New books by Black authors, Fall 1996

Black Collegian, Oct 1996 by Nelson, Corinne O

Can Omar Tyree, the young, fresh novelist of Flyy-Girl aspire to the kind of multimillion copy sales Terry McMillan enjoyed with Waiting to Exhale? Publishers seem to think so, or at least they hope so. As always, there is a flourish of activity surrounding seasonal announcements of new book titles, and this fall a new trend is developing. Mainstream publishers are attempting to get a corner on the market of the Black reading public. Within the Black community, we know that we've always read and read widely. It is interesting, however, to see the diversity of authors that are suddenly appearing to join the more familiar Toni Morrisons, Alice Walkers, and Henry Louis Gates, Jr., to name a few. Whether we read Terry McMillan's work or not, it is a fact that she helped open doors for aspiring Black women writers. As such, there is now a widespread passion not only for publishing fiction written by Black women, but also for documenting the lives of contemporary Black women writers. Black male writers also benefit, and there is certainly room for more, as we make our career choices.

In deciding what titles to include in this listing of forthcoming titles, and refreshingingly there were more than we had space for, I found, generally, that topics reflected the state of mind of our community from ordained ministers, musicians, presidential aspirants, and sports personalities. Contemporary affairs and even general fiction address the concerns with the racial divide, the violence, the quality of education, and the civic responsibility of African Americans. The life stories continue to inspire, and there is renewed interest in the Civil Rights era. We can celebrate the achievements of our people through a number of art and photography titles. Here are titles for any bookshelf:

Art & Photography

African Architecture: Evolution and Transformation. Elleh, Nnamdi. McGraw Hill. Sept. 400p. ISBN 0-07-021506-5. $75.

From Egypt to Ethiopia, Botswana to Burundi, this book presents quite a definitive study of African architecture from the ancient to the modern.

IN/SIGHT: African Photographers 1940 to the Present. Enwezor, Okwui, Octavio Zaya, et al. Abrams. 1996. 256p. ISBN 0-8109-6895-9. $49.50. Published for an exhibition which opened in June at the Guggenheim Museum, New York.

Africa, The Art of a Continent: 100 Works of Power and Beauty. Gates, Jr., Henry Louis, Kwame Anthony Appiah, et al. Preface by Cornel West. Abrams. 160p. ISBN 0-8109-6894-0. $39.95. Gates explores the reception of African art in the West and Appiah art as aesthetics.

The Civil Rights Movement: A Photographic History, 1954-68. Kasher, Steven. Foreword by Myrlie Evers Williams. Abbeville Press. Sept. 256p. ISBN 0-7892-0123-2. $35. A photoessay that records, promotes, and protects the story of the civil rights movement. Black in America. Reed, Eli. W.W. Norton. Oct. 160p. ISBN 0-393-03995. $29.95. Reed, a noted photographer, portrays the Black experience in America.

Body and Soul. Staggers, Rundu. Crown. Sept. 80o. ISBN 0-517-70354-8. $35. Coffee table book that is a celebration of the erotic affection among African Americans through photographs. Biographies and Memoirs Absence in the Palms of My Hands. bandele, asha. Nov. 128p. ISBN 0-8631 013-1. $12.

With a deep look at her losses, acquisitions, and changes, bandele charts her journey through urban life in America as a young woman. No Free Ride: From the Mean Streets to the Main Stream. Mfume, Kweisi with Ron Stodghill II. One World/Ballantine. July. 320p. ISBN 345-39220-5. $25.

Mfume, one of the most revered AfricanAmerican congressmen, is also the newly appointed president of the N.A.A.C.P. His story of rising from a life of poverty and crime to influential political leadership is classic.

Powerful Black Women. Carney Smith, Jessie. Visible Ink. Aug. 420p. ISBN 0-7876-0882-3. $18.95. Carney Smith presents 71 compelling stories of achievement in the face of adversity through biographical profiles.

Alvin Ailey: A Life In Dance. Dunning, Jennifer. Addison Wesley. Oct. 480p. ISBN 0-201-62-607-1. $30. New York Times dance critic Dunning examines the life of the dance legend who grew up poor in Rogers, Texas, yet created the powerful Alvin Ailey Dance Company.

Joycelyn Elders, MD: From Sharecropper's Daughter to Surgeon General of the United States. Elders, Dr. Joycelyn and David Chanoff. Morrow. Oct. 320p. ISBN 0-688-14722-4. $25.95. Inspiring role model for all, Elders speaks of her life and her controversial resignation from her high-profile job.

Still Life in Harlem. Harris, Eddy L. Henry Holt. Nov. 224p. ISBN 0-8050 4851-0. $20. This is a memoir of Harlem and the people who live there; the magic of what it once was, and what it has become, all from a man who is torn over its abandonment.

Holyfield: The Humble Warrior, The Amazing Story of the Two-Time Heavyweight Champion of the World. Holyfield, Evander and Bernard Thomas. Nelson Publishers. Oct. 256p. ISBN 0- 7852-7693-9. $23.99. Tells the story of the Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time heavy-weight champion of the world.