February 21, 2010
Foxy: My Life in Three Acts
by Pam Grier, with Andrea Cagan
Springboard Press
Available 04/28/10 in Hardcover
Beautiful, bold, and bad, Pam Grier burst onto the movie scene in the 1970s, setting the screen on fire and forever changing the country’s view of African American actresses. With a killer attitude and body to match, Grier became the ultimate fantasy of men everywhere. But she quickly proved that she was more than just a desirable film goddess. She had the brains, courage, and tenacity to sustain a career that would span more than 30 years. In FOXY, she chronicles the good, bad, and steamy highlights in her life and career. From her early beginnings as a star in Foxy Brown to her Golden-Globe nominated role in Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown, Grier reveals her hard-won battles against racism and sexism, her victories in Hollywood, and her relationships with Richard Pryor and Kareem Abdul Jabar. Here, we see Pam in all of her incredible roles-from army brat and movie star to cancer survivor and dedicated activist. Revealing, thoroughly candid, and audacious, this is a no-holds-barred look at one of our most enduring screen idols.
January 1, 2010
Follow the Model: Miss J’s Guide to Unleashing Presence, Poise, and Power
J. Alexander
Simon Spotlight Entertainment
Available 11/10/09 in Hardcover
How does a six-foot-four, Bronx-born black gay male become Queen of the Catwalk? In one word: attitude. Beloved by millions of fans for his outrageous wit, spot-on critiques, and irrepressible flair, J. Alexander, affectionately known as Miss J, has helped groom hundreds of wannabe models as a runway coach and judge on America’s Next Top Model, as well as coaching such supermodels as Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, and Kimora Lee. But his empowering, no-nonsense advice applies far beyond the runway. And in this inspiring guide he shows women not just how to walk, but how to live the Miss J way — fully and fabulously.
As witheringly funny in print as he is in person, Miss J recounts a remarkable life and career that began with creating couture knockoffs on his grandmother’s sewing machine and took a brief detour while he considered becoming an accountant (yes, really). But it was a public casting call for a Jean Paul Gaultier runway show that led him to take his first impeccably clad step on the catwalk and confirmed his conviction that he belonged in the world of high fashion. In Follow the Model he reveals his secrets to succeeding at what you love most, shares life lessons and colorful (to say the least) anecdotes, provides a multitude of invaluable grooming and style tips, dishes on the celebrities he’s worked with so intimately, and offers a glimpse into the world of ANTM.
Not everyone is born to be a supermodel, but every woman can acquire confidence, self-esteem, and the determination to realize her dreams. You’ve got to want it, work it, and walk it — and Miss J is ready to show you how.
September 23, 2009
Freedom Bird
by Donnell B. Jones
Xlibris Corporation
Available 06/09/09
The military slogan: Never leave a soldier behind.
It was a destructive war fought in the jungles of Vietnam, which did not limit its casualties to the flesh but also deep through the soul. Many veterans were forgotten, but one soldier, through this memoir, chronicles his life overseas to remind us of those who were forgotten. Revisit the Vietnam War era through the eyes of a brave American soldier, Donell Jones.
Freedom Bird is based on a devastatingly true account of Jones, a determined soldier trained to fight, kill, and survive under extreme conditions. Joining the American army at the early age of eighteen, Jones was trained to fight and defend the United States against its enemies. He was sent to fight against Communist Vietnam.
In Vietnam, Jones was not just a fighter, but also a living eyewitness to all the horror, pain, and death on the battlefield. For him, the battlefield was a place for a bloody, on-the-spot extermination; the very place where enemies were mercilessly shot at the instant one lays eyes on them. Both the Vietcong and his colleagues were brutally killed before his very eyes, leaving a painful psychological trauma on his young mind. The depth of his story is not only his trip through Vietnam and Korea, but also the devastation the war left on his life in the States.
Experience how Freedom Bird became more than just the emancipation from a brutal war, but an escape from a battle that no gun or army could fight. Join him recall a dark period of his past as he writes this chronicle of courage and fearlessness, this expression of his love and devotion for his beloved America.
As he weaves together haunting memories of the Vietnam War, Jones shares a bitter life spent in the combat zone, which portrays a true spirit of heroism every soldier must have.
September 1, 2009
On the Line
by Serena Williams (Author), Daniel Paisner (Contributor)
Available 9/15/09
One of the biggest stars in tennis, Serena Williams has captured every major title. Her 2009 Australia Open championship earned her the #1 world ranking for the third time in her illustrious career – and marked only the latest exclamation point on a life well and purposefully lived. As a young girl, Serena began training with an adult-sized racquet that was almost as big as her. Rather than dropping the racquet, Serena saw it as a challenge to overcome-and she has confronted every obstacle on her path to success with the same unflagging spirit. From growing up in the tough, hardscrabble neighborhood of Compton, California, to being trained by her father on public tennis courts littered with broken glass and drug paraphernalia, to becoming the top women’s player in the world, Serena has proven to be an inspiration to her legions of fans both young and old. Her accomplishments have not been without struggle: being derailed by injury, devastated by the tragic shooting of her older sister, and criticized for her unorthodox approach to tennis. Yet somehow, Serena always manages to prevail. Both on the court and off, she’s applied the strength and determination that helped her to become a champion to successful pursuits in philanthropy, fashion, television and film. In this compelling and poignant memoir, Serena takes an empowering look at her extraordinary life and what is still to come.
August 30, 2009
Never Make the Same Mistake Twice: Lessons on Love and Life Learned the Hard Way
by Nene Leakes
Nene Leakes (Author), Denene Millner (Contributor)
Touchstone
Available 08/11/09
Outrageous, captivating, and unafraid to tell it like it is, Nene Leakes shares her wild journey from a scandalous past to the pinnacle of reality television stardom. Lauded by her fans for her refreshing honesty, infectiously genuine style, and clever sense of humor, Nene is an empowered, self-made woman who has not forgotten where she came from and knows exactly where she wants to go.
In this straight-talking and provocative memoir, Nene charts her journey from family black sheep to single mother to making good and realizing her dreams. With her charm and bold, self-possessed voice, Nene tackles her painful childhood; the abuse she suffered at the hands of a violent boyfriend; her struggle to support her firstborn son; and her path to true love, self-acceptance, and pride.
In Never Make the Same Mistake Twice, Nene dishes on her cast mates; takes on the rumors about her past; and shares hard-earned and inspiring life lessons in her fierce, no-nonsense, and irreverent style.
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May 20, 2009
The Cool Gent: The Nine Lives of Radio Legend Herb Kent (Hardcover)
by Herb Kent, David Smallwood
Foreword by Mayor Richard M. Daley
When Herb Kent was a straight-A college student in the 1940s, his white professor told him, “You have the best voice in class, but you’ll never make it in radio because you’re a Negro.” This did not deter the poor kid from the Chicago housing projects who had decided on a radio career at age five. It was just one more obstacle to face head on and overcome.
Known as the Cool Gent, the King of the Dusties, and the Mayor of Bronzeville, Herb Kent is one of radio’s most illustrious and legendary stars. This fascinating autobiography details both the high and low points of Herb’s life while providing a vivid picture of black music, culture, and personalities from the 1950s to today. Herb had a typical rock-and-roll lifestyle—drugs, alcohol, all-night partying, and women—eventually hitting rock bottom, where he finally faced his personal demons. At least nine times Herb came close to death, but through it all, he maintained his debonair, classy persona and his uncanny knack for picking timeless tunes. And he didn’t save only himself; along the way, he blazed new trails for all African Americans and remains a role model for today’s top deejays.
May 5, 2009
Straw: Finding My Way
by Darryl Strawberry
Available 4/28/09
Former baseball slugger Darryl Strawberry, whose achievements on the field were often overshadowed by his struggles off the field, recounts the highs, the lows, and the lessons of hope and survival he learned along the way.
The youngest son of Henry and Ruby Strawberry, Darryl grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Los Angeles, where he channeled his energy into baseball and basketball. The New York Mets drafted him in 1980, and he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1983. Strawberry became the first National League player voted to the All-Star Game in each of his first four full seasons. Throughout the eighties and nineties, however, Strawberry faced many personal challenges, including drug use, tax evasion, solicitation, and allegations of domestic violence. His seasons with the Dodgers, Giants, and Yankees were interrupted by suspensions, visits to rehab, and treatment for colon cancer. But in 2006, Strawberry’s life changed course dramatically. With his wife, Tracy, he devoted himself to his church and to his work with children and adults affected by autism and other developmental disorders. For the first time, in his own words, Darryl Strawberry delivers his inspirational narrative — the extraordinary story of his life.
May 1, 2009
Don’t Let The Lipstick Fool You
by Lisa Leslie
Available 03/01/09
A three-time Olympic gold medalist, three-time MVP of the WNBA, and the first woman ever to dunk in a professional basketball game, Lisa Leslie is considered one of the greatest players in the history of women’s basketball. Now in her own words, she points the spotlight onto her remarkable life off the court, where being a confident champion was not always simple.
As a child growing up in South Central Los Angeles, Lisa was timid, awkward, and over six feet tall in the sixth grade. Opponents challenged her, and she struggled to overcome self-imposed fears and limitations. But as her interest in basketball grew, she toughened both her game and her resolve. She also learned she could retain her femininity and throw a few elbows too.
Still there was a nagging notion that girls–even tall girls and especially pretty ones – could not play well. At the same time, Lisa’s home life, though loving, was unstable. Lisa never knew her father. Her mother worked as a traveling truck-driver to support the family, leaving Lisa to shuffle between relatives. Lisa’s beloved older sister seemed only to torment her, harbor hidden jealousies, and would later go on to steal her identity and almost ruin her finances. And as a young woman, it would take two broken engagements before Lisa finally found the love of her life.
Yet overcoming tremendous doubts are what paved the way to Lisa’s greatest achievements–scoring 101 points in the first half of a high school basketball game; signing with Wilhelmina Models and appearing in Vogue magazine; and of course traveling the world and winning championship after championship…after championship.
Today, Lisa is a beautiful, poised, assertive, six-foot-five-inch basketball powerhouse. Her elegance and charm have made her a favorite with fans, the fashion world, and even Hollywood. With hard-won candor and self-assurance, Lisa Leslie shares her empowering story about finding grace under pressure, balancing a life of contradiction without losing yourself, and exceeding expectations–including your own–by playing like a girl.
March 22, 2009
City Kid: A Writer’s Memoir of Ghetto Life and Post-Soul Success
by Nelson George
Available 04/02/09
A candid, colorful memoir about a nerd from the Brooklyn projects who made it big Nelson George grew up in the Tilden housing project in the crime- and despair-ridden Brownsville section of Brooklyn during the 1960s and 70s. In this tough neighborhood, Nelson was the nerdy kid who, in between stickball and street games, devoured Captain America comics, Ernest Hemingway novels, and album liner notes. City Kid introduces us to Nelson’s family: his absent wanna-be-hustler father; his tough-minded sister, who is seduced by the streets; and his mother, who dreams of becoming a teacher and returning to the South. Amid the struggles of his family, Nelson finds himself drawn into the world of black pop culture, first as a writer and then as a filmmaker, eventually collaborating with some of the major figures of the era — Spike Lee, Russell Simmons, Chris Rock, and many others. Nelson’s story is ultimately one of triumph, but it is not saccharine, sentimental, or full of false inspiration. Seeking transcendence through art and loving New York City, Nelson creates an insightful portrait of the emergence of black artists in the 1980s and 90s and illuminates how the pain of life can be turned into thoughtful books and cinema.
February 14, 2009
The Legs Are the Last to Go: Aging, Acting, Marrying, and Other Things I Learned the Hard Way
by Diahann Carroll
Available 10/01/08
It’s conventional wisdom that Hollywood has no use for a woman over forty. So it’s a good thing that Diahann Carroll — whose winning, sometimes controversial career breached racial barriers — is anything but conventional. Shonda Rhimes, the creator and executive producer of the hit program Grey’s Anatomy, developed a role just for her, and a recent show that’s touring the United States, The Life and Times of Diahann Carroll, was enthusiastically embraced by the New York Times. And all this since Carroll turned seventy! Here she shares her life story with an admirable candidness of someone who has seen and done it all. With wisdom that only aging gracefully can bestow, she talks frankly about her four marriages as well as the other significant relationships in her life, including her courtship with Sidney Poitier; racial politics in Hollywood and on Broadway; and the personal cost, particularly to her family, of being a pioneer. Whether she’s recalling an audition for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard, reflecting on her marriage to Vic Damone, or talking about her experience with breast cancer, Carroll’s storied history, blunt views, and notorious wit will be sure to entertain and inform.
