5 Non-Fiction Books that school you on race and racism
People have been writing about race and racism for years, so even if you’re new to the discussion these 5 non-fiction titles will school you all the way. I’ve gone with a nice mixture because I know there are ‘different strokes for different folk’.
The Hate U Give
Sometimes, you need to be shaken and woken up. It’s so triggering that 3 years after being published this book feels brand new and relevant to the past few weeks. I do like timeless books, but this feels like it’s timeless for the wrong reasons. This is not a knock on the author, it’s a burst of rage at society!
The Nickel Boys
Yoo from the very jump I was in a daze. Before I even met the main character I’d visited a human cemetery. At this point, full disclosure I’m a sensitive soul. I couldn’t pick up the book for weeks after the main character Elwood received an A* beat down by the school staff. Even now weeks after finishing the book the word White House has a whole different meaning to me
Girl, Woman, Other
I’m doing up an Issa Rae on the “I’m rooting for everyone black” so when I saw that Bernardine Evaristo was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2019 I was involved and rooting for sure. When she won I was happy. *Peers out.. is it safe? I hadn’t actually read the book at the time *
To Lahore, With Love
Every chapter is named after and features a recipe, which sets the tone for the chapter. If you want to secure your bae then you’ll need some ‘commitment cake’, and if you’ve done someone wrong try out ‘Forgive-Me Bitter Gourd.’ If you’ve had your heart broken and you are feeling fragile try out the ‘Stay Strong Chicken Yakhni Soup.’
A Cry To War
The book caught my attention at the beginning and then just as quickly as it caught it, it was gone because of some random 50 shades of grey scene that hit me out of nowhere. The sex scene was real graphic, and considering how lengthy the book blurb is definitely needed a ‘hey FYI’ warning
The Ungrateful Refugee
Part memoir, part reconstruction, this non-fiction book written by author Dina Nayeri serves as a compassionate and unforgettable reminder that refugees are more than a statistic and number.
Tell Me Your Secret
The book cover itself would make me want to read this book. And then the blurb, c' mon it's perfect marketing. My nosy levels are immediately on 100. There's a secret that I don't know about... and I really want to know!
One Year Later
One family member didn't get the memo that they weren't on the invite list, and as the holiday kicks off it becomes clear that the holiday repair dream is far from the reality. Something is definitely off on the island, and someone from the family is hiding a big secret.
The Brighton Mermaid
This book is a madness where do I even begin? Two teenagers, Nell and Jude, are on their way home from a party, after sneaking out of their houses, when they find the body of a young woman. They really want to believe she's sleeping but she's definitely not. Well, she's sleeping but she's never going to wake up.
Celestial Bodies
Khawla asked for a divorce. Ok you need some context. She waited for years and years for her cousin, they'd been promised marriage to each other when they were younger. Anyway he'd gone to Canada on a scholarship and basically ditched his studies and never returned to Oman after.
Dune Song
There is something really colourful and poetic about the book, which considering the story, shouldn’t work but it does and it's so beautiful. The book is really raw yet mellow. Issues such as human trafficking appear in the book and I imagined the story would be typically action-packed and abrupt
"I Will Not Be Erased"
What felt amazing when reading the stories was that even if a story did not resonate with me much I respected it being there getting recognition in a published book. The variety of stories were spot on and I was shocked by some of the stories that were in the collection.
On The Come Up
Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. No ifs, buts or maybes she’s determined to be in the top 5. The problem is she’s finding it really hard to get her come up, whilst juggling staying in a school that has already decided who she is.
Queenie
Queenie Jenkins has just broken up, gone on a break, from her long-term boyfriend Tom. He called for the break, not her! It’s the sort where you are single, single-ish for 3 months. Feeling vulnerable Queenie seeks temporary love from men in all different directions, who all bring baggage with them, (none of which seems to include condoms)
White Fragility: Why it's So Hard For White People to Talk About Racism
For someone like myself who sees things in black and white * no pun intended* it was beneficial to learn about the many shades of grey in between what I thought was so clear cut.