25 notable 2020 books from Detroit and Michigan authors – DETOUR

There are two gifts I look forward to year after year with great anticipation: new socks and a new book.

When I was a kid, I would read aloud to my mom while she was making dinner at night, and she would read to me every night right before I went to bed. All my life, books have nurtured me, taught me, entertained me, impacted me, and given me great companions who still live in the valleys of my imagination.

You are reading: New books about detroit

As essential as the books themselves are the bookstores where our next favorite read awaits us. Fortunately for us, Detroit’s independent bookstore owners and writing center founders know our city and region as well as they understand their customers. they are knowledgeable and passionate about the volumes we want and need to read, and those our friends and neighbors write! Although they have been hit especially hard by the pandemic, they remain a vital part of our local economy. And they continue to find ways to give us what we crave: good reads that are relevant to who we are as Detroiters.

This giving season, we asked four local bookstore owners and two other writing experts for their recommendations on the best reads written by native Detroiters (and Michiganders) in 2020. We’ve added a few of our favorites and a few picks. bonus from previous years.

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booksellers’ favorite local books this year:

source booksellers

4240 cass ave., suite 105, detroit, mi 48201(313) 832-1155, sourcebooksellers@gmail.com doorstep pickup and free gift wrap available $5 flat rate shipping per book, or free shipping for orders over $45

source booksellers is a staple in detroit’s independent bookstore landscape. It is co-owned by retired educator Janet Webster Jones and her daughter, Alyson Jones Turner. The store specializes in a unique niche of nonfiction books, from current events to history, biography, and metaphysics, as well as books written by and about women. What also sets Source’s booksellers apart from the rest is the type of programming on offer: Not only does Source host engaging events with authors, but when there’s no pandemic, the bookstore has been known to host tai chi classes and yoga in store

These are the source’s recommended local readings for 2020:

black background saints” by alice randall

In this work of fiction, New York bestselling author and Detroit native Alice Randall describes real-life African Americans who actively contributed to a thriving Black community and became became icons through their business, art, and sporting achievements. and humanitarian work, positioning them all as characters in the fictional autobiography of Joseph “Ziggy” Johnson. Johnson is a Black Detroit legend in his own right, having founded the Ziggy Johnson School of Drama, where Randall was a student between the ages of three and eight. Highlighting the joys and successes of the likes of Ruth Ellis, Joe Louis, and Lynette Dobbins Taylor, the book reinforces that triumph is still possible under adversity, a welcome message in the face of an ongoing pandemic.

“lakewood” by megan giddings

At first glance, Giddings’ debut novel is about a young black woman from a working-class family who joins a government-sponsored research study to help pay off her family’s debts. At its core, it is a thriller that speaks to the profound inequalities between race, class, and the United States. health care system. fans of the get out of jordan peele movie will enjoy this one, and anyone who can recognize the horrors that await those without access to healthcare, at any time, but especially during a pandemic, will appreciate it.

“the city of champions: a tale of wins and losses in detroit” by stefan szymanski and silke-maria weineck

This book, written by two University of Michigan professors, traces the history of Detroit through its major sporting events and heroes, from Ty Cobb to Joe Louis, the Bad Boy Championships and the Malice in the Palace. they argue that sports reflect society and help create enduring stories of a community.

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the rhythm of the book

26010 greenfield rd., oak park, mi 48237(248) 968-119, bookbeatorders@gmail.com door pick up and in store search by appointment free gift wrap available, $3 flat rate shipping for any package size

For nearly forty years, co-owners Cary Loren and Colleen Kammer have shaken up the pace of books in Oak Park. the store is a treasure trove of finds, especially in the areas of fine art and children’s literature. During the pandemic, their store is closed to spontaneous browsing, but you can call ahead and make an appointment to browse the store. Plus, customers can call or email to purchase books directly from Bookbeat for curbside pickup. For those who prefer to have their orders shipped, Book Beat offers a flat shipping rate of $3 per package, whether the box fits one book or thirty.

These are loren’s recommended local reads for 2020:

“paula regossy” by lynn crawford

“This is an experimental novel about a female secret agent who links up with and conducts investigations based on Motor City art exhibits by artists like Peter Williams, Nancy Mitchnick and Chido Johnson. is a special novel and a review of these artists and their work. I highly recommend it for readers interested in the Detroit Fine Art scene and mysteries.” this edition is published by cafe/gallery/entertainment venue trinosophes.

“corrado parducci: a field guide for the detroit architectural sculptor” by dale carlson

“parducci was born in italy in 1900, but is known for these hundreds of sculptures attached to architectural gems in detroit, like the guardian and fisher buildings. his work is ornamental for many of the buildings we recognize. there are 369 images in this book and for just $20, it’s a wonderful way to explore the city in a new way.”

“a long time coming: considering race in america” by michael eric dyson

signed copies available on book beat now.

“I think michael eric dyson is one of the best writers out there right now. he no longer lives in detroit, but he always represents. and this book is important. It is really a book about the Black Lives Matter movement, written in the form of letters to Emmett Till, Eric Garner, Breonna Taylor, and other martyrs of the movement. this brilliant work traces the roots of racism in this country.”

“the narcissism of small differences” by michael zadoorian

signed copies available on book beat now.

See Also: 26 Best Emotional Intelligence Books (Reviews And Summaries)

“this novel, set in detroit in 2009, features a creative couple of a certain age; is a comedy of manners about the advertising industry and staying true to yourself. Zadorian is also the author of ‘The Leisure Seeker’, which became a great movie”.

“malorie” by josh malerman

signed copies available on book beat now.

“Malorie” is a sequel to Malerman’s best-selling book “The Bird Box,” which was a hit on Netflix and holds the record for the most-watched movie ever produced by the streaming service.”

“as american as paneer pie” by supriya kelkar

“This young adult novel set in the Detroit metro is about being an Indian-American girl navigating the cultures of America and her native Indian culture. it is more suitable for children between 8 and 12 years old.”

bookstore pages

19560 grand river ave., detroit, mi 48223(313) 473-7342, susan@pagesbkshop.com in-store browsing by appointment, door pickup available

At only five years old, pages bookstore is a relative newcomer to the detroit independent bookstore scene. Owned by Susan Murphy and located in Detroit’s historic Grandmont Rosedale neighborhood, the store offers a strong mix of non-fiction, but really packs a punch with its diverse mix of fiction and children’s reading. The store is known for its support of local authors and resident feline writer, pip.

here are murphy’s recommended local readings for 2020:

“I have the answer” by kelly fordon

“kelly lives in the detroit metro area and is active in the writing community. in fact, I had the pleasure of taking a workshop with her last year when she was working on one of the short stories in this collection. Aside from the fact that Kelly is an amazing writer, I highly recommend this collection of stories because they are accessible and relatable.”

“fantasy for the man in blue” by tommye blount (national book award finalist)

“tommye is a native detroit poet. I’ve heard tommye read poetry from this book several times and it never gets old. you can hear him reading a poem from this collection for the national book awards since he was a finalist this year! another fun fact: one of the poems in this book, “my god, lick it clean,” was inspired by the “portrait of christopher d. fisher, skinhead of the fourth reich,’ 1995, found on dia. it is also the cover of this book.”

“tapping out” of nandi corner

“nandi is also a poet and detroit native. His most recent collection, ‘Tapping Out,’ was inspired by his time in Mexico, specifically wrestling. like tommye, i have listened to nandi read several times and i never tire of it. We did a virtual reading for her earlier this summer for this book and it was by far one of my favorites.”

“the evil sister” by karen dionne

“karen is an internationally renowned thriller writer who now lives in the detroit metro area, but has lived all over michigan. Several of her books, including ‘The Wicked Sister’, take place in Michigan. For fans of ‘lost girl’, ‘girl on the train’ etc, this is a great suggestion. We also hosted a virtual event for Karen earlier this year where she provided a lot of interesting background on this book.”

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suey book

10345 joseph campau ave., hamtramck, mi 48212(313) 213-940

Book Suey is a democratically run and cooperatively owned bookstore that opened in 2017 in Hamtramck and operates out of a business that was once a bank and then a Chinese restaurant (hence the name). Owner members work cooperatively to oversee Book Suey’s operations, contributing their time, money and expertise. you can also become a book suey owner member for $25 and receive a 10% discount on your purchases. the operation is currently closed for in-person purchases; books can be purchased through their page at bookshop.org; links to recommendations included below.

These are book suey’s recommended local reads for 2020, courtesy of member and owner matt lewis:

“We Won’t Cancel: And Other Dreams of Transformative Justice” by Adrienne Maree Brown

maree brown is just one of those authors who, no matter what she writes, leaves us as a better informed and more responsible community because of her work. “We Won’t Cancel” forces us to really question how cancel culture actually impacts our world, relationships, and many times the values ​​we say we hold dear.

“respect: the poetry of detroit music” edited by m. me liebler and jim daniels

This collection of poems and lyrics from all genres of Detroit music, including jazz, blues, doo-wop, motown, classic rock, punk, hip-hop, and techno.

write space owner selections:

room project

6513 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48202info@roomproject.org

room project is a space for women and non-binary writers and artists to work individually and collaboratively. Founded and directed by writer and poet Christin Lee, Room Project is unique among the creative commons across Detroit for its strength in cultivating community across diverse artistic expressions and experience levels, while also hosting and creating relevant programming. for members and the public alike. room project is currently running a membership campaign that includes the option to purchase a sponsored membership in support of artists affected by the pandemic. sponsored memberships (and other donations) to the room project are tax deductible.

The books below (and some previous selections) are written by room members and friends and published in 2020:

“how the water sustains me” by tariq luthun

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This volume of poetry is an enrichment for the soul: a shocking confrontation between humanity and mortality from Tariq Luthun, a Palestinian poet, community organizer, and strategist born in Detroit and raised in the heart of our family. Of the collection, Tommy Blount wrote, “These are relentless poems of the body and the body politic. lean in closer and listen to this american son calling from, calling and calling to america. no, this is the scream we were promised. In particular, Luthun is donating all copyrights from the book to organizations dedicated to supporting Palestinians, with a focus on those on the ground in Palestine.

“salt body shimmer” by arica foreman

with this collection of poetry, foreman offers refuge to those who seek space to remove the “camouflage it takes to be a woman.” indispensable and unforgettable, this work is scream and cover; a piercing and a balm, much needed.

“women rapping revolution” by rebekah farrugia and kellie d. hay

“Despite their involvement since the culture’s inception, women’s contributions are routinely marginalized, if not completely excised from hip hop histories,” write the authors and professors at the University of Oakland, Rebekah Farrugia and Kellie D. hay. This book rectifies that mess by tracing the trajectory of hip hop along with the history of political and social change in Detroit through the eyes of Detroit emcees and artists like Miz Korona and Piper Carter.

detroit writing room

1514 Washington Blvd., Suite 203, Detroit, MI 48226(313) 788-7044, hello@detroitwritingroom.com

Stephanie Steinberg founded the Detroit Writing Room in 2019 for writers to collaborate, get advice, listen to authors, and of course, write. in 2021, the organization of the center will organize a monthly virtual book club; Unlike your club with friends, dwr invites authors to join the discussion. learn more about book club membership here. Steinberg shared some of her favorite books from Detroit and Michigan authors who will be discussing her work at book club events next year:

“all rise” by judge rosemarie aquilina

Book Talk at the Detroit Writing Room: March 30, 2021 at 7 p.m. m.

“many people know rosemarie aquilina as the judge who presided over the landmark larry nassar case. but they may not know that she is also a prolific crime novelist. all the judgments she has heard over the years serve as inspiration for the shocking characters and developments in her stories. ‘all rise’ is her latest novel, but she also wrote ‘triple cross killer’, a great holiday read. that mystery is set in detroit and involves a series of murders related to letters from santa claus.”

“grass hug” by amy nielander

book talk in the detroit newsroom: dec. February 28, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

“if you’re looking for a picture book for a child, this beautifully illustrated book emphasizes treasuring the little moments (like hugs) with the people you love. The story also features May, the first child astronaut to travel into space. so if you know a kid who dreams of becoming an astronaut, this book is for him too.”

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a few more detour non-fiction favorites:

“i.detroit: a human atlas of an american city” by marcus lyon

The rich portraits of 100 Detroiters, from activists to artists and more, form a beautiful coffee table book. But his human atlas project is much more than a cursory look at the city’s local changemakers. For three years, Lyon worked with all of her subjects and genealogical experts to map her ancestral DNA, creating maps of generational family migration to Detroit, combined with oral histories that she can listen to through an app.

“detroit style: car design in the motor city, 1950-2020” by benjamin coleman

although “detroit style” is an exhibition catalog for the show of the same name now on show at the detroit institute of the arts, it is more than an adjunct. It focuses on 12 cars from the Big Three that led design on the road, with designer interviews, related pieces from the Dia collection, and of course the main event: lavish photos of the cars.

“popular atlas of detroit” edited by linda campbell, andrew newman, sara safransky and tim stallmann

Published by Wayne State University Press, not to be confused with “A Detroit Town Story,” also published this year, this collection draws on more than a century of history, but focuses on the 2010s. collects essays and interviews with people at the forefront of social justice movements, from gentrification to food sovereignty. Readers will recognize familiar names like Grace Lee Boggs, Lottie Spady, and Charity Hicks, and gain insider insights from activists and poets. The collection is comprised of editors’ overview essays and old and new maps, to “redirect the ‘cartographic gaze’ toward neighborhood group priorities and projects” and to “highlight and explain current visions for radical change emerging in Detroit.” they write. the last section of the book is entitled “another city is possible”, and the more than 70 collaborators defend it passionately.

“northern harvest: twenty michigan women in food and farming” by emita brady hill

brady hill, in his 80s, is technically a new yorker, but he’s been spending summers in traverse city since the 1940s, longer than some of us have been alive. Her book is an ode to the region’s unique local food culture, interviewing women who tend orchards, make cheese, run restaurants and more. Throughout the collection, she delves into how 20 women helped turn the Leelanau area into a “culinary and agricultural Eden,” but also traces the family histories and dietary influences of her subjects, going back to other parts of the state and the world. a story she loved: donna folgarelli, owner of folgarelli’s market and wine shop, recalled buying live chickens at the east market on saturdays and sundays, making gnocchi in the basement of her grandparents’ house in east detroit , with peach trees in the garden.

“black in the middle: an anthology of the black midwest” edited by terrion l. william

This belt publishing collection features various detroiters (including diversion reporter courtney wise randolph) as they center the voices of black midwesterners through essays, poems, and visual art selections reclaiming what it means to be from the Midwest and redefines the region as the “fresh coast.” The Midwest isn’t a monolith, just compare Peoria and Chicago, and neither are Midwestern Blacks, but the pieces collected here are uniformly compelling as they reshape the cross-coastal narrative of identity.

some pre-2020 favorites our book experts couldn’t resist sharing:

“detroit document” by russ marshall

signed copies available on book beat now.

“this book was not published in 2020, but it is by photographer russ marshall, who just opened a new exhibit at the detroit institute of the arts, and we are one of the only stores that has this book in stock. it is a book unlike any other I have seen on photography in the city. It covers fifty years of Detroit history, and it’s so unusual. The book has a gritty, noir feel, much like a movie, as it enters jazz clubs and pool halls from the 1950s and 1960s.” -loren, the rhythm of the book

“I love that boy” by ron fournier

book talk in detroit newsroom: nov. 30, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

“This book was published in 2017, but it is still a moving memoir that I would recommend to any parent. Ron is a Detroit native and former Washington correspondent. He lets readers in on his personal life and shares what it was like to raise a child with Asperger’s. is a moving story full of challenges and triumphs, and some hilarious encounters with former presidents. Ron is a master storyteller, and I promise you’ll fall in love with ‘that guy.'” -steinberg, detroit newsroom

“abbot” by saladin ahmed

A hard-boiled graphic novel published in 2018 about a reporter working to take down corrupt police and expose brutality in 1970s Detroit. Written by Hugo Award-winning novelist and Detroit novelist, Saladin Ahmed. -lewis, book suey

“the detroit printing cooperative” by danielle aubert

wayne state university professor and editor of “thanks for the view, mr. mies: lafayette park detroit” returned last year with another essential exploration of detroit’s overlooked history. This book recounts the period between 1969 and 1980 when Detroiters Lorraine Nybakken and Freddy Perlman operated a radical and influential printing press in Southwest Detroit. this is a beautiful book for any lover of local history, left-wing politics, or the art of printing. -lewis, book suey

kate abbey-lambertz and nina misuraca ignaczak contributed.

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