Some of you may have noticed that Susan, the woman behind Color Online has been away. Around the beginning of the year, she asked a few bloggers, if we wanted to contribute to Color Online. So for the first time Color Online has a team of bloggers. The other day I was wondering how Susan managed to do it all, run Color Online and her personal blog, it's a lot to handle. I don't know when Susan is coming back, but before anything I wish and hope she is well.Trying to think of new post, I thought to myself what would Susan want? One thing I know she's is all about dialogue. So, I figured I'd ask a few questions to encourage a little.
What are you reading right now? What is your favorite genre? Who is the last female author of color you read?
18 comments:
Today I started Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. It's a great read so far.
I have to say that my favorite genre is fiction, almost any kind except romances and westerns.
The last female author I read was Sonia Sanchez. She has a new volume of poetry out called Morning Haiku. The next female author I'll read will either be Angela Johnson or Grace Lin.
Well, currently I'm in the middle of Half a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (SO GOOD ♥)
I am extremely fond of YA fiction, and have a weakness for the fantasy genre.
Well, if we're not counting Adichie or any of the authors of books I am "in progress" of reading, I believe the absolute last women author of color I read was Sheba Karim. 8D (Which of course means I need to get cracking on that skunk girl review... *lazy*) Or Yuki Midorikawa if I can count manga artists as authors. ^^;
I'm attempting to read Toni Morrison's A Mercy again. I'm hoping that discussing it on Twitter will help me get past page 76 where I stopped last time.
Vasilly, I got Junot Diaz's book the other day on my Nook, my very first ebook. Haven't started reading it yet though.
Reading -Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing. Its on the history of the Apollo. Its crazy good. There is a lot of information on the history of Harlem as well.
Mystery is my favorite genre. Though, I won't even begin with my book weaknesses because there are many
Pearl Cleage's latest novel Till You Hear From Me. It was very good
Vasilly - What do you think of the footnotes in Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao?
Ah Yuan - Half of a Yellow Sun is a beautiful book.
Evelyn - Its been years since I've picked up Morrison's Beloved but I've never gotten past chapter three. Though I've only tried three times.
If it was another author I would think it was them but it Morrison so I know its me. I will pick up Beloved again just a matter of when.
I am currently re-reading, Minion by L.A. Banks (I'm on a vampire trip lately)
I don't really have a favorite genre, but I like YA, Horror, Mystery, scifi and action adventure with sprinkles of romance.
The current female author I'm reading is L.A. Banks series the Vampire Huntress
I really hope Susan is ok.
Let's see right now I'm reading Anna Karenina. The last book by a black female author I read was Attica Locke's 'Black Water Rising' which is on the Orange short list. I love tons of stuff but right now I'm concentrating on fantasy for Carl's Once Upon a Time challenge - next up either 'A Wish After Midnight' or 'Bleeding Violet'.
I haven't dropped in for a while myself, but I still follow Color Online (on Facebook) so the title of your post caught my attention, Doret.
Susan, I hope you are doing well and wish you the best!
I am currently reading THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Irene Sabatini and BIG MACHINE by Victor Lavalle.
@Evelyn - I'll look out for your posts on Twitter! I remembering enjoying A MERCY but it is near the bottom of my list of Morrison favorites. I also wrote a review. It would be great to talk more about it.
@Doret - I started BELOVED twice before finishing it, but I know you will be glad that you gave it another try.
Claudia, I have Big Machine on my shelf but haven't read it yet. Can't wait to do so.
Doret, the footnotes of Oscar Wao are wonderful! Have you read the book? What do you think of it?
Evelyn, when you do read it let me know what you think of it. I'm really enjoying it.
The most recent POC book I read was Money Hungry by Sharon Flake. I have heard a lot about Sharon Flake but never read one of her books. She's really terrific. I had to consult TWO experts however before writing my review (scheduled but not yet posted). One of course was Doret, who confirmed my sense that this book was not for YA but rather Middle Grades. The other was Zetta Elliott, who I asked about the grammar issue.
I get dismayed when bad grammar is used (as in, "she ain't got no..." or "she don't say nothin"). We discussed how the idea of what is "good" is a reflection of the power structure, and also Zetta pointed out that "teens who don't speak "proper English" still deserve to see themselves mirrored in a book."
It's a big question. Is wanting to see "proper" English a reflection of race? class? prejudice? realism?
Jill, I think it depends on the person. If a book is set in present time, I prefer to read proper English. But I do understand the reasons why a book may use it.
@Vasilly-I LOVE The Brief and wonderous Life of Oscar Wao. I can not wait to hear what you think. It's hilarious and the ending is so unexpected. I really enjoyed the footnotes because they helped me learn more about Domincan culture and America in the '60s-80s.
@Jodie-I really liked Anna Karenina, it was sad. Another book that made me appreciate living in the 21st cenutry!
@Jill-I think it's accurate when a book doesn't use "proper" English if the characters don't. This reminds me of a discusion we had in school; who decides what makes a certain way of talking? The upper class who holds the power. My teacher wanted us to think about why saying things like "aint", "I be doin" etc. was deemed wrong. It was a really interesting discussion.
I'm reading Toads & Diamonds by heather Tomlinson and I'm really enjoying it! My favorite genre is YA especially in historical or realistic fiction, but I'm going to try and read more fantasy. The last book I read by an author of color was Tortilla Sun-so cute and heartwarming!
Ari,
It's also very interesting to me that other signs of education (besides language) have now been associated with the power structure, thanks to Palin, et al. I guess. I.e., science, law, going to good schools: it is all labeled anathema by the far right, who see it as a basis of class discrimination or repugnant elitist attitudes. I can see why the way you speak and dress and wear your hair may be open to interpretation according to power structure, but to me it gets dangerous when that trope is extended to empirical knowledge. (And also ironic, because this is the same group that is opposed to anyone not speaking "English.")
I finished The Best Bad Thing by Yoshiko Uchida this morning and began Going Bovine by L. Bray.
I don't have a favorite genre, I just appreciate a good book, a well written story. I cannot digest gruesome, descriptive gore or violence and can't get into manga just yet and I don't get into reading cookbooks or other how to manuals. I think I'll try just about anything else!
I really hope Susan is okay! I've been missing her posts too.
I'm in between books so not sure what I'll be picking up next. Favorite genre is literary fiction. I love reading about complex characters and their responses to events in their life. As for POC, I last read Bernice McFadden's Glorious, and loved it!
Missing Susan as well. She is a strong woman. I hope that she is okay...
@Jill-Agreed. as if being a law professor and *gasp* understanding the law and the Constitution was a bad thing. That woman *shakes head* I completely agree! And I'm glad that Arizona revised their law (although I wish the federal government would at least start working on something and get rid of the AZ law all together)
Vasilly - I really enjoyed Oscar Wao, and I loved the footnotes.
Jodie - Anna Karenina is such a beautiful story, at least the first half. Its a big book.
Can't wait to see what you think of Bleeding Violet. Its one of a my favorite books of the year.
I don't think it's realistic for all stories to have proper grammar. Literature is a reflection of people, with that comes different styles and rhythms of speaking.
Words are like music, I wouldn't want it all to sound the same.
What are you reading right now? What is your favorite genre? Who is the last female author of color you read?
Currently, I'm about finished with a library book -- Bare Your Soul: The Thinking Girl's Guide to Enlightment edited by Angela Watrous -- which has 25 chapters by different women. Last night's reading included the chapter by Christina "Teena" Apeles who started off writing about her birth just a couple of hours into December 26th. She said, "And if there had been a Catholic hospital in the area, my birth certificate would really tell the story of my origins: a brown, Catholic baby girl born in Hollywood and given a name that reflects her Filipino parents' love of Christ and her delivery in the wake of His birthday."
As to genre, lately I've been reading mostly books related to feminism and religion for the Women Unbound and World Religions reading challenges (the book above fits both categories). I read fiction and nonfiction about those subjects, including YA fiction.
Vasilly, I recently read about 8 or 9 children's books by Grace Lin, including her prize-winning Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, an excellent book.
Ah Yuan, Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was so good that I want to read her Purple Hibiscus soon.
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