Author Nic Stone boldly tackles American race relations in her stunning debut novel, Dear Martin. After graduating from Spelman College, Stone worked extensively in teen mentoring and even lived abroad for a few years before returning to the U.S. to pen Dear Martin. Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Stone’s work explores racism through the eyes and experience of American teenager Justyce McAllister.
Justyce is a student at the top of his class and set for the Ivy League (though none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs). Searching for answers, Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But do those answers hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out. Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend Manny and inadvertently sparks the fury of a white off-duty cop. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs, and in the media fallout, it’s Justyce who is under attack.
Stone sat down with us to talk about what she’s been reading lately; watch the video below to hear her recommendations!
