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[lovessong]

OK, so I haven't posted yet about RaceFail 2009.  (If you don't know what RaceFail is, go here: rydra-wong.livejournal.com/, and be prepared to be appalled, moved, disgusted and heartened, by turns.)

I've been excusing myself -- it's not like I've posted more than 5 times in the last 12 months as it is, and I'm not really active in the SF/F world,

Comments

[avengangle]

Yes. I'm also no one, although nominally involved in sf fandom (reviewer) . . . I mean, I'm not a POC or anything, but damnit, I could do better. A lot better.

I don't think any of my books are by POCs, but I've done a really good job of getting women and people of alternate sexualities on my shelves. Now I just need to work on race.

[lovessong]

I do definitely recommend both Nalo Hopkinson and Octavia Butler. I've enjoyed Hopkinson's short stories more than her novels, but her writing is compelling and readable in any form. For Butler, I'd suggest starting with the Lilith's Brood trilogy -- fascinating first-contact story, lots of interesting gender and sexuality stuff in there. It's not a perfect story (strangely heterocentric, for one thing), but it's on my must-read of SF novels.

I'm planning to mine the recommendations at 50books_poc and some of the lists people have posted for more authors, since, really, two is *not enough*.

[songquake]

my percentage is somewhat higher, but that's largely because i hoard books, and have most of what i was assigned in seminary (which *still* meant disproportionately old white men -- or ancient mediterranean men, but i made also took classes like aids&violence, which included many many books by poc). and because i learned in college that good feminists have a lot of academic titles by woc. so, i have seven books by bell hooks to balance my harry potter collection. though i don't have as many octavia butler books as judith butler books. this also reflects how probably 75% of my collection is non-fiction, and of the fiction, 40% is anthologies of porn.

[lovessong]

Your porn collection is very impressive. :)

Now I'm curious -- how much of the porn do you think was written by people of color?

[blacksquirrel]

It's good to hear from you. I'm glad to look at your thoughts on this.

[lovessong]

Thanks! I don't know that I've added much to the conversation as a whole, but I've been thinking about all of it a lot lately.

I appreciated your contribution, too. (I've been relieved that pretty much everyone I know personally who's posted or commented has been contributing in helpful and non-fail-y ways.)