About this item
An inspiring collection of essays by black women writers, curated by the founder of the popular book club Well-Read Black Girl, on the importance of recognizing ourselves in literature.Remember that moment when you first encountered a character in a book who seemed to be written just for you? That feeling of belonging remains with readers the rest of their lives - but not everyone regularly sees themselves on the pages of a book. In this timely anthology, "well-read black girl" Glory Edim brings together original essays by some of our best black female writers to shine a light on how important it is that everyone - regardless of gender, race, religion, or ability - can find herself in literature. Contributors include Jesmyn Ward (Sing, Unburied, Sing) , Lynn Nottage (Sweat) , Jacqueline Woodson (Another Brooklyn) , Gabourey Sidibe (This Is Just My Face) , Morgan Jerkins (This Will Be My Undoing) , Tayari Jones (An American Marriage) , Rebecca Walker (Black, White and Jewish) , and Barbara Smith (Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology) Whether it's to learn about the complexities of femalehood from Zora Neale Hurston and Toni Morrison, to find a new type of love in The Color Purple, or to use mythology to craft an alternative black future, each essay reminds us why we turn to books in times of both struggle and relaxation. As she has done with her book club-turned-online community Well-Read Black Girl, Glory Edim has created a space in which black women's writing and knowledge and life experiences are lifted up, to be shared with all readers who value the power of a story to help us understand the world and ourselves.
About the Author
Glory Edim is the founder of Well-Read Black Girl, a Brooklyn-based book club and digital platform that celebrates the uniqueness of Black literature and sisterhood. In fall 2017 she organized the first-ever Well-Read Black Girl Festival. She has worked as a creative strategist for over ten years at startups and cultural institutions, including The Webby Awards and the New York Foundation for the Arts. Most recently, she was the Publishing Outreach Specialist at Kickstarter. She serves on the board of New York City's Housing Works Bookstore.
