|
African-American Literature August 2018
|
|
|
|
|
Better Late Than Never
by Kimberla Lawson Roby
In this stunning conclusion to the bestselling Reverend Curtis Black series, Curtis's secret past returns in an unwelcome--but ultimately healing--visit.
Rev. Curtis Black is no stranger to scandal. Throughout the decades, he has done much in the public eye, both good and evil. But what most people don't realize is that Curtis has been hiding a horrific childhood that has affected him in countless, unspeakable ways.
His buried past resurfaces when his estranged sister becomes alarmingly ill and his youngest child, twelve-year-old Curtina, becomes the kind of problem daughter whom he never imagined she could be. This is only the beginning.
The horror of Curtis's childhood secrets, as well as Curtina's wild and rebellious behavior, takes a critical toll on Curtis and the entire Black family. All the public scandals they've experienced over the years now seem like child's play compared to the turmoil they are facing in private. Who could have known that the deepest wounds would come from within?
|
|
The Book in Room 316
by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
"#1 national bestselling and award-winning author ReShonda Tate Billingsley delivers another moving, evocative, and timely novel about how a small seed of hope can change the course of one's life. Savannah Graham thought she had the perfect marriage.
|
|
|
|
If Only for One Night
by Victoria Christopher Murray and ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Can they be soulmates if they're married to other people? From the outside, Angelique has the perfect life - a rich husband who adores her and gives her the world, except for what she craves most - his attention. Preston doesn't understand why his wife is so unhappy. Not one to stray, Angelique seeks comfort in the online game, Words With Friends. Blu has been living a life of loneliness since his wife settled into a depression she has no desire to shake. Frustrated and fed up, he loses himself in his favorite game - and the woman that has proven to be a formidable opponent. It's not long before their online connection turns flirtatious and troubles at home lead them to a face-to-face meeting. And eventually an addictive connection that will have them questioning if they're truly soulmates or if they were destined for only one night.
|
|
The Black Diamond Trilogy
by Brittani Williams
Diamond and Mica have been best friends since grade school, and have always watched each other’s backs. After Mica moves out of their drug-infested neighborhood, they have a scandalous falling out and lose touch. Diamond hooks up with one of North Philly’s most notorious drug dealers and she’s able to leave the place that she’s always called home.
Under extreme circumstances, Mica and Diamond meet up and are back on the map as the Laverne and Shirley of the ghetto, but unfortunately, both friends have ulterior motives for rekindling their friendship. The two plot to get rid of the dealer and hit the road with his fortune, but one of them has her own sinister plan that could leave the other staring death in the eye.
Jealousy and greed create plenty of drama for Diamond. Even when she thinks she’s on her way to a happily-ever-after ending, she finds herself fighting against foes she never saw coming. Will her “I rule the world” disposition keep her on top, or will Diamond lose the things she cares about the most?
|
|
|
|
Trapped Between Heaven and Hell
by M. Skye
When his ex-wife, Mia, returns to their hometown, Tyree, who has their son Kyan for the summer, must decide what his heart wants and what is right, especially when a chain of events leads to the revelation of dark secrets between their families.
|
|
They Come in All Colors: A Novel
by Malcolm Hansen
"The Secret Life of Bees meets Paul Beatty's The White Boy Shuffle in this bold debut novel, set between the deep South and New York City during the 1960s and early 70s, following a biracial teenage boy whose new life in a big city is disrupted by childhood memories of the summer when racial tensions in his hometown reached a tipping point. It's 1969 when fifteen-year-old Huey Fairchild begins his first day at Claremont Prep, one of New York City's most prestigious boys' schools. His mother had uprootedher family from their small hometown of Akersburg, Georgia a few years earlier, leaving behind Huey's white father and the racial unrest that ran deeper than the Chattahoochee River. But forgetting his past is easier said than done. At Claremont, where the only other non-white person is the janitor, Huey quickly realizes that racism can lurk beneath even the nicest school uniform. And after a quick slip of his temper, Huey finds himself on academic probation and facing legal charges. With his promising academic career in limbo, Huey begins examining his current predicament at Claremont through the lens of his childhood memories of growing up in Akersburg during the Civil Rights Movement.
|
|
|
|
In Love With a Rude Boy: Renaissance Collection
by Nika Michelle
When Yankee gyal Kadijah visits the beautiful island of Jamaica with her friends, she does not expect the events that follow. After a nasty breakup with her two-timing ex and her graduation from culinary arts school, all she wants to do is unwind. However, when she meets Omari, the sexy rude boy turned DJ, things heat up quickly. Once Omari locks eyes with Kadijah, his life will never be the same and he knows it. He is feeling the feisty American beauty, but his wife, the beautiful but fiery Angela, is having no part of it. She will stop at nothing to make sure that no woman takes her husband away - especially not some Yankee.
|
|
|
How Not to Get Shot
by D. L. Hughley
This book was the most magnificent piece of satire I've seen in a long time. I feel like Hughley hit the nail on the head with every single joke, calling white people out and holding them (us) accountable for the crap we constantly pull in this country. He doesn't mince words, he doesn't tread lightly, and he doesn't go easy on us. That dedication and honesty goes a long way, though. I think if more white people read and truly heard the concerns of Black Americans, we would be so much better off. The only thing better than that would be to acknowledge what is said and act on that new knowledge. This book is a great way to begin that process, because it's not only brutally honest, but painfully hilarious. I love the down-to-Earth writing style, the approachable conversational quality, and the self-effacing jokes that give you a much needed break in a book that is, at times, devastating.
The worst part is that I feel like this book is preaching to the choir: the only people who will read it are black people and white people who already know what kind of crap we're capable of. For example, I hate that my parents, who need this book so badly, would never read it for all the reasons listed in this very book.
|
|
|
I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness
by Austin Channing Brown
The author's first encounter with a racialized America came at age seven, when her parents told her they named her Austin to deceive future employers into thinking she was a white man. She grew up in majority-white schools, organizations, and churches, and has spent her life navigating America's racial divide as a writer, a speaker, and an expert helping organizations practice genuine inclusion. While so many institutions claim to value diversity in their mission statements, many fall short of matching actions to words. Brown highlights how white middle-class evangelicalism has participated in the rise of racial hostility, and encourages the reader to confront apathy and recognize God's ongoing work in the world.
|
|
May We Forever Stand: A History of the Black National Anthem
by Imani Perry
"The twin acts of singing and fighting for freedom have been inseparable in African American history. May We Forever Stand tells an essential part of that story. With lyrics penned by James Weldon Johnson and music composed by his brother Rosamond, "Lift Every Voice and Sing" was embraced almost immediately as an anthem that captured the story and the aspirations of black Americans. Since the song's creation, it has been adopted by the NAACP and performed by countless artists in times of both crisis and celebration, cementing its place in African American life up through the present day. In this rich, poignant, and readable work, Imani Perry tells the story of the Black National Anthem as it traveled from South to North, from civil rights to black power, and from countless family reunions to Carnegie Hall and the Oval Office. Drawing on a wide array of sources, Perry uses "Lift Every Voice and Sing" as a window on the powerful ways African Americans have used music and culture to organize, mourn, challenge, and celebrate for more than a century."
|
|
|
|
Forsyth County Public Library 660 West Fifth Street Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27101 336-703-2665www.forsythlibrary.org |
|
|
|