February 2021

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Here to keep you up to date with the goings on in the book world without doing any of the legwork. We want this to be a cosy community so we’re always looking for book recommendations, guest reviewers, and just general chat! Although we love books, we’re partial to a good TV series or film recommendation too! Share Tweet Forward Welcome to the February edition of The Candid Newsletter! Now, we don’t know about you, but we’re very glad to say goodbye to what always feels like the longest month of the year! Once again the TV series kept us entertained, with lots of news about exciting releases giving us more to look forward to in 2021:  Thriller fans, how good was Lupin on Netflix? Other than the fact he didn’t wear gloves, the show gave us all the suspense with this clever and modern adaptation of the 1920s novel by Maurice LeBlanc. We are looking forward to seeing Omar Sy back on our screens this Summer! For anyone intrigued about Bling Empire (Netflix) mentioned last month, it is glamorous, luxe nonsense that’s so awful that it’s good!? Almost like a car crash you can’t take your eyes away from! Anna was the best character and Jaime Xie brought all the looks with her fashion choices. If you need some mind numbing noise, this is for you! As huge Zendaya stans, we are very excited for the movie, Malcolm and Marie (Netflix), which is out now!  Much to our delight, the BBC is set to adapt Sally Rooney’s debut novel, Conversations with Friends after the resounding success of Golden Globe nominee, Normal People! We are all absolutely thrilled that Rooney’s third novel, Beautiful World, Where Are You, is out this autumn!  We hope 2021 will be the year we finally get to see Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine on our TV screens! The novel by Gail Honeyman was one of our first book club picks back in 2019!  Finally after news of halted production, we’ve heard that plans to turn Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s bestselling novel, into a 10 part series starring Lupita Nyong’o are going ahead!    Our Bridgerton (Netflix) predictions were spot on with the return of the second series this Spring! Although we were fans of the diverse representation in this fun Georgian drama, when will we begin to see period dramas that actually depict the untold stories of minorities throughout history? Yomi Adegoke put this question to readers here. There are several books out there which champion and highlight alternative narratives to the mainstream and white-led stories that form the bulk of our education. Take a look at some of our suggestions below: A fascinating memoir of Hans J Massaquoi, a mixed Liberian/German man born into nobility in West Africa and coming of age in Nazi Germany. If you're expecting a depressing wartime story, you're wrong. This is one of the most inspiring stories we have ever read and we can guarantee you've not come across anything like this before! British history is whitewashed, no question, and Dr Kaufmann’s work is one of hopefully many books that will start to unpick the fundamental lie that Black people were not present in early modern British society and did not play pivotal roles. Kauffman puts the spotlight on 10 Africans who lived as free people in Tudor England. We reviewed it here.   Never have I read a book that so eloquently and accessibly breaks down British society and culture through the examination of the intersection of race, class and white colonialism. What I loved most is Akala’s ability to turn on a pin head the narrative forms of memoir, political commentary and historical account, truly brilliant. We reviewed it here. The month of February is known for many things, from being the shortest month of the year and other astronomical oddities, it is also home of February the 14th. Love comes in many forms and we can personally attest to how much our friendships sustain and fulfil us! Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s, Galentine’s or even if it's just a regular day at home or “the office”, we wanted to shout out some books celebrating friendships. In Andi Osho's debut novel, Asking For a Friend, we follow three best friends, Jemima, Simi and Meagan, as they navigate the minefield world of dating, each of them prospecting potential partners for the other in the form of The Dating Game. No side pieces, no vetoing and no falling in love are just some of the rules, but most importantly no woman gets left behind. This wonderful book about sisterhood is out now! We reviewed it here.  Luan Goldie's much anticipated second novel, Homecoming, examines the unlikely friendship between Kiama at 18, reaching out to his late mother's childhood friend, Yvonne. With approximately 20 years between them, there is so much history that travel has been able to unravel for them, and as some truths are uncovered their relationship becomes strained and Kiama has to go through a different kind of grieving process. We reviewed it here.  Only Elif Shafak can give a voice to the voiceless and in her latest novel, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World, we meet Leila our main protagonist. Leila makes five trusted friends each drawing to one another from a different corner of the earth and a different walk of life, but all simultaneously rejected by everyone else due to religion, sexuality, social class and ethnicity. We reviewed it here. Now, this one's not for the faint hearted but there aren't many novels that explore friendship like A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. This 700-page saga which sees school friends Jude, JB, Willem and Malcolm live through a lifetime of unprecedented madness, is actually a guise as really this is a story about Jude and only him. ⁣ We reviewed it here.  In Everything I Know About Love, Dolly’s message is to remind us that love isn’t exclusively about romance, sex or validation from strangers. The greatest love story is the one you have with your friends. Because that’s the one that lasts. I have to admit it’s not all relatable - as a brown girl we definitely did not live the exact same life, but I don’t think it detracts from the book. (Side note - maybe I should write my own version...!)  We reviewed it here.  Events Thank you to all of you who came to our Candid Conversations event with Louise Hare last month. Talking about the twists, turns, angels and evils of this love-story-murder-mystery, This Lovely City, was such a joy! Louise Hare has done an amazing job capturing the essence of the 50s in London, and the trials and tribulations of the tight knit Windrush community there, a topic that is seldom written about in fiction. Evie and Lawrie are the most loveable characters and a joy to read. True to form, we’re back with not one, but TWO Candid Conversations events to keep you going through Lockdown 3.0. The authors are in, and we're so excited! When Elliott & Thompson got in touch with us last October offering up a proof of Huma’s debut memoir, How We Met: A Memoir of Love and Other Misadventures, we accepted without a second thought. For its relatability, its soothing and subtle nature, How We Met was a resounding hit with all of us and we slid into Huma’s DMs straight away to get an event in the diary! Similarly, Nikesh Shukla and all of his books have been firm favourites at TCBC since day one. Bluebird Books came through with the proof back in June and we're so excited that it's finally out in the world! From The Good Immigrant to The One Who Wrote Destiny, we've always had an event with Nikesh in our sights and we are so excited to be able to discuss his incredible memoir, Brown Baby with all of you and with Nikesh himself. Both books are out now! Sign up here! Further to her review, our Omma had a few more thoughts to share about her reading experience. If you're looking for an explosive story with dramatic twists and turns then this isn’t for you. By way of contrast, this debut memoir is a breath of fresh air when considering the general literature depicting British South-Asians. As a fellow Pakistani born in the UK to immigrant parents, Huma’s experiences are not unique but actually very ordinary. So often in Bollywood movies, Pakistani dramas and even in the news, the spotlight is on the ‘disobedient’ daughter bringing shame upon her family, being disowned or honour killed, and this is why Huma’s story is an important narrative. What is special is how simply and eloquently Huma captures the essence of navigating life during her 20s, between two opposing cultures, all the while trying to figure out her identity and her purpose. A massive challenge for many of us! This book is described by so many as 'quiet' which you will completely understand after reading but never does it lack in impact. Her relationship with her parents rings true and typical for many immigrant households, a huge emphasis is placed on education and career prospects, as long as you don’t forget your roots! Huma describes her debut memoir as a story within a story, and we can't wait to discuss it with her AND YOU on Thursday 25th February. And here are some of Jess' thoughts about Brown Baby. The second I put this book down, I immediately thought of my parents. How lucky I am to be able to read books and articles that convey a perspective on life that I relate to so well, and how their lives might have been easier, lighter even to have access to stories that made them feel less alone as first gen immigrants struggling in a new world. And how lucky we are to have the talents of Nikesh Shukla. This book is written as a letter to his daughter, an honest account of who he is as a person bringing her into the world and raising her. Brown Baby is an unvarnished look at life as a south Asian man in the UK today, tackling relationships, race, home, belonging, feminism, fatherhood and food in a way that I would say is rare in modern British Asian families, even amongst my own generation.  Importantly, I think this book is an excellent tool to show how to be an ally, not just to brown people, but in particular to women and women of colour, right from the start of their lives. Reading about his journey with his daughter was touching and made me hopeful that my own generation are working to move the goalposts closer to equality for all. This book deserves a place on your shelf and in your heart. Be sure to join us AND Nikesh on Thursday 11th March. Last month we mentioned the Costa Book of the Year award was being announced and the prize was awarded to The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey. We are pleased to see a lesser known book from an independent publisher get the spotlight. If you've not read it already, has this book prize influenced you to buy the book? Books to look out for this month! There are several books coming out this February and a whole host that we’re catching up on! The ones we’re most excited about are the following: Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson This is a phenomenal debut! The writing, the storyline, the outcome - don't miss out! It's a beautiful love story yes, but not anywhere close to your average. As two Black British creatives fall in and out of love, the reader gets intimate with the couple who go through various levels of friendship until ultimately becoming lovers. Written from the male perspective gives us a different narrative to what's already out there and yes, it's written in the second person which might not work for some, but it's under 150 pages and packs a punch so no excuses.    Kololo Hill by Neema Shah Kololo Hill is a fantastic story and an education of this period in modern history that has, indirectly or directly, affected the lives of so many South Asians in the UK. Set during the devastating expulsion of generations of Ugandan Asians under Idi Amin's regime, we follow a family who are torn apart as a result.  Neema Shah examines grief, loss and longing so well and Kololo Hill deserves a place on your shelf!    The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson  It's so good to see more crime and thriller fiction by writers of colour (stay tuned for a feature on this later on). We first heard Nadine speak about her debut over a year ago and knew it was one we'd have to jump on. The author is a criminal defense lawyer and so as you can imagine, the plot is well executed and when bodies start washing up along the banks of the River Thames, you'll be absolutely hooked!    As a thank you and token of our appreciation for signing up to listen to our monthly ramblings, we are giving away a copy of The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett! UK participants only (because international postage is a bump!) Good luck! Enter Giveaway So that's the round-up from us this month! As always we would love to hear what you all think and a gentle ego stroke always helps to let us know we’re giving you what you want!   Love, The Candid Book Club Facebook Instagram Website Twitter view this email in your browser Copyright © 2021 The Candid Book Club, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to our newsletter or have signed up to attend one of our events. Please note that links used are commissionable links meaning that we may receive a small percentage of the sale if you make a purchase. This does not affect the price you pay.  Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

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