TL;DR: Looking for historical fiction novels and/or memoirs with descriptive language, vivid imagery, and set in the U.S. during the 20th or early 21st century; bonus if has themes of political issues (immigration, women’s rights, wealth inequality, etc.) and based in a major urban city/neighborhood like New York, Chicago, etc.
Not an avid reader, but I’d love to become one. Most of my time in college is consumed by academic articles textbooks, so I spend my free time with music, a good TV show/movie, or on social media. I now want to read for in my free time.
Genres I gravitate towards: Historical Fiction, memoirs
Genres I don’t like: Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Books I enjoyed:
1. The Hate U Give (Angie Thomas): I like that this book has a protagonist I can relate to (deals with self-confidence being in a predominantly white environment, dealing with grief/trauma from losing a childhood friend). I like that it’s based on a true story/set in a historical context. The opening scene was pretty raw, graphic, and unfiltered. That hooked me.
2. Home (Toni Morrison): Main character is a Black, Korean War Veteran; deals with PTSD, trauma, guilt. Set in early 20th century. I like the plot of the veteran fighting internal battles but also external obstacles to rescue his sister upon returning from war, who he had to leave behind to enlist in the war. I liked that it was pretty engaging, a bit eerie, and not too long of a novel. I like that it’s based in a heavy historical context and that the journey is suspenseful. Language is descriptive and engaging with vivid imagery.
Books I didn’t enjoy:
1. Becoming (Michelle Obama): I like memoirs, but this felt like reading a New York Times interview or Wikipedia Article. There was no personality or artful language/writing. I understand that she’s a political figure, but I expected more raw details and emotion. It was hard to connect to her while reading.
2. Souls of Black Folk (Du Bois): This is usually used as a theory book, so I didn’t like the long, run-on sentences. He was trying to convey the plight of Black Americans during a certain period, but I feel like I would’ve enjoyed it more if a historical fiction novel were based on the events he talks about. The raw everyday details of a person’s life.
Movies I enjoyed: The Fault in Our Stars, The Pursuit of Happyness,
TV shows I enjoyed: Euphoria, You, Everybody Hates Chris
by deckthehallswithcows