The Detroit Public Library… has begun Detroit Reads, a One Book, One Community program. It is encouraging hundreds of readers to form book clubs and is offering Book-Club-in-a-Bag kits that include all the items necessary to have a successful monthly book club. And book clubbers don’t have to go to one another’s homes. The library has been hosting them at its 24 branches.

To entice readers to join the movement, the library chose well. The effort’s initial book is “Before I Forget,” the first novel from Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper columnist Leonard Pitts. The book is about relationships between several African-American fathers and their sons.

“Our hope is for everyone to not just read the book, but to have conversations about the book,” said the library’s deputy director, Juliet Machie. “We have quite a few male book clubs that are meeting around this book, so I’m so excited about seeing young men and fathers coming together.”

You know Pitts. He appears in more than 100 papers around the country, including the Free Press. His incisive, courageous columns about national issues, race and politics have earned him top honors beyond the Pulitzer.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100223/COL10/2230360/Literacy-effort-is-gaining-momentum

The plot, although mildly dramatic, was brilliant. The lives of each of the female characters were noticeably interesting as well as convincing. The ending is startling (even displeasing) and unfortunately, readers will have to wait in order to discover what becomes of Camille, Misa, Dominique and Latoya.

I believe a five star rating for “Snapped” is justified. Ms. Brown has written a story that is true to herself as well as her adoring fans. Thus far, Snapped is one of my favorite reads of 2010.

Five star rating for Snapped.

I must admit that I’m still astounded by the revelation at the ending. What a surprise.

I rated this book 4.5 stars.

Originally published in three volumes released between 1993 and 2003, King, Ho Che Anderson’s much acclaimed graphic biography of Martin Luther King, will be re-released in a special revised hardcover edition in February in conjunction with the beginning of Black History Month. Hailed for its extensive research into the life of King and for its vividly candid, almost cinematic recreation of the Civil Rights leader’s life, King: The Special Edition offers previously unpublished pages in addition to a variety of supplementary materials that include original script pages, extensive sketches and character designs, alternate cover art and an essay by Anderson on his struggles to complete the book.

Fantagraphics is releasing a first printing of 7,000 hardcover copies of King: The Special Edition ($34.99, 312 pages). Previous editions of the book released by Fantagraphics sold a combined total of about 25,000 copies before going out of print. Anderson’s biography follows King’s life from his childhood and university years to his rise to prominence as a fiery Baptist minister and the path to becoming the controversial leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s. The book recreates King’s life—his brilliant oratory and social accomplishments as well as his personal failings—documenting both the danger of the times and the violence aimed at the movement and its followers as well as the behind-the-scenes political maneuverings between King, his own organization and a succession of American presidents.

This story originally appeared in PW Comics Week January 26, 2010
Compiled by Ada Price — Publishers Weekly, 1/25/2010 11:33:00 AM
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6716389.html?nid=2789&source=title&rid=17450161

Brian Maruca and Jim Rugg’s Afrodisac is a collection of short stories focusing on the character Afrodisiac, a mysterious black man endowed with super powers who also happens to be irresistable to woman and even aliens. The stories combine the tongue-in-cheek style of 1970s blaxploitation movies and comics. This preview includes selections from several stories. Afrodisiacis published by AdHouse Books.