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Hello, Ayebia Clarke Publishing, specialist in African and Caribbean literature, has two new books coming out late this month. I would be pleased if you would consider one or both titles for review. All the Good Things Around Us Edited by Ivor Agyeman-Duah ISBN: 9780992843663 Pub date: September 30, 2016 This collection is an important and timely publication that brings together bright voices comprising budding and accomplished African writers under one roof. The collection is dynamic and engaging in covering different experiences within Africa and its Diaspora. There are stories of harrowing experiences that document human interaction that are emotionally charged and full of pain and sadness. However, there are also several life-affirming narratives throughout the collection that give hope to the possibilities of human bonding, and bear testimony to the ultimate power of human goodness. The writers are skilled artisans who display their dexterity in the way that they deploy language and images to engage their readers’ attention and imagination. May Their Shadows Never Shrink Edited by Ivor Agyeman-Duah and Lucy Newlyn ISBN: Pub date: September 30, 2016 This important book documents stimulating and engaging reflections and thoughts from international writers and commentators who collectively validate and establish Soyinka as more than deserving of the honor of the Oxford Professorship of Poetry. The coeditors Ivor Agyeman-Duah and Lucy Newlyn campaigned for the election of Soyinka and provide insightful analyses of the campaign while arguing for electoral reform. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of world literature and inclusiveness. Thank you so much for considering these books for review. Best Wishes, Carlie Casemate IPM North American distributor for Ayebia Clarke Publishing

Justice is not a "given" in this world. and is not always a paragon of virtue because it can incite revenge when those who have been the victims of injustice seek to destroy their victimizers. Injustice walks hand and hand with power because power corrupts. In addition to the tangible, justice also involves the randomness of luck and the energy of hope and the force of Karma.

The arc of justice is indeed long, but whether it bends toward justice depends on your perspective. For example, I doubt any of the indigenous people, the few left, of North America, South America, or Tanzania would agree. It has been centuries since Europeans began pillaging Africa; how many more centuries must pass until that arc bends toward justice for those people? I'm also not confident change (positive or otherwise) somes from below. Generally, change is initiated by those with, or supported by those, with the biggest club. I'm happy to consider any contradictory examples.

@Pioneer1 Again you are putting words in my mouth in an attempt to substantiate your belief which you label as logical, but don't back up with actual facts. I never said what you italicized and put in quotes, to wit: ..."that inner city Blacks are inherently violent and only White people in power can solve the violence problem" Also, what I cited in regard to what organizations are doing to combat the problem were not "after the fact" programs, but ones that run parallel with the ongoing violence, - alternatives made available to black youth who are looking for a different path. I did acknowledge that there was probably some validity to your contentions about lead poisoning, and it behooves you to acknowledge that other factors beside lead poisoning can contribute to the behavior of certain black males. Once you become fixated on lead poisoning being the reason for black crime, then it can become a catch-all scapegoat, just as racism has now become an excuse for every black shortcoming. Doing this is ineffective because it does not empower, all it does is place blame.

REAL change and justice always comes from the people at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder.....the poor and working class. Funny thing is although it's often INITIATED by the intellectuals and educated (lawyers, professors, ect..) who are smart enough to know that something is wrong but as you suggest are too tied up in the system to confront it, the change itself comes from the poor and people on the street who have less to lose and never really believed in the system to begin with. I believe in a type of universal law that doesn't have a real name in the English language but would probably be best described as "Karmic Credit and Karmic Debt". I also believe that not only do individuals carry this but organized groups such as corporations and nations also carry this Karmic Credit/Debt and it helps to influence their future. If we as a people want a better future for ourselves as well as the land we live in, I think it would be better for us to focus more on developing a better more just system rather than work on patching up the holes in an unjust and collapsing one.