Chapter 8 - Colored Television

I have always been a big reader and have supported reading habits in both my children and grandchildren. Research shows that people/children who read fiction improve their capacity to understand others' thoughts and emotions. They also have a greater capacity for empathy and higher emotional intelligence. Reading also plays a major role in understanding diversity.

I love fiction because not only does it allow me to take on other lives but sometimes to even take on other skins. I can't be anything other than a 67 year old white woman but because of works of fiction written by other voices, in this case black authors, I can learn a little bit what it means to be somebody different. I have been lucky enough to read some wonderful black authors and, if you are looking for something good to read, not just for Black History month, let me suggest the following.

Red Clay by Charles B. Fancher - This multigenerational family saga spans from the Civil War to Reconstruction and beyone. When an old white women shows up on the doorstep of a black family the day after their patriarch dies, they are confused. She tells them that years ago her family owned theirs and that is where the story starts. Adelaide Parker tells her story and hopes that someone can help her fill in the gaps.

Colored Television by Danzy Senna - This is a humorous book with more than a little bite. Jane is excited that she will finally get to finish her second novel as she and her family house sit outside of LA. But plans don't always work as planned and Jane finds herself creating a sit-com with an ambitious producer of streaming TV shows. Senna is witty in her dialogue and skeptical of the American Dream for all in this clever book.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - This just came out as a movie but I'd suggest you read the book before you see the movie. When a young black boy, Elwood, is sentenced to the Nickel Academy in Florida because of a small infraction of the law, his only friend is another juvenile named Turner. They become friends as the brutality of the institution escalates leaving them only the hope that someday they might escape. This is based on an actual place in operation for over 111 years.

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson - This is another multigenerational story by the author of Black Cake. Ten year old Ebby sees her brother shot in their New England home and along with him a piece of pottery is shattered. The crime is never solved. When grownup Ebby's romance falls apart she heads to France to try to make sense of her life. She keeps going back to the time her brother was killed and the meaning of the pottery which was broken.

Long After We Are Gone by Terah Shelton Harris - Harris's first book One Day in Savannah was a favorite of mine a few years ago so when I got the chance to read this, I was delighted. Four siblings whose father owns the plantation property on which their ancestors were enslaved come together for his funeral. Each child has their own secrets which rear their heads as the family contemplates selling the property and moving on.

Do you have any great books to recommend for Black History Month? Please share!