In the Washington Post Outlook Section on Sunday, December 21, 2008, Carleen Brice proclaimed that December is "Buy a Book by a Black Author and Give it to Somebody Not Black Month." Even while she suggests (with tongue firmly lodged against cheek) this campaign for race-based buying, Brice points out the irony in the establishment of African American sections in book stores. Of course, books in stores and libraries need to be sorted so that people can find them easily. That's why there are systems that discriminate based on topic, genre, and alphabetical order. But, really, should we segregate books on the shelves by race? Doesn't that just seem wrong?
Okay, maybe I have a personal agenda here. Maybe I want more readers to find my book too. Finch Goes Wild tells the story of a good middle class kid working to become his best self in spite of other people's expectations, just like so many of the real kids I've known as a pediatrician and a teacher. The protagonist is African American. The author is not. Before the book got its cover, readers sometimes got half-way through the book before suddenly realizing: "Hey, wait a minute, is this kid black?" Readers of various hues have enjoyed getting to know my hero, Harmon Finch. His story is daringly wholesome, featuring band geeks, bird watchers and standard English grammar. (Yes, Virginia, there are black lives that are not dominated by pimps, drugs and gangs.) When Harmon gets to experience a wider world, he finds that his own decisions determine his destiny. Finch Goes Wild is a nice little book. It was honored with the AfrAm Literary Award for Best Young Adult Title of 2007. Still, sales could be better.
Actually, it's not just my book that isn't selling. The whole book industry is suffering. The number of independent publishers and booksellers continues to dwindle, even while many new literary voices clamor to be heard. Even the big players of the publishing world find the need to cut back and reorganize. So many thoughtful, interesting, insightful—even exciting--books sit gathering dust while people spend their time and money on electronic gadgets.
By giving us a unique window on what other people think, books can expand our view of the human experience. Reading works by and about people who are different from ourselves increases understanding, nurtures tolerance and deepens our capacity for empathy. So sure. Save your local bookstore! Feed a starving author! Support your local library! Share interesting ideas and new perspectives with people you care about! Buy books. Give books. Share books. Read books. Talk about books--lots of books about lots of different kinds of people. But please, don't limit your choices based on race. And why limit your book-buying to December? Make 2009 your year to "Take Time for Books."