"Athletes and musicians who have made millions in their industries deserve our respect, but it is critical that blacks understand that our history, and our (often neglected) successes, run deeper than that. All children need to be made familiar with images and...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 85: Where Do We Go From Here-Chaos or Community? by Martin Luther King Jr.
by MHill | Aug 21, 2021 | 2021 Book Reviews, Black History Month, Marion's Reading Life Blog, Nonfiction, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
"We still have a choice today: nonviolent coexistence or violent co-annihilation. This may well be mankind's last chance to choose between chaos and community." Martin Luther King's last sentence from his last book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community sums up...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 84: The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley
by MHill | Aug 11, 2021 | 2021 Book Reviews, Black History Month, Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorites, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
"Grace meets you exactly where you are and it doesn't leave you." I heard the author Anne Lamott say this quote on the Tim Ferriss podcast a couple of days ago and knew this would be the opening sentence to my latest book review. Grace would be the proper view about...
Marion’s Favorites: Summer of Soul
by MHill | Jul 6, 2021 | Marion's Favorites, Movie Reviews
What has been, it is what will be, And what has been done, it is what will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9 NASB Bible) This scripture verse from my favorite book in the Bible is appropriate for my latest blog post. The book of...
Marion’s Favorites: High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America
by MHill | May 30, 2021 | Marion's Favorites, Movie Reviews, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
Food is foundational to culture. Every human culture on the planet has food as an essential part of their culture. African Americans did not differ from anyone else along the human spectrum in that regard. High On The Hog is a four-part miniseries on Netflix that...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 79: Respect-The Life of Aretha Franklin by David Ritz
by MHill | May 2, 2021 | 2021 Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorites, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
Sometimes after reading one book will make you want another book with a similar topic. My previous review was a fictional music documentary in a novel titled The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton. Opal Jewel was one half of a groundbreaking punk rock...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 75: Invisible Men by Ken Quattro
by MHill | Feb 19, 2021 | 2021 Book Reviews, Black History Month, Marion's Favorite Books, Marion's Favorites, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
Black History Month is in full swing and I have seen many social media posts recognizing the achievements of African Americans throughout the nation's history. However, I have always wanted to find out something that does not get much recognition or overlooked during...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 74: Playing in the Dark by Toni Morrison
by MHill | Feb 18, 2021 | 2021 Book Reviews, Wisdom From Kammbia Column, Writing
I still consider realistic fiction the standard for American Literature. However, imaginative fiction has made significant strides in the past two decades to create its own place in American Literature. As one who prefers imaginative fiction over realistic fiction,...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 73: The Dark Fantastic by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas
by MHill | Feb 14, 2021 | 2021 Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
"The principles of the dark fantastic are so ingrained in our collective consciousness that when the expected pattern is subverted, most audiences cannot suspend disbelief. Readers and viewers complain that dark heroic protagonists are not likable. Critics observe...
Wisdom From Kammbia Book Review 39: Black Fortunes by Shomari Wills
by MHill | Mar 5, 2020 | 2020 Book Reviews, Marion's Favorite Books, Wisdom From Kammbia Column
Black History Month has passed, and I had a plan to read three non-fiction books about black history during the month of February. I finished Maurice White's wonderful biography, My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire quickly and then I read Before The Mayflower...