Throughout the month of April, the Read With Jenna book club has been reading Tara M. Stringfellow's debut novel "Memphis." The story is about four generations of Black women in Memphis. Hope, love, racism and trauma ripple through with generations with lasting impacts on the North family women. As the book jumps back and forth through perspectives and timelines, the story of the women is revealed.
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If you loved "Memphis," Stringfellow has recommended five books for readers to try next. From collections of poetry to generational sagas there is something for everyone on this list.
"Oh, You Thought This Was a Date?!: Apocalypse Poems," by C. Russel Price
The collection of poems by C. Russel Price discusses sexuality and queerness through the lens of pop culture. Price uses powerful, honest language to discuss heavy topics such as mental health and sexual assault. It is a book filled with resilience, pain and dark humor.
"Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head," by Warsan Shire
"Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head" is a book of poems discussing migration, womanhood, trauma, and resilience. Shiree draws from her own life and the lives of Black immigrant women to write about coming into womanhood without a nurturing guide. It is a celebration of strength and survival.
"Citizen: An American Lyric," by Claudia Rankine
A finalist for the National Book Award in Poetry, "Citizen: An American Lyric" is a collection of essays, photos and poems that reflect on race in twenty-first-century America. The author shines a light on growing racial aggression and the cost of both intended and subconscious hostility.
"Pachinko," by Min Jin Lee
Lee's novel is the story of four generations of a poor Korean immigrant family living in Japan in the 20th century. The family's saga begins when Sunja, the teenage daughter of a disabled fisherman in Korea, becomes pregnant at the hands of a wealthy, married man. Refusing to be bought, Sunja marries a sickly minister passing through the country on his way to Japan.
Centered around strong, complex characters who evolve over generations, "Pachinko" is a story about love, loyalty and family.
"The God of Small Things," by Arundhati Roy
Arundhati Roy's debut novel, "The God of Small Things," is set in India in 1969 and tells the life-changing story of an affluent Indian family. The novel is both an esteemed work of fiction and a powerful political commentary exploring how small things have dramatic effects on the lives of two twins, Estha and Rahel.
For more book recommendations, check out:
- Jenna Bush Hager picks 'engaging' multigenerational family saga for April 2022
- 12 discussion questions for Read With Jenna pick "Memphis" by Tara M. Stringfellow
- All of Jenna Bush Hager's book club picks
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