19 Bestselling Nonfiction Books

Period: July/August - 2009

AALBC Bestseller Seal

The African American Literature Book Club’s Bestsellers List has been published continuously since 1998. It celebrates the bestselling titles from our curated selection of books written by or about Black people. Learn More below.

★ New: The BLK Bestsellers: America’s Bestselling Books

2
Cover for The ISIS Papers: The Keys to the Colors

The ISIS Papers

by Frances Cress Welsing
Add to Cart
5
Cover for The Vixen Diaries

The Vixen Diaries

by Karrine Steffans
Add to Cart
8
Cover for The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce & Keep the Man You Want

The Vixen Manual

by Karrine Steffans
Add to Cart
9
Cover for Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man

by Steve Harvey and Denene Millner
Add to Cart
19
Cover for The Future of the Race

The Future of the Race

by Henry Louis Gates, et al.
Add to Cart
21
Cover for Harlem Godfather: The Rap On My Husband, Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson

Harlem Godfather

by Mayme Johnson and Karen E. Quinones Miller
Add to Cart
24
Cover for Colored People: A Memoir

Colored People

by Henry Louis Gates, et al.
Add to Cart
25
Cover for Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting

Black Pain

by Terrie Williams
Add to Cart

More About our Bestsellers List

View a printer-friendly version or a collage of the book covers.

You will learn about books selling well in the Black community that may never show up on lists published by corporate entities. Spread the word about our list; don’t let one or two lists, which we don’t control, determine which books are important.

We collect our bestselling titles from all our sales channels. The majority of our sales come from this website and our in-person events. We also include sales generated through our affiliate relationships, including Bookshop.org, Libro.fm (audiobooks), and Amazon.com*.

*For a few years, we actively boycotted Amazon but have discontinued this practice to ensure we do not exclude authors who are exclusive to that platform. We still discourage exclusivity but support all Black authors.