This is a day late because a cold has sidelined me, but it is a long weekend here in the US because Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which is a federal holiday.
Monday is also Inauguration for the U.S. President. So, with that in mind, here are some “American themed” (very broadly speaking) suggestions for your next read.
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This is the story of Ifemelu, a Nigerian woman living in the US. The narrative moves between the past and the present and is interspersed with blog posts Ifemelu has written about life as a Non-American African in the U.S. This had me hooked immediately. The characters were real and vivid and it gave me so much to think about.
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
Beth and I both loved this book, a first in the series. It is an alternate history set immediately after the Civil War…but with zombies. It is written from the perspective of a Black woman who has to navigate both the terror of a zombie-filled world and the racism of the time period. Bonus, the audio book is read by one of my favorite narrators, Bahni Turpin.
Since he’s about to be our new vice president, you can take a whack at J.D. Vance’s memoir. The audiobook is read by the author and it is a well-written tale about his life growing up in Appalachia. Drug addiction, incarceration, lack of resources, broken families, grit, and perseverance all make an appearance. Honestly, I was lukewarm about the memoir when I read it first in 2018 and I’m still pretty meh about it now. But maybe you’ll like it better!
Ms. Marvel No Normal by G. Willow Wilson
Kamala Khan is such a wonderful character. I enjoy her so much. She is your typical American teenager, wanting to fit in but also stand out, wanting to make her parents happy but also follow her dreams. When she finds she has super powers, she does the only thing she can think to do, and that is help people. If you don’t know Kamala Khan, I highly recommend you give her comics a try.
2 Women, So Many Books 