Aaron Robertson
Aaron Robertson
Aaron Robertson is a writer, literary translator, and editor. His debut book, The Black Utopians: Searching for Paradise and the Promised Land in America (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2024), has been recognized as a New York Times Notable Book of 2024, a Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of 2024, one of TIME’s 100 Must-Read Books of 2024, and one of the New York Public Library’s 10 Best Books of 2024, among other distinctions. Aaron’s translation of Igiaba Scego’s Beyond Babylon (Two Lines Press, 2019) was shortlisted for various prizes, including the 2020 PEN Translation Prize and the National Translation Award.
Aaron has contributed to The New York Times, The Nation, n+1, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Literary Hub, and other publications. He has also contributed to two notable anthologies: Violent Phenomena: 21 Essays on Translation (Tilted Axis Press, 2022) and The Heart of a Stranger: An Anthology of Exile Literature (Pushkin Press, 2019). In 2021, he received a National Endowment for the Arts grant in translation. He served as a judge for the 2024 International Booker Prize and is currently an advisory editor for The Paris Review.
Aaron has addressed audiences at educational institutions such as Harvard University, Princeton University, and George Mason University; cultural venues such as City of Asylum; literary festivals such as the PEN World Voices Festival and the Deep Water Literary Fest; and grassroots organizations such as the Detroit People’s Food Co-op. His talks often focus on Black utopian thought, literary translation, and the intersections of art and activism.
From literary festivals like PEN World Voices to academic institutions such as George Mason University and cultural spaces like the Center for Fiction, Aaron’s goal has always been to create engaging, thoughtful conversations that leave audiences with new perspectives.
Aaron Robertson holds a B.A. in Italian from Princeton University and an M.St. in Modern Languages from the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
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Hardcover
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A lyrical meditation on how Black Americans have envisioned utopia—and sought to transform their lives.
How do the disillusioned, the forgotten, and the persecuted not merely hold on to life but expand its possibilities and preserve its beauty? What, in other words, does utopia look like in black?
These questions animate Aar...Read More
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Tracing Black Liberation and Community Dreams in America
Explore the historical and cultural roots of Black utopian thought, from Reconstruction-era intentional communities to the modern-day movements for racial and economic justice. This talk blends historical analysis, personal storytelling, and reflections on contemporary activism.
The Role of Translators in Shaping Global Literature
A deep dive into the world of translation, highlighting the importance of diverse voices in global storytelling and the translator’s role as both an artist and cultural mediator.
Writing Across Borders: Exploring Identity, Exile, and Belonging
An exploration of themes in literature and personal narrative that confront questions of home, identity, and cross-cultural exchange.
Black Futures, Black Pasts: Art, Activism, and the Imagination
A thought-provoking conversation on how Black artists and thinkers have used utopian visions to navigate and resist systemic oppression, and what these visions offer today.
“Dreaming of a Black Utopia in Trump’s America”
“Author of ‘The Black Utopians’ on the quest for a better Black existence”
“The New York Public Library Announces the 10 Best Books of 2024 for Kids, Teens, and Adults”
50 Notable Nonfiction Books from 2024
“‘The Black Utopians’ is an extraordinary work of history and memoir”
“Bourgeois Dreams, Black Rebellion”
“Ten Questions for Aaron Robertson”
Praise for The Black Utopians
New York Times‘s 100 Notable Books of 2024 Washington Post‘s 50 Best Nonfiction Books of 2024 New York Public Library Top Ten Book of 2024 New Republic Best Book of the Fall TIME Must-Read Book of the Year
“Ambitious and captivating … Robertson paints a vivid and beguiling picture of the indomitable human yearning for a safe and nurturing home. It’s a must-read.”
— Publishers Weekly Starred Review
“This fascinating and resonant history has been hidden far too long.”
— Lesley Williams, Booklist Starred Review
“[An] extraordinary new work of history and memoir . . . Unforgettable.”
— Gabriel Bump, The Washington Post
“An extraordinary achievement in narrative nonfiction.”
— Hamilton Cain, Minneapolis Star-Tribune
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