Celebrating Black Voices

Posted on: February 7, 2023

2023 is the 28th year of Black History Month officially in Canada, and the Black History Month theme this year is: “Ours to Tell”.  This reminds us that we each have a story that is worthy of being shared, of being heard, and of being honoured.  It represents both an opportunity to engage in open dialogue and a commitment to learning more about the stories Black communities in Canada and beyond, have to tell about their histories, successes, sacrifices and triumphs.  Celebrate and learn more about Black history, stories and experiences with these books from influential Black voices, available at Coles:

THE SLEEPING CAR PORTER
by Suzette Mayr
Historical Fiction

This multi-award winning novel by Canadian author Suzette Mayr, brings to life an important part of Black history in North America, from the perspective of a queer man living in a culture that renders him invisible in two ways.  Affecting, imaginative, and visceral enough that you’ll feel the rocking of the train, The Sleeping Car Porter is a stunning accomplishment.

HOLD MY GIRL: A NOVEL
by Charlene Carr
Fiction
A heart-wrenching novel about two women whose eggs are switched during IVF .  With themes of racial identity, loss and betrayal, this emotional novel centered around a difficult moral question, Canadian writer Charlene Carr, beautifully explores the complexities of motherhood.

MAAME: A NOVEL
by Jessica George
Fiction

The New York Times calls this debut smart, funny, and deeply affecting novel from London-based Jessica George “Sparkling”.  With a light but firm touch, she illustrates the casual racism a young Black woman named Maddie faces in the British workplace and how cultural barriers can stand in the way of aspects of contemporary life such as understanding and treating depression.  A charming yet, deeply moving read.

NO BOOTSTRAPS WHEN YOU’RE BAREFOOT: MY RISE FROM A JAMAICAN PLANTATION SHACK TO THE BOARDROOMS OF BAY STREET
by Wes Hall
Business Biography

From one of Canada’s most successful business leaders, the founder of the BlackNorth Initiative and the newest and first Black Dragon in the Dragon’s Den comes a rags-to-riches story that also carries a profound message of hope and change.

A DIFFERENT DRUMMER
by William Melvin Kelley
Fiction

This is the story of Tucker Caliban, a black Southerner who one day salts his fields, burns down his house, kills his livestock and, with his wife and child, sets off a mass exodus of his mythical state’s entire black population.  Decades after its first publication in 1962, this stands as an extraordinary and prescient triumph of satire and spirit.

SOMEONE HAD TO DO IT: A NOVEL
by Amber And Danielle Brown

A fast-paced and compelling debut thriller from author duo Amber Brown and Danielle Brown.  A dark and riveting page turner that has the allure of pulling off the perfect crime with an intelligent twist.

THE WORLD WE MAKE: A NOVEL
by N. K. Jemisin
Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Award-winning and bestselling author N.K. Jemisin crafts a fabulous tale of identity, resistance, magic and myth.  This sci-fi novel is the conclusion (pick up the first story, The City We Became)  in her Great Cities Duology which combines urban fantasy, science fiction, politics, and horror.

Explore Coles for more storytelling by renowned and emerging Black authors, and make sure to tag @cloverdale; sharing what books you have dove in to recently.

~Gillaine, Marketing Coordinator

Images #2–3: @indigo