Books by BIPOC Authors That Changed My Life

1. Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

This is the first book that I can remember reading that was written by a non-white author. It was one of my favorite books growing up. It started the process of opening my eyes to the racism that is still rampant in our country. Set during Jim Crow, I remember being horrified that [white] people could treat others so horribly. I identified strongly with Cassie and remember crying on several occasions while reading this book. I read this book so many times the spine fell apart, so I don’t own a copy anymore. Interestingly, this book was banned in the 1990s and early 2000s because of ‘racial bias’ and racial epithets.  

2. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

I was nine years old, reading this book on the top bunk of my bed while my mom folded laundry in the next room, when I called out, “Mom, what’s rape?” She suddenly got very quiet. She checked to see what I was reading, and then we had a long talk. But what really stuck with me about this book was Maya’s spirit, her unwillingness to let her negative experiences define her. This book was also my first introduction to poetry, and Caged Bird remains to this day one of my all-time favorite poems. 

3. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah.

I read this book before my trip to Sierra Leone. Reading about the civil war in Sierra Leone and the horrors of child-soldiers gave me a frame of reference for the people and places I saw during the month I spent in that beautiful country. Reading this book helped to prepare me for the many difficult conversations and situations that cropped up along the way. On an uplifting note, we went to the town the author came from and happened to meet his grandmother. One of us had the book with us, and we showed it to her. She started crying when she recognized his face on the back cover: she hadn’t known he was still alive. We offered to try and connect with him once we got back to the US, but she insisted that just knowing he was alive was enough. That moment has stayed with me for a long time. 

4. Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin

The Inheritance Trilogy more than a gripping series that I couldn’t put down. It reminded me that not all fantasy needs to be western-centric, white-centric, or hetero-centric. Her gender-fluid, poly-amorous gods are a potent reminder that there’s a reason we need BIPOC LQBTQA authors in all genres.  

5. Becoming by Michelle Obama

I couldn’t stop quoting this book for months after I read it. So many poignant moments, so many incredible insights into what it means to be an American, especially a black American. After reading this book, I felt like I understood Michelle (and Barack) on a deep, personal level, which only increased my respect for them. I don’t read a lot of biographies, but this one was so full of truth and joy and personality that I couldn’t put it down.

6. Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brehnyah

This collection contains some of the most powerful short stories I have ever read. When we started the audiobook, my husband and I listened to the entirety “The Finkelstein Five” in total silence, completely absorbed. When it ended, we just sat in our shock. It was so beautifully written, so gut-wrenching that we were both moved to tears. I’m still working my way through the book (we listen to it on long car-rides, and since COVID, there haven’t been a lot of those), but those first few stories were so powerful it deserves a place on this list.

7. The Murmur of Bees by Sofia Segovia

One day, I hope to read this book in its original Spanish. The magical realism in this book is incredible. I love reading historical fiction and adore fantasy, but this was the first book I ever read that so beautifully blended the two. This book was an inspiration for several of my short stories.

8. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

I read this book in high school and it was one of those books that I read really slowly. Not because it was boring, but because there was so much to think through. It was my first adult(ish) experience learning about the social invisibility of black people in our country, and it left a mark. 

9. Better by Atul Gawande

This book made me so excited and proud to be a doctor. I read it during my first year of medical school and it lit a fire under me. I wanted to be an Ob/Gyn physician and to make a difference for my patients by ‘counting’ and noticing things others did not. Life didn’t turn out that way, but his words still ring true in my life as a writer.

10. The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu.

I was introduced to the works of Ken Liu through the animated short “Good Hunting,” in the Netflix series Love, Death, Robots. I was so excited to learn that he has several collections of short stories and I couldn’t wait to read them and I wasn’t disappointed.  The Paper Menagerie is so much fun! The writing is beautiful, creative and absolutely fascinating. Studying his works has helped me to become a better writer.

Bounus: Books I thought were by BIPOC authors but are not.

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee by Dee Brown

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble

Apparently, all my favorite books about Native Americans are not actually by Native Americans! I need to work on this. Comment if you have a suggestion for the next book by a BIPOC author that will rock my world!