Nommo Books: The Black Book Reading Break! “Read, Breathe, Return”
There is a quiet hour in every day when the body asks for stillness and the mind longs for nourishment. Sometimes it arrives at sunrise, before the world begins; sometimes it comes in the soft middle of the day; sometimes it waits until evening, when the light fades and everything finally slows.
The Black Book Reading Break was created for that moment — a space to pause between doing and being. Each book on this shelf invites you to read slowly, breathe deeply, and return to yourself.
These are not works to rush through or analyze. They are companions for reflection and replenishment — essays, stories, and meditations that honor Black thought, imagination, and liberation. Whether you have twenty minutes or an hour, let these pages meet you where you are and remind you of who you are.
Read. Breathe. Return.
Suggestions for your Black Book Reading Selection
Keep 2–3 of these with you–in your purse, on your table or in your reading basket.
Rotate by mood: Peace, Culture, Story, Fire.
Add a slip of paper for reflections or quotes that speak to you.
This becomes not just reading, but a daily Nommo practice — the word made restorative.
Reflective & Restorative
Ross Gay – The Book of Delights
Short, luminous essays that slow your pulse and open your eyes to ordinary joy.Bell Hooks – All About Love
A few pages center your heart and renew emotional clarity.Thich Nhat Hanh – Peace Is Every Step
Simple meditations that pair perfectly with tea and sunlight. (yes, I know that he is not Black, but he is still highly recommended!)
Cultural Nourishment
Toni Morrison – The Source of Self-Regard
Select one speech or essay at a time; each reminds you of Black creative lineage.Hanif Abdurraqib – A Little Devil in America
Music, memory, and movement — cultural criticism that sings.Imani Perry – Breathe: A Letter to My Sons
A quiet, gorgeous meditation on parenting, race, and hope.
Story & Escape
Octavia E. Butler – Bloodchild and Other Stories
Short, thought-provoking fiction — ideal for dipping in and out.Toni Cade Bambara – Gorilla, My Love
Quick, vivid stories that pulse with humor, resistance, and rhythm.N.K. Jemisin – How Long ’til Black Future Month?
Afrofuturist tales that expand imagination and possibility.
Liberation & Empowerment
Angela Davis – Freedom Is a Constant Struggle
Compact essays that re-ignite courage and sharpen vision.James Baldwin – The Fire Next Time
Two letters that still speak directly to the spirit.Alexis Pauline Gumbs – Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals
Lyrical, contemplative activism — perfect for reflection between tides of work.
Personal Note from Ama-Robin
I first began building the Black Book Reading Time Break as the Midday Reading Shelf. This happened during a season when my mornings were full of creation and my nights came too early for reading. I wanted a moment in between — a quiet pause to feed my spirit without rushing or striving. These books became my companions in that middle space.
Sometimes I read a few pages after my nap, sometimes before. I sit by the window with tea, open to wherever the words meet me, and let my breath slow down. It’s not about finishing a book; it’s about being restored by one.
Nommo means “the power of the word.” This shelf reminds me that our words — and the words of our ancestors and mentors — still hold that power: to calm, to center, to call us home.
Whatever time of day you choose to have a reading break, I hope that it serves to calm, uplift, and nourish your soul.
One Love!
