Shamontiel's Bookshelf & Author Interviews
I am the author of two fiction novels, "Change for a Twenty" and "Round Trip," available on all major book outlets.
Scroll down to see what authors I've interviewed and what books I recommend. Additional book reviews I've written for the Chicago Tribune are here.
Scroll down to see what authors I've interviewed and what books I recommend. Additional book reviews I've written for the Chicago Tribune are here.
Karen Siplin![]()
E. Lynn Harris![]()
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Sister Souljah![]()
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Steve Harvey![]()
Ekiuwa Aire"African history through the eyes of a child ~ How Ekiuwa Aire and ‘The 1619 Project’ educate all from childhood to adulthood" (Featured in Substack's "I Do See Color"
Dr. Natalie Wilson![]()
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Christopher Herz![]()
Kevin Alan Milne![]()
Erin O. Patton![]()
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LATEST BOOKSHELF UPDATE:
July 7, 2024 Note: The latest recommended read will be typed in maroon. Once a new book is recommended, that review will be deleted, and the next one will be posted. |
Recommended Purchase: Genuine Fred Magic Sprout, Mini-Mushroom Bookmarks |
FICTION
Bland, Eleanor Taylor "A Cold and Silent Dying: A Marti MacAlister Mystery"
Carter, Ernessa T. "32 Candles"
Cleage, Pearl "Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do"
Coleman, Andre "A Liar's Tale"
Coleman, Andre "Blackbirds: Volume I"
Curnyn, Lynda "Engaging Men"
Dickey, Eric Jerome "Chasing Destiny"
Dickey, Eric Jerome "Drive Me Crazy"
Dickey, Eric Jerome "Friends and Lovers"
Dickey, Eric Jerome "Tempted by Trouble"
Dickey, Eric Jerome "Thieves' Paradise"
Draper, Sharon "Tears of a Tiger"
Files, Lolita "Scenes from a Sistah"
Flake, Sharon G. "Begging for Change"
Flake, Sharon G. "Money Hungry"
Flake, Sharon G. "The Skin I'm In"
Flake, Sharon G. "Who Am I Without Him? Short Stories About Girls and Boys In Their Lives"
Going, K.L. "King of the Screwups"
Grant, Donna "Tryin' To Sleep in the Bed You Made"
Green, Carmen "Atlanta Live!"
Griffin, John Howard "Black Like Me"
Han, Jenny "The Summer I Turned Pretty"
Han, Jenny "To All the Boys I've Love Before"
Han, Jenny "P.S. I Still Love You"
Harmon, Byron "All the Women I've Loved"
NEW! Harriot, Michael "Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America" (Click here for the "I Do See Color" review.)
I don't recall how I heard about this book, but I just remember some podcast host talking about how it was a mix of black history and comedy that DEFINITELY appealed to African-American readers. When I say this, I don't mean writers who think they can appeal to black readers. I mean this book is written for folks who can code-switch so fast that we may as well be considered bilingual. There are sooooooooooo many inside jokes in here, so many IYKYK moments and quite a bit of "I know that's right!" shouting at paper.
I thought I was going to just keep checking the book out a few times at a library and skip around for good content, but I was re-reading the same pages over and over again. (Why am I ready to fight to get Michael's winter coat back?) I'm having a tough time getting through each chapter because I keep re-reading to enjoy them all over again. It was going to take me FOREVER to finish 400+ pages with a library book. So I bought the audiobook and was relieved that it was in the author's voice.
I'm doing the SAME thing. I've re-listened to the history of Juan Garrido (Black Mexican who should have Christopher Columbus' "holiday"), the entire billion-dollar robbing from the Haitian Revolution and the Maroons. I edited a children's book about Queen Nzinga of Ndongo before, and there were definitely some "adult" details missing that made me re-listen to this a couple more times.
The $168.62 chaos to capture "Joe" may be the most impressive slave rebellion story I've ever heard next to Harriet Tubman. And describing him as "if Angela Davis had a baby with T'Challa and gave it up for adoption to be raised by Tupac" SOUNDS EXACTLY RIGHT.
And the story of the Igbo Landing and the mass suicide at Dunbar Creek gave me chills: "The Water Spirit brought us, the Water Spirit will take us home."
I just keep listening to these stories over and over again. Eventually, I'll get to the end of the book. And there's next to no chance that this won't maintain its 5-star review. So just assume I love the second half as much as I do the first half.
Harris, E. Lynn "A Love of My Own" (R.I.P. "Memories of E. Lynn Harris")
Harris, E. Lynn "Gumbo: A Celebration of African American Writing" (R.I.P. "Memories of E. Lynn Harris")
Harris, E. Lynn "In My Father's House"
Hayes, Lee A. "Passion Marks"
Herz, Christopher "The Last Block in Harlem"
Hill, Ernest "A Life for a Life"
Hill, Ernest "Cry Me a River"
Hill, Ernest "It's All About the Moon When the Sun Ain't Shining"
Hughes, Langston "The Simple Omnibus"
Hughes, Langston "The Ways of White Folks"
Hunter, Travis "A One Woman Man"
Hunter, Travis "Something to Die For"
Hunter, Travis "Trouble Man"
Hyzy, Julie "Buffalo West Wing" (Part 4)
Hyzy, Julie "Eggsecutive Orders" (Part 3)
Hyzy, Julie "Hail to the Chef" (Part 2)
Hyzy, Julie "State of the Onion" (Part 1)
Johnson, Freddie Lee "Bittersweet"
Johnson, Dana "Break Any Woman Down"
Johnson, Mat "Hunting in Harlem"
Johnson, RM "Dating Games"
Johnson, RM "The Harris Family"
Johnson, RM "Love Frustration"
Johnson, RM "The Million Dollar Divorce"
Jones, Solomon "Pipe Dream"
Jones, Solomon "The Bridge"
Jones, Tayari "Leaving Atlanta"
Jones, Tayari "Silver Sparrow (Chicago Tribune review)" or "Silver Sparrow"
Martin, Ann M. (Every single "Babysitter's Club" book she's written was beneficial to me as a pre-teen, and I'd stand by them all. I had 81 of her books.)
Mason, J.D. "Don't Want No Sugar"
Mason, J.D. "One Day I Saw a Black King"
Massey, Brandon "The Other Brother"
McCarthy, Susan Carol "Lay That Trumpet In Our Hands"
Mckinney-Whetstone, Diane "Blues Dancing"
Meriwether, Louise "Daddy Was a Number Runner"
Merullo, Roland "American Savior"
Messina, Lynn "Fashionistas"
Messina, Lynn "Tallulahland"
Meyer, Stephenie "New Moon"
Meyer, Stephenie "The Short Second Life of Bree Turner"
Meyer, Stephenie "Twilight"
Miller, Mary "Biloxi"
Miller, Moses "The Barack in Me"
Milne, Kevin Alan "Sweet Misfortune: A Novel"
Monninger, Joseph "Whippoorwill"
Monroe, Mary "God Don't Like Ugly"
Moses, Shelia P. "I, Dred Scott"
Moses, Shelia P. "Joseph"
Mosley, Walter "Blonde Faith"
Mosley, Walter "The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray"
Mosley, Walter "The Man in My Basement"
Murphy, Richard "Confessions of a Contractor"
Myers, Edward "Far From Gringo Land"
Naylor, Gloria "The Men of Brewster Place"
Packer, ZZ "Drinking Coffee Elsewhere"
Perkins-Valdez, Dolen "Wench"
Picoult, Jodi "Change of Heart" (Page 1, Page 2)
Picoult, Jodi "Keeping Faith"
Picoult, Jodi "Leaving Time"
Picoult, Jodi "Nineteen Minutes review" or "Nineteen Minutes"
Picoult, Jodi "Salem Falls"
Picoult, Jodi "Small Great Things"
Picoult, Jodi "The Tenth Circle"
Ptah, Heru "A Hip Hop Story"
Rhodes, Jewell Park "Douglass' Women"
Rosenberg, Joel C. "The Auschwitz Escape"
Senate, Melissa "The Breakup Club"
Senate, Melissa "The Solomon Sisters Wise Up"
Senate, Melissa "Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?"
Shotz, Jennifer Li "American Dog: Poppy" (Click here for the "Black Girl In a Doggone World" review.)
Shotz, Jennifer Li "American Dog: Star" (Click here for the "Black Girl In a Doggone World" review.)
Sinclair, April "Coffee Will Make You Black"
Singer, Gammy L. "A Landlord's Tale"
Siplin, Karen "Such a Girl"
Siplin, Karen "Whiskey Road"
Souljah, Sister "The Coldest Winter Ever"
Sparks, Nicholas "Two by Two"
Stovall, Taressa "Proverbs for the People"
Thomas, Angie "The Hate U Give"
Tyree, Omar "Flyy Girl"
Tyree, Omar "Single Mom"
Tyree, Omar "Sweet St. Louis"
Weber, Carl "A Dollar and a Dream"
Weber, Carl "Baby Momma Drama"
Weber, Carl "Married Men"
Weber, Carl "Player Haters"
Weber, Carl "The Preacher's Son"
Youngblood, Shay "Soul Kiss"
Carter, Ernessa T. "32 Candles"
Cleage, Pearl "Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do"
Coleman, Andre "A Liar's Tale"
Coleman, Andre "Blackbirds: Volume I"
Curnyn, Lynda "Engaging Men"
Dickey, Eric Jerome "Chasing Destiny"
Dickey, Eric Jerome "Drive Me Crazy"
Dickey, Eric Jerome "Friends and Lovers"
Dickey, Eric Jerome "Tempted by Trouble"
Dickey, Eric Jerome "Thieves' Paradise"
Draper, Sharon "Tears of a Tiger"
Files, Lolita "Scenes from a Sistah"
Flake, Sharon G. "Begging for Change"
Flake, Sharon G. "Money Hungry"
Flake, Sharon G. "The Skin I'm In"
Flake, Sharon G. "Who Am I Without Him? Short Stories About Girls and Boys In Their Lives"
Going, K.L. "King of the Screwups"
Grant, Donna "Tryin' To Sleep in the Bed You Made"
Green, Carmen "Atlanta Live!"
Griffin, John Howard "Black Like Me"
Han, Jenny "The Summer I Turned Pretty"
Han, Jenny "To All the Boys I've Love Before"
Han, Jenny "P.S. I Still Love You"
Harmon, Byron "All the Women I've Loved"
NEW! Harriot, Michael "Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America" (Click here for the "I Do See Color" review.)
I don't recall how I heard about this book, but I just remember some podcast host talking about how it was a mix of black history and comedy that DEFINITELY appealed to African-American readers. When I say this, I don't mean writers who think they can appeal to black readers. I mean this book is written for folks who can code-switch so fast that we may as well be considered bilingual. There are sooooooooooo many inside jokes in here, so many IYKYK moments and quite a bit of "I know that's right!" shouting at paper.
I thought I was going to just keep checking the book out a few times at a library and skip around for good content, but I was re-reading the same pages over and over again. (Why am I ready to fight to get Michael's winter coat back?) I'm having a tough time getting through each chapter because I keep re-reading to enjoy them all over again. It was going to take me FOREVER to finish 400+ pages with a library book. So I bought the audiobook and was relieved that it was in the author's voice.
I'm doing the SAME thing. I've re-listened to the history of Juan Garrido (Black Mexican who should have Christopher Columbus' "holiday"), the entire billion-dollar robbing from the Haitian Revolution and the Maroons. I edited a children's book about Queen Nzinga of Ndongo before, and there were definitely some "adult" details missing that made me re-listen to this a couple more times.
The $168.62 chaos to capture "Joe" may be the most impressive slave rebellion story I've ever heard next to Harriet Tubman. And describing him as "if Angela Davis had a baby with T'Challa and gave it up for adoption to be raised by Tupac" SOUNDS EXACTLY RIGHT.
And the story of the Igbo Landing and the mass suicide at Dunbar Creek gave me chills: "The Water Spirit brought us, the Water Spirit will take us home."
I just keep listening to these stories over and over again. Eventually, I'll get to the end of the book. And there's next to no chance that this won't maintain its 5-star review. So just assume I love the second half as much as I do the first half.
Harris, E. Lynn "A Love of My Own" (R.I.P. "Memories of E. Lynn Harris")
Harris, E. Lynn "Gumbo: A Celebration of African American Writing" (R.I.P. "Memories of E. Lynn Harris")
Harris, E. Lynn "In My Father's House"
Hayes, Lee A. "Passion Marks"
Herz, Christopher "The Last Block in Harlem"
Hill, Ernest "A Life for a Life"
Hill, Ernest "Cry Me a River"
Hill, Ernest "It's All About the Moon When the Sun Ain't Shining"
Hughes, Langston "The Simple Omnibus"
Hughes, Langston "The Ways of White Folks"
Hunter, Travis "A One Woman Man"
Hunter, Travis "Something to Die For"
Hunter, Travis "Trouble Man"
Hyzy, Julie "Buffalo West Wing" (Part 4)
Hyzy, Julie "Eggsecutive Orders" (Part 3)
Hyzy, Julie "Hail to the Chef" (Part 2)
Hyzy, Julie "State of the Onion" (Part 1)
Johnson, Freddie Lee "Bittersweet"
Johnson, Dana "Break Any Woman Down"
Johnson, Mat "Hunting in Harlem"
Johnson, RM "Dating Games"
Johnson, RM "The Harris Family"
Johnson, RM "Love Frustration"
Johnson, RM "The Million Dollar Divorce"
Jones, Solomon "Pipe Dream"
Jones, Solomon "The Bridge"
Jones, Tayari "Leaving Atlanta"
Jones, Tayari "Silver Sparrow (Chicago Tribune review)" or "Silver Sparrow"
Martin, Ann M. (Every single "Babysitter's Club" book she's written was beneficial to me as a pre-teen, and I'd stand by them all. I had 81 of her books.)
Mason, J.D. "Don't Want No Sugar"
Mason, J.D. "One Day I Saw a Black King"
Massey, Brandon "The Other Brother"
McCarthy, Susan Carol "Lay That Trumpet In Our Hands"
Mckinney-Whetstone, Diane "Blues Dancing"
Meriwether, Louise "Daddy Was a Number Runner"
Merullo, Roland "American Savior"
Messina, Lynn "Fashionistas"
Messina, Lynn "Tallulahland"
Meyer, Stephenie "New Moon"
Meyer, Stephenie "The Short Second Life of Bree Turner"
Meyer, Stephenie "Twilight"
Miller, Mary "Biloxi"
Miller, Moses "The Barack in Me"
Milne, Kevin Alan "Sweet Misfortune: A Novel"
Monninger, Joseph "Whippoorwill"
Monroe, Mary "God Don't Like Ugly"
Moses, Shelia P. "I, Dred Scott"
Moses, Shelia P. "Joseph"
Mosley, Walter "Blonde Faith"
Mosley, Walter "The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray"
Mosley, Walter "The Man in My Basement"
Murphy, Richard "Confessions of a Contractor"
Myers, Edward "Far From Gringo Land"
Naylor, Gloria "The Men of Brewster Place"
Packer, ZZ "Drinking Coffee Elsewhere"
Perkins-Valdez, Dolen "Wench"
Picoult, Jodi "Change of Heart" (Page 1, Page 2)
Picoult, Jodi "Keeping Faith"
Picoult, Jodi "Leaving Time"
Picoult, Jodi "Nineteen Minutes review" or "Nineteen Minutes"
Picoult, Jodi "Salem Falls"
Picoult, Jodi "Small Great Things"
Picoult, Jodi "The Tenth Circle"
Ptah, Heru "A Hip Hop Story"
Rhodes, Jewell Park "Douglass' Women"
Rosenberg, Joel C. "The Auschwitz Escape"
Senate, Melissa "The Breakup Club"
Senate, Melissa "The Solomon Sisters Wise Up"
Senate, Melissa "Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?"
Shotz, Jennifer Li "American Dog: Poppy" (Click here for the "Black Girl In a Doggone World" review.)
Shotz, Jennifer Li "American Dog: Star" (Click here for the "Black Girl In a Doggone World" review.)
Sinclair, April "Coffee Will Make You Black"
Singer, Gammy L. "A Landlord's Tale"
Siplin, Karen "Such a Girl"
Siplin, Karen "Whiskey Road"
Souljah, Sister "The Coldest Winter Ever"
Sparks, Nicholas "Two by Two"
Stovall, Taressa "Proverbs for the People"
Thomas, Angie "The Hate U Give"
Tyree, Omar "Flyy Girl"
Tyree, Omar "Single Mom"
Tyree, Omar "Sweet St. Louis"
Weber, Carl "A Dollar and a Dream"
Weber, Carl "Baby Momma Drama"
Weber, Carl "Married Men"
Weber, Carl "Player Haters"
Weber, Carl "The Preacher's Son"
Youngblood, Shay "Soul Kiss"
NONFICTION
Altman, Susan "The Encyclopedia of African-American Heritage"
Anderson, Maggie "Our Black Year: One Family's Quest to Buy Black in America's Racially Divided Economy"
Ardis, Angela "Inside a Thug's Heart"
Asante, Molefi Kete "Erasing Racism: The Survival of the American Nation"
Bahr, Iris "Machu My Picchu: Searching for Sex, Sanity, and a Soul Mate in South America"
"Barack H. Obama: The 44th President of the United States" (Conde Nast Special Editions)
Bell, W. Kamau "The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4, African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian"
Biden, Jill "Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself"
Bollinger, Michele and Dao X. Tran "101 Changemakers: Rebels and Radicals Who Changed US History"
Boyd, Herb "The Harlem Reader: A Celebration of New York's Most Famous Neighborhood, From the Renaissance Years to the Twenty-first Century"
Braxton, Toni and Michelle Burford "Unbreak My Heart: A Memoir"
Brian Smith and Robin Bronk "Art & Soul: Stars Unite to Celebrate and Support the Arts" (Chicago Tribune review) or "Art & Soul"
Brown, Bobby and Nick Chiles "Every Little Step: My Story"
Campidonica, Anthony C. "Outsmarting the System: Lower Your Taxes, Control Your Future, and Reach Financial Freedom"
Carlos, John Wesley and Dave Zirin "The John Carlos Story: The Sports Moment That Changed the World" (Chicago Tribune review) or "The John Carlos Story"
Cline, Elizabeth L. "Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion"
Crowder, David and Andrew Bailey "Creating Web Sites Bible" (2nd Edition)
Earl, Sari "Benjamin O. Davis Jr. : Air Force general & Tuskegee Airmen leader"
Ebong, Ima (edited) and A'Lelia Bundles (foreword) "Black Hair: Art, Style, and Culture"
Ellis, Shaun and Monty Sloan (photography) "Wolves: Capturing the Natural Spirit of these Incredible Animals"
Folan, Karyn Langhorne "Don't Bring Home a White Boy: And Other Notions That Keep Black Women From Dating Out"
Gibson, Tyrese and Rev Run "Manology: Secrets of Your Man's Mind Revealed"
Golden, Marita "It's All Love" (Chicago Defender review) and "It's All Love" (Kindle)
Gorman, Hogan "Hot Cripple" (Kindle)
Harper, Hill "The Conversation: How Men and Women Can Build Loving, Trusting Relationships"
Harper, Hill "The Wealth Cure" (Chicago Tribune book review) and "The Wealth Cure" (Kindle)
Harris, Kamala "The Truths We Hold: An American Journey"
Harrison, Sam "Idea Spotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea"
Haygood, Wil "The Butler: A Witness to History"
Henson, Taraji P. "Around the Way Girl" (Kindle)
Hughes, Langston "Langston Hughes and the Chicago Defender" (Chicago Defender review) and "Langston Hughes and the Chicago Defender"
Jean, Wyclef "An Immigrant's Story: Purpose" (Kindle)
Kerman, Piper "Orange Is the New Black: My Year In a Women's Prison"
Krensky, Stephen "Biography Barack Obama ~ A Photographic Story of a Life"
Livingston, M.D., Gordon "Too Soon Old: Too Late Smart, Thirty True Things You Need to Know"
Lyons, Dan "Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble"
Merritt, Jennifer and Roe D'Angelo "13 Things Rich People Won't Tell You: 325+ Tried and True Secrets to Building Your Fortune No Matter What Your Salary"
Morris, Monique W. "Black Stats"
Noah, Trevor "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" (Kindle)
NOLO "Represent Yourself in Court: Prepare & Try a Winning Civil Case" 11th Edition (Kindle)
Norwood, Mandi "Michelle Style: Celebrating the First Lady of Fashion"
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex "Spare" (Kindle)
Ro, Ronin "Have Gun will Travel: The Spectacular Rise and Violent Fall of Death Row Records"
Simmons, Rev Run and Justine "Take Back Your Family: A Challenge to America's Parents" Page 1, Page 2 (Chicago Defender review) and "Take Back Your Family: A Challenge to America's Parents" (Kindle)
Smith, Will and Mark Manson "Will" (Kindle)
Souza, Pete "Obama: An Intimate Portrait"
Stodghill, Ron "Where Everybody Looks Like Me: At the Crossroads of America's Black Colleges and Culture" (Kindle) (Note: The Higginbotham-Brooks part went on way too long. Skip those parts.)
Strauss, Neil "The Truth: An Uncomfortable Book About Relationships" (Kindle)
Tatum Ph.D., Beverly Daniel "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?"
Timbaland and Veronica Chambers "The Emperor of Sound: A Memoir"
Toure "Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness?: What It Means to Be Black Now" (Kindle)
Turner, Tina and Kurt Loder "I, Tina: My Life Story"
Union, Gabrielle "We're Going to Need More Wine" (Kindle)
Union, Gabrielle "You Got Anything Stronger"
Wade, Dwyane "A Father First: How My Life Became Bigger Than Basketball" (Kindle)
Whitaker, Mark "Cosby: His Life and Times" (Kindle)
X, Malcolm "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" (Chicago Tribune op/ed piece) (Kindle)
Youssef, Bassem "Revolution for Dummies: Laughing Through the Arab Spring"
Anderson, Maggie "Our Black Year: One Family's Quest to Buy Black in America's Racially Divided Economy"
Ardis, Angela "Inside a Thug's Heart"
Asante, Molefi Kete "Erasing Racism: The Survival of the American Nation"
Bahr, Iris "Machu My Picchu: Searching for Sex, Sanity, and a Soul Mate in South America"
"Barack H. Obama: The 44th President of the United States" (Conde Nast Special Editions)
Bell, W. Kamau "The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4, African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian"
Biden, Jill "Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself"
Bollinger, Michele and Dao X. Tran "101 Changemakers: Rebels and Radicals Who Changed US History"
Boyd, Herb "The Harlem Reader: A Celebration of New York's Most Famous Neighborhood, From the Renaissance Years to the Twenty-first Century"
Braxton, Toni and Michelle Burford "Unbreak My Heart: A Memoir"
Brian Smith and Robin Bronk "Art & Soul: Stars Unite to Celebrate and Support the Arts" (Chicago Tribune review) or "Art & Soul"
Brown, Bobby and Nick Chiles "Every Little Step: My Story"
Campidonica, Anthony C. "Outsmarting the System: Lower Your Taxes, Control Your Future, and Reach Financial Freedom"
Carlos, John Wesley and Dave Zirin "The John Carlos Story: The Sports Moment That Changed the World" (Chicago Tribune review) or "The John Carlos Story"
Cline, Elizabeth L. "Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion"
Crowder, David and Andrew Bailey "Creating Web Sites Bible" (2nd Edition)
Earl, Sari "Benjamin O. Davis Jr. : Air Force general & Tuskegee Airmen leader"
Ebong, Ima (edited) and A'Lelia Bundles (foreword) "Black Hair: Art, Style, and Culture"
Ellis, Shaun and Monty Sloan (photography) "Wolves: Capturing the Natural Spirit of these Incredible Animals"
Folan, Karyn Langhorne "Don't Bring Home a White Boy: And Other Notions That Keep Black Women From Dating Out"
Gibson, Tyrese and Rev Run "Manology: Secrets of Your Man's Mind Revealed"
Golden, Marita "It's All Love" (Chicago Defender review) and "It's All Love" (Kindle)
Gorman, Hogan "Hot Cripple" (Kindle)
Harper, Hill "The Conversation: How Men and Women Can Build Loving, Trusting Relationships"
Harper, Hill "The Wealth Cure" (Chicago Tribune book review) and "The Wealth Cure" (Kindle)
Harris, Kamala "The Truths We Hold: An American Journey"
Harrison, Sam "Idea Spotting: How to Find Your Next Great Idea"
Haygood, Wil "The Butler: A Witness to History"
Henson, Taraji P. "Around the Way Girl" (Kindle)
Hughes, Langston "Langston Hughes and the Chicago Defender" (Chicago Defender review) and "Langston Hughes and the Chicago Defender"
Jean, Wyclef "An Immigrant's Story: Purpose" (Kindle)
Kerman, Piper "Orange Is the New Black: My Year In a Women's Prison"
Krensky, Stephen "Biography Barack Obama ~ A Photographic Story of a Life"
Livingston, M.D., Gordon "Too Soon Old: Too Late Smart, Thirty True Things You Need to Know"
Lyons, Dan "Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble"
Merritt, Jennifer and Roe D'Angelo "13 Things Rich People Won't Tell You: 325+ Tried and True Secrets to Building Your Fortune No Matter What Your Salary"
Morris, Monique W. "Black Stats"
Noah, Trevor "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" (Kindle)
NOLO "Represent Yourself in Court: Prepare & Try a Winning Civil Case" 11th Edition (Kindle)
Norwood, Mandi "Michelle Style: Celebrating the First Lady of Fashion"
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex "Spare" (Kindle)
Ro, Ronin "Have Gun will Travel: The Spectacular Rise and Violent Fall of Death Row Records"
Simmons, Rev Run and Justine "Take Back Your Family: A Challenge to America's Parents" Page 1, Page 2 (Chicago Defender review) and "Take Back Your Family: A Challenge to America's Parents" (Kindle)
Smith, Will and Mark Manson "Will" (Kindle)
Souza, Pete "Obama: An Intimate Portrait"
Stodghill, Ron "Where Everybody Looks Like Me: At the Crossroads of America's Black Colleges and Culture" (Kindle) (Note: The Higginbotham-Brooks part went on way too long. Skip those parts.)
Strauss, Neil "The Truth: An Uncomfortable Book About Relationships" (Kindle)
Tatum Ph.D., Beverly Daniel "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?"
Timbaland and Veronica Chambers "The Emperor of Sound: A Memoir"
Toure "Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness?: What It Means to Be Black Now" (Kindle)
Turner, Tina and Kurt Loder "I, Tina: My Life Story"
Union, Gabrielle "We're Going to Need More Wine" (Kindle)
Union, Gabrielle "You Got Anything Stronger"
Wade, Dwyane "A Father First: How My Life Became Bigger Than Basketball" (Kindle)
Whitaker, Mark "Cosby: His Life and Times" (Kindle)
X, Malcolm "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" (Chicago Tribune op/ed piece) (Kindle)
Youssef, Bassem "Revolution for Dummies: Laughing Through the Arab Spring"
HEALTHY FOOD/FITNESS
"101 Best Vegan Foods" (Flexibound)
Hudson, Jennifer "I Got This"
Leneman, Leah "The Tofu Cookbook" (Kindle)
Obama, Michelle "American Grown" (Kindle)
Parkes, Sally "The Yoga Healing Bible: Finding the best postures, meditations, relaxation techniques, and breathing exercises for complete physical and spiritual balance"
Shelf, Angela "The Ethnic Vegetarian"
Snyder C.N., Kimberly "The Beauty Detox Foods" (Kindle)
Straten, Michael van "The Omega 3 Cookbook"
Sussman, Vic "The Vegetarian Alternative: A Guide to a Healthful and Humane Diet"
Hudson, Jennifer "I Got This"
Leneman, Leah "The Tofu Cookbook" (Kindle)
Obama, Michelle "American Grown" (Kindle)
Parkes, Sally "The Yoga Healing Bible: Finding the best postures, meditations, relaxation techniques, and breathing exercises for complete physical and spiritual balance"
Shelf, Angela "The Ethnic Vegetarian"
Snyder C.N., Kimberly "The Beauty Detox Foods" (Kindle)
Straten, Michael van "The Omega 3 Cookbook"
Sussman, Vic "The Vegetarian Alternative: A Guide to a Healthful and Humane Diet"
COMEDY/COMEDIANS
DeGeneres, Ellen "The Funny Thing Is"
Goldberg, Whoopi "Is it just me? Or is it nuts out there?" (Chicago Tribune review) and "Is It Just Me? Or Is It Nuts Out There?"
Halpern, Justin "Sh*t My Dad Says"
Halpern, Justin "I Suck at Girls"
Hart, Kevin "I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons"
Harvey, Steve "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment"
Kaling, Mindy "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)"
Kaling, Mindy "Why Not Me?"
Lopez, George "Why You Crying? My Long, Hard Look at Life, Love and Laughter"
McGruder, Aaron "A Right to Be Hostile: The Boondocks Treasury"
McGruder, Aaron "Public Enemy 2: An All New Boondocks Collection"
Murphy, Charlie "The Making of a Stand-Up Guy"
Wolf, Josh "It Takes Balls: Dating Single Moms and Other Confessions"
Youssef, Bassem "Revolution for Dummies: Laughing Through the Arab Spring"
Goldberg, Whoopi "Is it just me? Or is it nuts out there?" (Chicago Tribune review) and "Is It Just Me? Or Is It Nuts Out There?"
Halpern, Justin "Sh*t My Dad Says"
Halpern, Justin "I Suck at Girls"
Hart, Kevin "I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons"
Harvey, Steve "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment"
Kaling, Mindy "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)"
Kaling, Mindy "Why Not Me?"
Lopez, George "Why You Crying? My Long, Hard Look at Life, Love and Laughter"
McGruder, Aaron "A Right to Be Hostile: The Boondocks Treasury"
McGruder, Aaron "Public Enemy 2: An All New Boondocks Collection"
Murphy, Charlie "The Making of a Stand-Up Guy"
Wolf, Josh "It Takes Balls: Dating Single Moms and Other Confessions"
Youssef, Bassem "Revolution for Dummies: Laughing Through the Arab Spring"