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This is the Canon

Decolonize Your Bookshelf in 50 Books

Deirdre Osborne , Joan Anim-Addo , Kadija Sesay

Those who are keen to diversify their reading will find abundant recommendations among these summaries of significant novels and story collections. Featuring writers in often-overlooked literary traditions around the world, from Chinese-born Eileen Chang’s 1943 novella Love in a Fallen City to the Indigenous Australian story The White Girl (2019) by Tony Birch, it outlines each book’s narrative and themes and offers suggestions for further reading.

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RRP £16.99

£8.99

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Product information:
  • Publisher: Greenfinch
  • Year: 2021
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 352pp
  • Illustrated: No
  • Dimensions: 220x140mm
  • ISBN: 9781529414592
  • Condition: New
  • Weight: 0.4kg
Product code:
524504
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'A vital and timely introduction to some of the best books I've ever read. Perfectly curated and filled with brilliant literature'
Nikesh Shukla

'The ultimate introduction to post-colonial literature for those who want to understand the classics and the pioneers in this exciting area of books'
Symeon Brown

These are the books you should read. This is the canon.

Joan Anim-Addo, Deirdre Osborne and Kadija Sesay have curated a decolonized reading list that celebrates the wide and diverse experiences of people from around the world, of all backgrounds and all races. It disrupts the all-too-often white-dominated 'required reading' collections that have become the accepted norm and highlights powerful voices and cultural perspectives that demand a place on our shelves.

From literary giants such as Toni Morrison and Chinua Achebe to less well known (but equally vital) writers such as Caribbean novelist Earl Lovelace or Indigenous Australian author Tony Birch, the novels recommended here are in turn haunting and lyrical; innovative and inspiring; edgy and poignant.

The power of great fiction is that readers have the opportunity to discover new worlds and encounter other beliefs and opinions. This is the Canon offers a rich and multifaceted perspective on our past, present and future which deserves to be read by all bibliophiles - whether they are book club members or solitary readers, self-educators or teachers.
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