We often hear talk
of how crime fiction is the social novel of today. Many of the problems faced
by society are reflected back to us through the books we read. However,
diversity issues still plague this genre. Things are getting better and there
are more representations of diversity in both authors and characters with each
passing year, but we can still use more of these lesser-heard voices within the
crime fiction community. As a way of supporting and encouraging, Dru Ann, Kristopher,
and I decided to center our latest Triple Post on the subject of diversity.
Fittingly, we each pinpointed and covered the topic in different ways. We hope
that you will enjoy our posts and that it inspires you to try something new,
something outside of your everyday box.
of how crime fiction is the social novel of today. Many of the problems faced
by society are reflected back to us through the books we read. However,
diversity issues still plague this genre. Things are getting better and there
are more representations of diversity in both authors and characters with each
passing year, but we can still use more of these lesser-heard voices within the
crime fiction community. As a way of supporting and encouraging, Dru Ann, Kristopher,
and I decided to center our latest Triple Post on the subject of diversity.
Fittingly, we each pinpointed and covered the topic in different ways. We hope
that you will enjoy our posts and that it inspires you to try something new,
something outside of your everyday box.
Let’s be honest
here. As a white reader, I didn’t even notice the lack of diversity in the
mysteries I read. The characters were either men or women. And, raise your hand
if you read Nancy Drew as a child, and thought every female sleuth was blonde and
blue-eyed. I never really thought about diversity.
here. As a white reader, I didn’t even notice the lack of diversity in the
mysteries I read. The characters were either men or women. And, raise your hand
if you read Nancy Drew as a child, and thought every female sleuth was blonde and
blue-eyed. I never really thought about diversity.
As a librarian, the
lack of diversity in literature came to my attention with the convention call
that “We Need Diverse Books”, a complaint directed at children’s books. That
turned into the website and action group, http://weneeddiversebooks.org. Then, I
read about the survey of publishing itself, dealing with the ethnicity of
employees in the publishing field. The other day, during a Twitter chat about
book recommendations, we were rudely interrupted by the hashtag
#WhySoFewLibrariansofColor (I have one answer. Let’s talk about the five to six
years of college to get two degrees, and the cost of that education.).
lack of diversity in literature came to my attention with the convention call
that “We Need Diverse Books”, a complaint directed at children’s books. That
turned into the website and action group, http://weneeddiversebooks.org. Then, I
read about the survey of publishing itself, dealing with the ethnicity of
employees in the publishing field. The other day, during a Twitter chat about
book recommendations, we were rudely interrupted by the hashtag
#WhySoFewLibrariansofColor (I have one answer. Let’s talk about the five to six
years of college to get two degrees, and the cost of that education.).
I digress, but it’s
really to get to the point, what do we mean by diversity in crime fiction? Are
we talking about authors who are the same ethnicity as their sleuths? Are we
talking about authors who are knowledgeable enough about the culture and lives
of a sleuth to write about one outside of their own personal racial or ethnic
experience? Here’s how http://weneeddiversebooks.org defines diversity.
really to get to the point, what do we mean by diversity in crime fiction? Are
we talking about authors who are the same ethnicity as their sleuths? Are we
talking about authors who are knowledgeable enough about the culture and lives
of a sleuth to write about one outside of their own personal racial or ethnic
experience? Here’s how http://weneeddiversebooks.org defines diversity.
How we define diversity:
We recognize all diverse
experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, people of color, gender
diversity, people with disabilities*, and ethnic, cultural, and religious
minorities.
experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, people of color, gender
diversity, people with disabilities*, and ethnic, cultural, and religious
minorities.
*We subscribe to a broad
definition of disability, which includes but is not limited to physical,
sensory, cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, chronic
conditions, and mental illnesses (this may also include addiction).
Furthermore, we subscribe to a social model of disability, which presents
disability as created by barriers in the social environment, due to lack of
equal access, stereotyping, and other forms of marginalization.
definition of disability, which includes but is not limited to physical,
sensory, cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, chronic
conditions, and mental illnesses (this may also include addiction).
Furthermore, we subscribe to a social model of disability, which presents
disability as created by barriers in the social environment, due to lack of
equal access, stereotyping, and other forms of marginalization.
I’m sure
Kristopher, Dru Ann and I all took different paths in selecting our books for
today. I picked three books that struck me as being diverse, either because of the author or the sleuth.
Kristopher, Dru Ann and I all took different paths in selecting our books for
today. I picked three books that struck me as being diverse, either because of the author or the sleuth.
In 2012, I read and
reviewed Linda Rodriguez’ Every Last
Secret. Honestly? I read it because it won the Malice Domestic Best First
Traditional Mystery competition. I didn’t know Linda Rodriguez was Native
American and Latina. But, I appreciated her sleuth, Marquitta “Skeet” Bannion,
who becomes chief of police on a college campus. When there is sexual assault,
theft and murder on the campus, Skeet is guided by the principles of her
Cherokee grandmother. “The Cherokee are big on balance. They think imbalance
allows dangerous forces into the world. I had to agree. My job was to bring
this small world back into balance again.” In Every Last Secret, Rodriguez utilizes her own knowledge of Native
American culture as a guiding force for her sleuth.
reviewed Linda Rodriguez’ Every Last
Secret. Honestly? I read it because it won the Malice Domestic Best First
Traditional Mystery competition. I didn’t know Linda Rodriguez was Native
American and Latina. But, I appreciated her sleuth, Marquitta “Skeet” Bannion,
who becomes chief of police on a college campus. When there is sexual assault,
theft and murder on the campus, Skeet is guided by the principles of her
Cherokee grandmother. “The Cherokee are big on balance. They think imbalance
allows dangerous forces into the world. I had to agree. My job was to bring
this small world back into balance again.” In Every Last Secret, Rodriguez utilizes her own knowledge of Native
American culture as a guiding force for her sleuth.
No one handles
diversity in a police force any better than Steven F. Havill does in his
Posadas County series. This series is set in a made-up New Mexico county,
bordering Mexico, but it deals with all the crimes and issues of a small
town police force struggling with border issues. Originally, Bill Gastner was
the undersheriff in this series that started in 1991. Havill slowly introduced
women and Latina women to the department, as they dealt with some racial and
sexual tension. In 2002, Estelle Reyes-Guzman became the main focus of the
series in the book, Scavengers, when
she became undersheriff. She had grown up in Mexico, and was sent to the United
States, to Posadas County, to finish high school. In the course of the series,
she deals with small town and border crimes. In the latest book, Come Dark, she and the sheriff, Robert
Torrez, are struggling to fill in for absent officers and staff members who are
on maternity leave. Havill always manages to be up-to-date with his discussions
of crime, social conditions and working issues.
diversity in a police force any better than Steven F. Havill does in his
Posadas County series. This series is set in a made-up New Mexico county,
bordering Mexico, but it deals with all the crimes and issues of a small
town police force struggling with border issues. Originally, Bill Gastner was
the undersheriff in this series that started in 1991. Havill slowly introduced
women and Latina women to the department, as they dealt with some racial and
sexual tension. In 2002, Estelle Reyes-Guzman became the main focus of the
series in the book, Scavengers, when
she became undersheriff. She had grown up in Mexico, and was sent to the United
States, to Posadas County, to finish high school. In the course of the series,
she deals with small town and border crimes. In the latest book, Come Dark, she and the sheriff, Robert
Torrez, are struggling to fill in for absent officers and staff members who are
on maternity leave. Havill always manages to be up-to-date with his discussions
of crime, social conditions and working issues.
I haven’t had thechance to read Naomi Hirahara’s Sayonara
Slam yet, but the new Mas Arai mystery is on my current pile. Hirahara was
born in California, as was her father, the model for Mas Arai. Hirahara’s
father was taken to Hiroshima, Japan, as a baby. According to her website, http://www.naomihirahara.com, her
father was only miles from the epicenter when Hiroshima was bombed. He married
her mother in Hiroshima, and moved to California where he established himself
in the gardening and landscaping trade. Her amateur sleuth Mas Arai? He is a
Japanese-American survivor of Hiroshima who made his living in gardening and
landscaping in the Los Angeles area until he realized he was getting too old. At the time of this book, Mas only has one client. Hirahara’s Snakeskin Shamisen won the Edgar for Best Paperback Original. Now,
with Sayonara Slam, Mas Arai goes to a baseball game at Dodger Stadium, Japan
vs. Korea in the World Baseball Classic. The aging, widowed, quiet gardener is
soon caught up in murder.
Undoubtedly,
diversity in crime fiction means something different to each of us. It will be
interesting to see what Dru Ann and Kristopher have to say. Thank you for stopping by
the blog today. Please journey over to Dru’s Book Musings and BOLO BOOKS for
further discussion of diversity in crime literature.
diversity in crime fiction means something different to each of us. It will be
interesting to see what Dru Ann and Kristopher have to say. Thank you for stopping by
the blog today. Please journey over to Dru’s Book Musings and BOLO BOOKS for
further discussion of diversity in crime literature.
I have been noticing more ethnic diversity in mysteries lately. The Havill series is certainly one of them, but I've noticed it in others too.
It's a good thing when you can read other stories from different perspective.
I'm a former children's librarian. It's so necessary for young people to see themselves in books. You probably know the old saying about books, Lesa, children need windows and mirrors. So happy that publishers are opening the doors to high quality, diverse work.
An excellent take on a timely, important, topic!
Thanks for joining us today, everyone. Sorry your guesses were off, Kaye!
I've noticed that there is more diversity in the books I read. It seems natural to me and I haven't paid a lot of attention to it. I have read several books by Steven F. Havill and enjoyed them.
I guess it seems natural to me, too, Carol. I probably read more of it than I've even aware of.