The Marathon Don’t Stop: The Life and Times of Nipsey Hussle. Rob Kenner. 2021. Atria Books. 446 pages. [Source: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.] The Marathon Don’t Stop is the book I’ve most anticipated since it was announced in 2019. Nipsey Hussle’s official debut album, Victory Lap, is deeply personal to me and remains in near-daily rotation three years after its release. His sudden murder in 2019 rocked me with shock and disbelief that was more acute than what I felt as a 13-year-old hearing of Tupac Shakur’s death. This book, then, is a fitting opportunity for fans and newcomers alike to better understand the full trajectory of Nipsey’s life as “the Tupac of his generation.” In this biography, Kenner examines Nipsey’s life from the lens of, unsurprisingly, a marathon. Starting with his childhood in South Central Los Angeles and following his resolute pursuit of success on his own terms, The Marathon Don’t Stop is a retrospective of Nipsey Hussle as a multifaceted man — Ermias Asghedom — not just a Crip turned rapper. Kenner approaches The Marathon Don’t Stop as one would expect of a journalist. It is abundantly clear that…

The Outside Child. Tiffany L. Warren. 2018. Dafina Books. 306 pages. [ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.] The Outside Child follows the courtship and marriage of make-up artist Chenille and NFL star Brayden Carpenter. Chenille is “once bitten, twice shy” when it comes to dating, but Brayden is convinced nearly from the start that he’s destined to spend his life with her. Their relationships has normal ups and downs, but is rocked by trauma that would rattle the foundation of any relationship. I can say that I enjoyed The Outside Child as a book; it was filled with drama, usually as a result of their inability to find a compromise that allowed Brayden to pursue his career in a way that allowed Chenille the stability to do the same. But the title was a misnomer, if only because of how the plot actually played out. The driving tension that’s presented does not come into play until a point where most books would be leading to a resolution, not introducing a key conflict. As a result, the ending felt rushed and unrealistic given how things took place throughout the rest of the book. What I do commend is Warren’s ability to write…

Motherhood So White. Nefertiti Austin. 2019. Sourcebooks. 300 pages. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.] Motherhood So White is a memoir that I picked up because I wanted to see a Black woman’s experience in parenting centered. Often, conversations about parenthood are colorblind, and use whiteness as a default when parenting Black children is far more nuanced. What I read was a robust memoir that examines numerous aspects of Black parents raising Black children specifically. As expected, Motherhood So White is deeply personal. Austin provides a great deal of detail about her own upbringing, including her complicated relationship with her biological parents and how that led to her being reared by her extended family.  Her reflections on the desire to become a parent, and eventual path toward adoption, provide further opportunities to highlight parenthood from several lenses. She considers economic barriers and their impact on the nuclear family. She examines implicit biases and how they impact children’s experiences in the educational and social services systems.  She also spends a great deal of time sharing her eventual experiences as a single mother to a Black son and navigating everything from her own family’s acceptance, trips to the barber shop, parent-teacher conferences, reuniting her son with…

Confessions in B Flat. Donna Hill. 2020. Sideways Books. 306 pages. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.] Confessions in B Flat was a particular treat for me. I am, admittedly, not a huge fan of historical fiction. But the lure of its description was too much for me to walk away. Two young Civil Rights activists from differing ideologies find themselves struggling to figure out if a relationship can withstand their polarized views. Anita and Jason are, in many ways, like oil and water. Despite coming from a “bougie” background, Anita, a part-time waitress and poet, moves to the beat of her own drum and is often compelled by a sense of doing what fulfills her. She finds herself a follower of Malcolm X and is deeply committed to all Harlem has to give. Jason, a Georgia native who comes north to spread the teaching of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is more bound by duty and expectation. He wants to do what is right, even if it comes with a sacrifice. Their initial interactions are fraught with conflict about how they approach the fight for civil rights, but their chemistry is undeniable. Hill masterfully captured the culture wars that…

Malcolm and Me. Robin Farmer. 2020. SparkPress. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of Netgalley.] Amazingly executed … Robin Farmer captures that pivotal moment when life and your thought process changes. As a former Catholic school girl and Black woman, I distinctly remember those moments that reminded me I was the minority in the classes. Roberta was unapologetic and insightful but young. And that’s a struggle for many young Black girls — knowing that you must stand for yourself and simultaneously understand that not every moment requires the effort. The Forest family was in turmoil, and I love the subtle content on some many topics that are frequent in the black family – the differences in how mothers (black mothers particularly) treat there sons vs. their daughters,  family being accomplices to infidelity, and even colorism. Mrs. Farmer deserves the five stars I’m giving this book and I’m appreciative of her transparency as it relates to her personal experiences reflected in the book. I’d be interested to see her future works.