I do not know the first time I read this book by Zora Neale Hurston, who is my favorite writer—I consume her works off principle alone. My heart is telling me it was in one of my freshman year English classes at Morehouse College in 1997. Whenever it was, it immediately became my favorite book ever and is to this day. I try to read it once a year.

I don’t know why Janie’s story hit me so hard—particularly the story of her and her last husband, Tea Cake, whose real name Vergible should win every Blackest Name Tournament ever. But their struggle and ultimately the loss she endured, man—I just felt for her as she grew and became her own woman, her own way, with her own style. The writing was so vivid and compelling that even in my youth I could visualize it. (But not in the terrible way it was done for the 2005 made-for-television adaptation starring Michael Ealy and Halle Berry, who was totally miscast; in my head this was Sallie Richardson all day. I wanted to see it turned into a movie, but that wasn’t it. Sorry, Auntie O.)

If you haven’t read it (which would surprise me if you’re black and reading this right now), I can’t recommend any book more highly. It’s a book I look forward to introducing my children to at some point, and I’m going to make it a thing. When we decided to share 28 books that resonated for this month, this came to mind first.