ARC Review: “Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves” by Glory Edim

“Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves” by Glory Edim

Publishing Date: October 30th, 2018

Genre: Nonfiction, Essays, Writing

Page Length: 272 pages (electronic review edition)

Synopsis:

An inspiring collection of essays by black women writers, curated by the founder of the popular book club Well-Read Black Girl, on the importance of recognizing ourselves in literature.

Remember that moment when you first encountered a character who seemed to be written just for you? That feeling of belonging can stick with readers the rest of their lives–but it doesn’t come around as frequently for all of us. In this timely anthology, “well-read black girl” Glory Edim brings together original essays by some of our best black female writers and creative voices to shine a light on how we search for ourselves in literature, and how important it is that everyone–no matter their gender, race, religion, or abilities–can find themselves there. Whether it’s learning about the complexities of femalehood from Their Eyes Were Watching God, seeing a new type of love in The Color Purple, or using mythology to craft an alternative black future, each essay reminds us why we turn to books in times of both struggle and relaxation. As she has done with her incredible book-club-turned-online-community Well-Read Black Girl, in this book, Edim has created a space where black women’s writing and knowledge and life experiences are lifted up, to be shared with all readers who value the power of a story to help us understand the world, and ourselves. (description from Goodreads)

Review:

I had been highly anticipating this book since I first heard about it. I’ve been following Well Read Black Girl (WRBG) on Instagram and I love the diverse, multicultural books that they promote for their online book club. I commend Glory Edim for creating a space to spotlight black women’s literature and sharing on such a huge platform

This book is a wonderful collection of essays by black women (actresses, authors, poets) expressing their love for literature and reading. I loved how personal each essay was and how the collection focuses on recognizing yourself in literature.

No two essays are the same and each one feel so raw. It was interesting to read their experiences of how they developed a love for reading and which books impacted them the most in their lives. I found that a lot their favorite books were mine too and I liked how the explored the significance of the themes and characters in literature.

Another great addition to the book is that it not only compiles the reads from WRBG backlist, but it also shares curated lists of Sci-Fi, Poetry, Literary Fiction by black women. I learned about a lot of new reads from reading this book and now I have many additions to add to my ever-growing tbr list.

Definitely a recommended read!

Final Verdict:

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.