The Unfortunates

By J K Chukwu,

Book cover of The Unfortunates

Book description

An edgy, bitingly funny debut about a queer, half-Nigerian college sophomore who, enraged and exhausted by the racism at her elite college, is determined to reveal the truth about The Unfortunates—the unlucky subset of Black undergrads who Just. Keep. Disappearing.

Sahara is Not Okay. Entering her sophomore year, she already…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

1 author picked The Unfortunates as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

As a professor, I know that sometimes just getting through four years of college can be its own epic struggle, especially when you’re queer and half-Nigerian, like Sahara.

“The unfortunates” is the name Sahara and her friends use to describe the deaths of too many of their fellow Black students. As if that isn’t enough, Sahara sometimes feels like her only companion is her “Life Partner,” the name she gives to the ugly voice of her depression.

I loved the way The Unfortunates is told as an in-your-face “thesis” to Sahara’s university committee that mixes humor with high-stakes struggles. Follow…

From Robyn's list on women who just won’t quit.

Want books like The Unfortunates?

Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Unfortunates.

Browse books like The Unfortunates

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in the sahara desert, art, and racism?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about the sahara desert, art, and racism.

The Sahara Desert Explore 19 books about the sahara desert
Art Explore 853 books about art
Racism Explore 185 books about racism