Alice Walker's The Color Purple: Edited by Kheven LaGrone

Walker's genius is indebted to Hurston's, similar in that it privileges the once silent voices in of Black women in American literature-the diverse and complicated voices of my mothers, sisters, aunts, grandmothers, cousins and friends. To hold in my hands two decades later, Alice Walker's The Color Purple, edited by Kheven LaGrone, speaks of the impact of this work. It was difficult to write a review that would both share the sparkling insights of the book itself, and to also hold it accountable for its of-the-moment philosophical and academic sensibilities. The work is immeasurably useful in parsing the varied philosophical strands of Walker's controversial novel, as well taking hold of the text by examining the harsh criticisms that were burgeoning when the book was published some twenty-five years later.

No More Tomorrows: Two Lives, Two Stories, One Love By Rodney Lofton Simon & Schuster

Growth is significant in this story, but acceptance is what helps this story unfold and flourish. Mark is a HIV Positive man that meets Kevin at his celebration party, which was for him surviving another year with HIV. Both of them captured the attention of each other at the party, but they didn't really interact with each other with the exception of their brief introduction by friends to each other. However, their lives would drastically change because of one phone call. Kevin ended up calling Mark the day after the party, and he was constantly thinking about Mark's appearance and demeanor during the party. Kevin's constant yearn for more knowledge can be inferred as his motivation to make the phone call to Mark, but he also wondered how this gentleman was infected with HIV. Kevin's phone call to Mark led to them dating, and they begin to grow on each other with each date.

In spite of the growth of their friendship, these men still had deep feelings enclosed in their hearts for each other; they failed to discuss them because of fear. Kevin and Mark's uncertainty about each other led to a big argument between them. This argument led to a strong foundation and their unconditional love for one another. Kevin and Mark's friends saw the change in their demeanors, and they even shared the intimacy of pleasure sexually; despite Mark begin HIV positive. Kevin had gotten over his fear of Mark being infected with fear, and he was happy to finally be in a monogamous relationship.

Rodney Lofton

Mark was finally able to love again, and he was happier than he had ever been. With happiness, sometimes sadness is not to far behind, but they still displayed their affection. Although, Kevin and Mark would have a civil union marriage; Mark would eventually die from HIV. Kevin managed to stay by Mark's side the entire time until he had to say goodbye to his life partner. Sadness is usually always there when death takes a love one, but the precious memories that you shared with them can be engraved in your heart forever.

Rodney Lofton's " No More Tomorrows" is a book that every black gay male should take the opportunity to read, or for that matter "every gay male should read." The HIV/AIDS is an epidemic that changes the lives of individuals in society, but this shouldn't constitute discrimination or prevent people who are infected with this disease from being loved. "No More Tomorrows" presents growth, love, happiness, pleasure, and sadness, but this book can also help to open the minds of people who have conservative views about HIV/AIDS.

African America's  3rd Rail, SGL  by Max Smith

In addition, the race factor is essential to this book, and different African Americans are relevant to his story. Smith along with many others has paved the way for me and many others to be honest and proud about myself as a person. His determination, honesty, and tenacity is embedded with in the pages of "African America's 3rd Rail: SGL." At first, my perspective of this book was that it was too historic and kind of boring. Then, I realized the significance of this book from both a political and historic perspective. These events that Smith was a part of, has life easier for me as a person in today's society.

Life is almost never dull, and it can take a person in unexpected places. Smith 's "African America's 3rd Rail: SGL began with family background information. His mother was a Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority member, so was his mother's younger sister. His aunt and uncle were the first to get a color television set in their neighborhood: Lincoln Heights. It is clearly evident that Max Smith was clearly aware of all the different groundbreaking events that was occurring. 

Max Smith

He informs his readers about Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. He begin standing up for himself as young boy, and he definitely displays this when he is able to beat up the school bully Johnny Mac.

Taking a stance as a youth enable him to do other things in his life. For instance, he was able to tell his parents and family members that he was gay, and he even joined the gay liberation council once he started attending Michigan State University. Fighting for human rights and being part of rallies was important to him, and this adamantly shown through his act of political and cultural activism. Smith even reflects on how some conservative religious people fail to acknowledge homosexual, and he delves into how some of them are even corrupted with dishonesty about themselves.

The sincerity, historic and political factors is a chance for people who wants to intellectually enhance their knowledge about African Americans, homosexuals, and the fight for human rights is implemented in "African America's 3rd Rail: SGL. There is still a fight equality in the world, but the progression of where society once was is pleasing, and Max Smith is definitely a activist that has engaged in many different rallies, events, and organizations over the years. Reading this book has been an inspiration to me, and I hope it will inspire more people to be politically, socially, and historically aware of the different events and ideas that occur in the world.

Now make no mistake. Unraveled is mostly well written, but the author peoples his/her world with enough cowardly bitch-and-moan whiners, homophobes, liars and ‘holier-than thy-ers’ to build another West Angeles Church Babylonious shrine. 

Unraveled: Sealed Lips, Clenched Fists

By D. Fostalove (iUniverse 291 pps)

Chauncey, a struggling journalist, and Destiny, an unmotivated welfare recipient, have been in a toxic live-in relationship for four years. Chauncey, while at a concert with his low-life, alcoholic cousin Frazier, meets Thai, a decent and proud gay man. Though Thai has unhidden romantic feelings for Chauncey, their friendship is noble and platonic, but because Destiny is the girlfriend-from-hell (“We fight good and we sex good,” she proudly tells Chauncey in her twisted idea of a come on), Chauncey spends a great deal of time in Thai’s company crying on his shoulder. 

Nothing much else happens in this story of any considerable consequence except domestic argument after domestic argument. Chauncey is too much of a milquetoast to leave Destiny, Thai is too unrealistically patient to send Chauncey packing, and cousin Frazier is too much of an asshole to illicit any sympathy when tragedy comes calling. 

I very much like Chauncey’s mother and found the chapter devoted to his returning home to her most compelling, but even here we are faced with a woman who is subtly condescending and antediluvian. 

Arguably the two greatest narcissistic, cry-baby, racists, bitch-glorious heroines in modern literary history are Margaret Mitchell’s Scarlet O’Hara (“Gone With The Wind”) and Tennessee Willams’ Blanche Dubois (“A Streetcar Named Desire”) but those authors walked that literary tightrope with such impeccably inventive and daring-do dexterity that we have been forever endeared to the very nasty qualities these characters imbued. But Fostalove’s Destiny is one of the most unlikable bitches ever committed to paper. 

The author also shoots him/herself in the foot with an over dependency on dialogue and precious little narrative, and the characters’ responses to anything are overly physical and emotionally anemic—cracking necks and knuckles, rolling eyes, staring up at the ceiling. 

Watching the lives of people unravel and fall apart is easy fodder for empathy and sympathy, but the characters here are so cold, unfeeling, and angry, that, after finishing this book, I felt mostly the same way. 

Urban Scholar Learning Academy presents 2 benefit performances of Stanley Bennett Clay's "Armstrong's Kid" Saturday, August 8, 2009. 6 pm and 8 pm. Lucy Florence Village Theatre 3351 W. 43rd St. L.A. 90008. 323.293.1356 or 323.707.7732

Deep Breaths Poetry - Leo Shelton

Reading some of his poems is like hearing a heartbeat bouncing against the pavement, which can be frightening because he is grappling with the issue of racial identity in some of his poems. Whispers is the section of the book that I enjoyed the most because it presented the stereotypical views of an American African male in What's A Brutha To Do? and Undeserved Fame. Although, America has come a long way as a country, these are subjects that can be political and people sometimes are afraid to encounter them in life.

What's A Brutha to Do? begins with Shelton stating: "When greatness is demanded/ What's a brutha to do?" Expectations as well perfection is sometimes demanded by friends, relatives, supervisors, teachers, etc. This can be stressful for some African American males especially if they're paving a path for others to follow. Shelton even highlights that sometimes African American males "Stand by the side/ And wish he were someone/ Worthy of a reservation." People makes decisions because of their priorities, and they shouldn't be categorized because other individuals.

D'liberate Ramblings Poetry - Leo Shelton

Reading the poems aloud is essential to the purpose of the poems and the meaning of the words in some of the poems. Also, the ramblings can be seen on the pages of "D'liberate Ramblings" because there is minimal punctuation in majority of the poems in this book. Shelton's book of poetry is a reflection of some the different circumstances and events that are presented to us in life. Two of my favorite poems in "D'liberate Ramblings" are Me and Moms and Mature Breaths.

Leo Shelton provides his readers with a lot of different images in Me and Moms, and the solidification of his relationship with his mother is vividly appears through these images. This poem begins with the speaker noticing his mother's eyes: "I can see it in your eyes, / Strong and obvious reflections of me." The eyes in Me and Moms are significant, and they help to capture the visualization of nature. These eyes are able to look at the: "same honey dew/ Running from the same flowers/ Sprouted from the same ground/ But in different locales." The repetition of same and different is evident throughout the first stanza of Me and Moms.

While RAHEN (my personal favorite) boldly tackles gay bashing and rivets until the heartbreaking end, CONFINING ROOM flips the script on homie-sexuality. And take note of this beautifully written phrase from THE SPACE BETWEEN: “He opens her with four fingers. He speaks rivers inside her. She does not know what to do with her hands. The rest of her body. Or the thoughts, like famine and harvest, roiling in her head.

” UNDER AN EARLY AUTUMN MOON is the tale of a late night tryst with a surprising twist set in the fuckable landscape of a public park. PATH and SICK DAYS are thematically linked both in tone and content; tracking the light hearted—-in fact downright hysterical—escapades of a metrosexual homosexual’s quest for transient trade and the attended consequences of infidelity.

JOHN poignantly examines a self-loather’s confrontation with his demons via a therapist and a hustler, and although I’m not much of a fan of sadomasochism, I found SOMEWHERE NEARBY brilliant in its mix of cruel sex, brutal assault, intellectualism and the power of brooding self-examination at death’s door.

A seventeen-year-old boy weathers a violent physical and psychological storm in his native Jamaica as his older gay brother, banished years earlier by a now-absent father, lays dying of AIDS in the brief but powerful STORM. And CHURCH returns a prodigal world traveler to his hometown congregation where his moving revelation restores faith in a true and loving God.

This twelve-story collection ends with THE EMBRACE, a bright and buoyant story of three friends and their sexual fantasies that slowly turns erotically haunting when one of them introduces another to a mysterious lothario. THE EMBRACE is sure to leave you breathless.

As in any story collection, some are better than others. But there is not a week one in this bunch, as the author gives each narrator a unique voice, each story its own fascinating twist, and writing as appealingly grandiose and artful as Morrison and Baldwin.

Indeed, Baldwin and Thomas Glave are the only BGM writers to win the prestigious O. Henry Prize for Short Fiction. Based on a couple of the best stories in SHAMING THE DEVIL, it would not surprise me one bit if G. Winston James was chosen to make this a literary trinity.

Special Los Angeles Black Pride Celebration performance of Stanley Bennett Clay's "Armstrong's Kid" followed by a champagne reception Sunday July 5th.

Later, as Chin came of age in a succession of homes-some dysfunctional, some welcoming and some merely adequate, she developed an unbreakable sense of self. Having always been a lively and spirited child, Chin grew into a bright, headstrong young woman, clearly on the verge of carving out a bigger existence for herself. While her life has had many twists and turns, including a confrontation with the man she believes to be her father and her dangerous coming out in college, she has remained courageous in the face of adversity. Told with grace, humor and courage, THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE is an unforgettable story of triumph against the odds.

Without a single hint of humor, he informs us that he cannot be bothered with the females in this terrible place called America because they don’t love the true ‘him.’ They love only his jet black eyes, his jet-black face, his pearly teeth, his tall, lean, over-six-feet frame, even the feet in his kicks. “[T]hey never seen a black man so masculine, so pretty, so beautiful before,” he reminds us in case we hadn’t noticed. “…I come from a country of real men who take real life, real serious.”

Fourteen-year-old Midnight, while dissertating on the sacredness of Muslim women, the complex relationship she has with Muslim men and her finite place in Muslim culture, tells us his incredible story.

At the age of seven, he finds and pays for an apartment he’ll share with his mother and future sibling, beats down three thugs years his senior, and becomes a star student in a Ninjitsu martial arts class.

His collection of 31 ancient Hindu proverbs and words of wisdom from such gentle persons and deities of peace, including Gandhi, Ashtavakra Gita, Tirukkural, Taittinya Upanishad, Bhagavad Gita, Buddha, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is as
soothing as a warm scented bath, and as cleansing.

Each proverb page is interfaced with Mr. Fields’ remarkable and colorful drawings featuring beautiful babies of all colors and cultures in various yoga poses, which, aside from the aesthetics, are quite instructional.

This physically slight but spiritually potent collection is the perfect marriage of art and poetry and I assure you, you’ll revisit its pages time and time again.

But buyer beware. Pick up two or three copies, or more. For as your heart swells with the closing of the final page, your mind will fill with the names of those individuals special to you, special enough to be gifted with this wonderful little treasure.

Stanley Bennett Clay's "Armstrong's Kid" starring Stanley Bennett Clay and Tory Scroggins Thurs. 3/19 & Thurs. 3/26. Lucy Florence Village Theatre 3351 W. 43rd St. L.A. CA 90008. 323.293.1356

"I wrote down everything that happened to me and had to do it secretly because we weren't supposed to keep journals," Hall said. "Some of the brothers found out about it and started passing it around the block. I had to start mailing pages home to my family. And it was my friends and family, especially my mother, who pushed me to try to publish it. Who would have believed that I would become an Essence Bestselling author?

Hall has indeed taken "lemons and made lemonade" gaining an almost cult-like following of fans and admirers for his controversial Memoir: Delaware Country Prison and for his courage in taking to platforms and podiums across the country as a no-holds-barred advocate of gay rights.
"I had to be out and gay to write the kinds of books that I do," he said. "I've been out of the closet since I was 18 and right now, I'm single - I'm very much single. It's really just me and my books. I think a lot of brothers are intimidated by me and that makes it hard to find the right one. But I'm being patient and I'm keeping my eyes open."

Both of Mr. Ariel’s barrels are fully loaded with Addison DeWittisms lethal as paper cuts or an arsenal of Dorothy Parker slams, often at his own expense, resulting in a delightfully caustic read; hysterical and humanized by self-deprecation and keen observations of not only the world around him but his deepest thoughts and the bright and dark sides of his heart and soul.