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African American Fiction & Non-Fiction March/April 2018
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An American Marriage
by Tayari Jones
When her new husband is arrested and imprisoned for a crime she knows he did not commit, a rising artist takes comfort in a longtime friendship only to encounter unexpected challenges in resuming her life when her husband's sentence is suddenly overturned. By the author of Silver Sparrow.
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Around the Way Girls 11
by Treasure Hernandez
A trio of stories starring some street-smart women who think they know it all includes Treasure Hernandez’s “Meal Ticket,” in which Yanna Banks, after the death of her husband at the home of his longtime mistress, relies on her teenage son to help her make ends meet, showing him how to deal with anyone who gets in the way.
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Bad Behavior
by Kiki Swinson
Two stories from bestsellers Kiki Swinson and Noire, about women who do whatever it takes to get their money. 'Nine Lives' by Kiki Swinson revolves around a brother-sister hit team. 'Crished Ice Clique' follows two cousins who get involved in the jewellery fraud business. ~ Horizon
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Beneath the Darkest Sky
by Jason Overstreet
When ex-Bureau agent Prescott Sweet has the opportunity to live in Moscow and work at the U.S. Embassy, he and his family seize the chance to at last put down roots in what they believe is a fair society; but when they are reduced to bare survival in Stalin's Russia and Prescott's son becomes gravely ill, the former spy must draw on all his skills to free his family.
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Best Laid Plans: a Hood Misfits Novel
by Brick
Straight and narrow Dr. Antonio “Tone” Ortiz must join up with the estranged mother of his daughter and his dangerous father in order to find his kidnapped daughter—at all costs.
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If It Ain't About the Money
by Saundra
When Secret and Kirk mastermind a scheme to rob wealthy people's bank accounts, Secret's sister, Penny, and their friend, Isis, get caught up in the drama, and when Isis finds new love, she realizes that she must also find a way out of this crazy life of crime.
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The Legacy
by Joy Deja King
The Legacy is a trilogy that introduces you to the very prominent yet deadly, Collins Family. Allen Collins is the head of the drug empire and he grooms both his sons to control it with him. He wants to create a legacy for his family that will continue on from generation to generation. But in Allen's quest to leave a legacy, he has to first survive his biggest competition, which is the Hernandez family. ~Horizon
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Love is Power, or Something Like That: Stories
by A. Igoni Barrett
A collection of short stories, including "The Worst Thing That Happened," in which an old-age pensioner with numerous children struggles to find someone to pick her up from cataract surgery.
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Murder in July: Historical Mystery Set in New Orleans
by Barbara Hambly
Benjamin January investigates the murder of a mysterious Englishman in this absorbing New Orleans-set mystery.
When British spymaster Sir John Oldmixton offers Benjamin January a hundred dollars to find the murderer of an Englishman whose body has been found floating in the New Basin Canal, Benjamin turns him down immediately. As a free man of colour in New Orleans in the sweltering July of 1839, he knows this is not something he should get mixed up in.
But when clues to the dead man's identity link the death to another murder, in another July in January's past, he is reluctantly drawn into the investigation. Nine years ago in Paris he failed to catch a killer - with tragic consequences. Now in New Orleans he must unravel the earlier murder, the one that took place during the great revolt against the Bourbon kings, to solve the second killing. At stake is not merely a hundred dollars, but hidden treasure, the fate of an innocent woman - and the lives of January's wife, son and unborn child. ~Book Jacket
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The Root: a Novel of the Wrath & Athenaeum
by Na'amen Gobert Tilahun
"When a secret government agency trying to enslave you isn't the biggest problem you're facing, you're in trouble. Erik, a former teen star living in San Francisco, thought his life was complicated; having his ex-boyfriend in jail because of the scandal that destroyed his career seemed overwhelming. Then Erik learned he was Blooded: descended from the Gods. Struggling with a power he doesn't understand and can barely control, Erik discovers that a secret government agency is selling off Blooded like lab rats to a rival branch of preternatural beings in 'Zebub--San Francisco's mirror city in an alternate dimension. Lil, a timid apprentice in 'Zebub, is searching for answers to her parents' sudden and mysterious deaths. Surrounded by those who wish her harm and view her as a lesser being, Lil delves into a forgotten history that those in power will go to dangerous lengths to keep buried. What neither Erik nor Lil realize is that a darkness is coming, something none have faced in living memory. It eats. It hunts. And it knows them. In The Root, the dark and surging urban fantasy debut from Na'amen Tilahun, two worlds must come together if even a remnant of one is to survive"
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Savannah's Secrets
by Reese Ryan
Falling for the boss, or taking him down?
Savannah Carlisle had the perfect plan. By infiltrating the Abbott family's Tennessee bourbon empire as their events manager, she'd be one step closer to claiming half of the business they stole from her grandfather. Now she's not so sure. Because sexy Blake Abbott, heir to it all, is simply intoxicating. He's supposed to be the enemy. But after one long, stormy weekend, she's pregnant with his child... ~Horizon
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A Sister's Secret
by Cydney Rax
After their mother’s death, five sisters—Burgundy, Elyse, Coco, Drucilla and Alita—meet twice a month to bond, vent, cope and tell each other some hard truths, but when Elyse reveals something that shatters Burgundy’s perfect world beyond repair, the sisters must come together to help her pick up the pieces.
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Still the Baddest Bitch: a Novel
by Joy King
Aaliyah Mills Carter has to prove herself after a death hits too close to home, and when questions pop up about her, she must determine whether or not she has been sleeping with the enemy.
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The Tree: a Novel of the Wrath & Athenaeum
by Na'amen Gobert Tilahun
"The sequel to The Root, a compelling urban fantasy series set between modern-day San Francisco and an alternate dimension filled with gods and worlds of dark magic. In Corpiliu, an alternate dimension to our own, a darkness grows, devouring whole cities as it spreads. Robbed of her greatest power, separated from her siblings and thrown among people she does not trust, Lil, a 'dant from the city Zebub, must find a way to turn everything around, to trust in a power she knows nothing about. Erik travels from San Francisco to Zebub, haunted by the ghost of his ex, still coming to terms with his true identity as a descendant of the gods, and unsure how to fight what seems to have no weakness. Pushing back against taboos meant to keep the true history of Corpiliu secret, he gains many enemies and few allies, and strange visions will make him question his own sanity. Between Earth and Corpiliu, a war is developing on two fronts, one that might well mean the end of both dimensions. In The Tree, the dynamic follow-up to the exciting fantasy debut The Root, long-held secrets will be revealed, and long-trusted loyalties will be put to the test."
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The Annotated African American Folktales
by Henry Louis Gates
A treasury of dozens of African-American folktales discusses their role in a broader sophisticated, complex and heterogeneous cultural heritage, sharing illuminating annotations and illustrations complementing such classics as the Brer Rabbit stories, the African trickster Anansi and out-of-print tales from the late 19th century's Southern Workman.
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Awaken: 90 Days with the God Who Speaks
by Priscilla Shirer
The choice of a devotional book is more personal than most. This kind of reading is not merely for the purpose of leisure and enjoyment. No, with this kind of resource you're expecting and praying for something more. You want to hear from God, receive His direction, and be refreshed in the depths of your soul. Only God's Word can do that. So you need to choose wisely. ~Book Jacket
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Chocolate City: a History of Race and Democracy in the Nation's Capital
by Chris Myers Asch
Monumental in scope and vividly detailed, Chocolate City tells the tumultuous, four-century story of race and democracy in our nation's capital. Emblematic of the ongoing tensions between America's expansive democratic promises and its enduring racial realities, Washington often has served as a national battleground for contentious issues, including slavery, segregation, civil rights, the drug war, and gentrification. But D.C. is more than just a seat of government, and authors Chris Myers Asch and George Derek Musgrove also highlight the city's rich history of local activism as Washingtonians of all races have struggled to make their voices heard in an undemocratic city where residents lack full political rights. ~Book Jacket
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Goddess of Anarchy: the Life and Times of Lucy Parsons, American Radical
by Jacqueline Jones
A portrait of 19th-century activist Lucy Parsons discusses her birth to a slave, her Texas upbringing, her marriage to Haymarket "martyr" Albert Parsons, her self-reinvention, the contradictions that riddled her life and her fearless advocacy of First Amendment rights and the working classes.
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The Great Stain: Witnessing American slavery
by Noel Rae
The author of The People's War draws on personal accounts from the transatlantic slave trade era to share poignant, firsthand insights into what slavery was actually like from the perspectives of former slaves, slave owners and African slavers.
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Higher Is Waiting: Passages of Inspiration
by Tyler Perry
The cinematic innovator behind Tyler Perry Studios traces his youth in New Orleans through his successful career in an uplifting account of his spiritual awakening that explains how his faith has enriched his life and sustained him in hard times.
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How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective
by Keeanga-yamahtta Taylor
Reflections on the legacy and impact of radical black feminists of the 1960s on today's feminist and anti-racist movements. The Combahee River Collective, a path-breaking group of radical black feminists, was one of the most important organizations to develop out of the antiracist and women's liberation movements of the 1960s and 70s. In this collection of essays and interviews edited by activist-scholar Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, founding members of the organisation and contemporary activists reflect on the legacy of its contributions to Black feminism and its impact on today's struggles. ~Horizon
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Infinite Hope: How Wrongful Conviction, Solitary Confinement and 12 years on Death Row Failed to Kill My Soul
by Anthony Graves
"Written by a wrongfully convicted man who spent 16 years on death row and 12 years in solitary confinement, a powerful memoir about fighting for--and winning--exoneration. Infinite Hope is an argument against the death penalty through one man's personal story. It is about a man enduring a life on death row year after year, when he knows that he is one hundred percent innocent and that his exoneration is unlikely. Anthony Graves' unbelievable saga started in 1992 when, at 26 years old, he was arrested for killing six people in Somerville, Texas. Despite his air-tight alibi, his unwavering insistence that he had no knowledge of the crime, and a lack of physical evidence linking him to the scene, Graves was arrested, charged with capital murder, and eventually sentenced to death. He spent nearly two decades defending his innocence from behind bars. With the help of a hard-charging journalist, Graves' story of injustice and the astounding malfeasance he encountered at every turn was published in Texas Monthly. In 2011, eighteen years after his nightmare began, Graves was finally exonerated. The prosecutor in his case was later disbarred. Poignant and skillfully wrought, Graves writes about fighting for his dignity, trying to maintain his sanity, the excruciating reality of being innocent behind bars, and how he endured one setback after another as he and his lawyers chipped away at the state's case against him. Infinite Hope exposes an extreme version of when the judicial system is wrong and, as Graves describes it, "what people go through when they're treated as disposable."
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I Will Not Fear: My Story of a Lifetime of Building Faith Under Fire
by Melba Pattillo Beals
In 1957, Melba Beals was one of the nine African American students chosen to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. But her story of overcoming didn't start--or end--there. While her white schoolmates were planning their senior prom, Melba was facing the business end of a double-barreled shotgun, being threatened with lynching by rope-carrying tormentors, and learning how to outrun white supremacists who were ready to kill her rather than sit beside her in a classroom. Only her faith in God sustained her during her darkest days and helped her become a civil rights warrior, an NBC television news reporter, a magazine writer, a professor, a wife, and a mother. ~Book Jacket
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The Mother of Black Hollywood: a Memoir
by Jenifer Lewis
The "Mega Diva" star of Black-ish traces her personal journey from poverty to fame, sharing provocative insights into her battles with undiagnosed mental illness and sex addiction while citing the support of loving friends and the philosophies about self-acceptance that enabled her successes.
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The Price for Their Pound of Flesh: the Value of the Enslaved from Womb to Grave in the Building of a Nation
by Daina Ramey Berry
“A brilliant resurrection of the forgotten people who gave their lives to build our country. Rigorously researched and powerfully told, this book tallies the human price paid for the nation we now live in and restores these unrecognized Americans—their hopes, loves and disregarded dreams—to their rightful place in history. Searing, revelatory and vital to understanding our nation’s inequities.” —Isabel Wilkerson, author of The Warmth of Other Suns.
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Raw: My Journey Into the Wu-Tang
by U-God
A dramatic account of the lesser-known story behind the meteoric rise of the Wu-Tang Clan, written by one of its founding members, traces his early years in 1970s Brownsville, New York, and how he and his fellow group members escaped the projects to make hip-hop history.
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Smoketown: the Untold Story of the Other Great Black Renaissance
by Mark Whitaker
Chronicles the lesser-known African-American renaissance in Pittsburgh from the 1920s through the 1950s, assessing how it rivaled Harlem and Chicago as the site of the most widely read black newspaper in the nation, the two leading Negro Leagues baseball teams and the childhood homes of forefront jazz pioneers.
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The Spice Diet: Use Powerhouse Flavor to Fight Cravings Ad Win the Weight-loss Battle
by Judson Todd Allen
"Celebrity chef Judson Todd Allen presents the diet that helped him lose 160 pounds, featuring 60 guilt-free recipes packed with powerhouse flavor created especially for THE SPICE DIET. When Steve Harvey wanted to get camera-ready before his hit television show launched, he turned to Chef Judson Todd Allen to help him. While enjoying the flavorful food Chef Judson prepared, Steve Harvey lost 30 pounds and has kept them off. Chef Judson's diet plan is heaven for food lovers. Using the principles of food science, he offers a way to eat that feels indulgent as it satisfies food cravings and reduces appetite. His program will not only help readers break their addiction to unhealthy foods without feeling deprived but will also inspire them to get into the kitchen to prepare irresistable, healthy meals. THE SPICE DIET provides a full weight-loss program that includes meal plans, creative spice blends, easy-to-prepare recipes, and a heaping helping of motivation."
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Truevine: Two Brothers, a Kidnapping, and a Mother's Quest: a True Story of the Jim Crow South
by Beth Macy
"The true story of two African-American brothers who were kidnapped and displayed as circus freaks, and whose mother endured a 28-year struggle to get them back. The year was 1899 and the place a sweltering tobacco farm in the Jim Crow South town of Truevine, Virginia. George and Willie Muse were two little boys born to a sharecropper family. One day a white man offered them a piece of candy, setting off events that would take them around the world and change their lives forever. Captured into the circus, the Muse brothers performed for royalty at Buckingham Palace and headlined over a dozen sold-out shows at New York's Madison Square Garden. They were global superstars in a pre-broadcast era. But the very root of their success was in the color of their skin and in the outrageous caricatures they were forced to assume: supposed cannibals, sheep-headed freaks, even 'Ambassadors from Mars.' Back home, their mother never accepted that they were 'gone' and spent 28 years trying to get them back. Through hundreds of interviews and decades of research, Beth Macy expertly explores a central and difficult question: Where were the brothers better off? On the world stage as stars or in poverty at home? Truevine is a compelling narrative rich in historical detail and rife with implications to race relations today"--Publisher description
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The Vixen Diaries
by Karrine Steffans
The hip-hop star and author of Confessions of a Video Vixen discloses intimate details about her star-studded lifestyle, from her interactions with fellow celebrities who helped or hindered her career to her insider perspective on the Bobby Brown rumors.
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