At the heart of publishing since 1858
Issue 5924
Editor's Letter Power trumps representation T
We can’t fix a system we were neither careless enough to build nor empowered enough to dismantle
he best satire of liberal racism I’ve seen was brought to me by Ryan Ken (@Ryan_Ken_Acts), an American comedian who happens to work in diver- sit and inclusion. His Megxit-inspired one-minute TikTok sketch is captioned “every British news clip right now”. It shows him in a speckled anthracite blazer and red tee, his kind face framed by round specs and a Warhol-esque wig which clashes with his dark skin, but is reminiscent of various figures in UK media. His best zinger is spoken to a would-be Black guest with an eye-roll: “You’re a successful author, you’re on television. If a person like me has to listen to a person like you, is that not progress?” It is my assertion that, the diaspora over, Black people’s propensit for observational humour is rooted in the realit that to stop observing is to stop surviving, and to stop laughing is to slip into Black pain ad infinitum, a death of sorts. Humour-coping is requisite to navigating the bewildering harm of white supremacy; navigating the realities of an enduring colonial, imperial mentalit; navigating office politics; and, yes, navigating publishing. Watch the sketch. Once the laughter subsides, I want Black people to be spared the indignit of engaging with such obtuse interrogations of our grasp of realit again. I want non-Black people to re-evaluate their own presumption of innocence and interrogate how their theoretical anti- racism differs from the ways in which they alienate, pigeonhole or exploit Blackness in practice.
But enough about what I want. This
special issue is about what is, the current book landscape. It is brought to you by BAE (the Black Agents & Editors’ Group), a communit and mentoring network I founded in the aſtermath of George Floyd’s death, during the resurgence of the Black Lives Mater movement. Back then, with social distancing in full effect and networking effectively obsolete, nothing felt as urgent as having a space to discuss our shared interests and opinions, as well as the experiences that set us apart.
The Black Issue is about just that: the power of diasporic collaboration and the multitudes of Blackness. It is a celebration of difference without the tokenism, and a commitment to allowing Blackness to define itself. For perhaps the first time in their career, non-Black readers are actively encouraged to regard Blackness with the default nuance and intrinsic humanit afforded whiteness. Encouraged to see Black people in the book world—and the world itself—more richly, truthfully, generously. Be apprised: the visibilit of this issue is not the problem, but nor is it the solution. Contrary to the preposterous, arriviste claims of the March 2021 governmental “race report”, progress is more than representa- tion; real progress necessitates equal power. As Black people, we can’t fix a system weystem we were neither careless enough to build nor empowered enough to dismantle. Allies,le. Allies, that job is yours. But we can urge you t listen up as we demonstrate, yet again, just how much this trail we’re blazing is worth fighting for.
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In next week’s magazine New Titles: Fiction and Non-fiction (July)
ly) Marianne Tatepo Guest editor Contents9th April 2021 10
I saw entering the industry as the perfect opportunity to see and study the mechanics that operate behind the stories on our shelves
Lead story A 15-point list is a starting point for a more equitable book trade
TheBookseller.com The Black Issue
Author Profile
This Week The concrete ceiling 24
Books Author Profile 38
Introducing BAE ....... 06 Te Lead Story ........ 10 Company Spotlight .... 14 Opinion: Sir Lenny Henry ....... 16 Opinion: Bengono Bessala ...... 18 Opinion: Rochelle Dowden-Lord ......... 20 Opinion: Kadija Sesay .. 21 Opinion: Jasmine Richards 22 Opinion: Elijah Lawal ... 23 Te Concrete Ceiling ... 24
A New Chapter ........ 26 Publisher catalogue data 28
Data
The bestseller charts ... 30 Books
Mateo Askaripour ...... 36 Priscilla Mante ........ 38 Candice Carty-Williams . 40 Black Author Preview .. 42
Jobs in Books Recruitment .......... 54 05
09.04.21 ISSN 0006-7539 2 4 At the heart of publishing since 1858. the heart of publishing since 1858. £5.95 £5.95
Front cover: Bonita Ebuehi, Leah Jacobs-Gordon
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