The Stacks Ep. 361 Reading Black Writers Gave Me Heritage with Tembe Denton-Hurst
Mar 5, 2025
Tembe Denton-Hurst, an author and journalist at New York Magazine, shares her journey of discovering identity through literature. She emphasizes the importance of reading Black writers for cultural representation and discusses how her background shaped her literary interests. Tembe also explores the significance of communal reading, critiques historical narratives involving white women in slavery, and reflects on her writing process for her novel, Homebodies. With a mix of humor and insight, she dives into her favorite books and the emotional impact of reading.
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Early Hyperlexic Reading Habit
- Tembe recalls being a hyperlexic kid who checked out dozens of library books every two weeks.
- She read advanced novels young and often felt intellectually lonely in class because of it.
Rereading Youthful Finds As An Adult
- Tembe read adult novels like The Color Purple and Push as a child and later reread them with deeper understanding.
- She remembers initial shock at content and later appreciation for thematic complexity.
Representation Creates Heritage
- Seeing yourself in literature provides lineage and a sense of heritage.
- Tembe says reading Black writers gave her heritage and connected her to a fictive and real lineage.