Fall is officially here. But just because block parties and beach days are coming to an end, you can still find a great way to unwind after a busy work week. As the temps get cooler and the days get shorter, it’s the perfect time to curl up in your favorite corner with a warm drink and a good book.
If you need help finding your next read, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of the books by Black authors that we can’t wait to read in November 2026.
“Take My Word For It: A Memoir ” by LeVar Burton (Nov. 10)
“Take My Word For It” is the highly anticipated memoir by actor and activist LeVar Burton. In the book, Burton writes about growing up during the Civil Rights Movement, how acting served as an escape, and how he’s used his platform to advocate for others. This deeply personal memoir will ask readers to consider our responsibility to the generations who came before us.
“We Were Here” by Stephanie Phillips (Nov. 17)
While conversations about rock and alternative music almost always include mentions of artists like The Beatles and Nirvana, “We Were Here” looks at the history of the genres through the lens of the Black artists who helped shape the genres through history, including Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, and Living Colour, and the Black fans who love the music.
“Nola and Baldwin: A Novel” by Donna Hill (Nov. 10)
“Nola and Baldwin” is a beautiful love story inspired by the classic Zora Neale Hurston novel, “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” At the center of the story is Nola Denny, a young woman who, after her father’s death and her mother’s struggles with mental illness, sets off on a journey to New York.
Inspired by Hurston’s main character, Janie Crawford, Nola meets her own Tea Cake – a man named Baldwin Carter. As their relationship deepens, the two must come to terms with their past to build a future together.
“The Gospel According to DMX” by DMX & Rakim (Nov. 17)
“The Gospel According to DMX” is a collection of spiritual reflections from the late rapper DMX, including some never-before-seen handwritten notes. The book, which includes a foreword by rapper Rakim, is beautifully bound and gives readers a closer look at DMX’s deep relationship with his faith.
“Between the River and the Railroad Tracks” by Nicole R. Fleetwood (Nov. 17)
“Between the River and the Railroad Tracks” is a memoir that explores author Nicole R. Fleetwood’s family connection to the Second Ward, a segregated working-class section of Hamilton, Ohio. In the book, Fleetwood writes about the generational impact of slavery and racism on her family and how they and other Black families in Hamilton established culture and community despite the odds.
“Day One: 2024 Was 1984 FAFO” by Chuck D (Nov. 10)
“Day One: 2024 Was 1984 FAFO” is the latest “naphic novel from rapper Chuck D. The book combines the Public Enemy co-founder’s illustrations with commentary about 2024, which makes the totalitarian dystopia George Orwell described in “1984” seem tame.
“We Make the World: Guided Aesthetics Practices for Art, Power, and Healing” by Patrisse Cullors (Nov.10)
“We Make the World” is the latest work from artist, activist and author Patrisse Cullors. In the book, Cullors looks at how readers can channel their creativity into a form of power and resistance.
“There Used to Be People Here” by Kennedy Cole (Nov. 3)
Set in 1970s Mississippi, “There Used to Be People Here” centers around Samuel Barkley, the town’s only Black detective who is assigned to investigate a mysterious crime scene at a local gay bar. During his investigation, Barkley discovers a cover-up of an unusual “plane crash” that turns out to be part of a strange paranormal conspiracy.
“The Love Operation” by Melissa R. Collings (Nov. 1)
“The Love Operation” is a new novel from author Melissa R. Collings. The story centers around a surgeon who, while participating in a medical trial, unexpectedly gains the power to remember any moment from her past. While she remembers past romances, she must decide whether to hold on to the past or let go and explore the future.
“In Latin America You Could Be Free: An African American History” by Yesenia Barragan (Nov. 10)
“In Latin America You Could Be Free: An African American History” is the latest book from Yesenia Barragan, historian of race, slavery, and emancipation in the nineteenth-century Americas and the African diaspora. She writes about freed slaves who fled the South in search of freedom and opportunity in countries like Mexico, Nicaragua and Colombia.
“Come Here and Cook” by Jordan Howlett (Nov. 11)
Part cookbook, part memoir, “Come Here and Cook” includes recipes that helped shape author and viral TikToker Jordan Howlett’s life. The beautiful photos and decadent recipes will inspire even the reluctant chef to get cooking. He had us at “Mini Cookie S’more Pies!”
