The best of 2002 - books by black writers - Bibliography

Black Issues Book Review, Nov-Dec, 2002

This year has been a banner one for black writers and the market for black books. Already, we've seen major launches for a number of books by black writers including established authors like Maya Angelou, perennial best-seller E. Lynn Harris and fiction newcomer Stephen L. Carter. At Black Issues Book Review, we decide to look back and recap the year in black literature by coming up with our own subjective list of favorites. The only criteria for the books selected: that they be 2002 releases.

Best New Author

Donna Hemans--River Woman

Tayari Jones--Leaving Atlanta

Toure--The Portable Promised Land

Best Marketing Campaigns

The Emperor of Ocean Park With the largest marketing budget for a first-time, African-American novelist, a 25-city tour and a plug from John Grisham, who selected Carter's book as the first Today's show "Book Club" selection, the book earned a place on the best-seller list and plenty of media attention. (Knopf)

Who Killed Tiffany Jones?--A novel approach to promoting this murder mystery, the publisher is offering a $10,000 prize to the person who figures out whodunit. (Amistad/Harper Collins)

3 Black Chicks Review Flicks Packages of microwave popcorn were sent out with review copies of the new book. No butter please. (A mistad/HarperCollins)

A Love of My Own--Bling-Bling's Sexiest Brothaman Alive Datebook (Doubleday)

Best Grassroots Promotion

Leslie Esdaile for Rivers of the Soul--Her bookmarks, CDs, incense and gift baskets sent to reviewers were clever and unique promotional giveaways.

Best Fiction

The Queen of Harlem by Brian Keith Jackson

P.G. County by Connie Briscoe

Always True to You in My Fashion by Valerie Wilson Wesley

Best Literary Fiction

Miracle at St. Anna by James McBride

The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter

Mr. Potter by Jamaica Kincaid

Most Eagerly Awaited Character's Return

Easy Rawlins in Bad Boy Brawly Brown by Walter Mosley Raymond Tyler/ Basil Henderson in A Love of My Own by E. Lynn Harris

Best Historical Fiction

The Bondwoman's Narrative by Hannah Crafts; edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Walk Through Darkness by David Anthony Durham

Douglass' Women by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Best Mystery/Thriller

Bad Boy Brawly Brown by Walter Mosley

Prayer of Prey by Tony Lindsay

Best Inspirational Book

Journey to the Well by Bishop Vashti M. McKenzie

Best Cover

The Portable Promised Land by Toure

Best Nonfiction

Nigger: The Strange Career of A Troublesome Word by Randall Kennedy

Yet A Stranger: Why Black Americans Still Don't Feel at Home by Deborah Mathis

The Condemnation of Little B by Elaine Brown

Ethical Ambitions by Derrick Bell

Keeping the Faith by Tavis Smiley

When Race Becomes Real edited by Bernestine Singley

Best Self-Published Book

Twilight Moods edited by Jossel Flowers Green

Best Art/Coffee Table Books

The Black Female Body: A Photographic History by Deborah Willis and Carla Williams

Authentic/Ex-Centric: Conceptualism in Contemporary African Art by Salah M. Hassan and Olu Oguibe

Black Romantic: The Figurative Impulse in Contemporary African-American Art by Thelma Golden with Valerie Cassel, Lowery Stokes Sims, et al.

Freedom: A Photographic History of the African Struggle text by Manning Marable and Leith Mullings; pictures edited by Sophie Spencer-Wood

Best Anthology

Making Callaloo: 25 Years of Black Literature edited by Charles Henry Rowell

Best Romance Novels

Testimony by Felicia Mason

Love Potion by Leslie Esdaile

Doctor, Doctor by Carmen Green

Best Romance Writers Turned Mainstream

Donna Hill

Francis Ray

Felicia Mason

Best Erotic Collection After Hours edited by Robert Fleming

Black Silk edited by Retha Powers

Best Short Story Collection

Skin Folk by Nalo Hopkinson

The Portable Promised Land by Toure

Free by Anikah Nailah

Best Audio

Cane River by Lalita Tademy, performed by Shari Belafonte, Edwina Moore, J. Payton

Finding Fish: A Memoir by Antwone Quenton Fisher, read by Alton Fitzgerald White

A Song Flung Up to Heaven by Maya Angelou, read by t he author

Sally Hemings: An American Scandal by Tina Andrews, read by the author

Best Poetry Books

Bellocq's Ophelia by Natasha Trethewey

The Revenge of the Dandelions by OLU Woods

Most Provocative Title

Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word by Randall Kennedy

Books With Staying Power

Addicted by Zane (self-published in 1999)

The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah (published in 1999)

Best New Bookstores

Karibu in Bowie, MD

Hue-Man in Harlem, NYC

Best Books for Book Club Discussion

This Bitter Earth by Bernice Mc Fadden

Leaving by Richard Dry

A Child of God by Lolita Files

Book Club Favorites

No Regrets by Patricia Haley

Child of God by Lolita Files

Married Men by Carl Weber

The Red Moon by Kuwana Haulsey

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow by Francis Ray

What We'll Miss From 2002

Oprah's Book Club

Claude Brown (1937-2002)

June Jordan (1936-2002)

Phillipe Wamba (1971-2002)

BIBR Recommended Fiction 2002

Satisfy My Soul by Colin Channer