We’ve got some pretty committed bookworms at Digital Additive, and our monthly book club has been going strong for several years now. That’s why this Black History Month, we thought we’d celebrate Black excellence on the page by sharing some of our team’s favorite Fiction, Nonfiction, Biography/Memoir, and Poetry by Black authors. Discover the books we love and why we love them below. Maybe even add a few to your To Be Read list!
NOTE: Check out the virtual store created by Brave + Kind, a wonderful, independent, Black-owned bookshop here in Atlanta. All purchases made through the links support them, and if you’re in ATL, be sure to give them a visit to buy some books for the young readers in your life.
Fiction
If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin
It’s a classic for a reason! Some of us had read this before and some had not, so it was really interesting to read this Lit 101 staple and discuss its themes and why the characters and plot of this Harlem-set love story survive today as a timeless tale. — DA Book Club
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
I love books on family and how we emerge from this microcosm as our own little weird person, and this book delivers! It’s a book about twin sisters, their relationships to each other, and their generational relationships which weaves such a beautiful and heartbreaking story. I really hope the limited series that is in the works does this book justice, because I would love to live in this story a bit longer. — Katie, Campaign Analyst
Honestly, this was probably one of my favorite books in 2021. It is about two identical twin sisters that separate after growing up in a small, southern Black community. The book follows their separate life journeys and how their race plays into their lives very differently for each of them. — Courtney, Account Director
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
This series set in the post-apocalyptic near future sometimes feels eerily prescient as it grapples with topics of climate change and social inequity. While some of the plot points leave me a bit ambivalent, there’s no denying Butler’s genius in exploring a hauntingly possible trajectory for this country and paving the way for other amazing stories, like those by N.K. Jemisin. — Kimmy, Senior Copywriter
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man” has always been a thought provoking book to me. I first read this book in my AP English class in high school and later again as an adult. Although it’s been some time since I’ve last read the book, it’s one of those books that you can read time and again and it feels like the first time you’ve opened the book. It’s a story that’s still relevant for me today. I like that the author used a series of stories to explore the psychological feeling of being a part of a society that doesn’t see him for who he is and frankly, invisible to the world. — Thrisa, People Operations Director
The Wedding Date Series by Jasmine Guillory
These are fun beach reads that follow a group of friends and how they find love in the most unlikely of places. — Lisa, Senior Designer
This is a fun series of books that is very light and all about love and romance. The Wedding Date is just the first book in the series that introduces us to characters who follow us throughout the series of books. The characters are all very charming, it’s hard to put down. So far I’ve enjoyed any book written by Jasmin Guillory. — Courtney, Account Director
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The Bluest Eye is timeless in its review of classism, race, gender, and true beauty. Toni Morrison’s writing style is amazing and allows the book to be enjoyed, even five decades later. — Aris, Account Executive
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Another title of the ever-talented Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon is a beautifully written novel that embodies the essence of grit. The main character, Milkman, epitomizes the spirit of perseverance, and you easily get lost in the story of his life as he maneuvers day-to-day, weighing life-altering decisions. — Aris, Account Executive
Even though I first read Song of Solomon in high school, I’ve probably returned to it 3 times since then. Morrison’s use of magical realism creates a transcendent book whose remarkable imagery offers readers new eyes for seeing nuances of the Black American experience. — Kimmy, Senior Copywriter
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
We enjoyed this book because it began with one small moment in a young woman’s life that she didn’t really have any agency over. But after the unraveling of the story, it showed how she owned her power and the agency she had to change her life. It is a coming of age story but also grapples with the perniciousness of white saviorism . — DA Book Club
Non-Fiction
White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson
Local to Atlanta as the Charles Howard Candler Professor of African American Studies at Emory University, Carol Anderson discusses systemic racism and the historical backlash, or white rage, that happens any time there’s advancement of racial equality. — Lisa, Senior Designer
Women, Race, & Class by Angela Davis
This is the history book that should be read in schools which discusses the truth about the women’s suffrage movement and Susan B. Anthony’s true role in it. — Lisa, Senior Designer
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
The title says it all! In his trademark accessible style, Neil deGrasse Tyson gives you all the high points of astrophysics. Whether you are looking to get aquatinted with the basics or want to brush up on what you maybe learned in college, this book is a great launchpad. — Tara, Operations Lead
Biography/Memoir
Ni**er an Autobiography by Dick Gregory
A memoir about the comedian and how he came up out of poverty to become a civil rights activist and the first Black comedian to appeal to white audiences. — Lisa, Senior Designer
We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby
This memoir is hysterical — like, you have to physically put the book down because you are laughing so hard hysterical. I also liked that it had quick, short chapters so if you only have a few minutes you can easily knock one out while waiting on that friend who’s always late. — Tara, Operations Lead
How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
This follows the life of Kendi who reflects on his own racism throughout the years as well as the different types of racism vs antiracism. Part memoir and part social commentary, the book offers a constructive dialogue about both individual and systemic changes.— Lisa, Senior Designer
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Oh my gosh, this book was so entertaining. I learned so much about apartheid, and got this really intimate view of his life and growing up in South Africa. Trevor Noah is hilarious and so smart and observant, I will probably re-read this book a few more times. — Katie, Campaign Analyst
The Audacity of Hope by Barak Obama
I like the Audacity of Hope because it is inspirational in that it promotes optimism and pure hope that the world we live in (in the US specifically) can, should, and will become a better place. — Brandie, Account Supervisor
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
This was a really tough, but important, book to read. Being more aware of the criminal justice system and its biases is certainly not a beach read, but we all came away from reading, seeing the movie (shout out to Feb 2020) and discussing this book far more aware and informed. — DA Book Club
Poetry
The Tradition by Jericho Brown
Local poet, Charles Howard Candler Professor of English and Creative Writing, and director of the Creative Writing Program at Emory University, Brown won a Pulitzer for this collection. In it, he delves into some of the grizzliest horrors of our time with immaculately chosen words and with unparalleled technical prowess. Atlanta is lucky to have him among our creative world. — Kimmy, Senior Copywriter
Trophic Cascade by Camille Dungy
Dungy’s poetry is disarming; what first appears to be an ode to the natural world takes on depth and shades of meaning as she weaves metaphor that makes something as simple as watching a bird feeder an act of immense weight and importance. — Kimmy, Senior Copywriter
“Harlem” from The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes captures the essence of life and its importance in “Harlem”. The poem engulfs you as you read every word, forcing you to face the irreversible fact that life is meant to be lived — and if not, you risk the possibility of unintentional squander. — Aris, Account Executive
Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine
What I love about this piece in particular is how piercing it is. Rankine uses every day stories and situations to showcase and/or expose inequality, discrimination, and overt racism in everyday America. — Kathleen, People Operations Coordinator
