7 Must-Read Books by Black Authors

Drew, a pediatric surgeon living in Los Angeles, and Alexa, the chief of staff for the mayor of Berkeley, Calif., begin a steamy romance after Alexa agrees to be Drew's pretend date for a wedding while they're stuck in an elevator together. I devoured this novel in two hours and recommend it to anyone wanting to read a smart romance novel starring a black woman.

To buy: $9; amazon.com.

I don't normally highlight or write in books, but I had to after reading Citizen. It is such an excellent meditation on race. It's a collection of essays, images, and poetry that will start a required conversation about a difficult topic. A desperately needed conversation, in my opinion.

To buy: $16; amazon.com.

Sarah M. Broom has written one of the best memoirs—ever. I'm calling it. Broom tells the story of her family history, but she uses the yellow shotgun house that her mother purchased in New Orleans as the starting and ending point. The house was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, but with Broom's excellent storytelling, it feels like a historical landmark.

To buy: $16; amazon.com.

In this winner of the 2019 Kirkus Prize in Nonfiction, Jones crafts a tender coming-of-age memoir, detailing his story of growing up as a young, black, gay man from the South. My heart ached while reading this memoir. It is an examination of race, queerness, and vulnerability that will stick with you.

To buy: $15; amazon.com.

There are very few memoirs about mental illness through the lens of what it also means to be black. Nigerian-American Ikpi explores her life in multiple frames—slam poet; mother; daughter; girlfriend—and shows readers what life looks like when you're living with bipolar II and anxiety. It reads like a stream of consciousness, which I found fascinating, and I know you will too.

To buy: $10; amazon.com.

2020 was our first year without Toni Morrison, but her loss was felt as soon as she left this earth. The Bluest Eye tells the heart wrenching story of Pecola Breedlove, a dark-skinned child who desperately wants blonde hair and blue eyes so she can fit in. Raising questions about race, gender, colorism, and more, Morrison's first novel is a masterpiece.

To buy: $9; amazon.com.

Written by the founders behind the profound hashtag and organization Black Lives Matter, this memoir details what it's like to be a Black woman living in a country that has not been kind to us. The world saw it differently and called them terrorists and a threat to America. Hearing their stories was refreshing and I will stand behind them forever.

To buy: $14; amazon.com.