Tayari's Blog: STEAL MY BOOK.... PLEASE!

Yes, this brings us to another exciting episode of "Weird Conflicts in The Life of Tayari Jones, African American Author." Maybe you remember my reluctant endorsement of the colored-only section of the book store? Well, this situation brings it to a whole 'nother level.

I don't need to point out how racist it is to put by African American authors under lock and key because of fear of theft. And you know how crazy and ironic it is to consider Random House's refusal to publish Toni Morrison's first book because "black folks don't read." Well, now the idea is that we not only read, but we steal books. Yes, I could go on and on. If I wanted to, I can tell you a anecdote from my childhood when a classmate stole my copy of "Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret" and I couldn't understand why my mother wouldn't call the police. But that would take us off message. I could also comment how annoyed I am that my books aren't on the theft-watch. (Am I NOT a black author, too?) And this could lead to a charming tale of taking Edwidge Danticat to dinner in Atlanta. While we were dining, a thief broke into the car and stole everything EXCEPT HER BOOK! I was moritified and ashamed that my hometown car-thieves were so illiterate!) But that, too, would take us off message.

Instead, I want to wrestle with the matter of whether we should complain to the bookstores. In the day and a half since I had my airport experience, I have been noticing prominent behind-the-counter displays of African-American titles all over the place. Should I go to the counter and demand that the books be put back, spine-out on the shelves? Ot is this a Brer Rabbit, trickster situation-- because of racist assumptions, certain African-American authors are getting placement that ordinarily would cost tens of thousands of dollars a week.

I can just hear the counter-argument: Maybe these books really ARE being stolen. I mean, those new-looking copies on street-corner tables have to come from SOMEWHERE. Okay, let's say that the cleptomanical bibliophiles have a serious jones for "urban erotica" and "sister-girl" fiction. Is it fair that such authors get such placement while perfectly good copies of Leaving Atlanta, wallow in the colored-section, over-looked and ignored.

My take on it is that this is just another one of the maddening contradictions in black authorhood. Black authors should take the fancy placement, if they can get it. Maybe they'll pick up some new readers. Let's just add a rare entry on the "plus" column on the page marked "racism."

UPDATE: And episode of "On The Media" (w/transcript) about book theft.