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Essays
by Amena Brown
An irresistible delight, this hilarious and heartwarming essay collection gathers essential tales about growing up in the South, the pitfalls of date night, and why no one should ever tell a Black girl how to Black Girl.
Black women always find a place to meet: in the natural hair aisle, at Beyoncé concerts, even online in memes and catchphrases. This book is one of those places: a living room where readers can contemplate how a well-picked afro can defy the laws of physics and why boob sweat has to exist in the first place. Here, Black Girl is a verb. Here, Black women can Black Girl in every way we want to.
Amena Brown's book Never Tell a Black Girl How to Black Girl blends storytelling, humor, and pop culture commentary to traverse the magic and wisdom she's gleaned from being raised by Southern Black women, and supported by the community of Black women who hold her down today. After graduating from the International Black Girl Headquarters (the renowned HBCU Spelman College), Amena has built a career telling stories and celebrating Black womanhood. In her book, she shares stories of dancing in Janelle Monae's "Tightrope" music video and partnering with Tracee Ellis Ross to compose odes to natural hair. She imparts essential life lessons from the Real Housewives of Atlanta, and tells hair tales, including wisdom on the ideal style for her first speaking gig at Essence Fest (box braids, 100 percent).
In the end, Brown shares that Black women are a whole world. A galaxy of customs, language, code, and unspoken understandings, all explored with humor and heart in this unforgettable book.
"A rich lover letter to Black women and their multitudes." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Readers of Brown's generation will feel like they're hearing from an old friend." —Library Journal
"Amena Brown has always been a wordsmith, but in this latest book she releases her comedic charm in ways that make you feel like you're giggling with your best friend. If you enjoy the writings of Samantha Irby and Phoebe Robinson, prepare to sign up for your next fanclub membership for Amena Brown." —Austin Channing Brown, New York Times bestselling author of I'm Still Here
"This book is an ode to being a Black girl. I lost count of how many times I laughed out loud or took a long exhale while reading and said, "Yes. Same!" Filled with presence and humor, the book creates that rare, yet necessary space for being seen in a true way. Each chapter feels like you're in one of those conversations with a friend you did not realize you needed as much as you did, in a world that meets you right where you are." —Morgan Harper Nichols, artist and national bestselling author of All Along You Were Blooming
This information about Never Tell a Black Girl How to Black Girl was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Amena Brown is a spoken-word poet and performing artist whose work interweaves keep-it-real storytelling with humor. She is the author of How to Fix a Broken Record and Breaking Old Rhythms. Her poetry was featured in the New York Times bestselling book Rhythm of Prayer. Brown was featured in Olay's Face Anything campaign alongside Jennifer Hudson. She was also the poetic partner for PATTERN Beauty, Tracee Ellis Ross's natural hair care and beauty brand. She lives in Atlanta.
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