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These are our view of the best sellers -- or at least the books we feel should be. Each week on Tuesday BV will release what we feel are the hottest black books of the week. The list is compiled by our staff of experts who have read just about everything out there (not just "black books" either) and came up with this list.
Check out the list, and let us know what you think of our choices.
BV Books Hot Picks - 11.11.08
Make It Plain: Standing Up And Speaking Out (Nonfiction) by Vernon Jordan
Public Affairs, $24.95
Barack Obama may not have made it to where he is in today without men and women like MLK, Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, Medgar Evers and Vernon Jordan. They paved the way. Jordan, as president and CEO of the Urban League, executive director of the United Negro College Fund, and a major player in Washington, DC politics, has a special vantage point on the rise and success of blacks in this nation. His book gives some valuable insight.
Public Affairs
Jurassic Park (Fiction) by Michael Crichton
Ballantine, $7.99
We all may have seen the movie, but the book is a masterpiece. It's one in a long line of fanciful thrillers from a man who was a doctor by trade, but a classic storyteller in his soul. Michael Crichton died suddenly last week, losing a battle with cancer, but through his books -- like this one, 'Andromeda Strain,' 'Rising Sun,' 'Lost World,' 'Congo,' 'State of Fear,' et. al -- he remains very much alive.
Ballantine
Midnight (Fiction) by Sister Souljah
Atria, $26.95
This is not, I repeat not a sequel or prequel to 'The Coldest Winter Ever' -- at least not in the traditional picking-up-where-we-left-off kind of way. In fact, if you're looking for a book that's even similar, you might be disappointed. But if you have a son or a nephew or a young brother, I urge you to get this book for him as a gift. The main character, Midnight, is an example of what a young man should be -- having a profound love of his mother, respect for the women around him, and respect for self. Now he's not without flaws and drama, but this novel was a refreshing surprise from the "gangster love-story" tag that it bears. Warning: It's 500-plus pages.
Atria
Get Real, Get Rich (Nonfiction) by Farrah Gray
Penguin/Dutton, $24.95
This book should have sold millions of copies. The author comes from the ghettos on the South Side of Chicago to earn his first million by age fourteen and was the youngest person to have an office on Wall Street. He's only in his twenties, but Farrah Gray gives advice that can benefit us all. His message: You can do anything you put your mind to doing. And he gives some practical steps to getting rich, too.
Penguin/Dutton
The Way I Am (Nonfiction) by Eminem
Dutton, $40
He hasn't been rapping much, but Eminem hasn't gone anywhere. He's always been profound and never afraid to let it all hang out. And he keeps true to himself in this book in which he talks openly and honestly about his life-from his abusive upbringing to his volatile relationship with Kim. It's raw. It's gritty. It's Eminem. And for fans that can't get enough of this rapper, there are 250 photos in this book (and his mother will release her own memoir next month).
Dutton
Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Plum Fantastic by Whoopi Goldberg
Hyperion, $4.99
We always have to have a book for the kids. And this one is not just reasonably priced, it's wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated. Whoopi Goldberg isn't known for children's books, but she delivers in this genre with aplomb (pun intended).
Hyperion
The Black Rose (Fiction) by Tananarive Due
One World/Ballantine, $16
Since we're celebrating "firsts," let's give homage to America's first black millionaire as well as the first self-made female millionaire in the U.S., Madame CJ Walker. This is fiction based on history and Due does a wonderful job painting the picture of this colorful woman's life-using transcripts, letters and other factual documents. This is a hard book to find, but it's well worth the search.
One World/Ballantine
Comments: (11)
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By: TABER TERTIUS THOMAS on 11/14/2008 8:21AM
Vernon Jordan's success is an inspiration.He came from projects in Atlanta and overcame things that kill a lot of black men in America.I am also an Atlanta man who is very similar to Mr.Jordan I too am a writer and have a will to want to help my people.Me and Mr. Jordan probably have a lot of the same ways,because he is a blood relative.I am working to get in touch with Mr. Jordan to improve my family structure.If anyone can help me with this please contact me at m.minded@HOTMAIL.COM thank you.
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By: Oh come on on 11/14/2008 9:17AM
Seriously, who's legs are those underneath Pepa? It looks like they photoshopped her top onto an ostrich bottom. Horrible.
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By: E. Chea on 11/14/2008 10:34AM
Barack Obama doesn't need to be reminded that he stands on the shoulders of many who have gone before and even those who are still among us. He knows this already, and he has been very apprecitive throughout. Listen to his speeches. Watch his composure. What more tdoes he need to do to be accepted by Black America?
Black leaders have missed the boat. Jesse Jackson, of course, is one. Andrew young, even the Jordan, himself. People like Jordan missed the boat when they failed to accept Obama's decision to run. News is circulating now that he Jordan told Obama that because his father was an African, and his mother white, he would not listen to him. It's said that he Jordan told Obama that his name sounded funny, and that he was not a true African-American because he did not go through the same struggle blacks born in America went through. Crab mentality, that's what I call it. Jealousy. Just total B...S!
With Andrew Young, he said Barack was young. Barack was inexperience. Barack did not have the black expereince, and that Bill Clinton had more black girls than Barack. Nonesense!!!
Jesse Jackson. What a mess!!! I mean, I thank him for opening the doors. He has been a fighter, and I am grateful for how far he has brought Black America, but he smeared his own reputation by the kinds of things he has said and done. Now, to see him crying those "crocodile tears" on Tuesday, November 4 was a disgrace!
Congressman John Lewis, congratualtions for believing. You are a true follower of Martin Luther King, Jr. I don't care what anyone says now, I am convinced that the dream of the dreamer is fulfilled. Of course, much is still be done. I am not oblivion to this fact. The struggle is not over yet, but there has been great strides.
Martin Lutehr King, sleep upright in your grave, dear one. You wish has been realized. In America today, little black boys and little white girls can now hold hands...of course racism still thrives, but much has been achieved. Thank you, King, Jr.
Peace
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By: John Lindsay on 11/14/2008 1:45PM
TTT: Me and Mr. Jordan probably have a lot of the same ways,because he is a blood relative.
JL: I've seen children grow up in the same family, but are very different.
Being a blood relative does not predispose one to acting in similar way.
Social influences of a family can mold behavior...not blood.
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By: Barbara Smith on 11/14/2008 1:44PM
Where is Tavis Smiley? Don't leave him out of the " I can't support Obama because I think I will be a MORE powerful black if I hitch my wagon to the white man that is suppose to win CLUB." These are the people who played the "game" wrong, who let themselves be convinced that their controversial media skirmishes were a sign that they were thought of as having EQUAL political power. They didn't realize that that strategy was intended to work against them. Obama's genius was in running his campaign in a way that showed he HAD LEARNED ( in the same way that Martin Luther King, Jr. did ) how to do better what successful change agents do. We attacked him because he didn't loose focus of the prize by getting into the tit-for-tat personal stuff and not being "black" enough. He seems to be the ONLY one who remembered what the mission of those before him was, who used their lessons to guide him. Don't you remember that King didn't WANT to be the face of change when first asked? That he was asked because he was most presentable as a rallying force? That they put together a group to mentor him on the HOW TO? We too often give him credit for originating and organizing things that he did not. Example - The March On Washington involved A. Phillip Randolph, using the strategy he used to organize the Pullman Car porters. King, like Obama, was genius in learing HOW TO from those before him, from those who knew how to beat the status quo at its own game. Where has Vernon Jordan been all of these years since King? FEW of the self appointed leaders, based on their proximity to King, have done much for anyone since King, except cloister themselves with a small group of followers who still think they are important men. So, now they cry because they missed their chance to be at the side of the man who followed King's dream to the other side of the mountain and are pulling out the stops to get back into the picture by "reminding" us of how much Obama owes them. The ones owed are dead and if the living leaders need to remind us, what does that say about what we owe them?
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By: bill on 11/14/2008 7:20PM
Vernon Jordan is a member of the Council On Foreign Relations, a member of Signa Phi Pi(Boule) attends Bilderberg group meetings in short he is a danger to blacl people in general.
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By: E. Chea on 11/14/2008 9:50PM
Well, Ms. Smith, Tavis Smiley is just another fool. He is insignificant, though he may think he means something to black America. He says he's black...his wife is white. How dare him to criticize Barack. Barack's wife is black to the core! What is Tavis talking about? I have not read his book. Never intend to do so, anyway.
Thank you, dear, for sharing my view on Jordan. That man is a loser...he thinks he is the Clintons' only friend. He has been used by them, and he's been too blinded to know this. Now he writes a book to say what?
Oh, there is Magic Johnson, too, who did not support Barack. He supported Clinton. the is another...bob Johnson who was a Clinton supporter. These people did not put their money where their mouths are. they are shameless!
I thank Senator Tom Daschle, a white man, who beleived in Barack. I thank the state of Iowa who surprised America by voting Barack. It's a God-damn shame that white people beleived in Barack while his own people continued all kinds of bickering about his true identity...whether he was white or black...he's not black enough. I have not come across one black person here in America who is as black as a charcoal. Black people hate themselves. They want to be light-skinned. They waqnt to have white women or light-skinned women. So, Barack is not black enough. What nonsense.
Barack has made them all so ashamed!!!!
Barack is an African already. His father came from Kenya, and Kenyas have always been warriors. Kenyas fought white oppression in their country and won. Read Jomo Kenyatta's story. Kenyatta was the first president of Kenya. His Kikiyu tribe fought European oppressors and defeated them.
I hope Barack's rise to the presidency would teach short-minded blacks a lesson. You never give up because someone wants you to give up.
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By: Thelma S. Williams tasw025@aol.com on 11/15/2008 1:40AM
Let us not fight among ourselves There are many we can name. Offer
suggestions. He is smart, and wise. Pray support, be patient. He seems to be a chosen one.
v
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By: Jamar Ambrose on 11/15/2008 3:16AM
People are the same as when Jesus walk on earth; They chose the the thief...but it was already God's plan. Lets pray that our eyes are opened to God's plan to obey and submit....to who is in control of our destiny which in God's glory is already ancient history. (psalms:139)
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By: trisha on 11/15/2008 2:50AM
YOU KNOW WE NEED TO STOP THIS DISPUTEING AMONG OUR SELFS SO WHAT IF HE IS NOT ALL BLACK IF IT LOOK LIKE A DUCK ACT LIKE A DUCK SMALL AND WALK LIKE A DUCK THEN IT IS A DUCK WHITE PEOPLE SAID IF THERE IS ONE DROP OF BLACK BLOOD IN YOU THEN IN THERE WHITE BOOK YOU ARE BLACK AND I MY SELF SAY IF IT LOOK BLACK ITS BLACK IF IT LOOKS WHITE THEN IT IS WHITE IF IT LOOK YELLOW THEN IT IS YELLOW OR RED OR BROWN.STOP DO ANY OF US KNOW WHERE WE CAME FROM AND WHAT HAVE BEEN MIXED IN YOUR BLOOD FROM SLAVERY WHEN THE WHITE MASTER WAS RAPEING THE SLAVES LOOK UP SALLY WHO WAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE WITH ALL THOSE MIXED CHILDREN.RACIST OPPRESSION IS CARRIED OUT DIRECTLY THROUGH ECONOMIC AND TECHNOCRATIC MEANS RACISM INVOLVES THE DEPLOYMENT OF VIOLENCE AMONG OURSELFS AFTER BEING PUT INTO DEHUMANIZATION.WE DO NOT HAVE TO QUESTION WHO IS IN YOUR BLOOD LINE OR NOT. WE ARE NOT THAT CULTURE CONFUSED. OUR VALUES ARE IN THE WRONG PLACE WITH THIS ELECTION.DO NOT MAKE THIS ABOUT IF HE BLACK ENOUGH.IT SHOULD BE ENOUGH THAT HE HAVE TO FIGHT TO BE BLACK AND THEN FIGHT THE WHITE MEN FOR THE RIGHTS OF BLACK PEOPLE TO HAVE RIGHTS YOU EITHER WITH HIM OR AGAINST HIM WE CAN NOT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS BY DISCHARGEING THIS SKIN COLOR UPON EACH OTHER BLACK PEOPLE BLED OFF AGGRESSION THAT COULD OTHER WISE BE CULTURE AT LARGE WITH SELF HATRED WHICH IN TURN CAN ONLY BE DISCHARGED AMONG THE BLACK RACE AND SO THE CYCLE HAS BEEN PERPETUATED.THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT WIN THIS DISPUTE IS THE ONE THAT PUT IT IN OUR MINDS TO QUESTION WHO WE ARE. NOW THROW IT BACK AND AS THE ENEMY WHO ARE THEY TO MAKE US QUESTION WHO WE ARE WAKE UP STOP ENTERTAINING THE CROWD.
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