theGrio’s Top 50 books to read: Summertime and the reading is sizzling

These picks highlight books focusing on one of seven culturally resonant themes.

Aug 4, 2021

It’s summertime, and nothing is easy, but the reading is hot, hot, hot.

Earlier this year, in a beautiful package for Time Magazine, Ibram X. Kendi declared that the United States is in the midst of a Black renaissance, recognizing a range of ascendant Black voices and talent across a variety of cultural forms.

That feature reaffirmed what we already knew: even as we continue to struggle with the precarious material realities of Black life in America, it’s clear that Black artistic and intellectual production is in full bloom.

Books on shelves in a library — Stock photo by Element5 Digital via Pexels

Also Read:
Steph and Ayesha Curry donating books to Oakland schools

In the long shadow of a devastating pandemic, that literary light shines bright. Both 2020 and 2021 have been fruitful years for Black authors, and there’s no better time than summer to discover a new Black author or pick up a favorite’s latest book. At the same time, with such abundance, it’s hard to know where to start.

No problem, theGrio has you. Compiling this list of suggested summer reading was truly a labor of love. While these recs are by no means exhaustive—with such riches to choose from, that roll call would be more than 100 titles deep— I’ve tried to ensure that it’s varied in essential ways.

Black couple reading a book on the couch — (Photo: Adobe Stock)

Also Read:
Amanda Gorman’s 3 books to get 1 million print orders each

From subject to genre to mood, these books were chosen with care: through research, reading and consultation, talking to readers and authors and reading some more. As a result, they include some of the best of the best, bar none.

Whether you’re looking for connection, escape, or intellectual stimulation, I hope this list inspires your next great read: