FICTION BOOKS

J. California Cooper – starting with The Wake of The Wind – One of our all time favorite authors. She started with short stories but evolved with novels and Wake of the Wind is my favorite. I used to go to her book signings where she told us, “All I do is write about people breaking the ten commandments.” She was absolutely delightful to experience. I love her writing because it is “downhome” southern, and inviting.

Toni Morrison – starting with The Bluest Eye  What a great loss in 2018. One of Oprah’s favorite authors. (She was an Aquarius so you really have to stay with her on the page, but it’s always worth it.) The Bluest Eye is a quick read along with Sula. A very intellectual and spiritual writer. The kind you have to read her sentences more than once. The documentary The Pieces I am is currently streaming. Such a shame it went in and out of the theaters in 2018.

Octavia Butler – starting with Kindred (Science Fiction)  If you love Science Fiction you will LOVE Octavia! She died too young. Filmed interpretations of her books are finally in the works!! I read this in three days in undergrad. True page turner.

Ernest Gaines – A Lesson Before Dying – A classic award winning book (and play) offers insight into unjust imprisonment just like James Baldwin’s If Beale Street Could Talk which was made into a film.

Walter Mosley – starting with Devil In A Blue Dress – If you love mysteries The Easy Rawlins series will keep you on your toes and teach you history of the communities that they take place in at the same time. The most colorful characters jump off the page especially the character of Mouse which Don Cheadle embodied in the film based on book #1. The movie was good but Walter’s books are everything! Mom was a HUGE fan!!!

Bebe Moore Campbell – starting with Your Blues Ain’t Like Mine  – Great book for White Women who want to understand Black Women. One of Mom’s faves. We both LOVED her books.

Bernice McFadden – starting with Sugar which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary – One of my absolute favorite authors! Readers loved Sugar so much that Bernice created a sequel for us years later, This Bitter Earth. She also writes non-fiction. Just a fabulous writer!