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Headshot Alex Brown

Alex Brown

Expertise: Books

Alex Brown

  • School librarian and archivist who focuses on DEI and social justice
  • Author of Hidden History of Napa Valley and Lost Restaurants of Napa Valley and Their Recipes
  • Two-time Ignyte Award winner for Best Critic
  • Nominated for a Hugo Award for best fan writer

Experience

Alex is a queer Black librarian, a local historian and the author of two nonfiction books on the history of the marginalized communities in Napa County, Hidden History of Napa Valley and Lost Restaurants of Napa Valley and Their Recipes. The winner of two Ignyte Awards, Alex has been nominated for a Hugo Award for their decade-plus of work as a fan writer and speculative fiction book critic. Alex's writing has appeared in Reactor Mag (formerly Tor.com), Locus Magazine, NPR Books, Reader's Digest and more. In addition to writing about books, they cover topics including queerness, Black history, librarianship and pop culture.

Education

BA with honors in Anthropology and Sociology

Master’s of Library and Information Science

Master’s in US History, specializing in Black history in Napa, California

Reader's Digest Editorial Policies

Reader's Digest

Articles

Your Guide To The Pulitzer Prize–winning Books Of 2024

Your Guide to the Pulitzer Prize–Winning Books of 2024

These Pulitzer Prize books promise extraordinary storytelling that'll move you and make you see the world in new ways
28 Must Read Fantasy Books

28 Must-Read Fantasy Books, According to a Librarian

Looking for a great escape? Our list of the best fantasy books will immerse you in magical, mythical worlds.
Gold trophy cup with stack of books, Winner prize goblet. Learn and succeed concept.

Your Guide to the Pulitzer Prize–Winning Books of 2025

These Pulitzer Prize books promise extraordinary storytelling that'll move you and make you see the world in new ways