5 stars

I came to this collection for Denne Michele Norris, whose work I've admired for a long time and whose debut novel I recently very much enjoyed. Because I appreciate Norris so much, I didn't get much further than her name and the briefest synopsis of this audiobook before clamoring to request it.

As anticipated, there is so much more to love than just the aforementioned obvious incoming wins. This is a collection of highlights, and I love how much variety there is in focus, identity, and tone. Sometimes, this topic can lead to a lot of dark, heavy material. Not everything comes up roses here, but not everything is about challenges, barriers, and national despair (a nice break from reality, where that is all I think about!).

There's a good mix of legendary icons in here (eh-hem, two words, Akwaeke Emezi) and folks who may be newer to many readers. For me, the works are consistently strong, engaging, and well positioned. I also loved listening to the audio version and absolutely recommend this option when and where accessible.

I recommend this highly to interested parties, and if you're not interested, well, I hope you get reprogrammed sooner rather than later. Happy to help by Clockwork Orange-ing this excellent material right into your pried open eyeballs.