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African American Fiction & Non-Fiction April 2015
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New and Recently Released Fiction
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Murdergram
by Nisa Santiago
Four Brooklyn girls go into a Long Island church and emerge as the Cristál Clique, a group of cold-blooded killers who become immersed in a dangerous murder-for-hire underworld
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King Divas
by De'nesha Diamond
While Python resolves to negotiate a peace meeting with his brother in the aftermath of their aunt's brutal murder, Ta'Shara barely saves Lucifer's life from a rival gang and worries that Lucifer's injuries will cause her to lose her child.
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The Turner House
by Angela Flournoy
Learning that after a half-century of family life that their house on Detroit's East Side is worth only a fraction of its mortgage, the members of the Turner family gather to reckon with their pasts and decide the house's fate.
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New and Recently Released Non-Fiction
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Imagine This: Creating the Work You Love
by Maxine Clair
A writer provides tips and techniques for exploring and developing creative outlets by being aware of the present, harnessing motivation and creating work to be proud of, whether it is in art, business or science.
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Michelle Obama: A Life
by Peter B. Slevin
A comprehensive portrait of the first lady describes her working-class upbringing on Chicago's South Side, her education at Princeton and Harvard during the racially charged 1970s and her marriage to the future 44th president.
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My Journey With Maya
by Tavis Smiley
A notable PBS and Public Radio International host recounts the story of his friendship with Maya Angelou.
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Ordinary Light: A Memoir
by Tracy K. Smith
An acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning poet explores coming-of-age and the meaning of home against a complex backdrop of race, faith and the unbreakable bond between a mother and daughter.
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The Way of Tenderness: Awakening Through Race, Sexuality, and Gender
by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel
"What does liberation mean when I have incarnated in a particular body, with a particular shape, color, and sex?" In The Way of Tenderness, Zen priest Zenju Earthlyn Manuel brings Buddhist philosophies of emptiness and appearance to bear on race, sexuality, and gender, using wisdom forged through personal experience and practice to rethink problems of identity and privilege. Manuel brings her own experiences as a lesbian black woman into conversation with Buddhism to square our ultimately empty nature with superficial perspectives of everyday life. Her hard-won insights reveal that dry wisdom alone is not sufficient to heal the wounds of the marginalized; an effective practice must embrace the tenderness found where conventional reality and emptiness intersect. Only warmth and compassion can cure hatred and heal the damage it wreaks within us. This is a book that will teach us all.
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African Writers Book Club
Tuesday, April 21, 2:15 pm
Southwest Library - Tutor Room 1
The African Writers Book Club focuses exclusively on books written by Africans. September, 2014's book is Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela.
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African American Book Club
Saturday, April 25, 3:00 pm
South Regional Library - Children's Program Room
Join us for lively discussions on fiction and nonfiction books written by African Americans. We will be reading Who Asked You by Terry McMillan.
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Urban Chronicles
Tuesday, April 28, 6:00 pm
Main Library - Conference Room
Call it whatever kind of fiction you want: urban, hood, inner-city, ghetto, hip-hop, street. Whatever!! Readers who love this genre join us!! We will reading A Hustler's Wife by Nikki Turner.
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The Man's Guide to Writing Love Letters: Is Sex the Only Thing on a Man's Mind?
Tuesday, April 7,
7:00 pm
Stanford L. Warren Library - Meeting Room
In this readers theater presentation, author, playwright, producer and director Ira Knight presents a thought provoking and inspiring rendition of his one man play in progress, The Man's Guide To Writing Love Letters: Is SEX the Only Thing on a Man's Mind?
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Senior Game Day
Wednesday, April 8, 15, 22, 29,
1:00 pm
Southwest Library
Calling all seniors! Up for a little friendly competition? Come to Senior Game Day to play some old favorites with fellow game-lovers, and maybe try something new as well!
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The Madea Factory
Thursday, April 9,
7:00 pm
Stanford L. Warren Library - Meeting Room
In this entertaining and informative presentation, author and lay film critic Ezekiel Walker will use movie clips and illustrations discussed in his book, The Madea Factory, to shed light on Tyler Perry's Madea caricature, including its impact on different audiences and demographics, the feminization of the African American male, and an analysis of Madea within the framework of American cultural life and African American history. This presentation is for anyone who loves African American movies, music and culture!
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South Regional Library's Open House
Saturday, April 11, 10:00 am
South Regional Library
Join us at the South Regional Library for our yearly Open House! Children will be able to enjoy a storytime at 10:15, crafts and hands-on activities from the EPA. Adults will have the opportunity to learn about databases and bookclub kits. We will also have a Makerspace Demonstration and 3D Printing. All ages are welcome to attend!
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Sankofa, Return to the Source: African Beads, Ghana and World Decorative Culture
Saturday, April 11,
1:00 pm
Stanford L. Warren Library - Meeting Room
Beads have long been a part of Africa's heritage and cultural fabric. In this talk Ghanaian bead trader and North Carolina resident Suzie Oware will discuss and demonstrate the symbolism, historical legacy and style aesthetic of African beads within the context of U.S. popular culture and decor aesthetic, as well as other latent cross-cultural transmissions from Ghanaian society impacting American style and dress traditions.
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Meet the Author: Danielle Robinson
Monday, April 13,
7:00 pm
South Regional Library - Meeting Room
Join Danielle Robinson for her reading from her poetry collection, A Slice of Purple Pie. The poems propose many delicious and unique rhythms. Her content explores love, sorrow, joyfulness, racial pride, spirituality, curiosity, and unity.
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"Anything I Was Big Enough To Do": Women and Gender in SNCC
Tuesday, April 14,
7:00 pm
Main Library - Auditorium
Dr. Emilye Crosby, State University of New York at Geneseo and National Humanities Center Fellow, will discuss the women in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Women were crucial to the organization as they helped launch and sustain SNCC and the mass movement of the 1960s. Crosby will highlight a few key women and discuss broad patterns of when and how women tended to join and influence the organization.
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Self Publishing Bootcamp @ SLW
Saturday, April 18,
9:30 am
Stanford L. Warren Library - Meeting Room
In this two-part seminar participants and budding authors will learn the pros and cons, and the how-tos of self publishing, promoting and selling the book you have always wanted to write.
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Listen Up, Speak Up
Saturday, April 18, 25, 9:30 am
Main Library - Auditorium
A series of workshops for girls to learn the art of negotiation. Participants will develop an understanding of and confidence in using negotiation basics such as collaboration, goal setting, logrolling and more. April 18, 25 and May 2.
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Meet the Author: Kianna Alexander
Saturday, April 18,
3:00 pm
Southwest Library - Meeting Room
Join us for a reading and discussion with romance author Kianna Alexander, author of Electing to Love. Alexander will talk about writing historical and paranormal romance and keeping her Southern voice. A booksigning will follow the reading.
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Basic Internet Computer Classes
Monday, April 20,
2:00 pm
Main Library - Computer Lab
These classes are intended for new computer user who wish to learn internet navigation.
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Friends of the Durham Library Book Sale
Friday, April 24, Saturday, April 25, Sunday, April 26
Main Library
Book sale opens Friday at 4:00 PM. Saturday, 10 AM-4 PM. Sunday, 2-5 PM. Friends of the Durham Library sell gently used books at bargain prices. Proceeds benefit the library.
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Gadgets for Grownups
Monday, April 27,
3:00 pm
East Regional Library - Tutoring/Study Room #1
Learn the basics of using your smart phone, tablet or e-reader. Covering library apps like Hoopla, OneClick and Overdrive. Be sure to know your logins and passwords!
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Meet the Authors: Levelle Moton and Edward G. Robinson
Thursday, April 30,
7:00 pm
Main Library - Auditorium
Join Coach Levelle Moton and Edward G. Robinson for a reading from their book The Worst Times are the Best Times. Coach Moton overcame the challenges of boyhood in the ghettos of Boston and Raleigh, and used those personal experiences to provide valuable perspective for young people today. Rather than developing the next superstar athlete, Moton is more interested in teaching lifes hard lessons. Robinson is currently a writer for the Washingtonia Magazine and former writer for the News and Observer.
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Family Yoga for Everyone
Tuesday, April 7, 14, 21, 28,
1:30 pm
Southwest Library - Meeting Room
This yoga class welcomes all bodies and all levels of experience. We designed this time to practice yoga together in an accepting and nonjudgemental atmosphere. Children are welcome.
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Soul Line Dance Class
Tuesday, April 7, 14, 21,
7:00 pm
South Regional Library - Meeting Room
Get fit, have fun, and learn classic dance moves--without a partner! Soul Line Dancing is done to Classic Soul/R & B, Hip Hop and Zydeco music. Please wear athletic or flat shoes.
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Down South Shuffle
Monday, April 13, 27,
6:30 pm
Southwest Library - Meeting Room
Need an excuse to get moving and get fit? Join Down South Shuffle for some line dancing and get some exercise. Down South Shuffle is open to all levels of dancers. Come for the first hour and practice your basic steps. Stay for the last half-hour to learn some advanced moves.
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AARP Tax Assistance
Thursday, April 9,
9:00 am
Main Library - Conference Room: 3rd Floor
Volunteers from AARP provide free assistance in filing federal and state income tax forms. Please bring photo ID, social security card(s) for all filers and dependents, and all tax documents such at W-2s and 1099s.
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VITA Tax Assistance
Thursday, April 9,
4:00 pm
Southwest Library - Meeting Room
Volunteer Tax Assistance for the low income and elderly.
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RSVP/VITA Tax Preparation
Saturday, April 11,
9:30 am
Main Library - Conference Room
Volunteers from RSVP provide free assistance in filing federal and state income tax forms. Please bring photo ID, social security card(s) for all filers and dependents, and all tax documents such at W-2s and 1099s.
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AARP Tax Assistance
Monday, April 13,
9:00 am
Main Library - Conference Room: 3rd Floor
Volunteers from AARP provide free assistance in filing federal and state income tax forms. Please bring photo ID, social security card(s) for all filers and dependents, and all tax documents such at W-2s and 1099s.
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RSVP/VITA Tax Preparation
Tuesday, April 14,
4:00 pm
Main Library - Conference Room
Volunteers from RSVP provide free assistance in filing federal and state income tax forms. Please bring photo ID, social security card(s) for all filers and dependents, and all tax documents such at W-2s and 1099s.
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Events in the Durham Area
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Meet the Author: Scott Ellsworth
Saturday, April 25,
3:00 pm
Hayti Heritage Center
Join Scott Ellsworth for a reading from his book The Secret Game: a Basketball Story in Black and White, the long awaited story of the 1944 game between Coach John McLendons Eagles from North Carolina College for Negroes and Duke Universitys best basketball team at the time, a military team from the medical school. McClendon took a huge risk to agree to schedule the game in the Jim Crow South. After years of research and interviews with many of the players from both schools, Ellsworth has written not only of the history and development of the game, but filled in a piece of Durhams history. A book signing will follow the reading.
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Looking for More Great Books? Contact your librarian or try...
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My Next 5 For personalized reading recommendations from Durham County librarians, you may want to try My Next 5! Simply complete an online form to tell us a little about what genres, books, and authors you like (or dislike). A DCL librarian will review your submission and reply within three days with a list of the next five books you should read.
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NextReads e-Newsletters Subscribe to one of our NextReads e-newsletters to have reading recommendations delivered right to your inbox. Select from topics such as the weekly New York Times bestseller list, graphic novels recommendations, armchair traveler reads and so much more. Each newsletter comes with links directly to the library's catalog, so you can easily place holds on items that interest you. You can also sign up for a general DCL e-newsletter that highlights library news and upcoming events.
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NoveList
NoveList is a comprehensive database of fiction and nonfiction titles for all ages, including recommendations, articles, and lists for your fiction and nonfiction needs. Durham County Library cardholders can access NoveList from any computer. |
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Links to Previous Newsletters
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If you are having trouble unsubscribing to this newsletter, please contact the Durham County Library at
919-560-0100, 300 N. Roxboro Street, Durham, NC 27702
librarywebmaster@durhamcountync.gov
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