Brand New Books, an Excellent New Film, and More - 1/19/2021

[Daylian]

Elegantly written and exhaustively researched, The Rib King is an unsparing examination of America’s fascination with black iconography and exploitation that redefines African American stereotypes in literature. Set in the early twentieth century and centered around the black servants of a down-on-its heels upper-class white family, it is a powerful story that offers a fresh and searing critique on race, class, privilege, exploitation, and revenge. Learn More ▶

New Books

Jump at the Sun by Alicia D. Williams, Illustrated by Jacqueline Alcantara From the Newbery Honor winning author of Genesis Begins Again comes, the first picture book biography written about Zora Neale Hurston, a shimmering picture book that shines the light on Zora Neale Hurston, the extraordinary writer and storycatcher extraordinaire who changed the face of American literature. Zora was a girl who hankered for tales like bees for honey. Now, her mama always told her that if she wanted something, “to jump at de sun,” because even though you might not land quite that high, at least you d get off the ground. So Zora jumped from place to place, from the porch of the general store where she listened to folktales, to Howard University, to Harlem. And everywhere she jumped, she shined sunlight on the tales most people hadn’t been bothered to listen to until Zora. The tales no one had written down until Zora. Tales on a whole culture of literature overlooked…until Zora. Until Zora jumped. More ▶

Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson This harrowing story follows an enslaved woman forced to barter love and freedom while living in the most infamous “Devil’s Half-Acre,” a slave jail, where the enslaved are broken, tortured, and sold every day in Richmond, Virginia Born on a plantation in Charles City Virginia, Pheby Delores Brown has lived a privileged life. Shielded by her mother’s position as the plantation’s medicine woman, and cherished by the Master’s sister, she is set apart from the others on the plantation, belonging to neither world. More ▶

Julian Bond’s Time to Teach: A History of the Southern Civil Rights Movement by Julian Bond A masterclass in the civil rights movement from one of the legendary activists who led it. Compiled from his original lecture notes, Julian Bond’s Time to Teach brings his invaluable teachings to a new generation of readers and provides a necessary toolkit for today’s activists in the era of Black Lives Matter and #MeToo. Bond sought to dismantle the perception of the civil rights movement as a peaceful and respectable protest that quickly garnered widespread support. Through his lectures, Bond detailed the ground-shaking disruption the movement caused, its immense unpopularity at the time, and the bravery of activists, some very young, who chose to disturb order to pursue justice. More ▶

The Life I’m In by Sharon G. Flake The powerful and long-anticipated companion to The Skin I’m In, Sharon Flake’s bestselling modern classic, presents the unflinching story of Char, a young woman trapped in the underworld of human trafficking. Now in Sharon Flake’s latest and unflinching novel, The Life I’m In, we follow Charlese Jones, who, with her raw, blistering voice speaks the truths many girls face, offering insight to some of the causes and conditions behind the complex system of men who take advantage of vulnerable teens in the underbelly of society. While Char might be frightened, she remains strong and determined to bring herself and her fellow victims out of the dark and back into the light, reminding us why compassion is a powerful cure to the ills of the world. More ▶

Wrath by Victoria Christopher Murray The award-winning author of Lust, Envy, and Greed — soon to be Lifetime movies — delivers an unforgettable story of a marriage at the breaking point in Wrath, the explosive new novel in the Seven Deadly Sins series. Sparks fly when Chastity and Xavier meet, and their whirlwind romance feels almost too good to be true. Before long, cracks begin to show in Xavier’s perfect façade, and it is only a matter of time before everything comes crumbling down. When Xavier’s wrath erupts at a level Chastity has never seen, who will it destroy forever? Murray’s inspiration for the book’s plot originated with her desire to tell a story grappling with domestic abuse after her Delta Sigma Theta sorority sister was tragically murdered by her husband in 2018. More ▶

Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes For centuries, accomplished women—of all races—have fallen out of the historical records. The same is true for gifted, prolific, women poets of the Harlem Renaissance who are little known, especially as compared to their male counterparts. Each poem is paired with one-of-a-kind art from today’s most exciting female African-American illustrators, including: Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Cozbi Cabrera, Pat Cummings, Nina Crews, Laura Freeman, Jan Spivey Gilchrist, Ebony Glenn, April Harrison, Ekua Holmes, Keisha Morrison, Daria Peoples-Riley, Andrea Pippins, Shadra Strickland, and Elizabeth Zunon. More ▶

One Night in Miami — A Brilliant Film

One Night in Miami, is a fictionalized account of an evening that Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali), Sam Cooke, Jim Brown, and Malcolm X spent together after Clay’s defeat of Sonny Liston for boxing’s heavyweight title. It was one of the best films I’ve seen in a long time, an excellent character study that brilliantly showcases the struggles, triumphs, and often conflicting ideologies of these four legendary Brothers. It humanized these young men, providing interesting perspectives on many issues including the origin of Sam Cook’s iconic song, “A Change is Gonna Come;” Ali’s condemnation of Malcolm X, for leaving the Nation of Islam; Jim Brown’s views of activism versus economic empowerment; all in a country reckoning with overt, and institutionalized, white racism. The knowledge two of these men would be murdered within the year of that night made the story even more poignant. This film also marks Regina King’s directorial debut. One Night in Miami opened Dec 25, 2020 in a limited theatrical release. I say “mask up” and watch this movie on the big screen if you can. Did you see it? ▶

Troy Johnson & AALBC Acclimating to Tulsa, Oklahoma

“Troy Johnson is settling into his new life as a Tulsa resident, checking out all the local eats and awaiting the day the music scene comes back swinging. After spending most of his career in the defense and financial services industries, Troy founded The African American Literature Book Club (AALBC.com) in March of 1998. Today, AALBC.com is the oldest, largest, and most frequently visited website dedicated to books written by or about people of African descent.“ This article was published by the folks at 36 Degrees North, Tulsa’s basecamp for entrepreneurs, startups and innovators, who have welcomed me with open arms. Read the Full Article ▶

Dear Reader, As always, you are why I’ve been able to make AALBC the premier platform for books by, or about, Black people. Your paid subscription, book purchases, and advertisements helps support this effort. Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com

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