kathleen collins

Uncategorized

Harper Celebrates Diversity with these Powerful Reads!

Black history month

Fall is inarguably the best season for reading and what better way to spend it than by discovering new, diverse authors! We've compiled some great reads to help celebrate diversity—titles that entertain, titles that inform, titles that reflect on how far we've come and illuminate how far we've yet to go. Some are on sale now, some have egalleys available to read, and some are a bit further out but are so good we think you must have them on your radar. So without further ado, enjoy!

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly: Set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow South and the civil rights movement, the never-before-told true story of NASA’s African-American female mathematicians who played a crucial role in America’s space program—and whose contributions have been unheralded, until now. Get your copy here.

Stand Tall by Dewey Bozella: In this inspiring memoir, Dewey Bozella recounts his life and the twenty-six years he spent behind bars for a murder he did not commit—a stirring tale of courage, strength, faith, and perseverance. Get the egalley from Edelweiss here.

Whatever Happened to Interracial Love? by Kathleen Collins: A never-before-published collection of stories from a brilliant yet little-known African-American artist and filmmaker—a contemporary of revered writers including Laurie Colwin, Ann Beattie, Amy Hempel, Lucia Berlin, and Grace Paley—whose prescient work has recently resurfaced to wide acclaim. Get the egalley from Edelweiss here.

Breathless by Beverly Jenkins: A strong-willed beauty finds herself in the arms of the handsome drifter from her past, in this second book in the sizzling series set in the Old West, from the USA Today bestselling author. Get the egalley from Edelweiss here.

The Original Black Elite by Elizabeth Dowling Taylor: In this outstanding cultural biography, the author of the New York Times bestseller A Slave in the White House chronicles a critical yet overlooked chapter in American history: the inspiring rise and calculated fall of the black elite, from Emancipation through Reconstruction to the Jim Crow Era—embodied in the experiences of an influential figure of the time: academic, entrepreneur, and political activist and black history pioneer Daniel Murray. For further details, click here.

Uncategorized

Starred Reviews for Kathleen Collins’ WHATEVER HAPPENED TO INTERRACIAL LOVE?

9780062484154_96816

Kathleen Collins, the first African American woman to produce a feature-length film, tragically passed away in 1988 at the age of 46. Now, with the help of her daughter, we are releasing a never-before-published collection of Collins' short stories, Whatever Happened to Interracial Love? Stirring and electric, examining deeply human topics with a clear eye and a beautiful voice, this is truly a special release. One story in, it becomes apparent Collins is a vital voice in American literature. See below for a sampling of the early praise:

"Gorgeous and strikingly intimate...Collins has a spectacular sense of dialogue….Though most of the pieces span only a few pages, they are frequently overwhelmingly rich—not just in their sharp takes on sex, race, and relationships, but in the power and music of their sentences. Collins' prose is so precise and hypnotic that no amount of rereading it feels like enough. Astonishing and essential. A gem." —Kirkus starred review

 "Race, gender, love, and sexuality are portrayed beautifully and humanely….Full of candor, humor, and poise, this collection, so long undiscovered, will finally find the readers it deserves." Publishers Weekly starred review

Whatever Happened to Interracial Love? goes on sale December 6th. Vibrant, important, and timely, we expect big things for this collection. In anticipation of its on-sale date, we will send a finished copy upon its release to the first 20 people to email us at librarylovefest@harpercollins.com. To get the egalley, visit the Edelweiss page here.

-Chris

Uncategorized

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO INTERRACIAL LOVE? chosen for HUFFINGTON POST’s Must-Read Fall Book List

If you haven't yet given it a read, we highly recommend you check out Huffington Post's recent article "20 Fall 2016 Books You'll Need for Your Bookshelf." It's a fantastic guide for the fairest reading season of them all AND it includes FIVE HarperCollins titles! Check out further details on the titles they chose below, and give the article a read here

9780062484154_96816Whatever Happened to Interracial Love? by Kathleen Collins
This never-before-published collection of stories underscores the brilliance of this revered yet little-known African-American artist and filmmaker who passed away in 1988 following her fight with breast cancer. Far-reaching yet deeply personal, this collection provides rich meditations on race, gender, family, and sexuality and is sure to awaken a renewed appreciation for this incredible mind who influenced a long list of writers, including Toni Morrison, Martha Southgate, Bliss Broyard, Katie Roiphe, and Erica Jong. Get more details here.

Moonglow by Michael Chabon 9780062225559_e399c
The latest work by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and Telegraph Avenue is a semi-autobiographical epic tale that begins with a deathbed confession shared between grandfather and grandson. A novel of truth and lies, family legends, and existential adventure, Moonglow has already received starred reviews from Library Journal and Booklist, who raves "Chabon has created a masterful and resounding novel of the dark and blazing forces that forged our tumultuous, confounding, and precious world." Get the egalley here.

9780062349408_dea3aThe Terranauts by T.C. Boyle
From the author of The Harder They Come, this literary deep-dive into the human psyche has also received starred reviews from both Booklist and Library Journal, who proclaimed, "This is one of Boyle’s best—and quite possibly one of the best of the year." Following four men and four women voluntarily sealed inside a three-acre biosphere as part of a grand human experiment (or potentially the world's most expensive PR stunt), Boyle's latest continues to display his masterful grasp of human behavior and folly, wrapped up in a timely social commentary. Get the egalley here.

 Nicotine by Nell Zink 9780062441706_c4837
Zink's follow-up to the critically acclaimed Mislaid is a bitingly funny yet heartfelt exploration of family through the eyes of a recent MBA graduate who returns to her recently deceased father's childhood home only to find it occupied by a charming group of pro-smoking squatters. Nicotine was called by Booklist a "heady, witty novel" that "traverses diverse perspectives and intentions, offering rich explorations of the characters’ varied conflicts and subversive lives." Get the egalley here.

9780062388704_b22aeIntimations by Alexandra Kleeman
From the celebrated author of You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine, this new book is a thought-provoking, often unsettling story collection that consists, broadly, of narrative diagrams of the three main stages in a human life: birth, life, and death. From Booklist, "Kleeman thoroughly owns her material, and her inventive collection offers a prodigious exploration into distinctive realms." Get more details here.

The air is brisk, the days are shorter, and fall feels like it's finally arrived. Time for a blanket and a book! We hope you'll pick up some of these titles and let us know what you think. Drop us a line at librarylovefest@harpercollins.com. 

-Chris

 

 

Scroll to Top