Posted in Monthly Book Recommendations, On the Desk..., On The Radar

Dr. G’s Monthly Book Recommendations-September 2023

Fall is upon us and I can’t wait for the leaves to begin falling and changing colors! Getting you ready for the semi-warm days and cool nights! While the days will soon become shorter, there is still time to curl up on your couch, in the local cafe, or even on your balcony!

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This month I put together a little literary buffet of YA novels, historical fiction, cookbooks, and a few special nods to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month!!

Without further ado, check out this month’s book recommendations below:

  • Thieves’ Gambit ~Kayvion Lewis
  • Salsa Magic ~Letisha Marrero
  • For the Culture: Phenomenal Black Women and Femmes in Food: Interviews, Inspiration, and Recipes ~Klancy Miller
  • Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed ~Edited by Saraciea J. Fennell 
  • We Are All So Good At Smiling ~Amber McBride
  • The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store ~James McBride
  • Where the Rhythm Takes You ~ Sarah Dass
  • Let Us Descend ~Jesmyn Ward

Don’t forget to support your local bookstores and libraries!!

And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s list and past recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!

“Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.” -Toni Morrison (Song of Solomon)

Posted in #30DaysofBlackJoy Series, Celebration, Monthly Book Recommendations, Resources

#30DaysofBlackJoy…Day 20-Celebrating Literary Black Joy (Dr. G’s Monthly Book Recommendations-June Edition)!!

I am truly a sucker for a good book. Getting caught up in a good book definitely brings me much joy!! Books on top of Books, this is definitely something that you will not see a shortage of whether in my home or office. Black joy is not limited to one idea, much like reading diversely is not limited to one genre of interest.

Thus, today’s #BlackJoy moment is all about celebrating Black literary work that encompasses Pride, Juneteenth, and Summer Solstice! Along with my monthly book recommendation list, I am including books that exude and channel Black Joy!!

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Black Joy Book List

  • The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman’s Journey to Every Country in the World ~Jessica Nabongo
  • It’s Not All Downhill From Here ~Terry McMillan
  • Open Water ~Caleb Azumah Nelson
  • Who Will You Be? by Andrea Pippins
  • Friday I’m in Love ~Camryn Garrett
  • A Lowcountry Bride ~Preslaysa Williams
  • You So Black by Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D
  • A Garden of Black Joy: Global Poetry from the Edges of Liberation and Living ~Black Table Arts
  • Meals, Music and Muses: Recipes from My African American Kitchen ~Alexander Smalls

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Dr. G’s Monthly Book Recommendations-June Edition

  • Jubilee ~Margaret Walker
  • Power & Magic The Queer Witch Comics Anthology ~Edited by Joamette Gil
  • Black Queer Freedom : Spaces of Injury and Paths of Desire ~GerShun Avilez
  • Palmares by Gayl Jones
  • Light for the World to See: A Thousand Words on Race and Hope ~Kwame Alexander
  • Charming As a Verb ~Ben Philippe
  • The Brightest Day: A Juneteenth Historical Romance Anthology ~Kianna Alexander, Alyssa Cole, Lena Hart, & Piper Huguley
  • Beasts of Prey & Beasts of Ruin ~Ayana Gray

Happy Pride Month!! Happy Juneteenth!! and Happy Summer Solstice!!

By sharing these lists I hope they bring you much joy as you read them and please feel free to share these awesome literary treats/books by Black authors with your friends and family!!

And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s list and past recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!!

“Never be afraid to sit a while and think.” ~Lorraine Hansberry

Posted in Monthly Book Recommendations, On the Desk..., On The Radar

Dr. G’s Monthly Book Recommendations-April 2023

Closing out the month with a literary bang!! They say “April Showers bring May Flowers,” well I would like to think that these books are a version of those April Showers. As we prepare to jump into the Spring season why not add a few books to your personal shelves!!

Check out April’s List Below:

  • Homebodies ~Tembe Denton-Hurst
  • Summer on Sag Harbor ~Sunny Hostin
  • The Wreck: A Daughter’s Memoir of Becoming a Mother ~Cassandra Jackson
  • Blood Scion ~Deborah Falaye
  • Black Birds in the Sky ~Brandy Colbert
  • Love Radio ~Ebony LaDelle
  • The Haunting of Alejandra ~V. Castro
  • When We Were Sisters ~Fatimah Asghar

And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s list and past recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!!

“Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them!!” ~Madam C.J. Walker

Posted in A Professor's Thoughts..., Resources

“Black Futures Matter”- Afrofuturism 101 Reading & Movie List

So recently I have had many people ask what would I recommend as an introduction into Afrofuturism. This is something that I am always talking about, teaching, and or even consuming for myself, so why not have a list for beginners! And voila…I compiled various books, short stories, comic books, graphic novels, children and YA fiction, and movies that offer a unique look into Afrofuturism.

Books

  • Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture ~Ytasha Womack
  • Afrofuturism 2.0: The Rise of Astro-Blackness ~Edited by Reynaldo Anderson & Charles E. Jones
  • Beloved ~Toni Morrison
  • Kindred ~Octavia Butler
  • Wild Seed ~Octavia Butler
  • Brown Girl in the Ring ~Nalo Hopkinson
  • The Conductors ~Nicole Glover
  • How Long ‘Til Black Future Month? ~N.K. Jemisin
  • Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora ~Edited by Sheree Thomas
  • Dark Matter: Reading the Bones ~Edited by Sheree Thomas
  • Black No More: Being an Account of the Strange and Wonderful Working of Science in the Land of the Free ~George Schuyler
  • Lion’s Blood ~Steven Barnes
  • Zulu Heart ~Steven Barnes
  • Black Leopard, Red Wolf ~Marlon James
  • Minions: A Vampire Huntress Legend ~L.A. Banks
  • Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements ~Edited by Walidah Imarisha & adrienne maree brown 
  • Black Kirby: In Search of the MotherBoxx Connection ~John Jennings & Stacey Robinson 
  • Mothership Tales: Tales from Afrofuturism and Beyond ~Edited by Bill Campbell & Edward Austin Hall

Short Stories/Lecture

  • “The Princess Steel” & “The Comet” ~W.E.B. Du Bois
  • “Caramelle 1864” ~Jewelle Gomez
  • “I Left My Heart in Skaftafell” ~Victor LaValle
  • “Don’t Go There” ~Tracy Cross
  • “Ain’t I a Woman” ~Sojourner Truth

Comic Books/Graphic Novels

  • Matty’s Rocket and Infinitude: An Afrofuturist Tale ~Tim Fielder
  • Far Sector (DC Comics) ~N.K. Jemisin
  • Eve (Boom! Studios) ~Victor LaValle
  • Hardware, Blood Syndicate, Static (Milestone Media)
  • Livewire (Valiant Comics)
  • Ironheart (Marvel Comics)
  • Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Marvel Comics)

Children/YA Fiction

  • Bayou Magic ~Jewel Parker Rhodes
  • Malice in Ovenland ~Micheline Hess
  • Ikenga and Shuri: A Black Panther Novel ~Nnedi Okorafor
  • Raybearer ~Jordan Ifueko
  • Children of Blood and Bone and Children of Virtue and Vengeance ~Tomi Adeyemi
  • The Gilded Ones ~Namina Forna

Movies

  • Space is the Place (1974)
  • The Wiz (1978)
  • Black Panther (2018)
  • Hidden Figures (2016)
  • Get Out (2017)
  • Us (2019)
  • Antebellum (2020)
  • Sorry to Bother You (2018)
  • Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
  • See You Yesterday (2019)
  • District 9 (2009)

Posted in On the Desk...

On the Desk…

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” ~Frederick Douglass

It is nothing like finding a good book, a cup of coffee (or your drink of choice), and curling up on your couch as you float in literary heaven. I am always thankful when I get the opportunity to flip through pages, listen on Audible, or digitally swipe through the Kindle pages.

Here in this space, I will offer my suggestions of good books to add to your reading list (whether personally and/or professionally). This will be an opportunity to share books with you and hopefully get some recommendations from you as well. As they say, “sharing is caring.”

So make sure you stay tuned, you never know what may cross my desk!!

Happy Reading!!

~Dr G

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