Black Literature not rooted in black tropes (such as.. Slavery, Jim Crow, Modern Day Microagressions)

[ObsidianDev]

How are actual things that happened to black people "tropes"?


My brother you are a by product of the self hate machine that America has put its black citizens through

Nah, as a writer myself, OP has a point. Most of Black American literature mirrors "Black" films in Hollywood. In other words, they're mostly Black trauma porn made with ink and paper instead of cameras and lights.

In college I was interested in finding some great Black authors, but all the popular ones that were pushed to the forefront got their recognition from the "hard-luck, downtrodden negro tales" that upper-middle class Whites AND Blacks tend to swoon over.

Don't get me wrong, James Baldwin was a phenomenal writer. And Ta-Nehesi Coates is sharp as well. But it seems like the only way to get on as a Black writer is to talk about how bad we have it and how systemic racism has fukked us over for generations.

I'm certainly not saying those subjects should be ignored, but I'd just like to see something outside the sea of "We Shall Overcome" essays and "Thug Love" romance novellas.

Like OP said, where's our Murakami or Dostoevsky? They're among us, somewhere. They just need the chance to shine.

S/O to Octavia Butler

 

[Asicz]

black authors podcast - Google Search

 

[Asicz]

Nelson George?

 

[Asicz]

black speculative fiction - Google Search

 

[Dwayne_Taylor]

Publishing is very liberal. They're are black male authors out there and they're not getting published or promoted by big companies.

 

[earthwalka]

anybody read Paul Beatty? or Hal Bennett?

 

[Asicz]

https://www.thecoli.com/threads/black-geek-stockholm-syndrome.562993/page-5

 

[humminbird]

African Based Speculative Fiction

I just thought I'd make a thread about you know... the thread title. Speculative fiction is an umbrella genre encompassing fiction with certain elements that do not exist in the real world, often in the context of supernatural, futuristic or other imaginative themes. E.g Sci-Fi, Fantasy...

www.thecoli.com

 

[Asicz]

OP have you heard of Libby app? Free E books and audiobooks online through your local library.
Just register online with your library.

 

[RamsayBolton]

The count of Monte Cristo

Yeah dont let them claim it. This ones ours

 

[earthwalka]

OP have you heard of Libby app? Free E books and audiobooks online through your local library.
Just register online with your library.

yea I got that setup, I just tend to prefer physical books tbh

 

[Warren Peace]

Noticing a severe lack of varied writings from black authors. There is a lack of black male authors as well. You look at some of the top books by black authors, it's mostly female writers and the ones who are male are often times writing queer stories as well. So who do we have from past to present writing fiction (or nonfiction) that isn't strictly rooted in the typical tropes we see. Most of the books I've seen written today and even in the past have to do with "the Black Experience" but are there any black authors just writing about the human experience? This is not to say that we don't have great books being written today by black authors but I just think we've been pigeon held into telling only certain types of stories.

Where are our black postmodernists?

Where are our Haurki Murakami's, our Fyodor Dostoevsky's, Thomas Pynchon's, Don DeLillo's, David Foster Wallace, Cormac McCarthy, Gaddis, etc

Latin American writers have a rich history of post modernism. Roberto Bolaño, Jose Saramago, Julio Cortazar. shyt Miguel Cervantes, the founder

Japanese writers like Sayaka Murata, Natsuo Kirino and Ryu Murakami

Such varied literature that has its roots in their prospective cultures but is solely unique in its story telling, backdrops, and messaging.

Octavia Butler is one of our great writers. Her books are incredible. I've also heard great things about NK Jemisin and Marlon James. but who else do we have? Who else am I missing? Are there black authors not just telling black stories? put me on.

We have some postmodern filmmakers working today at least. Donald Glover with Atlanta, Terrence Nance, Boots Riley with Sorry To Bother You (truly one of our great modern works that doesn't just capture the black experience in relation to capitalism, but America in general.)

Rage of dragons by Evan winters is a fantasy story inspired by west African culture if you want something escapist

 

[earthwalka]

Rage of dragons by Evan winters is a fantasy story inspired by west African culture if you want something escapist

somebody else in this thread mentioned it. Imma def peep. I like Brandon Sanderson and G RR Martin so i'll probably fukk with this heavy

 

[The Phoenix]

This is what i'm talking about. Rarely find black fantasy novels. Do you know any black sci fi stuff too?

I don't, but I would love to come across some.

 

[RamsayBolton]

somebody else in this thread mentioned it. Imma def peep. I like Brandon Sanderson and G RR Martin so i'll probably fukk with this heavy

I just noticed you mentioned Octavia Butler. I've only read kindred but I liked it - doesn't she normally touch on black issues, but also include other genre elements and make it interesting?