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MOST ANTICIPATED READS OF 2023: ELLE The Millions Essence / BEST SUMMER READS OF 2023: New York Times Book Review USA Today The Skimm Bookpage St Louis Post-Dispatch "Aisha Harris is one of our smartest, most entertaining modern cultural critics. The nine pieces offer insight on Stevie Wonder, the Spice Girls, Pen15, and New Girl—among many other pop artifacts, of course—which might as well be parlance for, 'Read me immediately.'" —ELLE Aisha Harris has made a name for herself as someone you can turn to for a razor-sharp take on whatever show or movie everyone is talking about. Now, she turns her talents inward, mining the benchmarks of her nineties childhood and beyond to analyze the tropes that are shaping all of us, and our ability to shape them right back. In the opening essay, an interaction with Chance the Rapper prompts an investigation into the origin myth of her name. Elsewhere, Aisha traces the evolution of the "Black Friend" trope from its Twainian origins through to the heyday of the Spice Girls, teen comedies like Clueless, and sitcoms of the New Girl variety. And she examines the overlap of taste and identity in this era, rejecting the patriarchal ethos that you are what you like . Whatever the subject, sitting down with her book feels like hanging out with your smart, hilarious, pop culture–obsessed friend—and it's a delight.
A sharp-witted and deeply insightful look into the storied world of elite prep schools from the first African-American legacy student to graduate from The Taft School Early on in Kendra James's professional life, she began to feel like she was selling a lie. As an admissions officer specializing in diversity recruitment for independent prep schools, she persuaded students and families to embark on the same perilous journey she herself had made—to attend cutthroat and largely white schools similar to The Taft School, where she had been the first African-American legacy student only a few years earlier. Her new job forced her to reflect on her own elite education experience and to realize how disillusioned she had become with America's inequitable system. In Admissions, James looks back at the three years she spent at Taft, chronicling clashes with her white roommate, how she had to unlearn the respectability politics she had been raised with, and the fall-out from a horrifying article in the student newspaper that accused Black and Latinx students of being responsible for segregation of campus. Through these stories, some troubling, others hilarious, she deconstructs the lies and half-truths she herself would later tell as an admissions professional, in addition to the myths about boarding schools perpetuated by popular culture. With its combination of incisive social critique and uproarious depictions of elite nonsense, Admissions will resonate with anyone who has ever been "the only one" in a room, dealt with racial microaggressions, or even just suffered from an extreme case of homesickness.
As a 6'2" dreadlocked black man, Tyler Merritt knows what it feels like to be stereotyped as threatening, which can have dangerous consequences. But he also knows that proximity to people who are different from ourselves can be a cure for racism. Tyler Merritt's video "Before You Call the Cops" has been viewed millions of times. He's appeared on Jimmy Kimmel and Sports Illustrated and has been profiled in the New York Times . The viral video's main point—the more you know someone, the more empathy, understanding, and compassion you have for that person—is the springboard for this book. By sharing his highs and exposing his lows, Tyler welcomes us into his world in order to help bridge the divides that seem to grow wider every day.In I Take My Coffee Black, Tyler tells hilarious stories from his own life as a black man in America. He talks about growing up in a multi-cultural community and realizing that he wasn't always welcome, how he quit sports for musical theater (that's where the girls were) to how Jesus barged in uninvited and changed his life forever (it all started with a Triple F.A.T. Goose jacket) to how he ended up at a small Bible college in Santa Cruz because he thought they had a great theater program (they didn't). Throughout his stories, he also seamlessly weaves in lessons about privilege, the legacy of lynching and sharecropping and why you don't cross black mamas. He teaches readers about the history of encoded racism that still undergirds our society today.By turns witty, insightful, touching, and laugh-out-loud funny, I Take My Coffee Black paints a portrait of black manhood in America and enlightens, illuminates, and entertains—ultimately building the kind of empathy that might just be the antidote against the racial injustice in our society.
From the stand-up comedian, actress, and host beloved for her cheeky swagger, unique voice, and unapologetic frankness comes a book of comedic essays for fans of Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me by Mindy Kaling and We're Gonna Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union. If you've watched television or movies in the past year, you've seen Michelle Buteau. With scene-stealing roles in Always Be My Maybe , First Wives Club , Someone Great , Russian Doll , and Tales of the City ; a reality TV show and breakthrough stand-up specials, including her headlining show Welcome to Buteaupia on Netflix, and two podcasts ( Late Night Whenever and Adulting ), Michelle's star is on the rise. You'd be forgiven for thinking the road to success—or adulthood or financial stability or self-acceptance or marriage or motherhood—has been easy; but you'd be wrong. Now, in Survival of the Thickest , Michelle reflects on growing up Caribbean, Catholic, and thick in New Jersey, going to college in Miami (where everyone smells like pineapple), her many friendship and dating disasters, working as a newsroom editor during 9/11, getting started in standup opening for male strippers, marrying into her husband's Dutch family, IVF and surrogacy, motherhood, chosen family, and what it feels like to have a full heart, tight jeans, and stardom finally in her grasp.
You Can Find Hope in Life's Upside-Down Moments You've heard that laughter is the best medicine, but when reality hits, it can be difficult to muster joy. Popular humorist and bestselling author Phil Callaway has walked through darkness, and knows well the downward spiral that can follow hardship and the long road back to happiness. In his newest collection of short stories, he brings a dose of laughter and levity to life's toughest moments. Drawn from his personal experiences, these inspiring and heartwarming accounts rooted in God's truth deliver real and lasting hope. Whether you're facing a grave diagnosis, fractured relationships, financial burdens, or any number of bumps in life's journey, you don't have to let the grip of fear and bitterness take hold within. Learn to laugh again . . . with the help of humor-packed life lessons and encouraging insights.
In her highly-anticipated nonfiction debut, humorist, popular blogger, and USA Today bestselling author, Susannah B. Lewis (Whoa! Susannah) uses dry wit and an eye for the absurd to find laughter in even the most challenging circumstances. Millions of online fans have flocked to Susannah B. Lewis's hysterical, take-no-prisoners videos that capture her uproarious yet deeply faithful view of the world. Now she brings to book form her keen eye for the absurd as she reveals her experiences growing up in a small Tennessee town. From the time an escaped albino panther wandered into her backyard to the Thanksgiving when an egg in the table's centerpiece hatched a baby chicken to the kind neighbors who brought casseroles in Tupperware for months—even years—after her father died when she was just eleven years old, the stories she tells delve deeply into the rich culture of the South that molded her. Clinging to the promises of God in times of grief and looking for every opportunity to laugh, Lewis is the wry yet wise girl next door who invites you to sit a spell beside her on the front porch.
In her book Self-Inflicted Wounds, comedian, actress, and cohost of CBS's daytime hit show The Talk, Aisha Tyler recounts a series of epic mistakes and hilarious stories of crushing personal humiliation, and the personal insights and authentic wisdom she gathered along the way. The essays in Self-Inflicted Wounds are refreshingly and sometimes brutally honest, surprising, and laugh-out-loud funny, vividly translating the brand of humor Tyler has cultivated through her successful standup career, as well as the strong voice and unique point of view she expresses on her taste-making comedy podcast Girl on Guy. Riotous, revealing, and wonderfully relatable, Aisha Tyler's Self-Inflicted Wounds: Heartwarming Tales of Epic Humiliation is about the power of calamity to shape life, learning, and success.
In the bestselling tradition of Sloan Crosley's I Was Told There'd Be Cake and Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, a collection of humorous essays on what it's like to be unabashedly awkward in a world that regards introverts as hapless misfits, and black as cool.My name is "J" and I'm awkward—and black. Someone once told me those were the two worst things anyone could be. That someone was right. Where do I start? Being an introvert in a world that glorifies cool isn't easy. But when Issa Rae, the creator of the Shorty Award–winning hit series "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl," is that introvert—whether she's navigating love, work, friendships, or "rapping"—it sure is entertaining. Now, in this debut collection of essays written in her witty and self-deprecating voice, Rae covers everything from cybersexing in the early days of the Internet to deflecting unsolicited comments on weight gain, from navigating the perils of eating out alone and public displays of affection to learning to accept yourself—natural hair and all. A reflection on her own unique experiences as a cyber pioneer yet universally appealing, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl is a book no one—awkward or cool, black, white, or other—will want to miss.
Worth: A Story of Favor and Forgiveness is a memoir about an African American woman that centers on a 1979 visit with Good Times actress Esther Rolle. Born into an upper middle class family in Orlando, Florida, Ann Champion experiences travel, gifts, and other benefits that come with her privileged lifestyle. After her parents' divorce, things change as her once prosperous life dissipates, and the family is introduced to a world of poverty. Through faith and resilience, Ann strains to overcome challenges, griefs, and loss. While living in San Francisco, however, she receives a surprise birthday gift that reminds her of what's most important.
Why do we keep making choices we later regret—sometimes even the same bad choices over and over? Drawing on Scripture, story, and cutting-edge research into human behavior, pastor Craig Groeschel reveals the key to making the choices we want to make and experiencing the joy and freedom God has for us. We all want to make great decisions. So what happens between our good intentions and the choices we actually make in the moment? If only we could make decisions ahead of time rather than when we're under stress, overwhelmed, or swayed by fear or emotion. In Think Ahead, we learn how to do just that. Pastor Craig Groeschel knows from personal experience and as a counselor to others what being trapped in a cycle of poor decision-making is like. In Think Ahead, he shares what he has discovered about the power of "pre-deciding." With thought-provoking exercises and questions for reflection, this interactive book teaches us that the quality of our decisions determines the quality of our lives. Think Ahead will help you: Understand the science behind your decision-making habits Overcome decision fatigue and debilitating fears Diminish the role of emotions in decision-making See how your small choices shape the kind of person you become Define and put into action the seven life-defining pre-decisions you can make today Becoming the person you want to be starts before you even make a decision. In Think Ahead, you'll discover the power of making decisions today to help you live the life you want to have tomorrow.
Scientist, physician, and pastor Stephen Ko explains how to live and worship incarnationally and glorify God with our bodies. Many of us don't see much connection between spiritual and physical health. We say grace before digging into greasy, fatty meals we know are bad for us. We read Scripture on our phones before switching to social media feeds that hijack the neural circuitry in our brains. Or we take our physical health too seriously, distancing ourselves from the sick and the needy whom Jesus embraced. On his journey from pediatrician to public health officer for the CDC to senior pastor of the largest New York Chinese Alliance Church, Stephen Ko has seen that these divisions between physical and spiritual health are artificial. In Faith Embodied, he reminds us that our "bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:19). Christ incarnate is deity in flesh, and His spirit is incarnate in us. Living and worshiping incarnationally is consciously embracing what the Creator has designed in His image, from the finest, microscopic details to vital organs within our body, enabling the Holy Spirit to work in us. Faith Embodied will teach you to: Understand subconscious ways that thwart the design of the Creator. Embrace choices that invite incarnational health, living, and worship. Experience God in every aspect of your life, from flesh and bone to heart and soul. View the five senses (sight, smell, hearing, touch, taste) in a different light Reflect the image of God in the way you breathe, move, create, love, and rest. Weaving together insights from faith, science, and medicine, Ko reveals the marvelous ways in which our physical and spiritual health can prepare us to become instruments of God's healing in the world.
Twenty minutes a day with God can change everything. Through focused alone time and question-driven journaling, Terri Savelle Foy will guide readers to discover how God has equipped them for purpose, hope, and success. "It's not one two-hour workout that shapes your body, it's twenty minutes of exercise daily." In The Alone Advantage, Terri Savelle Foy will show readers how a simple twenty-minute habit of listening to God can shape an entire life. Through practical steps and biblical truths, Terri will guide readers into action and help them learn the habits of successful people and how to do everything from cleaning up to waking up and writing their goals to becoming their own cheerleader in life. Terri knows what it's like to live in a rut with no vision or goals for her life. For eleven years she existed on autopilot, repeating the same routine with no significant progress. Then she started carving out alone time, picked up a journal, and saw her life transform by applying the ten things successful people do behind closed doors. Now, Terri will prove how the greatest ideas can come in seclusion, strength will be found in solitude, and purpose will be discovered in privacy when nobody is around. Readers will learn how to achieve success by starting with alone time, writing big questions to God; discover why and how seclusion, even for just twenty minutes, yields great insight; and understand the power of imagination to visualize and record dreams for the future. The Alone Advantage reveals the five reasons successful people journal and how to mold a big dream into a daily to-do list that will inspire action. The key is a blank sheet of paper, time alone with God, and seeking his plan for your life. Through recording God's revelations and learning to listen, readers will see their doubts and anxiety about the future turn into hope and confidence! God has equipped each person with a unique passion, talent, and vision—all it takes to put those in motion is twenty minutes of daily alone time with him.
Sometimes the most valuable treasures are found in the darkest of times. In fact, it's often in the very heart of our deepest pain and struggle that God chooses to reveal his most precious gifts. Let Katherine Wolf lead you in finding the hope God has for you in your most painful places. In our lowest, most difficult moments, it's often impossible to see any good thing around us. We suffer, we struggle, we grow weary. We wonder, Is God at work in my life? Is he near me? Is there any point to my suffering and any hope for change? Though it's easy for our overwhelming pain to cloud our view of reality, the truth is that, even though we can't see it or feel it, God is at work in the darkness. Our Creator is in the business of bringing dead—and nearly dead—things to life. Even now, no matter how fresh your wounds might be, he invites you to unearth his hidden treasures in your hurting, to reframe your darkness as a sacred space in which the light of hope can shine most brilliantly. Come join Katherine Wolf as she vulnerably shares her own places of wounding and the life-changing insights she has found there. Treasures in the Dark will guide you as you find grace for the heartbreak of unmet expectations; explore the surprising intersection of pain and purpose; wholeheartedly embrace the life you never imagined living with perseverance and joy; and recognize how your healing can be a part of the world's healing. With her vibrant faith and unique perspective on life as a stroke survivor and person living with significant disabilities, Katherine will inspire, encourage, and strengthen tender and hurting hearts.
Brought to you by Penguin. Hello there, come on in. Firstly, I know what you're thinking, 'I'm not religious so I'm not sure if this is for me' but, the truth is, we can all benefit from having a little faith and it will look different to each of us. Granted, some of the stories about a man who can walk on water and come back from the dead are anything but normal, but the point isn't about what we believe in, it's about believing in something. It's what humans have always done, it's in our DNA, because having faith in something makes us feel connected. It makes us feel like we matter. Faith means we are in it together, that we believe we will be OK. So, yes, this book is about faith, but it's also about being human, because believing in things is just part of our existence. So, wherever you sit on the faith spectrum, I'm here to tell you it's okay. You don't have to sign up to all of something to get something out of some of it. You don't have to like every song on the album. My belief has guided me through life's ups and downs, and I hope that sharing what I've learned will help you face your own challenges armed with hope, and plenty of lasagne. Love, Kate x ©2023 The Reverend Kate Bottley (P)2023 Penguin Audio.
Award-winning author and pastor of WestGate Church gives thoughtful, Biblical guidance for how to hear God and share His love in a culture of noise. The effects of social media and the news are felt deeply in our day-to-day lives. The countless voices—the pundits, the influencers, the personalities—offering opinions and spewing vitriol nonstop have created a cacophony of chaos. It's difficult to know what's true or who to trust. It's difficult to hear God and be heard. In this book, pastor and author Jay Kim offers thoughtful, concrete guidance for how to listen amidst the noise, hear God, and then speak Good News so to be heard. Drawing on Scripture, social science, and cultural exegesis, Kim helps readers: Listen through prayer, reading the Bible, and participating in the church Better understand the environment and effects of social media, news media, and politics Share the Good News in this environment, encouraging those in your day-to-day life Practical, biblical, and eminently wise, Listen, Listen, Speak is an indispensable guidebook for Christians living in our culture today. It will equip you to not just speak into the chaos with the love of Jesus but, more importantly, to listen—to one another and to God.
New York Times bestselling author and pastor of Lakewood Church Joel Osteen shares how the power of our words can help create a better reality. Your words are like seeds. Every time you say them, they're taking root and growing. Are you planting good seeds? Are you seeing the increase, the health, the relationships, and the happiness you dream about? If not, check out what you're saying. Whether you realize it or not, the words you speak today are setting the direction for the rest of your life. In Speak the Blessing , New York Times bestselling author Joel Osteen offers you unique insights into this profound truth: Your words have creative power. When you discover the power of speaking what God says about you, you give those words the right to come to pass. There is a miracle in your mouth. There is healing in your mouth, freedom in your mouth, and new levels in your mouth. But nothing happens until you speak the blessing. Your words become your reality. Start blessing your future today. Use the words you speak to unlock the power within and create the life you were designed to live. The life-changing possibilities are limitless.
Bestselling author and megachurch pastor Robert Morris unpacks the full meaning and significance of the grace of God, revealing for Christians a freedom from shame, guilt, and striving that few believers have begun to grasp. In life, we often look for fulfillment in our performance. We try to earn our way to happiness by achieving goals and meeting obligations. We try everything we can to earn favor with God. But what we find instead is disappointment, fear, and weariness. In Grace, Period. , Pastor Robert Morris shows that we don't need to live this way. What we truly want has already been given to us—we simply need to receive it! Looking in-depth at the life and teachings of Jesus, Pastor Morris reveals the beauty and perfection of God's amazing grace. He uncovers its sheer abundance, lavishness, and extravagance, and explains what happens in our day-to-day lives when we fully accept it. Exploring the blessings we have now —access to God's love, favor, and approval—Pastor Morris teaches us how to find rest, gratitude, fruitfulness, confidence, joy, and the list goes on. In other words, Grace, Period. is a clear and compelling roadmap for arriving at an end to striving and shame. It's a guide for finding and enjoying the abundant life God sent Jesus to purchase for us. A life given to us by grace—only grace. A Study Guide is also available for purchase.
How individuals, church, businesses, and our country can heal the selfish divisions tearing us apart. Our nation's greatest challenge is division. A congressman and former army flight surgeon examines our divisions and shows how social media have amplified them. Will we rise to the challenge and heal the rifts? The solution is for Americans is a "we before me" life. Sharing the lessons learned from his father, who struggled to provide for his family and serve others while dealing with a serious handicap, Dr. Green shows how they served him so well in his own career in the military, healthcare, business, and politics.
God Designed Men for a Specific Purpose Masculinity is not just under attack; there is a concerted effort to marginalize it. As culture has embraced situational ethics and relative truth, men are losing hope and understanding of their purpose in both family and society. Life is hard, and we can't do this alone. This book is a call to manhood as designed by God. Masculinity is not only needed but necessary for a healthy home and society. James W. Bradford reflects upon the lessons he has learned from his life as he intricately weaves God's word into the messages. Through his unique storytelling, he calls men to rise up and assume their role as leaders in their families.
Comedy can soothe our pain, vent our anger, make us feel less alone, and provide the answer to life's most difficult questions, such as What do you call a man with a seagull on his head?* It's a social glue, but it can also be divisive, and the joke is on us if we don't understand how it works. So what are the rules? How does comedy do its magic, and why does it matter? Join professional comedy writer Joel Morris on a hilarious journey into the hidden world of shared laughter, where he reveals the mechanisms that make jokes work and what comedy can teach us about ourselves. Offering astute analysis of everything from stand-up to slapstick and sitcom to spoof, Morris examines comedic patterns, rhythms, and dynamics to uncover the algorithms that secretly underpin comedy. Packed with gags and examples of comedy at its best—plus some invaluable tips on how to master that b'dum tish timing—Be Funny or Die is a fascinating investigation into how our species has developed and mastered this essential art form where laughter is the universal language and only the funniest survive. *Cliff.