in books

Jaded: A Lovely Diamond in the Rough For The Holidays

Reviews by Stanley Bennett Clay

I confess. I am a sucker for a good love story. But Kevin E. Taylor's Jaded, a tender, life-affirming tale of romantic, committed, respectfully considerate, and passion-filled love, swept me off my feet!

Proving that nice guys can finish first, Joshua Knight, an ad agency executive, and Elijah Monroe, a music producer, meet in a Harlem record store specializing in lost and/or hard-to-find musical treasures, a fitting metaphor for the predicament these two handsome and successful thirty-something African American men have found themselves in, having both been wounded by previous break-ups.

With everything they have going for them—good hearts and loving parents that easily trump their tremendous good looks and admirable career successes—it is surprising and not so surprising that they have dodged Cupid’s arrow so cautiously. These are two smart and sensitive men, and although the attraction is immediate, they take it slow, very slow, and that slow-dance to happily-ever-after is a beautiful detailed account of a dreamlike courtship.

Posted in books on December 21 2007, 10:05AM | Read More | Comments (4)

Introducing Gentleman Jigger

With all the evidence of homosexuality and same-sex relationship in the Harlem Renaissance, I've always wondered why so few books were written about the subject at the time. Surely, homophobia played a role in these decisions, but it always seemed odd that many of the defining literary and cultural figures of the time were so visible and open about their sexuality in some ways, but so guarded in other ways.

Now there's a "new" book coming out that helps fill in the gaps. It's the first new work to come out of the Harlem Renaissance in quite some time. Written between 1928 and 1933, Richard Bruce Nugent's novel Gentleman Jigger tells the story of Stuartt, an openly gay Bohemian heir to one of Washington D.C.’s elite black families. Stuartt joins the young intellectual crowd in Harlem dubbed the "niggeratti" and later moves to New York's Greenwich Village and becomes sexually involved with a "young hoodlum."

Posted in books on December 17 2007, 11:57AM | Read More | Comments (68)

Mano a Mano With Eugene Robinson

A few months ago I got a phone call from an old college classmate who had a proposition. My classmate Mark had heard that I competed in the wrestling competition at the 2006 Gay Games and suggested that I take part in a celebrity charity match against a competitive fighter he had met in San Francisco. I laughed out loud and immediately rejected the idea. There's no way I'm going to get beat up in public, I told Mark.

Mark asked me to reconsider. He told me the fighter's name was Eugene Robinson, which happens to be the same name of a well known black columnist for the Washington Post. The fighting Eugene Robinson is also a writer. He is the author of a new book called Fight: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Ass-Kicking But Were Afraid You'd Get Your Ass Kicked For Asking. Mark sent me a link to the book and to Robinson's web site. After checking out the site, I quickly realized I was no match for Robinson. But he seemed like a great person for an interview.

Posted in books on November 29 2007, 12:11AM | Read More | Comments (16)

Dayne Avery, From The Beginning

Reviews by Stanley Bennett Clay

Editor's Note: Author Dayne Avery has a new book out called Details. So we thought it would be a good idea to go back and review his first book, I Wrote This Song, first.

African American High School student Jayson Story is savagely beaten awake in his bed by his father when his father finds out that Jayson, still a virgin, has been involved in some homosexual foreplay. The rift between father and son, which permeates throughout this triumph-over-tragedy tale, is only one hurdle our young, often naive, sometimes stupid, hopelessly romantic, but totally endearing hero must endure as he struggles to write his song; to author the melody of his life.

Having fully accepted his sexual nature by the time he "escapes" his Pennsylvania home and enrolls in an Atlanta college, he discovers Southern hospitality, the love of his life, and the joy of the attendant sex.

Posted in books on November 9 2007, 1:47PM | Read More | Comments (11)

A Battle of the Books

Indianapolis Colts' coach Tony Dungy's new book, Quiet Strength, reached the number one spot on the New York Times bestseller list this week. But lest you draw any conclusions from Dungy's religious-based inspiration, keep in mind that Christopher Hitchens's recent book God Is Not Great is ranked number three in this week's New York Times bestseller list. And it's been on the list for 12 weeks already.

The two books are also fighting it out on Amazon. Hitchens's anti-religion book is ranked number 25 on Amazon.com this morning, while Dungy's pro-religion book was ranked number 31. So what does all that mean? Is God not great? Is religion under assault? Is there a racial divide on religion? And how can two seemingly opposite philosophies co-exist in the same literary sphere?

Posted in books on August 6 2007, 12:38PM | Read More | Comments (52)

Revealing Oprah's "Secret"

Kenneth Winfrey Reports

Kenneth Winfrey By now you may have heard about the movie "The Secret," which made a big slash on The Oprah Winfrey Show recently. "The Secret" tells us that we can control our lives through something called the “Law of Attraction." It also tells us that we must show gratitude for everything that we have and experience before we can even begin to take control of our lives using this “Law.” I can think of no better way to state what I have believed for a long time.

The film reveals how we create our reality with our thoughts. Obviously, the thoughts we have determine the choices we make. And the choices we make determine the experiences we have. But I don’t know if we really realize how thinking and acting with intention can be extremely powerful in “attracting” the things that come into our lives—good or bad. You see, I believe that once you choose (and act in integrity), the universe conspires to meet you half-way. It’s my faith and my belief in the divine. It is what I call the “matching benefits plan” of the universe.

Posted in books·viewpoints on March 5 2007, 12:05AM | Read More | Comments (54)

Rev. Kev's Cure for the BGM Blues

I've known Kevin Taylor since the days when we both lived in Washington, D.C. Back then, when BET planned to air a controversial music video from reggae artist Buju Banton, Kevin was the one on the inside who shut it down. Kevin was always an inside/outside man, comfortable working in the system at the same time he was challenging it.

Kevin has also been something of an eclectic enigma, not easily categorized into a simple box. He's worked in television, in the music industry, in publishing, and even in the church. They don't call him "Rev. Kev" for nothing. His ministerial days date back to his experience in Washington when he was working alongside Rev. Rainey Cheeks. Now Kevin is back on the radar screen with his new book, Jaded, a story that looks into the question of why so many black gay men seem so jaded about life. With that in mind, I decided to sit down with Kevin for a one-on-one interview.

Posted in books on January 18 2007, 12:45PM | Read More | Comments (22)

in books

Reviews by Stanley Bennett Clay

Reviews by Stanley Bennett Clay

Kenneth Winfrey Reports

buzz bin