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50 Books by Black Authors to Read in 2021

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From James Baldwin to Jesmyn Ward. From a powerful account of precolonial African life to side-splitting essays about Magic Mike. From timeless classics to brand-new releases…here are 50 of the best books by Black authors to read right now.

The 19 Best Mystery Books to Keep You Guessing Until the Last Page


1. the Other Black Girl By Zakiya Dalila Harris

In this thrilling debut, Nella is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. That is, until Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers and the two bond immediately. Things change, though, when Hazel becomes an office darling, and Nella is left in the dust. Then notes start to appear on Nella's desk—"LEAVE WAGNER. NOW”—and she soon realizes that there's a lot more at stake than just her career.


sarah stiefvater

Wellness Director

Sarah Stiefvater is PureWow's Wellness Director. She's been at PureWow for ten years, and in that time has written and edited stories across all categories, but currently focuses...