Melanated Women Read: Dealing with the Dead

Melanated Women Read is a book discussion group by and especially for Black women. This month we will discuss Dealing with the Dead, by Alain Mabanckou.

One day in the Congolese town of Pointe-Noire, Liwa Ekimakinga wakes to find himself in a cemetery where, three days earlier, he had been buried at the age of twenty-two in a pair of flared purple trousers in which he is now trapped forever. All around him are the other residents of the cemetery, all of whom have their own complex stories of life and death to share.

Bewildered by his predicament and unwilling to relinquish his tender bond with his devoted grandmother, Liwa makes his way back home to see her one last time, against all spectral advice. As he does, disturbing rumors swirl together with Liwa's jumbled memories of his last night on earth, leading him to try and solve the mystery of his own untimely demise.

About the Author:

Alain Mabanckou was born in Congo in 1966. An award-winning novelist, poet, and essayist, Mabanckou currently lives in Los Angeles, where he teaches literature at UCLA. He is the author of African Psycho, Broken Glass, Black Bazaar, and Tomorrow I'll Be Twenty, as well as The Lights of PointeNoire, Black Moses, and The Death of Comrade President.In 2015, Mabanckou was a finalist for the Man Booker International Prize.

About Melanated Women Read:

Melanated Women Read is a virtual book group that is by and especially for Black women. The purpose and focus are on inspiring, uplifting reads, and providing a safe space for Black women to speak, vent and enjoy honest and open conversation.

The group chooses from books written by Black authors. The goal of this community-based group is to introduce a variety of Black writers who will help build a love of reading in a positive environment while meeting new people and gaining new perspectives.

Melanated Women Read meets virtually on the first Monday of each month.

Monday, October 05, 2026 | 06:30 PM - 08:00 PM
Zoom webinar (register for link)

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