Books to Brighten Your February
A bit about me, a word on Black books, a few works that have been on my mind this month
Oh! Hi!
First things first: a very warm welcome to all, regardless of how you found your way here! If you aren't familiar with me (for example, you stumbled upon my newsletter directly through Substack), I'm Courtney, a bookworm passionate about all things books and connecting folks to their next favorite read. You can find my Instagram account here, where you can view my previous thoughts (read: rants) about great books. Ultimately, with this newsletter, I hope to introduce you to fantastic books that are floating around in the world, some of which you may already have heard of, and others which might not yet be on your radar.
A quick word about this space: you’ll notice that the overwhelming majority of the books I discuss in this newsletter are written by people of color. That’s not an accident—in fact, there are a couple of reasons for this.
First, as a child growing up in a mostly white Midwestern neighborhood, most of the books to which I was exposed were authored by white writers. And while many of those books are near and dear to my heart (for instance, Anne of Green Gables), I was sorely in need of books that better reflected and spoke to my experiences as a Black girl. I can’t turn back the clock, but today I’ve found that my reading experience has improved dramatically after seeking out books by Black and other authors of color. Not only have I found books with which I deeply resonate, but I’ve also encountered works that have added unexpected textures and nuance to my understanding of the world. I can say with all certainty that the reading is so much better this side of things.
Second, publishing has historically been, and continues to be, overwhelmingly white. The lack of diversity within the industry has inevitably resulted in publishers disproportionately prioritizing and promoting works by white authors. Anyone who has set foot in a Barnes & Noble will notice that the first books that greet you, on the “BookTok” and “new and noteworthy” tables, are overwhelmingly penned by white authors. Our reading lists don’t exist in a vacuum—they are influenced by publishers who knowingly and unknowingly prioritize white voices (sometimes even for stories that concern people of color), by social media spaces that frequently center whiteness, and by bookstores that continue to place white authors at the forefront of their displays.
Phew! That’s a lot of words. But I hope that gives you a sense of the intentionality with which I approach reading. Reading is both an incredible pastime and a deeply political act. Elaine Castillo’s How to Read Now is a great resource for anyone who likes thinking about the general concept of reading. You can find my review for How to Read Now here—it’s one of my favorite 2023 reads.
In Celebration of Blackness All Day, Every Day
We’re quickly approaching the end of February, a month some people seem to have it out for. But more importantly, February is Black History Month—and while I’m a bit salty it’s the shortest month of the year, turns out there’s a really interesting reason for that.
Sadly, but unsurprisingly, we’re seeing an onslaught of attacks on the teaching of accurate history in the United States, and that includes Ron DeSantis’ attempts to ban Advanced Placement courses on African American studies. And while it’s easy to view this as an issue unique to Florida, other states have begun similar censorship campaigns, responding to and amplifying the moral panic surrounding “critical race theory.” But scores of lawmakers, educators, and other advocates have rightly emphasized time and again that critical race theory is only taught in law schools and other institutions of higher education—not, for example, to twelve-year-olds.
And while this is true, I want to emphasize something else here: critical race theory merely provides a framework for understanding the ways in which ideas of race have influenced laws and further entrenched systemic racism in this country. So, it comes as no surprise that individuals deeply invested in white supremacy are threatened by such a framework. If you’re interested in learning more about critical race theory beyond the headlines, I highly recommend checking out Kimberlé Crenshaw’s monumental 1989 law review article Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex—the origin of the term “intersectionality”—as well as Cheryl Harris’ Whiteness as Property. These works, along with others by Richard Delgado, Derrick Bell, and others, laid the groundwork for what we now know as critical race theory!
All of these current events underscore the importance of supporting Black authors and creatives. There’s been quite a few stellar debuts by Black authors in the past year that I think should be on way more folks’ radars because, whew, the talent is impeccable!
Post-Traumatic by Chantal V. Johnson. A young Afro-Latina lawyer struggles to come to terms with her traumatic past and her family’s continued dysfunction. This book questions what we owe our families and what is necessary for individual healing. Full review here.
Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm by Laura Warrell. Warrell’s debut follows an array of women who find their lives connected to that of a mystifying, womanizing musician named Circus Palmer (what a name!). This is a great book for readers who enjoy multi-perspective novels or interweaving short stories. I alternated between a physical copy and the audiobook, and both are great formats through which you can enjoy this book! Full review here.
Neruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera. An up-and-coming Dominican American lawyer struggles with her career, love life, and the recent upending of her NYC community, which is threatened by encroaching developers who seek to gentrify the area. Little does she know, her mother has a few tricks up her sleeve to stop the developers in their tracks. This goes well in conversation with Alyssa Cole’s When No One is Watching. Full review here.
This Here Flesh by Cole Arthur Riley. A powerful discussion of place, family, belonging, and faith. This book is deeply meditative, quietly stirring, and altogether a beautifully healing read. I still often find myself thinking about this book. Full review here.
I’ve got a few 2023 debuts that I’m looking forward to reading this year, including Jamila Minnicks’ Moonrise Over New Jessup, Kashana Cauley’s The Survivalists, Camonghne Felix’s Dyscalculia, and Tracey Rose Peyton’s Night Wherever We Go.
February Reads
All things considered, February’s been a pretty solid reading month for me! Some noteworthy reads:
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang. I ate this book up in around 6 hours! This was a fun and thought-provoking novel, and Kuang’s first foray into contemporary fiction. Yellowface, in which a struggling white author poses as a recently deceased and wildly successful Chinese American writer, examines the racial dynamics at play within the publishing industry, online (read: Twitter) Discourse, and so-called “cancel culture.” Fans of Elaine Hsieh Chou’s Disorientation and Mithu Sanyal’s Identitti are sure to enjoy this literary treat. This title comes out May 16, 2023—it’s the perfect beach read!
Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan. This truly stunning debut was right up my alley—a historical fiction book focused on a young woman and her family as the Sri Lankan Civil War upends life as they know it. As an eager medical student, Sashi hopes to do her part in healing her ailing community members, but as time passes and the war sweeps up more of her loved ones, she must make a series of increasingly fraught decisions. Brotherless Night ponders life amid unending violence, the lengths we will go for love, and the gendered dynamics of war. I would love to see this book get more attention, and have nothing but the highest expectations for anything Ganeshananthan produces next.
P.S.: For a different literary perspective on the Sri Lankan Civil War, check out Shehan Karunatilaka’s Booker Prize-winning The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. It’s incisive, it’s darkly humorous, and you absolutely won’t forget it.
Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez. Ever put down a book and ask “what did I just read?” Well, this is that book. It’s downright creepy, it gets under your skin, and I’m not sure I’d recommend reading it alone at night. In Enriquez’s epic tome, a young father with dark, supernatural powers attempts to protect his child from his in-laws, who are part of a mysterious and violent occult group focused on achieving eternal life. Set against the backdrop of 1980s Argentina, this book is absolutely not for the faint of heart, but may be a compelling read for lovers of horror. If you’re interested in giving this a try, definitely check out the content warnings on The Storygraph before diving in, as this book features a good amount of heavy and disturbing content.
Heavy by Kiese Laymon. This one is a truly unforgettable experience. Heavy is a stirring memoir in which Laymon considers his relationship, throughout his life, with his weight, his mother, and education. Laymon is incredibly vulnerable in these pages, challenging himself to come to terms with the ways in which misogynoir tainted his view of radical racial justice and the beauty of Blackness. You can find my full review of Heavy here, but the bottom line is this: you’ve just got to read this book if you haven’t already.
When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo. Yet another stellar 2022 debut that blew my socks off. Steeped in magical realism and rooted firmly in Trinidadian culture, When We Were Birds is a beautiful novel that considers our ties and duties to family, the power of love, and our relationship with death. A perfect book for fans of literary fiction with a bit of romance.
What I’m Reading Now
I’ve been venturing into the world of poly-reading—that is, juggling multiple books at once—and I have to say, I don’t mind it! It gives me a chance to stretch my mind in different ways depending on my reading mood, which recently…has been all over the place.
I’m about a quarter of the way through James Baldwin’s Another Country, and it’s absolutely excellent (but of course, that’s to be expected). As is true of his other works, Another Country is chock-full of striking prose and biting commentary on what it means to be Black in the United States. I’m going through it slowly because Baldwin’s writing is always something to be savored. I’ve also started up Ruth Wilson Gilmore’s Abolition Geography, which is much more academically-minded, but it’s a good break from some of the more literary books I’ve been reading. I’ve not read any of her other work, so I’m excited to see what’s in store! Lastly, I’ve been slowly making my way through Africa Risen, an anthology of Black-authored speculative fiction. There are some really creative stories in this collection, and I’m happy to see this book getting more attention in recent weeks.
That’s all for now! I’m hoping to send over some in-depth reviews of my recent reads, so definitely keep an eye out for that. In the meantime, have a great weekend, and happy almost-March!
Hello, Courtney, and congrats on a fab inaugural issue of your newsletter! --Jean Alicia Elster