#1
Months on List: 17
A yearlong journey through the Bible to strengthen women’s faith.
The Bible In 52 Weeks: A Yearlong Bible Study For Women
by Kimberly D. Moore • Rockridge Press (February 11, 2020) • 17 Months on List
#2
Months on List: 17
<em>Born a Crime</em> is a riveting memoir by Trevor Noah, tracing his unlikely journey from a childhood under apartheid South Africa, where his very birth was an act of defiance, to becoming the host of The Daily Show, presenting his tales of survival, perseverance and the remarkable love of his rebellious mother with wit and honesty.
Born A Crime: Stories From A South African Childhood
by Trevor Noah • One World (February 12, 2019) • 17 Months on List
#3
Months on List: 1
This is a profound true story exploring the potential for mercy to redeem us, shedding light on a broken justice system through the experiences of a passionate lawyer fighting for the vulnerable and wrongly condemned individuals.
Just Mercy: A Story Of Justice And Redemption
by Bryan Stevenson • One World (August 18, 2015) • 1 Months on List
#4
Months on List: 17
<em>Outliers</em> by Malcolm Gladwell delves into the unexplored factors of success, examining the cultural, familial, and generational influences on high-achievers, shedding fresh light on the path to greatness from software billionaires to iconic rock bands.
Outliers: The Story Of Success
by Malcolm Gladwell • Back Bay Books (June 7, 2011) • 17 Months on List
#5
Months on List: 19
In <em>All About Love,</em> renowned scholar and feminist bell hooks challenges society's narrow definition of love as romance, presenting a provocative new ethic for a world suffering from lovelessness, and advocating for a holistic love that is sacred, redemptive, and capable of healing both individuals and nations.
All About Love: New Visions
by Bell Hooks • William Morrow & Company (January 30, 2018) • 19 Months on List
#6
Months on List: 19
This book explores the parallel lives of two men with similar backgrounds but drastically different outcomes: one becomes a successful scholar and businessman, while the other winds up in prison for life.
The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates
by Wes Moore • One World (January 11, 2011) • 19 Months on List
#7
Months on List: 15
An ex-slave turned abolitionist recounts his horrific experiences in slavery, thrilling escape to the North, and eventual freedom, in a narrative published in 1845 aimed to affirm his origins while captivating readers with its passion, sensitivity, and compelling storytelling.
Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass
by Frederick Douglass • Dover Publications (April 13, 1995) • 15 Months on List
#8
Months on List: 2
This literary work serves as an exploration of America's racial history, framed as a letter from the author to his son, including personal narratives, historical context, and discussion of the lived experience of being black in America.
Between The World And Me (paperback)
by Ta-nehisi Coates • One World (June 17, 2025) • 2 Months on List
#9
Months on List: 13
An examination of our interactions with strangers, and why they often go wrong.
Talking To Strangers: What We Should Know About The People We Don’t Know
by Malcolm Gladwell • Back Bay Books (September 28, 2021) • 13 Months on List
#10
Months on List: 13
A former child soldier gives a harrowing account of growing from an innocent boy into a hardened killer amidst the brutal civil war in his home, Sierra Leone, provoked by manipulative government forces.
A Long Way Gone
by Ishmael Beah • Sarah Crichton Books (August 5, 2008) • 13 Months on List
#11
Months on List: 17
In <em>The Warmth of Other Suns</em>, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Wilkerson presents a compelling account of the great, untold migration of nearly six million black citizens fleeing the South for northern and western cities between 1915 and 1970, weaving a vivid narrative through the diverse experiences of three unique individuals whose journeys reshaped America.
The Warmth Of Other Suns: The Epic Story Of America’s Great Migration
by Isabel Wilkerson • Vintage (October 4, 2011) • 17 Months on List
#12
Months on List: 13
This memoir chronicles the experience of a young girl growing up in the American South, enduring abandonment, bigotry, and a brutal attack, who finds her liberation through self-love, kindness from others, and the power of words.
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
by Maya Angelou • Random House (April 21, 2009) • 13 Months on List
#13
Months on List: 17
In her groundbreaking work <em>Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents,</em> Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson explores the powerful, unseen caste system that underpins American society, linking it to similar systems in India and Nazi Germany, and offering insight on its deep-seated influence on American life today.
Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents
by Isabel Wilkerson • Random House (February 14, 2023) • 17 Months on List
#14
Months on List: 17
<em>The Fire Next Time</em>, a national bestseller by James Baldwin, is a profound exploration of America's racial injustice through two poignant letters that ignited the civil rights movement, demystifying race relations in America with intense personal narrative and incisive prose.
The Fire Next Time
by James Baldwin • Vintage (December 1, 1992) • 17 Months on List
#15
Months on List: 11
A guided self-care workbook designed to help Black women cultivate self-love, confidence, and healing through affirmations, reflections, and practical exercises.
Self-love Workbook For Black Women: Empowering Exercises To Build Self-compassion And Nurture Your True Self
by Rachel Johnson • Rockridge Press (July 19, 2022) • 11 Months on List
#16
Months on List: 19
This powerful examination invites men to break free from patriarchal conditioning, reconnect with their emotions, and embrace a fuller, more loving version of themselves.
The Will To Change: Men, Masculinity, And Love
by Bell Hooks • Washington Square Press (December 1, 2004) • 19 Months on List
#17
Months on List: 16
<em>The Book of Delights</em> is a collection of engaging, lyrical essays penned over a tumultuous year by award-winning poet Ross Gay, who skilfully captures and celebrates the overlooked ordinary wonders of life while examining the complexities of living in America as a black man.
The Book Of Delights
by Ross Gay • Algonquin Books (August 16, 2022) • 16 Months on List
#18
Months on List: 4
<em>Working the Roots: Over 400 Years Of Traditional African American Healing</em> is a captivating exploration of traditional African American medicine, compiling first-hand interviews, authentic healers' stories, and a plethora of remedies, providing both an enriching historical account and a practical guide to African and American folk healing practices.
Working The Roots: Over 400 Years Of Traditional African American Healing
by Michele E. Lee • Wadastick (December 15, 2017) • 4 Months on List
#19
Months on List: 13
<em>Becoming</em> is a captivating memoir by former First Lady Michelle Obama, detailing her journey from a child on Chicago's South Side to an influential advocate and icon, balancing motherhood and work, and reshaping the White House with inclusivity and resilience, inspiring readers to defy expectations even in extraordinary circumstances.
Becoming
by Michelle Obama • Crown (March 2, 2021) • 13 Months on List
#20
Months on List: 1
This book addresses the harmful impacts of racist public-school policies on Black lives, tracing four decades of educational reform, the criminalization of Black children, and the infiltration of private interests into the system, while offering a road map for reparations and transformation.
Punished For Dreaming (paperback): How School Reform Harms Black Children And How We Heal
by Bettina L. Love • St. Martin's Griffin (July 22, 2025) • 1 Months on List
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Sales Data Source: Circana BookScan. Represents U.S. print sales from thousands of retailers.
Methodology: Books are categorized and filtered for Black Authors by the African American Literature Book Club. This list is a sneak peek into the Black Book Accelerator initiative.
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