4 Books Published by Books & Books on AALBC — Book Cover Collage

Click for more detail about Seven Sisters And A Brother (paperback): Friendship, Resistance, and Untold Truths Behind Black Student Activism in the 1960s by Marilyn Allman Maye, Harold S. Buchanan, Jannette O. Domingo, Joyce Frisby Baynes, Marilyn Holifield, Myra E. Rose, Bridget Van Gronigen Warren, and Aundrea White Kelley Seven Sisters And A Brother (paperback): Friendship, Resistance, and Untold Truths Behind Black Student Activism in the 1960s

by Marilyn Allman Maye, Harold S. Buchanan, Jannette O. Domingo, Joyce Frisby Baynes, Marilyn Holifield, Myra E. Rose, Bridget Van Gronigen Warren, and Aundrea White Kelley
Books & Books (Dec 02, 2021)
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The Story Behind an Unsung Event in the Civil Rights Movement

“Over eight days, eight students sparked change that defined their lives, changed an institution, and fueled a movement that continues today.” ─Alberto Ibarg en, President and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and former publisher of The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald

#1 New Release in 1960s History of the U.S. and 2020 Finalist Sarton Women’s Literary Award for Nonfiction with Special Recognition

Fighting injustice and racism. This narrative tells the story of seven women and one man at the heart of a black power sit-in protesting decreased enrollment and hiring of African Americans at Swarthmore College, and demanding an African American Studies curriculum. The book, written by the former students themselves, includes autobiographical chapters providing a view into the lives of young people during the Civil Rights era.

Correcting media representation. For years the media and some in the school community portrayed the peaceful protest in a negative light―this collective narrative provides a very necessary and overdue retelling of the revolution that took place at Swarthmore College in 1969. The group of eight student protestors only recently have begun to receive credit for the school’s greater inclusiveness, as well as the influence their actions had on universities around the country.

The incredible true civil rights movement story in Seven Sisters and a Brother teaches us key lessons:

  • Old established institutions can change and will continue to change
  • The struggle to give Black history, Black experiences, and Black lives a well earned place in our culture is winnable
  • Truth can prevail when we unite with others and refuse to accept surrender

If you’ve read Warriors Don’t Cry, Between the World and Me, Pulse of Perseverance, Barack Obama’s A Promised Land, or Cicely Tyson’s Just as I Am; then you’ll love Seven Sisters and a Brother.

Book Review

Click for more detail about Beginnings, Endings, and Salt: Essays by Edwidge Danticat Beginnings, Endings, and Salt: Essays

by Edwidge Danticat
Books & Books (Jun 15, 2021)
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Edwidge Danticat’s Writing Journey

Today, Edwidge Danticat is an award-winning writer. But how did she get here? Follow her literary journey from her childhood in Haiti to her relationships—both on the page and in the flesh—with other writing greats in Beginnings, Endings, and Salt.

Dive into this prolific fiction writer’s stories of her childhood in Haiti without her parents, who had to work an ocean away to make a better life for their family, and explore some of her lyrical creations, such as "Un/titled" and "Legend." Edwidge Danticat’s essays are a must-read. As you learn about the bestselling author of Breath, Eyes, Memory, Krik? Krak!, and many more incredible titles, you will find that there is no one-size-fits-all path to authorship.

Delve into the mentorship relationships Danticat had with some other incredible authors. Danticat’s love of creative works began with, among others, greats like Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin, and Gabriel Garc�a M�rquez. Then, never imagining she would meet them in person, Danticat grew to love Toni Morrison and Paule Marshall through their writing. It was not until years later that she was mentored by these two women, and in a joint eulogy shows just how much they meant to her. Reacting to a potential mass shooting, Danticat also ponders what it means to live with the fear of death and how to continue to create, while "trying not to die."

Discover how Edwidge Danticat became the award-winning author she is today. In Beginnings, Endings, and Salt, explore:

  • The catalyst that set Danticat off into a creative life and career
  • The love and encouragement of those who have helped her along the way
  • Reflections that will help you on your own literary journey

Readers of literary essays, author memoirs, and creative writing books like On Writing, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, or Letter to My Daughter will love Edwidge Danticat’s Beginnings, Endings, and Salt.


Click for more detail about Happy, Okay?: Poems about Anxiety, Depression, Hope, and Survival by M.J. Fievre Happy, Okay?: Poems about Anxiety, Depression, Hope, and Survival

by M.J. Fievre
Books & Books (Dec 03, 2019)
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Poetry to Confront Depression, Anxiety, Grief, and Loss

Are the usual anxiety books helping you find a path to healing? No? Try this collection of poetry specially crafted for those dealing with mental health and the people closest to them.

Poetry meets mental health. Paloma is faking it. On the outside, she’s A-Okay. She’s electrified at work, there is a cadence in her step as she walks her dog, she posts memes on Facebook, and she keeps up with most relationships. Looks can be deceiving, however. Inside, Paloma is just going through the motions, and she feels like things are spiraling out of control. But when things are at their darkest, dawn arrives with clarity and focus, and with it, healing. Paloma learns to value small glimmering moments of joy rather than searching for constant happiness, thus building hope for her future.

A manifesto for life. An electric roadmap to healing and a manifesto for wholeness, Happy, Okay?: Poems about Anxiety, Depression, Hope, and Survival, is written in a contemporary style reminiscent of Rupi Kaur and Pierre Alex Jeanty. But this poetry book is not simply a narrative spun in verse. It is an invitation to readers to shake off the stigma and silence of mental health and find strength in the only voice that matters: your own. Whether exploring self-care, social anxiety, or anxiety in relationship, in this inspiring and heartwarming book, you will:

  • Understand how to make happiness a decision, even when you don’t feel it in your bones
  • Find out how to exercise patience and self-acceptance
  • Attract hope and purpose back into your life

If you enjoy poem books or books like Her, Black Girl Magic, Pillow Thoughts, Milk and Honey, or The Sun and Her Flowers, then you will love Happy, Okay? by M.J. Fievre.


Click for more detail about Seven Sisters And A Brother: Friendship, Resistance, and Untold Truths Behind Black Student Activism in the 1960s by Marilyn Allman Maye, Harold S. Buchanan, Jannette O. Domingo, Joyce Frisby Baynes, Marilyn Holifield, Myra E. Rose, Bridget Van Gronigen Warren, and Aundrea White Kelley Seven Sisters And A Brother: Friendship, Resistance, and Untold Truths Behind Black Student Activism in the 1960s

by Marilyn Allman Maye, Harold S. Buchanan, Jannette O. Domingo, Joyce Frisby Baynes, Marilyn Holifield, Myra E. Rose, Bridget Van Gronigen Warren, and Aundrea White Kelley
Books & Books (Dec 03, 2019)
Read Detailed Book Description

The Story Behind an Unsung Event in the Civil Rights Movement

“Over eight days, eight students sparked change that defined their lives, changed an institution, and fueled a movement that continues today.” ─Alberto Ibarg en, President and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and former publisher of The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald

#1 New Release in 1960s History of the U.S. and 2020 Finalist Sarton Women’s Literary Award for Nonfiction with Special Recognition

Fighting injustice and racism. This narrative tells the story of seven women and one man at the heart of a black power sit-in protesting decreased enrollment and hiring of African Americans at Swarthmore College, and demanding an African American Studies curriculum. The book, written by the former students themselves, includes autobiographical chapters providing a view into the lives of young people during the Civil Rights era.

Correcting media representation. For years the media and some in the school community portrayed the peaceful protest in a negative light―this collective narrative provides a very necessary and overdue retelling of the revolution that took place at Swarthmore College in 1969. The group of eight student protestors only recently have begun to receive credit for the school’s greater inclusiveness, as well as the influence their actions had on universities around the country.

The incredible true civil rights movement story in Seven Sisters and a Brother teaches us key lessons:

  • Old established institutions can change and will continue to change
  • The struggle to give Black history, Black experiences, and Black lives a well earned place in our culture is winnable
  • Truth can prevail when we unite with others and refuse to accept surrender

If you’ve read Warriors Don’t Cry, Between the World and Me, Pulse of Perseverance, Barack Obama’s A Promised Land, or Cicely Tyson’s Just as I Am; then you’ll love Seven Sisters and a Brother.