6 Books Black Women Read: A Gift for Her Birthday

Choosing a birthday gift for a woman can be an overwhelming task. It requires you to know her taste, interests, and preferences. But have you thought of a good book gift for her birthday? For instance, books written by black women for black women.

It could be a great idea, especially if she’s an introvert. The good news is that reading is a favorite activity for many introverts. So such a book birthday gift will amaze her whether she’s your spouse, friend, sister, or mother.

This is the right resource if you’re looking for this kind of book. We have gathered six books any black woman must read. You will channel her introverted strength without having to buy jewelry or flowers. Remember, the most important thing is to choose a thoughtful gift that shows that you appreciate her.

6 Books black women like reading

Without any further ado, lets jump right into our list of the six book birthday gifts any black woman will like:

1. Becoming by Michelle Obama

This is one of the must-read books for black women. It is an autobiography by Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the United States. In the book, Obama shares her personal story, from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her time in the White House.

The book is divided into three parts:

• “Becoming Me,” which details her early years and education.
• “Becoming Us,” which covers her courtship and marriage to Barack Obama.
• “Becoming More,” which delves into her years as First Lady and her advocacy work.

“Becoming” has received critical acclaim for its honest and compelling storytelling and for offering readers an intimate glimpse into the life of one of the most admired black women in the world.

Gift her this book on her birthday if she’s a fan of reading literature by black authors sharing their triumphs, challenges, and experiences with racism and sexism.

2. When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo

An excellent book every black woman should be reading! “When We Were Birds” is a mythical love story set in Trinidad and Tobago. It reflects on family, love, loss, and the complexities of the human experience.

The story is personal and draws on Banwo’s experiences as a Black woman navigating the world. In the first section, “Inheritance,” Banwo explores the legacy of her ancestors and the weight of their history on her own identity. Next, she reflects on the impact of slavery and racism and the resilience and strength of Black people throughout history.

If she’s an enthusiast of black history and literature written by black women, gift her this beautifully crafted book collection for her birthday.

3. Kintu by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

“Kintu” is a modern classic storybook about Ugandan history written by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, a Ugandan writer. Perhaps the phrase “Kintu” must not be new to your ears if you are well conversant with Ugandan history.

It was first published in 2014 in Kenya and later in the United Kingdom. The novel tells the story of a Ugandan family through multiple generations, exploring themes such as family, tradition, history, identity, and colonialism. The book won the 2018 Windham Campbell Prize from Yale University. Perhaps who wouldn’t want to be gifted an award winning book by a black female author on her birthday?

Overall, “Kintu” is one of the books every black woman should read. It is a rich and complex novel that offers a nuanced portrait of Ugandan society and its history. Through its finely drawn characters and its exploration of themes that are both universal and specific to Uganda, the novel has cemented Jennifer Makumbi’s reputation as one of the most influential black writers of this generation.

4. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

This is an autobiography by Maya Angelou, another female black author of all times. It covers her childhood and adolescence, growing up in the segregated South during the 1930s and 1940s. The book explores the themes of racism, identity, and trauma and is a powerful testament to the resilience and strength of the human spirit.

Angelou writes about her experiences of racism and sexual abuse with unflinching honesty and portrays the challenges of growing up in a society that devalues and oppresses black women.

“I Know why the caged bird sings” has been praised for its powerful prose and its honest portrayal of the black experience in America. As a result, it has become one of the widely read books for black women in schools and universities worldwide. Doesn’t it make a good birthday book gift, especially for a black humanitarian woman?

5. We are all birds of Uganda by Hafsa Zayyan.

“We are all birds of Uganda” is a debut novel by Hafsa Zayyan, a British author of Nigerian and Pakistani heritage. The book was first published in 2021 and won the prestigious Merky Books New Writers’ Prize in 2019.

The novel tells the story of two men, one from the present day and one from the past, whose lives become unexpectedly intertwined. The first is Sameer, a young British lawyer of Ugandan descent struggling to reconcile his British identity with his family’s Ugandan roots. The second is Hasan, a successful businessman in 1960s Kampala, whose comfortable life is upended by the political turmoil of the time.

The book is a beautifully written and deeply insightful novel praised for its evocative portrayal of contemporary and historical Uganda. It offers a fresh perspective on the experiences of diaspora communities and the complexities of cultural identity while also shining a light on Uganda’s rich and vibrant history. Of course, we could not leave this out from our list of the best books for black women.

6. A Girl is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

Well, here is another exciting book by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi. One of the famous black female authors of this time. The book was first published in 2020 and has been widely praised for its vivid portrayal of life in Uganda.

“A Girl is a Body of Water” follows the life of Kirabo Namwezi, a young Ugandan girl growing up in the 1970s. Her grandparents raise Kirabo, and she struggles to understand her place. When she learns that her mother, whom she believed to be dead, is alive and living in another part of the country, she starts self-discovery.

As Kirabo searches for her mother, she encounters a series of powerful women who teach her about the history and traditions of her country. She learns about the power of storytelling and how stories can shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Through its finely drawn characters, the book offers a unique perspective on the experiences of black women and girls in Africa. Gift her this book on her birthday if she’s concerned with the power of women’s voices in our society.

Conclusion

Finally, we’ve come to the end of our six birthday gifts (books) for black women. These are brilliant masterpieces any vivid black reader will love. So if you can recommend any other impressive books by black authors, please leave a list in the comment box.

If you are an author who would like to feature your book in our weekly blogs, please contact us. We will help you get more online visibility for your masterpiece.