12 Books by Black Authors Challenge

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18 participants (70 books)

01 Feb 2025—28 Feb 2025

Overview

Goal: Read 12 books by Black authors in 12 categories. Each book you choose will offer a unique perspective on Black experiences, history, and culture.

Challenge Ideas:

1. A Classic by a Black Author
  • Example: "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison or "Native Son" by Richard Wright.

2. A Contemporary Novel by a Black Author
  • Example: "The Vanishing Half" by Brit Bennett or "Such a Fun Age" by Kiley Reid.

3. A Memoir by a Black Author
  • Example: "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou or "The Souls of Black Folk" by W.E.B. Du Bois.

4. A Book of Poetry by a Black Poet
  • Example: "The Essential Gwendolyn Brooks" by Gwendolyn Brooks or "The Tradition" by Jericho Brown.

5. A Historical Fiction Novel by a Black Author
  • Example: "Homegoing" by Yaa Gyasi or "The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead.

6. A Novel About the African-American Experience in the South
  • Example: "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker or "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston.

7. A Thriller/Mystery Novel by a Black Author
  • Example: "The Cutting Season" by Attica Locke or "The Last Minority" by Tana French (exploring race and crime).

8. A Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel by a Black Author
  • Example: "Children of Blood and Bone" by Tomi Adeyemi or "Kindred" by Octavia Butler.

9. A Book Exploring Black Feminism
  • Example: "Sister Citizen" by Melissa V. Harris-Perry or "We Should All Be Feminists" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

10. A Book That Explores the Black Diaspora (Africa, Caribbean, etc.)
  • Example: "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie or "Everything Inside" by Agha Shahid Ali.

11. A Young Adult Book by a Black Author
  • Example: "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas or "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson.

12. A Short Story Collection by a Black Author
  • Example: "The Thing Around Your Neck" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie or "Jesus’ Son" by Denis Johnson (incorporates African-American stories)

Challenge Books

All books added
Mistlefoe by Kimberly Lemming

Mead Mishaps #1.5

Mistlefoe

Kimberly Lemming

1h 58m • 2021 • 9 editions

fiction fantasy romance adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
That Time I Got Drunk And Yeeted A Love Potion At A Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming

Mead Mishaps #2

That Time I Got Drunk And Yeeted A Love Potion At A Werewolf

Kimberly Lemming

6h 50m • 2022 • 27 editions

fiction fantasy romance adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
It's Always Been Ours: Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies by Jessica Wilson

It's Always Been Ours: Rewriting the Story of Black Women's Bodies

Jessica Wilson

320 pages • 2023 • 4 editions

nonfiction feminism psychology race challenging informative reflective medium-paced
The How: Notes on the Great Work of Meeting Yourself by Yrsa Daley-Ward

The How: Notes on the Great Work of Meeting Yourself

Yrsa Daley-Ward

132 pages • 2021 • 5 editions

user-added

nonfiction poetry psychology self help challenging reflective medium-paced
James by Percival Everett

James

Percival Everett

320 pages • 2024 • 59 editions

fiction historical literary adventurous emotional tense fast-paced
Defining Moments in Black History: Reading Between the Lies by Dick Gregory

Defining Moments in Black History: Reading Between the Lies

Dick Gregory

8h • 2017 • 10 editions

nonfiction history funny informative medium-paced
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Ace of Spades #1

Ace of Spades

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

13h 49m • 2021 • 59 editions

fiction lgbtqia+ thriller young adult dark mysterious tense fast-paced
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

The Vanishing Half

Brit Bennett

389 pages • 2020 • 127 editions

fiction historical literary emotional reflective medium-paced
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

A Raisin in the Sun

Lorraine Hansberry

2h 21m • 1959 • 41 editions

fiction classics play emotional reflective medium-paced
Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Y. Davis

Are Prisons Obsolete?

Angela Y. Davis

4h 56m • 2003 • 23 editions

nonfiction history politics challenging informative reflective medium-paced