February is Black History Month—a nationally recognized celebration that asks all Americans to reflect on accomplishments, contributions, and the significant roles African Americans have played in U.S. history. This book, How Long ’til Black Future Month by award-winning bestselling author, N.K. Jemisin, asks compelling questions, weaving personal histories and vivid future speculations throughout her first collection of short stories. This contemporary science fiction is told with deftly bold imagination: thought-provoking + mind-and-heart-expanding.
From the back cover blurb:
“One of the most exiting and original new voices in modern fiction. N.K. Jemisin’s work has been described as “intricate and extraordinary” (New York Times) “astounding” (NPR Books) and “break[ing] uncharted ground” (Library Journal). The first writer in history to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel three years in a row, Jemisin equally challenges and delights in her first collection of short fiction with narratives of destruction, rebirth, and redemption. How Long ’til Black Future Month offers the perfect introduction to one of the most important writers of her generation.”
Black Imagination, curated by Natasha Marin, is a diverse sample of black voices, as noted on the fly leaf:
” … This dynamic collection of Black voices works like an incantation of origin, healing, and imagination. Born from a series of conceptual art exhibitions, the perspectives gathered here are nowhere near monochromatic. Each insists on their own variance and challenges every reader to witness for themselves that Black Lives (and Imaginations) Matter.”
• CLICK HERE FOR OPRAH’S LIST OF 125 BLACK-OWNED BOOKSTORES IN AMERICA THAT AMPLIFY THE BEST IN LITERATURE.
• FOR MORE BOOKS ABOUT BLACK HISTORY, CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND SELECTIONS FROM THE ICONIC INDEPENDENT NYC STRAND BOOK STORE.
• THERE’S ALSO A WONDERFUL Bravery Magazine LIST OF BOOKS THAT INSPIRE BRAVERY: BLACK HISTORY BOOKS FOR KIDS HERE.
And a reminder to check out Elizabeth Gilbert’s year-round Onward Book Club devoted to spotlighting, studying, and celebrating the work of Black female authors at the link here.
See you next week at The Saturday Book Shop …
Brezsny’s writing helps re-gather a focus on beauty and truth, even in the midst of being witness to a Wannabe Tinpot Dictator extolling the virtues of America’s “freedom” while abdicating responsibility for preserving the hard-fought democracy foundations needed to keep “equal justice under law” moving forward and shining Liberty’s light, albeit imperfectly. Brezsny’s optimism doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the horrible and tragic in the world. His work is more thoughtful and intelligent and eye-twinkling-good-mischief-kinda-gonzo than that. I adore his unique way of reminding us how much more we have going for us even during challenging times, and it helps me re-ground. I needed it today. Here’s a quick excerpt from 
It’s a glorious blue-sky, warm-sun and briskly BEAUTIFUL day-after-Christmas here in the warm-winter tropics of South Florida. Far too fine to be doing anything but masking up and being out enjoying all this not-too-hot, not-too-cold kinda bliss. Whether you’re reading this in the midst of a magical snowy wonderland up north or grabbing a sweater for a walk along breezy island shores, this is the sort of moment to really celebrate the complex blessings of our environment. And this book,
WHAT GORGEOUS THING
Paula's Paradise 