Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

February is Black History Month! I looked it up, and this is observed in the USA, Canada, Ireland, the UK and the Netherlands. Who else is reading something special for this month?

I got a little over ambitious and put a whole bunch of books on hold at my library. I probably won't have time to read ALL of them (I may not even receive all of them, depending on how the holds work out) but I am super excited about all of them right now!

poetry:
There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé by Morgan Parker
Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth by Warsan Shire

non-fiction
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors - I've got this on my nightstand so I'll be starting it right away! I may use it for my "book by two women authors."
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

fiction
Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

SFF
The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin
How Long 'til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin (could there BE a more perfect book to read for Black History Month?)
The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark

mystery
The Real Cool Killers by Chester Himes

romance
A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole

graphic novel
Why I Hate Saturn by Kyle Baker

I have On the Come Up preordered so I will definitely be reading that this month - maybe I'll reread The Hate U Give too. Also probably will read How Long 'til Black Future Month?: Stories by N.K. Jemisin.

Other possibilities:
Augustown
Kintu
Gather Together in My Name
Men We Reaped: A Memoir
Barracoon: The Story of the Last Slave
She Called Me Woman
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

There's also Black Tudors: The Untold Story, but I'm in two minds about that - for Black History Month I think I'd prefer to read books by black authors, and the author of Black Tudors is a white historian.

As it happens I just started The Obelisk Gate, so I will be reading that. It's also possible my hold for Becoming will come in before the end of the month. I should see if the library has the 2nd and 3rd volume of March: Book One.

I just started We Cast a Shadow so I'll finish that in Black History Month at least.

I just noticed the audiobook of Black Leopard, Red Wolf is 24 hours so I'm not sure I will get to much else! I'd like to finish the March books if I can get hold of them too.

Ellie wrote: "... I just noticed the audiobook of Black Leopard, Red Wolf is 24 hours so I'm not ..."


Oh are you listening to that!?! let us know how it is, I'm hoping it's a little less gruesome than "Seven Killings"! I put it on hold but NYPL doesn't have it yet. I'll wait :-)

Nadine wrote: "Oh are you listening to that!?! let us know how it is, I'm hoping it's a little less gruesome than "Seven Killings"! ..."

I'm quite fond of the narrator, Dion Graham, so I'm definitely going to try it on audiobook (plus 24 hours is pretty good value for an Audible credit!). Seven Killings didn't really appeal to me so I never read it but I want to be prepared to jump into all the obligatory "literary author writes fantasy, is it really fantasy?" type debates.

I'm planning to read:

Native Son
The Fire Next Time
Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas (Maya Angelou's third autobiography)
Behold the Dreamers

I’m curious if anyone would be interested in buddy reading these two books with me:

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin and
The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks about Race by Jesmyn Ward

I’d love to read both and discuss them.

Not sure what I'll be reading yet, but some current options:
Ghost
On the Come Up
Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina
Sing, Unburied, Sing
A Raisin in the Sun
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance
Arrow of God

As of now, my plans are to read:

Becoming
On the Come Up
Washington Black

Nadine, I just finished My Sister, the Serial Killer and really enjoyed it! It was a very fast and entertaining read with dark humor but I also think it was very thought provoking. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it.

I also have Washington Black on my Kindle right now. Maybe I can squeeze it in before the month is out. There is no hope that On the Come Up will come through from the library in time.

I'll for sure be reading
The Fifth Season,
Some Sing, Some Cry,
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir and
Dear Martin.

I'm also hoping to read
Washington Black and
How Long 'til Black Future Month?
if my library holds come in, but that isn't looking super likely.

Karen wrote: "I’m curious if anyone would be interested in buddy reading these two books with me:

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin and
The Fire This Time: A New Generation ..."


I really wanted to read The Fire This Time, but last year I had it on hold at my library for months and months and months, and finally it became clear to me that they didn't actually own a copy.

Can you get it through inter library loan?

Karen wrote: "I’m curious if anyone would be interested in buddy reading these two books with me:

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin and
[book:The Fire This Time: A New Generation ..."

I love this idea, Karen! I'd be happy to buddy-read these with you.

I've got a few books lined up that I'm planning to pick from throughout the month:

- How Long 'til Black Future Month? (Just started this!)
- The Souls of Black Folk
- A Girl Like Her
- What We Lose
- We Are Never Meeting In Real Life (Third and final try - if it doesn't click for me this time, I'm just letting it go)

I finished Breath, Eyes, Memory this morning, and it was a difficult but moving read. Triggers galore, but well worth a read.

Karen wrote: "Can you get it through inter library loan?"



I do actually have the physical book on hold, and if I have time to read it this month, I will, and join in the buddy read! But what I really want is the e-book, and for whatever reason NYPL does not have it and my county system used to have it but did not renew the license for it. I've requested it, but ... that's not a guarantee that they'll ever get it.

I just finished An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, which was great. I’ll be reading Becoming this month for sure.

Im waiting for my hold on My Sister, the Serial Killer ( I think I'm up to #2) and the girls and I just squeezed in a picture book, although it was a little early...
The Story of Martin Luther King Jr.. I have a whole bunch on my lists that would work here this month but I have no idea what I'll get to.

Thegirlintheafternoon wrote: "Karen wrote: "I’m curious if anyone would be interested in buddy reading these two books with me:

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin and
[book:The Fire This Time: A N..."

@thegirlintheafternoon
I’m just seeing this now. Thank you for offering to buddy read these books. I’m about of a quarter way through a Netgalley arc. Let me know when you’d like to start.

Nadine wrote: "Karen wrote: "Can you get it through inter library loan?"



I do actually have the physical book on hold, and if I have time to read it this month, I will, and join in the buddy read! But what I r..."

Well good luck. I’m a horrible library user. I tend to read books that I’m in the mood for and often end up returning books late and racking up tons of library fines. Now I buy books. I subscribe to just about every list that reposts on low priced Kindle books.

Books I have on my reading challenge that has black protagonist or authors. (I might not read any for this month though)

Perfect Is Boring: 10 Things My Crazy, Fierce Mama Taught Me about Beauty, Booty, and Being a Boss, Book written by two female authors.

The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row: Celebrity book club

Fraternity: In 1968, a visionary priest recruited 20 black men to the College of the Holy Cross and changed their lives and the course of history.: Book based in College

My Sister, the Serial Killer: Book written by an African

I am reading The Underground Railroad. I was reading it for the prompt "A book becoming a movie in 2019", but it would apply for Black History month as well.

There are several books on sale worth a look.

And Then Life Happens: A Memoir by Auma Obama Barack’s sister who was raised in Kenya

What Truth Sounds Like: Robert F. Kennedy, James Baldwin, and Our Unfinished Conversation About Race in America by Michael Eric Dyson

When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors

Minority Leader: How to Lead from the Outside and Make Real Change by Stacey Abrams

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics by Donna Brazile

All $2.99

There are so many choices, but I don't think I can fit in more than one novel and one non-fiction. Since I just finished Becoming, I think I'll go with Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. I've been meaning to read it for years.

I'm not sure about the novel yet, but it will probably be either Washington Black or Sing, Unburied, Sing. Depends on what I can get from the library in time.
Edit: Looks like I can get both right away. I'll try to read them both.

Because I am perpetually obsessed with what I will read next, I started thinking ahead to next month: Women's History Month. And I realized that for BHM I just listed books I want to read from a variety of genres that have black authors. But for WHM, I am looking for books with a subject that is in some way specifically about women's history. Many of my BHM books ARE specifically about the black experience (mostly in the USA, since that's where I live) but not all of them. And I started wondering what other people thought about how to pick "qualifying" books for cultural awareness/appreciation months: is it sufficient to you that the author be a member of the group that is being honored for that month, or is it also necessary that the book be about that culture's experience in some way? In short, am I being inadvertently racist by just choosing black authors and not also requiring that the book be about black history in particular?

Nadine wrote: "Because I am perpetually obsessed with what I will read next, I started thinking ahead to next month: Women's History Month. And I realized that for BHM I just listed books I want to read from a va..."

Thanks for bringing this topic up. I am not a preplanner so I’m trying to make decisions about black history month. In my mind both of these are specific to the U.S. and yet the issues that arise from both these populations are not only US issues. So to go to the topic I’m more knowledgeable of, women, my idea is that to read women’s books not spirit to their history is still important. Women have been historically marginalized in literature. Would I read a book about women’s history written my a man. I guess it would depend on a number of factors. I might if it was an acedimic study. But in women’s hsitory month why would I use a slot for a book written by a male when there is so much credible, well written books by females?

Nadine wrote: "And I started wondering what other people thought about how to pick "qualifying" books for cultural awareness/appreciation months: is it sufficient to you that the author be a member of the group that is being honored for that month, or is it also necessary that the book be about that culture's experience in some way..."

As a white person I don't think it's my place to judge what makes something count as "the black experience" and reading widely helps me see there's lots of way to be black. I think that's a problem in publishing, where editors want "cultural stories" when actually we should be reading all sorts of stories from authors of colour.

Maybe it's a time to educate and reflect on history if you don't know much about it, but also to celebrate what is possible.

I’m hoping to finish the audiobook for The Hate U Give and I have also bought the audiobook for On the Come Up (since I’m really enjoying both Angie Thomas’s writing and Bahni Turpin is a fantastic narrator). I also have How Long 'til Black Future Month? and Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions from the library right now.

Ellie wrote: " ... I think that's a problem in publishing, where editors want "cultural stories" when actually we should be reading all sorts of stories from authors of colour. ..."


Ah, you make a good point. Reading a variety of types of books is a good way to remind myself that no cultural group is a monolith, all groups are made up of many different types of people and different types of stories.

Now I feel better about my BHM list including A Duke by Default & The Real Cool Killers & Back to Your Love (which was an impulse borrow, recc'ed by NYPL - I'm always trying to add more romance to my reading), et al

On the Come Up just arrived so I'll be starting that posthaste. Definitely planning on rereading THUG afterwards.

Karen wrote: "There are several books on sale worth a look.

And Then Life Happens: A Memoir by Auma Obama Barack’s sister who was raised in Kenya

[book:What Truth Sounds Like: ..."

Ooohhh...the Abrams book would be especially pertinent since she is presenting the Democratic response to the State of the Union address this evening!

Karen wrote: "There are several books on sale worth a look.

And Then Life Happens: A Memoir by Auma Obama Barack’s sister who was raised in Kenya

[book:What Truth Sounds Like: ..."

Thank you so very much for this list!!

Nadine, I've thought about the same thing - if I should read actual history or if fiction by a black author is appropriate. And then I decided to not worry so much! :) Since I am a white woman trying to learn more about race and the experiences of those whose lives may be different than mine, I figure that as long as I learn something about another's life experience in a way that broadens my own understanding, then I have obtained my objective.

I am going to add a controversial book because it adds to the real conversation about slavery.

The right of American slavery.: By T. W. Hoit

This book is written by a slaveowner defending slavery.

On the topic. I do not think it is appropriate to avoid books written by whites about black history or with black protagonist. To me historians and novelists should write about any topic they please. It may seem helpful to only read book by blacks about blacks but it has its consequences. Blacks do want black characters to be more dynamic. If a white has restrictions on what they do with black characters, it is not going to happen. This also forces blacks to be solely responsible for adding black characters. Tyler Perry ( a director of movies) got chastised for considering making a show about whites. Authors should be rewarded for going beyond their cultural perspective if they do it well.

Cinder wrote: "I am going to add a controversial book because it adds to the real conversation about slavery.

The right of American slavery.: By T. W. Hoit

This book is written by a slaveowner defending slaver..."


There is NO defense of slavery and it's disgusting to suggest reading that book for Black History Month. That is not a "conversation" that we will be having here.

Nadine wrote: There is NO defense of slavery and it's disgusting to suggest reading that book for Black History Month. That is not a "conversation" that we will be having here.

Thank you, Nadine. Absolutely not.

I didn't do this on purpose timewise, but I'm reading Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. I think I've been right to be intimidated by it for so long.

I too have struggled with whether it's best to read about history during this and other cultural appreciation months but ultimately feel that fiction is as important to understand the various aspects of a race or culture as history.

I do like to include a mix though so in addition to the books i mentioned upthread, I started listening to Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood which is fantastic so far. I don't often listed to audiobooks but this one is really elevated by the author's voice delivery.

Rachelnyc wrote: "I do like to include a mix though so in addition to the books i mentioned upthread, I started listening to Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood which is fantastic so far. I don't often listed to audiobooks but this one is really elevated by the author's voice delivery. "

One of my favorite audiobooks ever.

A former bookclub I used to participate in just read Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon. It sounds intriguing.

I also thought about the types of books that would count for this month. I would not count any books written by white people on black history as part of celebrating black history month. I may read them at other times, as it is common in my field of work (criminal justice advocacy - the book Texas Tough: The Rise of America's Prison Empire being an example). And I'm currently reading The Queen of Katwe: A Story of Life, Chess, and One Extraordinary Girl's Dream of Becoming a Grandmaster and White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism but not counting these.

I think fiction and other non-historical books by black U.S.-based authors definitely count, because I have yet to come across a book by a black author that doesn't have some connection to the current and historical racial oppression that touch nearly every aspect of life in this country. This is likely also true for other groups of color living in the U.S. For authors in Africa, the Caribbean, etc. the experience and "history" can be different though.

I don't think any book written by a female author would count for next month, as there are many books written by women that don't touch on current or historical issues specific to being a woman here. I'll be more selective for those reads.

So far this month I've read or am currently reading: Kindred (great writing!) and The Parking Lot Attendant.

I'm planning on these next:
-Race Matters
-One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy
-Finally Free: An Autobiography
-The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks about Race
-My Sister, the Serial Killer

I probably won't get to these this month, but in the next few months: How Long 'til Black Future Month?, Heavy: An American Memoir, Becoming, On the Come Up, Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions, and Minority Leader: How to Lead from the Outside and Make Real Change.

I've been in a bit of a book funk lately, so I haven't planned out a selection as intentionally as I usually do. That being said, I do have a seletion.

Becoming - I just finished this, as I was supposed to see her yesterday, but they rescheduled it due to winter.

On the Come Up - Hopefully the weather is fine next week, as I have a ticket to see Angie also

March: Book Three

The Last Last-Day-of-Summer - ARC - Middle grade adventure that's supposed to be like The Hardy Boys meets The Phantom Tollbooth

The Parker Inheritance - more middle grade adventure... with puzzles!

Dear Martin

Long Way Down

I am leaning toward reading How Long 'til Black Future Month?, mostly because for me that is actually right now! Where I live, the county declared this Black History and Future Month!

I'm glad to see so many planning to read When They Call You a Terrorist, such a good book.


Nadine wrote: "And I started wondering what other people thought about how to pick "qualifying" books for cultural awareness/appreciation months: is it sufficient to you that the author be a member of the group that is being honored for that month, or is it also necessary that the book be about that culture's experience in some way?"

I was reading so many books, I wanted a wide variety. I'll consider anything with a black protagonist or author, in any genre. I like to get some history, something modern, something fun, and something from outside the US. Black folks exist all over the world, and I see no need to only listen to some of them. I also like to do a variety of age groups. I don't have any picture books planned yet but I'm sure I'll read at least one of those also.

My progress at the midway point:

finished:
The Real Cool Killers by Chester Himes - I loved this! If you liked classic hard boiled crime novels, and you want one set in Harlem, Himes is your man.
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors - I was disappointed in this one - her story is so powerful, so I'm glad I read it, but the writing style drove me up a wall.
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin - I am a Neanderthal and I don't "get" Baldwin. I keep trying. But he meanders so much in his writing, I get all tangled up.
Back to Your Love by Kianna Alexander - this contemporary romance was recommended by NYPL for BHM, and ... I didn't like it. I usually don't like contemporary romances (but I keep trying!), so it's probably just not a good fit for me.



currently reading:
There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé by Morgan Parker - I'm almost done with this one - I think this might appeal more to younger folks, or at any rate people who are more aware of pop culture. I think I just didn't get it. But my daughter, who is completely wrapped up in pop culture, seemed to get it.
How Long 'til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin - this is FANTASTIC SFF and I urge anyone who is thinking about it to pick it up and read it!!
Why I Hate Saturn by Kyle Baker - this feels SO familiar, I think I must have read a single issue back when it was first released, and forgot!
Six Easy Pieces & Bad Boy Brawly Brown by Walter Mosley - I'm listening to the first one and "eye" reading the second one, and this is probably a mistake, but I'm hoping if I finish BBBB today or tomorrow, I won't get too confused w/ SEP (which is six short stories). I'm really enjoying BBBB but I'm not liking SEP so much because I don't like the guy reading it. If another audiobook hold comes in, I'll abandon this one.
A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole - my copy JUST came in at NYPL! I'll start it as soon as I finish Brawly Brown.

If anyone is looking for a history book, I read

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi last year, and it was excellent. I even bought a copy to keep!

And I read White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson a year ago, and it was very good. I'm definitely going to be reading her new book, One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy

I didn't really plan it for black history month, but the book I read for A book that will be made into a movie in 2019 is The Underground Railroad, and it fits well for black history month as well.

poshpenny wrote: "I've been in a bit of a book funk lately, so I haven't planned out a selection as intentionally as I usually do. That being said, I do have a seletion.

Becoming - I just finished t..."

That's so awesome you'll be able to see Michelle Obama and Angie Thomas soon! And that your county celebrates Black History and Future Month. :)

And yes, "When They Call You a Terrorist" was tough to get through, but a really important read.

Nadine wrote: "If anyone is looking for a history book, I read

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi last year, and it..."

Yes, I needed to do the audio version to get through "Stamped from the Beginning" but it provided important historical context that I appreciated.

"White Rage" was heartbreaking (and gut-churning) but I'm glad I read that one as well. I got to meet Carol Anderson for her book talk for "One Person, No Vote" and she's wonderful. I'm excited to read this one with my Project Orange group in April, since we bring voting access to people in our local jail. It has been a great experience, as many people we register (and then give ballots to) have never voted before.

Well I've started Black Leopard, Red Wolf and it's very meandering and taking forever to get to the point. I'm 4 hours in and I was wondering about DNFing it but I saw a review that said they felt detached from it all at the start but ended up crying by the end. So I'll give it some more time. There are elements I like, but it's very much in the oral tradition, with lot's of tangents and half the time I can't tell if the stories are things that happened or just made up by the characters.

Ellie wrote: "Well I've started Black Leopard, Red Wolf and it's very meandering and taking forever to get to the point. I'm 4 hours in and I was wondering about DNFing it but I saw a review that..."

That's the way he writes, and that's why I'm planning on audiobook for that one! I can meander okay with an audiobook.