1. The Grey Album: On the Blackness of Blackness, by Kevin Young

Poet Young's first work of prose offers a critique of how mass media and popular culture portray black culture. This March 2012 release was the winner of the Graywolf Press nonfiction prize.

2. NW, by Zadie Smith

The British author's latest novel is about the evolving relationship between two childhood girlfriends raised in a northwest-London housing project. It was included in the New York Times Ten Best Books of 2012.

3. The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, by Tom Reiss

Biographer Reiss recounts the life of Alexandre Dumas, a biracial French general who was Napeolon's best swordsman during the French Revolution. Dumas was also the father of the famous novelist who penned classics such as The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo. Essence magazine said the "lush prose and insightful details [made] The Black Count one of the best biographies of 2012."

4. Three Strong Women, by Marie NDiaye

NDiaye's novel is the story of three immigrant women (Norah, Fanta and Khady) who find themselves in various difficult relationships but uncover the emotional strength to overcome the obstacles in their lives. Released this year in August, her book was the first by a black woman ever to win the Prix Goncourt.

5. Home, by Toni Morrison

Nobel Prize winner Morrison's May 2012 book is about a traumatized black Korean War veteran trying to find himself in a world that has seems to have dramatically changed since his return to the States. Her most recent work is "gorgeous and intense, brutal yet heartwarming," according to NPR.

6. Salvage the Bones, by Jesmyn Ward

Ward's Salvage the Bones zeroes in on a motherless family and the struggles they endure and sacrifices they make as they await a hurricane. Released in April 2012, this book was the winner of the 2011 National Book Award.

7. American Tapestry: The Story of the Black, White, and Multiracial Ancestors of Michelle Obama, by Rachel L. Swarn

Written by a New York Times correspondent and released in June of 2012, this book tells the story of first lady Michelle Obama's family and their generational progression from slavery to the White House.

8. Barack Obama: The Story, by David Maraniss

Maraniss, known for his biography of Bill Clinton, here explores President Obama's multifaceted background through letters, in-depth interviews and journal entries. This biography was released in June of 2012.

9. Haiti: The Aftershocks of History, by Laurent Dubois

Our own Henry Louis Gates Jr. called this book "required reading," satisfying to both scholars and general-audience readers alike. As a take on the evolution of the "curse" on Haiti, renowned historian Laurent DuBois explains in detail how it all began.

10. The One: The Life and Music of James Brown, by R.J. Smith

Based on the remembrances of 100 of James Brown's closest friends and associates, this November 2012 release, which the Rev. Al Sharpton called an "unparalleled view of Brown," explores how the Godfather of Soul came to earn his title.

11. Sometimes There Is a Void: Memoirs of an Outsider, by Zakes Mda

Mda, an acclaimed South African author, delves into new territory in his memoir, published in January 2012, which is a story about South African independence as a vehicle for individualism. According to the New York Times Book Review, "Mda's autobiographical voice strikes a fine balance between outward engagement and inner exploration."

12. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, by Ayana Mathis

A story told in 12 voices, this is Mathis' first book and Oprah's second choice for her Book Club 2.0. The novel, out in December 2012, traces the travails of Hattie Shepherd and the children she raises with heavy doses of tough love, stern preparation for the cold world that awaits them.

13. Go-Go Live: The Musical Life and Death of a Chocolate City, by Natalie Hopkinson

Hopkinson, a contributing editor to The Root, spent years researching and writing her ode to Washington, D.C.'s signature musical genre, but it was a sad coincidence that it was released in May 2012 -- just days after the godfather of the genre, Chuck Brown, died.

14. Black Cool: One Thousand Streams of Blackness, edited by Rebecca Walker

With essays from artist Hank Willis Thomas (an honoree on The Root 100 2012 list), Brown University professor Tricia Rose, The Root contributing editor Helena Andrews and more (with a foreword from our editor-in-chief, Henry Louis Gates Jr.) about everything from genius to eccentricity to audacity, this February 2012 release is a must-read for anyone who refuses to put the black culture -- or black cool -- in a single box.

15. How to Be Black, by Baratunde Thurston

In this January 2012 release, politically minded comedian (and The Root 100 honoree) Thurston writes in a funny, satirical style as he takes the reader on a journey through his life and offers practical advice on how to be black (he knows from several decades of experience).

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