A few days into February and I thought it would be good to share some of the books I am looking forward to. These four books, coming this month, are set to be great reads. Here are my sought after books for February.
1. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
On the Come Up is Angie Thomas’ sophomore offering. Her first book, The Hate You Give, was a bestseller that was made into a film. Ms. Thomas writes biting fiction that reflects the often dangerous world of young black kids. On the Come Up was published on February 5th and tells the story of young Bri striving to be a great rapper. Her road to stardom is fraught with looming homelessness, and the reality of becoming who you are meant to be. Furthermore, it seems to be a honest look at the struggle of staying solvent when you are poor and working class.
2. An Unconditional Freedom by Alyssa Cole
An Unconditional Freedom is the third and last installment of Ms. Cole’s Loyal League series. These books take place during the time of the American Civil War and centers on slaves and freed slaves interacting in the turmoil of the times. In this book, we meet a freed man who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. He is eventually freed and joins the Loyal League, a collection of spies working to take down the Confederacy. I have enjoyed the first two books, which you can find here, and look forward to An Unconditional Freedom. Only problem is I have to wait until February 26th!
3. Separate by Steve Luxenberg
This book has a long subtitle, and I didn’t think it would fit in the heading. Specifically, Separate: The Story of Plessy v Ferguson, and America’s Journey from Slavery to Segregation, is the actual title. I wonder why that couldn’t have been shortened. It is a mouthful! This Supreme Court case ushered in the devastating idea of “separate but equal”. And if you know anything about American history, you know how disastrous that was. It set a dangerous precedent with far reaching implications. The book covers around 50 years in the lives of those involved with the case. It sounds fascinating for this history fan and drops on February 12th.
4. The Source of Self-Regard by Toni Morrison
I adore reading Toni Morrison. Her books always stretch my brain and makes me feel. A really huge deal in my world. This latest book, due February 12th, is a bit of a history of Toni Morrison collection. It includes essays, speeches, and meditations from the author over the past 40 years. That’s also its subtitle. The Source of Self-Regard: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Meditations is the full name. Ms. Morrison has a sharp mind and a sweeping view on race and how it impacts us. I’ve never read her nonfiction work, so I look forward to this peek into her mind.