Essays

Fifty new books at e1 each, celebrating the pioneering spirit of the Penguin Modern Classics series, from inspiring essays to groundbreaking fiction and poetryI am Black and lesbian, and what...

An illuminating new essay collection from one of the most distinctive, exciting and acclaimed writers of her generation, Zadie Smith In this keenly awaited new collection, Zadie Smith brings her...

Creating Work That Transforms Communities A historical and philosophical exploration of the impact of design on underserved communities, examining the field’s shortcomings as well as its potential to create positive...

The Unpublished Works I am gonna write poems til I die and when I have gotten outta this body I am gonna hang round in the wind and knock over...

A powerful reflection on race, racism and writing from the Orwell Prize-winning journalist, Gary Younge. ‘Responsible but not beholden; substantial as well as symbolic; sympathetic but not pandering; political but...

  90 classic titles celebrating 90 years of Penguin Books'I walked in a daze of illusions toward my future.'Deeply felt and told with an intrepid spirit, Tales from the Heart are the...

First published in 1963, James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time stabbed at the heart of America's so-called "Negro problem." As remarkable for its masterful prose as for its frank and personal...

A rich, thought-provoking collection of essays, critiques and interviews from the influential author of Ain't I a Woman and All About Love'There must be a revolution in the way we see, the way...

"A vital addition to books on masculinity. It is opening up conversations, whilst offering guidance towards joyful, emotional, non-violent masculinities"—Bad Form From Blurred Lines to gang signs, how does society cause...

A collection of essays on archiving the history of hip-hop, featuring a range of official, unofficial, DIY, and community archives. Despite the vast popularity and cultural influence of hip-hop, efforts...

The wise words of science fiction icon Octavia E. Butler live on in this beautiful and giftable little volume. “There’s no single answer that will solve all our future problems....

Notes From the Women That White Feminists Forgot I'm a feminist. Mostly.I'm an asshole. Mostly. All too often the focus of mainstream feminism is not on basic survival for the...

In the summer of 2020, Cole Arthur Riley was desperate for a spirituality she could trust. Amidst ongoing national racial violence, the isolation of the pandemic, and a surge of...

In 2014, award-winning journalist Reni Eddo-Lodge wrote about her frustration with the way that discussions of race and racism in Britain were being led by those who weren't affected by...

Women so empowered are dangerous Written with a 'black woman's anger' and the precision of a poet, these searing pieces by the groundbreaking writer Audre Lorde are a celebration of...

A Biomythography A soaring, sensual coming-of-age novel, by the legendary 'Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet'If I didn't define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people's fantasies for...

A brave, beautiful book that could double as a handbook to accompany anyone on their journey through cancer Jackie Kay, New StatesmanI would never have chosen this path, but I am...

A vital anthology exploring the intersections between caregiving and abolition Abolition has never been a proposal to simply tear things down. As Alexis Pauline Gumbs asks, “What if abolition is...

From New York Times bestselling author, feminist pioneer, and cultural icon bell hooks, a timelessly necessary treatise on how patriarchy and toxic masculinity hurts us all, with a new introduction...

A soulful, generation-defining collection of thought-provoking, agitating, and liberating works from Dick Gregory, the activist and author of sixteen books, including the classic bestseller Nigger: An Autobiography and the 2017...

A major hardcover compendium of nonfiction by one of America's most brilliant essayists, timed to the celebration of his centenaryNovelist, essayist, and public intellectual - James Baldwin is widely regarded...

Portraits of icons from Maya Angelou to Viola Davis, collected alongside dazzling essays and criticism by the Women's Prize-shortlisted author of Ordinary People'A pleasure and an invigoration' Guardian'Every piece feels beautifully sewn...

Tenth anniversary edition In this updated edition of the bestseller published ten years ago, Oprah shares what she has come to know for sure in the last decade. After film...

Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer edits a collection of Alain Locke's influential essays on the importance of the Black artist and the Black imagination For months, the philosopher Alain Locke wrestled with...

With her characteristic brilliance, grace and radical audacity, Angela Y. Davis has put the case for the latest abolition movement in American life: the abolition of the prison. As she quite...

From bestselling author of The Book of Delights and award-winning poet Ross Gay, a fresh new volume of lyrical mini-essays celebrating the everyday that will inspire readers to rediscover the joys in...

Essays "Very good writers have an ability to make you understand what they're feeling. But the very best writers have an ability to make you understand what you're feeling. And...

Land, Development, Democracy A rigorously reported anthology on how local politics have fueled a generation-defining national emergency. An Atlantic Edition, featuring long-form journalism by Atlantic writers, drawn from contemporary articles...

The Queer Harlem Renaissance I Wish I'd Known From the New York Times–bestselling author of All Boys Aren’t Blue comes an empowering set of essays about Black and Queer icons from...

Terror, Slavery and Self-Making in Nineteenth Century America In this radical re-evaluation of American history, Saidiya Hartman uses her singular talents to create a striking portrait of nineteenth century slavery...

The instant bestseller from Djamila Ribeiro that sparked a major Black feminist movement in Brazil “Part theory, part manifesto, part history. . . . [Where We Stand] has the makings of...

My Dungeon Shook; Down at the Cross 'It demands great spiritual resilience not to hate the hater whose foot is on your neck, and an even greater miracle of perception...

From the writer crowned one of the smartest, funniest voices in modern America, this hotly anticipated debut collection of essays offers “a precious glimpse into how Ziwe’s uniquely fearless mind...

With his bestseller, Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates established himself as a unique voice in his generation of American authors; a brilliant writer and thinker in the tradition...

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Begin Again, a politically astute, lyrical meditation on how ordinary people can shake off their reliance on a small group of...

A comprehensive and inspiring collection of essays by Larry Neal, a founder of the seminal Black Arts Movement “The Black Arts Movement is radically opposed to any concept of the...

From trailblazing political activist Angela Y. Davis, a major new collection of essays and interviews that argue for a radical rethinking of our prison systemsAn icon of revolutionary politics, Angela...

A fierce and galvanizing reminder that resistance is everywhere in the fight for abortion and reproductive justice in the United States. Fighting Mad is a book about what "reproductive justice" means...

Essays on Mothers and Daughters and the Things They Leave Behind Reminiscent of The Year of Magical Thinking and Somebody’s Daughter, a deeply empathetic and often humorous collection of essays that...

Phenomenal Black Women and Femmes in Food: Interviews, Inspiration, and Recipes A must-have anthology of the leading Black women and femmes shaping today’s food and hospitality landscape—from farm to table...

In a complex world, who is allowed to be complicated? Who is entitled to a messy life full of triumphs, mistakes and tedium? Until recently, not Black women. Kimberly McIntosh...

An urgently timely, deeply personal and powerfully moving series of essays on the experience of lockdown from one of the most clear-sighted and essential writers of our time There will...

Candice Brathwaite's much-anticipated second book about all the things she wishes she'd been told when she was young and needed guidance. I Am Not Your Baby Mother was a landmark...

'I am a woman's rights. I have plowed and reaped and husked and chopped and mowed, and can any man do more than that? I am as strong as any...

On Race and Other Falsehoods In this powerful and timely personal essay, best-selling author Otegha Uwagba reflects on racism, whiteness, and the mental labour required of Black people to navigate...

The Montgomery Story The inspiring account of the march towards American Civil Rights, as told by Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr. described Stride Toward Freedom as "the...

A book aimed at the millions of middle-aged white men who are suddenly awakening to race and racism. White men are finally realizing that simply not being racist isn’t enough...

Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience Tarana Burke and Dr. Brené Brown bring together a dynamic group of Black writers, organisers, artists, academics and cultural figures to discuss the...

And Other Conversations About Race A perennial bestseller on the psychology of racism, published in the UK for the first time Walk into any racially mixed secondary school and you...

Featuring contributions from Candice Carty-Williams, Jessica Horn, Ebele Okobi, Funmi Fetto and Freddie Harrel. In the vein of Roxane Gay’s Bad Feminist, but wholly its own, Girl is a provocative,...