African American Voices:
Sixty-One New Titles for Black History Month in February

By Ann Burns with Emily Joy Jones

Ann Burns is Associate Editor, LJ Book Review, and Emily Joy Jones is Assistant Editor, LJ

Black History Month has become an important event in U.S. cultural life, one that allows us all to celebrate the contributions African Americans have made to this country. With so many books published each February to honor the event, librarians are also given an opportunity to enrich their multicultural collections -- hence this annual listing of major titles in the area. Drawing on the theme of the 2001 celebration, established by the Association for the Study of African American Life & History, the writers featured on this year's expansive list can be seen "creating and defining the African American community" through "family, church, politics, and culture." These 61 books will not only meet readers' needs today but enhance library shelves for years to come.

Agriculture

» Gilbert, Charlene & Quinn Eli. Homecoming: The Story of African-American Farmers. Beacon, dist. by Houghton. Nov. 2000. c.240p. permanent paper. photogs. bibliog. index. LC 00-008995. ISBN 0-80700962-8. $30. AGRI

A tie-in to independent film maker Gilbert's 1998 PBS documentary, this book tellingly relates the history of black farmers, who have faced systematic discrimination in their efforts to secure financial assistance. Flavored with stories from Gilbert's own family, this work begins with Reconstruction and ends with a recent class action lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (LJ 10/15/00)

Arts

» Adelman, Bob & others (photogs.) & Charles Johnson (text). King: A Photobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. Studio: Viking. Nov. 2000. c.288p. photogs. ISBN 0-670-89216-5. $40. PHOTOG

Both familiar and new, these impressive images by some of America's most important documentary photographers are complemented by a text from National Book Award winner Johnson.

» Algotsson, Sharne with Katherine Z. Andrews (text) & George Ross (photogs.). African Style: Down to the Details. Potter, dist. by Crown. 2000. 176p. photogs. bibliog. index. LC 99-086295. ISBN 0-609-60532-1. $32.50. DEC ARTS

Colorful photographs are the mainstay of this hands-on guide by interior designer Algotsson, who offers tips while highlighting the hallmarks of African style: simple, spiritual, flexible, and balancing traditional and modem.

» Arogundade, Ben (text) & Herb Ritts & others (photogs.). Black Beauty: A History and a Celebration. Thunder's Mouth, dist. by Publishers Group West. 2000. c.192p. photogs. ISBN 1-56025-276-6. $39.95. PHOTOG

Freelance journalist Arogundade takes an intimate look at black models as well as icons and celebrities like Marcus Garvey, Josephine Baker, and Billy Dee Williams, finally revealing how black beauty has evolved and been promoted over the last century.

» Buster, Larry V. (text) & Kenneth Paul (photogs.). The Art and History of Black Memorabilia. Potter, dist. by Crown. Dec. 2000. c.176p. photogs. index. LC 99-086917. ISBN 0-609-60425-2. $34.95. DEC ARTS

Though controversial, depictions of Aunt Jemima, Cream of Wheat ads, minstrel posters, and other black images are being collected by both whites and African Americans. Here, Buster, art director for Consumer Reports, attempts to place these artifacts in historical context.

» Cunningham, Michael (photogs.) & Craig Marberry (text). Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats. Doubleday. Nov. 2000. c.224p. photogs. ISBN 0-385-50086-6. $27.50. PHOTOG

In this celebration of hat-wearing by African American women, Cunningham, a commercial photographer, and Marberry, a former TV reporter, present an array of women in their special adornments.

» Higgins, Chester Jr. Elder Grace: The Nobility of Aging. Bulfinch: Little, Brown. 2000. 127p. photogs. ISBN 0-8212-2687-8. $40. PHOTOG

In a tribute to the black elderly, Higgins, a staff photographer for the New York Times, has compiled 80 portraits of men and women -- some famous and some not so well known -- who add their personal comments on life and aging.

» Lawrence, Jacob (illus.) & Peter T. Nesbett & Michelle DuBois (text). Jacob Lawrence: Paintings, Drawings, and Murals (19351999); A Catalogue Raisonné. 343p. ISBN 0-295-97966-6. Over the Line: The Art and Life of Jacob Lawrence. 285p. ed. by Peter T. Nesbett & Michelle DuBois. index. ISBN 0-295-97964-X. ea. vol.: Univ. of Washington. Nov. 2000. illus. bibliog. set: $150; until Jan. 1, 2001, $125. ART

When Lawrence died last June at the age of 82, he was celebrated as one of America's great figurative painters whose work had a special ability to convey the human condition. He was also the first African American to have work in the Museum of Modem Art. This two-volume set, containing both an illustrated collection of essays and a detailed catalogue raisonné documenting more than 900 works, is perhaps the most fitting tribute.

» Thomas, Duane (photogs.) & Constance White & others (text). Soul Style: Black Women Redefining Fashion and Beauty. Universe: Rizzoli. Nov. 2000. c.192p. photogs. ISBN 0-7893-0466-X. $45; pap. ISBN 0-7893-0465-1. $29.95. PHOTOG

Art director Thomas, whose work can be seen in Vogue, Elle, Essence, and more, here portrays African American women who are changing the way America defines beauty.

Biography

» Horne, Gerald. Race Woman: The Lives of Shirley Graham Du Bois. New York Univ. Nov. 2000. c.352p. ISBN 0-8147-3615-7. $34.95. BIOG

Graham Du Bois was already politically active when she married W.E.B. Du Bois. In this portrait, Horne (history, Univ. of North Carolina) shows a controversial woman who supported the Civil Rights movement, the liberation struggles in Africa, and Socialist development in China. Notes LJ's reviewer, "Readers will be grateful that Graham Du Bois's amazing and often controversial life has finally been documented." (LJ 9/1/00).

» Walker, Rebecca. Black, White, and Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self. Riverhead: Putnam. Jan. 2001. c.336p. permanent paper. LC 00-035292. ISBN 1-57322-169-4. $23.95. BIOG

In this "memorable narrative of [her] quest for identity and home," Walker, founder of the Third Wave Direct Action Foundation, explores her childhood memories, her feelings about the divorce of her parents (writer Alice Walker and Jewish lawyer Mel Leventhal), and, ultimately, "her struggle to be herself [and] find out where she belongs." (LJ 11/1/00)

Economics

» Anderson, James. Black Enterprise Guide to Investing. Wiley. Nov. 2000. c.288p. ISBN 0-471-38184-5. pap. $19.95. BUS

There's an investment boom afoot but, says Anderson, a finance columnist for Black Enterprise magazine, African Americans have not jumped on the bandwagon in record numbers. Here, he outlines a strategy for those who want to take control of their financial future.

» Bridgforth, Glinda. Girl, Get Your Money Straight: A Sister's Guide to Healing Your Bank Account and Funding Your Dreams in 7 Simple Steps. Broadway: Bantam. Dec. 2000. c.285p. ISBN 0-7679-0487-7. $19.95. ECON

In this guide to money management, financial consultant Bridgforth appeals to African American women, outlining seven prescriptions to help them achieve their goals.

» Clarke, Caroline. Take a Lesson: Contemporary Achievers on How They Made It and What They Learned Along the Way. Wiley. Feb. 2001. c.300p. ISBN 0-471-37825-9. $24.95. BUS

Clarke, an editor-at-large at Black Enterprise magazine, interviewed 27 successful African American men and women, who offer advice on getting ahead. They include filmmaker Spike Lee, lawyer Johnnie Cochran, Ms. magazine editor-in-chief Marcia Gillespie, Early Show host Bryant Gumbel, and congresswoman Maxine Waters.

» Conda, Kandias. Get That Cutie in Commercials, Television, Films and Videos: Breaking Your Talented Child into the Entertainment Industry; The African-American Parents' Step-by-Step Beginners' Guide to Show Business Success. Amber. Jan. 2001. c. 160p. permanent paper. photogs. ISBN 0-9655064-5-2. pap. $14.95. BUS

Got a James Earl Jones or Halle Berry on your hands? Conda, a specialty consultant for aspiring athletes and entertainers, outlines steps you need to take to get your children into show business.

» Harris, Wendy Beech. Against All Odds: Ten Entrepreneurs Who Followed Their Hearts and Found Success. Wiley. Nov. 2000. c.268p. permanent paper. ISBN 0-471-37472-5. $24.95. BUS

Harris (Black Enterprise Guide to Starting Your Own Business) profiles ten African American businessmen and women who have followed their dream and now own their own businesses. Included are Sylvia and Herbert Woods (soul food restaurateurs), Alonzo Washington (a comic book publisher), and Albert and Odetta Murray (owners of a Pocono Mountains resort).

Fiction

» Adams, Jenoyne. Resurrecting Mingus. Free Pr. Feb. 2001. c.240p. ISBN 0-684-87352-4. $23. F

In this complex and emotionally wrenching debut, Adams gets to prove why she was a PEN Center USA West Emerging Voices Fellow in 1998. She examines interracial marriage and the resulting biracial children from the perspective of biracial attorney Mingus Brown, whose self-identity and family loyalty are challenged when her African American father leaves her Irish mother.

» Berry, Bertice. The Haunting of Hip-Hop. Doubleday. Jan. 2001. c.224p. ISBN 0-385-49845-4. $21 F

Berry (Redemption Song) ventures into the world of hip-hop in her new work, which features music producer Harry "Freedom" Hudson. This is a novel with a social conscience and a concern for human dynamics -- Hudson has a chip on his shoulder and relationship problems with women -- but it's no by-the-number contemporary tale; haunted houses and ancestral spirits also enter into the mix.

» Brown, Parry A. The Shirt Off His Back. Strivers Row: Villard. Jan. 2001. c.224p. ISBN 0-375-75659-0. pap. $13.95. F

Terry Winston is the loving single father of twin girls, committed to his family and a long-term relationship. But then, for selfish reasons of her own, the mother of his children sues for joint custody. Originally self-published, this is one of the first titles in Villard's new African American imprint.

» Durham, David Anthony. Gabriel's Story. Doubleday. Jan. 2001. c.304p. ISBN 0-385-49814-4. $23.95. F

Leaving the security of his family's comfortable homestead during the Reconstruction era, 15-year-old Gabriel Lynch goes in search of adventure and anything better than farming. His encounters during the long journey across the Plains force him to reevaluate what he really wants from life.

» Harris, E. Lynn & others. Got To Be Real: Four Original Love Stories. NAL: Penguin. Jan. 2001. c.400p. ISBN 0-451-20223-6. $14. F

At last, love stories from the male perspective, delivered by Harris (Abide with Me), Eric Jerome Dickey (Cheaters), Marcus Major (Good Peoples), and Colin Channer (Waiting in Vain).

» Kelley, Norman. Black Heat. Amistad: HarperCollins. Feb. 2001. c.272p. ISBN 0-06-018542-2. $23. F

In this Nina Halligan mystery, Kelley, producer for a radio station, delves into the murder of Civil Rights leader Malik Martin, the breakdown of his wife, and the search for their missing daughter.

» Lamar, Jake. If 6 Were 9. Crown. Jan. 2001. c.256p. LC 00-031416. ISBN 0-609-60537-2. $19.95. F

When journalism professor Clay Robinette gets a wake-up call in the middle of the night from former militant Reggie Brogus, now a conservative colleague at the university, he knows there is trouble. Brogus has found a dead body in his office, and in steps Robinette to solve the crime. Lamar (Close to the Bone) branches out with this thinking man's mystery.

» McFadden, Bernice L. The Warmest December. Dutton. Feb. 2001. c.208p. ISBN 0-525-94564-4. $22.95. F

For Kenzie, growing up in Brooklyn in the 1970s means running to the liquor store for her Dad, surviving his random beatings, and dreaming of escape. Forwarding to the 1990s, Kenzie faces her past when she visits her dying father. A touching followup to the sweet success of Sugar.

» Mickelbury, Penny. Paradise Interrupted. S. & S. Feb. 2001. c.288p. ISBN 0-684-85991-2. $23. F

The fourth mystery in the Carole Ann Gibson series is set in the Caribbean, where Gibson shakes up a seemingly sleepy community run by the silent hand of drug lords. A colorful cast of characters make her mission interesting, funny, and difficult, often all at the same time.

» Rice, Patty. Reinventing the Woman. S. & S. Jan. 2001. c.368p. ISBN 0-684-85341-8. $23. F

Camille Foster finally works up the courage to leave her abusive boyfriend but soon realizes that the issues she really needs to face come from her family. Rice proved herself with Somethin' Extra, so many readers will be anticipating this second novel.

» Thomas, Trisha R. Nappily Ever After. Crown. Jan. 2001. c.288p. ISBN 0-609-60583-6. $22. F

Thomas's debut novel places her among today's most promising and entertaining new authors. Her story of one woman's liberating journey from chemically treated hair to a natural look reflects the. struggle by many women of all races to learn to love the hair they were born with.

» Tramble, Nichelle D. The Dying Ground. Strivers Row: Villard. Jan. 2001. c.224p. ISBN 0-375-75653-1. pap. $13.95. F

In this debut mystery, Maceo Redfield, a former rising baseball star turned college dropout, is burdened with discovering who murdered his best friend -- a local drug dealer named Billy Crane -- and kidnapped Billy's girlfriend. As Maceo comes dangerously close to the truth, he is sucked into Billy's dark world. This is another addition to the new Strivers Row imprint.

» Trice, Dawn T. An Eighth of August. Crown. Oct. 2000. c.320p. ISBN 0-517-70589-3. $22.95. F

Trice's affecting second novel centers around the imaginary Midwestern town of Halley's Landing and its annual celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation on August 8. As in her first book (Only Twice I Wished for Heaven), Trice conveys family secrets, a couple's devotion, and the long-standing guilt of the town's few white residents through her characters' own ringing voices. (LJ 10/1/00)

Health

» Adams, Jan R., M.D. Everything Women of Color Should Know About Cosmetic Surgery. St. Martin's. Dec. 2000. c.224p. photogs. ISBN 0-312-25310-9. $24.95. HEALTH

Adams, a plastic surgeon, provides detailed information for black women, who "age differently from whites and who are more likely to develop keloid scars as a result of accident or surgery." (LJ 11/1/00)

» Kashef, Ziba. Like a Natural Woman: The Black Woman's Guide to Alternative Healing. Dafina: Kensington. Jan. 2001. c.288p. index. LC 00-103526. ISBN 1-57566-630-8. $23. HEALTH

Kashef, a self-proclaimed "natural woman" and health editor at Essence magazine, has created a guide to alternative healing, hygiene, and the mind/body/spirit connection for black women. The information she provides from experts in the fields of herbal/holistic remedies, nutrition, and childbirth stresses preventive measures and damage control.

» Phillips, Crystal. The Me I Knew I Could Be: One Woman's Journey from 292 Pounds to Peace, Happiness, and Healthy Living. St. Martin's. Jan. 2001. c.256p. photogs. ISBN 0-312-25226-9. $22.95. HEALTH

Phillips charts her emotional and physical journey from life as a suicidal manic depressive to a healthy minded, introspective woman who has learned to look within for all the answers she sought in food. Her guide includes a diet and exercise program with menus and inspirational messages.

History

» Gates, Henry Louis, Jr. & Cornel West. The African-American Century: How Black Americans Have Shaped Our Country. Free Pr. Nov. 2000. c.432p. photogs. ISBN 0-684-86414-2. $30. HIST

The authors, both professors at Harvard University, have gathered together a "who's who" of African Americans -- 100 of the 20th century's most influential people. Among them are W.E.B. Du Bois, Madame C.J. Walker, Langston Hughes, and Toni Morrison.

» Horton, James Oliver & Lois E. Horton. Hard Road to Freedom: The Story of African America. Rutgers Univ. Jan. 2001. c.475p. illus. maps. index. LC 00-025568. ISBN 0-8135-2850-X. $52; pap. ISBN 0-8135-2851-8. $22. HIST

In this documentary, the Hortons, both American studies professors, trace the history of African Americans in this country from slavery to race in the new millennium.

» Lift Every Voice and Sing: A Celebration of the Negro National Anthem; 100 Years, 100 Voices. Random. 2000. c.256p. ed. by Julian Bond & Sondra K. Wilson. photogs. bibliog. ISBN 0-679-46315-1. $29.95. HIST

It's been 100 years since lyricist James Weldon Johnson and his brother Rosamond wrote the song "Lift Every Voice and Sing" in celebration of Abraham Lincoln's birthday. That song is now the Negro national anthem and is commemorated here in essays by a number of notables summoned by NAACP chair Bond, among them Maya Angelou, Bill and Camille Cosby, and Colin Powell.

» Voices in Our Blood: America's Best on the Civil Rights Movement. Random. Jan. 2001. c.640p. permanent paper. ed. by Jon Meacham. LC 00-041474. ISBN 0-679-46296-1. $29.95. HIST

Meacham, managing editor of Newsweek, has gathered together valuable commentary on the Civil Rights movement from some of the best writers of the 20th century. From Richard Wright's piece on slavery to Alice Walker's essay on the 1963 March on Washington, this diverse collection illuminates the history of that decade.

Home Economics

» Hayes, Isaac. Cooking with Heart & Soul. Putnam. Nov. 2000. c.240p. permanent paper. photogs. index. LC 00-041746. ISBN 0-399-14656-3.$27.95. COOKERY

Radio host and musician Hayes has put together a cookbook/ memoir with a little help from his celebrity friends. He includes boyhood memories, some of his traditional dishes and healthy meals, and recipes from Carl Lewis, John Travolta, Lisa Marie Presley, and others.

Law & Crime

»Scott, Cathy. The Murder of Biggie Smalls. St. Martin's. 2000. c.224p. index. ISBN 0-312-26620-0.$22.95. CRIME

Scott (The Killing of Tupac Shakur) digs deep into court records and police reports to relate the story behind the 1997 drive-by murder of a popular hip-hop rapper, allegedly the victim of a turf war.

Literature

» The Butterfly's Way: Voices from the Haitian Dyaspora in the United States. Soho, dist. by Farrar. Feb. 2001. c.272p. ed. by Edwidge Danticat. ISBN 1-56947-218-1. pap. $15. LIT

In this collection, Haitian-born novelist Danticat (The Farming of Bones) introduces Haitian poets, teachers, journalists, filmmakers, etc., who relate moving stories of their homeland and their lives in the United States. Whether they are discussing childhood memories, interracial relationships, or returning home, their comments are always illuminating. (LJ 11/1/00)

» Hughes, Langston & Carl Van Vechten. Remember Me to Harlem: The Letters of Langston Hughes and Carl Van Vechten, 1925-1964. Knopf. Feb. 2001. c.416p. ed. by Emily Bernard. photogs. ISBN 0-679-45113-7. $30. LIT

In these letters, poet Hughes and his white mentor, Van Vechten -- two important men from the Harlem Renaissance -- discuss literature and politics while gossiping about other literary figures like James Baldwin, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Ralph Ellison. Gathered by Bernard (African American studies, Smith Coll.), this correspondence sheds light on an unlikely friendship, one that is essential to our understanding of race relations.

» Johnson, Helene. This Waiting for Love: Helene Johnson, Poet of the Harlem Renaissance. Univ. of Massachusetts. Dec. 2000. c.136p. ed. by Verner D. Mitchell. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 1-55849-256-9. $24.95. LIT

Johnson, a cousin of novelist Dorothy West, was a relatively unknown writer from the 1920s and 1930s. With this collection, Mitchell (English, Univ. of Memphis) finally brings her into the limelight. He includes Johnson's poetry, a chronology of her life, and selected correspondence with West and Zora Neale Hurston.

» Kincaid, Jamaica. Talk Stories. Farrar. Jan. 2001. c.224p. ISBN 0-374-27239-5. $23. LIT

Written from 1978 to 1983 for The New Yorker's "Talk of the Town" feature, this collection of early writings from Kincaid (The Autobiography of My Mother) offers her first impressions of New York, including her take on the West Indian Day carnival in Brooklyn and a meeting with comedian Richard Pryor. (LJ 10/15/00)

» Step into a World: A Global Anthology of the New Black Literature. Wiley. Nov. 2000. c.496p. permanent paper. ed. by Kevin Powell. bibliog. ISBN 0-471-38060-1. $29.95. LIT

Welcome to the hip-hop generation in essays, criticism, fiction, poetry, and dialog. Poet and essayist Powell introduces a new breed of writers, some well known, some emerging, from around the world, who comment on race matters, hip-hop culture, sexual identity, and other hot-button issues.

» Sallis, James. Chester Himes: A Life. Walker. Jan. 2001. c.350p. photogs. ISBN 0-8027-1362-9. $28. LIT

Sallis, a poet and novelist, investigates a man who wrote some of the most memorable crime fiction of the 20th century, notably Cotton Comes to Harlem. He maintains that Himes deserves to be acknowledged as a central African American writer, equal to Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.

Poetry

» Forbes, Calvin. Shine. Louisiana State Univ. Feb. 2001. 72p. ISBN 0-8071-2666-7. $23.95; pap. ISBN 0-8071-2667-5, $15.95. POETRY

A professor of writing, literature, and jazz history, Forbes turns playful in this second collection of poetry. He has taken the African American folk figure Shine and invented a rich new life for him, using it to comment on black history and social life.

» Wright, Jay. Transfiguration: Collected Poems. Louisiana State Univ. Nov. 2000. c.723p. permanent paper. ISBN 0-8071-2629-2. $59.95; pap. ISBN 0-8071-2630-6. $24.95. POETRY

Harold Bloom called Wright a great American poet, and the MacArthur Foundation would seem to agree, having given him one of its famed "genius" awards. Wright demonstrates his genius in this impressive collection, which draws on eight previous books. Each poem is clean, swift, and direct as a punch, but together they form a rich, overlapping investigation of our cultural and spiritual legacy.

Political Science

» Liberation, Imagination and the Black Panther Party: A New Look at the Panthers and Their Legacy. Routledge. Feb. 2001. c.288p. ed. by Kathleen Cleaver & George Katsiaficas. ISBN 0-415-92783-8. $80; pap. ISBN 0-415-92784-6. $24.99. POLITICS

Cleaver, a former Black Panther and now a fellow with the New York Public Library Center for Scholars and Writers, and Katsiaficas (The Imagination of the New Left) have assembled a group of scholars and activists to take a fresh and realistic look at the Black Panther Party and its historical impact.

Reference

» Altman, Susan. Encyclopedia of African-American Heritage. 2d ed. Facts on File. Dec. 2000. c.352p. permanent paper. photogs. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 0-8160-4125-3. $40. REF

This portrait of African American history, politics, and culture includes important figures, African countries, various types of music, and major events. New entries in the second edition range from affirmative action to Marvin Gaye. Altman (Extraordinary Black Americans) has written a work that can be used by the entire family.

» Organizing Black America: An Encyclopedia of African American Associations. Garland: Routledge. Dec. 2000. c.700p. ed. by Nina Mjagkij. photogs. ISBN 0-8153-2309-3.$125. REF

This work, with information on over 500 historical and contemporary organizations, their founders, and their membership, is a valuable reference on the history of African American activism.

Religion

» Jakes, T.D. The Great Investment: Faith, Family and Finance. Putnam. Nov. 2000. c.208p. permanent paper. ISBN 0-399-14683-0. $21.95. REL

Bishop Jakes (Maximize the Moment) shows how his trilogy -- faith, family, finance -- plays a role in achieving success. He concludes that faith is the foundation, family is the anchor, and finance is the factor that brings us to our destination.

» James, Michael. Black Theology, Black Power & Black Love. African American Images. Dec. 2000. c.160p. bibliog. ISBN 0-913543-68-3. pap. $14.95. REL

Minister/community activist James explores the spiritual similarities and differences between Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. He also examines black consciousness, black love, and black power as well as African American liberation theology as espoused by James Cone.

» Jones, Bobby with Lesley Sussman. Make a Joyful Noise: My 25 Years in Gospel Music. St. Martin's. 2000. c.224p. photogs. ISBN 0-312-25258-7. $22.95. REL

Raised in poverty by alcoholic parents, Jones nevertheless succeeded in becoming the host and executive producer of his own gospel program. This story of his rise to prominence in the spiritual music world also offers an intimate account of Jones's friendships with stars like Aretha Franklin, the Winans, and Barbara Mandrell.

Social Science

» Barnes, Annie. Everyday Racism: How Blacks Experience Racism in Today's America. Sourcebooks. 2000. c.192p. LC 00-044036. ISBN 1-57071-653-6. pap. $14.95. SOC SCI

For this study, Barnes, a professor of anthropology and sociology, interviewed 146 middle-class, working-class, and poor black college students to uncover their encounters with racism. In stores, at work, in law enforcement, and elsewhere, these students have found, chillingly, that racial hatred is still a part of American life.

» Bogle, Donald. Primetime Blues: African Americans on Network Television. Farrar. Feb. 2001. c.512p. photogs. index. ISBN 0-374-23720-4. $27. SOC SCI

In this wide-ranging study, beginning with the postwar era and moving through the 1990s, Bogle (Dorothy Dandridge: A Biography) examines the steady stream of black stereotypes on TV today. But he also shows that the presence of black performers on screen has had some significance for the African American community.

» Cornish, Grace. 10 Good Choices That Empower Black Women's Lives. Crown. Nov. 2000. c.224p. ISBN 0-609-60506-2. $21. SOC SCI

On the heels of her 10 Bad Choices That Ruin Black Women's Lives, psychologist Cornish presents prescriptions for sisters who want to find the right balance among work, love, money, and spirituality.

» hooks, bell. Salvation: Black People and Love. Morrow. Feb. 2001. 240p. ISBN 0-06-018494-9. $22. SOC SCI

Cultural critic hooks continues the study of love she began in All About Love, arguing that the larger culture has frequently denied the importance of love as a foundation of African American life and hope.

» hooks, bell. Where We Stand: Class Matters. Routledge. Nov. 2000. c.160p. ISBN 0-415-92911-3. $50; pap. ISBN 0-415-92913-X. $16.95. SOC SCI

In another work from hooks, the topic is class. She considers why the face of poverty in America is a black one when most poor people are white, how fantasies of wealth help keep the poor where they are, and why we need so much money.

» Smiley, Tavis. How To Make Black America Better: Leading African Americans Speak Out. Doubleday. Jan. 2001. c.208p. ISBN 0-385-50214-1. $21. SOC SCI

In this roundtable discussion, BET talk-show host Smiley brings together thinkers, politicians, writers, and artists to explore the challenges facing African Americans. Among the contributors are Iyanla Vanzant, Cornel West, Nikki Giovanni, and Jesse Jackson Jr., who address urgent issues like affirmative action, black-on-black crime, and race relations.

Sports

» Basketball Jones: America Above the Rim. New York Univ. Nov. 2000. c.245p. permanent paper. ed. by Todd Boyd & Kenneth L. Shropshire. LC 00-008320. ISBN 0-8147-1315-7. $55; pap. ISBN 0-8147-1316-5. $18.95. SPORTS

This anthology, coedited by Boyd (Univ. of Southern California) and Shropshire (Univ. of Pennsylvania), includes essays on basketball by journalists, critics, and academics, who explore drug use, abuse of women, and the special privileges and immunities granted the sport's controversial athletes.

» McDaniel, Pete. Uneven Lies: The Heroic Story of African-Americans in Golf. American Golfer, 200 Railroad Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830. 2000. 167p. photogs. ISBN 1-888531-36-3. $50. SPORTS

McDaniel (Training a Tiger), a senior writer for Golf Digest, traces the struggle of African American golfers for equality, starting with the black inventor of the golf tee and moving up to Tiger Woods's major victory at the 1997 Masters.