<div>“Asim has given us a book that is at once entertaining and evocative of a moment that truly was a turning point in black and American history.” —Chicago Tribune Jabari Asim’s debut novel returns readers to Gateway City, the fictional Midwestern city first explored in his acclaimed short story collection, Taste of Honey. Against a 1970s backdrop of rapid social and political change, Only the Strong portrays the challenges and rewards of love in a quintessential American community where heartbreak and violence are seldom far away. Moved by the death of Martin Luther King Jr., Lorenzo “Guts” Tolliver decides to abandon his career as a professional leg-breaker and pursue a life of quiet moments and generous helpings of banana pudding in the company of his new, sensuous lover. His erstwhile boss, local kingpin Ananias Goode, is also thinking about slowing down—but his tempestuous affair with Dr. Artinces Noel, a prominent pediatrician, complicates his retirement plans. Meanwhile, Charlotte Divine, the doctor’s headstrong protégée, struggles with trials of her own. With prose that’s sharp, humorous, and poetic, Asim skillfully renders a compelling portrait of urban life in the wake of the last major civil-rights bill. Massive change is afoot in America, and these characters have front-row seats. “[A] heartfelt, polyphonic ode to 1970s black America.” —The Wall Street Journal “Captivating.” —Jane Ciabattari, NPR Book Concierge: Best Books of 2015 “Incomparable charisma and verve.” —The Root, Best Fiction of 2015 “Lean, mean, and moving.” —Kirkus Reviews, Kirkus Prize nominee “Thoroughly entertaining and stylish . . . deserves favorable comparison to the works of Chester Himes and Walter Mosley.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review</div>

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Only the Strong

<div>The perfect Halloween gift for your baby or toddler! With My Baby Loves Halloween, celebrate all the lovely things that Baby discovers about Halloween:Baby loves the crisp autumn air. Baby loves candles in pumpkins that grin. Baby loves candy...Celebrate all the sweet things that Baby discovers about Halloween. This Own Voices board book, the perfect gift for a new baby, features rhythmic poetry from Jabari Asim and adorable art from Tara Nicole Whitaker.</div>

My Baby Loves Halloween

<div>The perfect Valentine's gift for your baby or toddler! In My Baby Loves Valentine's Day, celebrate all the lovely things that Baby discovers about Valentine's Day:Baby loves hearts made of paper and lace. Baby loves kisses and a loving embrace.Baby loves pretty red roses...Celebrate all the lovely things Baby discovers about Valentine's Day!This board book, the perfect gift for a new baby, features rhythmic poetry from Jabari Asim and adorable art from Tara Nicole Whitaker.</div>

My Baby Loves Valentine's Day

<div>Patrick Dorismond, Abner Louima, and Amadou Diallo -- hear what a jury of prominent African Americans has to say about the black man&#39;s struggle for justice in AmericaPrompted by the killing of Amadou Diallo and the acquittal of the four New York City police officers who mistook him for an armed criminal, this collection of essays by prominent black male writers offers twelve unique and startling perspectives on what it&#39;s like for a black man living in an inherently racist society.Coming from a broad spectrum of economic and social backgrounds, the poets, journalists, lawyers, writers, and academics that make up this jury write forcefully and eloquently about growing up and raising sons, identifying with others and yearning to be set apart, attempting reasonable discourse, and succumbing to unspeakable anger. Together these essays deconstruct the monolithic myths that shroud our nation&#39;s black men and offer small rays of hope that on the streets, at school and work, and in the courtroom justice will be served.</div>

Not Guilty

<div>A renowned cultural critic untangles the twisted history and future of racism through its most volatile word. The N Word reveals how the term &ldquo;nigger&rdquo; has both reflected and spread the scourge of bigotry in America over the four hundred years since it was first spoken on our shores. Jabari Asim pinpoints Thomas Jefferson as the source of our enduring image of the &ldquo;nigger.&rdquo; In a seminal but now obscure essay, Jefferson marshaled a welter of pseudoscience to define the stereotype of a shiftless child-man with huge appetites and stunted self-control. Asim reveals how nineteenth-century &ldquo;science&rdquo; then colluded with popular culture to amplify this slander. What began as false generalizations became institutionalized in every corner of our society: the arts and sciences, sports, the law, and on the streets. Asim&rsquo;s conclusion is as original as his premise. He argues that even when uttered with the opposite intent by hipsters and hip-hop icons, the slur helps keep blacks at the bottom of America&rsquo;s socioeconomic ladder. But Asim also proves there is a place for the word in the mouths and on the pens of those who truly understand its twisted history&mdash;from Mark Twain to Dave Chappelle to Mos Def. Only when we know its legacy can we loosen this slur&rsquo;s grip on our national psyche.</div>

Jabari Asim
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Books By Jabari Asim (5 Books)

Only the Strong

My Baby Loves Halloween

My Baby Loves Valentine's Day

Not Guilty

The N Word

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Jabari AsimFollow this author

Books By Jabari Asim (5 Books)

Only the Strong

My Baby Loves Halloween

My Baby Loves Valentine's Day

Not Guilty

The N Word

Get weekly updates and deals from Early Bird Books

More from

Corporate

© 2024 OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED MEDIA

Jabari Asim
Follow this author