Hi! I am a member of a race education group in my school (11 to 18) and we are creating a reading list for the library. Our library isn’t very diverse right now (most books are written by white people about the West) and we need books on race education (privilege, discrimination, etc.) and on the history (precolonial, colonial and postcolonial, could be on neocolonialism too) and culture of underrepresented people.
Please keep in mind that these books should be acceptable by the school and approachable by students who would be unlikely to accept or read very progressive material, so themes that strongly (just strongly) contradict Western narratives should be avoided.
For example, a book on the colonisation of Palestine that exposes the oppressive nature of Zionism is mostly fine, but a book presenting Hamas as a liberation group would not be accepted (and actually illegal in my country).
You can reply with books or other reading lists that we could then review and add. I’ll finish this post with some examples of books on the reading list (keep in mind that it was for Black History Month, so all of the examples are on black people):
African Empires by Lyndon, Dan
Black Power: The Politics of Liberation In America by Carmichael, Stokely; Hamilton, Charles V
I Heard What You Said by Boakye, Jeffrey
The Assassination of Lumumba by Witte, Ludo de.
White privilege: the myth of a post-racial society by Bhopal, Kalwant
Thanks in advance!
Dune by Frank Herbert, it does a good job taking problems with our world and framing them in a fictional context. Like the struggle of the Fremen and unregulated capitalism.
The Underground Railroad this was required reading when I was in school. It’s quite significant and about the struggles of slavery in America.
The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories This collection of short stories tries to illustrate various morals and experiences. Like how the western world glossed over the struggles of Japanese people soon after the nuclear bombings.
The Satanic Verses This one is a hard sell, especially given the constraints you’ve set. Put bluntly it’s a mockery of biblical texts, but it’s highlighting the whimsical nature of religion and its chilling effects. People have been murdered over this book and I feel it wouldn’t be fair to those who have died not to mention it here.
Thank you! We may have to more carefully consider adding The Satanic Verses, but the rest of the books look like great choices!
Please keep in mind that these books should be acceptable by the school and approachable by students who would be unlikely to accept or read very progressive material, so themes that strongly (just strongly) contradict Western narratives should be avoided.
This made me hesitate, but then I decided that you’re more than capable of reading a summary or skimming a book and deciding whether or not it makes a fit.
Let me start with some obvious ones:
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Orientalism by Edward Said
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A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
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90% of Chomsky’s work
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21 Things They Don’t Teach You About Capitalism by Ha-Joon Chang. Chang is an economist who I believe studied under the Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz. They both research the economies of developing countries, with Chang having a specialization in South Korea. He accused developed countries of “kicking away the ladder” when they force the Washington Consensus on developing economies while having violated those norms as their own economies developed.
Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond - There’s a lot wrong with the book but it does make for an effective deconstruction of the myth of western cultural superiority by proposing a physical/geographical explanation.
Better than GGS would be any book by David Graeber, who for my money was the greatest anthropologist of our time and who brings a radical preconception of some of the most treasured but false narratives in the development of western history and capitalism. Debt is his most famous work, I think, but I’d especially recommend The Dawn of Everything.
Che Guevara by Jon Lee Anderson - the best bio of Che that I’ve read, but it’s really, really long. Maybe just watch Motorcycle Diaries and Even The Rain (which is about modern and even liberal colonialism but not Che).
Anything about James Baldwin
The Social Conquest of the Earth by EO Wilson. Wilson was the biologist who founded the field of sociobiology and who towards the end of his career came to the conclusion that its because humans exhibit the highest levels of cooperation (eusociality) that we’ve come to dominate the planet, for better and for worse.
I realize that a lot of these are US centric, and I’ve left out virtually everything on LGBT history and culture, but I think this might be a good start.
I second James Baldwin. “The Fire Next Time” might make a good start.
Great recommendations btw.
- Orientalism by Edward Said
We are lacking books on the East - and books with a focus on culture, too - so I greatly appreciate this suggestion!
- A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
We actually already have this book on the reading list, but thanks anyways.
- 90% of Chomsky’s work
Thanks! Do you have any suggestions? Otherwise I can just look into some of Chomsky’s work and see which books are most suited.
Che Guevara by Jon Lee Anderson - the best bio of Che that I’ve read, but it’s really, really long. Maybe just watch Motorcycle Diaries and Even The Rain (which is about modern and even liberal colonialism but not Che).
We only have two autobiographies (both on Malcolm X) and not many long-form books so thanks again. I was planning on adding books on the Cuban Revolution to the reading list so this book should help with that.
The Social Conquest of the Earth by EO Wilson. Wilson was the biologist who founded the field of sociobiology and who towards the end of his career came to the conclusion that its because humans exhibit the highest levels of cooperation (eusociality) that we’ve come to dominate the planet, for better and for worse.
Not sure about this one as it seems a bit out-of-range for the reading list, but I’ll look into it more.
The rest of the books are fine. Thanks for your recommendations!
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Between_the_World_and_Me
This might be a good one.
Thanks! I will be adding this book; looks like a good introduction into the history and nature of blackness in America.
Might be pushing the limits, but https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_People's_History_of_the_United_States (and books inspired by it) is a great book, and there’s also a graphic novel version: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_People's_History_of_American_Empire
We actually already have this book on the reading list, although your help is greatly appreciated. I’ll be sure to read it if it’s available locally, though!
Copperhead by Alexi Zentner
Thanks! We have been needing more fiction so your recommendation is very welcome.
You are ever so welcome and Im very happy to help out, its a great read and the protagonist is even in the age range that you are looking for.
For fiction, Noughts and Crosses might be of interest.
Thank you, too! Added to the reading list.
The synopsis seems interesting and a lot more different even for a fiction book.
Major Taylor was one of the first big international sporting celebrities of any human race in a much more deeply troubled time, before cars were a thing anyone around would have owned. It really contrasts how Europe was at the time versus how backwards the United States was at the time and shines a light on how things have or have not changed. It is a genuinely good read too.
Thanks! I don’t think we have any books on sports on the reading list, so I’ll definitely be adding this one.
These are probably too progressive for your school but I highly recommend them to anyone outside of school.
Ibram X. Kendi, Stamped From The Beginning and How To Be An Antiracist are incredible books.
Thanks for the suggestions! Can you clarify the potential issues with the books? Looking at their Wikipedia page (and despite Stamped from the Beginning being censored), I doubt the books would be rejected from the reading list.
Dr. Kendi is at the forefront of antiracism and many (if not most) American conservatives see antiracism as actual racism and propaganda to make white people feel bad. Having read these I can definitely say that’s not what Dr. Kendi is about. Your students are old enough to learn the truth about this and I’m so happy you are able to teach them about this subject. There are a couple of other books he has written and contributed to for younger people, too.
These are books that would be banned from many schools in conservative America. I’m so glad you may be able to offer them to your students!
In that case, it won’t be a problem (the school is not in America) as we already have books on antiracism, white privilege and other topics that would be controversial in conservative America. (see the example books on the original post for reference)
I am definitely grateful that we are able to share such books without strong backlash and flawed criticisms being directed towards the reading list and hopefully the group can educate others to think more critically on these underrepresented topics!
