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Are you looking for new books to add to your collection? Then look no further because BrownStyle Magazine’s Bookshelf is back with literary excellence!
In this edition of the Bookshelf, we’re highlighting the top five books that left us filled us with love, laughter, and tears as we stepped into the new month.
From relatable stories that had us nodding our heads in solidarity to narratives that brought our sparkle to the forefront, see the books our editors are reading this May. Check out BrownStyle Magazine’s Bookshelf below!
Guts and Grace: A Woman’s Guide to Full-Bodied Leadership
by LeeAnn Mallorie
In Guts and Grace, LeeAnn Mallorie addresses common themes that women leaders at all levels still grapple with today: confidence, executive presence, balance, joy, intuition, saying no, purpose, conflict avoidance, and more.
In the book, she reveals the thirteen pervasive societal myths that can make these desires feel impossible to achieve and then teaches concrete, embodied practices that bring each theme to life. Guts and Grace is your roadmap on how to step out of internalized, patriarchal programming—from the inside out—and finally, bring your whole self to work.
Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me
by Whoopi Goldberg
From multi-award winner Whoopi Goldberg comes a new and unique memoir of her family and their influence on her early life.
If it weren’t for Emma Johnson, Caryn Johnson would have never become Whoopi Goldberg. Emma gave her children the loving care and wisdom they needed to succeed in life, always encouraging them to be true to themselves.
Emma raised her children not just to survive, but to thrive. Growing up in the projects in New York City, there were trips to Coney Island, the Ice Capades, and museums, and every Christmas was a magical experience. To this day, Whoopi doesn’t know how her mother was able to give them such an enriching childhood, despite the struggles they faced—and it wasn’t until she was well into adulthood that she learned just how traumatic some of those struggles were.
15 Lies Women Are Told at Work: …And the Truth We Need to Succeed
by Bonnie Hammer
Bonnie Hammer’s legendary career spans five decades in a turbulent, male-driven industry. Today, Bonnie is a powerful leader at the very top of her field, and women at all levels constantly ask her: What is your secret to success?
Her power—and her staying power—comes from rejecting common myths about how women are “supposed” to act in the workplace. She knows that the traditional wisdom women are told about work—pithy phrases like “don’t mix work with play,” “talk is cheap,” “follow your dreams,” “know your worth,” “trust your gut,” and “you can have it all”—hold women back.
Having risen from an entry-level production assistant whose chief charge was a dog, to a transformative, top executive at NBCUniversal, Bonnie challenges conventional workplace wisdom and shares the uncommon sense women need to succeed.
The Cultured Curves Guide to Style for Mature Curvy Women
by Linda Marie Peavy
The Culture Curves Guide to Style for Mature Curvy Women is more than just a style guide; it’s a journey towards embracing your curves with elegance and confidence. Filled with practical tips, this book was written to share in-depth insights into plus-size fashion secrets and style strategies specifically for mature women.
Miles of Style: Eunice W. Johnson and the EBONY Fashion Fair
by Lisa D. Brathwaite
Eunice W. Johnson believed in the power of fashion and beauty to inspire people. After she and her husband, John H. Johnson, founded EBONY magazine, it quickly became the premier lifestyle publication for mid-century Black readers. Among the many hats she wore, Eunice delighted in writing a fashion column describing the latest styles.
In 1958, Eunice launched a project that would change fashion forever–the EBONY Fashion Fair. In towns and cities across the United States, Black models walked the runway in the freshest trends that season.
To make the Fashion Fair happen every year, Eunice negotiated with snobby fashion houses in Europe and navigated racism back home in the US, to acquire the most show-stopping styles for her show. Decades later, her name remains a watchword for glamour and elegance in the Black community. Winner of Lee & Low’s New Voices award, Miles of Style celebrates a visionary who used her influence to showcase the strength and beauty of the Black community.
BrownStyle Magazine’s Bookshelf is a monthly series that highlights some of the most fascinating books currently on our editor’s desks. Are you an author who would like to have your book featured on BrownStyle’s Bookshelf? Please fill out this form for consideration.