Literary Fiction by People of Color discussion

If anyone would like to lead the February discussion for Beloved by Toni Morrison, please let me know. You can respond here or dm me directly. Thank you!

How important is it to read the whole trilogy?

a.g.e. montagner wrote: "How important is it to read the whole trilogy?"

Greetings, I haven’t read any of the three books to be honest. But being that Beloved is the first book in the series I wouldn’t think it would matter much.

Good thing I am reading along with this group.

I purchased a used copy of Beloved but was really pulled to read Jazz as I wanted to read about the Harlem Renaissance.

That wouldn't have been the first time I read a book out of order that is meant as a trilogy or a series. It's happened to me a handful of times. But it was always ok as they read fine as stand alones. But not all series are like that, I just lucked out.

After scratching around a bit I read that several readers said it was fine to read Morrison's trilogy out of order.

But after all that I would much rather read them in order as it looks like they progress time wise.

Columbus I want to thank you for all you do to keep this group going and moving forward.

Cheryl wrote: "Good thing I am reading along with this group.

I purchased a used copy of Beloved but was really pulled to read Jazz as I wanted to read about the Harlem Renaissance.

That wouldn't have been the ..."

That’s so kind of you, Cheryl. Thank you!

Happy February 1st and Black History Month everyone!

Have you picked up a copy of Beloved and started reading? Obtained a copy from library or online library site? What other books have you read by this author?

I just received my Toni Morrison mug I ordered from Etsy. Perfect timing!

Surprisingly, I’ve only read two books by Toni Morrison: The Bluest Eye which I read twice. And Sula. Both books I read years ago and are likely considered her more accessible (read:easiest) books of her entire oeuvre I would imagine. I loved them both. I had started Jazz years ago but never finished it. It didn’t grab me right away.

ColumbusReads wrote: "Surprisingly, I’ve only read two books by Toni Morrison: The Bluest Eye which I read twice. And Sula. Both books I read years ago and are likely considered her more access..."

Oh goodness. I’m wrong, I also read God Help the Child by her. I always forget about that one. I don’t think that’s one of her best received books. It was just ok to me.

Only have read one when working on a project with another reader who asked us to pick a banned book and give our take on it.

I choose the heartwrenchingly beautiful The Bluest Eye and then ended up reading it a second time for a book club!

Happy Black History Month!

Started reading Beloved today. I’ve had it on my shelf for years now. Read The Bluest Eye and Recitatif last year.

My goal is to read all of her work this year, and starting with Beloved seems like the best way to do that, especially with having a discussion group for it. So far, Beloved has floored me. I’m reading it and listening to the audiobook.

Oh, I forgot! Has anyone else read Morrison’s “Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination”? I read it last year and it helped me have a better understanding of The Bluest Eye. Going to re-read after I finish Beloved.

Marisa wrote: "Oh, I forgot! Has anyone else read Morrison’s “Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination”? I read it last year and it helped me have a better understanding of The Bluest Eye. Goin..."

Thanks for that bit of information, Marisa. All I need is one more reason to read TBE again.

A bit of information. Tuesday we’ll see another posthumously-released book by Toni Morrison Language as Liberation: Reflections on the American Canon.

I don't have time to reread this in February, but it's one of my favorite works of 20th century literature. I'll be following the discussion here for sure.

hi there and happy black history month! I have read beloved a couple of times and never knew it was part of a trilogy - thank you so much for pointing that out. I have paradise in the shelf but never got to read it.
so far I have read TBE and Sula and a lot of Morrisons essays (I do love f.e. "the fisher woman"). I think she is a supreme writer, both in language and in construction.

Now I am even a greater amount happier about reading Beloved.

While searching for another discussion I wanted to discover what genre/genres Beloved would be classified under.

My guess was to be literary fiction and historical fiction.

The answer I came up with was:

historical fiction/literary fiction/magical realism !!!

I first stumbled on magic or magical realism when I read one of my very favorite historical fiction reads...
The Water Dancer
by Ta-Nehesi Coates.
Not knowing any better I described the novel as being historical fiction with a bit of fantasy stirred in. Well that bit of fantasy was magical realism.

My second encounter with magical realism was when attempting to re-live a "magical" haha visit we had to Italy I read Rebecca Searle's
One Italian Summer again before looking into genre. That book was magical in its descriptions of Italy.

In mid 2025 when I felt called to read along with a HF book club I certainly assumed I knew the genre I would be reading when I picked up the extremely beautiful and extremely peculiar novel...
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It took me on a trip I realized I had not booked!

On a phone call with my oldest son I explained to him what I was reading and he said "Mama, that is probably the most remarkable piece of magic realism from South America in the 1950s."

Alright now, yes I am officially in love with this beautiful, oddly descriptive genre!

So all that being said I am very excited to discover how much magical realism Ms. Morrison has stirred into her Beloved.

P.S. Another favorite novel of mine is also woven together with magical realism ...
Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize winning The Underground Railroad

So looking forward to reading Beloved with all of you.

Epigraph -

I will call them my people,
which were not my people;
and her beloved,
which was not beloved

Cheryl wrote: "Now I am even a greater amount happier about reading Beloved.

While searching for another discussion I wanted to discover what genre/genres Beloved would be classified under.

My guess was to be l..."

Cheryl,

I have often said the only books i dislike and avoid reading are science fiction and magical realism and all of that under that umbrella. However, I loved Whitehead’s, The Underground Railroad; Octavia Butler’s, Kindred; and, even Jesmyn Ward who has incorporated magical realism & surrealism in her work. So maybe I like it in bits and pieces.

Reading schedule for BELOVED.

I do know that some editions of this book are devoid of chapter numbers -such as the copy I own (Everyman’s Library). So this is how we’ll divide it up…

Part One: Haunting and Arrival (Chapters 1–18)
Feb 3 - 13
Part Two: Confrontation and Memory (Chapters 19–23):
Feb 14 -16
Part Three: Exorcism and Legacy (Chapters 24–28):
Feb 17 - 28 Entire book open

Let me know if this is confusing or if you like to change it in any way.

Mine hasn’t arrived yet, so hopefully I can catch up!

I have such deep adoration for this book, it’s one of my favorites! Everytime I return to it I savor each page and come back with new revelations. I agree that this book fits in the magical realism genre, and there’s a distinct southern gothic feel that runs through the pages. 😊 So glad we’re reading it!

Erica,

Sounds like this book has touched you in such a special way ...now I am even more excited to start Beloved. ❤️

I think these questions are all from Part 1. If I’m mistaken, please let me know. I haven’t started the book yet. Oh no!

1)During her lifetime, Toni Morrison drew attention to the lack of historical markers to commemorate the lives of enslaved people and dedicated Beloved to the over sixty million who died during the Middle Passage. How does Beloved act as a memorial to preserve the memory of those who have been enslaved?

2)Return to the novel's opening chapter. How do the eerie descriptions of 124 Bluestone Road and the history of its residents create a distinct mood and sense of atmosphere for the novel? What were your earliest impressions of the story and its characters based on these details?

3)In Beloved, the smell of sap, the sounds of a work song, or the retelling of a family story is enough to blur time and send characters slipping into the past, allowing the novel to convey settings and characters that are not in the present events of the story, such as Sweet Home and the prison camps of Alfred, Georgia; Sethe's mother and husband; schoolteacher; and the Garners in a way that is palpable and enduring. What do these narrative choices illuminate about memory for each character, and how do they work to amplify the lasting wounds of enslavement?

I just received my copy and hope I'm not too late for the discussion.

An excellent read.... Enjoy Reading, 📚

Entire book open. Spoilers so don’t read beyond this if you haven’t finished:

1) Sethe recalls the days of Baby Suggs preaching in the clearing with the image of chestnut pods being shaken off the trees. What does this image represent, and how is it used again as the novel approaches its end?

2) Reuniting with Sethe, Paul D tells her, “You your best thing, Sethe. You are”). After the events of the novel, why do you think it’s imperative that Sethe knows this?

3) Return to the novel’s ending. Where does Beloved go? What becomes of her story? How is the fate of her story representative of the stories of enslaved people today?

I started reading Beloved last summer and felt motivated to pick it up again for this month's readalong! The writing is so immersive, but it does feel a lot denser than Sula (my favorite of Toni Morrison's books so far).

ColumbusReads wrote: "Surprisingly, I’ve only read two books by Toni Morrison: The Bluest Eye which I read twice. And Sula. Both books I read years ago and are likely considered her more access..."

I absolutely loved Beloved that I could not think of reading any other books in the series. Years later, after reading and watching the featured film several times, I read both Jazz and Paradise, which took a moment to get into, yet I liked them. I also read The Bluest Eye as a book club read with about 20 men, who took certain scenes hard. We all liked it, though, and it was emotionally charged. Sula, I read later. I read most of Toni's work over the years.