BOOKSHELF. - Review - book reviews

LANTERNS: A Memoir I of Mentors (Beacon Press, $20) chronicles the personal tale of how a Black girl, raised in segregated South Carolina at the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement, became a national leader by following the examples of a village of mentors, by Marian Wright Edelman. Inspired by everyday people such as the ladies of her church and famous freedom fighters such as Fannie Lou Hamer, Robert F. Kennedy and Ella Baker, the author learned to carry a sense of faith, purpose and commitment in her heart to help cure the plagues of racism, poverty and hunger. These lessons spurred Edelman to a career of achievement from her ground-breaking role as the first African-American woman admitted to the Mississippi state bar to helping Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. plan the Poor People's Campaign to her current work as the nation's advocate for children through her post as president of the Children's Defense Fund. Hers is an inspiring tale--full of anecdotes and revelations on perseverance and service--that shines a beacon of encouragement for all.

Code of the Street: decency, violence, and the moral life of the inner city (W.W. Norton & Company, $25.95) is a poignant examination of life in the inner city, by Elijah Anderson. Using poor, urban areas of Philadelphia as his backdrop, the author explores the street code--language, dress, power structures and etiquette--embraced by young Blacks who live in distressed areas where the promise of opportunity, hope and safety come in short supply. Anderson introduces readers to a complex system where teens hoping to do better must switch between decent and street values to secure their survival, and having "heart" is the greatest shield to danger. But perhaps most important, the author takes readers away from the shadowy concept of inner-city residents and into the real world of flesh and blood people trapped in a life where street justice rules and respect means everything.

Kinship: A Family's Journey in Africa and America (Dutton, $24.95) is a coming-of-age tale of a young man on the cusp of two worlds--Africa and Black America, by Philippe Wamba. Much has been written about Black and White relations, but the author enters new ground with this powerful book as he explores the attitudes and perceptions of African-Americans and Africans toward each other. His dual heritage--Wamba is the son of a African-American mother and Congolese father--gives him a unique lens to view the stereotypes and myths that exist on both sides of the Diaspora. Through his engaging and beautifully written personal story, Wamba reveals the hidden divisions between both communities and offers new hope for healing.

The New York Public Library African American Desk Reference (John Wiley & Sons Inc., $34.95) is a comprehensive guide to historical and cultural information about African-American life, by the New York Public Library. Drawing from the well of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the book combines sought-after information, such as detailed lists of African-American organizations with contact numbers, with little-known tidbits in areas such as science, literature, business, politics, history and education. It's an important resource guide and primer on African-American history, full of pivotal people, moments and traditions of our community.

Grand Fathers: Reminiscences, Poems, Recipes, and Photos of the Keepers of Our Traditions (Henry Holt & Company, $18.95), a multicultural collection of writings, songs and photos about the influence of grandfathers in our lives, edited by Nikki Giovanni.

Forgive or Forget: Never Underestimate the Power of Forgiveness (HarperCollins, $22.95), a testimony on the power of forgiveness, by Mother Love with Tonya Bolden. In the two-part book, the author mixes personal life lessons and anecdotes from her TV show, Forgive or Forget, with concrete tips on seeking and receiving forgiveness.

Grandpa, Is Everything Black Bad? (Culture CO-OP, $18.65), a lyric tale of a boy who questions the value of his Black skin because the world associates the color with so much that is bad, by Sandy Lynne Holman and illustrated by Lela Kometiani. Pages of vivid illustrations and poetic lines take the boy and readers on an enduring journey, led by his grandfather, that affirm the beauty of being Black.

Homelands and Waterways: The American Journey of the Bond Family, 1846-1926 (Pantheon Books, $30), a multigenerational family history, by Adele Logan Alexander. The book explains how the dynamics of race, class and gender can create trials, but they can also spur triumphs as illustrated through the struggles and ultimate achievements of this successful clan.

Cup of Love (Simon & Schuster, $23), a novel, by Franklin White.

Welcoming Spirit Home: Ancient African Teachings to Celebrate Children and Community (New World Library, $16), a collection of spiritual lessons from an African village on raising children and celebrating home, by Sobonfu E. Some.

The Creativity of Jonathan Knight: A Visual Dialogue (International Graphics, $45), a collection of paintings, by Jonathan Knight.