THE BOOK REPORT: March's NEW AND COMING SOON

New African American Interest Books and Authors

Looking for something to read from an African/African American point of view and or written by someone from the Diaspora? Browse our list of new books available now or coming soon to the Denver Public Library. Updated monthly...check out our list for March.

Featured Titles:

We Should All be Feminists

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

​In this personal, eloquently-argued essay--adapted from her much-admired TEDx talk of the same name--Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, award-winning author of Americanah, offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century, one rooted in inclusion and awareness. Drawing extensively on her own experiences and her deep understanding of the often masked realities of sexual politics, here is one remarkable author's exploration of what it means to be a woman now--and an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists. More books by Chimamanda.

Bill Duke's Dark Girls

Bill Duke

From the director of the NAACP Award-nominated documentary comes this gorgeous companion book to celebrate dark-skinned women. Black has never been more beautiful. Dark Girls is a testament to the strength and grace of women everywhere, no matter their skin tone, upbringing, or education. Featuring such celebrities as Lupita Nyong'o, Vanessa Williams, Sheryl Underwood, Judge Mablean, and Loretta Devine, Dark Girls presents outstanding women from all walks of life, sharing intimate insights into what their dark skin means to them. Combining Barron Claiborne's brilliant photography, Shelia Moses's touching narrative, and Bill Duke's extraordinary vision, Dark Girls is a beautiful and empowering work to be treasured by women of all ages. This thoughtful, sophisticated, and uplifting collection captures the elegance of dark skin--joyfully showcasing that we truly are beautiful for who we are. 

Vintage Black Glamour

Nichelle Gainer

Using rarely accessed photographic archives and private collections, inspired by her family history, Nichelle Gainer has unearthed a revealing treasure trove of historic photographs of famous actors, dancers, writers and entertainers who worked in the 20th-century entertainment business, but who rarely appeared in the same publications as their white counterparts. Alongside the familiar images and stories of renowned performers such as Eartha Kitt, Lena Horne and Aretha Franklin are those of less well-remembered figures such as Bricktop, Pearl Primus, Diana Sands and many, many more. Vintage Black Glamour is a unique, sumptuous and revealing celebration of the lives and indomitable spirit of Black women of a previous era.

The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl

Issa Rae

A collection of humorous essays on what it's like to be unabashedly awkward in a world that regards introverts as hapless misfits, and black as cool. My name is "J" and I'm awkward-and black. Someone once told me those were the two worst things anyone could be. That someone was right. Where do I start? Being an introvert in a world that glorifies cool isn't easy. But when Issa Rae, the creator of the Shorty Award-winning hit series "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl," is that introvert-whether she's navigating love, work, friendships, or "rapping"-it sure is entertaining. Now, in this debut collection of essays written in her witty and self-deprecating voice, Rae covers everything from cybersexing in the early days of the Internet to deflecting unsolicited comments on weight gain, from navigating the perils of eating out alone and public displays of affection to learning to accept yourself-natural hair and all. A reflection on her own unique experiences as a cyber pioneer yet universally appealing, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl is a book no one-awkward or cool, black, white, or other-will want to miss.

Fiction:

All Hail the Queen: An Urban Tale

Meesha Mink

The Banks Sisters

Nikki Turner

Hold Tight, Don't Let Go

Laura Rose Wagner

NonFiction:

It's a Black-White Thing: Forgiveness is Not for Sissies

Donna Bryson

Eye on the Struggle: Ethel Payne, the First Lady of The Black Press

James McGrath Morris

Everyday Easy

Lorraine Pascale

Try Your Luck with more book, film and music Reviews and Recommendations and our lists of past Book Reports.

Book summaries provided by ProQuest Syndetics.