Asali Solomon Livres

'The overlooked American writer who blows apart modern thinking on race' Telegraph Born to a white mother and an absent black father, and despised for her dark skin, Helga Crane has long had to fend for herself. As a young woman, Helga teaches at an all-black school in the South, but even here she feels different. Moving to Harlem and eventually to Denmark, she attempts to carve out a comfortable life and place for herself, but ends up back where she started, choosing emotional freedom that quickly translates into a narrow existence. Nella Larsen's powerful first novel, has intriguing autobiographical parallels and at the same time invokes the international dimension of African American culture of the 1920s. Slow, moving and reflective, Quicksand is a detailed and evocative portrayal of a biracial woman's inner life.

Inspired by 'Mrs. Dalloway' and 'Sula', this tender novel follows two women at midlife as they rediscover themselves and perhaps each other. Liselle Belmont is hosting a dinner party to thank her husband Winn's supporters after his failed bid for state legislature. Uncertain about Winn's political ambitions and the life that came with them, she now grapples with questions about their relationship and her own identity. Just before the party, an FBI agent informs her of potential corruption involving Winn, adding to her anxiety about the evening ahead. Meanwhile, across town, Selena navigates her day with a sense of quiet determination, trying to ignore the harsh realities surrounding her—homelessness, hunger, and the painful history of America. Her happiest moments were spent with Liselle in college, but years of separation have left them distant. A chance encounter at a drugstore after Obama's election barely rekindles their connection, yet as the day unfolds, Selena's memories of Liselle begin to alter her course. This expertly layered and humorous narrative offers a profound exploration of midlife, celebrating the choices that shape us, the people who influence our journeys, and the possibility of reimagining ourselves even when life feels predetermined.