Joelle Wellington

Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

North Carolina

A Black teen desperate to regain her Ivy League acceptance enters an elite competition only to discover the stakes aren’t just high, they’re deadly, in this searing thriller that’s Ace of Spades meets Squid Game with a sprinkling of The Bachelor. You must work twice as hard to get half as much. Adina Walker has known this the entire time she’s been on scholarship at the prestigious Edgewater Academy—a school for the rich (and mostly white) upper class of New England. It’s why she works so hard to be perfect and above reproach, no matter what she must force beneath the surface. Even one slip can cost you everything. And it does. One fight, one moment of lost control, leaves Adina blacklisted from her top choice Ivy League college and any other. Her only chance to regain the future she’s sacrificed everything for is the Finish, a high-stakes contest sponsored by Edgewater’s founding family in which twelve young, ambitious women with exceptional promise are selected to compete in three mysterious events: the Ride, the Raid, and the Royale. The winner will be granted entry into the fold of the Remington family, whose wealth and power can open any door. But when she arrives at the Finish, Adina quickly gets the feeling that something isn’t quite right with both the Remingtons and her competition, and soon it becomes clear that this larger-than-life prize can only come at an even greater cost. Because the Finish’s stakes aren’t just make or break…they’re life and death. Adina knows the deck is stacked against her—it always has been—so maybe the only way to survive their vicious games is for her to change the rules.

Their Vicious Games

a1782114-220e-4529-affa-c6dbf4d70d40-1

Danielle Allen

Paperback (1 to 2 lbs)

Aaliyah is determined to celebrate her thirtieth birthday with a boyfriend. And after a failed blind date, the local bartender, Ahmad, suggests she joins a dating app. Filled with lies, catfish, and fetishizing, the wild world of online dating makes Aaliyah think she’s in over her head. And she is. But with her two best friends and a protective bartender by her side, what could go wrong? Everything. Everything could go wrong. And that’s the problem. Because as Aaliyah is set on finding exactly what she’s looking for, she ends up finding something she never expects.

Curvy Girl Summer

58401caf-7394-4b25-b3ab-a0a5d98723e8-0

Lauren Ling Brown

A Novel

“A dark and haunting debut that explores secret societies, the bonds of sisterhood, and the intricacies of privilege at an elite college . . . I couldn’t put this twisty tale down.”—Julia Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of The Writing Retreat “With this powerhouse debut, Lauren Ling Brown has established herself as a remarkable talent to watch.”—Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, author of The Girls Are All So Nice Here How far would you go to belong? Maya has returned to Princeton for her college reunion—it’s been a decade since she graduated, and she is looking forward to seeing old faces and reminiscing about her time there. This visit is special because Maya will also be attending the graduation of her little sister, Naomi. But what should have been a dream weekend becomes Maya’s worst nightmare when she receives the news that Naomi is dead. The police are calling it an accident, but Maya suspects that there is more to the story than they are letting on. As Maya pieces together what happened in the months leading up to her sister’s death, she begins to realize how much Naomi hid from her. Despite Maya’s warnings, Naomi had joined Sterling Club, the most exclusive social club on campus—the same one Maya belonged to. And if she had to guess, Naomi was likely tapped for the secret society within it. The more Maya uncovers, the more terrified she becomes that Naomi’s decision to follow in her footsteps might have been what got her killed. Because Maya’s time at Princeton wasn’t as wonderful as she’d always made it seem—after all, her sister wasn’t the first young woman to turn up dead. Now every clue is leading Maya back to the past . . . and to the secret she’s kept all these years.

Society of Lies: Reese's Book Club

167b6ea6-7740-47cf-a99d-bb37c8ea90d0-0

The Lion Women of Tehran

Kellye Garrett

In this twisty thriller and "compulsive page-turner" (Harlan Coben) from the award-winning author of Like a Sister, a woman thinks she's waking up to a romantic vacation--only to find a body in her rental home and her boyfriend gone. The truth is never skin deep. It was supposed to be a romantic getaway weekend in New York City. Breanna's new boyfriend, Ty, took care of everything--the train tickets, the dinner reservations, the rented four-story luxury rowhouse in Jersey City with a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline. But when Bree comes downstairs their final morning, Ty is nowhere to be found and there's a stranger dead in the foyer--the missing woman the entire Internet has become obsessed with: Janelle Beckett. Soon, both the police and an army of Internet sleuths are asking questions Bree doesn't know how to answer. Desperate to find Ty and to keep her own secrets buried, Bree realizes there's only one person she can turn to: her ex-best friend, a lawyer with whom she shares a very complicated past. Fierce, smart, and thrilling to the end, Missing White Woman not only explores "Missing White Woman" syndrome and traveling while Black, but deftly inverts the hallmarks of the domestic suspense genre to ask: How well can we truly know the people we love? And what happens to these stories when seen through the eyes of a Black woman? "Fantastic. Only Garrett could craft a tale so adroitly attuned to our everyday fears." --S. A. Cosby "Taut, suspenseful, and packed with heart, this novel grabbed me tight and wouldn't let go." --Meg Gardiner "Expertly mixes sorrow and grief, humor and identity, with the chaos of social media." --Rachel Howzell Hall "Bree is unforgettable . . . You are in for such a ride." --Rachel Hawkins

Missing White Woman

77e09fe9-3280-465b-a71d-0fcfe6dcc74f-0

Chris Whitaker

Heavy Hardcover (2 to 4 lbs)

From the New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End comes an epic novel about a man fixated on finding a missing woman―and the FBI agent on his tail, who might be even more obsessed than he is. "A huge achievement." ―Alex Michaelides "Amazing. Haunting. Unforgettable." ―Patricia Cornwall 1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Mohammed Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing. When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges—Patch, a local boy with one eye, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake. Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another. A soaring thriller and an epic love story that spans decades, Chris Whitaker has written a novel about what lurks in the shadows of obsession, and the blinding light of hope.

All the Colors of the Dark

95082968-3074-4354-bf95-bbaba268100b-0

ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

A national bestselling author spins an irresistible story of romance and faith that will touch every reader's heart. Successful magazine exec Lance Kingston urges his new wife Tia to seek medical attention, but he wonders if he can ever help his wife if she refuses to help herself.

The Secret She Kept

8da173d7-becb-4517-b51c-064309b95daa-0

Sister Souljah

Heavy Paperback (2 to 4 lbs)

Sister Souljah returns to her beloved character Winter Santiaga in the captivating and heart-pounding sequel to instant #1 New York Times bestseller Life After Death. After suffering a horrifying, yet soul stirring death experience, worldwide top bitch Winter Santiaga, of The Coldest Winter Ever, is alive and facing a dilemma that every living person faces: how to respond to the Fear of God, awareness of heaven and hell, while pursuing and satisfying deep desires for sex, fun, love, money, revenge, and fame. In her new novel, Love After Midnight, Sister Souljah delivers a powerful hip-hop hood style, global romantic comedy.

Love after Midnight

723a9635-997d-42d2-ad0b-2fd72c039b2a-0

Honey

Akwaeke Emezi

NAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF THE YEAR BY HARPER'S BAZAAR, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, BOOKPAGE AND MORE! "Emezi unspools a web of erotic danger in their entertaining latest...readers in search of a decadent good time will find it here."–Publishers Weekly A thrilling new novel from the bestselling, award-winning, visionary Akwaeke Emezi One weekend. The elite underbelly of a Nigerian city. A party that goes awry. A tangled web of sex and lies and corruption that leaves no one unscathed. Aima and Kalu are a longtime couple who have just split. When Kalu, reeling from the breakup, visits an exclusive sex party hosted by his best friend, Ahmed, he makes a decision that will plunge them all into chaos, brutally and suddenly upending their lives. Ola and Souraya, two Nigerian sex workers visiting from Kuala Lumpur, collide into the scene just as everything goes to hell. Sucked into the city’s corrupt and glittering underworld, they’re all looking for a way out, fueled by a desperate need to escape the dangerous threat that looms over them.

Little Rot

4a386f1f-58b9-4060-94e3-b2cde08840f9-0

Alex Michaelides

A masterfully paced thriller about a reclusive ex–movie star and her famous friends whose spontaneous trip to a private Greek island is upended by a murder — from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient This is a tale of murder. Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it? Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island. I tell you this because you may think you know this story. You probably read about it at the time ― it caused a real stir in the tabloids, if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press sensation: a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind...and a murder. We found ourselves trapped there overnight. Our old friendships concealed hatred and a desire for revenge. What followed was a game of cat and mouse ― a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax. The night ended in violence and death, as one of us was found murdered. But who am I? My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard.

The Fury

fdb3e377-6b71-4d8c-a9d8-917b131c7a0c-1

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

Nick Chiles

Light Hardcover (1 lb or less)

An Autobiography

In an autobiography marked by staggering vulnerability, former NBA star Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf-whose given name was Chris Jackson before converting to Islam and changing it in 1991-recounts the twists, turns, trials, and triumphs of his life. He is perhaps most well-known for being exiled from the league for praying--instead of standing and saluting the flag - during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before games throughout the 1995-96 season. Abdul-Rauf's protest sent shockwaves through the NBA that can still be felt today. With wit and candor, Abdul-Rauf tells the story of how he rose to the top of his game--only to have his career taken away in the blink of an eye when he stood up for his principles. He also recounts his experiences living with Tourette Syndrome, committing his life to the Islamic faith, and growing up estranged from his father. In the Blink of an Eye challenges readers to examine our own lives by asking what we value, how we want to be remembered, and how we can contribute to making the world a better place. Through evocative passages that place the reader in the heat of the moment as well as poignant portraits of the important people in his life, In the Blink of an Eye will capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. This book is a must-read for anyone who has faced down adversity by standing up for the integrity of their own life, path, and identity. From his confrontations with racism--including the burning down of his house--to his difficult relationship with some of his closest family members, Adbul-Rauf reveals in intimate detail the important and inspirational, if painful, episodes that shaped his life.

In the Blink of an Eye

26d018cf-1a91-46dd-9ad1-49c33446ed2a-0

John Cho

An instant New York Times bestselller!

An Indiebound bestseller!



Troublemaker follows the events of the LA Riots through the eyes of 12-year-old Jordan as he navigates school and family. This book will highlight the unique Korean American perspective.



12-year-old Jordan feels like he can't live up to the example his older sister set, or his parent's expectations. When he returns home from school one day hoping to hide his suspension, Los Angeles has reached a turning point. In the wake of the acquittal of the police officers filmed beating Rodney King, as well as the shooting of a young black teen, Latasha Harlins by a Korean store owner, the country is at the precipice of confronting its racist past and present. 

As tensions escalate, Jordan's father leaves to check on the family store, spurring Jordan and his friends to embark on a dangerous journey to come to his aide, and come to terms with the racism within and affecting their community.

Troublemaker

1280d27c-fc0d-43ac-b583-72a190c28261-1

Bethany C. Morrow

Named A Most Aniticipated Book of 2022 by *Medium* CrimeReads* Tor Nightfire* Bookshop* Book Talk* BiblioLifestyle* and more! From bestselling author Bethany C. Morrow comes a new adult social horror novel in the vein of Get Out meets My Sister, the Serial Killer, about Farrah, a young, calculating Black girl who manipulates her way into the lives of her Black best friend’s white, wealthy, adoptive family but soon suspects she may not be the only one with ulterior motives. . . . Seventeen-year-old Farrah Turner is one of two Black girls in her country club community, and the only one with Black parents. Her best friend, Cherish Whitman, adopted by a white, wealthy family, is something Farrah likes to call WGS—White Girl Spoiled. With Brianne and Jerry Whitman as parents, Cherish is given the kind of adoration and coddling that even upper-class Black parents can’t seem to afford—and it creates a dissonance in her best friend that Farrah can exploit. When her own family is unexpectedly confronted with foreclosure, the calculating Farrah is determined to reassert the control she’s convinced she’s always had over her life by staying with Cherish, the only person she loves—even when she hates her. As troubled Farrah manipulates her way further into the Whitman family, the longer she stays, the more her own parents suggest that something is wrong in the Whitman house. She might trust them—if they didn’t think something was wrong with Farrah, too. When strange things start happening at the Whitman household—debilitating illnesses, upsetting fever dreams, an inexplicable tension with Cherish’s hotheaded boyfriend, and a mysterious journal that seems to keep track of what is happening to Farrah—it’s nothing she can’t handle. But soon everything begins to unravel when the Whitmans invite Farrah closer, and it’s anyone’s guess who is really in control. Told in Farrah’s chilling, unforgettable voice and weaving in searing commentary on race and class, this slow-burn social horror will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page.

Cherish Farrah

68ff894b-db7c-423d-84bd-1eb42be5c5b4-1

Clyde W. Ford

Black Lives and the Making of White Power and Wealth

Antoney and Isabell -- Piracy and European Wealth -- Servants or Slaves? -- From Servitude to Slavery -- Legislating Faith, Love, and Lust -- Runaways and Rebels -- A House Built on Smoke -- Founding Debtors, Founding Documents -- A Great White Hope -- I Can't Breathe -- Before the Mast -- Over Coffee -- Hell on Wheels -- The Only Cowardly Blood -- A Second American Revolution -- Back Again Toward Slavery.

Of Blood and Sweat

c72ee3a3-0762-4cd7-82dc-9b5a1614c700-1

Sonora Reyes

A sharply funny and moving debut novel about a queer Mexican American girl navigating Catholic school, while falling in love and learning to celebrate her true self. Perfect for fans of Erika L. Sánchez, Leah Johnson, and Gabby Rivera.

Sixteen-year-old Yamilet Flores prefers to be known for her killer eyeliner, not for being one of the only Mexican kids at her new, mostly white, very rich Catholic school. But at least here no one knows she's gay, and Yami intends to keep it that way. 

After being outed by her crush and ex-best friend before transferring to Slayton Catholic, Yami has new priorities: keep her brother out of trouble, make her mom proud, and, most importantly, don't fall in love. Granted, she's never been great at any of those things, but that's a problem for Future Yami. 

The thing is, it's hard to fake being straight when Bo, the only openly queer girl at school, is so annoyingly perfect. And smart. And talented. And cute. So cute. Either way, Yami isn't going to make the same mistake again. If word got back to her mom, she could face a lot worse than rejection. So she'll have to start asking, WWSGD: What would a straight girl do? 

Told in a captivating voice that is by turns hilarious, vulnerable, and searingly honest, The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School explores the joys and heartaches of living your full truth out loud.

The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School

2dc26f6f-6cb5-4ade-b32d-bc17bc51699b-1

Ciera Rogers

Because You Don't Need to Fit in to Win

From the fashion mogul and entrepreneur behind Babes, an empowering memoir about turning what makes you different into the foundation of your success Ciera Rogers is known for being an “Outsider”—and she likes it that way. As the founder and CEO of a multi-million-dollar brand that caters to curvy women of all shades, worn by the likes of Kim Kardashian and championed by Beyoncé, Ciera has rallied the very women the fashion industry is designed to ignore around the radical idea that what makes you different is actually your superpower. The Outsider Advantage is for Outsiders like her: the dreamers, doers, and go-getters that society continuously overlooks and underestimates, but who are uniquely equipped to achieve glass-shattering success. In this bold and inspiring memoir, Ciera shares the moments in her life that left the biggest impact—being kidnapped at a young age by her estranged father, running hustles in strip clubs, living in her mom’s red Jeep, daring to post her first outfit for sale on Instagram, hitting seven-figures, and buying a home—and unearths the powerful lessons she has taken away from her past and her unorthodox rise, like how to harness what you already have and how to use your trauma as a motivator. She also speaks to feelings of millennial rage, as on her journey, she came to realize that the American Dream is a lie. But she didn’t allow that to stop her from outmaneuvering the system to finally live the life she wanted. Arguing that what the world calls limitations—lack of connections, resources, fancy degrees, or even the “right” look—are actually our biggest competitive advantages, Ciera teaches anyone who has ever been overlooked, ignored or underestimated how to embrace their Outsider status to find unstoppable success.

The Outsider Advantage

34f43fca-173e-4af4-984f-4753e2d6410c-0

Nathan Hill

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • The New York Times best-selling author of The Nix is back with a poignant and witty novel about a modern marriage and the bonds that keep people together. Mining the absurdities of contemporary society, Wellness reimagines the love story with a healthy dose of insight, irony, and heart. "A stunning novel about the stories that we tell about our lives and our loves, and how we sustain relationships throughout time—it's beyond remarkable, both funny and heartbreaking, sometimes on the same page.” —NPR When Jack and Elizabeth meet as college students in the gritty '90s Chicago art scene, the two quickly join forces and hold on tight, each eager to claim a place in the thriving underground scene with an appreciative kindred spirit. Fast-forward twenty years to suburban married life, and alongside the challenges of parenting, they encounter the often-baffling pursuits of health and happiness from polyamorous would-be suitors to home-renovation hysteria. For the first time, Jack and Elizabeth struggle to recognize each other, and the no-longer-youthful dreamers are forced to face their demons, from unfulfilled career ambitions to childhood memories of their own dysfunctional families. In the process, Jack and Elizabeth must undertake separate, personal excavations, or risk losing the best thing in their lives: each other.

Wellness

07c819f4-b09e-4215-8e75-cd4b9e820d0b-1

Lauren Simmons

A Guide to Financial Wellness

The popular host of the Money Moves podcast and youngest person ever to trade on the New York Stock Exchange provides winning tips for women to help them shift their financial mindset, become confident about their money, set them on a path to financial security, and live their best lives. "Seventy three percent of Americans ranked their finances as the number one cause of stress in their lives. But financial wellness can have a positive effect on your entire life. Not only when it comes to money and finances, but the quality and ease of how you live. Financial wellness means freedom for your body and freedom for your mind. Financial stress can also cause the breakdown of relationships. But it doesn't have to be that way."--Lauren Simmons In 2017, when she was only twenty-two, Lauren Simmons became the youngest full-time female trader at the New York Stock Exchange, and the second African American woman in the Exchange's 228-year history to hold such a position. Driven by a passion for empowering women, Millennials, Gen Zs, and minorities to become more financially savvy, she now shares her experience and knowledge in this savvy financial guide. Simmons brings a fresh perspective to personal finance: she is a young African American woman with an understanding of how to increase wealth and an awareness of generational and cultural barriers--such an income inequity--that can hold people back from taking financial risks. In her warm, down-to-earth voice, Simmons makes confusing topics easy to understand. She breaks down the pros and cons of buying stocks and Treasuries, explains how to maximize your 401K opportunities even in challenging economic times, advises how to grapple with student loans, and helps you break family cycles when dealing (or not) with debt. Simmons helps a new generation and others who have been overlooked learn how to take care of their money--so their money can take care of them, today and tomorrow.

Make Money Move

7938f15d-463c-46c8-a46c-1990fc297afc-0

Bryan Washington

From the bestselling, award-winning author of Memorial and Lot, an irresistible, intimate novel about two young men, once best friends, whose lives collide again after a loss. Cam is living in Los Angeles and falling apart after the love of his life has died. Kai's ghost won't leave Cam alone; his spectral visits wild, tender, and unexpected. When Cam returns to his hometown of Houston, he crashes back into the orbit of his former best friend, TJ, and TJ's family bakery. TJ's not sure how to navigate this changed Cam, impenetrably cool and self-destructing, or their charged estrangement. Can they find a way past all that has been said - and left unsaid - to save each other? Could they find a way back to being okay again, or maybe for the first time? When secrets and wounds become so insurmountable that they devour us from within, hope and sustenance and friendship can come from the most unlikely source. Spanning Los Angeles, Houston, and Osaka, Family Meal is a story about how the people who know us the longest can hurt us the most, but how they also set the standard for love. With his signature generosity and eye for food, sex, love, and the moments that make us the most human, Bryan Washington returns with a brilliant new novel.

Family Meal

efb2d6f0-0a0f-47c6-a021-30bded192bef-1

Dick Gregory

Christian Gregory

A soulful, generation-defining collection of thought-provoking, agitating, and liberating works from Dick Gregory, the activist and author of sixteen books, including the classic bestseller Nigger: An Autobiography and the 2017 NAACP Image Award Winner, Defining Moments in Black History: Reading Between the Lies.

A true renaissance man, Richard Claxton "Dick" Gregory was one of the pioneering satirists of his generation, a reformer and brilliant spokesperson for the downtrodden and forgotten who dedicated his life to speaking unadulterated truth--and to improving ordinary lives. A revered human rights and environmental activist, fearsome and uncompromising social critic, lauded bestselling author, and beloved nutrition guru, Gregory aimed not only to educate souls, but to liberate them. His words shaped a generation and remain vital for our own turbulent times, offering wisdom to enlighten and inspire a new activist age.

This carefully curated anthology of selected writings reflects and celebrates Dick Gregory's wisdom and his vision. Divided into three sections--Body, Mind, and Spirit--it includes previously unavailable transcriptions and excerpts taken from his sixteen books, fifteen albums and audio compilations, and more than 1,200 hours of archival video, including lectures, interviews, and comedic performances. It is a breathtaking tour through the life of one of America's most prophetic and relevant cultural icons. The Essential Dick Gregory is a pointillistic portrait of a man who gave up a lucrative entertainment career to fight injustice on the front line of battle--leading protests and hunger strikes to end the Vietnam War and apartheid in South Africa; supporting civil rights, feminism, and Native Americans,; and addressing hunger, poverty, and police brutality.

This compelling volume will challenge your beliefs, allow you to see life in unexpected ways, and dare you to make the world a better place.

The Essential Dick Gregory

03d327e4-8047-4c67-a3e7-2059d9fbf43e-1

M. K. Asante

A Memoir in 4-part Harmony 

Nephew

764b1e3d-81ec-4bb5-b1f1-fc08c76c5864-0

Kehinde Fadipe

Basking in Singapore's nonstop sunshine, low tax rate, and luxury goods market, Dara, Amaka, and Lillian are living the glamorous expat dream--until their carefully constructed lives are upended by a handsome and mysterious new arrival. Dara, a workaholic lawyer from the UK, is on the brink of partnership at her firm. Estranged from her mother, and perpetually uncomfortable around her hypercompetitive colleagues, her insecurities intensify exponentially when Lani, a new hire from Geneva (and a fellow British Nigerian), is assigned to work on what should have been her career-making case. Pitted against each other by their boss, Dara can't help but see Lani as a threat: a privileged man poised to take her place. Amaka, a sharp-tongued banker from Nigeria, is in the midst of a painful family dispute. Thousands of miles away from home, she's doing her best to distract herself with a flirtatious workplace romance--and hiding a spiraling shopping addiction that's endangering not only her finances but her very sense of self. An instant attraction to Lani jeopardizes the last shred of stability she has. Lillian, a pianist turned "trailing spouse" from the US, is desperately trying to stay in Singapore after her marriage comes to a messy end. Rather than sell her beloved piano, the last precious reminder she has of her parents, she takes a low-paying job at a language school. A chance encounter with Lani--a man who is inexplicably, impossibly, the spitting image of her late father--triggers a grief she's spent a lifetime suppressing, leading to an obsession that imperils everything--and everyone--around her. Forced to confront the ghosts of their pasts, Dara, Amaka, and Lillian soon learn that unfinished history can follow you anywhere, no matter how far you run from home.

The Sun Sets in Singapore

0c562ec4-f76f-432f-bf36-1fa161ff2f59-1

K. B. Brookins

A Memoir

By a prize-winning, young Black trans writer of outsized talent, a fierce and disciplined memoir about queerness, masculinity, and race. Even as it shines light on the beauty and toxicity of Black masculinity from a transgender perspective—the tropes, the presumptions—Pretty is as much a powerful and tender love letter as it is a call for change. “I should be able to define myself, but I am not. Not by any governmental or cultural body,” Brookins writes. “Every day, I negotiate the space between who I am, how I’m perceived, and what I need to unlearn. People have assumed things about me, and I can’t change that. Every day, I am assumed to be a Black American man, though my ID says ‘female,’ and my heart says neither of the sort. What does it mean – to be a girl-turned-man when you’re something else entirely?” Informed by KB Brookins’s personal experiences growing up in Texas, those of other Black transgender masculine people, Black queer studies, and cultural criticism, Pretty is concerned with the marginalization suffered by a unique American constituency—whose condition is a world apart from that of cisgender, non-Black, and non-masculine people. Here is a memoir (a bildungsroman of sorts) about coming to terms with instantly and always being perceived as “other”

Pretty

1b99f83b-5528-40c8-ab02-7891451af60d-0

Bolde_books

Browse by categories