Loyalty Holiday Picks 2022: NONFICTION AND GIFT
Essays, history, social science, memoirs, gift books, and graphic novels for all. Let the Loyalty Team help you find the perfect read for every nonfiction lover in your life!
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How to Read Now is a battle cry. Incisive, provocative, humorous, brilliant—Castillo does not pull her punches. When the first essay opens with "White supremacy makes for terrible readers, I find," you KNOW you're in for an excellent collection of essays! I seriously believe every reader and writer would benefit from reading this book—it’s a big fat “fuck you” to the settler colonial narratives steeped in white supremacy that have taken up space for far too long. Seriously, you will not be the same after reading How to Read Now. — Christine
The beloved award-winning poet once again turns to the essay form in his second collection of essays. In contrast to The Book of Delights, Gay chooses the long form essay to excavate, poke, prod, and attempt to better understand joy. A book that will prove deeply warming during the cooler months. — Malik
Blending reportage, cultural criticism, memoir, and knife's edge humor, Dipo Faloyin's debut is a necessary intervention in the often lopsided conversation about Africa. Poignant, yet readable, Faloyin is a writer whose next release I highly anticipate. — Malik
This book has completely changed my life. It is a compassionate, gentle, and affirming approach to cleaning and taking care of yourself and your home in a way that is completely shame free. As someone with chronic pain and anxiety, this book really spoke to me. While I believe it could be an excellent read for anyone, I especially recommend it for people with chronic illnesses or disabilities and for neurodivergent folx. — Christine
I love Rest is Resistance because it was the loving reminder I needed that I was born worthy of rest and dreaming. Tricia Hersey teaches us that rest is a tool of liberation we should not have to apologize for using. — Amani
America’s iconic instrument gets a full investigation and is restored to the ownership of its creators: Black people. The diaspora’s history is told through every music genre in the last 200 years by scholar and writer Kristina R. Gaddy with an incredible foreword by musician and MacArthur Genius Rhiannon Giddens. The spirit of a gourd instrument that became coopted by minstrel shows and has been returned with the resurgence of Black musicians reclaiming our sounds. — Hannah
You must learn the South to understand America. You must learn Black life to understand America. You must understand the South to understand the legacy of Black America. Getting the circle? Imani Perry is one of our greatest living writers and she breaks through every barrier combining memoir, history, scholarship, and precise writing to challenge our understanding of the South and bring light to our collective history. — Hannah
Will Jawando defied the odds to become an innovator and a community leader, but more importantly for this he defied the odds to write a moving, meaningful memoir while also being a politician. Chronicling his relationship with seven Black men who, wittingly or unwittingly, mentored him through his journey, Jawando gives us both the understanding of how systems of oppression affect our lives and the power of communities to defy those odds with love. — Hannah
A deeply personal memoir, Abdul-Rauf recounts his story in the NBA. Abdul-Rauf exemplifies what it means to be in the public sphere and take a stand for one's beliefs, as throughout his storied career he modeled his principles. This is a perfect book for any sports fan. — Joe
This book genuinely feels like home to me. The writing is lyrical and yet crisp as Vanessa A. Bee takes us through her family lineage in Cameroon, her adoption, life in Europe and building a life in the States, her young marriage and divorce, religious awakening and distancing and the eventual new definition of the word home. The central question of who we are gets an incredible perspective in this book. — Hannah
Perfect for fans of xkcd, What If? (the blog or the book), or anyone else who likes science, weird questions, talking nonsense, counterintuitive facts, or laughing. Also for anyone who somehow hasn’t yet encountered ex-NASA roboticist Randall Munroe’s hilarious but scientifically rigorous take, complete with illustrations, on such reader-submitted questions as “If a T. rex were released in New York City, how many humans/day would it need to consume to get its needed calorie intake?" — David
Are you shopping for a music lover? This is what you were looking for. This is What it Sounds Like is a scientific exploration of why we love the music we love. Written by the chief engineer on Prince's Purple Rain album turned cognitive neuroscience professor Susan Rogers, this book will tell you just as much about yourself as it does the science behind your preferences. Super cool book for the super cool person you're shopping for. — Amani
An astounding compendium of a photographs and quotes archiving a year of NYC's Stonewall Protests, a project initiated by activists Qween Jean and Joela Rivera. A much-needed dose of Black trans/queer power, community, and joy. — Malik
This beautiful book brings together the full, legendary photo series of Carrie Mae Weems Kitchen Table Series and explores her writing and talks on the topic, its impact, and of course the gorgeous photographs themselves. Whether you are considering the intersectional revolutionary possibilities of Black womanhood or feeling the need to be drenched in good art (hopefully both), this book is a must. — Hannah
Cooking from the Spirit is a warm hug from your favorite auntie. Tabitha Brown invites us into her heart and kitchen with this incredible cookbook! The book is not only filled with incredible plant-based inspirations meals but it is a family portrait to her family that we all love on her socials! The perfect gift for literally any and everyone. A love letter to food, family and fun. — Chardai
If every best of list hasn't convinced you, let me. Ghetto Gastro is one of the BEST cookbooks of the year. Even if you're like me and cooking is more of a cute idea than a thing you actually do, it's fantastic. It's not just about food, it's about our culture. Ghetto Gastro is not just a cookbook, it's a movement. When food meets artistry, activism and history, it takes on a whole new meaning. — Amani
For those of us who are weirdos about flour, the King Arthur cookbooks are already beloved treasures! But assuming you do not obsess about your brand of flour, you still want the legendary baking school to teach you how to bake. The beauty of this cookbook is that it goes beyond recipes and emphasizes the teaching aspect and helps you grow as a baker. This book is a gift of both delicious treats and confidence! — Hannah
This gorgeous edition of poems and stories fits in your pocket and expands your mind. Black women writers from the Harlem Renaissance defied every odd and covered subjects from Jazz to motherhood, from unjust laws to lust. Book lovers will celebrate and collectors of Black literature will enjoy this in-depth collection. — Hannah
Excuse me while I fangirl. Jessica Nabongo is a legend. A travel icon. My little traveling heart's hero. The first black woman to travel to every country in the world! This book is more than a coffee table flip through, it's a memoir and a statement on the innate goodness of humans. Jessica is also a photographer so you can count on being just as visually stimulated as you are inspired. — Amani
I was so excited for Black Holly wood to finally come out. Who doesn’t want to see Wesley Jonathan in Fight Club? Kyla Pratt in Bewitched?! Omari Hardwick as James Bond???? Carell Augustus has taken iconic Hollywood scenes and reimagined them with some of Black Hollywood's greatest talents. This is easily one of the best coffee table books of the year. — Amani
This chronicle of our history goes far beyond the usual tokenizing of expected figures to a full breadth of Black representation, gorgeous illustrations, and researched biographies with all the sources you need to learn more about those that came before us. Each essay is thoughtfully written and engaging and the bold illustrations from George McCalman breathe fresh life and context into the stories of 145 of our most essential figures, hidden or otherwise. — Hannah
Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith give a gentle reminder of the beautiful complexities of being a black girl in this graphic novel. I smiled feeling like I was chattin’ with my girlfriends. BFFs Davene, Tanisha, Kim and Cookie take us through the ups and downs of their personal lives: ex boyfriends, FWB, family drama, mental illnesses and friend group chaos. Everything from the stunning artwork to the familiar language was everything I needed and more. — Chardai
A thematic departure for those who know and love Beaton from her webcomic Hark! A Vagrant, Ducks is an unflinching and deeply moving graphic memoir about Beaton’s time working in the Canadian oil fields to pay off her student debt. Beaton simultaneously sheds light on an experience that was completely unfamiliar to me, while depicting harsh and universal realities about labor, classism, and sexism. A masterpiece from a prodigiously talented cartoonist. — Amy