King (2023)

Cleopatra

Prudence J. Jones

2006 · 159 pages · 1 review

Others: Positive

Cleopatra VII (69-30 BC) Egyptian queen (of Macedonian descent), last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt. Daughter of Ptolemy XII, she ruled with her two brother-husbands, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, both of whom she had killed,and with her son Ptolemy XV or Caesarion (44-30). This biography concentrates on the fascinating aspect of Cleopatra's ever-shifting identity. A master of self-presentation, she was the first to craft for herself an image or, to be precise, a number of images. Depending on the audience, she might present herself as a goddess, a political leader, or an alluring and exotic woman. Roman statesmen likewise manipulated Cleopatra's image for their own political ends. The tension embodied in our sources for Cleopatra's life make her story especially captivating. The author's approach to the biography focuses on the ancient sources, but dies not ignore the fascinating afterlife Cleopatra's story has experienced. The accounts of her life, which were written by contemporaries and even acquaintances, will offer the reader a sense not only of Cleopatra, but also of the literature and historiography of the time. Ancient sources include both the historical - Plutarch, Suetonius, Cassius Dio, Julius Caesar, Appian, and Velleius Paterculus - and the literary - Horace, Vergil, Lucan, and Ovid. Documentary evidence from inscriptions also are important. In addition, texts like Cicero's Letters provide some real-time snapshots of Cleopatra. The biography is illustrated in full color and produced to the usual high standards of the Life&Times series.

Bourgeois blues

Jake Lamar

1991 · 174 pages · 1 review

Others: Positive

From Scratch

Tembi Locke

2019 · 360 pages · 2 reviews

Others: Positive

How to Be Black

Baratunde R. Thurston

2011 · 254 pages · 1 review

Others: Positive

Have you ever been called "too black" or "not black enough"? Have you ever befriended or worked with a black person? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this book is for you. Raised by a pro-black, Pan-Afrikan single mother during the crack years of 1980s Washington, DC, and educated at Sidwell Friends School and Harvard University, Baratunde Thurston has over thirty years' experience being black. Now, through stories of his politically inspired Nigerian name, the heroics of his hippie mother, the murder of his drug-abusing father, and other revelatory black details, he shares with readers of all colors his wisdom and expertise in how to be black. Beyond memoir, this guidebook offers practical advice on everything from "How to Be The Black Friend" to "How to Be The (Next) Black President" to "How to Celebrate Black History Month." To provide additional perspective, Baratunde assembled an award-winning Black Panel--three black women, three black men, and one white man (Christian Lander of Stuff White People Like)--and asked them such revealing questions as: "When Did You First Realize You Were Black?" ""How Black Are You?" "Can You Swim?" The result is a humorous, intelligent, and audacious guide that challenges and satirizes the so-called experts, purists, and racists who purport to speak for all black people. With honest storytelling and biting wit, Baratunde plots a path not just to blackness, but one open to anyone interested in simply "how to be."

Somebody's Daughter

Ashley C. Ford

2021 · 264 pages · 2 reviews

Others: Positive

The Black Count

Tom Reiss

2012 · 432 pages · 1 review

Others: Positive

Explores the life and career of Thomas Alexandre Dumas, a man almost unknown today, but whose swashbuckling exploits appear in The three musketeers and whose trials and triumphs inspired The count of Monte Cristo.