Author: Jamise Harper
Illustrator: Jane Mount
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Genre: Nonfiction, Books about Books, Reference
Source: Library
My review:
The cover of Bibliophile: Diverse Spines is beautiful. I love that it has an attached bookmark (something a true book nerd can appreciate). The illustrations are eye-catching and engaging.
I love the idea of this book. Diversifying our reading should be the goal of all readers. However, this book fell a little short of the mark for me.
I like how the book is organized into categories, so if there's a particular genre you want to explore you know where to look. I appreciated how there were blurbs for many of the books. I loved the nod to diverse little libraries and the inclusion of diverse bookstores.
But, I think this book is the beginning of the conversion. While there is quite a bit covered there, is also quite a bit lacking. I do not think there are only four classics that fall into the category of "diverse." While there are quite a few genres represented, there are also quite a few missing.
Overall, this book gives a lot of recommendations of books that you can use to diversify your reading list. It is put together well and is easy to read. It can be used as a reference or as reading material, your choice.
★★★/5
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
This richly illustrated
and vastly inclusive collection uplifts the works of authors who are
often underrepresented in the literary world. Using their keen knowledge
and deep love for all things literary, coauthors Jamise Harper (founder
of the Diverse Spines book community) and Jane Mount (author of Bibliophile) collaborated to create an essential volume filled with treasures for every reader:
•
Dozens of themed illustrated book stacks—like Classics, Contemporary
Fiction, Mysteries, Cookbooks, and more—all with an emphasis on authors
of color and authors from diverse cultural backgrounds
• A look inside beloved bookstores owned by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
• Reading recommendations from leading BIPOC literary influencers
Diversify your reading list to expand your world and shift your perspective. Kickstart your next literary adventure now!
I had not heard of this book. Interesting idea, for sure. It would be a good reference for those looking to diversify their reading.
ReplyDeleteCarla, absolutely.
DeleteIt does look like an interesting reference book, and one I think would be nice to have around.
ReplyDeleteWendy, it was interesting.
DeleteI love that there is a book that helps you read other books. Ha ha! I have tried to be open to all genres. I'm a pretty eclectic reader, but I know I could do better.
ReplyDeleteKami, it's not so much about genres but also diverse authors :)
DeleteI absolutely love the cover of this book. I would have to be able to look into it, though, before committing to this one after what you said. Thanks, Cindy.
ReplyDeleteMarianne, maybe your library would have it? That's where I borrowed from :)
DeleteBefore we moved here, I would have been sure they have it but this one we have now is useless. They only have German books and mostly "easy reads".
DeleteAh, I totally understand! That's too bad.
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