Authors: Summer 2020

Monarch Book Recommendations

Imbolo Mbue
How Beautiful We Were

Told from the perspective of a generation of children and the family of a girl named Thula who grows up to become a revolutionary. “How Beautiful We Were” is a masterful exploration of what happens when the reckless drive for profit, coupled with the ghost of colonialism, comes up against one community’s determination to hold on to its ancestral land and a young woman’s willingness to sacrifice everything for the sake of her people’s freedom.

Candace Owens
Blackout: How Black America Can Make Its Second Escape From the Democrat Plantation

In “Blackout,” social media star and conservative commentator Owens addresses the many ways that liberal policies and ideals
are actually harmful to African Americans and hinder their ability to rise above poverty, live independent and successful lives and be an active part of the American dream. Weaving in her personal story that brought her from the projects to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Owens demonstrates how she overcame her setbacks and challenges despite the cultural expectation that she should embrace a victim mentality.

Patrick Howell
Dispatches From the Vanguard: the Global International African Arts Movement Versus Donald J. Trump

Partnering with dozens of Pulitzer Prize Winners, New York Times Best-Sellers, poet laureates, TED speakers, and influencers within the Global International African Arts Movement, including Ishmael Reed, Tyehimba Jess, Nikki Giovanni, Nnedi Okorafor, Chester Higgins, Tori Reid and Jaki Shelton Green, “Dispatches” offers a poignant, high-frequency rebuke of Donald J. Trump (actual man, strawman and metaphor for white privilege and capitalist despotism) and his ruthless amoral presidency.

Jasmine Guillory
Party of Two

Jasmine Gullory tells the story of attorney Olivia Monroe moving to L.A. to open her own law firm, Olivia Monroe is not interested in finding a relationship. But then she meets junior senator Max Powell. Embarking on a secret relationship to avoid scrutiny from the press, they spend their time wearing disguises and hiding out from the public. After some time, Olivia and Max decide to take their relationship public, and when they do, all their hopes of avoiding scrutiny go out the window. Caught between this new chance at love and her career, Olivia will have to decide if their relationship is worth the risk.

Susie Orman Schnall
We Came Here to Shine

Aspiring actress Vivi is just about to hook the role that will launch her career into stardom when she’s sent back to New York to do a favor for her boss. At the same time, journalist Max finds herself booted from her job at the New York Times and relying on her new position working for the World’s Fair daily paper. While meeting one another was never a part of the plan, it doesn’t take long before Vivi and Max are leaning on one another during a rather turbulent and unexpected chapter of their lives.