Here’s the thing to remember about anti-racist book lists:
Read these, yes. But then read books that were not written as treatises on racism. Seek out Black art not only because it can teach you something about race but because Black people are simply doing extraordinary work.
Read Morrison as much for her prose and her mastery of pacing as for her politics. Read Ross Gay’s Book of Delights, an ode to little wonders and a reminder to look at the world with gratitude. Read Elizabeth Alexander’s stunning testament to grief and marriage, The Light of the World, and note the innovations in form as she mixes memoir with poetry and recipes, a collage meant to mirror her late husband’s paintings. Read NK Jemisin’s The Fifth Season and marvel at the worlds she builds.
Just a small reminder. Black art does not exist solely to educate non-Black people. Always be expanding your horizons.
