Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves

I am not a Black girl, nor am I a girl anymore. So. So what am I doing requesting to read and review Edim's anthology, Well-Read Black Girl? I'll tell you why. As a librarian, I want to be prepared for anyone of any color, of any age, of any self-identified gender, anyone at all to ask me for a book recommendation. Librarians, take note: Edim puts together a well-crafted and thoughtful list of books to read. Like Nancy Pearl in her Lust books, Edim compiles recommendations for all types of reading: genres like classics, fantasy, science fiction, plays and poetry; or themes like feminism, childhood, and friendship. There is a book for that. And that. That, too. Despite the wealth of information in Edim's various lists I actually loved show more the essays even more. Women with varying careers and backgrounds and life experiences weigh in on what book meant the most to her or had a lasting impact while growing up. You hear from not just authors, journalists and playwrights but an activist, an actress, a producer; people outside the realm of putting pen to paper. It is a joy they share their thoughts with eloquence and grit. Their stories truly bring a deeper meaning to the books they mention. Their words make you want to go back and reread the stories with a different perspective. show less

This is a delightful and poignant collection of essays by Black women writers about their experience of reading. The essays vary in terms of personal detail but each one documents the role of reading in providing the reader with a mirror, with empowering the reader to find her own voice, believe in her own story, and take the risk to create written worlds of her own. The essays include explorations of culture, creativity, family and community -- and how each of these weaves into a person's consciousness and determination to write. And the lists! If you're one who keeps lists of books you want to read or reread, this little volume is for you. Oh, and the art is lovely, creating a sweet combination of book as physical object and book as show more thought-provoking content. show less

A small but thoughtful book about reading, writing and the importance of representation. Every essay is a mini-memoir, discussing each person's individual experiences of being seen (or unseen), both in literature and in the outside world, and in many cases paying homage to the books where they saw themselves reflected for the first time. There is pain and regret to be sure, but also nostalgia and delight and humor.

Least favorite piece: Bsrat Mezghebe's, mostly because her essay cites Roald Dahl as a major influence -- which doesn't quite fit with the theme of this anthology.

Favorite piece: N.K. Jemisin's, because her piece is funny and passionate and takes absolutely no prisoners.

The only downfall is that now my list of titles and show more authors to look into has gotten a lot longer! show less

Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves is an anthology of essays by black writers, journalists, and activists about being readers, lovers of books, and finding themselves in literature that inspired their lives.

The anthology is more about these women's experiences as readers or young readers, or it takes this as the main starting point for each story. Inevitably, this made me think about my own reading experience while I was reading this book. Reading this anthology as a white woman, an immigrant, a non-American, a scientist, and a queer person is a strange experience. On the one hand, the book feels special, special for those who are not me in many ways, but particularly in their skin color. In this show more particular way, not being a part of the world so intricately described by these women, perhaps I experienced reading as an outsider, the way many of these women describe reading white literature, where they were not included or represented in any real way (the very big difference being that I, my white self, do not lack representation in literature, but this brings me to the next point:) On the other hand, the book offers many ways in which the contributors are/were just like me: not fitting clothes meant for "normal" girls, having crushes on boys and girls, not being able to afford things others around you or at school might easily afford, feeling a kind of rage against those who have told and retold the myth that your kind is inferior to theirs, being a girl who wants to become a scientist (and not a mother or someone's wife)... In the end, good writing is about life, and there's always something that's not like us and something that's like us in it, capturing our uniqueness and our commonalities seemingly in one sweep.

Why did I read this book? To understand, is the first answer that comes naturally. Though it is impossible for me to ever truly understand how it feels to be a black woman now, let alone in the '50s or before, or to be a black girl growing up, I can come to a sort of understanding by way of extrapolations from my own life as a woman, an immigrant, a queer. This understanding is a misshapen, poorly examined thing that doesn't make too much sense, granted, but it's still a part of me that I will keep, in support, and hopefully, for further understanding.

Recommended for those who like to read about women reading lots and lots.

Thanks to LibraryThing and the publisher for a free copy of this book for my review. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and will be thinking about it for a long while. show less

“Well-Read Black Girl” packs a lot into a relatively small space, and the result is a book that seems deceptively simple at first glance. The text anthologizes 21 essays by and conversations with contemporary black female writers on the books that inspired and continue to inspire them. The contributors range from playwright Lynn Nottage to actress, writer, and director Gabourey Sidibe to young adult author and COO of We Need Diverse Books Dhonielle Clayton, and they books the women describe are as varied as their backgrounds and occupations. While some, such as Toni Morrison’s Beloved and The Bluest Eye, are well-known and perhaps expected, others, including Roald Dahl’s Boy, are surprising. The diversity of contributors and show more books discussed keeps the text engaging and lively, and it encourages the reader to consider not only the role of books in these women’s lives but also the importance that finding oneself in books holds for all readers, especially those who from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Interspersed with these essays are recommendations for books by and about black women in a variety of genres, including science fiction, poetry, and memoir. This feast of literary discussions and suggestions will leave readers adding to their book lists and pondering what books have shaped their own lives and perceptions. show less

Well-Read Black Girl is a beautifully designed anthology with contributions from black women writers like Jesmyn Ward, Tayari Jones, Nicole Denns-Benn and N. K. Jemisin. Some write about influential works, some write about writing, and some write about the experience of being a black woman. The thought-provoking essays cover a common theme; many discuss feeling invisible or noting an absence of people like them in their reading. Ward loved reading as a kid, but notes, "I read voraciously for years, searching for a girl like me but more than me. But I never found the book that allowed me entry, granted me succor in story, and a home after the last page until I wrote my own."
These essays certainly give me a lot to consider, especially as show more I choose materials for my classes.

The anthology can also serve as an introduction to those who are not familiar with black women writers. The essays and the lists of works give readers a place to start. I was pleased to see I had read many of the works listed, but there were many more unknown to me. I certainly have some reading ahead.

The graphics and the line portraits are pleasing and make this a book I will keep on my shelves. show less

This small volume is packed with passion. A breadth of women reflect on pivotal moments that shaped them as black writers and readers. A testament to the importance of representation in media, these essays speak to the transformative potential of seeing oneself, one's family, one's culture, reflected in literature from an early age. I am deeply grateful for both the short reading lists and the longer one towards the end of the book.