First of all a bit about Black History Month:

Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada, and more recently has been observed in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. It is celebrated in February in the United States and Canada, while in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom it is observed in October.
[Source: Wikipedia]

I read two books in February that relate to the topic — The Help and Such a Fun Age. The Help is set in the 1960s and Such a Fun Age in the 2010s. One thing that's common to both these books is a Black woman working for a White woman. It was interesting to see how much society has changed in the 50 years in between these books — the ideas behind a house help are one such example. However, it's also a reminder of how flawed the current society is, how much work there is to be done, and makes you wonder what the future holds.

While The Help has been on my bookshelf for a few years now, I bought Such a Fun Age from a local bookstore to participate in the book club that they host.

Such a Fun Age is a debut novel by Kiley Reid. It's a page-turner filled with tidbits of subtle racism and micro-aggression. The way the author has captured these seem so real which make you wonder about the power of writing lived experiences in the form of fiction.

There are several storylines in this book ranging from a mother-daughter relationship, friendship to white saviour mentality. While I don't want to reveal too much about the plot, what also struck me was the supportive nature of friendship that both the protagonists had. I have recently been thinking about what friendship means to me and "support" seems to be one of my needs.

One of the differences between The Help and Such a Fun Age is the race of the author. I heard in the book club about certain criticisms that are related to the author of The Help being white and writing about a Black perspective. I really liked The Help as well. It's written from the perspective of three women and the friendship they develop. Again, "support" is a recurring theme and it was heart-warming to read how the women in the story supported each other.

I would definitely recommend both these books for anyone who wants to learn more about the lived experiences of Black people. While the books are written in the context of the USA, they helped me get some new perspective and enhance my understanding of racism.