The 10 Best Books of 2008

Midnight (Fiction)
Atria, $26.95
This book sparked a lot of debate, conversation and controversy. It's been ten years since Sister Souljah released her smash hit, The Coldest Winter Ever, where the character Midnight made his first appearance. Well, many fans were upset that this book wasn't a sequel. They were mad that Midnight didn't fall for a black girl. They were mad at the depiction of black women in this book. But books are supposed to challenge you and push the envelope and make you think. And with this one, Sister Souljah accomplished all of that.


Atria

Letter To My Daughter (Nonfiction) by Maya Angelou
Random House, $17.50
This is a book to the daughter she never, to the many daughters she has adopted over the years (like Oprah Winfrey), to the daughters (friends) she has lost (like Coretta Scott King) and to the millions of daughters she has never met (you and me). This is Maya Angelou's journey to daughter-hood and a message to make our own journey through womanhood just a little bit easier.


Random House

The Black Male Handbook (Nonfiction) edited by Kevin Powell
Simon & Schuster, $15.00
If you have sons, brothers, nephews or if you know of any young, black male in need of guidance and reassurance, this is a book you must give him. Unlike many books of its kind, which report all of the negative statistics in an effort to scare folks into change, this book provides uplifting and very real anecdotes from men who have overcome. It also provides some solid solutions and answers to many questions like: What kind of music should I listen to? And: What kinds of books should I be reading?


Simon & Schuster

The Little Book of Bull Moves (Nonfiction) in a Bear Market by Peter Schiff
Wiley, $19.95
After you make sure Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich is in your library, you then have to get this book. It is a reality check about where we are financially in this country. This author predicted years ago that we would be experiencing our current economic collapse and his predictions for the future should not be ignored. He provides a blueprint for survival in the coming years. And according to him, it's going to get worse before it gets better.


Wiley

The Shack (Fiction) by William P. Young
Windblown Media, $8.00
After reading The Little Book of Bull Moves, you're going to need The Shack. Anyone on a journey to know God has to read this book. It is a unique look at the nature and character of God through the eyes of a man attempting to overcome a tragic experience. If you've wondered why bad things happen to good people, there are some answers in this book. It's a nice way to approach the New Year. The author was self published and sold a million books out of his garage. Word of mouth (and the Word of God) is powerful.


Windblown Media

Keep the Faith (Nonfiction) by Faith Evans
Grand Central Publishing, $24.99
The first lady of Bad Boy tells it all (well, tells most) in this book that reflects on her life with Christopher Wallace (the Notorious B.I.G.), their marriage, his death, her battles with drugs and her struggles to overcome it all while keeping the faith.


Grand Central Publishing

Sikulu and Harambe by the Zambezi River (Children's Fiction) by Kunle Oguneye
Blue Brush Media, 14.99
Where JK Rowling's The Tales of the Beedle Bard fell short, literally (five stories in a 107 pages and they're calling it a bargain? Pulease!), this book is a must-have in every black home. It is the African version of the story of the Good Samaritan. It has great illustrations and a wonderful, inspiring and empowering message.


Blue Brush Media

Recipes for the Good Life (Nonfiction) by Patti Labelle
Karen Hunter Publishing/Foundry Media Group, $25.00
Most of us will have a resolution to lose weight in 2009. But before we do, why not try out a few of Ms. Patti's favorites, like her fried porgie (her mother's recipe), her hot and spicy potato salad, her mean greens and black eyed peas and her smothered pork chops. She even has quite a few recipes for the health conscious, too. Bon appetite! (This is one of the prettiest books I've ever published).


Karen Hunter Publishing

Casanegra (Fiction) by Blair Underwood, Tananarive Due and Stephen Barnes
Atria, $14.00
Husband and wife writers, Due and Barnes team up with actor Underwood to spin a compelling tale of lust, sex, murder, drama and intrigue. The main character is a gigolo-turned-bodyguard, Tennyson Hardwick, who has to solve a murder mystery because his own life depends on it. In the Night of Heat came out this year too, and it continues with the same thrill as Casanegra.


Atria

The American Journey (Nonfiction) by Life Magazine Editors, Foreword by Edward Kennedy
Little, Brown & Company, $24.99
How often does a black man become president of the United States? This was the first time! And this is the book to have forever in your home library. From the folks who brought you Life Magazine, this book has the vibrant photos and the well-told stories of Barack Obama's rise and journey to the White House.





Little, Brown & Company