This post is especially for white people. We need to educate ourselves on what it means to be black in the US. Beyond listening to my POC (that's People of Color) friends when they speak about the injustices and prejudices they face, and following more POC on social media to gain a broader perspective, I also read as much as I can. These are six books I think are very helpful to understanding the history and reality of black people in the United States. Fiction 1) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Starr witnesses her unarmed friend get shot by a police officer and decides to speak out. I think this book should be required reading in all schools. 2) Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Ifemelu moves to the US from Nigeria and learns for the first time what it means to be "black". 3) The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead In this book, the Underground Railroad is a literal thing that helps Cora escape from slavery in Georgia. But with a slave
So you really liked The Hunger Games and want some more of that sweet sweet dystoptian YA feeling. I'm guessing you've already read Divergent by Veronica Roth and Maze Runner by James Dashner (if not, were you even part of the YA dystopian craze??). Here are some other series I think you'll enjoy: Red Rising by Pierce Brown Basically Hunger Games in Space with super evolved humans. The main character is of the lowest caste (a Red) and fakes his way to the very top of society in order to take them down. ***Content Warning*** This book has a lot of violence (about the same as HG), and there is high use of profanity. Partials by Dan Wells One of the most underrated series in my humble opinion. 99% of the world's population has been wiped out by a weaponized virus during the war with the Partials—engineered organic super-humans—and no new babies are being born. Sixteen year old Kira is trying to find a solution. When a supply run ends with them capturing