As many of us wrap our heads around the life and death of Michael Jackson, I investigated what books might offer additional insight, because I’m kind of at a loss. I know I feel sad, but my emotions don’t help much to sift through the hype, allegations, talent, grandeur and problems stemming from the King…

Jill Nelson tells it like she sees it, whether the topic is police brutality, workplace racism, or sisterhood. The journalist and author of a diverse catalogue of books such as “Volunteer Slavery” and “Finding Martha’s Vineyard,” made a spicy splash with her 2003 novel “Sexual Healing.” The bestseller centers on female friends who open a…

Have You Experienced The Ecstatic(s)? I think it’s pretty dope that Mos Def named his latest CD after Victor LaValle’s 2002 acclaimed novel, “The Ecstatic,” which explores mental illness from a fresh vantage point. Regarding his decision, Mos told USA Today, “The term was used in the 17th and 18th centuries to describe people who…

Here’s a list of dad-related titles, either written by fathers, about fatherhood, or that speak to the importance of fathers in the lives of their children. They can be great gifts and worthy additions to your ever growing list of must-reads. Shadow Valley By Steven Barnes In this sequel to “Great Sky Woman,” a prehistoric…

Debates have been circling lately regarding black leadership and public intellectualism. Princeton professor Melissa Harris-Lacewell recently wrote a piece for CNN that slams Tavis Smiley’s inadequate critiques of Obama’s treatment of race. She also gets at Smiley’s “soul patrol”-which includes Cornel West, Michael Eric Dyson, and Dick Gregory-for their roles in his documentary “Stand.” She…

Media is buzzing about the new book “Renegade: The Making of a President” by MSNBC political analyst Richard Wolffe. Here’s an excerpt from the book’s synopsis: Renegade provides not only an account of Obama’s triumphs, but also examines his many personal and political trials. We see Obama wrestling with race and politics, as well as…

Known for works like his films “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song,” and “Watermelon Man,” and his musical “Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death,” Melvin Van Peebles is an artist who’s unafraid to cross boundaries, disciplines, and traditions in his work. His forthcoming project is no exception. The seventy-six-year-old is gearing up for the release of…

Who Deserves a Book Deal? NeNe Leakes, one of the real housewives of Atlanta recently sold a book called “Never Make the Same Mistake Twice: Straight Talk on Love and Life from a Real Housewife.” It’ll publish in July and will be written with Denene Millner, who coauthored Steve Harvey’s “Act Like a Lady, Think…

It can be hard, borderline infuriating to sift through all the books being published these days and find ones deserving of your attention. Books on the Root’s Reading List will do some of the hard work for you by providing recommendations and suggestions regularly. Here’s a quick catch-up edition to help keep your TBR (to…

It may be a cliché, but it’s still true: in order to understand where you’re going, you must understand where you came from. This is the approach that writers Danzy Senna and W. Ralph Eubanks take in their new books, both of which explore their histories in order to arrive at the heart of their…