Showing results for "Blues" in African American

Los Angeles, 1948: Easy Rawlins is a black war veteran just fired from his job at a defense plant. Easy is drinking in a friend's bar, wondering how he'll meet his mortgage, when a white man in a linen suit walks in, offering good money if Easy will simply locate Miss Daphne Money, a blonde beauty known to frequent black jazz clubs.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea opens in the early 1970s with young César, a street tough of Afro-Cuban descent, standing outside a US Navy recruitment office at the crack of dawn. The Vietnam War is raging, the navy has only recently begun the serious process of integration, and the country is reeling from racial turmoil and unrest.

Langston Hughes is a widely celebrated African American writer and important leader of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance. Deeply inspired by the great poet Walt Whitman, Hughes’ own writings gave voice to the Black community in the American literary canon. His assertion that “I, too, sing America” echoes through history and continues to be a battle cry in the fight for fair representation and equality. The Weary Blues, published in 1926, was Hughes’ first collection of poetry. He was only twenty-four years old at the time, but his insights carry wisdom beyond his years.

Controversial relationship podcaster at night and psychology professor by day, Chicago Benton has never been afraid to follow his own rules. Raised by an emotionally unstable mother and dealing with women who played too many games taught him only to depend on himself. Love was only optional. Striving playwright Indigo Lyriq moved to New York on a wing and a prayer that her work would be seen on a Broadway stage one day. Raised by an aunt because her parents didn't want her, and dealing with an abusive relationship taught her to never rely on a man. Love was a luxury she couldn't afford.

Jawaan Young is a man who can make a joke out of any situation. Yet, beneath the surface of his humor is a mask splintering on every side. Suffering from abandonment and rejection, why would he consider showcasing his scars? Yet, one spontaneous decision causes him to question whether he’s willing to accept certain risks.

Set in the sparkling 1920s jazz era, The Jewel of the Blues pulls back the curtain on all the romance, danger and drama in the bustling backstage life of a young performer. Billed as the Little Girl with the Big Voice, blues singer Lucille Arnetta Love always dreamed of life under the lights...

Being the girlfriend of a successful rapper isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Rhythm Baker, a successful occupational therapist, held it down for Raheem, her boyfriend of three years, without much complaining. After moving across the country to support his career and their relationship, Rhythm has grown increasingly uncomfortable with Raheem's inappropriate behavior and inflated ego. Feeling disrespected, unappreciated, and unheard, she moves out of the home they share, ending their relationship. Despite his recent moves, Raheem isn’t willing to let her go so easily.

In her sexiest novel yet, acclaimed romance writer Zuri Day reveals how losing a double-dare can be oh-so satisfying. Eden Anderson is more than a little annoyed at her bad luck when she gets stuck with Jansen McKnight as a temporary roommate. Not only did he torment her as a child, but he’s also a meat-loving, gun-toting cop. So when Jansen bets he can seduce Eden, she can’t wait to show him up. But things aren’t quite black and white—and only time will tell who will come out on top.

Exploring the diverse landscape of American life, the stories in Blues and Trouble: Twelve Stories capture the lives of people caught between circumstance and their own natures or on the run from fate. Tom Piazza’s debut short story collection, originally published in 1996, heralded the arrival of a startlingly original and vital presence in American fiction and letters. Set in Memphis, New Orleans, Florida, Texas, New York City, and elsewhere, the stories echo voices from Ernest Hemingway to Robert Johnson in their sharp eye for detail and their emotional impact.

Can a person find true love more than once? Roman “Blue” Bluette doesn’t think so until she comes along. Zanetta is a smart, non-traditional woman who believes that women rule the world. She also believes in love but it seems to elude her until he comes along. Blue’s Beauty is a journey of love lost, love found and redemption.

A sizzling novel set against the backdrop of the Detroit car world. Champion Motors, one of Detroit's biggest auto manufacturers, is shutting down plants and laying off its workers. Tensions are mounting and violence is erupting. The lack of overtime to go around and a fatal attraction between employees at the plant ends in murder. Rife with scandal, drama, and passion—between and beyond the sheets—Blue Collar Blues is an explosive novel with piercing insight and humor.

A quietly influential force in African American literature and art, Clarence Major makes his Penguin Classics debut with the twenty-fifth-anniversary edition of Dirty Bird Blues The PRH Audio book of Dirty Bird Blues by Clarence Major won a 2022 EARPHONE AWARD. Narrated by Dion Graham. A...

Jazz-Age Chicago comes to vibrant life in Denny S. Bryce's evocative novel that links the stories of an ambitious chorus girl and a modern-day film student, both coming to grips with loss, forgiveness, and the limitations - and surprises - of love.

Shante is an internationally known conference speaker and best-selling author who just received the shock of her life. Deandrea is an aggressive psychologist with two doctoral degrees who is struggling to keep her family together with her husband's busy schedule. Misha is a soft-spoken teacher who is in a battle to keep her child from being taken from her. All of them are facing challenges in their marriages and ministries. After a chance meeting at a First Ladies' conference, secrets of their pasts are revealed.

In the multibillion-dollar entertainment industry, there is a secret society of women all vying for the opportunity to live a lavish lifestyle by snagging a famous young millionaire. Betty Blaise, aka Fly Betty, was not in it to be a wife or the baby momma of a wealthy public figure - she set her sights much higher. While most of these women use sex as their weapon of choice, Betty, a psychology major, has developed a much more powerful weapon. But when she meets a man that she would never have anticipated falling for, her strict rules and standards are put to the test - and the tools she used so effectively against wealthy men begin to turn against her.

Treasure E. Blue–acclaimed author of Harlem Girl Lost and A Street Girl Named Desire–is back with a heartbreaking urban love story of two star-crossed lovers up against the dirtiest dealer Harlem has ever seen. Knocked up by a Southern preacher, Keyshia is sent to live with her aunt in New...

In a swirl of neon lights and pulsing music, Zina and Terrance's worlds collided at a club. A chance encounter led to a night of electric connection, their souls entwined as they danced under the club lights. He dubbed her 'Blue' for her striking blue dress and matching wig, and their chemistry ignited a passion that left an indelible mark.

Kayshon Patton is overcome with painstaking nightmares that fuel his survivor’s guilt after escaping the bullets from his father’s gun. With tainted blood, why would he ever consider anything that could add to his father’s legacy? His plan is simple, until it isn’t, when he pulls up on her in a predicament that warrants his assistance. Yet, one feisty exchange causes him to question the life plans already in motion.

“We need to talk.” There’s only one reason a woman says that three months after a one-night stand. She’s pregnant, and she plans on keeping the baby. Porter can handle that—he’s always planned on being a father, and doing better at the job than his own dad ever did. Sure, he's always envisioned the wife then kids, but he's used to fixing things that are broken.

Meet Rain, the eldest and most dangerous of Baltimore's most feared crime family - the Porters. Honing their skills to perfection since their youth, the siblings were introduced to the intricate world of armed robbery, diamond heists, and murder by their mentor and confidant, Smitty. Fearless and daring, the Porter family pulled off dozens of licks, reaping millions over the years.