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Reading lists

13 essential Vintage books for Black History Month

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Extracts

Sugar, by Bernice McFadden

The addictive Richard and Judy book club pick

Sugar

Sugar follows expertly crafted characters as they wade through grief, sexism, and the bitter judgement of the 1950s Deep South with warmth and heart. Sugar is a page-turning novel guaranteed to be looked back on as a timeless classic

This book is so engaging and beautiful and intriguing and satisfying that I could not put it down

McFadden works a kind of miracle - not only do her characters retain their appealing humanity; their story eclipses the bonds of history to offer continuous surprises . . . Beautiful and evocative

Sugar was a masterful debut, an electrifying and profoundly realized addition to African American women's literary fiction. And importantly, Sugar introduced us to the brilliant author, Bernice L. McFadden, who would bring forth The Book of Harlan, Gathering of Waters, Glorious, and Nowhere is a Place.

A literary explosion...McFadden reveals amazing talent

An earthy slice of life in a small Southern town... A novel of friendship and loss

Strong and folksy storytelling...think Zora Neale Hurston...Sugar speaks of what is real

Bernice L. McFadden is the author of ten critically acclaimed novels including Sugar, Loving Donovan, Nowhere Is a Place, The Warmest December, Gathering of Waters (a New York Times Editors' Choice and one of the 100 Notable Books of 2012), and Glorious, which was featured in O, The Oprah Magazine and was a finalist for the NAACP Image Award. She is a three-time Hurston/Wright Legacy Award finalist, as well as the recipient of three awards from the BCALA. McFadden lives in Brooklyn, New York. First Born Girls is her first memoir.

**A RICHARD AND JUDY AUTUMN BOOK CLUB PICK AND THE MOST POWERFUL BOOK YOU'LL READ THIS YEAR** 
 
 'Poignant and bittersweet, this novel is a joy' Richard &amp; Judy 
 
Young and confident, with a swagger in her step, Sugar arrives in the southern town of Bigelow hoping to start over. Soon Bigelow is alight with gossip and suspicion, and Sugar fears her past is catching up with her. Then she meets Pearl, a woman trying to forget her own traumas. As these next-door neighbours become unlikely friends, they wonder if their lives could finally be changing for the better. But small towns have long memories... 
 
Perfect for fans of The Vanishing Half and Where the Crawdads Sing, Sugar is a classic waiting to be rediscovered. 
 
Reviewers adore Sugar: 
 
 'A page-turning novel guaranteed to be looked back on as a timeless classic' INDEPENDENT 
 
 'This book is so engaging and beautiful and intriguing and satisfying that I could not put it down' ELLE 
 
 'Riveting... Searing and expertly imagined' TONI MORRISON on Bernice L. McFadden 
 
 
 Readers are falling for Sugar 
 
 'Such an enjoyable read... beautifully written, raw and impactful' 
 'Riveting, heart-breaking' 
 'Very powerful, poignant' 
 'Beautifully written... brutal and moving... a must read book' 
 'Well-written with rich characters and many twists and turns' 
 'So descriptive yet easy to read, and it made me fall in love with all the characters'

Bernice McFadden

FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SUGAR

The sequel to Bernice L. McFadden's incredible classic debut and the Richard and Judy 2021 Book Club pick, Sugar 
 
In This Bitter Earth, Sugar Lacey is on her way out of Bigelow, Arkansas, where she'd come to break with the past. With her worn leopard-print suitcase and her head held high, she walks past the prying eyes of its small-minded, cruel-hearted townsfolk, praying for the strength to keep going. She doesn't stop until she arrives at her childhood home in Short Junction. Here she learns the truth about her parentage: a terrible tale of unrequited love, of one man's enduring hatred, and of the black magic that has cursed generations of Lacey women. 
 
A powerfully realised novel that brings back the unforgettable characters from Sugar, McFadden's bestselling debut, This Bitter Earth is a testament to the ultimate triumph of the human spirit. 
 
Reader reviews for Sugar 
 
'Such an enjoyable read... beautifully written, raw and impactful' 
'Riveting, heart-breaking' 
'Very powerful, poignant' 
'Beautifully written... brutal and moving... a must read book' 
'Well-written with rich characters and many twists and turns' 
'So descriptive yet easy to read, and it made me fall in love with all the characters'

Bernice McFadden

This Bitter Earth

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