The Future of Publishing, Oprah’s Latest Pick, Afrikan World Books Bestsellers – June 9, 2022

[Troy]

The Enneagram is an ancient system of human development that shows us the limiting stories that keep us stuck in unhelpful patterns and invites us into more expansive stories. For too long, conversations about the Enneagram and its personality types have been centered on and by whiteness. In The Enneagram for Black Liberation, certified Enneagram teacher and trained psychotherapist Chichi Agorom reclaims the Enneagram as a powerful tool for Black women to rediscover our wholeness and worth that existed long before systems of supremacy told us we weren't enough. Buy Now ▶

The Future of Book Publishing from the WSJ’s Future of Everything Festival

Publishing experts, including AALBC’s Troy Johnson, discuss where the industry goes next, from the role of data to the future of physical shops in an e-commerce age. More ▶.

Bestselling Books: Reported by Afrikan World Books

Afrikan World Books Afrikan World Books distributes Black books around the world. As a result, they have an excellent understanding of the books that are selling well in the Black community. Many of these popular, and important, books will not be found on the lists created by the New Times Lists. Here, Afrikan World Books shares some of their most popular titles with us:   The Black Agenda by Glen Ford In this stunning overview, Ford draws on his work for the Black Agenda Report, one of the most incisive and perceptive publications of the progressive left, to examine the often-competing struggles for class power and identity in the Black movement.   The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk A pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing in this New York Times bestseller.   The Panthers Can't Save Us Now: Debating Left Politics and Black Lives Matter by Cedric Johnson Writing against the grain of popular left sentiments, Johnson cautions against a new ethnic politics. Instead, he calls for broad-based left politics as the only viable means for ending the twin crises of racial inequality and police violence.   Tapping the Power Within: A Path to Self-Empowerment for Women by Iyanla Vanzant The revised and expanded 20th-anniversary edition of Iyanla Vanzant’s first published work offers a powerful path to self-empowerment through the revitalization of one’s spiritual and ancestral roots.   Recitatif: A Story by Toni Morrison In this 1983 short story—the only short story Morrison ever wrote—we meet Twyla and Roberta. Twyla’s and Roberta’s races remain ambiguous throughout the story. Morrison herself described Recitatif, is a story that will keep readers thinking and discussing for years to come   African Empires in Ancient America by Clyde Winters In this book, you will discover that Africans have a long tradition of sea exploration and founded many of the major American civilizations. Dr. Clyde Winters gives a detailed account of the Malian colonies established by these West Africans in North America and Brazil.

AALBC Book Reviews

The Black Agenda by Glen Ford Who was Glen Ford? If you ask that question of some of the best critical thinkers in the Black community, they would say Ford was one of the most capable’ take-no-prisoners’ political commentators of the last century. “Glen Ford was the most brilliant, courageous, and consistent writer and journalist in the Black radical and independent tradition of his generation,” activist Cornel West wrote.   A socialist, Vietnam veteran, former Black Panther Party member, and a Washington political observer for much of his career, Ford co-founded The Black Agenda, with Bruce Dixon and Margaret Kimberley. He also co-launched, produced, and hosted the first nationally syndicated Black news interview program on commercial television, Arica’s Black Forum in 1977. More ▶;

Sorry You’re Having A Bad Night by E.K. Robertson From its prologue to its epilogue, E. K. Robertson’s Sorry You’re Having A Bad Night delivers on the hallmarks of a good contemporary mystery, including plots ripped from the headlines, well-woven intrigue, twists and turns, tangled webs of he said/she said/he did/she did, and good descriptive details and pacing. The prologue introduces readers to an as-yet-unnamed radio host and investigative journalist on the brink of premiering her brainchild podcast, with “Twenty-seven colorful and controversial episodes of a story only she could tell,” one “that would set the [Black entertainment] industry ablaze.” More ▶

Oprah’s Book Club Selects Nightcrawling as Their Next Read

Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley “It brings me great joy to introduce readers to new authors, and this young poet Leila Mottley wrote a soul-searching portrait of survival and hope,” said Oprah Winfrey.   “I was absolutely floored when Ms. Winfrey popped up in what I thought was going to be a regular meeting,” said Leila Mottley. “It was the surprise of a lifetime! I am beyond grateful to be able to share my debut novel with the passionate readers of Oprah’s Book Club.” More ▶

43 Books Published by Black Writers in the Past 60 Days

Now Lila Knows by Elizabeth Nunez Akashic Books, a leading independent publisher of books by Black writers, bring us Now Lila Knows the latest novel by the critically acclaimed author Elizabeth Nunez.   “Nunez has always had the power to get to the essence of what makes human beings take right and wrong turns.” —Edward P. Jones, author of The Known World   Now Lila Knows is a gripping story that explores our obligation to act when confronted with the unfair treatment of fellow human beings. A page-turner with universal resonance, this novel will leave readers rethinking the meaning of love and empathy.

Remember Tulsa, 1921

Magic City by Jewell Parker Rhodes “A compelling page-turner that will keep readers hoping against hope that everything will somehow, magically, turn out for the best.” — Atlanta Journal-Constitution   With a new afterword from the author reflecting on the 100th anniversary of one of the most heinous tragedies in American history—the 1921 burning of Greenwood, an affluent black section of Tulsa, Oklahoma, known as the “Negro Wall Street”—Jewell Parker Rhodes’ powerful and unforgettable novel of racism, vigilantism, and injustice, weaves history, mysticism, and murder into a harrowing tale of dreams and violence gone awry.

Dear Reader,   During the next few months, we will be upgrading the AALBC website — AALBC 3.0! We are aiming to enhance the look and feel of the site to help visitors appreciate the tremendous repository of information about Black books AALBC provides.   I’d love to reduce or eliminate our dependency on Google ads which have become increasingly intrusive in recent years, worsening the experience on our website. Troy this is why your support is crucial to helping us improve the reading experience on AALBC..com. Your paid subscriptions, book purchases, suggestions, engagement on the site, social sharing, advertisements, and feedback help support AALBC’s mission of celebrating Black culture through books.   Peace and Love, Troy Johnson Founder & Webmaster, AALBC.com

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