americanah is set mostly in the US and one of its central themes is how dark-skinned people are suddenly "Black people" in the US, something the character was not used to, having grown up in Nigeria. So I'd say it counts for "own voices."

Nullifidian wrote: "This comment may set the cat among the pigeons, but in my opinion a book like Americanah mentioned above would not count toward this goal because Adichie is a contemporary Nigerian author and Niger..."

I suggested Americanah (but not some of her other books), because it is about the immigrant experience in America. Since Adichie divides her time between Nigeria and the US, I would think it is "own voices", in terms of the immigrant experience. But you raise some interesting points!

Does The Bell Jar work for this?

Kerry wrote: "Does The Bell Jar work for this?"

I would think so, definitely - a book about mental illness by an author who was mentally ill.

Cendaquenta wrote: "Kerry wrote: "Does The Bell Jar work for this?"

I would think so, definitely - a book about mental illness by an author who was mentally ill."

Thank you Cendaquenta!

Would a memoir work for this? Where the author and the "main character" are the same person?

If so, I'll listen to a David Sedaris book again. I used him for LGBT this year.

I recommend When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir

I'm already using Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea for other categories, so I think all I have left from my already owned TBR is Never Stop Walking: A Memoir of Finding Home Across the World.

I'll definitely go for The Hate U Give though, if I have to fall back on something I don't already own.

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

Heretics Anonymous fits this prompt too.

Cat wrote: "Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline"

I loved Trail of Lightning, but now I'm being told that it is problematic because Roanhorse is not Diné herself.

Stina wrote: "Cat wrote: "Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline"

I loved Trail of Lightning, but now I'm being told that it is problematic..."

She is part Pueblo, her husband is Navajo, and she also had other Navajo readers help her. The concern seems to be not that she is not Navajo but that some feel that she included details about Navajo beliefs that are supposed to be kept secret. I'm conflicted about that. I'm an atheist, so I lump all religions together in the "fantasy" bucket and I don't see the point in any secret societies, but I also recognize that I'm not part of the group so I cannot speak for them. Although I see religion as fantasy, I also try not to be offensive to any believers. Obviously the Navajo who were helping her with the book did not take issue with what she included. So, some people are offended, others are not, and I'm an outsider to the issue.

Nadine wrote: "Stina wrote: "Cat wrote: "Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline"

I loved Trail of Lightning, but now I'm being told that it ..."

That's pretty much where I've landed, so I'm glad I'm not alone. I'm feeling scolded, though, and the most recent complaint I've heard is that she fictionalized the medicine to avoid revealing secrets, so I feel like Roanhorse was in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation.

It can be tough to know how to do the right thing!!!

El Deafo looked interesting, but I don't want to read a kid's book.

This is an interesting concept. I might do Everything I Never Told You.

There is also The Man Who Couldn't Eat which is written by and about a man with Crohn's Disease.

I found an amazing website! They have a tag for so many categories, and one for ownvoices!

Queer Books for Teens - Ownvoices

Stacey wrote: "The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

are a few ideas that I can think of"

This might be ignorant, but tell me about Leigh Bardugo. I loved Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom and would like to know more about the author. Why does she fit this prompt?

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

A list for people who love YA. I'm not sure if they all work but I did some research on one's I was interested in to make sure it did. I think I'm going to do Everything Leads to You

Juli wrote: "tell me about Leigh Bardugo. I loved Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom and would like to know more about the author. Why does she fit this prompt? "

"He has a disability, I have a disability. It's not a coincidence that he walks with a cane and I walk with a cane."

I just finished Blanca & Roja, which is own voice for Latinx and I really enjoyed it. Also, gorgeous cover and retelling of a fairy tale.

Lexi wrote: "I just finished Blanca & Roja, which is own voice for Latinx and I really enjoyed it. Also, gorgeous cover and retelling of a fairy tale."

Ooo nice, this is on my TBR!

You Know Me Well is an Own Voices book for both authors that wrote it!

Almost anything by David Levithan is an Own Voices book.

Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality by Sarah McBride

Juli wrote: "This might be ignorant, but tell me about Leigh Bardugo. I loved Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom and would like to know more about the author. Why does she fit this prompt? "

It's all good!

Leigh Bardugo has been diagnosed with a degenerative condition and sometimes needs a cane to get around, that's how this book would be "own voices" as people in society with physical disabilities can definitely be marginalized.

poshpenny wrote: ""He has a disability, I have a disability. It's not a coincidence that he walks with a cane and I walk with a cane."

Noticed this after I answered, haha. Yup, you're spot on! :)

Some that I didn't get to this year:

Here Comes the Sun
History Is All You Left Me
El Deafo

Sour Heart would work for this, it seems highly praised but it left a really bad taste in my mouth (the author is clearly very talented though)

I'm going to recommend a book written by a friend of mine for this category

A Quilt Is Meant To Keep You Warm: Humor, Love and Misadventure in the Age of AIDS

I highly recommend it

Would Tweak: Growing Up On Methamphetamines, work for this?

I'm going with The Hate U Give!

Kindred -- one that a lot of people read for the "time travel" prompt last year but that I missed. I seem to be doing a LOT of the "everyone read this book last year for a prompt so I guess I'm late to the party" thing with this challenge...

I would recommend Middlesex as well.

I've got loads for this one. I think I'm going to go with Blackass, it looks hilarious. What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank and Hurma are also possibilities.

For those who like mysteries, there's Blackening Song, a series following a Navajo FBI agent

or for paranormal mysteries, there's Second Sunrise, with a Navajo police officer nightwalker (read: vampire)

They should count as "own voices" since half of the husband-wife writing team (David) is Navajo.

Hope - oh they look good and I've never heard of these authors! I immediately added Blackening Song to my TBR, if I like their writing style I'll be checking out that vampire cop too!! Thanks

I'm thinking maybe A Very Large Expanse of Sea b Tahereh Mafi,

I recommend Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows. Read it for ATY "own voices" prompt this year and really enjoyed. Plus, the title is intriguing!!

There, There, There by Tommy Orange. That's on my list.

poshpenny wrote: "I found an amazing website! They have a tag for so many categories, and one for ownvoices!

Queer Books for Teens - Ownvoices"

Release by Patrick Ness was really good. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

A couple books with LGBT characters/themes by LGBT authors I read and can recommend (YA):
If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
I also recommend Release by Patrick Ness. There are characters who are LGBT in his The Rest of Us Just Live Here even though it´s not a main theme in the book - a sort of meta YA fantasy, I thought it was fabulous.
More Than This also by Patrick Ness (can you tell I´ve read a few of his books?)

Vivian wrote: "Heretics Anonymous fits this prompt too."

Ooh! I like this one! But, I wonder if I can stretch this one to cover the last prompt: A book set set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent? A Catholic School seems similar, to me.

Jane wrote: "There, There, There by Tommy Orange. That's on my list."

I have There There, by Tommy Orange, as my "A debut novel", in case you need to move it around.

Nadine wrote: "Stina wrote: "Cat wrote: "Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline"

I loved Trail of Lightning, but now I'm being told that it ..."

I couldn't have said it better!

Johanne wrote: "A couple books with LGBT characters/themes by LGBT authors I read and can recommend (YA):
If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
[book:They Both Die at the End|33385..."

Thank you for the Patrick Ness suggestions.....I haven't read a book by him I didn't like either.

Not really, Vivian...but having gone to Catholic School and having a nun in high school tell a classmate, when she asked about birth control. "Sister, what if when you're older, in your opinion, birth control is okay?" Carol, Catholics aren't allowed to have opinions. I'd say, feel free to stretch this one. Have an opinion. And claim it.

I read She Wore Red Trainers this year and it was definitely an interesting read. I might read another book by Na'ima B. Robert, maybe Boy vs. Girl