I’ve always loved reading and you can blame my mother for that. She read to me daily when she was pregnant with me and books have been a major part of my life ever since I could remember. My family encouraged my habit by always supplying me with books. I enjoyed the different perspectives while often being relatable when reading Black books. Plus, it was usually very different from what was required in our school curriculum. I went to college and my mind was blown by discovering an even wider selection including the Black Classics. Ever since I discovered the large world of Black literature, I’ve been hooked ever since!.

Choosing a definitive list is always so hard for me because I have so many favorites and they can vary from day to day. I tried to create a list that represents me well from across some of my favorite genres. These are books that I still think about often and I wish I could go back and read them for the first time! (The one art book on the list, I open it often for a much needed dopamine boost!) So my list is full of books that have made a lasting impression on me.