Today’s my last day of recommendations before Christmas and for the year 2019! Bravo! If you’ve stuck with me until the end. I really appreciate it. My last recommendation is another really big favorite and it’s by one of my favorite authors too. I’m going to be talking briefly about Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat.
Krik? Krak! is a short story collection exploring life on the island of Haiti and what happens to be people when they try to immigrate to other places. Each short story is told with such authenticity readers won’t be able to put the book down. Danticat’s rich writing and relatable stories remind us of the difficulty of life, being an immigrant, being a woman, and being left behind. Krik? Krak! will give you a lot of food for thought. This book would make an excellent book club pick and would be a great place to start reading Danticat’s works. I recommend Krik? Krak! to first time readers of Danicat, die hard fans of Danticat, lovers of short story collections, and readers searching for Caribbean lit titles. Check out the video below where they are trying to make a film adaptation of the short story, Caroline’s wedding, in Krik? Krak!.
I’m going to also link their website here where they are tying to get donations to be able to finally finish the film.
Overview:
“When Haitians tell a story, they say “Krik?” and the eager listeners answer “Krak!” In Krik? Krak! Danticat establishes herself as the latest heir to that narrative tradition with nine stories that encompass both the cruelties and the high ideals of Haitian life. They tell of women who continue loving behind prison walls and in the face of unfathomable loss; of a people who resist the brutality of their rulers through the powers of imagination. The result is a collection that outrages, saddens, and transports the reader with its sheer beauty.” (Krik? Krak!, Back cover)
Krik? Krak! – Edwidge Danticat
Publisher: Vintage
Pages: 224
My rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
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I often hear people say that they no longer care to read fiction novels about slavery. I personally don’t have a problem with that, especially if I can read one that’s really good. Today’s recommendation is Family by J. California Cooper. This is a novel you should definitely put on your 2020 TBR if you haven’t read it yet.
to new readers of J. California Cooper, readers who don’t mind reading slave narratives, and readers looking for a short novel that packs a punch.
I had only read one excerpt from Alexandre Dumas’ writing in French many years ago, but this past October and November we all had the pleasure of reading in full The Count of Monte Cristo. I say all for those of you that joined in on my read along of this 1,276 page mammoth novel. Full of humor, intrigue, and large doses of shadiness, The Count of Monte Cristo kept me engrossed. So much so that I couldn’t be bothered to read very much alongside it. Beautiful writing that eases the reader into the period, the well constructed storyline, and the marvelously developed characters symbolize top reasons why the novel is so enchanting. It’s lovely to see how the rope of revenge tightens slowly and accurately over all the right people, at the right time, and without too much work. That’s the beauty of fiction.
check out these two Booktubers, who make superb videos. 🙂
Today’s recommendation I discovered in the spring of 2015. Water Street was one of the first few short story collections I had read in a long time that I thoroughly enjoyed. Fourteen connected short stories set in Stanford, Kentucky in the black community. I was amazed to see how well Wilkinson linked each character and unveiled their secrets. Water Street has that southern literary flair that I love to read. The style of writing is through short narratives and monologues. You’re probably thinking that this makes the short stories feel unfinished but in fact they are full of impressions and feelings that are familiar.
novel), and 
Today’s recommendation is one of our ReadSoulLit read along books from a few years ago called 
This year I chose this next 24 Books to Christmas book for the February 
craves, control is paramount, especially control of the men Mae attracts like moths to a flame.
24 Books to Christmas is really making me look back on my past reading. There are so many really great books that I’ve read in the recent past but also in the far away past. I decided to go with The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks about Race for day 4.
. I recommend this essay collection to readers looking for and excellent nonfiction read, readers who desire to learn more about living in the United States as a black person, and who are interested in reading nonfiction pieces from some of their favorite black authors.
Today’s recommendation was an easy choice – 
inspirational read. What more to get me in the mood to write more frequently and with intention. If this book taught me anything it’s that there is no wrong way or right way to write a book. I recommend it to understand some very well known writers better. I also recommend it to people who are looking for black authors they may not know but should read because they are all very important ones. Last but not least, you’ll get a bunch of backlist book recommendations from brilliant writers to round off your TBR lists. The Word is a hidden jewel that should not be missed. It would make a wonderful Christmas gift to avid readers and people who are interested in writing.
beautiful and the characters were messy and kept me looking for what was going to happen next. There were quite a few poignant, unforgettable scenes too. The original French work was written in epistolary form but this was written as a novel allowing for more creative license to fit the story to 1940s Harlem. I highly recommend it. I also held a live discussion on my YouTube with a few Booktubers and the author Sophfronia Scott. That was AWESOME! If you’d like to watch it just click 
didn’t wow me as much as I thought it would. I liked it because of the premise and the bold statements it makes but I felt like the main character’s voice was so domineering that it took me away from the overall feeling of the novel. The tone of We Cast a Shadow is very particular. I’m not sure how to describe it – dystopian but not really. The book explores the black unnamed main character who is married to a white woman and has a son named Nigel. The main character would like his son to undergo a demelanization(change his skin color and features to that of a white person’s) operation so that he can no longer have problems living in the world as a black person. The book is full of hard, sad truths, even today. You can see more about how I felt in my video review 
The Post-Racial Negro Green Book is a must read. It gives the statistics on race relations in the United States state by state. It give the percentage of blacks per state in proportion to whites. The poverty rate, unemployment rate, imprisonment ratio are given as well as information on whether the state has an open permit and stand your ground law. The number of hate groups are numbered and it is mind-boggling the quantity per state. We have some serious issues to work through in the states if we ever want to improve and get to a peaceful existence. Finally the percentage of black victims of law enforcement killings from 2013 – 2016 are TOO DAMN high! Whether there are large demographic of blacks in the state or not racism is still rampant. Incidents of racism being perpetrated by not only police officers but by mayors, fire chiefs, sheriffs, etc. The book cites racist incidents after another throughout the union from racial slurs oral and written everywhere even universities 
and incidents that have led to deaths. White America when are you going to fix this? You’re in control! This book left me feeling helpless, pessimistic, and dejected.
Finally the last book I read in February was The Tattooist of Auschwitz. This book is a historical fiction novel based on the life of real people. This was my book club’s March pick. Sadly this one was not my cup of tea. You can check out my Goodreads review 
Poetry is not something I pick up very much but in the past 4 years I’ve had the pleasure of reading some fantastic poetry collections. This year has started with Dear Ancestors Poems & Reflections on the African Diaspora by CP Patrick, author of the compelling novel The Truth About Awiti. There are poems in this collection that come from The Truth About Awiti. I strongly recommend you check it out because it is quite the story with a dash of fantasy and deals with the African diaspora and the transAtlantic slave trade.