Our Recommended Backlist Reads
And why we’ll always be advocates for “older” stories
While in Denver for a work trip, I visited Petals & Pages, a queer and feminist bookstore and community space. The store had a wonderfully curated selection of stories, and the staff picks particularly caught my eye. For one of their monthly book clubs, the store had selected Jam on the Vine. I was taken by the cover of this book I had never seen before; on it, two individuals in beautiful, floral headpieces were laid over a background of newspaper type.
Originally published in 2015, the story chronicles the life of a Black woman’s passion for journalism. Ivoe, the protagonist, makes it her goal to write for a paper. When that doesn’t happen due to misogynoir, she begins her own. We readers follow the evolution of her personal beliefs and values, her family’s move from the Jim Crow South to Kansas, and her romantic and professional partnership with her former professor.
To those who have been reading our newsletter or following us on social media for some time, you know we are huge fans of the backlist. In publishing, pretty much anything not on the frontlist is considered the backlist—so typically stories that have been out for a year or more. These books often don’t receive as much support from publishers (unless they make a big splash about a paperback release, or the story becomes timely in other ways), but backlist titles tend to be the most profitable for publishers, booksellers, and authors alike. Their sales tend to be more predictable than a new release (but exceptions are happening more frequently these days with the aid of BookTok—such as Madeline Miller’s Song of Achilles or E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars).
We love backlist titles for a number of reasons: the ability to dive further into a favorite author’s works; discovering hidden gems that we never see on our feeds; and truly reading to our heart’s interests versus whatever is flashy at the time. You might even say that we trust the backlist more than we do the frontlist. Do these books stand the test of time? Are they stories we actually want to read, months after they are no longer on Instagram? Or did we just want to read them because everyone else was reading them?
But one other huge reason we love the backlist is how these books often make us feel like our current times are not so unprecedented. When reading Jam on the Vine, I was reminded of press censorship throughout history, and how individuals have fought the government to accurately depict prejudices and violence, especially when mainstream media does not. Ivoe’s commitment to exposing the US’s prison industrial complex reminded me of Erin Reed’s dedication to trans rights coverage, or the various journalists in Gaza covering the realities of Israeli occupation and oppression. They all face constant threats, yet know that showing the truth can bring about societal change.
There are so many books out there, waiting for us to find them. The next time you’re in an indie bookstore or library, we encourage you to browse their shelves of paperbacks with no story in mind, or ask a bookseller/librarian for their favorite backlist recommendations.
And, because we can’t write a newsletter about backlist without spotlighting some favorites…
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot
Godshot by Chelsea Bieker
White Tears / Brown Scars by Ruby Hamad
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith
Little Gods by Meng Jin
You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat
And many, many more!
Other books we are reading (or hope to read) this month
✅ The Salt Eaters by Toni Cade Bambara
✅ Babylon, Albion by Dalia Al-Dujaili
✅ A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa
✅🎧 When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa
✅🎧 Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood
🗓️ Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq
🗓️ The Morningside by Teá Obreht
Note: For books we have completed, we’ll only include here ones we recommend.
Books new to our TBR
Lawless by Leah Litman
Forest Euphoria by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian
The 2025 ad astra Readership Challenge: “Read a nonfiction book on an unfamiliar subject”
With constant news headlines sharing this administration’s updates or ongoing global catastrophes, many of us might find it harder to process all that’s happening. And even if we are taking it all in, how do we know what sources are accurate, or what solutions there are to combat the issues at hand?
Nonfiction, particularly when written by experts in their field, is a reliable way to not only learn more about various topics, but also better form our own opinions. Sometimes these books might feel heavy or overly academic, but many authors are skilled at bridging the gap between facts and storytelling.
What’s at the top of our list?
Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives by Siddharth Kara
Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum by Antonia Hylton
Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor by Kim Kelly
Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines by Dr. Joy Buolamwini
And what do we recommend?
Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein (and anything by Klein—she also writes extensively on the climate emergency)
Are Prisons Obsolete? by Angela Davis
The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon
We Do This ‘Til We Free Us by Mariame Kaba
Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity by C. Riley Snorton
The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
We encourage you to talk to your local bookseller or librarian about a topic you’d like to learn more about. And while the challenge specifies reading one book, reading a variety of books—fiction and nonfiction—on a subject can be incredibly helpful and paint a large picture. These stories can help shape the actions we take in our everyday lives.
About the challenge
Folks who complete all the prompts by EOY will be entered to win a $100 gift card to their indie bookstore of choice. Those who finish at least six of the prompts will receive an exclusive ad astra sticker. In December, we'll share a submission link to complete as proof of participation. (Our downloadable tracker will be helpful for this!)
Want to participate? Join our Broadcast Channel on Instagram, follow our newsletter, and get your friends to join!
Other publishing updates
James Frey—the author who infamously made up his “memoir” and openly uses AI to write his books—is back with a new release…and it’s a Book of the Month pick.
Scholastic is rolling back its DEI initiatives, including with the “stepping down” of one executive and her replacement with an executive that enabled schools’ ability to opt out of “diversity” inclusion at book fairs.
Libraries really need our help—keep fighting for IMLS funding!
June is Pride month, but we must amplify, champion, and fight for LGBTQIA+ rights every day of every month. Here are some bookish companies to support, and please continue to contact your reps, support mutual aid groups, and show up to protests in support of the queer and trans community.
We’re also continuing to witness a genocide in Gaza. As we wrote in a recent post, as readers, we are witnesses. We have to trust our eyes. Keep taking action for Palestinian liberation by contacting your reps, practicing BDS, joining protests, and more.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read! If you enjoyed this newsletter, please share with friends, and consider subscribing if you have not yet already. Also, in case you missed it, we have launched prints! Learn more and place an order here.
We’ll be back in a few weeks with the latest publishing updates.
Xx,
ad astra