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Colson Whitehead’s highly anticipated second novel in the Harlem Shuffle series, Crook Manifesto, hits shelves this July. If it is already an auto-buy on for you, consider checking out these other heartbreakingly beautiful reads.

Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

A poignant multi-generational family drama that begins in 2001 at sixteen-year-old Melody’s cotillion but takes readers down memory lane. Beautifully unwinding the integral moments in history that led to this moment, whether it was success, happiness, sacrifice or loss, each contributed to overcoming expectations and preventing history from repeating itself. Although a short novel, Red at the Bone packs a punch.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

A profoundly moving multi-generational novel that explores the consequences of one woman’s decision to raise her son independently instead of succumb to the influence of her married lover. A story filled with well-developed characters as they navigate love, hope, and sacrifice before, during and after war.

The Trees by Percival Everett

An unforgettable page-turner following a series of murders set in Money, Mississippi. When detectives from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation arrive, they soon discover that similar murders are occurring across the country.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

A heart-wrenching novel that spans three decades in Ghana and America follows two half-sisters and the fate of their families. Gyasi eloquently illustrates how each characters’ life is shaped by historical forces beyond their control and unwavering their resilience to overcome the memory of captivity.

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

An immersive portrayal of indigenous culture and historical events with complex characters and challenging circumstances. In 1953, Thomas Wazhashk is the night watchman at the jewel bearing plant in rural North Dakota. Beyond his role as night watchman, Thomas is determined to fight against the US government in the effort to dispossess Indigenous people.

The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris

A harrowing story shifting perspectives between two brothers, Prentiss and Landry, and a forbidden romance between two Confederate soldiers. Nearing the end of the Civil War and following the Emancipation Proclamation, these complex characters challenge unrelenting barriers and corruption in Georgia as fight to define their new lives.

Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward

An enchanting journey through Mississippi’s past and present told from three perspectives: a teenage boy, a negligent mother, and the ghost of a young boy. All characters, both living and dead, carry the weight of their pain as they search for the answers to their suffering.

A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines

Set in the late 1940s, readers are immersed into the complexities of the human experience as one man is accused of a crime he did not commit. Gaines tactfully reveals the opaque layers of what it means to be a man, what it means to be a Black man, and what it means to foster genuine relationships among humans in an unforgiving world.

Don’t miss the most anticipated historical fiction of summer 2023 for more on Colson Whitehead>>>