Following up my earlier post about finding books in translation, here are some good sources for different perspectives in the English language.

• 2009 Top 10 Latino Authors to Watch (and Read)
• 2008 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award Finalists (“Black writers from any area of the diaspora”)
• Before Columbus Foundation’s American Book Awards, 1981-2007
• Asian American Literary Award winners 1998-2007
• Asian American Writers Workshop 2008 Members’ Choice Award candidates
• 2007 Lamdba Literary Award winners (LGBT)
• Native American Fiction list from Madison (WI) Public Library
• 2008 African American Literary Awards Show winners

And because not everything has to be about prizes:

• October 2008 Essence Bestsellers list
• Black Ink (Fiction titles from Random House/Doubleday’s African-American imprints, like Harlem Moon

Looking at that Essence list, you may be thinking “No way am I reading something called ‘The Enemy Between My Legs.'” But I don’t see any reason to be on your high horse. Your probably read ‘The DaVinci Code’. Some of you older folks may have read ‘Forever Amber’ or you youngsters “Gossip Girl” or the “Au Pairs” series. What I am saying is that books let you know what other people are thinking – what they are dreaming of, what they wished they thought, what authors think they wished they thought. Try one on.