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What do you do when you love talking about books almost as much as you love reading them? You start a book club of course. Having talked about books here on the blog and pretty much everywhere else, it seemed like the next logical step for me was to start a digital book club. Thus, the YUMMommy Book Club was born.
About The YUMMommy Book Club
My hope and goal is that this book club will be a space where we can bond, connect, and build a community through our shared loved and enjoyment of reading. In a nutshell, it’ll be like doing one big group buddy read every month in which we all read the selected group book and then share our thoughts on it after we finish it.
Book lovers everywhere know the feeling that takes over when you’re all the way in and can’t wait to turn the page–or have to brace yourself before turning it. You just want to tell somebody! You want to share the experience! … For me, the only thing more thrilling than being captivated by a brilliant book is being able to share it. -Oprah Winfrey
What the YUMMommy Book Club will NOT be is a place to pass judgement or spew bigotry. While we read a mixture of non-fiction and fiction books, some of those tackling hard topics and some not, I hope that everyone will be mature enough to keep it classy and save the drama for their mama.
First Book Club Read
With it still being February, I thought it would be a great idea to start with something befitting of Black History Month. Therefore, our first read will be Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender, and Parenting in America by Nefertiti Austin.
Author: Nefertiti Austin
Genre: Non-fiction, African American, Memoirs
Publication Date: September 20, 2019
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Buy Here: Amazon | Target | Walmart
In America, Mother = White
That’s what Nefertiti Austin, a single African American woman, discovered when she decided she wanted to adopt a Black baby boy out of the foster care system. Eager to finally join the motherhood ranks, Nefertiti was shocked when people started asking her why she wanted to adopt a “crack baby” or said that she would never be able to raise a Black son on her own. She realized that American society saw motherhood through a white lens and that there would be no easy understanding or acceptance of the kind of family she hoped to build.
Motherhood So White is the story of Nefertiti’s fight to create the family she always knew she was meant to have and the story of motherhood that all American families need now. In this unflinching account of her parenting journey, Nefertiti examines the history of adoption in the African American community, faces off against the stereotypes of single, Black motherhood, and confronts the reality of raising children of color in racially charged, modern-day America.
Honest, vulnerable, and uplifting, Motherhood So White reveals what Nefertiti knew all along– that the only requirement for a successful family is one raised with love.
Motherhood So White is the story of Nefertiti’s fight to create the family she always knew she was meant to have and the story of motherhood that all American families need now. In this unflinching account of her parenting journey, Nefertiti examines the history of adoption in the African American community, faces off against the stereotypes of single, Black motherhood, and confronts the reality of raising children of color in racially charged, modern-day America.
Honest, vulnerable, and uplifting, Motherhood So White reveals what Nefertiti knew all along– that the only requirement for a successful family is one raised with love.
I think this will be a powerful read that many of us will be able to identify with and relate to while for others it may cause you to challenge the way you view motherhood and Black moms. I hope you will join me in reading Motherhood So White. If you feel like this book selection isn’t for you feel free to sit this one out and join us after March 20th for the next book club pick.
How To Be Apart of the YUMMommy Book Club
Join the YUMMommy Book Club on Facebook: This is where everything will be going down. Having an official group instead of just hosting the book club on the YUMMommy Facebook page will offer us more privacy. I want us to feel comfortable sharing our real thoughts on the books we read as well as sharing any personal connections that we felt. Often times being vulnerable in a very public place is hard for many us. So a private group gives us a more intimate setting to interact. You can find the book club here.
Read the Group Book by March 17th: We’ll start sharing in-depth conversations that will hold spoilers after this date. So if you don’t want anything spoiled for you, get ‘er read!
Attend the Live Show: I’ve tentatively scheduled a liveshow/book chat for Friday, March 20th at 8 PM EST. Turn on some cartoons for the kids (or put them to bed), grab your snacks (and your book), and join us. No worries if you miss it. The replay will be up in the group for you to watch.
Invite a Friend: I really want our book club to be successful. And in order to do that we need members. So be sure to share this post on your social media so your friends can join us too! Friends don’t let friends read good books alone, right?!
I’m really looking forward to reading and talking books with y’all this year! Seriously, I’m so giddy that I started a book club. See ya over in the YUMMommy Book Club group. 📚
Have you ever been a part of a book club?
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