Troy

Available together for the first time in one specially designed boxed set, and spanning more than 35 years of work, the first comprehensive collection of essays, criticism, and articles by the legendary author of the Harlem Renaissance, Zora Neale Hurston, showcases the evolution of her distinctive style as an archivist and author — edited by Henry Louis Gates and Genevieve West. Buy Now ▶ New Books Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler by Ibi Zoboi From the New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist, Ibi Zoboi, comes a biography in verse and prose of science fiction visionary Octavia Butler. Acclaimed novelist Ibi Zoboi illuminates the young life of the visionary storyteller Octavia E. Butler in poems and prose. Born into the Space Race, the Red Scare, and the dawning Civil Rights Movement, Butler experienced an American childhood that shaped her into the groundbreaking science-fiction storyteller whose novels continue to challenge and delight readers fifteen years after her death. More ▶ Goliath by Tochi Onyebuchi In his adult novel debut, Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and NAACP Image Award finalist and Alex and New England Book Award winner Tochi Onyebuchi brings us a sweeping sci-fi epic in the vein of Samuel R. Delany and Station Eleven A David and Jonathan story that throws readers into the history and sins of the Connecticut metropolis, this ambitious, sprawling novel weaves together disparate narratives—a space-dweller looking at New Haven as a chance to reconnect with his spiraling lover; a group of civil servants attempting to renew the promises of Earth’s crumbling cities; a journalist attempting to capture the violence of the streets—into a richly urgent mosaic about race, class, gentrification, and who is allowed to be the hero of any history. More ▶ Manifesto: On Never Giving Up by Bernardine Evaristo From the bestselling and Booker Prize-winning author of Girl, Woman, Other, Bernardine Evaristo’s memoir of her own life and writing, and her manifesto on unstoppability, creativity, and activism Bernardine Evaristo’s 2019 Booker Prize win was a historic and revolutionary occasion, with Evaristo being the first Black woman and first Black British person ever to win the prize in its fifty-year history. Girl, Woman, Other was named a favorite book of the year by President Obama and Roxane Gay, was translated into thirty-five languages, and has now reached more than a million readers. More ▶ The Witch’s Apprentice: Dragons in a Bag #3 by Zetta Elliott Zetta Elliott wants Black children today to see themselves in stories. Stories of all types and especially ones that she never saw herself in while growing up. In her urban fantasy series Dragons in a Bag, Elliott has crafted a young, middle grade fantasy series that opens a new genre for children of color to see themselves in and enjoy. With the publication of The Witch’s Apprentice, the third installment in the acclaimed series, readers will now be able to binge read all three books at once, or savor their reading experience by exploring each book individually. Join Jaxon and his friends through a reimagined New York City and Chicago as they embark on their latest adventure to unlock the mystery behind a strange sleep sickness engulfing the city. More ▶ Addicted to Crack, Basketball Great Chris Washburn Tells His Story Chris Washburn, a former high school basketball phenom, tells his emotional story about losing millions of dollars and his NBA career due to his 14-year addiction to crack. Chris’ story is ultimately redemptive as he beat the odds by surviving to tell his story. He is fueled by helping others avoid making the same mistakes he made. Washburn’s upcoming memoir, written with G.L. Henderson, goes into the details of being shot, held hostage over $35 owed to a crack dealer, going to jail, eating out of the trash, and more harrowing experiences. This video was recorded during the 2022 F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival. Watch the Video ▶ The 16th National Black Writers Conference: Save the Date The 16th National Black Writers Conference will be guided by this year’s theme: “The Beautiful Struggle: Black Writers Lighting the Way.” Events will be held live and virtually on Wednesday, March 30 – Saturday, April 2, 2022. Learn More ▶ Dear Reader, Members of the Black Book Ecosystem have committed to help gather 100,000 signatures to request an official response from the White House and President Biden for a posthumous exoneration of the Rt. Honorable Marcus Garvey for his unjust persecution and imprisonment by the U.S. government in 1923. We will be hosting a video conference with Garvey’s son, Dr. Julius W. Garvey. More information will be provided soon. Always remember, you are why we’ve been able to make AALBC the premier online platform for books by, or about, people of African descent. Your paid subscriptions, book purchases, suggestions, engagement on the site, commenting, social sharing, and advertisements help support AALBC’s mission. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com This message is sponsored by sponsored by Amistad Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated email. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – January 25, 2022 - Issue #347

I’m “pro Black,” but this is in direct reaction to the country we live in, so is being racist. I believe the science and reject the notion of multiple human races. That idea was created by so-called White people who began using race to practice racism. Black people can be racist as well. I actually have to work hard at not being racist. If a kid of mine married someone white I’d have no choice but to support my child and embrace their decision. i consider it a good thing that my kids are not as racist as i am or was. They never had to be...

ProfD I’m afraid if we owned all the means of production and distribution of our entertainment, we would succumb to the same market forced White folks do and produce simulator or even worse material. “blackploitationfilms, 1970s sitcoms, gangster rap, black reality shows,…” are all are easy to create and make money. people who produce culturally important entertainment usually struggle. Are there any recent counter examples?

you know after reading this i was thinking about excerpting the exchange between Mzuri and Cynique and sharing it in a newsletter. It may not get more to post but it will definitely get people to read, which is useful to. while they definitely disagree they, i think they enjoyed the exchange themselves. They traded really good barbs the one below was a goodie Of course when Cynique is on a roll she has few peers. like a good fight the attendees witness a exchange of ideas get some entertainment. And the combatants get to hone their skills and and live to fight another day

@nels Given the lack of moderation on the comments, it seems like the article was written purely for the sake a giving racist trolls something to to use to advance the notion of "racial" inferiority. I wish they would simply take sports out of schools, it is way out of control today. The athletes should be paid and the pretense of attending school should just be dispensed with.

@Dr Francis Welsin, please define: RWS I've always been a proponent of Garvey's ideas. If fact I pay homage to him on this site, as you'll find Black Stars scattered about the site. Anytime the power that be murder, or otherwise eliminate a Black person, you know that person was doing something to substantively empower Black people. This is why I new Obama had zero reason to fear being assassinated... @ProfD, I hear you, but the only thing is that whenever Black people do for self, white folks see fit to destroy it. As an aside: I'm involved in an effort to collect 100,000 signatures, during the month of February, to get Biden to exonerate Marcus Garvey. Garvey's son, Dr. Julius Garvey is leading the effort. Stay tuned...

“So if I played four hundred rounds of Monopoly with you and I had to play and give you every dime that I made, and then for fifty years, every time that I played, if you didn't like what I did, you got to burn it like they did in Tulsa and like they did in Rosewood, how can you win? How can you win?” Bestselling author and political activist Kimberly Jones declared these words amid the protests spurred by the murder of George Floyd in the Summer of 2020. She gave a history lesson that in just over six minutes captured the economic struggles of Black people in America and within days, the video had been viewed by millions. In How We Can Win, Jones delves into the impacts of systemic racism and reveals how her formative years in Chicago gave birth to a lifelong devotion to justice. She calls for Reconstruction 2.0, a multilayered plan to reclaim economic and social restitutions—those restitutions promised with emancipation but blocked, again and again, for more than 150 years. How We Can Win delivers strategies for how we can effect change as citizens and allies while nurturing ourselves—the most valuable asset we have—in the fight against a system that is still rigged. Buy Now (and Save $5.00!) Praise for How We Can Win: ★ “No punches pulled, no opportunities for change missed and no lies told. I am so grateful this generation has a voice like hers to guide us.” —Jameela Jamil, actor, advocate and writer ★ “Clear, unflinching and hopeful…A must-read for everyone ready to fight for true equity.” —Layla F. Saad, bestselling author of Me and White Supremacy ★ “There is a way forward in this rigged system, but it will take us knowing how we got here and working as a community to get out…This book is a liberatory map I desperately pray we all follow.”—Sonya Renee Taylor, bestselling author of The Body is Not An Apology ★ “Brilliant, authentic and just what I needed. It made me feel seen… We need this book in every school, prison and church.” —Leslie E. Redmond, Esq., founder of Don’t Complain, Activate and former president of the Minneapolis NAACP ★ “An impassioned and actionable call for leveling the playing field in America.” —Publisher's Weekly ★ “[Jones] made what I think is the most coherent, clear, current case for younger people to understand reparations.” —Joy Reid on MSNBC Kimberly Jones is an activist, former bookseller and current host of the Well-Read Black Girl book club’s Atlanta chapter. She has directed feature films and cutting-edge diverse web series and has an overall deal with Warner Bros. Pictures. Jones is also co-author of the bestselling YA novels I’m Not Dying with You Tonight and Why We Fly. This email is sponsored by Henry Holt & Company, an Imprint of Macmillan Publishers. Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated email.

For Immediate Release For more information, contact: Christi Cassidy, +1-917-217-4269 Publishers Weekly Begins Yearlong Anniversary Celebration - “The Bible of Book Publishing” Serves Up 150 Years of Book Publishing News and Reviews - NEW YORK—January 18, 2022—Publishers Weekly kicks off a yearlong celebration today to mark the magazine’s 150th anniversary. Several special events and promotions will roll out over the course of the year. Among the highlights are a commemorative issue of the magazine to be released on April 19, 2022, guest-edited by former co-editorial director Michael Coffey, and the rejuvenation of the Carey-Thomas Awards for distinguished publishing, details of which will be officially presented at the U.S. Book Show in May. To top it off, the Publishers Weekly Hall of Fame is in the planning stages and will be announced later in the year. In addition, anniversary-themed features “From the Archive” will run every week in the magazine—in print and online. Conceived and edited by Jim Milliot, Publishers Weekly’s editorial director, the column will look back through the vast history of the magazine, beginning with the reprint of a page from Volume 1, Issue 1, dated January 18, 1872. Special editorial covers for all issues will feature contemporary authors with new books out. Jennifer Egan is the first such cover author. “The history of book publishing in America is chronicled through the pages and volumes of Publishers Weekly,” said George Slowik, Jr., chairman and owner of PWxyz LLC, the parent company of Publishers Weekly. “To witness the 150th anniversary is an honor. The importance of this record cannot be underestimated as we champion freedom to publish and keeping diverse books on our library shelves and in schools.” In anticipation of the 150th anniversary, Slowik, who with his partner, Patrick Turner, purchased Publishers Weekly in 2010, initiated the gargantuan task of digitizing the entire Publishers Weekly archive, the bound volumes of which line the walls of Publishers Weekly’s office located in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. The five-year effort culminated in the Publishers Weekly Digital Archive of more than 7,700 issues and nearly 675,000 pages, which is now managed and sold to libraries by archive specialists East View Information Services in Minneapolis. The Publishers Weekly Book Publishing Almanac 2022 heralds the anniversary. The new reference work was a year in the making and offers a sweeping view of book publishing today, opening with an historical view of the industry from the perspective of Publishers Weekly’s own story. Drawing on Publishers Weekly’s extensive archive and subtitled “A Master Class in the Art of Bringing Books to Readers,” the reference, at 768 pages, covers adult trade and children’s book publishing. A Brief History of Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly was born in 1872 as The Weekly Trade Circular and in 1873 renamed The Publishers’ Weekly (the article and the apostrophe were later dropped), a collective catalog where publishers pooled their resources to create one common presentation of new books, issued each week. The aim was to keep booksellers and librarians informed of forthcoming titles, and an array of features and articles were added as years went by. The original creator of the magazine, and its first editor, was the German-born Frederick Leypoldt, a passionate bibliographer—so passionate and hardworking that he died prematurely, at the age of 49, in 1884. An early colleague in the enterprise was Richard Rogers Bowker, a literary journalist and also a keen bibliographer, who went on to create the R. R. Bowker Company. Bowker ultimately became the owner of Publishers Weekly, and later began to publish the massive annual Books in Print volumes and assign the International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs) given to every published book. Another key player in Publishers Weekly’s history, who joined the magazine in 1918 and was active with it for over 40 years, was Frederic G. Melcher, a polymath who served as secretary of the American Booksellers Association, helped create the National Association of Publishers and launched such notable book awards as the Newbery Medal and Caldecott Medal for children’s books and the Carey-Thomas Awards for distinguished publishing. He also created Children’s Book Week and was responsible for the early extensive coverage of children’s books that has remained a Publishers Weekly tradition. Owned for much of the 20th century by R. R. Bowker (which in turn was collectively owned by its staff since 1933), Publishers Weekly, as part of Bowker, was included in the sale to the Xerox Corporation at the end of 1967, and for the next 43 years Publishers Weekly was in corporate hands. Xerox sold the magazine (and its sister publications, Library Journal and School Library Journal) to Britain’s Reed International in 1985, as part of its Cahners trade magazine division in the United States. Reed later combined with the Dutch giant Elsevier and in 2002 rebranded Cahners as Reed Business Information. In 2008, Reed put its division of U.S. trade magazines up for sale and eventually began selling off individual magazines once it became clear that a deal for the entire portfolio could not be struck. In April 2010, Publishers Weekly was bought by Slowik, a magazine and web entrepreneur who had been Publishers Weekly’s publisher from 1990 to 1993. Publishers Weekly Today Publishers Weekly has grown to become the international news platform it is today, with full horizontal coverage of book publishing beginning with the author-as-creator to publisher, printer and distributor to the end consumer. Its varied products are targeted at publishers, booksellers, librarians, literary agents, authors, book lovers and the media. The magazine currently boasts 1.23 million social media followers; publishes 10 e-newsletters, BookLife (a website and monthly supplement), Publishers Weekly en Español (in partnership with Lantia), an Arabic edition, two blogs, podcasts, a mobile edition, digital editions and apps; and features a thriving website that reaches 14 million unique visitors annually. In the last 10 years, Publishers Weekly has launched several events for the international publishing community, most notably the U.S. Book Show, which debuted in May 2021. The next show will be held virtually from May 24 – 26, 2022. Other events include PubTechConnect, a series of high-level conversations about the convergence of technology and publishing, cosponsored by NYU School of Professional Studies Center for Publishing; Library Lounge LIVE, a regular panel discussion on library topics; and PW Star Watch, an annual event to promote budding talent in the publishing industry and which celebrated its seventh year with a virtual event in September 2021. High-resolution artwork and PW’s 150th anniversary logo are available here. For more information, contact Christi Cassidy, +1-917-217-4269, ccassidy@publishersweekly.com. ###

Oh that is easy. People get their kicks out of being trolls. I be seen people participate here for weeks then turn into a straight up troll out of nowhere. i had one presumably wire guy troll me here and all over the Internet. He was with clever and created some memes of me i even found funny. I kept a few but lost then over time, the way we all tend to lose digital assets over time….

On Passive income: “If it were easy everyone would be doing it.” On Active Income: ”Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Clichés yes, but I believe then to be true.

Mzuri, I've previously shared information to support the safety of the vaccines. You can easily visit the Centers for Disease Control's web site and learn all you need to know. But if you are convinced the information provided by the VAST majority of scientists, there really is nothing I can show you that will convince you to the contrary. Remember when I explained the likelihood of you dying from a blood clot after being vaccinated is far lower than you dying from Covid unvaccinated, describing it as simple math? You replied that you don't care about math. Again, for whatever reason you and too many other people do not trust the vaccine, people far smarter than my can't figure out this is the case. I spoke to some Trump supporting anti-vaxxers (the two characteristics are highly correlated, and are clearly related) last week. The both contracted Covid and suffered miserably. Fortunately they did not die. They are no longer antivaxxers. I guess the only way some people can learn is the hard way.... I skimmed the article but failed to see how it supports your position on the safety of the vaccine. Would you be willing to copy and paste the salient points?

@Cynique, you are an elder and as such I will always care about what you have to say. Anytime we are in disagreement I have to examine my view point. Of course I will always appreciate your candor. @Mzuri, Cynique does not have the power to delete posts. Besides if she did, I'm sure she would not. For the record, I never delete posts either. The only exception is spam and X- rated photos. Me too Always!

@Dr Francis Welsin I can assure you that will never happen to you here.

The whole world seems to transform during the summer of 1965 in When Winter Robson Came. Eden’s cousin from Mississippi comes to visit her in L.A. just as the Watts Riots erupt in this stirring new novel by Coretta Scott King Honor winner Brenda Woods. Buy Now ▶ AALBC Book Reviews Vice President Kamala Harris: Her Path to the White House by Malaika Adero America has a love-hate relationship with pioneers, the people who break impossible barriers to forge a successful life. Kamala Devi Harris, who was sworn in as 49th Vice President of the U.S. on January 20, 2021, is a member of this remarkable club. Editor-writer Malaika Adero, a legend in the publishing industry for more than 30 years with stints at Simon & Schuster and Amistad Press, puts together a stylish collection of text and image to pay tribute to this politician, who is the first woman to serve in the second-in-command, the first Black and South Asian – Caribbean American Female to occupy that office. The coffee-table book of this high achiever, Vice President Kamala Harris: Her Path To The White House, is more than the usual scrapbook of her triumphs. More ▶ The Best New Books Yonder by Jabari Asim The Water Dancer meets The Prophets in this spare, gripping, and beautifully rendered novel exploring love and friendship among a group of enslaved Black strivers in the mid-19th century. They call themselves the Stolen. Their owners call them captives. They are taught their captors’ tongues and their beliefs but they have a language and rituals all their own. In a world that would be allegorical if it weren’t saturated in harsh truths, Cato and William meet at Placid Hall, a plantation in an unspecified part of the American South. Subject to the whims of their tyrannical and eccentric captor, Cannonball Greene, they never know what harm may befall them: inhumane physical toil in the plantation’s quarry by day, a beating by night, or the sale of a loved one at any moment. It’s that cruel practice—the wanton destruction of love, the belief that Black people aren’t even capable of loving—that hurts the most. More ▶ Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth by Alice Faye Duncan, Illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo The true story of Black activist Opal Lee and her vision of Juneteenth as a holiday for everyone celebrates Black joy and inspires children to see their dreams blossom. Growing up in Texas, Opal knew the history of Juneteenth, but she soon discovered that many Americans had never heard of the holiday that represents the nation’s creed of freedom for all. More ▶ Friday Foster: The Sunday Strips by Jim Lawrence The Friday Foster comic strip is the story of a former nightclub “camera bunny” turned photographer’s assistant turned fashion model. With an innate inclination to help others and a natural beauty that makes her a magnet for men, Friday often finds herself in some very sticky situations and world class adventures. For the first time ever, the classic Friday Foster newspaper color comic strip created by James D. “Jim” Lawrence (of Buck Rogers and James Bond fame) and illustrated by Jorge “Jordi” Longar n then later Gray Morrow is collected. The strip ran from 1974-1970 and inspired the 1975 movie of the same name starring Pam Grier. The strip is the first mainstream comic strip starring an African-American character in the title role. More ▶ All of AALBC’s eNewsletters are Available on the Web All 346 Newsletters, going back 20 years, are available on our website. These archived newsletters can still provide you with valuable information about books you can still enjoy. The older newsletters are also time capsules, providing a historical snapshot of Black books. AALBC’s Newsletters, emailed June 2019 to the present may be found here. Newsletters sent from May of 2019 to February of 2001 may be found here. Our newsletters are free by default, but if you find our newsletters valuable, please consider a paying a voluntary minimum annual subscription of $17.99. Your financial support helps fund our mission to help you discover the Black books you are most likely to enjoy. Subscribe Today ▶ Dear Troy, Always remember Troy, you are why we’ve been able to make AALBC the premier online platform for books by, or about, people of African descent. In this eNewsletter, I’ve highlighted the importance Your paid subscriptions to our newsletter. In a country where so much of our information and entertainment is controlled by a small number of purely profit driven entities, we are not being provided with the information that best serve our needs. In the Black book world this means we are simply not going to be informed about all of the great books that are available. Independent platforms like AALBC can help us retain some control over how our story is told and to deem which books are important. Your financial support make this possible. A world in which Amazon is working hard to be the only place one can buy a book readers — especially readers of Black books — will be increasingly underserved. The only way to prevent this is to support independent booksellers including AALBC. Your book purchases, suggestions, engagement on the site, commenting, social sharing, and advertisements will do the trick. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com This message is sponsored by sponsored by Nancy Paulsen Books Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated email. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – January 13, 2022 - Issue #346

Often. If someone meets the qualifications to become s permanent citizen, why shouldn’t they be allowed to vote? They pay taxes; they should have a say in how their tax dollars are spent.

Well @ProfD, At least the athletes in pro sports are paid. imagine when the NFL was segregated and rather than integrating the NFL with individual athletes we integrated it with teams! We tend to integrate as individuals, proud to be the first at this or that for some white company. Let’s do more integration with ownership. In order to integrate with ownership we HAVE to support own businesses, not the businesses of our oppressors. college football will continue to exploit our young men as long as we continue to support college football, it really is as simple as that.

I listened to Boyce's video and agree with his assessment of how Black athletes are exploited. At the same time, I can not understand how he reconciles his continued financial support of the very system he complains about. If he feels so strongly about how badly college football treats Black men, why does he continue support the system? I left a comment on the YouTube video asking this very question. It will be interesting to see how (or even if) he responds.

I believe you to be correct ... unfortunately.

For the majority of folks this will not likely ever happen. I too find little pleasure in Tyler Perry films. They are formulaic, low brow, and designed to appeal to the masses. Sometimes people will tell me that I think too much or that I need to turn my brain off to enjoy his work. The reality is that Perry brings entertainment to a lot of people. They can escape for a couple of hours. Is that a bad thing? I don't think so. What is bad however is that the folks in power, who focus solely on profit will never produce regularly scheduled intelligent programing -- all of their resources will go to the Tyler Perry form of entertainment which generate more profit. I'm old enough to remember programs by folks like Gil Noble, Tony Brown, and others. This was smart TV you can catch videos on YouTube of this programming. While folks will never produce programming like this, and it not because they are evil and want to keep Black people down -- that is incidental. There is simply is not enough money to be made doing it. The digital age promised to remedy this, but has only made the situation worse. Our system is simply not built to create the incentives for people to produce the programing that will nourish Black minds. The people who do this work, even people like me, are not driven by money, we want to inform our people. There would be no sites like AALBC if money were the sole motivator to create and run them. Indeed, a direct consequence of our system is that there are fewer book sites today than there were 15 years ago. It is a struggle to make money doing what I do. In the system in which I operate there are many others ways I could make more money.

Welcome to the forum Francis, I just approved you account and look forward to reading more of you. By the way what prompted to to sign up? After I created this post in 2017 someone who identified themselves as "Condi" say that Lipstick Alley was indeed Black-owned. They are currently #12 on my top Black-owned sites, thought that may change after I update the ranking in a few minutes. I'll research ownership again. What would it take to get these discussion forums poppin' they way LSA was b in its Black-owned prime, or is that impossible in the age of social media?

AALBC’s 95 Bestselling Books for 2021 Our bestsellers list has been published continuously since 1998 and is the most visible list focused on Black Books in existence. You will learn about books selling well, in the Black community, that may never show up on lists published by larger corporate entities. Spread the word about our list, don’t let others determine which books are important. Fiction: Voices of the Harlem Renaissance: Originally Published as The New Negro an Interpretation edited by Alain Locke and featuring a new introduction by AALBC’s Troy Johnson was the #1 fiction book for 2021. Voices, which was originally published almost 100 years ago, benefited from strong sales because it is an excellent treatment of The New Negro an Interpretation and we have focused on providing sales and distribution through independent channels. Nonfiction: Sales of So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo surged immediately after the cruel murder of George Floyd. Readers, of all backgrounds, were anxious to understand the nature of racism how they could do something about it. More importantly, readers wanted to buy So You Want to Talk About Race, and similar title’s, from independent Black-owned booksellers. Sales have remained strong for these books more than a year later. Children’s Books: Children’s books has been the top-selling category of books the past two years, which is really remarkable given the strength of nonfiction book sales (a close second). Born on the Water: The 1619 Project written by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson, and wonderfully illustrated by Nikkolas Smith, enjoyed a tremendous amount of support from virtually the entire bookselling community. Poetry: Vice: New and Selected Poems by Ai Ogawa won a National Book Award in 1999, the year it was first published. Given the strength of the sales of Amanda Gorman’s Call Us What We Carry, the 22-year-old Vice topping all other poetry book sales is impressive. See all 95 Titles ▶ Bestselling Books for November/December - 2021 Fiction: The Zora Neale Hurston Boxed Set was an AALBC bestseller even before its publication date. The 10-book boxed set features the best of Hurston’s fiction and nonfiction in one impressive package. Nonfiction: Nikole Hannah-Jones’ The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story was the #1 bestselling book across all genres this period. This does not include the many copies of the book sold as a result of our collaboration with Bookshop.org to support the New York based not-for-profit organization, The Literary Freedom Project. Children’s Books: Born on the Water, which is also part of The 1619 Project was our top selling children’s book. Illustrated by Nikkolas Smith and written by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson, Born on the Water was also one of our most popular books of the year. Poetry: Amanda Gorman’s Call Us What We Carry: Poems helps make Gorman one of AALBC’s all-time bestselling authors. See all 47 Titles ▶ AALBC Book Reviews Palmares by Gayl Jones No less than the esteemed late novelist Toni Morrison, the chief editorial gatekeeper of Random House, was stunned by the narrative power of Gayl Jones’ first novel, Corregidora. The book of incest and topsy-turvy desire was published to critical acclaim in 1975. Jones was 26 at the time. Then Eva’s Man, a collection of painful flashbacks features the main character, Eva Medina Canada’s emotional unraveling into mental illness, which culminates in the castration of Davis, the man who imprisons her so he can repeatedly rape her. The book in 1976 totally hooked her readers who clamored for her next literary escapade. Now, after more than two decades, Jones’ mammoth work, Palmeres, emerges on the bookshelves, seeking to enthrall old fans and snare new readers. The genesis of this hefty book was the spark of creation stemming from a volume-length poem, Song of Anninho, which was published by Detroit’s Lotus Press in 1981. It also was inspired by the church plays from her maternal grandmother, Amanda Wilson, and the childhood tales written by her mother, Lucille Jones. Jones, a keen observer of history, culture, and tradition, absorbed the concept of utopia — a place where oppression and intolerance would not be acceptable. More ▶ National Black Writers Conference Call For Papers The 16th National Black Writers Conference (NBWC2022) Call For Papers Is Now Open! Scholars, Writers, Literary Activists, Cultural Critics, And Students Are Invited To Submit Proposals for the 16th National Black Writers Conference (March 2022)! Deadline: Monday, February 14, 2022 Download the Guidelines Here ▶ Alkebu-Lan Images Founder Yusef Harris Has Passed Alkebu-Lan Images, a cornerstone of the North Nashville community for more than 35 years, lost its founder. Yusef Harris — teacher, mentor, climber of Mount Kilimanjaro — has died. Harris opened Alkebu-Lan in 1986 while pursuing his doctorate in psychology at Vanderbilt University and teaching part time at Tennessee State University. The Jefferson Street property went up for sale, and he made a down payment with a loan from Metro Development and Housing Agency. Since then, the shop has become a cultural mecca, selling books, art, apparel and other goods that reflect and celebrate African culture. Read the full article at nashvillescene.com ▶ Dear Reader, As 2022 begins I reflect on nearly two years of a global pandemic and it feels surreal, like something out of an Octavia Butler novel. Despite so many cancelled in-person events, restrictions, mandates, and heartache there is still good reason for hope. I trust the books shared in our newsletter and website continue to bring you joy, inform you, and help make your life better. I know online discussions are not the same as in-person conversations, but consider joining our online discussion forums, you may find your enjoy the differences — especially if you are tired of being manipulated by algorithms and having your privacy mined for profit with other options. Feel free to discuss books or anything that interests you. Always remember Troy, you are why we’ve been able to make AALBC the premier online platform for books by, or about, people of African descent. Your paid subscriptions, book purchases, suggestions, engagement on the site, commenting, social sharing, and advertisements helps support AALBC’s mission. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com Consider sponsoring our eNewsletter or a dedicated email. ★ AALBC.com eNewsletter – January 11, 2022 - Issue #345

To identify as Black is to identify with the culture. this is the same as “being” Black. The racial terms black and white are nonsense as there is no genetic basis for them. This is obvious as so called white people pass for black and so called black people pass for white all the the time.

oh ok. I was inferring what I thought he meant. I also believe the media is being hyper critical too.

What, regular beheadings in Mexico, Ghana, and Nigeria? Now you are just making stuff up. i guess you also concede the point about Americas uniqueness in exploring its “peculiar institution.” antiquated does not mean the world is no longer in use. I was referring to it definition Seriously, I don’t know what you mean. I did not read the dictionary definition of Third World because I already know what it means. What I am working on is what you actually wrote. You wrote paraphrasing: I think of places were people live in cardboard boxes referring, disparagingly, to Mexico. I pointed out that there are places in Mexico where people live in conditions comparable to How you describe your lifestyle. And I also referenced how Americans live and the conditions you described as Third World. So I’m trying to understand what you really mean. Also how you Described how you think about the term third world was not part of the definition provided by the Frenchman who coined the term. Daniellegfny openly disparaged Africa, describing it as a place of regular beheadings. You are doing the same thing without realizing it; in my opinion. I think about third world more in line with what @ProfD wrote. Today it is a term white countries, and the people in them, use to disparage brown countries and their people.