Books: Back to the Future?

Saw this and thought my bibliophile sisters would dig it...

ON THE FUTURE OF BOOKS: A CONVERSATION WITH SETH GODIN
Taken from zenhabits.net

The industry of publishing ideas has been undergoing a revolution for more than a decade, and where it’s headed is still an open question.

As a writer, I’m excited by the possibilities. But lots of writers (and publishers) find it all a bit scary...

Read more here.

December Discussion Update

Hey MBC Sisters!

"MINDING BEN"

Quickly: We're bumping our current selection, "Minding Ben" to January; and, consequently, "The Power of Now" to February or March, depending on the results of a forthcoming vote to switch to bimonthly. A few of you have requested that and I said that I'd pitch it to the rest of the group. Ms. Victoria Brown, whose been most gracious, couldn't join us today, anyhow. I've asked her about the possibility of a January Skype conference. Will let you all know!

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BOOK SALE TODAY!

Today is the Miami-Dade Public Library System's annual Friends of the Library book sale, where you can get books for ridiculously low prices. MBC Sister, Kelly, and I are heading downtown for lunch and thrift book shopping. Please, please join us if you can. Call me or email me at mahoganybookclubmiami@gmail.com to join us!

 

Always a pleasure reading with you all,

Ana

Want free books? Mystery Shop

Mystery Shopping was one of my broke college student hustles. It was pretty dag-on fun. I test drove cars, ate out (wayyyy too much), pumped gas, reviewed apartments, played with cell phones and more all on someone else's dime. Now, mystery shopping won't make you rich but it's a nice hobby. Oh, the glorious days. I had a lot more time and freedom on my hands back then.

I still get the mystery shopping gigs emails and, from time to time, I'll bang one out. I thought about fulfilling the one posted below in order to buy our latest read, "Minding Ben" but I realize that I'm tied up until next Monday. But the opportunity is here for grabs if anyone wants to jump on it. The deadline seems pretty flexible and, if the mystery shopping agency is desperate, you can sometimes negotiate an extra $5 or so. Keep in mind that you're also reimbursed for whatever bookstore purchase you make. Not bad.

Hit me up at mahoganybookclubmiami@gmail.com if you want to know more about free, legitimate mystery shopping opportunities!

-----------
Hello Shoppers…
Are you a fan of literature, a college student or just a great shopper looking to conduct a bookstore shop?
If you are any or all of the above, AboutFace has a great shop opportunity for you!
Pay:
$10 plus Reimbursement up to $4 for a small purchase
Location:
 Miami, FL 33176
Tasks:
Select one of the available scenarios and prepare for shop
Call your specific location before arriving and ask employee for store hours; take note of shoppers name and greeting provided
Act out selected scenario upon arrival; evaluate experience
Make any small purchase within the store (purchase does not have to be a book); retain receipt
Submit completed survey online along with your receipt of purchase
Due Date:
November  10^th
(if you can’t shop until after the 10^th, email me and I will try to work something out with you)
Log in details:
To view the details of this shop, please go to the link below and log in.  Your username is the EMAIL ADDRESS that this message was sent to.
http://aboutface.shopmetrics.com/
Interested?
Feel free to Self-Assign or contact me via email and I will add you…
Juliana Koons
AboutFace Consulting Corp.


Project Coordinator  |  o: 678.989.2290 x722   |  f: 678.365.3138  |  Can YOU AboutFace? ™

Miami Book Fair International



2011 MIAMI BOOK FAIR POSTER



It's that time of year again, ladies...so let's make a day of it!

In lieu of a book discussion this month, we'll instead be heading to the book fair on Saturday, November 19th @ 11am to beat the crowd. We can certainly carpool so hit me up at mahoganybookclubmiami@gmail.com if you're interested. Now, if you're meeting us there, you can text me (email me for the digits) or meet up at the McDonald's right there on 5th Ave in the middle of the fair between 10:30 and 11am. Wear comfy shoes. ;-) Here's a complete fairgoer's guide.

CAN'T MAKE IT ON SATURDAY, THE 19TH?

AUTHOR SERIES: If you can squeeze it in, I'm also going to go see Paul Farmer on Mon, the 15th @ 8pm. Farmer is a hero and was the subject of the amaaaaaaazing book Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. Tickets are $10.

NOT SAFE FOR KIDS: A few of you adored the satirical, button-pushing children's book "Go the F**k to Sleep" as we've discussed at length (smile) so you may be happy to know that there's a huge GTFTS event happening. Ummmmmm. I'm gonna pass on this one...LOL...but hit me up if you are going and may be you can tag along with another MBC sister? IDK.

BE A WIMP: Or if you're a Diary of a Wimpy Kid fan I promised my daughter, Selena, to take her on Sunday to meet the author Jeff so you can tag along then as well.

December & January MBC Selections

Hey MBC Sisters:

We are taking a hiatus this month since we're hopping on over to the Miami Book Fair. Have no fear, though! If you want to get a head start on the next couple of months' reads here's what you need to know:

DECEMBER 10TH @ noon. Location TBA.

We're reading the sassy and stirring Minding Ben by Victoria Brown. I think many of us will relate to this piece of goodness, as most of us have ties to the Caribbean. Peep the description:

At sixteen, Grace Caton boards her first airplane, leaving behind the tropical papaya and guava trees of her small village in Trinidad for another island, this one with tall buildings, graceful parks, and all the books she can read. At least that's what Grace imagines. But from the moment she touches down, nothing goes as planned. The aunt who had promised to watch over her disappears, and Grace finds herself on her own.

Grace stumbles into the colorful world of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, having been taken in hand, sort of, by a fellow islander, Sylvia. Here, she's surrounded by other immigrants also finding their way in America. From her Orthodox Jewish landlord, Jacob, to her wannabe Jamaican friend, Kathy, who feels that every outfit can be improved with a Bedazzler and a low-cut top, there's much to learn about her new city.
 
Most challenging of all is figuring out her new employers, the Bruckners, an upper-middle-class family in Manhattan. The job is strange--Grace's duties range from taking daily nude photos of her pregnant boss (a shock to her, since she's never even seen her own mother naked) to dressing in a traditional maid's costume to serve Passover seder. But Grace loves four-year-old Ben, and she's intrigued by the alternately friendly and scheming nannies who spend their days in Union Square Park, and by their constant gossip about who's hired, who's fired, and who, scandalously, married her boss.
 
As the seasons change, Grace discovers that the Bruckners have surprising secrets of their own, and her life becomes increasingly complicated and confusing. But opportunities appear in the most unexpected places, and Grace realizes that she's living in a city--and a world--where anything is possible.Book review here 
Book website here

JANUARY'S SELECTION (Date & Time TBA)

The Power of Now by Eckard Tolle. This reflecttive, perfect-for-the-new-year selection comes from MBC sister, Mercedes. Here's a summary:

To make the journey into the Now we will need to leave our analytical mind and its false created self, the ego, behind. From the very first page of this extraordinary book, we move rapidly into a significantly higher altitude where we breathe a lighter air. We become connected to the indestructible essence of our Being, “The eternal, ever present One Life beyond the myriad forms of life that are subject to birth and death.”

Although the journey is challenging, Eckhart Tolle uses simple language and an easy question and answer format to guide us. A word of mouth phenomenon since its first publication, The Power of Now is one of those rare books with the power to create an experience in readers, one that can radically change their lives for the better.

Pure Lyricism

Blue-eyed soul heart-throb, John Mayer, pens a masterpiece in his joint, "Splitscreen Sadness"

It's nicely arranged, to boot!



And I don't know where you went when you left me but
Says here in the water you must be gone by now
I can tell somehow
One hand on the trigger of a telephone
Wondering when the call comes
Where you say it's alright
You got your heart right

Maybe I'll sleep inside my coat
Wait on the porch 'til you come back home
Oh, right
I can't find a flight

We share the sadness
Split screen sadness

Two wrongs make it all alright tonight [4x]

"All you need is love" is a lie 'cause
We had enough but we still said goodbye
Now we're tired, battered fighters

And it stings when it's nobody's fault
'Cause there's nothing to blame at the drop of your name
It's only the air you took and the breath you left

Maybe I'll sleep inside my coat
Wait on the porch 'til you come back home
Oh, right
I can't find a flight
So I'll check the weather wherever you are
'Cause I wanna know if you can see the stars tonight
It might be my only right

[2x]
We share the sadness
Split screen sadness
(Two wrongs make it all alright tonight)

I called because I just
Need to feel you on the line
Don't hang up this time
And I know it was me who called it over but
I still wish you'd fought me 'til your dying day
Don't let me get away

'Cause I can't wait to figure out what's wrong with me
So I can say this is the way that I used to be
There's no substitute for time
Or for the sadness
(Two wrongs make it all alright tonight)
Split screen sadness
(Two wrongs make it all alright tonight)
We share the sadness
(Two wrongs make it all alright tonight)
Split screen sadness
(Two wrongs make it all alright tonight)
Oh, and the sadness, it's so right, it's so right...
(Two wrongs make it all alright tonight)
Oh, and the sadness, it's so right, it's so right...
(Two wrongs make it all alright tonight)
Oh, and the sadness, it's so right...
(Two wrongs make it all alright tonight)
Oh, and the sadness, it's so right...
(Two wrongs make it all alright tonight)

Next Up: "Olive Kitteridge" for October

Hey MBC Familiy!

We're reading "Olive Kitteridge," the 2009 Pulitzer Prize Fiction winner by Elizabeth Strout that has inspired many. This is new territory for MBC, in that it's a book composed of short stories. Perhaps this makes it an easy-read, which would be fortuitous since we have less than 3 weeks before we meet!

If you get stuck remembering the characters, there's good, ol' Wikipedia! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive_Kitteridge

Need to read on-the-go? "Olive Kitteridge" is available through the Miami Dade Public Library System FOR FREE as an ebook or audiobook for our digital divas!

And here's a handy but lengthy Elizabeth Strout interview

Rewind: Jay-Z's "Decoded"

I found myself Googling people, places and things while reading "Decoded." I knew about the old school MC's that he bigged up in his book, but what I didn't know was how much time Jay-Z spent under raps, pun intended. He put in a lot of time alongside notable artists before he finally made it big. I found some of the embarassing, obscure videos he mentioned (Jaz O's "Hawaiian Sophie" featuring Jay-Z was a riot!) He discussed seasons where he sold out, others where he stuck to his guns. He painstakingly detailed his rise to and transition from street hustle.

I enjoyed some parts of the book: his connection to Che Gueverra...his boycott of Cristal beverage...how Rocawear oddly came into being...how he ended up on the Obama campaign trail...

I loved his musical descriptions. I was particulary engrossed by his breakdown of "99 Problems," which is about anythiing BUT a b*&%$.

And so, friends, I found TONS to admire when it came to "Decoded." Still, there was no firework attachment or enthusiasm. It's not because I'm not a hip hop lover. I grew up crushing Pac and Biggie and Goodie Mob and OutKast. At times, I felt like a fly on the wall as Jay-Z masterfully described hip-hop's infant, toddler, youth, teen and, finally, full-grown phases. And, surely, my aloofness certainly isn't on account of the book being poorly-written. "Decoded" is a valuable addition to today's Black literary landscape. In the world of hip-hop memoirs, I'm sure "Decoded" is in a class of its own. This isn't my area but it's hard to doubt this prediction. I should also mention here that I was gripped by his segment of Oprah's Masterclass show. I felt a sense of familiarity as he described Marcy Projects, his album titles and more. It was purely accidental. Yet, watching the documentary was a great supplement to reading his book.

Why did it take all of my strength to finish the book by our MBC meeting date: September 17th?

I don't quite have the answer...and I can only speak for myself. I just know that it was a laborious read, for me. Make no mistake, though, I needed to read "Decoded." I understand Jay-Z much better. And I comprehend his cult-like following. Speaking of cult, I was thrilled to here his take on spiritual matters. To be sure, his spiritual leanings (dubbed himself  "J-Hova") often stirs controversy. Now I have a more enlightened stance on the matter. I find Jay-Z to be likeable, but I don't know that I would call consider him honorable. Still, I was elated when he and wife Beyonce' announced their pregnancy on the MTV VMA's. After reading his book, I found myself thinking, "there's no way their union would have been possible, had it not been for the power of music." The truth is that Jay-Z and Beyonce grew in far different eras, locations, social and economic realities.

 MBC friends, I rate "Decoded" 7 out of 10 (highest) stars.

Why pay for ebooks?

Did you know that if you live in South Florida you have access to the TIGHTEST public library system...one that happens to be the 6th largest in the country?

The Miami-Dade Public Library System allows card holders to download thousands of audio and ebooks FOR FREE.

Simply go to the MDPLS main site and click on "eBooks & More" Then follow the download instructions and browse the catalog for selections.

Best of all, they happen to have our current book club selection: DECODED by Jay-Z!

What to read during sad times?

Where were you on September 11th?

We've all been asked...and asking...that question in the wake of the 10 year anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center as well as the Pentagon. I'll never forget being a sophomore in college. I walked into geology class but the teaching assistant quickly ushered us back out, telling us that we were embarking on World War III since the Twin Towers had been hit by a plane.

I was confused. Now, this was pre-smartphones, Facebook and Twittter. MySpace was an underground hub for Indie music lovers. Basically, word-of-mouth was it. Adjacent to the School of Geology was the School of Journalism, or the J-School. It's known for its countless flatscreen TV's all broadcasting various entertainment and news channels. Crowds filed around the J-School monitors. Girls sat on guys' shoulders while peering at the screens. All of the stations showed one thing: the mayheim on the morning of September 11, 2001.

People were crying and began to rush home. Many were on their cell phones. Little by little, I inched my way to a place where I could see the captions on the monitors. It couldn't believe I was watching real footage; I genuinely thought it was a prank. Remember: this was at the height of Ashton Kutcher's wildly popular show, Punk'd. Finally, I made it home and my friends and I camped out in front of the TV for the rest of the day. I'll never forget the soot-covered pedestrians who looked like statues; the mass exodus on the Brooklyn bridge, the frenzied family members who tearfully searched for their loved ones...

We will never forget.

During times like these the nation unites in gratitude, hope, remembrance and sobriety. Many of us are examining ourselves. If you're in the reading (or journaling) mood, let these great works stir you:

The Bible
9/11 is a teachable moment. After recounting where I was, I explained to my daughter that my generation is now called the "9/11 Generation". No doubt, this tragic event is the single most impactful event for those who were high schoolers and twenty-somethings at the time of the attacks. As a family, we read Ecclesiastes 3, A Time for Everything. I was touched that President Obama read Psalm 46 from one of the sites. The Bible, without question, is a balm in seasons of pain.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff (and it's all small stuff)
Want perspective? Get this little book! My favorite entry is "Do One Thing At a Time," since I've come to grips with the fact that I suck at multi-tasking. I learned just this morning that the author Richard Carlson passed away suddenly in 2006 from a heart attack. Wow. In researching him, I discovered that he was truly a man who walked his talk!

The Purpose-Driven Life
A cozy, easy-to-read but hard-to-forget guide to living godly and missional lives. When I think of this book, I think of the quote "On your capstone there is a sunrise and a sunset. What matters is what you do with the dash in the middle."

The Last Lecture
A sweet, tender little book jam-packed with wisdom on one's legacy, vision and calling. You'll be simultaneously broken and uplifted. Dr. Randy Pausch died of pancreatic cancer but he left behind a beautiful heart song about living. It all stemmed from a viral lecture. It's so awesome that I'm going to letcha have the goodness below!

Pure Lyricism

I'm crushing this song right now. Loving everything about the video as well. Enjoy the lyrics!

There's too many things that I haven't done yet

Too many sunsets

I haven't seen

You can't waste the day wishing it'd slow down

You would've thought by now

I'd have learned something

I made up my mind when I was a young girl

I've been given this one world

I won't worry it away

But now and again I lose sight of the good life

I get stuck in a low light

But then Love comes in

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

Many the miles

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

But send me the miles and I'll be happy to follow you Love

I do what I can wherever I end up

To keep giving my good love

And spreading it around

Cause I've had my fair share of take care and goodbyes

I've learned how to cry

And I'm better for that

Sing how far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

Many the miles

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

Send me the miles and I'll be happy to

Follow you Love

Red letter day and I'm in a blue mood

Wishing that blue would just carry me away

I've been talking to God don't know

If it's helping or not

But surely something has got to got to got to give

Cause I can't keep waiting to live

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

Many the miles

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

But send me the miles and I'll be happy to yeah

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

Many the miles

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

Many the miles

Been talking to God don't know if it's helping or not

Many the miles

Many the miles

How far do I have to go to get to you

Many the miles

Many the miles

Oh send me the miles and I'll be happy to

Follow you Love

There's too many things I haven't done yet

Too many sunsets I haven't seen

National Book Week Challenge

The designated week is almost over (August 20-26 marks National Book Week) so let's get in on the celebration by taking part in a cute little challenge.

The rules: Grab the closest book to you. Go to page 56. Copy the 5th sentence and paste in the comments. Don't forget to include your name as well as the book title.

Here's a start:


MBC Sister Cheryl-  "They also hoped we could discover our history through the very product of our peddling."  ~Magic Ciy: Trials of a Native Son


MBC Sister Ana-  "He passed along Klan information to the assistant attorney general of Georgia, an established Klan buster" ~Freakonomics

National Book Week

National Book Week celebrates the freedom that lies in literacy.

In honor of National Book Week, Mahogany Book Club is giving away a copy of Jay-Z's Decoded to the first person to correctly guess which book this passage comes from:

I chose to write about Black boys rather than Black men, because the destruction of Black men does not occur upon their arrival into manhood, or on their eighteenth birthday. the destruction begins when they are boys, and until we can pinpoint those years and what takes place, it will continue. I do not wish to ignore Black men, I simply chose to focus on boys, for numerous reasons. Firstly, correcting the problems of Black boys may eliminate the problems for the future men. Secondly, it is considerably easier to educate, which is a one-step process, than it is to re-educate, which is a two-step process. Two of the most successful sports organizations, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Dallas Cowboys, have consistently fielded good teams, because they produced their players internally, with one step education, rather than trading and buying older players, which necessitates a two-step orientation.

Email mahoganybookclubmiami@gmail.com with your answer.

Best wishes!

Next Up: Jay Z's "Decoded"

I'm not even gonna lie; I don't know much about Jay-Z and can only name a handful of his songs. I've heard he's a talented maverick, a dark 'Illuminati' devotee and everything in between. I like that I get to "pick his brain" and that this book is not the typical run-of-the-mill biographical sketch. I hear that it's essays, or social commentary. He has a cult-like following, for sure. Chances are, I won't become a fan. But once I read this book I look forward to having something thoughtful to say when he comes up in conversation.

Here's a video about his "Decoded" project:




Click here for another interview.

"The Alchemist" Recap

"The Alchemist" was a book that I needed to read.

It was a good selection...and, indeed, a new dimension to our reading medley. Overall, we gave it high marks. It average 8.5 out of 10.

We welcomed a new reader, Mercedes or Merce for short, a vivacious and soulful FAU student. It was a pleasure to have you with us, Merce!

The synopsis: Santiago, a young shepherd, embarks on a journey to fulfill his Personal Legend which is to find a treasure near the Egyptian Pyramids. His journey is a hard but delicious one. He stops in several places: a crystal shop in Tangiera as well as an oasis in the desert before he finally makes it to the Pyramids. Despite calamities, Santiago thrives everywhere he goes, in part because he understands the "Soul of the World" and the "Language of the Desert." Those are simply fancy ways of saying Santiago's a deep dude. And because Santiago is true to his sage soul (sure he chickened out a few times but overall he was courageous) "all of the universe conspired to make his personal legend happen." He learned that his treasure was at the very spot where the journey began. There is a lot that can be said about that, indeed...

Our book club discussion at Rack's Italian Grille revolved around our own "Personal Legends" or what many prefer to call purpose. We spent time thinking about the fact that we all have mini-purposes throughout life. We experience different seasons, just as Santiago did. He was robbed and, later, faced death and, still later, beaten but it was all SUPPOSED to happen. We discussed how the book is part autobiographical and how Coehlo's belief that all religions are the same comes up throughout the book. Santiago mirrored Christ while the Alchemist mirrored Mohammed. This, of course, is not by happenstance...

I understand New Age philosophy a lot better, as "The Alchemist" is considered a canon in the New Age spiritual movement. As I mentioned on Saturday, I enjoy reading things I disagreed with; I couldn't vibe with much of the book's doctrine but appreciated the literary craft, especially for it to have been a translation! "The Alchemist" is a rhymic book...it reads like a ballad. And I kept thinking of "The Giver" as I read it. My only gripe is that at times "The Alchemist" felt repetitious. Yet, this fable kept us engrossed with its rich characters and settings.

If you haven't already, give "The Alchemist" a try!

"The Help"--MBC Movie Review

12My, my, my..."The Help" is a classic.

Did anyone else notice that what's-her-face, Miss Millie from "The Color Purple," was in this piece? I was so happy to see her that I couldn't dislike the character she played in the movie.

Nothing...well, nothing important...was left out of "The Help" movie. Sure, it abandoned the book's plot at times but it was forgiveable. Overall, I gave the movie a 9! I appreciate how they never showed Leroy's face. He remained just a voice and a mean "presence." It was as if Leroy could be any wife-beating man...of any race and any creed. We certainly don't need any more negative black male portrayals...

Speaking of portrayals, as far as the question of whether the movie reinforces stereotypes, I think we as a race need to get over it. The fact that Minnie liked fried chicken and was a soul food extraordinaire was a viable, defendable part of the plot. After all, her cooking skills allowed her to do the "terrible awful" and therefore provided a cover for their underground book...likewise, the fact that Minnie showed a neck-rolling, tell-it-like-it-is style was equally important...and it was only one of her several dimensions. Her bodacious personality cowarded when it came to her abusive husband, Leroy. Similarly, Minnie was a teddy bear when it came to Miss Celia Foote.

 I like the colors and TEXTURE of the movie...the femininity...the good ol' American feel...the cinematography...the pivotal history lesson.  Admittedly, I knew little about Medgar Evars.

I loved little Mae Mobley, affectionately known to Aibileen as "Baby Girl" who acted her heart out...Viola Davis, Emma Stone and Octavia Spencer all did fine jobs as well!

I give it a 9, but only because I found Aibileen to be TOO spirited and happy, which was in contrast with the book. Also, they should've shown how she took over the Miss Merna column. That's HUGE to leave out. The movie didn't showcase how much and how well Aibileen wrote.

Still...Oscar, Ebert and Ana give it 4 stars!

Coehlo's blog

A friend alerted me to Paolo Coehlo's blog (thanks, Tee). Just glanced around--actually, more like darted around. I gotta run but my only thought at the moment is "He's been blogging nonstop since 2006. Really? Wow."

Gotta run now...

See ya on Saturday!

Always a pleasure reading with you,
Ana

"The Alchemist" Movie Part Deaux

Well, well, well...I should've done my research ahead of time. LOL.

Turns out I found out the answer to my "why hasn't 'The Alchemist' been turned into a movie?" question?

Not that you can EVER really rely on Wikipedia but this blurb is believable:

In 2003, Warner Bros. bought the rights to the film adaptation of The Alchemist. The project stalled and the movie never materialized, reportedly because of problems with the script.  At one point, the script had a battle sequence with 10,000 soldiers, which was "not what the book is about."

 (courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Alchemist_(novel)

During the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, Harvey Weinstein announced that he had bought the rights to the film and will serve as its producer. Laurence Fishburne is set to direct, and to play the eponymous character. It will have a reported budget of $60 million. Weinstein, who rarely personally produces movies, stated that "My loyalty is not to Laurence [Fishburne], my loyalty is not to me, my loyalty is not to anyone other than Paulo Coelho."Coelho added "I am very happy that my book will be filmed in the way I intended it to be and I hope the spirit and simplicity of my work will be preserved. I am excited my friend Laurence Fishburne and Harvey Weinstein will be working together."

A theatrical adaptation of The Alchemist has been produced and performed by the Cornish Theatre Collective, which is their most successful production to date.

"The Alchemist" Movie??

As I'm wrapping up our current MBC selection, I'm thinking a few things:

-I can see why this book is a bestselling phenomenon
-Even though its translated, it's still poignant and rythmic. As the saying goes, things are often "lost in translation" but "The Alchemist" seems to escape this notion.
-I can also see why it's controversial
-I like that I'm able to read things I disagree with. I appreciate this book A LOT, even though I disagree with it emphatically

but, most importantly, I'm wondering

-why hasn't this book been turned into a movie?

There are some authors who refuse to allow their works to be adapted to film. Movie adaptations, they argue, cheapen the book. They won't "sell out," if you will. I wonder if Paulo Coehlo is a part of this school of thought.

Because whenever a book is a runaway classic, at The Alchemist certainly was, big screen offers certainly folllow. It's not even that I particularly WANT to see "The Alchemist" as a flick. I'm simply curious. I'm sure Coehlo has been courted by film jaugernauts.

Why hasn't "The Alchemist" been turned into a movie?

Book Lust : One Day it will All Make Sense

Excitement!  :-)
-----
(Courtesy of Amazon.com)
Common has earned a reputation in the hip hop world as a conscious artist by embracing themes of love and struggle in his songs, and by sharing his own search for knowledge with his listeners. His journey toward understanding—expressed in his music and now in his roles in film and television—is rooted in his relationship with a remarkable woman, his mother, Mahalia Ann Hines.

In One Day It’ll All Make Sense, Common holds nothing back. He tells what it was like for a boy with big dreams growing up on the South Side of Chicago. He reveals how he almost quit rapping after his first album, Can I Borrow a Dollar?, sold only two thousand copies. He recounts his rise to stardom, giving a behind-the-scenes look into the recording studios, concerts, movie sets, and after-parties of a hip-hop celebrity and movie star. He reflects on his controversial invitation to perform at the White House, a story that grabbed international headlines. And he talks about the challenges of balancing fame, love, and fatherhood. 

One Day It’ll All Make Sense is a gripping memoir, both provocative and funny. Common shares never-before-told stories about his encounters with everyone from Tupac to Biggie, Ice Cube to Lauryn Hill, Barack Obama to Nelson Mandela. Drawing upon his own lyrics for inspiration, he invites the reader to go behind the spotlight to see him as he really is—not just as Common but as Lonnie Rashid Lynn.

Each chapter begins with a letter from Common addressed to an important person in his life—from his daughter to his close friend and collaborator Kanye West, from his former love Erykah Badu to you, the reader. Through it all, Common emerges as a man in full. Rapper. Actor. Activist. But also father, son, and friend. Common’s story offers a living example of how, no matter what you’ve gone through, one day it’ll all make sense.

Amy Chua's "Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mom"

Just got through watching Tavis Smiley's interview with author and Yale professor Amy Chua, who wrote the controversial book regarding Asian-American parents' infamous parenting tactics. Chua admits that she is the product of crazy-strict Chinese immigrant parents. Subsequently, she became a tough parent. Her daughters underwent rigorous musical and academic schedules. She argues that she--and her kids--were better for it.

Chua doesn't claim to know all of the answers. Her book, she contends, is not a parenting guide. At the same time, Chua stands by her convictions, even though her youngest daughter chafed against their iron-fisted family life. Chua points to that very experience as her reason for penning "Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mom." By all accounts, she receives conflicting feedback on the book. Lots of American parents consider her an abusive monster. Yet, she gets letters from, say, Nigerians who jokingly comment "Oh my gosh, my parents were the same way!"

Like Chua, I'm a product of immigrant parents. My upbringing was different...but I'm not sure I would call it strict or oppressive. More than anything, it's comical when I look back at it. There was just a certain standard, a way of doing things that is very characteristic of Caribbean families. I guess a part of it had to do with a "kids should be seen and not heard" mentality. There was a kid's place and I just knew to stay in it or else. I was mischievous; but never wicked and lawless.

I believe, as Chua does, that immigrant parents are often no-nonsense, stern disciplinarians. A girlfriend of mine keeps me in stitches when she mocks her Haitian mom. However, I also know plenty of American, particularly, African-American parents who "don't play that," if you will. I'm thinking of my buddy, LJ. His stern American mom is the reason he turned out to be an extraordinary man.

Anyhow, I agree with Chua. Immigrant parents are...well...mission-minded and their parenting reflects that. They traveled far. They seek to go far, I suppose. And it all comes from love. Tough, tough love. But they have to pull back and listen to their children.

I definitely parent through the lens of my black Nicaraguan upbringing. At the same time, I realize that I need a happy medium in order to relate to Selena's world. I suppose what's needed is a hybrid between old-world/new-world parenting.

What do you think? How will/do you parent your kids? And can you find yourself picking up Amy Chua's bestseller?

Lighten Up, Sis!

Okay, what's wrong with this sign?

TV Lust: "Reed between the lines"

I've been debating lately about whether I should just get rid of cable. My condo association fees used to cover the cable tab until the complex hit hard times. I grumbled when I added cable to my 'net bill.

At the risk of appearing to take myself too seriously, I wanna be more conscious of what I watch. It mostly has to do with my walk with God. I always wonder if I would watch certain shows if Jesus were beside me chilling...like, with his feet on the ottoman and sipping on a cup of tea while stroking Puffles, our cat.

And I've cut back TONS when it comes to fashion and pop culture blogs. I was a junkie back in college. Truth is, I simply don't have it like that anymore...I mean, I don't have endless hours to just browse. Hence, no FB or Twitter either.

So weaning from reality or otherwise salacious TV just seems like a natural step. I let go of the "Real Housewives..." franchise starting with New Jersey this summer and don't plan on going back there. A little more recently, I was so outraged with Eric's less-than-chivalrous behavior on "Basketball Wives" that I decided to permanently boycott that as well. I don't care for "Single Ladies" and didn't make it through the first episode. Never got into "The Game" or any of the BET shows. Admittedly, MTV and BET have always been blocked.

During our vacation, my 13-year-old daughter and I have enjoyed Netflix streaming as well as sent-to-home movies. Plus, ever since her godmother introduced her to Hulu she's been hooked like a pirate. We literally live right behind a library and, thus, borrow tons of movies for free. And speaking of the library, boy, do we read!! Right now she is devouring the Twilight saga (Team Jacob, suckas!) and just finished Lois Lowry's "The Giver." She has her iPod and laptop; sure, with monitors and all but still...she catches all of her little froo-froo shows with those gadgets as well...

So why do we still have cable?

There's one show (well, aside from HawthoRNe) that makes me want to keep Comcast: Reed between the lines. I was thrilled to learn that Malcolm Jamaal Warner and Tracee Ellis Ross are teaming up to bring a values-centered, sophistisexy, smart and laugh-out-loud funny show. According to IMDB, Reed between the lines centers on Dr. Carla Reed, a busy psychiatrist, wife of an NYU English professor and mom struggling to balance her job and her happy but chaotic home life.

The question is whether this scripted show will make it amidst today's programming.

I know I'll be watching--cable or no! Will you?

Do you think Reed between the lines is the 21st century 'Cosby Show'?

Below's a cute Tracee Ellis Ross interview, thanks to Essence.com. Cool chick.

Food for thought

“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and few are to be chewed and digested”

- Francis Bacon

Book worthy

 Everybody's writing a book or memoir these days. We've seen our share of pop-culture and/or gossip books.

But what if we had more books that brought awareness and activism, like "Mountains beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder, "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson or "A Thousand Sisters" by Lisa Shannon? The fact that these titles went on to be bestsellers proves that books on social responsibility DON'T equate to utter boredom and disappointing sales.

I look forward to someone writing a book about their accounts on the ground while helping to end the desperate situation in Somalia. The region known as the Horn of Africa has been experiencing desertification for decades. The Somali people have nowhere to go and, what's more, little food to sustain them during relocations. So they're stuck and STARVING. Recently, almost every broadcast news network has reported that the past 90 days have been particularly dire for Africa's Horn. Some 29,000 children have died as a result of the famine. Can you wrap your head around that number? Sadly, that figure is 29,000 not 2,900.

Incredible.

This, friends, is truly book...or awareness...worthy. I would certainly be reading.

To access a good Huffington Post article, click here. To donate to help those living in the Horn of Africa, click visit the Samaritan Purse's ministry website for that region.

"Round the way: Wendy Williams' book tour

Daytime gossip show host, Wendy Williams, does more than just run her mouth. She writes.

And it turns out that she'll be promoting her books here in South Florida.

SHE MEANS IT
WENDY WILLIAMS
Talk-show host and best-selling author brings her “Say It Like You Mean It Summer Tour” to South Florida, where she’ll meet with fans.
Details: 3 p.m. Thursday at the Pembroke Lakes Mall, Center Court, 11401 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines; http://www.wendyshow.com/; free.

Food for thought

“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”

- Confucius

Sound Off: "Magic City"???

I saw Trick Daddy's book on a friend's desk today (shout out to MBC sister, Cheryl!) and thought I'd check out what his piece was all about...I mean, whether his work is worthwhile...I mean...hell, you all know what I mean!

It turns out that Mr. Trick is onto something. The book, by all account, is about how Miami is seen as a glamorous, larger-than-life paradise. Yet, beyond the few miles of the Miami Beach city limits, life is far from  perfect for natives. Trick contends that Miami is hardcore and tough to survive in. "I lived through two major riots and three Category 5 hurricanes," he says and adds that folks glorify Miami "like it's a beautiful place, a beautiful city," he explained. "Miami don't got all the pretty women." He continued, "Crackheads are my best friends..." Read the rest of the MTV article here.


Sounds like Trick Daddy is onto something...Do you agree? Is Miami misrepresented by the media and popculture? 

Lighten Up, Sis!

What's wrong this sign?

Tyra Banks' "Modelland"

Honey, what DOESN'T she do? LOL.

Uber-hustler and mogul-model Tyra Banks can now add "author" to her profile. She recently penned "Modelland," a fantasy book about 4 models trying to make it in a super competitive modelilng school.

Check out this blurb, courtesy of People magazine:

Supermodel. Talk-show host. Executive producer. Reality-TV queen. Now, the versatile Tyra Banks is adding yet another line to her crowded résumé: novelist.

"I said I was going to do it, and here it is!" Banks, 36, writes in a note to fans posted Tuesday on Tyra.com. "It's for all the girls and guys who want a lot more FANTASY in their lives … and some fierceness and magic, romance and mystery, crazy and wild adventures, and yeah, some danger too.

"It's my novel called Modelland (pronounced "Model Land") that takes you to a fantastical place you've never seen, or heard about, or read about before ... Where dreams come true and life can change in the blink of a smoky eye." Click here fore more...

The Alchemist

We're licking our lips after the juicy saga that was "A Piece of Cake" by Cupcake Brown. Now we're getting down with "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coehlo. I've heard TONS about this book and, interestingly enough, back in 2008 I stumbled across a book club that was reading "The Alchemist" before MBC was even a thought...funny how I never became a part of that book club nor even picked up this title. I guess it wasn't meant to be until now. 8~)

So here we are...I'm expecting it to be a little like "The Giver" by Lois Lowry; that is, it appears to be a small book so Coehlo must have measured his words. I bet it has tons of allegories. We'll see, won't we?

I found pretty thorough book reviews on the book's Google Books site. Warning: some of the readers' reviews contain spoilers. Click here to jump there. 

"The Alchemist" Quick Facts:
Paulo Coehlo, the Brazilian author, was a bit of a hippie who meandered across the globe.
He wrote a string of books before striking gold with "The Alchemist" in 1988.
It first became a phenomenon with mass following in Brazil.
Then, like its mastermind, the book zigzagged the world.
"The Alchemist" is the most translated book to date, after the Bible.
It took a while for it to impact the English-speaking world, since it wasn't translated to English until 1993.

It's no wonder Oprah loves "The Alchemist" since it's very transcendentalist or New Age.

Notable Quotes:

• You must love the desert, but never trust it completely. Because the desert tests all men: it challenges every step, and kills those who become distracted.‎
• And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.‎

"A Piece of Cake" Recap

Hi ladies!

Though small in number, we had a good time discussing "A Piece of Cake" by Cupcake Brown. We generally agreed that her rags-to-riches tale is all-at-once inspiring and upsetting. Well, it's inspiring because Cupcake was able to rise above--and, to some extent, use--her street, sex and drug-filled life to become a successful attorney. On the flip side, it was upsetting because she was used over and over and over again. Though I often questioned her memoir's veracity at many points in the book, I along with MBC sisters Cheryl and Kelly took the book for what it was and gleaned a lot from it. Overall, we gave it good ratings.

Interestingly enough, I found Cupcake's story to eerily mirror that of a subject of A&E's Intervention. Her name is Latisha and I was mesmerized by this beautiful woman. Though Cupcake differs in that she never birthed any children, these ladies are kindred spirits. I dare you all to watch Latisha's story and not shed a tear!

...Okay, so I'm mad that they snatched the full episode from the site but watch the preview here. I couldn't help thinking of Latisha as I wrapped up "A Piece of Cake."

Thanks to MBC sister Cheryl for her selection...and for recommending that I get Miami Lakes Ale House's Bistro Salad because it was the business. I've already been back there to cop another one!

Next up, "The Alchemist" is on the table for August. Hit me up if you need a copy or check out your local library. And for those who are joining us bi-monthly, Jay-Z's "Decoded" immediately follows  in September.

MBC Beauty Moment

It's the Scorching Summer Edition!

Weather experts are saying that, nationally, this is the HOTTEST summer ever. And we're not talking about summer movie blockbusters or off-the-wall concert tours. It's miserably hot outside!

I love my MAC makeup and returned to it after a hiatus (so long Black Opal) but, baby, MAC sure does melt like a glacier in Egypt!

I've been entertaining the idea of water proof make-up during the summer...which I suppose equates to March-September in Miami...

Toward that end, Essence.com has a neat little guide to Waterproof Makeup. Enjoy!