The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish
I honestly did NOT like this book at first. Even though I hadn’t seen Girls’ Trip or anything else with her in it (as far as I know), I saw previews for this book months ago and was just really excited to read it. Within the first couple pages I could tell her writing was going to annoy me. As she explains early on in the book, she had a rough childhood and didn’t learn to read until 9th grade. Although I appreciate the fact that she wrote in her authentic voice, her writing style and (lack of) editing really got on my nerves and almost made me put the book down! Nonetheless, I kept reading and I am glad I did. She is hilarious and has some WILD stories. In one chapter, she talks about how her ex was pimping behind her back, and after a nasty breakup she ended up stealing his hoe and pimping her out – WTF! I definitely recommend this as a light and quick read, even if you have never heard of Tiffany before.
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
I picked up this book because I had read a collection of short stories by this author and was eager to read her other works, and I was not disappointed. This novel is written in my favorite style: switching narrators/perspectives each chapter. For some reason I find novels to be more interesting and easier to read that way. The narrators weave a story of hurt and pain carried through generations in the rural South, and the unease that spirits carry with them as they try to find peace and resolution in the afterlife. I got through it quickly, but it is not a light read! Prepare yourself for some emotional discomfort – in a good way though. If you enjoy this, make sure to check out some of Ward’s other books that are on my list.
We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates
This is the most recent book of his, and I quite possibly my favorite. I will be honest, a lot of his references and main points will make a LOT more sense if you read his other two books, but you can definitely get a lot out of this book if you haven’t read them (yet). He divides the book up into eight parts: each section is dedicated to an essay written by Coates in each respective year of Obama’s presidency, preceded by an introductory essay that serves as an explanatory precursor to each essay, as well as a reflection on why it was relevant at the time of writing or what other thoughts he has developed on the topic since writing the essay. There is also an epilogue about President Trump (ugh). Truthfully, it is a beautifully written piece on racism and being Black in America, as are his other two books. He delves into a lot of intense topics, offering personal experience, wisdom from classic authors such as James Baldwin, and a great deal of research he collected on each topics within the essays. My favorite (and longest) essay was on the topic of reparations, which he so eloquently presents an argument for that is both convincing and moving. Toward the end of the essay, he mentions how Germany paid reparations to Israel post-Holocaust and how beneficial it was to not only the development of Israel’s economy, but to the healing of the people ravaged by the horror of the Holocaust. That part was especially relevant to me, and I enjoyed learning something new about the reparations paid to Israel. If you have read any of this other books, or have been wanting to check one out, I absolutely recommend this one! These kind of books only become more relevant as years pass, which is both remarkable and unfortunate at once, as we still have yet to get past racism in this country. This is America!
