top of page
Search
Writer's picturePaige Norris

10 Books to Read by Marginalized Writers

Over the weekend, I caught up with a close friend from high school over a three hour FaceTime session. We spent a significant portion of this three hours discussing books we’ve read, and the new movies and shows we've seen in the past several months. Much of our conversation centered around bad books. We lamented what we saw as a gap in publications by marginalized writers (defined here as non-cis/het/white/male) with beautiful prose and well-constructed narratives. I am struck by novels being championed simply because they check "diversity boxes." Often, these books discuss what it's like for marginalized communities without feeling like they're truly written for the communities they're talking about. So, that being said, I wanted to share ten impactful novels written by marginalized writers. But before we dive in, should you wish to purchase any of the following books, consider ordering online here and supporting your local bookstore. COVID-19 has dramatically impacted the ability for small businesses to stay operational. Now more than ever, they need our support. And now, onto the books!  

1. The Vegetarian - Han Kang

The Vegetarian is a deeply unsettling three-part novel set in modern day Seol, South Korea. It tells the story of a young woman, Yeong-hye, who decides to stop eating meat after she has a bloody and violent dream. Her decision to abstain from eating meat and refusal to give in to her husband's and family's demands demonstrates a break from her usual subservient and docile manner - one that ultimately has devastating consequences.




2. Speak Gigantular - Irenosen Okojie

Speak Gigantular is a collection of fascinating, disturbing, erotic and enigmatic short stories. Dive into stories of lonely and lovesick aliens abducting unsuspecting waitresses, a mother desperate to protect her child from cruel bullies, the search for a missing child with down syndrome and many more curious and imaginative narratives.


3. Her Body and Other Parties - Carmen Maria Machado 

Her Body and Other Parties weaves together science fiction, horror and psychological realism into a thrilling collection of short stories. Especially Heinous is perhaps the most well known of this collection and is centered around the reimagination of every episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. "Earthy and otherworldly, antic and sexy, queer and caustic, comic and deadly serious, Her Body and Other Parties swings from horrific violence to the most exquisite sentiment. In their explosive originality, these stories enlarge the possibilities of contemporary fiction."






4. Alias Grace - Margaret Atwood

Alias Grace is a historical fiction novel based on the true story of the 19th century alleged murderer Grace Marks. Set in 1843, Grace Marks is accused of murdering her employer, his housekeeper, and his mistress. She is sentenced to life in prison but claims to have no memory of the murders. An up-and-coming expert in the field of mental illness is hired to help unlock her memories and discover what truly happened.

5. The Milkman - Anna Burns

The Milkman takes place in an unnamed city in Northern Ireland sometime in the late seventies. It is a place where to stick-out, or as the protagonist, Middle Sister puts it, "to be interesting" is dangerous. So when a local paramilitary man, the Milkman, takes a romantic (or rather, sexual) interest in Middle Sister, rumours spread and the threat of violence lingers over her every move.






6. The Fifth Season - N.K. Jemisin

It's the end of the world and Essun, an ordinary woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to realize that her husband has murdered their son and abducted their daughter. At the same time, the empire, Sanze, which has been the basis of civilization for thousands of years, has collapsed and the majority of its citizens have been murdered. Now Essun must cross a dangerous and dying land in order to save her daughter.

7. The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd

The Secret Life of Bees is set in 1964 in South Carolina. It tells the story of a young girl, Lily Owens who, haunted by blurred memories of her late mother and the continued abuse of her father, escapes to South Carolina with her "stand-in-mother," Rosalee. There, they discover secrets of Lily's mother's past develop new relationships that will change their lives. A story of race, love, growing up, and what it means to be a family. This book has been a favorite of mine for many years.


8. Mom & Me & Mom - Maya Angelou 

Maya Angelou needs no introduction. Mom & Me & Mom is the seventh and final book in a series of autobiographies. While it delves into details of her past, it primarily focuses on her relationship with her mother and her grandmother and explores the complex relationship all mothers and daughters have.

9. How to Be a Woman - Caitlin Moran

How to Be a Woman is a hilarious, engaging, and all-too relatable memoir that every woman should read. The following are just a few of the questions Moran addresses in her book: "Why are we supposed to get Brazilians? Should we use Botox? And why does everyone ask you when you're going to have a baby?" Give this book a read, you won't be disappointed.

10. Black Leopard, Red Wolf - Marlon James

Black Leopard, Red Wolf is the first novel in a planned fantasy trilogy that tells the tale of a mercenary tasked with tracking down a missing boy who disappeared three years earlier. "Drawing from African history and mythology and his own rich imagination, Marlon James has written an adventure that's also an ambitious, involving read. Defying categorization and full of unforgettable characters, Black Leopard, Red Wolf explores the fundamentals of truths, the limits of power, the excesses of ambition, and our need to understand them all."






255 views2 comments

Recent Posts

See All

2 Comments


Paige Norris
Paige Norris
May 18, 2020

Thank you, Patti!

Like

pattimonaco252
May 17, 2020

Love reading your blogs. Beautifully written and full of great information.

Like
bottom of page