Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Initially, this book caught my attention because it was the reprint of a Black feminist classic that I had not previously been aware of. To be honest, although that was what had intrigued me, it did not necessarily surprise me. I absolutely started my journey as a white feminist. And although I have now read works by Black feminist thinkers, I recognize that I still have a lot to learn.

With contributions from writers such as Jewelle L Gomez, Audre Lorde, Pat Parker, and Alice Walker (among may others), this collection included work from several individuals that I had already read from - as well as those on my “to be read” list. And as a Queer individual, I absolutely loved how much focus was placed on the complicated intersections of gender, sexuality, and race.

My only complaint was that the collection wasn’t quite what I had anticipated from the blurb that was available. I had anticipated an anthology steeped in heavy amounts of theory and, while that intimidated me, I was still looking forward to the challenge because I know that is one of my weaknesses.

While there are certainly some contributions with a more academic, sociological, and critical perspective, there were also a lot of pieces of short fiction and poetry. And while I think you can learn a lot from these formats (especially since they are much more accessible), it simply wasn’t what I had thought I was getting. Personally, I found myself struggling to determine what was autobiographical vs. fiction and feeling a bit unmoored at the beginning of most pieces. (I also noticed myself skimming through much of the poetry, though that could have been due to the abysmal formatting of the e-ARC.)

Overall, I think this is a great collection for individuals who are sick of primarily white feminist writing and who want to celebrate women of color but perhaps don’t know where to start. (I know it certainly gave me more writers to seek out moving forward.) The pieces are still very relevant 40 years later and, although that’s incredibly depressing, it does provide a lot of historical context. Just know what to expect - especially if you’re not the biggest fan of poetry, short stories, or mixed media anthologies.

This moving Black feminist anthology celebrates its 40th anniversary with updated biographies for contributors and a new preface by Barbara Smith. This is a great read for anyone who wants to further connect with the struggles of Black women over the past four decades. This anthology is filled with poetry and essays on the lived experiences of Black women and shows the beauty and challenge that they have endured. This is a great opportunity to revisit this text if you’ve read it before or to expand your reading on Black feminism. This is an essential text for anyone looking to engage more deeply with Black women’s lives. I enjoyed expanding my own understanding of the struggles that Black women face and having the opportunity to reflect on intersectionality in queer and feminist spaces. I highly recommend this to anyone looking to broaden their understanding of these social movements.

Description
Home Girls, the pioneering anthology of Black feminist thought, features writing by Black feminist and lesbian activists on topics both provocative and profound. Since its initial publication in 1983, it has become an essential text on Black women's lives and contains work by many of feminism's foremost thinkers. This edition features an updated list of contributor biographies and an all-new preface that provides Barbara Smith the opportunity to look back on forty years of the struggle, as well as the influence the work in this book has had on generations of feminists. The preface from the previous Rutgers edition remains, as well as all of the original pieces, set in a fresh new package.

Contributors: Tania Abdulahad, Donna Allegra, Barbara A. Banks, Becky Birtha, Cenen, Cheryl Clarke, Michelle Cliff, Michelle T. Clinton, Willi (Willie) M. Coleman, Toi Derricotte, Alexis De Veaux, Jewelle L. Gomez, Akasha (Gloria) Hull, Patricia Spears Jones, June Jordan, Audre Lorde, Raymina Y. Mays, Deidre McCalla, Chirlane McCray, Pat Parker, Linda C. Powell, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Spring Redd, Gwendolyn Rogers, Kate Rushin, Ann Allen Shockley, Barbara Smith, Beverly Smith, Shirley O. Steele, Luisah Teish, Jameelah Waheed, Alice Walker, and Renita J. Weems.

This book is as prescient today as it was when it was released 40 years ago. Consider adding this book as a reference and or a springboard to deeply discovering the works of the contributors listed: some of whom are still with us.

I clicked on this because the title seemed interesting and I had no idea what to expect. I think I was expecting a theoretical collection of academic articles, but this book turned out to really be so much more accessible than that.
I
t is amazing to think that this book is celebrating it’s 40th year. I tend to think of discussions on intersectionality as a somewhat recent framework, however this book has showed me that I am obviously wrong. The story of the publication that almost didn’t happen in the introduction was a surprise, and I’m so glad that it did manage to find publication. There are a variety of different story telling mediums, from essays, to interview transcripts, poetry and pose and even family photos. At the heart of a lot of the messages are the various ways that intersectionality impacts women of colour, queer women, women who are from other non white cultures and identities.

Not always comfortable to read, but that’s rather the point.

The pioneering anthology Home Girls features writings by Black feminists and lesbian activists on topics both provocative and profound

An important read. Everyone should be required to read it.