My second Black History Month Book Recommendation comes from author Nnedi Okorafor. The Nigerian-American author won both Hugo and Nebula awards for her novella. Binti tells the story of...well... Binti. Binti is the first of her people to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. The journey both horrifying and enlightening takes place on her way there.  

 

70th Emmy Awards - Arrivals
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Photo/Tor Publishing Group
Photo/Tor Publishing Group
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I had first heard the novella mentioned around the context of Afrofuturism, which, according to Okorafor, isn’t necessarily the case. However, that’s a discussion for another day. I will link a PBS video on Afrofuturism here for you to learn more about it. I love reading sci-fi and fantasy, so Binti sounded fun and quick. Nnedi Okorafor is a very atmospheric writer, so much so, that I could smell the air of Binti’s hometown and feel the claustrophobic atmosphere of being trapped in her room on the ship to Oomza University. 

 

If Binti sounds like something you would like to read, I picked up my copy at Main Street Books in Cedar City and I will also link Nnedi Okorafor’s website as Binti has now been collected as a trilogy. 

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