If Mama Don't Laugh, It Ain't Funny


Book Description

Syndicated columnist Adams humorously dissects and revels in the absurdity and chaos of modern family life in her debut book.




The Chocolate Therapist


Book Description

An updated edition to a classic book about the amazing benefits of everyone's favorite food: Chocolate! Dark chocolate sales are on the rise as people embrace the concept that chocolate can truly be good for them. But how do they know what to eat, how much, and which kinds are the best? The Chocolate Therapist answers these questions and more. This book has everything a person needs to know to select the best chocolate for health. Both informative and entertaining, it includes alphabetized ailments, each with a chocolate recommendation, followed by supporting research as to how and why it helps the body. The Chocolate Therapist also includes a collection of chocolate necessities: Wine & chocolate pairing section with over 40 wines and three chocolate pairings for each wine. Wine aroma and chocolate flavor wheels to help readers discovers new flavors and combinations in both the wines and the chocolates. The Chocolate Bible: A unique compilation of websites, chocolate companies, international brands and research sites. A""Where Do You Hide Your Chocolate"" section, a laugh-out-loud chapter for anyone who has ever hidden a piece of chocolate Over 60 alphabetized ailments from Alzheimer's to Weight Loss The Chocolate Therapist helps readers discover what author Julie Nygard has known for years. The only difference between guilt-ridden and guilt-free chocolate enjoyment is simply education, and this book has it all!




The Darkest Child


Book Description

A new edition of this award-winning modern classic, with an introduction by Tayari Jones (An American Marriage), an excerpt from the never before seen follow-up, and discussion guide. Pakersfield, Georgia, 1958: Thirteen-year-old Tangy Mae Quinn is the sixth of ten fatherless siblings. She is the darkest-skinned among them and therefore the ugliest in her mother, Rozelle’s, estimation, but she’s also the brightest. Rozelle—beautiful, charismatic, and light-skinned—exercises a violent hold over her children. Fearing abandonment, she pulls them from school at the age of twelve and sends them to earn their keep for the household, whether in domestic service, in the fields, or at “the farmhouse” on the edge of town, where Rozelle beds local men for money. But Tangy Mae has been selected to be part of the first integrated class at a nearby white high school. She has a chance to change her life, but can she break from Rozelle’s grasp without ruinous—even fatal—consequences?




Why We Make Movies


Book Description

A sparkling collection of interviews with African American directors and producers. Bringing together more than thirty candid conversations with filmmakers and producers such as Spike Lee, Gordon Parks, Julie Dash, Charles Burnett, and Robert Townsend, Why We Make Movies delivers a cultural celebration with the tips of a film-school master class. With journalist George Alexander, these revolutionary men and women discuss not only how they got their big breaks, but more importantly, they explore the creative process and what making movies means to them. Why We Make Movies also addresses the business of Hollywood and its turning tide, in a nation where African Americans comprise a sizable portion of the film-going public and go to the movies more frequently than whites. In addition, Alexander’s cast of directors and producers considers the lead roles they now play in everything from documentaries and films for television to broad-based blockbusters (in fact, the highest-grossing film in Miramax history was Scary Movie, directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans). For film buffs and aspiring filmmakers alike, Why We Make Movies puts a long-overdue spotlight on one of the most exciting and cutting-edge segments of today’s silver screen. INTERVIEWS INCLUDE: MELVIN VAN PEEBLES • MICHAEL SCHULTZ • CHARLES BURNETT • SPIKE LEE • ROBERT TOWNSEND • FRED WILLIAMSON • ERNEST DICKERSON • KEENEN IVORY WAYANS • ANTOINE FUQUA • BILL DUKE • FORREST WHITAKER • JULIE DASH • KASI LEMMONS • GINA PRINC-BLYTHEWOOD • JOHN SINGLETON • GEORGE TILLMAN Jr. • REGINALD HUDLIN • WARRINGTON HUDLIN • MALCOLM LEE • EUZHAN PALCY • DOUG McHENRY • DEBRA MARTIN CHASE • St. CLAIR BOURNE • STANLEY NELSON • WILLIAM GREAVES • KATHE SANDLER • CAMILLE BILLOPS • HAILE GERIMA • GORDON PARKS




Missouri Chooses


Book Description

Three times in her life, Missouri is forced to choose between love and security. As a young woman, Missouri marries John Mathis for love even though she knows he will be a poor provider. As a young widow, she marries Luther Morris for the security he offers as a well-to-do farmer. Then her security is threatened by her attraction to her husbands son.




Wicked, But Sometimes I Call Her Mama


Book Description

During the 1950’s and 60’s, dark skin was an unacceptable stigma, especially in the South. Planting seeds and giving birth to ignorance among blacks; evolving into vicious racism against each other. This book depicts the mind of an abrasive woman that became increasingly worse as her life progressed. Honey Mae didn’t give a damn what people thought, black, white or otherwise. Honey Mae does what she wants to do, no matter whom she hurts; not even her only grandchild, Rheese, who just so happens to have dark skin. With Honey Mae, you will love her or hate her but you have to choose, there is no room for being indecisive. If it is left up to her, she will make you hate her.




The Mother Load


Book Description

Motherhood is an intense, ’round–the–clock job. To stay healthy and happy, moms need friends, laughter, solitude, balance, and an intimate relationship with the Lord. But exactly how do moms meet these needs while juggling family responsibilities? Mary Byers, the mother of two lively young kids, shares how moms can find small pockets of time to— rest and refuel create personal space make time for friendship, exercise, and intimacy identify and prevent “balance busters” that create chaos creatively stay sane in the midst of mothering The Mother Load offers down–to–earth suggestions, spiritual truths, and real–life advice from moms to help women survive and thrive in today’s active families. Includes questions for group discussion and personal reflection.







Renee And Jay


Book Description

There are worse places a saucy single gal could be stranded in the biggest winter storm to hit southwestern Virginia in years. Here at Luchesi's restaurant, Renee can fill up on hot breadsticks and spiked mocha cappuccino—and she can check out Giovanni Anthony Luchesi, the finest man this side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. But damn, if it doesn't stop snowing soon, she's gonna wind up in big trouble, what with all the amaretto and candlelight. Days later, the ice isn't all that's melting in Roanoke. Renee's gone and fallen for the whitest white boy she's ever met. Now she feels like she's living a Julia Roberts movie with an interracial twist and gentle Giovanni, with his slow, seductive hands and spicy kisses, as her leading man. Renee always was a sucker for happy endings. Now, with a make-do ring from Giovanni on her finger, her own seems guaranteed. What can possibly go wrong? Riotous, ardent, and packed with surprises, RENEE AND JAY is Romeo and Juliet for the millennium—a tale that proves true love can turn up in the last place—and face—where you'd ever expect to find it. . . "An update of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, with a twist."—Essence "Deeply explores the problems confronting interracial couples from within and from loving relatives who genuinely want the best for their beloved." —The Midwest Book Review




First Born


Book Description

I wonder what dying is. And death. I listened hard and heard Mother talking about it, but I guess even she doesn't know.ExcerptMother talks to me a lot. I'm even getting so I can talk to her a little. I think she likes that. But Mother talks to me even when I don't ask anything. That's how I know I'll be going Outside pretty soon. I'm glad because even though Mother has told me all about it, it's not the same as seeing it for yourself. Of course, I wouldn't tell Mother that. It might make her unhappy and I couldn't do that. Not to anyone. Especially Mother. I remember a long time ago - anyhow it seems like a long time ago - I woke up and rolled over and touched Mother. That's when she started talking to me. She told me how long she'd been waiting for me to do that and how much she loved me and wanted me. I felt kind of ashamed. I'd been so busy with other things that I hadn't even thought of her. So I rolled over as close to her as I could to make up for it. The love-feeling grew and grew until we - laughed, I guess. Just because we were happy. At least, Mother laughed and maybe I did, too. I'm not sure. Mother said I just had the hiccups. I was very happy, though. We were happy for a time, Mother, Daddy and I. We live on a farm and Daddy is a farmer. He wasn't always a farmer, though. Once he worked in a big white room with all kinds and shapes of bottles sitting on long white tables all over the room. And people went scurrying among the bottles checking and changing and adding bubbly colored stuff to more bubbly colored stuff and it was all very exciting. At least, that's what Mother says and she should know because that's where she met Daddy. But Daddy says he's sorry he ever knew one chemical from another. So now he's a farmer and goes out in the fields every day or into the woods to hunt and fish and get firewood. Mother jokes about how Daddy and I will be going off hunting and fishing and leaving her home alone. This gave me a bad worry for awhile but Mother loved it away. That's how I knew she was joking. I didn't really understand but if it makes her happy, it makes me happy, too. I know it's got something to do with Daddy and I being "pals." Not yet, because I can't even go Outside yet. But they talk about it even now. One day at breakfast, Daddy and Mother were talking about it "over a second cup of coffee." Daddy said he sure wished I could go with him today and Mother said, "Time enough when the time comes."