To finish off Black History Month, I wanted to do something I’ve been looking forward to for a while now:

Welcome to my new page called Bookworms!

So what is Bookworms you ask? Well, this site is called kwilliamsbooks after all, so I thought it would only be fitting if I started doing book reviews along with what I already do. Every month I will do a book review for you all of one or more books I’ve read that month!

And since this the end of Black History Month, the book I read has everything to do with the theme: Without further ado…

Here is Black No More by George Schuyler

Rating: 7.3/10

Originally published back in 1931, the entirety of the book is bathed in the Harlem Renaissance. Though I usually read fiction, fantasy, or sometimes SiFi, this time I got into something new. Black No More is strictly the satire venue of fiction. Let me explain why.

“What would happen to the race problem in America if black people turned white?”

This is the first sentence on the back of the book and if that sounds interesting, trust me, it is. Consider how black people were seen in the 30’s and what was going on back then; this satire addresses the entirety of what people considered to be the black identity and how that identity intersected with racism. When a

black scientist somehow comprised a way to turn black people white, their society turned inside out.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but let me just say that if you’re looking for someone who critiques the societal norms of black vs white and directly addresses race with a funny, entertaining, to the point, and often sarcastic voice, Schuyler is your guy.

Since this was a new kind of fiction for me to get into, it took me a little time to get into and it wouldn’t be my first choice in a room full of books. But a 7.3/10 isn’t because it wasn’t a good book. It was. In holding so much culture, commentary, and character in each page, it was absolutely worth the read.

If you’re looking for black literature, something new to entertain, or just a quick break, Black No More is a good place to start.

And Welcome to Book Worms; look out for new posts every 4th Tuesday of the month!