Book News: Quest For Justice

Book Showcases the Rise of American Attorney
Quest for Justice: Louis A. Bedford Jr. and the Struggle for Equal Rights in Texas by Darwin Payne, a communications professor at Southern Methodist University who has previously written biographies of writers Owen Wister and Frederick Lewis Allen and U.S. District Judge Sarah Hughes. In this book, he tells the story of Louis Bedford, a well-known African-American lawyer in Dallas who broke a racial barrier by becoming a municipal judge in 1966. Through the prism of Bedford’s experience, Payne offers a window into the experiences of African-Americans in North Texas in the mid-20th century.More

»»  read more

Book News: Before I Forget

Before I Forget
Leonard Pitts Jr.
In this masterful first novel, Leonard Pitts, Jr.—already long acclaimed for his Pulitzer Prize winning work as a columnist—steps forward as a major new voice in fiction.
Before I Forget is the story of these three generations of black men bound by blood, and by histories of mutual love, fear, and frustration—gives Pitts the opportunity to explore the painful truths of black men's lives, especially as they play out in the fraught relations of fathers and sons. As Mo tries to reach out to the increasingly tuned-out Trey (who himself has become an unwed teenaged father), he realizes that the burden of grief and anger he carries over his own father has everything to do with the struggles he encounters with his son.

Before I Forget is the work not only of a masterful new voice in American fiction, but of a man who knows inside and out the difficulties facing black men as they grapple with their roles as fathers—and more than anything, the crucial importance of fulfilling that role in all of their lives. This is one of the most important debut novels of 2009, by a writer certain to win a much acclaim for his fiction as for his highly regarded journalism. MORE

»»  read more

Book News: In The Black: Live Faithfully, Prosper Financially

'In The Black': A Financial How-to With African Americans in Mind

usatoday.com

To be able to fund your dreams is firmly within your control. That's the empowering message of AaronW. Smith, a financial planner and author of In The Black: Live Faithfully, Prosper Financially.
It's a matter of identifying your personal values, setting goals, discipline and ramping up your financial literacy. Add a spoonful of religious faith, too. Smith, a 15-year-plus veteran in the financial services field, has carefully assembled this straightforward financial-planning guide to lend a hand. The how-to advice shouts out to anyone who is trying to get traction in his or her financial world, regardless of income or debt level.
His core audience, however, is the African-American community. Smith is forthright about his modus operandi. He kicks off the book by stating, "This work was written to address African Americans in a Christian context, but one need not be of a particular religion or race to benefit from it."MORE

»»  read more

Book News: Vegan Soul Kitchen

Book Offers Soul Food Recipes Without Meat

indystar.com

No bacon or bacon grease. No butter or cheese. No ham, for heaven's sakes.
How was I going to cook up some down-home soul food without my favorite Southern seasonings?

When I told the family I was trying recipes from "Vegan Soul Kitchen" (Da Capo, $18.95), by West Coast eco-chef Bryant Terry, they were skeptical that I could come up with satisfying Southern dishes without using animal products.
Or, as my daughter put it, "without any of the stuff that tastes good."
But the recipes in Terry's new book, subtitled "Fresh, Healthy and Creative African-American Cuisine," did in fact sound good, and goodness knows we could all stand to cut down on fat and calories. MORE

»»  read more

Awards & Honors

Sketching Success

philly.com

As a boy in 1951, he worked part time in a newsstand outside Rowell's department store at Germantown and Chelten, where, from behind the counter, he'd sketch the displays in the shop window.
Now, that 12-year-old sketch artist is an internationally acclaimed illustrator with more than 100 children's books to his credit. You've likely seen his work on the cover of Nightjohn, by Gary Paulsen, or JD, by Mari Evans.
Jerry Pinkney, 70 and living in Westchester County, N.Y., will return to his roots to accept a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 25th annual Celebration of Black Writing Festival, which begins tomorrow evening. MORE

»»  read more

Books In The News

African-American Romance Writers Come Into Their Own

Another beach-read season is upon us, but this summer's book list reflects changes in the publishing industry. Over the past year, new efforts have been made to identify and promote the most popular - and steamiest - page-turners by African-American authors.
Until recently, mass-market books with romantic or sexual content by black writers have been lumped together under the label "African-American romance." A look at the titles under that heading on Amazon.com reveals everything from suspense to erotica to family drama.
But as works under the "black romance" umbrella gain popularity, the book world has become more interested in collecting accurate sales data by subgenre, and promoting the works and writers that can bring in the bucks.
For the most popular authors of traditional romance, such as Brenda Jackson and Rochelle Alers, this means lucrative new book deals. For others, such as Mary B. Morrison and Carl Weber, it's about taking their tales to Hollywood. More

»»  read more

Book News

Elsie B. Washington, a Novelist, Dies at 66

newyorktimes.com

Elsie B. Washington, whose 1980 book, “Entwined Destinies,” is widely considered the first black romance novel, died on May 5 in Manhattan. She was 66 and had lived in Yonkers in recent years.
The cause was multiple sclerosis and cancer, her brother, James E. Peterson, said.
The 575th title in Dell’s Candlelight Romance series, “Entwined Destinies” was published under the pen name Rosalind Welles. It tells the story of a beautiful young black woman, a magazine correspondent, who after many travails finds love with a tall, dashing black man, an oil company executive. MORE

»»  read more

Marvely Brown's The Naked Truth

The Naked Truth by Marvelyn Brown
Young Beautiful, and HIV Positive
harpercollins.com
The surprisingly hopeful story of how a straight, nonpromiscuous, everyday girl contracted HIV and how she manages to stay upbeat, inspired, and more positive about life than ever before
At nineteen years of age, Marvelyn Brown was lying in a stark white hospital bed at Tennessee Christian Medical Center, feeling hopeless. A former top track and basketball athlete, she was in the best shape of her life, but she was battling a sudden illness in the intensive care unit. Doctors had no idea what was going on. It never occurred to Brown that she might be HIV positive.
Having unprotected sex with her Prince Charming had set into swift motion a set of circumstances that not only landed her in the fight of her life, but also alienated her from her community. Rather than give up, however, Brown found a reason to fight and a reason to live. MORE

»»  read more

Our Book Bag Is Open

What's Inside Our Book Bag? It's The Kindle 2 Of Course!
Debra Jago Trice
It's Amazon.com's Electronic Book Reader, the Kindle 2 and it's perfect for Summer as it can hold up to 1500 books inside. If you want to know why we chose it as a must have for our Book Bag, then you'll need to read our indepth Review of the Kindle 2 coming later this week!
Our review will feature photos and an depth look at the Kindle2 that's taking the book world by storm.
We will answer the question that's on everyone's mind:
Why do I need a Kindle2?

»»  read more

Books In The News

Washington Finds Writer For Brothers

Matthew Sand to write Denzel film

Empireonline.com

Denzel Washington has lined up a writer for Brothers In Arms, his long in-development directorial project about the only African-American tank unit to fight in Europe during World War II. Matthew Sand will write a new version of the script on what sounds like a an interesting true story.
The 761st Tank Battalion overcame prejudice and became a key part of the post-D-Day offensive move east through Europe, spearheading the Battle of the Bulge and proving themselves to their comrades and a more racist era. Their story was captured in a non-fiction book by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar yes, the NBA star MORE

»»  read more

Poetic Moment

With White House Poetry Jam, a New Era Is Spoken For
washingtonpost.com
Perhaps for the first time ever, the White House jammed and slammed last night.
Poets and playwrights, actors and musicians packed the ornate East Room, delivering cool jazz and glorious spoken-word poetry, sprinkling a bit of hip-hop and a bit of the heroic couplet. And through it all, the president and the first lady watched -- and applauded.
"We're here to celebrate the power of words," President Obama said. Words "help us appreciate beauty and also understand pain. They inspire us to action." He introduced the first lady as his poet. MORE

»»  read more

Book News

Connie Briscoe Brings Back Her Trailblazing 'Sisters'
USATODAY.COM

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. — With a sea-green sleeveless shell showing off first-lady-worthy biceps, Connie Briscoe could be Michelle Obama's older sister-in-arms.The author of five best-selling novels about black women's lives and loves, Briscoe is a serene presence in the family room of her spacious home in semi-rural Howard County. Fifteen years ago, Briscoe struck publishing gold with her debut, Sisters & Lovers. Like Terry McMillan with her 1992 sensation Waiting to Exhale, Briscoe introduced America to an invisible woman — people like Briscoe. Instead of the abused, impoverished heroines of novels such as Alice Walker's The Color Purple, Briscoe's page-turner starred middle-class black overachievers who were hungry for love and the American dream. MORE

»»  read more