Hillary Mensah’s Shelfie
You could say my bookcase is my pride and joy, and I would probably have to agree with you. It is a pretty sight to look at…even if I do say so myself.
Since getting back into reading in 2019, I’ve loved reading African, historical and contemporary fiction books. These genres have helped shape how I see the world, challenged my thinking, and deepened my understanding of the past and the present.
Whilst I do enjoy the occasional non-fiction read (yes, that is Ego is the Enemy, The Psychology of Money, and Why We Get the Wrong Politicians on my shelves), I truly believe the biggest life lessons come from fiction.
The characters may not be real, but the stories they highlight are. As the saying goes, art imitates life, and this absolutely includes books.
Reading fiction allows us to step outside of our own worlds, understand the importance of knowing our history, and analyse how social, political and cultural structures shape communities.
One author that comes to mind is Lola Jaye. I was first introduced to her through reading The Attic Child, a novel based on a true story. Her follow-up, The Manual for Good Wives (note: this is absolutely NOT a guide on how to be a good wife) quickly made her one of my favourite historical fiction writers. Her works highlight the overlooked lives of Black people in Britain before the 20th century with such depth and grace.
Last year I ventured into fantasy for the first time by reading Firstborn of the Sun by Marvellous Michael Anson. Think Yoruba mythology. Think intriguing political systems. Think incredible world building. Think forbidden power. This is the first book in this trilogy and I was completely hooked!
With the rise of family-focused content, Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself by Onyi Nwabineli is an insightful portrayal on the impact social media can have on children, who grow up with their lives turned into content for others to consume.
I can only describe For Such a Time as This by Shani Akilah as a collection of short stories that accurately captures the quintessential Black-British experiences of navigating London life with your friends and family in the 21st century.
Hillary Mensah is a Marketing Campaign Lead, from London, UK. When she’s not spinning multiple plates, in preparation for a campaign launch, she’s creating book-led content to encourage people to get into reading through sharing reviews, recommendations and events to attend. You can find her on Instagram and TikTok: ReadbyHillary
Shelfies is edited by Lavie Tidhar and Jared Shurin.
Join us on Instagram @shelfiesplease.