Black Women's Lives: Stories of Pain and Power

Black Women's Lives delivers bite sized stories that will fill it's readers with pride as their eyes cross each page. Told through the stories of sisters, past and present, the pen of Ms. Zook paints a delightfully authentic picture of the roles of women, regardless of color. But for the everyday Black woman this is a celebration of their being and their struggle. It is seldom that a compilation of this kind covers ground as equally about women from all fronts, from the lesbian teen killed in Newark, NJ, and the teenage mother who drowned during hazing to the president of SoftSheen and the solo AIDS activist in Quincy, Fl., each were allowed their deserved 15 minutes of fame in the pages of this anthology. Kristal's chapter titles adds to the relatable feel with simple headings such as "Worker", "Sister", "Activist", and "Farmer". This book is a spirit lifter, eye-opener, and breath of fresh air, all in a manageable 240 page package. 1. What did you like best about this book? I loved how the author chose everyday women to highlight the struggles and triumphs Black women across the world experience. 2. What did you dislike about this book? There wasn't anything I disliked in particular, except I would have liked to know more about some of the women discussed. 3. How can the author improve this book? I would like the author to add a little more background/or epilogue about a few of the women.

This highly readable book looks at the real lives of a diverse group of black women. It gives you a clear and vivid sense of their achievements, struggles, and losses. It is written in very clear, direct prose with quotations and vivid descriptions of the women in their own element. She enhances her feature-story approach with researched data and information pertinent to the issue at the heart of each chapter. She keeps the focus on each black woman's life so you get a definite sense of her and what she is going through. Above all, she shows real care and concern for women's struggles.