Cozy Up with These Winter Reads
As snow falls and temperatures plunge, curl up inside with an uplifting or eye-opening book by one of these talented authors from underrepresented backgrounds. Their fresh perspectives make for rewarding reads all winter long.
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin – Get lost in this sci-fi fantasy novel from the first black author to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel. It imagines five unforgettable souls fusing with the avatars of New York City boroughs to defend the metropolis from an ancient evil.
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson – A fascinating family drama unfolds when estranged siblings travel to their childhood home in the Caribbean to bury their enigmatic mother. Secrets emerge that change everything they believed about their past.
Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez – This sharp debut novel follows Brooklyn-born twins – an ambitious congressman and a struggling wedding planner – as ambition, activism, and gentrification collide in their gentrifying neighborhood.
I’m So (Not) Over You by Kosoko Jackson – A charming YA romance featuring two Black queer Brooklyn teens battling wits and testing loyalties against the pressures of academic rivals, first loves, and complex family dynamics.
Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu – This mind-bending, experimental story written in screenplay form ponders Asian stereotypes through the experiences of “Generic Asian Man” in Hollywood. Unforgettable satire on pop culture representation and racism.
Editors Pick Winston-Salem’s African American Legacy- Clocking in around 130 pages, this quick dive makes an ideal gift or introduction for visitors and lifelong residents alike. The stories impart untold history to treasure while the photos humanize those stone-faced names on street signs or school buildings. Winston-Salem’s African American Legacy celebrates local Black history not as mere facts or city promotion but the rightful heritage of citizens belonging to the complex American story. Both educational and inspiring, this affordable volume deserves space on the shelf of anyone calling Winston-Salem home.
Expand your reading tastes this winter by exploring captivating worlds shaped by talented authors. Their one-of-a-kind books will give you fresh outlooks perfect for the new year.
