Never before have I read a collection of writing where every piece stands so well individually but also as part of a collection - especially a collection mainly focused on essays.

I read this collection slowly - a piece every couple of days and as challenging as it was not to keep reading I'm glad I gave the pieces time to process.

Each piece was positive and vibrant, with authorial voices that reflected on growth, repression and love with feeling and compassion. I laughed out loud when reading this - not something I expected from a collection of work of this type.

One thing I did struggle with when reading this book was the big sense it wasn't for me. Each of these essays and the introduction reach out to black people as a primary audience - but irrespective of that I enjoyed my journey through moments of celebration and snapshots into familial and cultural environments I would otherwise not have been privy to.

I have discovered not only new writers through this book but new figures in history and pop culture- q learning experience is always a good one in my opinion but when accompanied by such - well - joy! It's hard to turn down

This should be required reading!

Black Joy is one of the best essay collections I’ve ever read. What I love most is that it’s so different from any other non-fiction book that focuses on the Black experience.

This is not a book that centralises trauma, difficulty, pain or struggle. It doesn’t shy away from these topics but the overarching theme is, well, joy! Finding pockets of love and understanding in the most seemingly insignificant moments.

The diverse array of contributors, both writers and illustrators, makes this such a well rounded collection, able to speak to the heart of pretty much anyone.

There were so many moments that I found deeply relatable (despite being a white woman) and so many more that I found inspiring.

Whether you read this cover to cover or dip in every now and again to read a single essay, you will walk away with a more profound understanding of the human hearts beating in your community. Simply stunning!

Thanks to NetGalley and The Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm really grateful that this anthology was put together sharing all that encompasses Black Joy. This was really well put together collection featuring well-known and established voices along with new up-coming talent. I like that is crossed generations and provided suggestions for how to find your own moments of joy. I recommend to younger readers in particular and for those that need reminding that its not all doom and gloom.

The Souse story really resonated with. It's not often I come across stories that I can connect to like that!

This collection was INCREDIBLE. It made me laugh, made me cry and made me consider the joy there is to be found in the Black experience, something that is so often missing from media representations.

I am not sure how else to review this book, apart from to say that everyone should read it. Everyone. 5 out of 5. Wonderful. Perfect. A breath of fresh air. A book that everyone needs.

This collection of short stories gives a very real insight into where real joy has been experienced by members of the black community. It is revealing to read of the importance of dance and music in bringing happiness. The parties where this is enjoyed sound amazing and the importance of the companionship of friends and family on these occasions stands out in the telling.
Black Joy merits a wide readership. It is a window into a world that too often goes unseen and unheard. There is real joy out there. Count yourself lucky if you get to share it.

This book does exactly what it says on the tin - it is the epitome of joy in every way! A beautiful collection of short stories that would inspire all ages.

I’m not sure I’m the intended audience for this book as a white, retired woman, but I am determined to be more diverse in my reading and this book suited me perfectly. I loved it! An introduction via little vignettes to many interesting writers and artists and a lot of different voices. A few I had heard of, most I hadn’t.

The book is made up of short articles about things which bring the writers joy, or of joyful experiences, or memories. Some are quite sad in a way, many are universal and all of them are joyful. The range is wide but often the topics are familiar regardless of colour or age. I liked the clever touch of each writer giving a favourite song and the playlist is on Spotify so I will be seeking it out for sure. I also looked up the Prince song on YouTube and it is as beautiful as described.

I would never understand the world of the black barber, as it is not something I will ever experience, but it was lovely to be sitting on the shoulder of Tope Olufemi to have a little peek. Diane Abbott telling us about her grandmother carrying the suitcase was delightful and I could almost picture it. Lots of beautiful memories and moments of joy.

Recommended if you’ve always wanted a view into a different life or if you just want a little joy in your life for a while.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review

Charlie Brinkhust-Cuff (who also edited the excellent Windrush book, as well as being a former member of the gal-dem collective) and newcomer to editing Timi Sotire add their voices to twenty-eight other Black British writers, from pop stars to politicians, film-makers to queer activists, to share what brings them joy.

After introductions by the editors which do make the point above that this is not an either/or, it’s a both/and (and this is reflected in many of the essays), we have a lovely set of life-affirming and often inspiring pieces on such a wide range of topics, body positivity, recipes, music, queer London life, dancing, reading, sport … It’s also very notable for its inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people and women of size – truly inclusive.

Highly recommended, especially if you've been wading through Black misery book lists and/or are a Black reader looking to see yourself and your positive interests represented.

Full review on my blog: https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2021/09/03/book-review-charlie-brinkhust-cuff-and-timi-sotire-eds-black-joy/

Thank you for sharing this book with me. I have read a few of the uplifting chapters, and really enjoyed them. The Candy chapter is wonderful, it brought a big smile to my face. I'm not the target audience, but want to read new voices, and about other people's life experiences. I realise some of the writing might not be so upbeat, but I want to read it all.

As it is quite a short time between publication and archive, I wanted to get the review in. I have ordered this book for myself, so I can take time to read and enjoy it.

Added 02/09/2021 - this is the review I posted on Amazon.

I was lucky enough to get a review copy of this book through Penguin and Netgalley.
There wasn't a lot of time to read it before publication, but I have read a few of the uplifting chapters, and really enjoyed them. The Candy chapter is wonderful, it brought a big smile to my face. I am 60, it's suitable for adults too.
I have bought my own copy of this book, there are so many exciting writers here, I am really looking forward to reading more of it.

Black Joy is a beautiful anthology, reminding us of where we find joy in our lives. The writers share their experiences of of joy at first concerts, first kisses and first visits home. Joy is also found in the more permanent and lasting features of life, nature, food, and family traditions. I love the suggestions for how to find your own joy at the end of each essay. An uplifting and informative read for young people and anyone looking for fresh perspectives on life and culture today.

This is such an empowering and joyful book about identity, culture, and love. This is the kind of book we need more of.

Built from a collection of essays from different people, this book covers so many topics that all link to Black Joy.

Some of the names I recognised and others I didn't, and I always love that about book written by different people. I love find new people to follow and reading about different experiences.

There are some hard hitting topics in this book, but at the start of the sections, there are trigger warnings if needed, and I really apprecaite this and others will too.

At the end of the book, all of the contributors have their own bios which was a great addition, not only did it explain more of who they are and what they do, it also helped with knowing what pronouns they use. Some thing that was done so naturally and well. There are a lot of people that identity as LGBTQ+ that contributed to this and that write about their expriences of being Black and Queer.

The bios of the illustrators were also included, but unfortunately I couldn't see the illustrations on my ebook ARC, so I guess I'll have to wait until the release to see the artwork

This is a - for lack of a better word, joyful - collection of essays by writers, entertainers, designers and figures of Black British culture. Each of the essays celebrate an element of joy that the writer has found within their identities and the things they love - whether that's fashion, sport, film, the queer community, music and so much more. Essay collections, like short stories, are always going to have some essays you don't gel with and some you adore, and that was definitely the case with me - but I found wonderful writing from people who I'd like to read more from and explore. Ultimately, this is a wonderful book, full of joyful things that we should all be reading.

Oh my gosh. This is beautiful.

It's made apparent right away that Black joy is a fundamental act of resistance - an act of defiance against the ostensible prerequisite for pain before joy that faces the Black British community. The exhausting nature of that paradox is felt from the first few pages, and as a result it becomes really delightful to see the reclamation of joy as a given right; something that "doesn't have to be contingent upon anything but existence".

This is an ongoing theme. Melz Owusu reflects upon the difficulty of the Black experience in finding joy when Blackness in itself is so often associated with death; Lavinya Stennett declares that there is a choice between expressing joy as a Black person, or escaping being "mislabelled, abused or even killed". In spite of the recognition of this reality, however, there comes a cathartic series of the ways in which each author finds joy in their Blackness - and the result is some of the most affecting, hopeful, proud, joyous writing you'll ever read. I read this while also reading Taking Up Space, and it served as a really welcome tonic, as well as an equally necessary publication. Basically, you'll cry and smile at the same time so often you'll start to question all of your emotions. All of them.

It's a noticeably inclusive representation of the gender non-conforming, queer, female and plus-size Black communities which is so rarely seen that it feels genuinely groundbreaking in more ways than one. The 'find your own joy' sections are very sweet too, and make the anthology a manifesto of sorts - a promise of rejecting these ideas about Black joy, and standing in the light with total pride.

It's not perfect. It does feel slightly bloated, and naturally some essays are more memorable, and better written, than others - Travis Alabanza, Munya Chawawa, Diane Abbott, Bukky Bakray and Jason Okundaye were particular highlights - but the joy is so present in each, and the end result is the most memorable work that I've read in months.

I couldn't recommend this more.

A dazzling collection of essays from some of the foremost voices in Black Britain today, Black Joy has a lot to give to any open-minded reader, whether that's reflection upon the exuberance found in Black Pride, in the experiences growing up with waitstaff jobs and the inherent racial tensions within, or whether it's the joy of words themselves that once formed a binding chain but now form a rope to freedom. A really enjoyable, well-curated set of works that anyone, regardless of race or background, should explore for themselves as soon as possible.

Joy is subjective, and each person will recognise it differently. The end feeling may be shared, but what brings that feeling about will be different for everyone.
In this collection of essays we are granted an insight into how a varied collection of people define joy. They come from different backgrounds and experiences. They have very different insights into the world they inhabit…but to read how each of these people finds joy was really positive.
As each of those included is black, there are some less positive experiences referenced and explored. Much of what I read was so far removed from my own experiences that it’s hard to know how to react to some of what was featured. What I will take from reading this collection is an increased awareness of what someone else has experienced, some knowledge that I would not otherwise have (though I’m not sure sousa will ever be something I’d be keen to eat) and a grin a mile wide to celebrate the things that bring you joy.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in advance of publication.

A broad selection of essays. All ages, all experiences, all upbringing are represented, finding joy amongst the challenges and pitfalls that being Black brings in the society and world of today