Three voices on what they’re reading in 2020

Books lay haphazardly in a pile.
Authors Brit Bennett, Kiese Laymon and National Book Foundation executive director Lisa Lucas tell MPR News host Kerri Miller that they’ve been turning to a mix of fiction, poetry and memoir for insight and respite during the pandemic and as the country reacts to racial injustice.
Hermann | 217 images via Pixabay

In recent weeks, we’ve returned to some of our favorite conversations with nonfiction authors including Ijeoma Oluo, Ibram X. Kendi and Verna Myers about race. But that isn’t the only type of written work that looks at and offers insight on the racial reckoning our nation is facing amid a pandemic.

MPR News host Kerri Miller talked with two authors and the head of the National Book Foundation about what’s been on their reading list in terms of fiction, memoirs and poetry this year.

Guests:

  • Brit Bennett is one of the National Book Foundation’s 5 under 35 2016 honorees. Her first novel, “The Mothers,” was a bestseller and her latest novel is titled “The Vanishing Half.”

  • Lisa Lucas is the executive director of the National Book Foundation.

  • Kiese Laymon is the author of several works including his latest, “Heavy: An American Memoir.”

Here’s what Bennett, Lucas and Laymon are reading:

To listen to the full conversation, use the audio player above.

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