Disintegration: The Splintering of Black America by Eugene Robinson

Title: Disintegration: The Splintering of Black America

Author: Eugene Robinson

Rating: 5

Headline: An Honest Portrayal of Black America

Eugene Robinson is completely honest in his piece of work “Disintegration: The Splintering of Black America.” Robinson does not give over the top motivational dialogue on ways to change/improve the Black community; instead he gives concrete analysis on where the Black community has been and where it is going. Even though this book is 237 pages it was a very quick read and kept my attention the entire time. I recommend this book to anyone, regardless of where they may stand on the political spectrum as it will help all of us to understand what different distinct groups make of the Black community and how to interact with them better. This book definitely gets five stars!

Dirty Sexy Politics by Meghan McCain

Title: Dirty Sexy Politics

Author: Meghan McCain

Rating: 3.5

Headline: Was Hoping For More

When I saw the title Dirty Sexy Politics and that it was written by a candidate’s daughter, I was hoping for a piece of work that actually dished the dirt. This book failed to live up to my hopes. Anyone that remotely followed the 2008 Presidential campaign would know most of the “tabloid” stuff McCain discussed such as Sarah Palin but there was not any new information given about Palin and/or her relationship with Senator McCain. Most of the book focuses on Meghan McCain’s complaining about living out of a suitcase. If one is not familiar with life on the campaign trail this is a great starter book.

Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain

Title: Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain

Author: Portia de Rossi

Rating: 5

Headline: Rare Honesty  

       

Like everyone else, I knew that Portia de Rossi is Ellen’s wife. I loved her when she was an attorney on Ally McBeal. But, I was not prepared for the level of honesty and truthfulness, she used in “Unbearable Lightness.”

Portia is quite candid about her self-image issues and how she dealt with them. She does not shy away from discussing in detail her bouts with binging and then purging. She even discusses that at one point in her life, her meals only consisted of wine.

This is a great story for all young women and young women at heart to read. We all deal with self-esteem issues just like Portia and this book delivers on how to conquer our demons. She truly deserves all of the happiness that she is experiencing now.

When Emotions Lie by Deondriea Cantrice

Title: When Emotions Lie

Author: Deondriea Cantrice

Rating: 4/5

Headline: Take a Look in the Mirror

“When Emotions Lie” is a page turner. Alicia believes she has the perfect marriage and husband in Arlington, but a simple trip to a grocery store shatters her perception. A woman named Piper confronts her and claims to be Arlington’s girlfriend and the story is a roller coaster from this point forward.

Like most women, Alicia depends on the advice of her girlfriends on how to handle the issues in her marriage. The problem with Alicia following their advice is that neither Myra nor Cassie is married which could lead to a negative outcome. Myra and Cassie have their own baggage and relationship failures which influence the advice they give to Alicia.

“When Emotions Lie” gives a realistic portrayal of what happens when a woman stops blaming everyone else and begins to see her own faults. I gave this book a 4 because the middle chapters about Cassie and Myra’s back stories seemed misplaced. I am looking forward to reading future work by Deondriea Cantrice.

This book was provided to me courtesy of the author for review purposes.

The Confessional Heart of a Man by The Greatest Poet Alive

Title: The Confessional Heart of a Man

Author: The Greatest Poet Alive

Rating: 4/5

Headline: A Man Exposing his Soul

“The Confessional Heart of a Man” is a collection of poetry by a writer that goes by the pen name of The Greatest Poet Alive. What makes this collection of poetry so unique is that it is very rare to see a man really expose such raw emotions and thoughts. The collection covers a wide arrangement of topics that are all based on real life experiences such as love, lust, betrayal, anger, and hurt. 

I truly liked that GPA turned some of his poems into actual stories meaning they were continued throughout the book. This book is a very quick read. I would recommend this poetry collection to others as we are rarely given a glimpse into the male psyche. 

This book was provided to me courtesy of the author for review purposes.

On Solid Ground by Jo Anne Meekins

Title: On Solid Ground

Author: Jo Anne Meekins

Rating: 5/5

Headline: An Inspirational book for any occasion

“On Solid Ground” is a collection of inspirational poetry written by Jo Anne Meekins. Each poem has a relevant Bible verse to go with it that speaks directly about that topic. Each poem is thought-provoking and all have a positive tone.

Jo Anne Meekins covers a wide range of topics throughout the book such as: encouragement, challenge, relationship, celebrations, comfort, and testimony. She also includes a collection of poems about the renewal and positive changes within the black community. This book could be used as a supplement to daily devotions as it speaks directly to the heart.

“On Solid Ground” is a very well written and well organized collection of poetry. The stand-out poem to me is titled, “A Faithful Companion.” It led me to examine various relationships in my life and realize that I do not have a more faithful companion than God. I was truly blessed by reading this book and my spirit was renewed. I would highly recommend this book to others. 
This book was provided to me courtesy of the author for review purposes.