New Books, National Book Award Finalist Deesha Philyaw, and AALBC Starts 24th Year! - 10/7/2020

[Daylian]

“The only thing I regret is getting caught.” —Doris Payne Diamond Doris by Doris Payne is the sensational and entertaining memoir of the world’s most notorious jewel thief—a black woman who defied society’s prejudices and norms to carve her own path, stealing from elite jewelers to live her dreams. Now in paperback!

Deesha Philyaw Earns National Book Award Finalist

Deesha is the author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies which features stories about four generations of characters grappling with who they want to be in the world, caught as they are between the church’s double standards and their own needs and passions. AALBC first learned of Deesha’s work over a decade ago and are pleased to see her writing receive so such critical acclaim. Yesterday, Deesha shared these words about AALBC’s impact. “Thank you, Troy, for modeling, through AALBC, something very important to me: unapologetic Blackness. Unapologetic love for Black people, our books, our stories. I’m proud to have written an unapologetically Black book. And I thank you for your dedication to celebrating and supporting Black writers and our creative work, and for bringing readers and writers together on the AALBC forum.” —Deesha Philyaw, 2020 National Book Award Finalist for Fiction

Book Reviews

Life: Four Quarters Plus Overtime by Floyd L. Griffin Jr. Life: Four Quarters Plus Overtime, is truly wisdom from the ages. In this self-help guide. Floyd Griffin Jr., a man of many notable experiences, examines the development of human life, with each life stage coming under the microscope. Often, with books that purport to impart wisdom, it helps if the author is accomplished and experienced. From his publicity, Griffin is exactly that. He has been a Vietnam helicopter pilot, army colonel, college football coach, professor, businessman, state senator, and a mayor. Griffin sums up the premise of the book with a quote by George Washington Carver, an early achiever in our community: “How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have all of these.” More ▶

New Books

All Because You Matter by Tami Charles, Illustrated by Bryan Collier Targeted to early readers, All Because You Matter is a lyrical, heart-lifting love letter to Black children: reminding them how much they matter, that they have always mattered, and they always will. Accompanied by illustrations by renowned artist Bryan Collier, a four-time Caldecott Honor recipient and a nine-time Coretta Scott King Award winner or honoree, All Because You Matter empowers readers with pride, joy, and comfort, reminding them of their roots and strengthening them for the days to come (Genre: Prejudice & Racism)

Rise Up: Confronting a Country at the Crossroads by Al Sharpton When the young Alfred Charles Sharpton told his mother he wanted to be a preacher, little did he know that his journey would also lead him to prominence as a politician, founder of the National Action Network, civil rights activist, and television and radio talk show host. His enduring ability and willingness to take on the political power structure makes him the preeminent voice for the modern era, a time unprecedented in its challenges. In Rise Up, Reverend Sharpton revisits the highlights of the Obama administration, the 2016 election and Trump’s subsequent hold on the GOP, and draws on his decades-long experience with other key players in politics and activism, including Shirley Chisholm, Hillary Clinton, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and more (Genre: Political Science).

Scavenger: A Mystery by Christopher Chambers Chambers, author of A Prayer for Deliverance and Sympathy for the Devil (an NAACP Image Award nominee) brings a 21st-century take on hardboiled noir tales in Scavenger, a gripping thriller underscored by themes of race, homelessness, hustling, and the savagery—and salvation—of the human psyche. The novel centers on Dickie Cornish, a Black streetwise survivor living in a homeless camp near D.C.’s Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Framed for the murder of two of his closest friends and facing life in prison, Dickie crosses paths with wealthy ex-Homeland Security Secretary, Jamie Bracht. Bracht offers him a chance at a new life if Dickie can navigate an underground world to uncover a prize Bracht will stop at nothing to acquire (Genre: Mystery & Detective).

New-Generation African Poets: A Chapbook Box Set (Saba) Edited by Kwame Dawes and Chris Abani The limited-edition box set is a project started in 2014 to ensure the publication of up to a dozen chapbooks every year by African poets through Akashic Books. The series seeks to identify the best poetry written by African poets working today, and it is especially interested in featuring poets who have not yet published their first full-length book of poetry. The eleven poets included in this box set are: Michelle Angwenyi, Afua Ansong, Adedayo Agarau, Fatima Camara, Sadia Hassan, Safia Jama, Henneh Kyereh Kwaku, Nadra Mabrouk, Nkateko Masinga, Jamila Osman, and Tryphena Yeboah (Genre: African Poetry).

Dear Reader, October marks the start of AALBC’s 24th year in business! It has been some ride. We had a record year in book sales in 2019, and if we stopped selling books today, 2020 would beat 2019’s sales. Advertising sales and services to authors are also at all time highs. It is not unusual for AALBC to show over 1 million web pages to readers in a 30 day period. Reader, I can not over emphasize that your business, support, constructive critique, and kind words are what fuels this operation. AALBC is validated by you. As always, thank you for your business and support. You are why we continue to celebrate Black books, and culture, for almost a quarter of a century. Your paid subscription helps support this effort. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com

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