Black Boy by Richard Wright. “If you haven't read this classic coming of age autobiography in school or in college, you should make sure you read it now. It is a beautifully written memoir of life in the deep South in the early 20th century for a black boy who is struggling to figure out how to come to terms with his family and the way society deals with racial issues. Eventually he finds his way north to Chicago and as a young adult tries to forge his identity as he becomes involved in political movements. The story is compelling and forceful and difficult to put down.”
