Summer Reading

A WORD FROM OUR HOST

It’s my last week in the UK, and what a week it’s been.

For me, this time was consumed by the inspiring highs of familial reconnection and Olympic superheroism. On the other end of the scale, I’ve had to process my anger and fear as I watched the UK riots first-hand.

Watching the public conversation avoid having honest discussions about British racism had been hurtful.

And in all of this, the country seems to have forgotten that all of this started because of misinformation spread about the murder of schoolchildren.

Who is thinking about these grieving families?

I’ve watched in horror as fake news about immigration got conflated with the (mostly unspoken) racism that exists in the nation. And I sat there remembering why, even as a child, I didn’t feel like I belonged in the country I was born in. If you follow me on IG, you will have seen my reflections via my stories.

That said, my family, my Ghanaian, and profoundly multicultural community, which shaped me as a kid, kept me grounded as the events of the summer unfolded in our backyards (in some cases, almost  literally.)

But I’m thankful that I have the superpower of seeing through the noise and that I’m still not so entirely jaded that I can connect cultural dots and build cultural bridges.

I look forward to sharing more of those reflections with my guests later in the year.

But in the meantime, we’re dropping our final Summer Book pick. I’ll hand it over to the rest of the team.

Christabel

AD Fam!

We’re excited to welcome back the ever-insightful Priscilla Owusu from 'Just Read It’  for our final ‘Summer Book Pick’ episode! This week, she helps us explore the truths behind a captivating collection of short stories called “Nearly All The Men In Lagos Are Mad” by Damilare Kuku.

In this episode, we explore the ups and downs of dating and marriage in Lagos, touching on how African storytelling often blends humor with pain.

Priscilla also shares a simple trick for enjoying short stories and shaking up your reading habits. Her take on one particular story about a pastor’s wife is guaranteed to leave you both laughing and reflecting.

Keep listening as Christabel and Priscilla explore the amazing world of Black literature and suggest writers from the Black diaspora to check out, such as Ingrid Persaud, Bolu Babalola, Brit Bennett, Tia Williams, Percival Everett, Derek Owusu, and Ashley Hickson.

Listen now and be part of the conversation!

Then, tell us how you think “Nearly All The Men In Lagos Are Mad” adds to the rich collection of Black literature and represents the complexities of relationships and identity in African storytelling. 

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* Website: https://justreadit.co.uk

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