Hi, Tembe. Welcome to Substack, and can I just say that you write so beautifully.
I won't lie, I was a little intimidated at first when I saw how long your newsletter is, but your choice of topic, evocative language, and the coherence of the entire text made reading it such a pleasant experience.
I aspire to write as well as you someday and look forward to reading more of your essays.
With regards to your question, several books have shaped me in several different ways, but one that stands out from the crowd is “Americanah” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It's the first book written by a Nigerian author to monumentally shape my writing, which is a crucial extension and expression of my identity.
As a kid and even in my teenage years, I rarely read Nigerian novels because most were literary fiction, and I was more of a speculative fiction enthusiast. While I still read some Nigerian (and other African) novels, it was purely for the entertainment of reading a new story and being immersed and a whole different world.
Americanah is the first book I engaged with intellectually. Maybe it's because the book centers on issues that were trending at the time I read it (like racism), but I read that book word for word and went on to read reviews written by acclaimed critics when I was done.
The more reviews I read, the more I saw writing as a tool rather than simply entertainment.
I am still learning how to address some social issues that resonate with me in my speculative fiction stories, but I expect that I'll figure it out someday.
Thank you so much! And I had a similar experience with Americanah. I was captivated by the observation of Blackness and Black people through the lens of someone who is Black but not American and watching her grapple both with her perspective on the world and the way society perceived her. It opened up my perspective in my early 20s and set me on the path to reading more lit written by African writers. And I love that it was such a pivotal moment in your writing life and practice—balancing commentary and story within your own work can be challenging (I'm constantly thinking about how to address this on a craft level!) but I've been telling myself that time and repetition will help me figure it out. Wishing you the best of luck as you journey through this too.
Seeing Spivak’s “Can The Subaltern Speak?” on this list lets me know that you’re to be trusted 😂!!! But yes... I first interacted with a snippet of the work during a Law and Race class I attended a couple years ago and I immediately ran home and read the whole piece. I don’t think any text has shifted my perspective so immensely before and ever since then I’ve been extra cautious when it comes to how I use my voice, ensuring that I never become a mouthpiece for those that never actually asked me to speak on their behalf to begin with.
Welcome to Substack, and thank you for the wonderful post! x
This is amazing 💕 and got me thinking. Growing up, I read and re-read Arthur Ransom’s “Swallows and Amazons” series and it really shaped my thirst for adventure and the outdoors, following the children along on their excursions pushed me to get my brothers to do the same in our own neck of the woods. It also led me to appreciate “The Green Mile” that is hands-down the best eco-adventure book I’ve read - it follows the quest for the fastest trip down the Colorado and is just amazing. John Krakauer is also a mentor and friend who’s writing has given me appreciation for the art of research and discovery.
“a reminder to write what feels right to me, regardless of what everyone else is doing.” this 1000% 💛
Love this concept, may have to try creating my own!
I'd love to read it if/when you do!
What a great list of books!
Hi, Tembe. Welcome to Substack, and can I just say that you write so beautifully.
I won't lie, I was a little intimidated at first when I saw how long your newsletter is, but your choice of topic, evocative language, and the coherence of the entire text made reading it such a pleasant experience.
I aspire to write as well as you someday and look forward to reading more of your essays.
With regards to your question, several books have shaped me in several different ways, but one that stands out from the crowd is “Americanah” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It's the first book written by a Nigerian author to monumentally shape my writing, which is a crucial extension and expression of my identity.
As a kid and even in my teenage years, I rarely read Nigerian novels because most were literary fiction, and I was more of a speculative fiction enthusiast. While I still read some Nigerian (and other African) novels, it was purely for the entertainment of reading a new story and being immersed and a whole different world.
Americanah is the first book I engaged with intellectually. Maybe it's because the book centers on issues that were trending at the time I read it (like racism), but I read that book word for word and went on to read reviews written by acclaimed critics when I was done.
The more reviews I read, the more I saw writing as a tool rather than simply entertainment.
I am still learning how to address some social issues that resonate with me in my speculative fiction stories, but I expect that I'll figure it out someday.
Thank you so much! And I had a similar experience with Americanah. I was captivated by the observation of Blackness and Black people through the lens of someone who is Black but not American and watching her grapple both with her perspective on the world and the way society perceived her. It opened up my perspective in my early 20s and set me on the path to reading more lit written by African writers. And I love that it was such a pivotal moment in your writing life and practice—balancing commentary and story within your own work can be challenging (I'm constantly thinking about how to address this on a craft level!) but I've been telling myself that time and repetition will help me figure it out. Wishing you the best of luck as you journey through this too.
welcome to substack!!! so happy you're here and immediately subscribed. PS also love your logo. xoxo
thank you so much!!
Seeing Spivak’s “Can The Subaltern Speak?” on this list lets me know that you’re to be trusted 😂!!! But yes... I first interacted with a snippet of the work during a Law and Race class I attended a couple years ago and I immediately ran home and read the whole piece. I don’t think any text has shifted my perspective so immensely before and ever since then I’ve been extra cautious when it comes to how I use my voice, ensuring that I never become a mouthpiece for those that never actually asked me to speak on their behalf to begin with.
Welcome to Substack, and thank you for the wonderful post! x
This is amazing 💕 and got me thinking. Growing up, I read and re-read Arthur Ransom’s “Swallows and Amazons” series and it really shaped my thirst for adventure and the outdoors, following the children along on their excursions pushed me to get my brothers to do the same in our own neck of the woods. It also led me to appreciate “The Green Mile” that is hands-down the best eco-adventure book I’ve read - it follows the quest for the fastest trip down the Colorado and is just amazing. John Krakauer is also a mentor and friend who’s writing has given me appreciation for the art of research and discovery.
i really enjoyed this post & thank u for sharing ur voice, it truly is a gift. looking forward to ur writing. this inspires me to read!