Black Coffee discussion

Once again we are at the close of another year.

I am always curious to see what the favorite reads of others are - this is one way I grow my too long tbr list.

What were your favorite reads for 2015?

Good question. Shamefully I did not do a lot of reading this year (2015 was a ruff start and a busy year for me). But of the books that I read, I'd say The Kitchen House and Dave Ramsey's Complete Guide to Money: The Handbook of Financial Peace University

Someone Knows My Name Rebel Queen The Invention of Wings Anybody's Daughter The Help Half of a Yellow Sun A Time to Kill

kisha wrote: "Good question. Shamefully I did not do a lot of reading this year (2015 was a ruff start and a busy year for me). But of the books that I read, I'd say The Kitchen House and Da..."</i>

It is quality not quantity that counts when reading.
I know you are not a big fan of sequels but there is a sequel to [book:The Kitchen House coming out in 2016.

Maya wrote: "Someone Knows My Name Rebel Queen The Invention of Wings Anybody's Daughter The Help Half of a Yellow Sun [..."

[book:Half of a Yellow Sun|18749] is one of my all-time top favorite books.

I still have Anybody's Daughter on my tbr list - do not why I have not yet read as I have liked everything Pamela Samuels Young has written.

Citizen: An American Lyric
The Orenda
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
Jam on the Vine
The Sellout
Paradise Sky
Dragonfish
Jade Dragon Mountain
Delicious Foods
Sorcerer to the Crown
Under the Udala Trees
Binti
Grant Park
Man Tiger: A Novel

I'm going to recommend a nonfiction book as my "first best read" of the last year: The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism. Normally I'm at sea when reading history books, where I frequently feel there is something missing in terms of human happenings, because everything is too abstract, on the level of "social movements" vs. "this is what happened to people." This book had both. Really an excellent read.

Other books I loved this year:

Man Tiger: A Novel
Signs Preceding the End of the World
Oreo
Train Dreams
Assumption

poingu wrote: "I'm going to recommend a nonfiction book as my "first best read" of the last year: The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism. Normally I'm at sea w..."

The Half Has Never Been Told is definitely on my tbr list and I am hoping to read more NF books in 2016 but do not know about reading NF while at sea - usually for me it shorter books and/or speculative fiction.

I too loved Train Dreams - the author said so much in less than 200 pages. I really admire authors that can tell a full story so beautifully in such a concise manner.

Oreo - I hope to start tonight as I need to finish this year. :)

Beverly wrote: "Oreo - I hope to start tonight as I need to finish this year. :) "

Beverly, both Oreo and Signs Preceding the End of the World have confident capable young female protagonists who negotiate extremely rough, extremely male, extremely dangerous environments with complete success. However unrealistic this might be, I loved to read of their exploits and to know they would prevail. These young characters were so entirely not-victims that it made me realize how rare such a female character is in fiction. Janie Crawford in Their Eyes Were Watching God is like that. Molly Bolt in Rubyfruit Jungle. I wish there were more.

poingu wrote: "Beverly wrote: "Oreo - I hope to start tonight as I need to finish this year. :) "

Beverly, both Oreo and Signs Preceding the End of the World have confident capabl..."

Confident, young, female protagonists? I must read!

I love seeing other people's favorites as well.

I hit a reading slump this year, sadly. Put me way behind schedule! That being said, I read a lot of good books this year so I guess quality makes up for quantity (sorry I'm listing a good number).

My favorites:

Tatterhood and Other Tales
Pudd'nhead Wilson
The Counterfeit Heiress
Damaged Goods: New Perspectives on Christian Purity
Northanger Abbey
Dawn
Surprised by Scripture: Engaging Contemporary Issues
The Grapes of Wrath
Looking for God in Harry Potter
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
The Turnip Princess and other newly discovered fairy tales
The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible
Wench
The Leavenworth Case

"...
It is quality not quantity that counts when reading.
I know you are not a big fan of sequels but there is a sequel to The Kitchen House coming out in 2016. .."</i>

You made me feel better. I have read a few good ones this year. Now I'm reading [book:God Help the Child and you can never go wrong with Toni Morrison.

I'm not a big fan of sequels because they are rarely as good as the first one. But I am interested in reading the sequel to The Kitchen House when it is released.

This was a pretty good reading year for me, even though I only read a couple of "new books". I'm glad I got around to knocking the dust off of quite a few.

The Fishermen
Native Son
Beasts of No Nation
A Raisin in the Sun
11/22/63
The Man in 3B
Invisible Man
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
The Kitchen House
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
Peace
Child 44
Upstate
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
Someone Knows My Name
The Flower Drum Song
Half of a Yellow Sun
Giovanni's Room

Lulu wrote: "This was a pretty good reading year for me, even though I only read a couple of "new books"."

That looks like a great year!

I read Invisible Man this year too, for me for the first time. I don't know why I waited so long, what an amazing book, and now so many other books seem to echo its brilliances where it's clear those authors studied Ellison.

poingu wrote: "
That looks like a great year!

I read Invisible Man this year too, for me for the first t..."

Yes!! I was just saying the same thing. I don't know what took me so long to read Native Sun or Invisible Man...both are GREAT works.

Lulu wrote: "poingu wrote: "
That looks like a great year!

I read Invisible Man this year too, for me for the first t..."

Yes!! I was just saying the same thing. I don't know what took me so long to read Nati..."


I hear you! In the past two years I have "discovered" James Baldwin and realize what a mistake I've made by not picking him up sooner. Last year, I read Going to Meet the Man and was absolutely blown away. This year I read Go Tell it on the Mountain and again, it was astonishing -- one of my favorite books of the year, by the way. My bad and my loss.

I came across a number of good books during the year but the notable best reads of 2015 for me were:

From Here to Timbuktu by Milton Davis
The Broken Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
Dawn by Octavia E. Butler

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption

Jane wrote: "Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption"

That was a really good book.

Actually I should rephrase that. It was a well-written book about a bad thing.

Beverly wrote: "Once again we are at the close of another year.

I am always curious to see what the favorite reads of others are - this is one way I grow my too long tbr list.

What were your favorite reads for 2..."

Kindred by Octavia Butler
Perfect Peace by Daniel Black
Someone Knows my Name

Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Beverly wrote: "Once again we are at the close of another year.

I am always curious to see what the favorite reads of others are - this is one way I grow my too long tbr list.

What were your favo..."

I really enjoyed Kindred and Perfect Peace.

Kindred was a good book.

Anastasia wrote: "Kindred was a good book."

Anastasia wrote: "Kindred was a good book."
Yes it was. Did you read Perfect Peace? I have never read anything like it. It reminded me of The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, but imo, it was better.

Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Anastasia wrote: "Kindred was a good book."

Anastasia wrote: "Kindred was a good book."
Yes it was. Did you read Perfect Peace? I have never read anything like it. It reminded me of The Twelve Tri..."

I myself wasn't a big fan of The Twelve Tribes of Hattie. I did like Perfect Peace but Daniel Black got a little creepy with some of the sexual tone with minors. Very weird.

kisha wrote: "Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Anastasia wrote: "Kindred was a good book."

Anastasia wrote: "Kindred was a good book."
Yes it was. Did you read Perfect Peace? I have never read anything like it. It..."

I definitely liked PP better. How do you get the titles of the books to appear as they do, so that I can click on it and actually see the book?

Really enjoyed Mules and Men by Z N Hurston, and Notes from the Hyenas Belly by Nega Mezlekia. Highly recommend them both.

OK, 2 more I have to put out there from last year that moved me in different ways: Harare North by B Chikwava, and Ruby by C Bond.

How do you get the titles of the books to appear as they do, so that I can click on it and actually see the book?

When you post a comment there is a box that says "(some html is ok)" on the upper right hand corner of the comment box. Click on that. Then type in the name of the book.

Negasi wrote: "Really enjoyed Mules and Men by Z N Hurston, and Notes from the Hyenas Belly by Nega Mezlekia. Highly recommend them both."

I am going to look into them both. Although I am not a big fan of short stories, I am currently reading In Love & Trouble: Stories of Black Women by Alice Walker and one of the short stories (my favorite so far) references Mules and Men by ZN Hurston. Thanks for teaching me how to do the book cover etc.

Oops I said the "some html is ok" when I meant the link that says "add book/author" sorry.

kisha wrote: "Oops I said the "some html is ok" when I meant the link that says "add book/author" sorry."

You did fine, you pointed me in the right direction. I'ts all good, so no worries.

Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "Anastasia wrote: "Kindred was a good book."

Anastasia wrote: "Kindred was a good book."
Yes it was. Did you read Perfect Peace? I have never read anything like it. It reminded me of The Twelve Tri..."

I have not, it might be on my TBR (which is very long lol).

The Inheritance of Loss
Zami: A New Spelling of My Name
Sarah Phillips: A Novel
Annie John
Nights at the Circus
Kindred
Who Fears Death
Almanac of the Dead
Ceremony
Half of a Yellow Sun
The Joys of Motherhood
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
Mr. Fox
The Joy Luck Club
The Left Hand of Darkness
The Löwensköld Ring
The Grass Dancer
Parable of the Sower
This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate
Wench
Song of Solomon
The Four-Gated City
The Woman from Tantoura
In the Eye of the Sun
Sunlight on a Broken Column

My favorite of 2015 was:


Speaker for the Dead

My favorite so far this year (2016) is:


The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict

Onni wrote: "My favorite of 2015 was:


Speaker for the Dead

My favorite so far this year (2016) is:

[bookcover:The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of..."

How was Speaker for the Dead? I loved Ender's Game.

It was even better than Ender's Game, with richer, deeper themes. It is a SciFi commentary on racism and truth. I was not expecting it to be anywhere near as good as it was. Definitely worth reading.

Onni wrote: "It was even better than Ender's Game, with richer, deeper themes. It is a SciFi commentary on racism and truth. I was not expecting it to be anywhere near as good as it was. Definitely worth reading."

I'll have to read it then, anything that touches on racism interests me haha.