Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo was a joy to read and one of my absolute favorites this year. This is a book I read right after finishing Communion: The Female Search For Love by bell hooks. Communion is a nonfiction book focusing on women, love, and patriarchy; it’s profound. Reading Communion before reading Girl,…
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Let me ask you, reader, how well do you know your parents? Do you know their stories? Do you know all the paths that led them to their current circumstances? Of course, some of you may answer yes to all these questions, which might be accurate, but I urge you to dig a little deeper…
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As humans, I think we are fixated on our realities. It is so easy for me to constantly focus on life’s difficulties, ruminating on how things could be better. But, until I encounter another individual, who openly shares their situation, I realize it could be far worse. Not to say my problems are not significant,…
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Recently, I read Monster in the Middle by Tiphanie Yanique for book club. The novel centers on Fly, a Black-American man, and Stella, a Caribbean woman, who meet in New York City in the present time. It spans several decades, and its characters travel across the continental United States, to the Virgin Islands, and Ghana.…
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*Spoiler Alert* As I stare out the window on this bleak, snowy morning, I contemplate Toni Morrison’s book, Recitatif, and my prejudices. As humans, we like to think we are perfect and have no bias, but we do! What are yours? Recitatif, the only short story by Morrison, was written in 1980 and was first published…
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If someone stopped me on the street and asked me to use a few words to express what it means to be a Black woman in the United States, I would say pure exhaustion, frustration, and rare moments of exhilaration. Why these particular terms? Because no matter how astute, accomplished, attentive or agreeable you are,…
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Love – such a simple word, but is it? On quick reflex, I characterize love as respect, trust, having deep affection, and this nebulous warm and fuzzy feeling. What is the first thing you think of when you see this word? Have you spent much time reflecting on this term? How do you define it?…
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The premise of the novel Open Water sounds like a must-read. A beautiful love story with a male protagonist? Yes, yes! Set in the United Kingdom and written by a black male? Hmm, intriguing. Even the book cover is enticing, so how can I pass on this book? Read below to find out! The novel…
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Even though I love Toni Morrison for her brilliance, poetic lines, and spectacular word choices – I was not fond of Song of Solomon.In this novel, Morrison fleshes out black men while focusing on self-image and self-discovery. Although I was not keen on this book and would not recommend it, chapter 6 left me in…
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Absorbing and interpreting Toni Morrison’s novels is no easy feat! At a young age, I was a voracious reader and spent countless hours browsing local libraries. My dad recommended The Bluest Eyes, her first novel, and to say it was a difficult read would be an understatement. On multiple occasions, I would read the first page,…
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Bookish Naija Gal 