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100 Essential New Works of Fiction by Black Authors
In celebration of Black History Month in the U.S., this year we've gathered together a collection of fiction from Black authors going back a decade. The idea here is to present a sampling of essential works in a variety of genres; these include books that reshaped their respective fields, collected accolades from readers, and are just plain beloved by Goodreads members.
A few caveats: One hundred books is still just a small sampling of the scope of Black fiction in the past 10 years—feel free to make your own suggestions and recommendations in the comments section. It’s all about readers helping other readers. (It is!) Also, genre is a forever-slippery substance. Designations like historical fiction and mystery and romance can and do overlap. We took our best shot, sorting-wise.
Some highlights: Author James McBride made a big splash last year with his fascinating historical mystery The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, concerning race and prejudice, humor and hope. Short fiction fans may want to consider Deesha Philyaw’s acclaimed 2020 collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies. For state-of-the-art speculative fiction, N.K. Jemisin’s instant classic The Fifth Season took home a Hugo Award, a Goodreads Choice Award, and about 20 other honors in 2015.
Browse around below for plenty of other interesting points of departure in honor of Black History Month: A complex love story in the contemporary New South. Horrors both real and supernatural in Jim Crow Florida. The bleeding edge of literary crime fiction. Click through the book cover images for more information about each title, and add anything enticing to your own Want to Read shelf.
Historical Fiction
Contemporary Fiction
Romance
Fantasy & Science Fiction
Mystery
Young Adult
Horror
Short Story Collections
Your turn, dear readers! What books would you add to this collection? Tell us all about your recommendations in the comments below!
Comments Showing 1-50 of 99 (99 new)
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Law
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Jan 30, 2024 05:39AM
No Maame? It should be on there.
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Great list! Many wonderful reads! Deesha Philyaw is a must read!
Thanks for the list, Cybil!
An American Marriage was a letdown, overhyped and overrated. Homegoing on the other hand was a masterful debut.
For the Dutch readers: zolderkind (Lola Jaye)
To classify the last decade as "new" seems strange.
Twerking wrote: "No."lmao dont read then?
The Secret of Laurel Oaks by Lois Ruby in YA
Law wrote: "No Maame? It should be on there."ABSOLUTELY
Law wrote: "No Maame? It should be on there."Omg yeees! I loved that book. One of my favorite reads of 2023
"essential new works" half these titles were released within the past 3 years...Goodreads PLEASE get someone on the pulse of NEW RELASES BY BLACK AUTHORS. Thanks.
Monday's Not Coming should be here too!
Between the world and me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
For fantasy readers: I really enjoyed Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen and A Song of Wraiths and Ruin and A Psalm of Storms and Silence by Roseanne A Brown
Does poetry count as a separate genre or is it grouped under short fiction? This list needs some poetry categories.
Good list, but I would not call books released in the past decade "new." It would be cool to have a list of books that are coming out soon or that came out just this past year.
I would add Karen Lord's SFF work, she is excellent and very underrated.
So many great books missing. This list should be WAY more extensive.
Taske wrote: "When we celebrate White History Month ?Of course, the question is hypothetical, a writer is a writer for me, regardless of gender, race, nationality... That's why I find these celebrations funny."
And here is proof that not everyone who reads, learns.
A Sci-Fi list without Octavia E Butler? Whaaaaat?!
Vanessa (Newville PA) wrote: "Thanks for the list, Cybil!"You're welcome, Vanessa! We hope you find lots of great books to read.
Maame should be on this list. Frying Plantain was a good one too
I highly recommend Kimberly Lemming if you are interested in Romantasy. I love the world building and her writing is hilarious. There is some spice (which isn't usually my jam) but I loved the banter and the MCs feel so relatable.
No poetry? What about titles releasing this year? Where are the independent authors and self-published titles? So many things seem to be missing here.
Samaire wrote: "A Sci-Fi list without Octavia E Butler? Whaaaaat?!"I was shocked she wasn't on the list. She is iconic. It does say new so maybe that's why she was excluded.
Ohhh, these are new books! I was about to be appalled there was no Baldwin or Morrison.
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb is another recent fave!
Behind Her Lives by Briana Cole was also really good.
I adored Stories from the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana
shoesforall wrote: "Where is Leonard Pitts Jr?"Thanks to this post I was turned onto a new author. The Last Thing You Surrender is a Must Read.
Georgina wrote: "Does poetry count as a separate genre or is it grouped under short fiction? This list needs some poetry categories."Absolutely! These are from the UK so not sure if they're available to US readers, but highly recommended; Jason Allen-Paisant's Self Portrait as Othello (won a prize last week too), Manorism by Yomi Sode, Zaffar Kunial's England's Green & Safiya Kinshasa's Cane, Corn & Gully.
I also loved Maame, but Natasha Brown's Assembly was devastatingly special.
Law wrote: "No Maame? It should be on there."rightttt i was looking for it
to all my melanin-rich brothers and sisters, let us always be celebrating your beauty.👑
it'd be more than important to add a memoir and non-fiction section
Africa Risen deserves to be in the short story collections category as well
Grace wrote: "Come on Cybil! How are these new?"First sentence: "In celebration of Black History Month in the U.S., this year we've gathered together a collection of fiction from Black authors going back a decade."
Its a shame all the books to read lists from goodreads ignores non-fiction
Alena wrote: "Taske wrote: "When we celebrate White History Month ?Of course, the question is hypothetical, a writer is a writer for me, regardless of gender, race, nationality... That's why I find these celeb..."
There is no White History Month because only white history is taught most of the year?
Wheres Punching The Air? And Dear Martin?
Even for Black History Month, Goodreads couldn't break its rule of shortchanging male authors in its lists. Black men write books too.
