Home Books TOP 30 BOOKS FOR SPRING 2022
TOP 30 BOOKS FOR SPRING 2022 Print E-mail

 

Authoress Faith Jenkins reminds women that they should not settle in Sis, Don’t Settle when they are looking for a life partner and they ought not succumb to social pressures for being with someone—especially when there is non-compatibility—just for the sake of not being alone. The stigma attached to female singleness no longer has its purpose. Too many women (internalized this social shaming that does not apply to men) marry the wrong partner and ruined their lives because of it. The happily married jurist shares her journey related to dating and the life lessons she learned from this. This inspiring book is useful for women from all walks of life and elicits they must know their worth.

 

 

The former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama authors her story of a modest background beginning in Chicago’s South Side to the White House in Washington D.C. During her childhood, she lived in a two bedroom apartment with her parents and brother. Encouraged early in life on the importance of education, Mrs. Obama learned to read at the age of 4. It was her educational acumen which later propelled her onto the international scene, becoming the first African-American woman, and only first lady in all of American history to serve in this position having two college degrees from two Ivy League institutions: Princeton (1985) and Harvard Law School (1988). Readers will discover in particular her academic and professional background, how she met Obama, her vision on work-family balance, her philanthropic actions and her former role as first lady. Mrs. Obama's journey reminds us that what matters is not where we came from but where we are going or rather what we are becoming. Becoming is the biggest international bestseller written by a former first lady.

 

 

Dr. Hawa Abdi was a Somalian human rights activist and a gynecologist. She became the founder and chairperson of the Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation, a non-profit organization. This African gynecologist has been selected as a contender for the Nobel Peace Prize. She has received several honors including a BET Award for her philanthropy and the Chubb Fellowship from Yale University. In her 20 year practice, alongside her physician daughters, Dr. Abdi has saved at least 90,000 lives. This touching memoir pertains to a courageous woman named “the Mother Teresa of Somalia”. Readers will discover and rave about her philanthropy.

 

 

This superb autobiography recounts the journey of Africa’s first woman president in Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (2006-2018) who won the Nobel Peace Prize. The book is dedicated to all the people of Liberia who suffered from the country’s civil war and to her mother. This Child Will Be Great aims to give hope to people and reminds the public that anything is possible thanks to hard work, discipline, etc. Mrs. Sirleaf narrates her path from her childhood up to her presidency and shares her visions of the future.

 

 

This book written by Selena’s father Abraham Quintanilla reminds one of a moving long love letter.  Readers will discover what Selena meant to her family and everyone who loved her.  The author shares his sorrow, the joy he had with his daughter, the tribulations to make it in the entertainment industry, etc.  Jennifer Lopez portrayal of Selena in the Selena movie was critically acclaimed as one of her best performances in her film career. Lopez also wrote the foreword of this book and is one who can attribute the importance of Selena's legacy in music.  A new generation is now able to uncover Selena’s heritage through the Netflix series.

 


That’s What Friends Are For is one of the best books that pays homage to Black women entertainers. The appropriate book's title is based on the 1980s hit song by Rod Stewart and covered by Dionne Warwick along with other collaborators. This hardback is a part-memoir book. Readers can read our in-depth exclusive interview with the author: http://megadiversities.com/index.php?option=com_content&.


 

This jaw-dropping memoir Truth Doesn't Have a Side was written by Dr. Bennet Omalu M.D, the heart and soul of the movie Concussion. The 2022 Oscar Award winning actor Will Smith starred in the movie and wrote the book's foreword. This book may serve as a blueprint and GPS for immigrants who want to make it in America. It is a great story regarding the power of resilience against all odds and an inspiring read for anyone with aspirations to accomplish their own dreams. Readers can read the exclusive interview with the author Dr. Omalu M.D.: http://www.megadiversities.com/index.php?option=com_content&.

 


Black Families in Therapy written by the psychologist Dr. Boyd-Franklin is one of best books regarding therapy for African-American families. In an accessible language, it analyzes the diverse structural issues that American Black families encounter regardless of socio-economic class while acknowledging the heterogeneity given that there is no such thing as monolithism.  The book is based on decades of the authoress’ clinical experiences and on a wide body of research.

 

 

Five-time Grammy winner Kidjo chronicles her life from her native country Benin. As an expatriate, she lived in France and later moved to the United States where she imposed herself musically while remaining authentic and never forgetting her roots.  The public got to know her with the 1992 album Logozo.  The importance of education led her creating the Batonga Foundation.  Recognition of her contributions resulted in her becoming a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.  Miss Kidjo, a polyglot, strongly believes in the unifying power of music. Moreover, her eclectic repertoire includes several influences: jazz, gospel, soul, zouk, Congolese rumba, etc. Her book contains more than a hundred photos summarizing her dazzling and extraordinary journey. The preface was written by Desmond Tutu and the foreword by Alicia Keys.

 


This is one of the best books which important questions necessary for people to answer before they decide to get married. This paperback may represent a great tool that can help to assess relationships and to decide what would be best for the future of couples. The New York bestseller author’s decades long successful marriage, and life experiences substantiate as credible authority.

 


The 5 Love Languages is a superb book written by author Gary Chapman that can help improve and/or strengthen couple relationships. The author shares his experience and knowledge gleaned as the senior pastor (at the time he penned the paperback) at Calvary Baptist Church and his marriage to his wife of more than 45 years.  This book has been translated into more than 50 languages and millions of copies have been sold worldwide. According to Chapman, there are 5 main love languages which he describes brilliantly with concrete examples. By mastering the love language of one's partner and practicing it regularly, it will give the possibility of nurturing the couple's relationship for the long term.

 


Authoress Reni Eddo-Lodge pens a brilliant essay on racial issues. White privilege, the alleged universality of the white world, the insidious consequences of structural racism are among the various themes analyzed in the New York Times bestseller written by the Afro-British. Her book did not go unnoticed and the essayist was also interviewed by the famous actress Emma Watson. Eddo-Lodge is a journalist and has written for the New York Times, Guardian, etc. Identity and feminist issues are particularly part of her interests.

 

 

This book has been translated into 34 languages and was adapted to cinema with an eponymous title. The novel is based on the Second World War, and conditions of persecution Sarah and her family endured in July 1942: the Jewish community was forced to wear the yellow star patch on their clothing at all times, etc.  Sarah was arrested with her parents by the French police during Nazi occupation of France. Decades later, an American journalist discovered Sarah's story during the commemoration of the Vel' d'Hiv' Roundup’s sixtieth anniversary. Authoress Tatiana de Rosnay recounts the Holocaust horrific ordeal.

 

 

Dorothy A. Brown, a tax jurist writes a well documented book entitled The Whiteness of Wealth. The book sets forth an analysis in accessible language of America's flawed tax system that creates a wealth gap between Black America and the mainstream. The authoress does not limit herself by solely raising the problems, but offers solutions in her companion paperback Workbook for the Whiteness of Wealth.

 

 

This book offers valuable advice about how parents can improve their relationships with their teenagers by identifying and applying the five love languages.  This insightful paperback provides practical tools such as the love language test which will help parents to discover the primary love language of their teenagers.  This book is about loving children as they are even when they fail.  In other words, it concerns unconditional love.  The paperback is not solely about nuclear families, it also covers single-parent and blended families.

 

 

This book by psychiatrist Dr. Campbell and the pastor Dr. Chapman identify how to effectively love your adult child. It covers several important themes such as: grand-parenting, meeting your own needs after the empty nest, avoiding conflicts over lifestyle issues, bestowing your adult child with a positive legacy and so on. This book puts forward great means to improve family relationships.

 

 

Gifted authoress, entrepreneur, motivational speaker and life coach Valorie Burton is an expert in positive psychology.  Her books have been translated into at least seven languages.  She has earned regional Emmy nominations for her work. This paperback offers an interesting exposé of how to navigate through the challenges of modern life with practical advice via exercices, etc.

 

 

This New York Times bestseller was adapted into a movie.with the well-known actor Michael B.  Jordan playing the protagonist.  Bryan Stevenson writes about his journey as a criminal lawyer in this compelling book.  Just Mercy raises questions concerning the American justice system regarding: wrongful convictions, prosecution misconducts, iniquitous legal representations, differential treatments in the way legal cases are handled, two-speed justice endowed with systemic racism, etc.  This paperback is objectively compiled with statistics and other facts.  It is a book for people interested in social justice and America’s penology.

 

 

This bestseller praised by Oprah describes and analyses controlling personalities.  Unfortunately, it seems that it will always be a hot topic since the beginning of humanity there have always been people seeking to control others.  This explains the existence of intolerance, wars, misogyny, abuse of power, social and/or cultural pressures, mind manipulation and/or brainwashing, economic violence, coercion, psychology of oppression, etc.  Patricia Evans is an expert on psychological violence (always a precursor to physical violence).  Her book explains how controlling people operate.  Hence, it provides insights to people who must deal with them.

 

 

This paperback tells the story of the courageous Yemeni Nujood Ali who was forced to marry a man three times her age. She became the first girl in her country to demand a divorce at 10 years old. This trailblazer inspires and gives strength to others wanting to flee unsustainable relationships that wall them in silence and/or deep loneliness. Ali’s fight touched the international world and earned her Woman of the Year title by the American magazine ''Glamour''. Her autobiography has been translated into several languages and made into a feature film.

 

 

This great and timeless paperback is a guide and workbook for parents wanting to ameliorate their relationships with adult children.  It possesses the capacity for encouraging open dialogues between different generations whilst healing old wounds, hence restarting family interactions on a better foundation.  It gives mothers and fathers the opportunity to reassess their own relationships with their parents while understanding how they relate to their own adult children.  The main goal of this book is to improve family connections, one the most important riches in this world.

 


This paperback was written by the world famous American psychotherapist Dr. Susan Forward. In her book she defines parental toxicity. She presents various case studies of adult victims, and suggests strategic methods that can help them break free from their grip. This book is excellent for anyone who cares about being a good parent to their children: wanting to learn the pitfalls to avoid in raising their offspring. The book is written in a captivating and accessible way.

 


Mothers Who Can’t Love is another thought-provoking book written by Dr. Susan Forward. This paperback is centered on females who were not loved by their mothers and helpful for those particularly interested in this issue. The victims of these perpetrators can suffer from long-term consequences on many relationship levels:  professional, family, etc. The author uses her clinical experience to suggest strategies for daughters to overcome the difficulties associated with unloving mothers described according to five types.

 

 

More than 80,000 children a year are reported lost in India. This book chronicles the real life of one of these young people, Saroo Brierley. This is a poignant and moving story. Brierley at the age of 5 got lost in a very peculiar way and ended up alone in Calcutta. He was placed in an orphanage and was eventually adopted by a loving Australian couple. Although uprooted from his place of birth, Brierley’s physical separation in no way severed his biological ties. This book has been adapted for cinema and Oscar-winning Nicole Kidman brilliantly played the role of the Australian mother.  Here is a movie review:  http://www.megadiversities.com/index.php?option=com_content&.

 

 

We live in an era where women face customary attacks on their image and maybe more than ever before. Susan Nguyen’s story in One Arm But Not Unarmed is a testament to the importance of accepting and loving ourselves as we are.  The authoress went through a terrible car accident during her early twenties and lost a big part of her right arm.  After many trials and tribulations, she managed to overcome her pain.  This resilient woman shares her story in this book that can inspire many people all over the world who are going through their own or similar hardships.  Here is a more in-depth book review with a very profound TED Talk from the authoress:  http://www.megadiversities.com/index.php?option=com_content&.

 

 

Approximately, 250,000 minors are tried, sentenced or incarcerated as adults yearly in America.  Cyntoia Brown-Long was one of them.  She was imprisoned at age 16 in the Tennessee criminal justice system and released in her early thirties.  The authoress recounts her journey in her compelling book which raises questions about the juvenile legal structure..  Her moving story was adapted into a Netflix documentary.  As a result of her Christian faith, Cynthoia Brown’s story represents a true testament that it is possible in life to have a second chance.

 

 

This paperback is the work taken from the eponymous documentary I Am Not Your Negro directed by Oscar nominated Haitian filmmaker, Raoul Peck. James Baldwin had intended to write a book following the assassination of his fellow activists Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther and Medgar Evers. His personal notes had never been published during his lifetime. Peck, a former Minister of Culture in his native country (from 1995 to 1997) reconstructed his documentary via the thoughts of James Baldwin from his unfinished work which finally became a book. Here is an interview with Peck:  http://www.megadiversities.com/index.php?option=com_content& and the movie review: http://www.megadiversities.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=358:i-am-not-your-negro-film-review&catid=39:musique-et-dvd-&Itemid=7.1.  

 

 

More than one hundred million children a year are abused around the world. English authoress Toni Maguire became one among them. She gives testimony of her experience in this autobiography. Her sexual abuse occurred at a time when things considered taboo were not discussed and there was little professional support. In addition, she received no aid from her family which further isolated her and was subsequently made her ordeal much harder to endure. Readers will discover in this book, Maguire’s resilience despite cruelty inflicted by her father and indifference of her mother.

 


In 1990, Jim Ovia founded the Zenith Bank (located in Lagos) which went public in 2004. It has over 400 branches in its home country and others elsewhere in the world: in Britain, China, Dubai, etc. Ovia is a Nigerian visionary who was featured on the cover of Africa Forbes magazine in 2013. This Afro-optimist, narrates his journey as an entrepreneur and his resolve to inspire those who wish to lead their projects and those who want to realize their dreams.

 

 

An excellent book where many successful African-American women (in different fields) pay homage to their fathers.  Readers of this paperback will become aware of the importance these dads are to their daughters; how these fathers have been present in their lives; the values that were transmitted and instilled; their dads unwavering faith in them and the unconditional love which makes them feel special.  The authoress Rachel Vassel showcases thoroughly the important contribution of Black fatherhood in Daughters of Men: Portraits of African-American Women and Their Fathers.


These books are not ranked in any particular order. Most of these books are available on www.amazon.ca, co.uk or .com and www.barnesandnoble.com