As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, fall offers the perfect atmosphere to dive into books that challenge our perspectives and deepen our understanding of the world and ourselves. This season, the Fall Reading List brings together three powerful works: Kindred by Octavia Butler, A Taste of Power by Elaine Brown, and When the Legends Die by Hal Borland. Though each of these books is rooted in a different time, place, and experience, they are united by common themes of power, identity, and survival. Here’s a brief look at each title and why they’re worth reading together.
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Part historical fiction, part science fiction, Kindred follows Dana, a modern Black woman who is inexplicably pulled back in time to the antebellum South. There, she encounters her ancestors—both enslaved and enslaver—and is forced to reckon with the brutal realities of slavery firsthand. Butler masterfully weaves time travel with historical trauma, forcing readers to confront how the past continues to shape the present. It’s a deeply emotional and thought-provoking exploration of power, heritage, and resilience.
A Taste of Power by Elaine Brown
Elaine Brown’s memoir chronicles her time as the first and only woman to lead the Black Panther Party. In A Taste of Power, Brown shares her journey from a troubled childhood to the highest ranks of one of the most radical political organizations in American history. Her story is one of grit, intelligence, and the complex intersections of race, gender, and revolutionary politics. The book is both a personal narrative and a political document, capturing the internal conflicts and transformative power of the Black liberation movement.
When the Legends Die by Hal Borland
This coming-of-age novel centers on Tom Black Bull, a young Native American boy who is torn between his Ute heritage and the modern, white-dominated world. After being orphaned, Tom is thrust into a boarding school and later into the world of rodeo, where he struggles to find his identity. When the Legends Die is a quiet but powerful meditation on cultural loss, assimilation, and the fight to reclaim one’s roots. Through Tom’s journey, Borland explores what it means to survive without abandoning who you are.
Bringing the Stories Together
While vastly different in genre and setting, Kindred, A Taste of Power, and When the Legends Die each grapple with the consequences of history on personal identity. Dana, Elaine, and Tom are all forced to confront systems of oppression that try to define them—whether it’s slavery, institutional racism, or forced assimilation. Yet each character also finds a way to assert their agency and survive on their own terms. These books remind us that understanding where we come from is essential to knowing who we are and that reclaiming our stories is a radical act of power. The theme for our Fall Reading List is all about keeping true to yourself no matter the circumstance.
As you settle into the season, may this reading list not only warm your evenings but also ignite meaningful reflection. These are stories of resistance and transformation—perfect companions for a season of change.
Nikki Mack, Editor In Chief
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