This month, we read The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. This the story of identical twin sisters (and their daughters) spanning the fifties through the nineties. Desiree and Stella are inseparable growing up in the fictional light-skinned Black town of Mallard, Louisiana during the fifties in the Jim Crow-era south. When they are 16, they run away together to New Orleans. From there, their lives take completely different turns. Desiree marries a dark-skinned man and returns home to raise her daughter in Mallard, while Stella goes on to pass for white - hiding her identity and past from her new family. The book follows the girls’ stories and their daughters, who eventually end up meeting via a chance encounter. We discuss colorism, the theme of running away throughout the book, our interpretations of the title, and our mixed reviews on the ending. Although this book has been in the works for 4 years, its release couldn’t be more timely, as the story has such pointed views about race and privilege. We can’t wait to hear what you think of the book! Join in the discussion on the Facebook Group.
Interviews with Brit Bennett:
Obsessions:
Instagram:
Books:
- Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
- The Boys’ Club by Erica Katz (out Aug 4)
- When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrice Cullors
- The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine
- Self Care by Leigh Stein
August Book Club:
- The Comeback by Ella Berman
Podcast:
- Everything is Fine: a podcast for women about life over 40. Hosted by former Lucky magazine founding editor Kim France and documentary filmmaker Tally Abecassis.
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