5 Books Published by Strategic Book Publishing on AALBC — Book Cover Collage

Three lifelong friends — Ben, Levi, and Tracy — take very different paths after high school, but all have brushes with danger and war. What happens in war? Only injury, if one is lucky.

This powerful novel tells of Levi’s war with family tragedy and alcoholism, of Ben’s war with rage, and Tracy and Levi’s Vietnam War experiences. Ben is called to treat the wounds of war, both with his friend Levi, and in his professional role as an organizational consultant.

This unusual combination of prequel/sequel to author Nick Mann’s 2013 debut novel, Forgetful, weaves compelling stories around the intersecting themes of urban renewal, the Vietnam War, addiction, and the professional and personal lives of contemporary black friendship networks. The gang from the Washington, D.C. neighborhood of Michigan Park returns in his second novel to face challenges of love for one another and struggling with the complexities of their own existence.

A persuasive dean from a historically black university in Washington, D.C. talks Dr. Benjamin Parks into leading a seminar on cross-cultural relationships. Bright students enroll and question whether bridges really can be built across racial, gender, attraction orientation, political, and religious divides. The universal dilemmas explored in the seminar are but one of the multilayered complexities that in some ways challenge and in other ways trap Ben Parks. His professional achievements can’t substitute for the loving, peaceful home life that stays just out of reach. Compounding the situation, Ben is afraid he is losing his memory and may be suffering from early dementia. He experiences embarrassing signs at unexpected times in both his professional life as an organizational consultant and part-time college professor, and in his hot and cold relationship with his wife Addie. Ben is blessed with a career hob-knobbing with corporate and government movers and shakers as they wrestle with complex strategic leadership questions. But as multiple family members around him are succumbing to Alzheimer’s, Ben wonders if he’s next in line.

"A highly recommended book to anyone who enjoys learning about how different people of all walks of life become rich and successful, and what it takes to get to the top"—Readers Favorite Book (Starred Review), USA.

"A compelling book about a unique personality in Africa"—Goodreads, USA.

"Flawlessly written, Dangote stands out as a hallmark of excellent artisanship and knowledgeable chronicling"— Bookplex Review of Books, Mumbai, India.

"Nigerian Aliko Dangote, the richest black person in the world, is a witness to the fact that success as a passionate entrepreneur is not limited by race, ethnicity or national origin"—Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.-(D - IL), 2nd Congressional District, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC, USA.

In a land lacking a culture of independent biography, this is a starting point, and Dangote is a promising introduction to the fascinating and still largely unmapped universe of one of the world’s richest men."—The Huffington Post,, USA.

"Dangote has trumped long held assumptions, cultural archetypes and stereotypes, to become known as a respected business man, power broker and philanthropist"—Hon Gloria Hyatt, Member of the British Empire (MBE), motivational speaker, education, coach and managing director, Teach Consultancy Limited, UK.

"This is a timely book on Aliko Dangote and the positive changes that are taking place in Africa,"—Prof. Vijay Mahajan, The John Harbin Centennial Chair of Business, McCombs School of Business, University of Texas, Austin USA.

Although this story is fiction it is based on fact. The names and locations are changed. It details how one child survived abuse and neglect, how it was manifested in her behaviour and how she learned that it’s never too late to heal and to grow personally. In the author’s words…"if but one child is saved and put on the road to healing and recovery, then my life will not have been in vain. What happened to Suzy does not have to happen to you!" This is a must-read book, a moving and heartbreaking example of what some children experience in their young lives.