The Coldest Winter Ever

Author:  Sister Souljah

Title:  The Coldest Winter Ever

Genre:  African American Fiction, Urban Fiction

Publication Date:  1999

Number of Pages:  337

Geographical Setting:  New York

Time Period:  1990s

Series:  n/a

Plot Summary:     Winter Santiaga, the teenage daughter of a notorious Brooklyn drug dealer, must struggle to survive on the streets after her father is arrested.  When her family’s estate is confiscated by the police, Winter turns to her father’s associates for support.  When this fails and she is caught by the Department of Children and Family Services, Winter turns to crime in order to return to her lavish lifestyle. The Coldest Winter Ever is a gritty, sobering work of urban fiction with well-developed characters and an authentic feel.

Subject Headings:  Drug dealers, Drug use, City life, Inner city, Street life, African American teenagers, African American women, Imprisonment, Public housing, Violence

Appeal:  Gritty, Hard-edged, Sexually explicit, Sobering, Stark, Well-developed, Authentic, Character-centered, Urban, Dialect, Strong language, Violent

3 appeal terms that best describe this book: Gritty, Character-centered, Urban

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors:

Original Gangster:  The Real Life Story of One of America’s Most Notorious Drug Lords by Frank Lucas-  Frank Lucas, former organized crime boss and heroin dealer, describes his experiences in Harlem during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Original Gangster:  The Real Life Story of One of America’s Most Notorious Drug Lords and The Coldest Winter Ever both deal with drug dealers in New York. 

Our America:  Life and Death on the South Side of Chicago by LeAlan Jones- Our America consists of several interviews from tenants of the Ida B. Wells housing project.  Our America:  Life and Death on the South Side of Chicago will appeal to readers that are interested in learning more about public housing projects and inner city life.

A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown- This disturbing autobiography recounts the author’s experiences with gangs and drugs on the streets of Los Angeles and her struggle to rebuild her life.   A Piece of Cake and The Coldest Winter Ever both deal with African American teenage girls who struggle to survive the streets on their own.

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors (why they are similar):

Let That be the Reason (Let That be the Reason Novels, 1) by Vickie M. Stringer-  After being abandoned by her drug dealing boyfriend, Pamela becomes the head of a call-girl operation to help her survive the streets.   Like The Coldest Winter Ever, Let That be the Reason is a gritty work of urban fiction that deals with a young African American woman trying to survive on the streets.

Push by Sapphire- After being  abused and raped by her father, sixteen year old Precious works to turn her life around with the help of a teacher.  Like The Coldest Winter Ever, Push is gritty and sobering work of urban fiction that deals with an African American teenage girl facing adversity.

Thieves’ Paradise by Eric Jerome Dickey- With no job and an older woman to impress, Dante turns to crime to make quick money.   Both The Coldest Winter Ever and Thieves’ Paradise are gritty, character-driven novels about young African Americans who take drastic measures during difficult times.

Elissa

 

Dutch

Author: Teri Woods

Title: Dutch

Genre: Urban Lit

Publication Date: 2003

Number of Pages: 242

Geographical Setting: New York and New Jersey

Time Period: Contemporary

Series: 1^st in the Dutch Series

Plot Summary: Bernard James Jr., better known as Dutch, is a New York drug kingpin, but when the book starts, he’s on trial and it seems like his empire is about crash all around him. As the trial continues, the testimony and a series of flashbacks serve to show Dutch’s rise to power from a teen working at a pizza place to a car thief, and after a stint in prison his eventual transformation into one of the most infamous druglords in the East Coast.

Subject Headings: Gangsters, organized crime, street life, mafia, African-American men

Appeal: fast-paced, dark, gritty, hard-edged, stark, plot-driven, dialect-heavy, compelling, flashbacks, steamy, chilling, flawed characters

3 appeal terms that best describe this book: fast-paced, gritty, flashbacks

Similar Authors and Works (why are they similar?):

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

Dyson, Michael. “Mercy, Mercy, Me: The Art, Loves and Demons of Marvin Gaye”. Not quite a biography, Dyson’s book shows how various factors—his abusive father, living in the inner city, cultural racism, religious upbringing, alcoholism and drug abuse—shaped Marvin Gaye into the popstar and man he became. Woods does similar in creating the story of Dutch.

Greene, Robert.  “48 Laws of Power”. Dutch was all about power—who had it, how to earn, it, how to keep it, even during Dutch’s stint in juvie. In this book, Greene discusses the concept of power and creates a series of laws based on popular leaders, such as Machiavelli, Henry Kissinger, Sun-Tzu and Queen Elizabeth. Dutch would probably keep this book on his nightstand.

Moore, Wes. “The Other Wes Moore”. Popular book showing the true-life story of two black men named Wes Moore who grew up on the streets; one ended up in jail, the other was a Rhodes Scholar. Dutch seemed to blame society for his fate, and this book focuses on society’s effects on black inner city youth.

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

Ashley and JaQuavis. “The Cartel”. The Diamond family is the most infamous drug cartel family in Miami; when Carter dies, his illegitimate son takes over; but a rival group tries to take them down. Like Dutch, Young Carter is a new kingpin that must take on rivals in a gritty urban lit title.

Dickey, Eric Jerome. “Thieves’ Paradise.” Dante Black is a low-level hood, as opposed to Dutch’s far-loftier lifestyle. However, both must deal with betrayal within their circle of friends, ex-lovers, and others in this urban lit book.

Puzo, Mario. “The Godfather.” Although a different sort of gangster in some ways, Dutch probably modeled himself in some ways after Don Corleone, the eponymous Godfather. This is the book that was the basis for the movie, and a classic in its own right.

Name: Brian C

Every Thug Needs a Lady

Author: Wahida Clark

Title: Every Thug Needs a Lady

Genre: Urban Fiction, Romance

Publication Date: 2006

Number of Pages: 294

Geographical Setting: New York City and surrounding area

Time Period: Contemporary

Series (If applicable): Thug series, #2

Plot Summary: Roz, a physical therapy student, vows to never get involved with a thug again after her boyfriend of five years cheats on her while he’s in prison. But her plans to stay on the straight and narrow go awry when Trae, her ex-boyfriend’s business partner–who is handsome, powerful, and definitely a thug—tells her he wants to make her his woman.  Being with a thug has its advantages—hot sex and designer clothes among them—but there’s one big problem: Roz wants Trae to leave the lifestyle, and Trae isn’t ready yet.

 Subject Headings: Street life, prisons, man-woman relationships, friendship

 Appeal: gritty, fast-paced, large cast of characters, urban, violent, sexually explicit, strong language, character-driven, romantic, women’s lives and relationships

 3 appeal terms that best describe this book: gritty, urban, sexually explicit

 3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

Lady Q: The Rise and Fall of a Latin Queen by Reymundo Sanchez and Sonia Rodriguez

This memoir of the life of a female gang member is gritty, urban, and a fascinating look at the life of a young woman who makes different choices under similar circumstances to the heroines of Every Thug Needs a Lady.

Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A. by Luis Rodriguez

This memoir of a gang kingpin is incredibly popular and tells an urban, gritty tale of violence, sex, and danger.

Blue Rage, Black Redemption: A Memoir by Stanley Williams

This memoir of the former head of the Crips who went from gang leader to peace activist combines gritty and explicit memories of his gang days with the philosophy and peace protocol he developed while in prison.

 3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

Upstate by Kalisha Buchannon

Seventeen-year-old Antonio and his girlfriend, Natasha, write letters back and forth as Antonio is imprisoned for a crime he may or may not have committed.  A moving coming-of-age story as well as an enduring love story, this literary novel features characters with similar lives and backgrounds to those in the Thug series, but with a more ambiguous and bittersweet ending.

Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah

This street-lit classic is referenced by the characters in the opening chapter of Every Thug Needs a Lady.  It’s the story of the daughter of a drug lord who takes over her father’s business; and despite the consequences, even the words of her mentor can’t make her give up the lifestyle.

The Sex Chronicles by Zane

This collection of 15 erotic short stories features thugs, the women who love them, and nearly every scenario imaginable—and is also immensely popular with a gritty, urban tone.

 

Name: Shelley

Beloved

Author: Toni Morrison

Title: Beloved

Genre: African-American Fiction, Literary Fiction

Publication Date: 1987

Number of Pages: 316

Geographical Setting: Ohio, Kentucky

Time Period: 1870s

Series (If applicable): N/A

Plot Summary: In Beloved, Toni Morrison writes about the devastating effects of slavery in a lyrical and haunting style. The story begins in 1873 in Cincinnati, Ohio, where Sethe is living with her daughter, Denver, in a house that is haunted by a malevolent spirit, believed to be the ghost of Sethe’s baby daughter, who died 18 years ago. One day, Paul D, who used to be a slave along with Sethe at Sweet Home Plantation in Kentucky, shows up at Sethe’s house. Paul and Sethe begin a relationship and Paul moves in with Sethe and Denver. Paul chases the spirit out, but soon after, a strange woman who goes only by the name of ‘Beloved’ shows up at the house and soon moves in also. Beloved was also the name given to Sethe’s baby daughter who died 18 years ago, and the tragic circumstances of Beloved’s death are eventually revealed. Through a series of flashbacks, which seem to flow effortlessly within the present narrative, Sethe’s experiences as a slave at the most ironically named farm ever, Sweet Home, and her escape to Ohio and freedom, show the lasting psychological effects of slavery and how hard it can be to escape the past.

Subject Headings: Slavery, Post-Civil War United States, African-American, Ghosts

Appeal: Engrossing, Atmospheric, Haunting, Mystical, Introspective, Well-developed characters, Complex, Flashbacks, Tragic, Details of Slavery, Lyrical, Poetic

3 appeal terms that best describe this book: Haunting, Complex, Lyrical

Similar Authors and Works (why are they similar?):

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

1) Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Ann Jacobs. This is one of the first personal narratives written by a former slave and one of the few written by a woman. Jacobs escaped from a plantation in North Carolina after years of brutal treatment from her owners. Jacobs’ narrative is a haunting, true account of the evils of slavery.

2) Slavery and the Making of America  by James Oliver Horton. This historical account of slavery in the United States is richly illustrated and covers a wide range of topics. Readers will gain a better understanding of how slavery began and ended in America and why understanding slavery is so important to understanding United States history.

3) Bound for Canaan: The Epic Story of the Underground Railroad, America’s First Civil Rights Movement by Fergus M. Bordewich. The story of the Underground Railroad, which helped Sethe escape to freedom in Beloved, is explored in this book and myths about the Railroad are turned into fact.

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

1) Property by Valerie Martin. This atmospheric, haunting novel takes place in antebellum Louisiana and is written from the perspective of a white woman unhappily married to a sugar plantation owner who takes out her resentment on her slave, Sarah, who is also her husband’s mistress.

2) The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. Readers who enjoy Toni Morrison’s lyrical and complex writing will enjoy the similar style of Faulkner. This novel tells the story of the tragic Compson family in the southern United States.

3) Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende. This novel by Allende is written in a lyrical style and is about Zarité, a woman who is born into slavery in the colony of Saint-Domingue. Like Beloved, this novel explores the psychic wounds of slavery.

Name: Elizabeth Allen

The Heat Seekers by Zane

 

Author: Zane

Title: The Heat Seekers

Genre: Urban Fiction /African American

Publication Date: 2002

Number of Pages: 320

Geographical Setting: Washington, D.C.

Time Period: Contemporary

Series (If applicable): N/A

Plot Summary: In addition to the witty dialogue and steamy sex that Zane is known for, The Heat Seekers is also a saga of two strong women who face some serious issues and manage to overcome them. Best friends Janessa and Tempest have all but given up on finding straight, single, good-looking men who are not “freaks.” Out to have some fun one night, they go to a local club to “get their groove on.” As chance would have it, they end up meeting two eligible men who are also best friends. Geren is handsome, available, seemingly perfect, and is very interested in Tempest. Dvonte is a cute and charming “playa” who nonetheless wins Janessa’s heart. Erotic tension builds for Tempest and Geren as they wait to consummate their love, while Janessa and Dvonte are not ashamed to express their desires. As each couple embarks on their different relationships, the drama builds as each confront issues that could threaten their fairy tale romances. Despite the focus on sexual love, at the heart of this novel is the caring relationship these two women have with each other, and their ability to help each other through rough times. This is an entertaining, thought provoking novel that encourages readers to reflect on their own lives and accomplishments. It also has enough humor and steamy sex scenes to satisfy any reader.

Subject Headings: African American, Urban Fiction, Erotic Fiction, Unwanted Pregnancy, Contemporary Romance Appeal: candid, emotionally charged, dramatic, compassionate, humorous, romantic, sensual, erotic, playful, sympathetic characters, well developed characters, evocative, insightful, character centered, steamy, issue oriented, racy, resolved ending, strong language, sexually explicit, steamy, thought provoking, contemporary, urban, accessible, conversational

3 appeal terms that best describe this book: steamy, thought provoking, humorous

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors:

How Stella Got her Groove Back by Terry McMillan. Like The Heat Seekers, this book features a strong, African American protagonist who embarks on a passionate love affair and provides the reader with a fairy tale ending.

Sweeter than Honey by Mary B Morrison. This is a steamy, urban tale. Like The Heat Seekers, it features a strong female African American protagonist who encounters drama and has to overcome adversity. It also deals with complex, thought-provoking issues.

True to the Game by Teri Woods. This gritty, urban tale is grittier than The Heat Seekers, yet it provides readers with a similar steamy love affair between passionate African American characters. Like The heat Seekers, this novel deals with some of the serious issues facing contemporary young people.

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors In Good Conscience: a Practical, Emotional, and Spiritual Guide to Deciding Whether to Have an Abortion by Anna Runkle. Multiple characters in The Heat Seekers deal with unwanted pregnancy, all in different ways. One character deals with a very difficult abortion. This guide will help readers who may be facing the same situation to think their pregnancy through before making a decision.

Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay: a Step-by-Step Guide to Help You Decide Whether To Stay in or Get Out of your Relationship by Mira Kirshenbaum. In The Heat Seekers, Janessa stays in a bad relationship with Dvonte. Readers who are dealing with a similar situation in their lives may find help in this chatty, sympathetic relationship guide.

 Men, Love & Sex: the Complete User’s Guide for Women by David Zinczenko with Ted Spiker. The relationships in The Heat Seekers are complicated and the men sometimes seem like they are from another planet. At the same time, the characters are all having satisfying sexual adventures. This book would be great for readers who want to understand the other sex a little more or simply put some spark into their sex lives.

Name: Meghan Maleski

The Tempest Tales

Author: Walter Mosley

Title: The Tempest Tales

Genre: African-American fiction; Psychological fiction

Publication Date: 2008

Number of Pages: 250

Geographical Setting: Harlem, New York City

Time Period: Modern day

Series (If applicable):

Plot Summary:   Tempest Landry is an African American male who finds himself at the gates of St. Peter after being accidentally shot to death by white police officers in Harlem.  St. Peter believes Tempest has committed enough sins to be condemned to hell.  However, Tempest refuses St. Peter’s judgment and claims his sins were either acts committed surrounding the situation of being an African-American male or that they were not big enough to be taken seriously.  Tempest is supposedly the first soul to ever disagree with St. Peter’s judgment and heaven is quickly turned on its head.  It is decided that Tempest will return to earth in a new body with an angel named Joshua.  Joshua’s goal is to show Tempest he is a
sinner.  It is at this point in the book where Mosley really makes the reader question the ethics of sinning which is done through tongue in cheek dialog between Joshua and Tempest.  Although tackling spiritual issues the book explores philosophical issues as well. Especially after Satan appears demanding Tempest’s soul.  The Satan character is named Bob and happens to be the only main character that is white. This adds an interesting dynamic to the race relations of the main characters of the book.

Subject Headings: African-American men – Death, Racism, Heaven, Soul, Devil, Life after death, Angels, Temptation, Police misconduct, Accidental death, Sin, Fairness, Justice, Injustice, Redemption.

Appeal: Thought Provoking, Fast paced, Builds in intensity, Witty, Evangelistic, Edgy, Sarcastic, Stark, Thoughtful, Uneasy, Flawed, Introspective, Multiple points of view.

3 appeal terms that best describe this book: Thought provoking, Fast-paced, Witty.

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

The Souls of Black Folk, by W.E.B Du Bois. Published in 1903 and is a study of race, culture, and education at the turn of the twentieth century.

Double Take: A Revisionists Harlem Renaissance Anthology, byVenetria Patton.  A selection of texts
from the Harlem Renaissance by men, women, gay, and straight writers of the time.

How Different Religions View Death and Afterlife, by Christopher Jay Johnson.  This book compares 19 different religions and their views on death and the afterlife.  Each chapter is written by a scholar from the religion in which they are discussing.

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

The Kid, by Sapphire. A story of survival of 9 year old Jamal Abdul Jones.  As he is abused by priests and an orphanage, Jamal begins abusing other children and is thrown out of the orphanage.  Jamal then finds himself in a tough world of handling his own desires and dealing with consequences.

Some Sing, Some Cry, by Ntozake Shange. A fictitious story that follows an emancipated female slave through the life obstacles.  The story follows key moments in American history.

The Brief History of the Dead, by Kevin Brockmeir.  A novel about life, death, and an area inbetween.  In this story the population of a city starts to evaporate due to the people existing only because they are
remembered by the living.

Name: Bill P.

The People Could Fly

Author: Hamilton, Virginia

Title: The People Could Fly

Genre: Folktale, African-American

Publication Date: 1985 (Hardcover), 1993 (First paper back printing)

 

Number of Pages: 178 p.

Geographical Setting: A somewhat mythical antebellum Southern United States

Time Period: Prior to 1865, each tale is essential timeless

Series: N/A

Plot Summary: The People Could Fly is a collection of Black American folk tale passed down through oral traditions from the arrival of enslaved Africans in the North America, through slavery, to this very day. The collection can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. There are tales that are somewhat familiar (i.e. “Doc Rabbit, Bruh Fox, and Tar Baby.) and other tales that should be new to the casual reader. A Coretta Scott King Honor Book, its beautiful illustration won the award in 1986. The book divides the tales into 4 thematic sections: animal tales, tales of the Real, Extravagant, and Fanciful, tales of the supernatural, and slave tales of freedom. And after every story the origin cultural and geographic origins of that tale are broken down for the reader. This tome contains humorous yarns, weird stories, and inspirational tales great for all ages.

Subject Headings: Freedom, slavery, folklore, animal tales, Black American culture, oral traditions

Appeal: great read-a-loud book, short chapters, imaginative, weird, inspirational, memorable characters, beautiful illustrations, dialect, funny, Issue-oriented, Relaxed pace, heartwarming, homespun.

3 terms that best describe this book: Witty, humorous, timeless

3 Relevant Non Fiction Works and Authors

1.)  African folktales: traditional stories of the Black world by Roger D. Abrahams – Another collection of folk tales, this time including tales from the nations and people of West Africa.

2.) Italian folktales by Italo Calvino: A collection of 200 Italian folk tales.

 

3.) Dee Brown’s folktales of the Native American, retold for our times by Dee Alexander Brown: Thirty six stories of various Native American oral traditions retold for the common era

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

1.) Best African-American fiction, 2010 edited by Gerald Early & Nikki Giovanni. – A collection of short stories and novel excerpts from the years catalog of black fiction writers.

2.)  Best African-American fiction, 2009 edited by Gerald Early & E. Lynn Harris. – A collection of short stories and novel excerpts from the years catalog of black fiction writers.

3.) The monkey suit: and other short fiction on African Americans and justice by David Dante Troutt – Ten short fictional stories based off of actual case of documenting the African American struggle against segregation and for civil/human rights.

Morgan

The Bluest Eye

Author: Toni Morrison

Title: The Bluest Eye

Genre: Literary Fiction,  African-American

Publication Date: 1970

No. of Pages: 224

Geographical Setting: Lorain, Ohio

Time Period: Years following the Great Depression

Series: NA

Plot Summary: An African-American family, the MacTeers, is struggling out of the Great Depression in Lorain, Ohio when they take in a troubled girl from a rough background, Pecola, when she is forced “outdoors.” All her life Pecola has hid behind the “ugliness” of her dark skin and brown eyes, always wishing and praying for beautiful blue eyes. As she struggles to find her way with a strange new family, her own family fights against their demons of racism, alcoholism and sexual depravity.

While Pecola and her fervent wish for blue eyes may be the focus of The Bluest Eye, her character is rarely developed throughout the story. Rather her struggles and gradual surrender to insanity are documented through the eyes of those closest to her, effectively underscoring the actions of the remaining characters. This is a story of vulnerability and of a young girl unable to overcome her circumstances, even to get blue eyes. Readers should be aware of several disturbing scenes that are sexual in nature.

Subject Headings: African-Americans, Racism – United States, Family Relations

Appeal: unhurried, emotionally-charged, character-centered, vivid, flawed, historical details, timeless, intimate, poignant, dialect, gritty, stark

3 Terms that Best Describe this Book: emotionally-charged, flawed, gritty

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors:

Growing Up Jim Crow: How Black and White Southern Children Learned Race by Jennifer Ritterhouse (Explores the unwritten rules of segregation in the South that guided child development)

Killers of the Dream by Lillian Smith (A Southern white view of the psychological and moral consequences of the Southern mindset on sin, sex and segregation)

In Search of Our Roots: How 19 Extraordinary African Americans Reclaimed Their Past by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (The companion book to the PBS series, Gates helps 19 individuals explore their pasts while gaining a better understanding of their own personality)

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors:

Uncle Tom’s Children by Richard Wright (A collection of powerful novellas illustrating the racism and oppression African-Americans lived with in the post-slavery era – originally published in 1938, this plays out in the same time period of The Bluest Eye and delves into some of the same issues of race)

Tobacco Road by Erskine Caldwell (A poor white family of sharecroppers struggles to survive during the Depression and retain their slim social standing among the black community they live – similar backdrop of the Great Depression and familial tensions)

Oral History by Lee Smith (A college student returns to her childhood home in the Appalachians to research the complex and cursed history of her family – a similar story of a doomed family and all their flaws and foibles)

by Denise

A Lesson Before Dying

Author:  Gaines, Ernest J.

Title:  A Lesson Before Dying

Genre:  African American Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction

Publication Date: 1997

Number of Pages:  256

Geographical Setting:  Bayonne, LA

Time Period:  late 1940s, post-World War II

Series:  N/A

Plot Summary:  A Lesson Before Dying is the story of Jefferson, a young black man in rural Louisiana in the 1940s sentenced to die for a murder he did not commit.  In his closing statement, Jefferson’s defense lawyer argues that Jefferson is as ignorant and stupid as animal, no better than a mere hog, incapable of planning such a crime, but the all-white jury finds him guilty.  From that point on, Jefferson only thinks of himself as a hog.   Miss Emma, Jefferson’s grandmother, persuades Grant Wiggins, the local schoolteacher to speak to Jefferson to help raise him up to believe in himself again as a man, so that he may die with dignity.  The story is told in first person by Wiggins, the black boy who was able to leave the plantation to pursue a better life, but is back as the schoolteacher, burned out now by the futility of teaching poor blacks in the rural South.  Full of self-doubts, Wiggins doesn’t feel he is up to the task, but during their meetings in prison, he discovers as much about himself as Jefferson, and both men re-examine what it means to be a human being, and the strength of the human spirit.  A Lesson Before Dying is a realistic and insightful look at life in the rural South in the 1940s, and the racial prejudice that was an accepted part of everyday life. The characters are believable and very human.   In simple but powerful prose, Gaines lets the realities of the story speak for themselves almost as if this were a nonfiction peace of work.

Subject Headings: Rural Poor, African American Death Row Prisoners, African American Men, African American Teachers, Injustice, Manhood, Race Relations, The South

Appeal: moving, character driven, eloquent, emotional, detailed, ennobling, heartbreaking, powerful, classic, realistic, touching, thought provoking, simple, deep, honest, unflinching

3 terms that best describe this book: simple, honest, eloquent

Similar Authors and Works

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors: A Saint on Death Row:  The Story of Dominique Green by Thomas Cahill is an eerily similar story of a black man on Death Row accused of shooting a white man during a robbery.   Jackie Robinson:  A Biography by Arold Rampersad is the story of the first black Major League baseball player.  Brainwashed:  Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority by Tom Burrell deals with the disturbing question of why so many blacks still think and act like slaves.

3 Revelant Fiction Works and Authors:  As I Lay Dying by William Falkner has the similar bleak setting of life in the rural South, as well as the same poignant feel .  To Kill a Mockingbird has a similar plot, setting, and sense of hopelessness of a black man falsely accused and judged by whites.  The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck has the same simple prose and similar theme of rural poverty and injustice.

Chris M.

One in a Million

Author: Kimberla Lawson Roby

Genre: Women’s Lives and Relationships; African American; Christian Fiction

Publication Date: 2008

Number of Pages: 183

Geographical Setting: Chicago, Illinois

Time Period: Present

Plot Summary: Kennedi Mason thinks that she has the perfect marriage with her husband Blake. After years of hoping and dreaming about this special moment, Kennedi can’t wait to share the good news with her husband; news that will change their lives for the better. But when Blake gets home, he has some news of his own that will turn Kennedi’s world into a tailspin. The aftermath of Kennedi and Mason’s announcements will set forth a series of events where lies and betrayal are uncovered. Kennedi will soon find out that perception is not reality.

Subject Headings: Divorce; Lottery Winner; Friendship; Betrayal; Extramarital Relations; Chicago – Fiction; African American

Appeal: Emotionally-charged, dramatic, flawed, poignant, satisfying, frank, insightful, engaging, conversational tone, passionate, sympathetic main character, fast-paced

Three Words or Phrases Best Describing this Book: Emotionally-charged, dramatic, flawed

Similar Authors and Works

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

Luck of the Draw: True-Life Tales of Lottery Winners and Losers by Chris Cudgeon (takes an in-depth look at the lives of lottery winners and losers, showing how the lottery has both positively and negatively affected lottery winners, entertaining and engaging read)

Chicken Soup for the African American Woman’s Soul by Jack Canfield (inspirational stories of African American women who, like Kennedi in One in a Million, withstood hardship and found success, includes quotes and stories from modern day heroines like Patti LaBelle, Halle Berry and Queen Latifah)

Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family by Condoleezza Rice (poignant, engaging, frank, story of Condoleezza’s childhood and how she made it to the White House)

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

Can I Get a Witness? By ReShonda Tate Billingsley (Christian fiction, tale of marriage struggles, dramatic, engaging tone)

Tryin’ to sleep in the bed you made by Virginia DeBerry (sympathetic characters, theme of overcoming obstacles, plot twists that pull the reader into the story from the beginning)

Seen it all and done the rest by Pearl Cleage (women’s lives and relationships, character driven, dramatic, conversational tone)

Name: Tara Bauer