The Delicate Flower

The Delicate Flower is written by Shakeia Cowan. Shakeia explains what a delicate flower really is, the Delicate Flower is a tool used for self healing through encouragement and affirming one’s self through the power of journaling. The Delicate Flower is composed of chapters that arranged from short stories, affirmations, and poetry to assist you in identifying, confronting, and healing from a variety of life challenges.

After reading this book, I have a new aspect on life. "The Dream, No, The Reality" really spoke to me and how I conduct my relationships with people. Cowan brings up alot of important questions such as "Do you deal with it or do you bury it? Do you allow yourself to feel, to process, to understand that this finding could possibly be the missing piece that you’ve needed to solve the puzzle to heal mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically?"

Other chapters such as, "And Yet I..." which is poem about strength and having the will to keep going no matter what problems you may have.

"There are days I am weary and my nights are filled with tears
Yet I get the strength to keep going", really inspire me to stay strong and finish my mission in life.

This book speaks to all women who have struggles, who suffer from different types of pain. Shakeia Cowan really is an inspiration to women that need guidance and self healing. I really enjoyed myself while reading the The Delicate Flower.

You can purchase The Delicate Flower by visiting the website: www.thedelicateflowerbook.com. Shakeia Cowan will also be doing a book signing in Baltimore on 10.09.09 at 6pm-9pm at Clutch Lounge in Baltimore!

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Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man

When I first heard that Steve Harvey had a relationship book for women I thought, like most people, "how is funny man Steve Harvey going to help me!?" But once I got my hands on the book, I definitely wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

Now, as a personal disclaimer, I'm not on the prowl for my husband - to - be, but there's no harm in getting an insider's look at the complexities of a man!

Steve Harvey didn't do it all on his own. He enlisted the help of relationship expert Denene Miller and several informal focus groups of men and women with relationship experience to gather their opinions. He also references segments from his Steve Harvey Morning Show, in which mostly female callers would call in with common relationship issues.

Overall, the book gives a good insight as to how a man truly thinks, acts and feels [according to Steve Harvey], and I honestly took most of it to heart. Why? Because Steve Harvey and my dad are about the same age, and a lot of what he was saying in the book are a lot of the same things my dad used to tell me as a teenage, and I would roll my eyes and suck my teeth, acting like I don't care.

But after experiencing relationships of my own, talking with my girlfriends, and reading this book, you begin to realize that you're not the only one going through the trials and tribulations that comes with a relationship.

When it comes to breaking down the title of the book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man... in a nutshell, Steve Harvey is explaining how a self-respecting women should maintain herself - establishing standards, understanding how he truly feels/thinks about you before getting in too deep, and coming with some type of "90 day rule" to actually know what he's about before you just go on and give him your cookie!

As far as the "Think like a man" part - he gives a good insight as to what drives men - truly understanding their motivation. Men are constantly being judged based upon who they are, what they do and how much they make - all this affects their mood.

Honestly, the first 2 sections of the book - "The Mind Set of a Man" and "Why do Men do What They Do?" where the most interesting to me. Now, I'm not saying that Steve Harvey has all the answers to the behaviors of all the billions of men in the world, but he certainly gave a few "ah ha!" moments as I compared situations in his book to my real life drama.

The book is certainly not a revolutionary breakthrough, and its not going to solve all your relationship woes just by reading it. It's different type of relationship book not written by a complicated doctor, but rather a man who has been there, done that, seen it and bought the tee-shirt, and is simply trying to convey lighthearted advice to the billions of females out there. That man just happens to be Steve Harvey. And the book happens to be pretty good!

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"The Book of Night Women" by Marlon James

Looking for a mid-spring read? "The Book of Night Women" by Marlon James is the book to pick up that will have to be pried from your hands, as you will not want to put it down. Set on a Jamaican sugar plantation, Montpelier Estate, in 1785, "The Book of Night Women" chronicles the story of Lilith- a green eyed slave born with a dark power. A blessing or curse is for you to decide. But don't expect a typical tale of slavery here.

Beautifully written and seamlessly incorporating Patois, the English dialect of the slaves, Marlon James takes you to the plantation and plants you in the midst of the horrid lives of the forced laborers. With detailed summaries of the African bloodlines, James links the relationship between the Night Women with ease. "White man is white man is white man, but not every nigger be the same nigger. And if she just come from the ship, more so be the difference." Read on and the bloodline becomes clearer and so do the effects of mental enslavement. "Every negro walk in a circle. Take that and make of it what you will. But sometime the circle not be the negro's but the white man own, and white man circle full of hill and valley and things they say that mean something else. Black man wake up to find circle make for him, beginning with shackle that lock round him neck. White man circle come by him own choosing. Plenty have choice to walk straight away, yet plenty come back to where them start. Others never leave. And if you negro get take up in the white man life, you travel that circle too." To go or stay? Questions presented to all in the story and the draw is that you never truly see what's to come until the end.

A real page turner, with the sordid "romance" to make you grip the pages and read on in anxious sorrowful anticipation, the author Marlon James tests the limits of vernacular in literature and impossible love. Fair warning, this book is NOT for the light at heart or mind. With graphic accounts of murder, physical punishment and sexual exploitation, this book takes you where "Beloved", "Queen" and "Walk Through Darkness" would never dream to go. While human degradation is inextricably linked to the backdrop you can't help but hope for some inkling of a happy ending. And let's be clear, as the book drops you in the middle of the most undesirable and heart wrenching accounts of the lives of slave women, the author does a wonderful job at bringing you to the end with enough closure to feel satisfied and leaves you to linger on what comes of the final revelation.

Be prepared, I am not a very emotional person but I will admit that my emotions ran the gamut: with outbursts of laughter to having to take breaks to compose my anger, to feeling the excitement of reading about a woman "loving her man", to wiping away tears that have stained the pages of my book; you will lay this book to rest for only a short while before going back to remind yourself of why you love to hate that you enjoyed such a tumultuous tale. I have talked about this book to all that will listen and now I offer it to you.

The list price for "The Book of Night Women" is $26.95. If you are a library builder like me, and believe in supporting the literary arts, then a brand new uncreased copy may be of your choosing. However, recessionary consciousness warrants wise spending. That said, there are plenty of options for like-new and used books. If you want to borrow mine, let me know.

As always, be REBELLIOUSLY BEAUTIFUL.

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