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

The Complete Quincy Jones by Quincy Jones
Insight Editions, $45
There's a foreword by Clint Eastwood, an introduction by Bono and a preface by Maya Angelou. There is major star power here even before you even get into Quincy Jones' story, which is part photo history, part music history and part colorful life led by perhaps the greatest producer of our generation -- Mr. Quincy Jones.

Insight Editions

The Black List (Nonfiction) by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and Elvis Mitchell
Simon & Schuster, $29.95
Slash from Guns & Roses is black? It's details such as these that you'll find here as he talks about growing up "different" and how he got into rock and roll. The Black List is one of a series and features prominent black people from Slash to Serena Williams, from Chris Rock to Susan Rice, the newly appointed head ambassador of the United Nations. This book will make a wonderful holiday gift and would be a nice coffee table addition.

Simon & Schuster

The Shack (Fiction) by William P. Young
Windblown Media, $14.99
The Shack is back on our list. While it's fiction, the authors certainly seem to have a real grasp of the nature and character of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. As we head into this holiday season, it's nice to explore the spiritual side of the holiday. (And don't be surprised to find out that God is actually a black woman!)

Windblown Media

Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice (Nonfiction) by Dennis Kimbro
Fawcett Crest, $6.99
Dennis Kimbro takes the Napoleon Hill classic, which I believe is the foundation for any plan for wealth and success, and spins it for the black community. Using a blend of anecdotes from successful blacks along with some common sense tools and solid business advice, this book will help you stay out of trouble during these tough times.

Fawcett Crest

The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook (Nonfiction) by Devin Alexander and Melissa Roberson
Rodale Press, $21.95
As a huge fan of the TV show, it's great to get some insight into how they do it -- with actual meal plans and recipes to keep the entire family healthy. Obesity is not an inherited disease, it's more a learned behavior. This is a chance to break the cycle. And you can do it all on a budget!

Rodale Press

The Boy in The Striped Pajamas (Children's Fiction) by John Boyne
Random House, $8.99
This is listed as a children's book and it is written to capture a young mind, but the message of right and wrong and friendship against the odds is one that many adults would enjoy as well. The backdrop is the Holocaust.

Random House

The Secret Lives of Bees (Fiction) by Sue Monk Kidd
Penguin, $15
This book is better than the movie. It's the story of one little girl and her struggle to find herself and love amid a very cruel beginning. It is also the story of a successful family of black women and how their love of one another and bees can overcome all. The black Madonna has a starring role in this book, as well.

Penguin Books

Jesus (Fiction) by Deepak Chopra
Harper Collins, $24.99
Elizabeth Hasselback of 'The View' had to apologize for making some disparaging comments about Chopra a couple of weeks ago. She joked about his new-age take on the world. But what's wrong with a little bit of optimism and self-help? He tackled Buddha, now Chopra takes a fictional look at the man who sparked Christianity. Jesus is the reason for the season.

Harper Collins

The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Fiction) by JK Rowling
Scholastic, $12.99
If you've read all seven of the Harry Potter books (as I have), why stop now? The book was mentioned in 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' and Rowling decided to bring it to real life. She is the highest-grossing author of all time for a reason: She can tell a great story. And this one will not disappoint. Besides, Rowling is offering it at a reduced price, which will make it a great stocking stuffer.

Scholastic

The Art of Strategy (Nonfiction) by Avinash Dixit and Barry Nalebuff, W.W. Norton, $27.95
How you think through a problem will determine your results. This book will help you think better by looking at strategies used in several arenas -- from game-playing to pop culture. The goal: To win. The person with the best strategy and plan will usually be the victor. This book will help you build your plan, which is necessary now more than ever!

W.W. Norton

Sikulu and Harambe by the Zambezi River (Children's Fiction) by Kunle Oguneye, Blue Brush Media, 14.99
This is the African version of the story of the Good Samaritan from the bible. This book with take your little one into another world and give him or her a valuable lesson about doing good deeds. It's also wonderfully illustrated with vibrant pictures of the Motherland.

Blue Brush Media

The Butt Book (Nonfiction) by Tosca Reno
Robert Kennedy Publishing, $12.95
Okay, so most of us don't need tips on how to build a bigger butt because most of us "got back." Howeversome of us may need to look at reducing the fat and cellulite on our ample behinds. Why not go into the new year fitter? This book gives you nine weeks to work on it -- and it will probably help get rid of the fat from other areas of your body, too!

Robert Kennedy Publishing

The Reader (Fiction) by Bernhard Schlick
Knopf, $13.95
A teenage boy, who has a love affair with a woman twice his age, later finds out that she may have been a horrific war criminal. It begs the question: Is evil absolute? Is there ever a reason for doing something really horrible, and can there ever be redemption for such a person? The movie based on this book starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes comes out on Dec. 10

Knopf

Hot, Flat, And Crowded (Nonfiction) by Thomas Friedman
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $27.95
Reality check! America is no longer the world leader in everything. We are competing in an overpopulated world. And there really is global warming. So how does that affect you? In this run-away bestseller, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Friedman does his homework in giving us the problems we face as a society and gives us some insight in the things we need to do to survive and compete.

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Michelle: A Biography (Nonfiction) by Liz Mundy
Simon & Schuster, $25.00
Behind every great man...well, you know the cliché. She's been interviewed on '60 Minutes,' been on 'Good Morning America' and by Barbara Walters over the last two weeks, now it's time to get a real inside look (through the eyes of a reporter who was on the campaign trail) into the woman who will be this country's first African-American first lady -- Michelle Obama.

Simon & Schuster

Outliers: The Story of Success (Nonfiction) by Malcolm Gladwell
Little, Brown & Co., $27.99
This man with Jamaican roots burst through with 'The Tipping Point' and followed that with another bestseller, 'Blink.' In his latest book, Malcolm Gladwell attempts to quantify and explain why some people are successful. The reason might just be genetic, or possibly cultural and environmental. He debunks the myth that good, old-fashioned hard work is enough to win. Read this and find out if you might have the stuff of an outlier.

Little, Brown & Co

The Purpose of Christmas (Nonfiction) by Rick Warren
Simon & Schuster, $17.99
He urged us all to live a 'Purpose Driven Life' and, as we head into the Christmas season, this is a great book to explain the true reason for the season!

Simon & Schuster

A Mercy (Fiction) by Toni Morrison
Knopf, $23.95
We must pay homage to our great authors, because there are so few of them. So Ms. Morrison stays on the list. (Check out her video). In these historic times, 'A Mercy' brings America's history into plain view for all to examine. Perhaps it can help us all come together and realize how much we all have in common.

Knopf

You: Being Beautiful by Dr. Michael Roizen and Dr. Mehmet Oz
Simon & Schuster, 26.99
Beauty is only skin-deep? Maybe. It's also what you eat, how much sleep you get and how well you live. Oprah's guys have helped you lose weight with 'You On A Diet,' now you can get the tools you need to be really beautiful.

Simon & Schuster

The 4-Hour Workweek (Nonfiction) by Timothy Ferris
Random House, $19.95
Recession, people losing their jobs....Now is the perfect time to reevaluate what you want to do with your life. This book gives you another option -- to create your own success and change the way you see success. It starts with focusing on the things that bring you joy and going for them. You too might end up working less, making more money and having a whole lot more fun!

Random House

Yes We Can (Children's Nonfiction) by Garen Thomas
Feiwel & Friends, $6.99
Black Voices has featured several children's books on President-elect Barack Obama. Leading up to the inauguration, here is another bestseller to add to your child's library. This is not a picture book -- it's a real biography for kids that is a mix of history, rich anecdotes and quotes from Obama, as well as political and newsworthy discussion.

Feiwel & Friends

A Mercy (Fiction) by Toni Morrison
Knopf, $23.95
I had to read 'Beloved,' Morrison's tour de force (and winner of the Pulitzer Prize) , three times (yes, three times!) to get the mastery and genius of that book. 'A Mercy,' her first book since 'Beloved' to deal with the issue of slavery, is not so steeped in allegory and mystery, but the story is compelling all the same.

Knopf

Recipes for the Good Life (Nonfiction) by Patti Labelle
Simon & Schuster/Foundary/KHP, $25.00
It's Thanksgiving week. And even for those of us who can do their thing in the kitchen, we could all use a little extra help. Patti Labelle delivers with this cookbook again! The recipes are sassy, just like the author. And there are quite a few twists to some old favorites, like the macaroni and cheese. Full disclosure: this fabulous book is published by me.

Simon & Schuster

The Hemingses of Monticello (Nonfiction-History) by Annette Gordon-Reed
W.W. Norton & Co., $35.00
For those who don't understand the lasting effects of slavery, this is a look into the life of one of our founding fathers and the "family" he produced with his slave, Sally Hemings. Gordon-Reed is the 2008 winner of the prestigious National Book Prize and her work is an eye-opener. For those who do know their history, this book is a must-have in your library. According to Volataire, "History is nothing more than a tableau of crimes and misfortunes."

W.W. Norton & Co.

Dying for Revenge (Fiction) by Eric Jerome Dickey
Dutton, $25.95
From the opening page, Dickey grabs your attention in this tale of a hitman named Gideon. This is a follow up to Dickey's best sellers 'Sleeping with Strangers' and 'Waking with Enemies.' Get your seatbelt ready for this ride!

Dutton

Trouble in My Way (Fiction, Young Adult) by Michelle Stimpson
Pocket Books, $9.95 (paperback)
This is the story of Karis and what happens when her mother stumbles upon her diary and starts to read it! This is any young girl's worse nightmare. The way Karis handles this and growing up in general, is very well done by this author. This book would make a great gift for a young girl.

Pocket Books

Big Words for Little People (Children's) by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell
Harper Collins, $16.99
Words are powerful. Words hold the keys to unlock success. Those who can master words, can master their own world. So start your children off early knowing, understanding and embracing the power of words. We know Jamie Lee Curtis as an actress but she has made quite a career detour in this genre with aplomb!

Harper Collins

The American Journey of Barack Obama (Nonfiction/History), foreword by Edward M. Kennedy
Little, Brown, $24.99
For those collecting Obama memorabilia and slices of this historic time, this book should be a part of the package. Produced by the editors of Life magazine -- which many of us remember growing up as one of the best magazines to chronicle history and well, life, this book is beautifully done.

Time Life Books