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https://blackgirlnerds.com/7-black-books-we-cant-wait-to-read-in-january-2024/
The start of a new year is the perfect time to set goals and make positive changes in our lives. I may sound a little biased, but the perfect new year’s resolution is to indulge in more books.
Just like any muscle in our body, our brain needs exercise to stay sharp; to be entertained; to be challenged. Reading regularly stimulates cognitive functions, improves memory, and enhances analytical thinking.
Whether you’re looking to escape with historical fiction or get some practical advice to help you achieve your goals, the new year has no shortage of great new books by Black authors. Here are my stand-out picks for January releases.
Black Women, Ivory Tower by Jasmine L. Harris
Black women are heading to college in record numbers, and more and more Black women are teaching in higher education. Unfortunately, our safety is not guaranteed in these spaces. Willpower may improve achievement for Black women in school, but they don’t secure our belonging. The very structure of higher education ensures that we’re treated as guests, and even outsiders to the educational institution.
Dr. Harris shares her own experiences attempting to be a Vassar Girl and reckoning with a lack of legacy and agency. She also examines the day-to-day impacts on Black women as individuals, the longer-term consequences to our professional lives, and the generational costs to our entire families. I am so excited for this one.
The American Queen by Vanessa Miller
Set in the mid 1860s, The American Queen is a gripping novel based on actual historical events. Over the twenty-four years she was enslaved on a Montgomery plantation, Louella learned to hate. She developed hate when her mother was sold and for when her daddy was left to hang from a noose. It’s a hate so powerful there’s no room in her heart for love, not even for the honorable Reverend William, whom she likes and respects enough to marry. The book centers around Louella’s hope that leads her to become the only known queen of a kingdom built on American soil.
I Did a New Thing by Tabitha Brown
Years ago, Tabitha Brown started a 30-day personal challenge that she called “I Did a New Thing!” Every day she would do something she’d never done before, from trying a new food to speaking to someone she’d never had before. I Did a New Thing is the perfect book to help you get 2024 off to the best start. Whether it’s trying a new food or updating our wardrobe, Auntie Tab encourages us to step outside our comfort zone to create positive change in our lives. We are here for it!
The House of Plain Truth by Donna Hemans
The House of Plain Truth is a gripping story about family secrets and sacrifice. When her father dies, a woman is sent on a mission to find her estranged siblings and learn the truth about a secret that tore her family apart. Moving through time and place, from Cuba to Montego Bay and from Brooklyn to Havana, The House of Plain Truth traces Pearline’s reconciliation between what she thought she knew about her family and the real truth.
Get the F*ck Out Your Own Way by MJ Harris
If you need someone to give it to you straight, look no further than MJ Harris. Following Harris on social media is one experience, so I know that his new book, Get the F* Out Your Own Way, is going to be good! This book hopes to help you identify the ways in which you block your own blessings and to give you the tools you need to let it all go. It’s the perfect book to start the year off right.
Madness by Antonia Hylton
In Madness, award-winning journalist Antonia Hylton tells the story of Crownsville Hospital, one of the nation’s last segregated asylums located in Maryland. In 1911, officials marched twelve Black men into the heart of a forest. Under the supervision of a doctor, the men were forced to clear the land, pour cement, lay bricks, and harvest tobacco. When construction finished, they became the first twelve patients Crownsville Hospital for the Negro Insane. It is a vivid account of the inhumane conditions, including Black patients forced to undergo experimental treatment without their consent. This book will definitely be difficult one to read but necessary.
And Then We Rise by Common
Rapper, actor and activist Common has achieved success in many areas of his life and career, from music to acting to writing. But for a long time, he didn’t feel that he had found fulfillment in his body and spirit. And Then We Rise is about Common’s journey to wellness as a vital element of his success. The book is composed of four different sections, each with its own lessons: This will be another good one to help you live your best life in the new year.
All books will be available wherever books are sold. Consider purchasing from Bookshop.org, where every purchase on the site financially supports independent bookstores. The platform gives independent bookstores tools to compete online and financial support to help them maintain their presence in local communities.
The start of a new year is the perfect time to set goals and make positive changes in our lives. I may sound a little biased, but the perfect new year’s resolution is to indulge in more books.
Just like any muscle in our body, our brain needs exercise to stay sharp; to be entertained; to be challenged. Reading regularly stimulates cognitive functions, improves memory, and enhances analytical thinking.
Whether you’re looking to escape with historical fiction or get some practical advice to help you achieve your goals, the new year has no shortage of great new books by Black authors. Here are my stand-out picks for January releases.
Black Women, Ivory Tower by Jasmine L. Harris
Black women are heading to college in record numbers, and more and more Black women are teaching in higher education. Unfortunately, our safety is not guaranteed in these spaces. Willpower may improve achievement for Black women in school, but they don’t secure our belonging. The very structure of higher education ensures that we’re treated as guests, and even outsiders to the educational institution.
Dr. Harris shares her own experiences attempting to be a Vassar Girl and reckoning with a lack of legacy and agency. She also examines the day-to-day impacts on Black women as individuals, the longer-term consequences to our professional lives, and the generational costs to our entire families. I am so excited for this one.
The American Queen by Vanessa Miller
Set in the mid 1860s, The American Queen is a gripping novel based on actual historical events. Over the twenty-four years she was enslaved on a Montgomery plantation, Louella learned to hate. She developed hate when her mother was sold and for when her daddy was left to hang from a noose. It’s a hate so powerful there’s no room in her heart for love, not even for the honorable Reverend William, whom she likes and respects enough to marry. The book centers around Louella’s hope that leads her to become the only known queen of a kingdom built on American soil.
I Did a New Thing by Tabitha Brown
Years ago, Tabitha Brown started a 30-day personal challenge that she called “I Did a New Thing!” Every day she would do something she’d never done before, from trying a new food to speaking to someone she’d never had before. I Did a New Thing is the perfect book to help you get 2024 off to the best start. Whether it’s trying a new food or updating our wardrobe, Auntie Tab encourages us to step outside our comfort zone to create positive change in our lives. We are here for it!
The House of Plain Truth by Donna Hemans
The House of Plain Truth is a gripping story about family secrets and sacrifice. When her father dies, a woman is sent on a mission to find her estranged siblings and learn the truth about a secret that tore her family apart. Moving through time and place, from Cuba to Montego Bay and from Brooklyn to Havana, The House of Plain Truth traces Pearline’s reconciliation between what she thought she knew about her family and the real truth.
Get the F*ck Out Your Own Way by MJ Harris
If you need someone to give it to you straight, look no further than MJ Harris. Following Harris on social media is one experience, so I know that his new book, Get the F* Out Your Own Way, is going to be good! This book hopes to help you identify the ways in which you block your own blessings and to give you the tools you need to let it all go. It’s the perfect book to start the year off right.
Madness by Antonia Hylton
In Madness, award-winning journalist Antonia Hylton tells the story of Crownsville Hospital, one of the nation’s last segregated asylums located in Maryland. In 1911, officials marched twelve Black men into the heart of a forest. Under the supervision of a doctor, the men were forced to clear the land, pour cement, lay bricks, and harvest tobacco. When construction finished, they became the first twelve patients Crownsville Hospital for the Negro Insane. It is a vivid account of the inhumane conditions, including Black patients forced to undergo experimental treatment without their consent. This book will definitely be difficult one to read but necessary.
And Then We Rise by Common
Rapper, actor and activist Common has achieved success in many areas of his life and career, from music to acting to writing. But for a long time, he didn’t feel that he had found fulfillment in his body and spirit. And Then We Rise is about Common’s journey to wellness as a vital element of his success. The book is composed of four different sections, each with its own lessons: This will be another good one to help you live your best life in the new year.
All books will be available wherever books are sold. Consider purchasing from Bookshop.org, where every purchase on the site financially supports independent bookstores. The platform gives independent bookstores tools to compete online and financial support to help them maintain their presence in local communities.
Today it was announced by Carmen Smith, Senior Vice President, Creative Development — who leads product development and inclusive strategies for Disney parks and recreation — shared a new update on their blog about the latest on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disney World.
The attraction has now added a custom handcrafted weathervane by Louisiana’s master blacksmith, Darryl Reeves. Following in the spirit of New Orleans, you can walk within two city blocks to see the metalwork by Darryl, a third generation master blacksmith and Vietnam Veteran. Whether it’s historic wrought iron fences or intricately designed custom pieces, his work is displayed across the city, and in fact, around the world. His craftsmanship comes with 50 years of service to his city, and the weathervane is one of the high points of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
The immense artistry and complexity displayed by Darryl and his apprentices is evident in the dozens of works displayed in his gallery.
“I take metal and do anything I want with it,” the master blacksmith proudly says. “To have a free hand to design and fabricate the weathervane for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure…that’s an honor.”
What sets Princess Tiana’s weathervane apart is that it’s crafted using centuries old techniques with a subtle African flair. You can feel the love Darryl and Karina have poured into this smoldering iron to shape it into a masterpiece.
One of Walt Disney Imagineering’s highest priorities is to bring the authenticity of New Orleans to Disney parks and resorts to immerse guests in this inspiring tale. According the Disney Parks and Rec team, for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, they want you to feel like taking a trip down the Louisiana Bayou in a way only Disney can bring to life.
Guests can experience this incredible collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering, Darryl Reeves, and Karina Roca when Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, an attraction inspired by the story from the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “The Princess and the Frog”, opens at Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida in 2024.
The Time is NOW!!!! Crunchyroll, in collaboration with Aniplex, announced today that the eagerly awaited anime adaptation of the Korean manhwa sensation, Solo Leveling, will make its global debut on Crunchyroll’s streaming
platform on January 6, 2024 and will reach viewers across 200 territories. The anime adaptation of Solo Leveling is adapted from the best selling Korean web novel written by Chugong, which was later adapted into a webtoon and manhwa in 2018, with illustrations by DUBU.
Over a decade has passed since a pathway called a “gate” which connects this world and another dimension suddenly appeared, and people with superhuman powers called “hunters” have been awakened. Hunters use their superhuman powers and battling skills to conquer dungeons inside the gates to make a living, and Sung Jinwoo, a hunter of
the lowest rank, is considered the “Weakest Hunter of All Mankind.” He sticks with it with good spirits because he needs to: this upheaval of everyday life and society means it is a lucrative way to make a living, and he’s on the hook for his mother’s hospital bills, the high cost of living, and his sister’s tuition. He can’t afford to quit being a Hunter, even if he’s lousy at it and barely keeps his head.
One day, he encounters a double dungeon, a high-level dungeon hidden inside a low-level one. In front of a severely wounded Jinwoo, a mysterious quest window pops up. On the verge of death, Jinwoo decides to take on the quest, which makes him the only person who can level up. Solo Leveling is the incredible story about once in a lifetime opportunities, an underdog you want to root for, and battles upon battles and power rankings to follow with a full cast of memorable characters. It is high fantasy, action packed and full of heart!
Asa Suehira, Chief Content Officer at Crunchyroll, expressed excitement about the project, stating, “At Crunchyroll, we are always looking for innovative ways to connect our audience with captivating stories from around the world. Solo Leveling is a groundbreaking series that has captured the imagination of fans globally, and we are thrilled to be part of the journey to bring this extraordinary manhwa to life as an anime. Our collaboration with Aniplex symbolizes our commitment to delivering high-quality, diverse content that resonates with our viewers.“
While I’ve never read the original novel that the web comic is based on (it is on the to read list), the announcement of the anime adaptation and the trailers have sent me back to reread the web comic online. It has been really fun to learn not just the foundation of the story again but to see the start of the massive world building and other details. I have faith that the anime adaptation coming next month in January will cover the intricate details and ranking system of the Hunter Association along with showing Jinwoo’s ride on the struggle bus to being better and his reawakening as a stronger person who continues to strive for more. Come January, we’ll be seeing Jinwoo–anime’s latest underdog start his journey to unlock his potential and change the world as he knows it!
Solo Leveling is animated by acclaimed A-1 Pictures (Sword Art Online), with motion graphics by Production I.G (Attack on Titan, PSYCHO-PASS). The series is directed by Shunsuke Nakashige (Sword Art Online). Additional staff credits include music by Hiroyuki Sawano (Attack on Titan) and TOMORROW X TOGETHER (K-pop band),
character design by Tomoko Sudo, and monster design by Hirotaka Tokuda.
Japanese voice cast and characters:
● Sung Jinwoo voiced by Taito Ban
● Yoo Jinho voiced by Genta Nakamura
● Sung Jinah voiced by Haruna Mikawa
● Cha Hae-in voiced by Reina Ueda
● Choi Jong-in voiced by Daisuke Hirakawa
● Baek Yoonho voiced by Hiroki Touchi
● Go Gunhee voiced by Banjo Ginga
● Woo Jinchul voiced by Makoto Furukawa
English voice cast and characters:
● Sung Jinwoo voiced by Aleks Le
● Yoo Jinho voiced by Justin Briner
● Sung Jinah voiced by Rebecca Wang
● Cha Hae-in voiced by Michelle Rojas
● Choi Jong-in voiced by Ian Sinclair
● Baek Yoonho voiced by Christopher R. Sabat
● Go Gunhee voiced by Kent Williams
● Woo Jinchul voiced by SungWon Cho
● Lee Joohee voiced by Dani Chambers
About Crunchyroll
Anime fans have access to one of the largest colle.tions of licensed anime through Crunchyroll and translated in multiple languages for viewers worldwide. Viewers can also access simulcasts — top series available immediately after Japanese broadcast. The Crunchyroll app is available on over 15 platforms, including all gaming consoles.
The Solo Leveling anime is scheduled to air on January 6, 2024 only on Crunchyroll.
Dubs for Solo Leveling will also be produced in other languages with premiere dates to be announced later.
See more information of the anime’s official website.
Love anime? So do we! See what else we have to offer on the site via anime here!
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