Atria Books

How to Rule the World from Your Couch

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Do you want to make a change in your life? Each December, as one calendar year ends and a new one is about to begin, most of us reflect upon where we have been and plan for where we want to be. If you answer yes to the question I pose, I highly recommend Laura Day's most recent book, How to Rule the World from Your Couch.

This New York Times bestselling author teaches the reader, as she has taught her students, to use intuition as a useful strategy to achieve change in one's life. Day explains intuition as the higher octave of your five senses. Intuition can guide you to your truest, best possible self. Each chapter begins with a Quick Hit Exercise. Her techniques for embodying the skills taught in this book will help you deal with stress, improve personal and professional relationships, and aid you in achieving your goals. Day guides the reader through each chapter by offering examples which are applicable to individual life as well as sharing personal experiences from her life. As Day advises throughout the book, do not over think the exercises. Intuition is a part of each of us. Some may be more aware of the skills of intuition than others. You may discover that you are already practicing these tools but address them by another name. By being an intuitive person, you are harnessing an often underutilized part of your brain.

Day encourages the reader to consciously create a sacred space, which can be a state of mind or a physical place, a sacred time, an actual time which you devote to connecting with your inner being, and a ritual, which is a repetitive and comforting routine that helps you connect with yourself.

By setting aside any preconceived ideas which the chapter titles may invoke, the reader can explore and experiment with the skills of intuition. Mediumship is a chapter on how to view the world by becoming someone or something else. Telepathy is the subject of chapter four, which focuses on the ability to guide the thoughts and behavior of others. At the same time, your own vulnerability can be manipulated by the telepathy of others. Body Heat Telepathy is the ability to exchange mutually attractive messages with another person but from a distance. Intriguing? I thought so.

Do you want to be more in control of your destiny? Chapters six and seven are a must read. Remote Viewing is the most detached of the intuitive states and involves perceiving the target while being separated from it by time and space. Precognition is the ability to move the target, which can be a person or situation forward in time, thus experiencing what will happen.

Each individual is unique and, consequently, each reader will have a personal level of involvement with this book.

Written by: Maryann Gromisch, December 29th 2009

Hiding in Hip Hop: On The Down Low in the Entertainment Industry—From Music to Hollywood

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:09:00 +0000

By Terrance Dean

Atria Books

Terrance Dean opens his book, Hiding in Hip Hop, with two quotes, one from Ellen Degeneres, in which she states, “If it weren’t for blacks, Jews, and gays, there would be no Oscars.” The other was from The Bhagavad Gita: “It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else’s life with perfection.” With so many ways to approach this book, the latter quote is the way in which I chose to do so.

Dean gives a personal account of the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of growing up as a gay Black man, inside a world that adamantly refuses to accept his existence. Things would be tragic enough if, on the quest for a healthy identity, one had to sift out the sickness of a drug-abusing mother who, along with two brothers, dies of AIDS. A forced and self-imposed separation from family, and the discovery of a sexuality not approved of by the proverbial church that houses wolves in sheep’s clothing, add to experiences that have forced others to become a statistic.

As the title of the book suggests, Dean’s passion for hip-hop propelled him to pursue a career in an environment where his sexuality is like an oxymoron. Dean still adheres to the code of maintaining a “tell and be killed” secrecy in addressing those who are queer, respected, and revered in the hip hop world. In a world where even a hint of being gay can relegate one to lifelong ostracism, Dean is careful to play by the rules and still tell his story with brute and poignant honesty.

The Degeneres’ quote that opens the book is important because she acknowledges not only the contributions made by a group she belongs to, but also those made by two groups to which she does not. It is important because there needs to be the realization that the greatest contributions to society are not defined by sexuality. If there’s a cure for cancer, how many of you will refuse it because you don’t approve of the curer’s sexuality?

The second quote Dean used discussed living one’s own life, not that of someone else. He revealed how difficult it was to hide his sexuality, his desire to openly express his love for another man, and be fully embraced by a culture to which he so profoundly contributed. He perfected the imitation of a straight man at the cost of his spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. By the book ended, although still healing from these issues, Dean is now unapologetically choosing to work on the perfection of his own life.

Written by: Olupero R. Aiyenimelo, October 28th 2009

Kinky Gazpacho: Love, Life, and Spain

admin — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:00:00 +0000

By Lori L. Tharps

Atria Books

Lori Tharps’ Kinky Gazpacho does what memoirs do best: it brings us the author’s journey through her inner psychological life. The book spans Tharps’ kindergarten “Culture Day” in Milwaukee, Wisconsin through her present life as a freelance writer in Philadelphia. Even as a child Tharps feels “something in Spain is certain to change [her] life,” so when given the opportunity to live in the country through her college’s study abroad program, she takes it.

The book’s subtitle—Love, Life, and Spain—should have also included Blackness, as this is the experiential theme that strings the events discussed in the book together. When she arrives in Spain, Tharps is amazed at the lack of what she terms “political correctness.” She encounters stereotypical images of Africans used to sell products that are supposedly African in origin, like chocolate, or those that are simply dark in color, like soda. In one anecdote, Tharps recounts a group of school children that followed her singing a jingle for a cola she later learned to be visually represented with an African caricature.

Eventually, Tharps loses all political correctness of her own and begins a mission to discover the roots of xenophobia in Spain. She asks Spaniards she meets about the nation’s historical involvement in West African slavery. Despite the overwhelming insistence that Spain took no part in the slave trade, or that only rogue Spaniards were involved, Tharps uncovers a 200 year history of slavery in the country. Her eventual discoveries bring her a sense of peace with her identity as a Black woman in Spain.

While falling out of love with Spain, Tharps falls in love with a Spaniard with whom she begins a romance at the end of her time in the country. The couple must face the challenges of an interracial relationship—such as his grandmother’s refusal to acknowledge her when she visit’s his family’s home and her partner’s shameful admission to having enjoyed dressing up in blackface for festivals as a child—in addition to their physical separation when Tharps returns to the United States at the end of the study abroad program. This reality of this unlikely long-distance relationship is portrayed realistically: the couple breaks up, reunites, tries dating other people, and explores other escape routes created in relationships that privilege rational thought above emotional connection. The couple’s earnest commitment to negotiating their cultural differences through maintaining an ability to laugh at themselves and forgive each other’s flaws allows their relationship to triumph in the end, as the pair eventually gets married.

Tharps is at her best when writing about her emotional experiences. For example, she adroitly expresses her shock at her White high school classmates’ use of racial slurs when describing Black Americans, particularly as it’s done in such a casual, non-threatening manner: _"So," Mrs. Fletcher was saying, "instead of your uniforms you are all supposed to come to school dressed in the clothing of your ancestors. So if your family is German you can wear lederhosen or one of those cute dresses with the white pinafore." This being Milwaukee, the majority of my white classmates claimed German heritage and got it right away…I felt my cheeks burn. If they hadn't been brown, everyone would have noticed that they were red. I tried not to make eye contact with anyone, in case they noticed my discomfort or figured out my shame. My ancestors were slaves! I was the descendant of a group of people kept as chattel, who lived in shacks, worked themselves to death, and, if luck was on their side, fled up north with Harriet Tubman and disappeared. What was I supposed to do? Come to school dressed in rags with a handkerchief tied around my head? And food? Slaves didn't get to eat good food. Maybe my mom could bring in some table scraps for everyone to sample. I could feel my heart beating loudly in my chest and my skin went cold. How was I going to deal with this? And me being the only Black child in my class, my shame was my own. _Her prose falters only when she moves briefly into the realm of critical theory then returns to personal narrative without adequate explanation of how the theory she presents was borne out in her situation.

Kinky Gazpacho was a difficult book for me. I recognized early on that my standpoint was quite distant from Tharps’. I appreciated that she told her story in an intensely personal voice, but my inability to identify with many of her experiences made it challenging to connect with her story.

Cross-posted with Gender Across Borders

Written by: Thomas Murphy, September 26th 2009

Kiss The Sky

admin — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:06:00 +0000

By Farai Chideya

Atria Books

_“I don’t believe in the devil anymore. But if I did, he would look a lot like Ari Malcolm Klein.” _

This is how Farai Chideya draws her readers into her mesmerizing, charismatic novel Kiss The Sky. Sophie Maria Clare Lee, a Black girl from blue collar Baltimore, remakes herself by applying and being accepted to attend Harvard. By the time the novel opens, Sophie has graduated, married Ari Klein, toured America as part of an indie rock band, and is divorced.

Ten years later Sophie has made a career as a music television host in New York City, but she is tired of the work and decides to become the newest female pop star. The talent and drive are present to aid in her success. The catch—there is always a catch—is she begins to play music with Ari Klein again. A complicated triangle is completed when Leo Masters, her manager, is drawn into her new self-made stardom.

Is Sophie’s fame worth her faith, family and friendships?

Farai Chideya spent many years covering music and pop culture. Her knowledge is evident in the smooth way this intricate story unfolds. My love of music was fed by this novel, and one of my favorite parts of the book is the Play Lists included in the back. Whether you are a lover of pop music or not, this imaginatively rich novel is a must read. I loved adding it to my bookshelf.

Written by: Ann Hite, September 17th 2009

Lessons of a Lipstick Queen: Finding and Developing the Great Idea That Can Change Your Life

admin — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:16:00 +0000

By Poppy King

Atria Books

Hello! This book is a call to your inner lipstick queen! Truthfully, I’m not much of a makeup person. At most my cosmetics collection includes lip balm for daytime and mascara for a night on the town. Yet, there was something about the provocative title that compelled me to read this book. Do we all have a lipstick queen deep inside us, just as we have inner children? If so, our inner lipstick queen deserves to come out and play on occasion.

Enter stage left: Poppy King's Lessons of a Lipstick Queen. King’s book is a delightful and animated guide on how to recognize and pursue your passions. The book itself brings the reader through King’s own amazing experiences as she follows the trail created while searching for the perfect shade of lipstick.

At seventeen, King was quite young when she first set out on her quest, but she was bold enough not to second guess herself (as I might have done at forty). While she notes it is important to release your inhibitions, King doesn’t over-emphasize the fact that she has a fearless spirit and highlights the importance of restraint. She points out the value to be had from times of trouble and loss, mostly sharing those moments as temporary experiences she learned from.

King shares the lessons she learned during the life cycles of her entrepreneurial pursuits in a user friendly way that inspires the reader to ponder the possibilities their own lives may hold. For example, Lesson two: Take very seriously any sentence starting with “I wish.” Sage advice, and I concur. Wishing isn’t only for Polly Anna or Dorothy. Wishing is good for your health, so to speak.

King reminds us to consider the possibilities that lie outside of our comfort zones and to recognize that everyone experiences pain and loss, but we also have the option to get back up. While she writes of her passion, she also notes the vital support of her family and friends. Even more importantly, she reminds us that it is only through one’s planning, preparation, and hard work that goals are ultimately accomplished.

Unlike many other how to guides this book does not offer a simple solution (like if you do A, B, and C, you will be a millionaire). On the contrary, King provides the reader with fifty-eight distinct yet interrelated lessons on how to pursue one’s passion, brave rough waters, and keep one’s chin up. Sounds like a tall order? Indeed, but if you’re game, this is the book to help guide you through the process.

Written by: Susan G. Reyes Vasquez, September 13th 2009

Creating Myself: How I Learned That Beauty Comes in All Shapes, Sizes, and Packages, Including Me

admin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:04:00 +0000

By Mia Tyler

Atria Books

Imagine growing up with these parents: Steven Tyler from Aerosmith and Cyrinda Foxe, a popular actress and model from the 1970s. At first glance, it might seem luxurious, glamorous, exciting, and fun to be part of this family, but Mia Tyler tells the real story of her experiences with her rock 'n roll mom and dad in Creating Myself.

From the first lines of the book, which reveal Tyler's intention to commit suicide in 2001, readers will find riveting details, shocking stories, and jaw-dropping secrets. For example, as an eight-year-old, Tyler had to pour her mother's vial of cocaine into the toilet, and later in life she struggled with her own drug addictions and self-mutilation.

But this book is much more than an exposé of a celebrity family; it is Mia's story of coping, growing, forgiving, moving on, and finding herself amidst the chaos and confusion of a rollercoaster home life. Stories and memories are shared, along with descriptions of birthdays, romances, family tension, crazy social sprees, and her work as a plus-size model. Tyler recounts her trials with using men, drugs, and food, and working to overcome these addictions. She even provides a detailed examination of her own sanity at different points in her life, and how her psychological well-being impacted her choices and the way she encountered the world.

Tyler's candid stories and honest self-evaluations reflect a woman who has been through a lot, has taken a good hard look at herself and the world around her, and has chosen to take the best approach possible by forgiving herself and her family, moving on, and deciding to take care of herself. She comes out stronger in the end, with seemingly endless love and wisdom to share.

Creating Myself will hit home with all readers, even those who don't share Tyler's celebrity status or her extreme past. Those who choose this book will find out that it is possible to take on—and overcome—all that the world has in store for us.

Written by: Amanda Moss, August 30th 2009

A Survival Guide for Landlocked Mermaids

admin — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:49:00 +0000

By Margot Datz

Atria Books

Margot Datz’s A Survival Guide for Landlocked Mermaids is a wonderfully colorful picture book for adults - the kind of book that should come with matching postcards, a calendar, and refrigerator magnets. Datz is both writer and illustrator, and she does a delightful job with both.

The focus of the book is how women can experience life to the fullest by living like mermaids. Mermaids, Datz tell us, came out from the sea long ago, and even though they have adapted to life on land, part of them still longs for the freedom of the sea. If you have ever felt like there was a wild, sensual creature inside of you longing to get out (and who among us hasn’t?), then you’re probably a landlocked mermaid. This book will help you to regain the tail that you lost so long ago.

Each page of the book has a little life tip accompanied by a whimsical picture of a mermaid acting it out. These pictures alone make the book worth it. Datz is a talented artist and her mermaids come alive on the page with a certain coy charm, appearing both ethereal and familiar at the same time. They are also racially diverse, which is encouraging since that is not the norm in these types of books.

The life lessons are about a variety of subjects, ranging from listening to your elders to being smart with money. The main lesson is to be true to yourself in all things - including the way you express your emotions, choose a life partner, or simply accessorize an outfit. All of these things, Datz stresses, are important in releasing your inner mermaid.

Nothing Datz presents in the book is new information, but she presents it in such a fun and entertaining way that you can’t help but be drawn into her mermaid world of love, life, and laughter.

Written by: Victoria Kroeger, June 12th 2008

The Daughters of Juarez: A True Story of Serial Murder South of the Border

admin — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 00:40:00 +0000

By Teresa Rodriguez, Diana Montané

Atria Books

I have always assumed that every feminist knows about the murders in Juarez, Mexico. I have been obsessed with the murders and available news reports (or lack there of) for the past couple of years. So when I saw that the first non-fiction book to be published about the Juarez femicide was coming out, I was incredibly excited to see that these events would finally be discussed in an accessible format.

As I started reading the book, I couldn't put it down. I carried it with me everywhere, as these women's stories filled my head and my heart. The first couple of chapters were incredibly hard to get through. In fact, I had to take frequent crying breaks in order to read the first fifty pages. So when I started obsessively talking about this book to everyone I know, I was disappointed and dismayed to encounter the common response of "What murders in Juarez?"

And this is why The Daughters of Juarez is the most necessary and important book to come out this spring. For the past 12 years, over 400 women have gone missing in the desert of Juarez. From what is left of their desiccated bodies, medical examiners have found evidence of brutal rapes and torture of these young women. In the beginning of the crimes, most of the victims were young, poor maquiladora workers abducted on their way to or from work. As the crimes progressed and police failed to find the killer(s), more women were (and are) abducted and their bones have turned up in the desert.

This book is important for several reasons. First, these women's stories must be told in order for them to be remembered. The pervasive misogyny of these femicides must be told, because these crimes are happening in every part of the world, just under a different guise. Second, it is painfully relevant how the media has failed to pick up on this story. 400 women raped and brutally murdered, and only a few radical media sources have written a scarce number of reports about them. How can that be? What is so wrong with our society that no one cares if 400 women in one city are brutally raped and killed in less than a decade?

Finally, if these stories are not going to be covered in the mainstream media, then the mere existence of this book is amazing. The women of Juarez's stories are now accessible to anyone who happens to peruse the politics or true crime section of any bookstore. Rodriguez and Montané's combined account of this femicide is emotionally hard to get through, but their relentless dedication to bring justice to the murdered women and their families is truly inspiring, and is an amazing call to action.

Written by: Chelsey Clammer, April 16th 2007