In the month of May 2023, in my book club, we read and discussed The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris. I like to use my reading to force me into other people’s perspectives and experiences, using books as a doorway to empathy and compassion where I would otherwise not know.
From the back cover: Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and microaggressions, she’s thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They’ve only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to Office Darling, and Nella is left in the dust.
Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW.
It’s hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages. But as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play, she soon realizes that there’s a lot more at stake than just her career. Having joined Wagner Books to honor the legacy of Burning Heart, a novel written and edited by two Black women, she had thought that this animosity was a relic of the past. Is Nella ready to take on the fight of a new generation?
There are two reasons I like being part of book clubs: One is that I read books that I normally wouldn’t pick up or are forced to finish books that I really want to put down. Two is that upon conversation, I can often find more things to appreciate about a book, a story, or the themes behind it, even if I didn’t love the reading experience. This is a book that I had tried to read two separate times on my own and had put down. Knowing I was accountable to the group forced me to finish this one. And the conversation made me appreciate it more.
I highly suggest a conversation alongside this book.
Conversation
Every conversation has to start somewhere, so let’s start with three questions to start.
- One of the book’s main themes is about white dominance in publishing. Thinking over the past 10 books that you have read, how many were written by people of color or other marginalized groups? Is it your habit to read books by people who are different than you?
- What genre would you call this book? Thriller? Magical Realism? Suspense? General-market Fiction?
- Why do you think the author set this book in the publishing industry? Could it have been set in a different industry?
Camaraderie
- This story begins with the introduction of a 2nd black girl into the Professional Space. What do you think of Nella and Hazel’s relationship?
- When did you start to become suspicious of Hazel?
- What is the relationship between Nella and Malaika like? How does it shift and change throughout the course of the book?
Compassion
- What does this book say about code-switching and selling out? What are some examples of code-switching in the book? What separates the two?
- What is the significance of black hair care in this book?
- Does the ending make you optimistic or fearful? What could have been different about the ending?
Want to put this book on your TBR? Ready to make it your next book club conversation? Grab your copy here! The Other Black Girl
Happy Reading!
