146. Must-Read Summer Books by Black Women - Martine Severin

Are you searching for stories that feed your creative spirit? In this solo episode, I share four incredible books by women of color essential to your summer reading list. 

These books feature narratives of immigration, identity, and magical realism. These reads have resonated deeply with me. I hope they may fuel your artistic journey. 

Join me as we explore these powerful voices in contemporary literature that promise to transport, challenge, and inspire you long after turning the last page.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Creative Voices

00:28 Essential Summer Reads by Artists of Color

04:12 Encouragement for Support and Engagement

 

Books Mentioned on the Episode

Everything Inside by Edwidge Danticat

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

Ghostroots by Pemi Aguda

When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo

 

Support the Show

Website: Martine Severin

Follow on Instagram: @martineseverin | @thisishowwecreate

Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack

 

This podcast episode is produced and written by Martine Severin and edited by Daniel Espinosa.

 

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to This is How We Create, a show that digs deeper into the creative life ofcontemporary artists of color.
Discover what feeds their creativity and how they found or are finding their artisticvoice.
Through these intimate and candid conversations, you'll gain insights into the lives ofcreative professionals of color that are hard to find anywhere else.

(00:22):
It's summer reading time.
All right, summer's here and it's time.
It's the perfect time to dive into stories that transport, challenge and inspire.
And today I'm sharing four incredible books by artists of color that deserve a spot onyour reading list.
These are essential voices in contemporary literature.

(00:45):
Up first is Everything Inside by Édouard G.
Tenticat.
Now this is a stunning collection of one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, eightstories.
that explore the Haitian-American experience with breathtaking beauty and honesty.
Now, Edwige weaves tales of immigration, family bond, and cultural identity that feel bothpersonal and really universally human.

(01:14):
Her prose is lyrical and accessible.
And if you haven't read her yet, this is a really great entry point because we're goingto...
be talking about, or at least in this book, she talks about themes of displacement andbelonging, and these feel really immediate and real.
And if you've never read, if you've never read Idwidge, this is a great introduction.

(01:34):
She's been on the podcast and she is one of the most stellar people and writers of ourdays, of our years, of our eons.
Next, we have Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine.
Eva Risto.
is a Booker Prize winning author and this is a masterpiece that really follows 12unforgettable characters that are mostly black British women.

(02:00):
And we follow them across generations and social circles.
Now what makes this novel extraordinary is how Bernadine connects these diverse lives andshows us how all of their stories intersect in unexpected ways.
This book is joyous.
unapologetically feminist.

(02:21):
Her voice and her writing flows like poetry.
And if you've never read Bernadine, this is a great place to start.
Next, we have Ghost Roots by Pemi Aguda, who was just on the podcast.
So Pemi offers us a brilliant collection of speculative short stories that blend Africanfolklore with contemporary Nigerian life.

(02:46):
Her imagination is boundless and you will definitely be reading about ghosts and magicalrealism that feels really fantastical and real at the same time.
These stories as well challenge Western literary conventions, which we like.
And we get to hear a little bit more about African storytelling through Pemi's beautifulbook.

(03:13):
So where we had short stories, here we have this novel by Ayanna Lloyd-Banwell called WhenWe Were Birds.
So Ayanna's novel is set in Trinidad and it follows two characters that are connected bydeath and love.
It's the summer.
We'd be in the Caribbean.

(03:34):
This book brings you directly to the Caribbean where folklore meets contemporary romance.
The writing is sensual and
mystical where she explores themes of grief and transformation.
And this book, this book will stay with you long after the last page.

(03:55):
So I'm so pleased that I've been able to share all of these wonderful books with you.
You have a lot of reading to do this summer.
And you know, over here, this is how we over here and this is how we create.
We love to support artists of color.
And so now for your summer reading, you have four picks.

(04:17):
Four picks that are really wonderful.
And I just realized all by women of color.
So enjoy.
There, I have a quick favor to ask you before you go.
If you're loving this show, would you mind taking a quick second to leave us a five-starreview on your favorite go-to podcast app?

(04:44):
Here's the thing.
Those reviews are like magic fairy dust.
They help other creators of color discover our show and tap into their own artisticsuperpowers.
While you're at it, why not subscribe to our sub stack
newsletter Creative Matters.
Creative Matters is like a weekly dose of inspiration delivered straight to your inbox.

(05:09):
You can find the link to subscribe in the show notes.
Alright, that's all that I have for you today.
I can't wait to see you on the next episode.
Bye!