that focus on the experiences of black americans. according to a recent article in the new york times, books on race filled bestseller lists last year. now there s a wave of similar works on the way in the coming months. joining me now is the writer of that article, new york times reporter elizabeth harris and professor of african-american studies in georgetown university, marsha chatman. elizabeth, you first. tell me why you think the topic of race is becoming increasingly popular amongst a broad swath of readers. so last summer, when social justice, racial justice, excuse me, protests were seeping across the country after george floyd was murdered, people turned to books and bestseller lists were filled with titles about race. as consumers were rushing to buy these books and booksellers had a lot of trouble keeping them in
there this suggestion out there that there is a ceiling for books that deal with race and racism? but, you know, these books deal with can deal with these topics, but they re very different books. if you just think about the books that are coming this fall. there are ones that look at different periods in the country, there are memoirs, there are parenting books, fiction, short stories, my monticello is a book coming this fall that s a short story collection, children s books, poetry. these books are not at all in the same category. absolutely. what is the aspect, marsha, of the political and social climate that you think is contributing right now to this phenomenon? it s front and center, something we have had to bear witness to or see. or is it more than that? i think what we re seeing right now is the response to a cycle. i think we could have had this conversation in 1970. we could have had these conversations in the early 1990s. so on the one hand, there s call
Our Channel 7 Editorials encouraging registered voters to prepare and participate in the recent August Primary triggered these comments.
Amy Mullins said: