I have always been in the minority, of the people I know, when it comes to reading. I have been one of a few males and one of a handful of Black readers, especially when it comes to science fiction and fantasy literature. After watching the opening ceremonies of JordanCon 2017, it left a bittersweet taste that I just can’t seem to shake.

As I looked out in the crowd I couldn’t help but notice that I was the only Black male in the room. Now I’m sure that that in the nine years of their operation that JordanCon has had Black attendees, presenters, authors, panelists and artists but for that brief hour of introductions, I couldn’t enjoy myself. There has always been that adage that if you want to hide something from Black people, put it in a book.

I don’t know where that comes from but I’m killing it. It is indicative of the times, and we need to think before we act and speak. We can do that by knowing our history and learning about others.

So here is my list of gateway books I think all people would enjoy and benefit from. It is my hope that you will love these books, but I merely want to open the door to the literary world.

Things Fall Apart

Chinua Achebe’s tale of how one man loses it all is quite gripping. Things Fall Apart mixes the historical relevance of the Igbo culture and what happens when its basic tenets are targeted head on.

Who Fears Death

Onyesonwu goes on a quest to defeat her sorcerer father in a post-apocalyptic version of Sudan. Nnedi Okrafor uses this supernatural story to discuss colorism and misogyny within the Igbo culture.

Kindred

Octavia Butler tells the tale of young writer Dana, who finds herself moving between 1976 and a pre-Civil War plantation. This time traveling slave narrative highlights the endurance of a young woman and the horrors all slaves had to endure.

The Conjure Woman

Charles Chesnutt uses the character Uncle Julius McAdoo to delineate stories told in the African-American folk tale tradition. These stories are supernatural and follow Southern culture.

Sula

A Toni Morrison classic, Sula is the story of two friends (Nel and Sula) and the dynamic that changes between them from childhood into adulthood.

Beloved

Another classic by Toni Morrison is the novel Beloved. Beloved exposes the psychological toll of slavery with a mix of supernatural hauntings and sacrifices no one should be forced to make.

Like Water For Chocolate

Like Water For Chocolate is the story of Tita, a young girl trapped by her family’s traditions. Her only way out is by expressing her feelings through the food she cooks, allowing everyone who eats to feel Tita’s innermost desires.

The Eye of The World

Robert Jordan’s first installment of The Wheel of Time series is the epic tale of three boys and their intertwined destines. They face many perils in their travels and must come to terms with the changing world around them.

The Famished Road

Ben Okri mixes the real world with the spirit world in this tale of Azaro, a spirit child who lives in the real world.

La Casa de los Espiritus

La Casa de los Espiritus, or The House of the Sprits, is the story of generations strong women and their strength in facing the world full of political, domestic and supernatural threats.

One Hundred Years of Solitude

One Hundred Years of Solitude is the story of the founding of a town in Colombia and the family that cannot escape it. Gabriel García Márquez infuses the supernatural with the inevitable as part of the detriment imposed onto the Latin people.

Eragon

A boy, his mentor, and a dragon; what could go wrong? Eragon is a farm boy who discovers a dragon’s egg in the forest. The egg is the first to hatch in a number of years. But what do you do when dragon’s are outlawed?

Legend of the Orange Scepter

The only hope for a world where an evil android begins its takeover are a bunch of rowdy teenagers who can control the elements. The journey to salvation is fraught with danger; if only they can learn to work together.

Kamikaze

Markesha takes on the mantle of Kamikaze when a feudal corporate house requires her assistance as a top courier in order to keep their hold on patches of land in a post-apocalyptic world where food is a scarce necessity.

The Black Panther

Marvel’s story of a prince from Wakanda who takes on the mantle of his father and his country’s hero, is one that has brought smiles to many faces who longed to see themselves represented through good storytelling in comics. The Black Panther is the protector of  Wakanda and one of Marvel’s most popular titles.