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Book #1: Good Hair: For Colored Girls Who’ve Considered Weaves When the Chemicals Became Too Ruff
Synopsis: In this funny, funky, and eminently practical guide to hair care for African American women, Bonner shares many of her own Bad Hair Days (and weeks and months) and her experiments with weaves and wigs and braids and Jheri curls; what’s more, she illustrates her text with several dozen photos of the results of those experiments–and the healthier alternatives she now recommends. Bonner’s basic advice to readers is to understand the structure and composition of African hair and find styles that take advantage of its natural curliness instead of injuring it with strong chemicals and heat in an effort to change its nature. Good Hair covers grooming tools, shampooing, conditioning, and daily maintenance; suggests substituting light texturizing for perming; describes newer wet-set styling approaches; and offers pragmatic "lifestyle" advice about coping with humidity, wind, and hot and cold weather. A useful contribution to readers’ self-esteem–and to libraries’ fashion and beauty collections.
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Book #2: Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America
Synopsis: Whether it’s hip-hop diva Lil’ Kim’s "weave of the week" or activist Angela Davis’s Afro, black hair evinces the power to set trends and define icons. In this entertaining and concise survey, Byrd (a research chief for Vibe) and Tharps (a reporter for Entertainment Weekly) revel in the social, cultural and economic significance of African-American hair from 1400 to the present. The opening chapter chronicles the rise of the slave trade, revealing intriguing facts about the significance of hair in African culture such as that only royalty donned hats or hairpieces, and recently widowed Wolof women stopped maintaining their hair as a sign of their mourning. The authors contextualize issues familiar to African-Americans while explaining black hair culture to the uninformed, so readers who don’t already know what "the kitchen" refers to (hair at the nape of the neck, usually the "nappiest") will soon find out. Photos and illustrations are put to effective use, though amusing charts such as "Five Famous Men with Equally Famous Hair" and the "Black Hair Glossary" are out of sync with the text. Meanwhile, significant figures, like Madame C.J. Walker and Nathaniel "The Bush Doctor" Mathis, are revisited in detail in various chapters, resulting in unnecessary repetition. But these are small quibbles with a book that successfully balances popular appeal with historical accuracy, adeptly exploring the roots of pervasive intra-racial discrimination while explaining, for example, how the much-maligned Jheri Curl ever became a fad. Agent, Marie Brown. (Feb.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Book #3: Nappy Journey: The Twisted Road to Natural Hair
Synopsis: It is amazing how a single word can conjure up feelings, places, and smells, smiles and tears. That single word is HAIR!! Likened to The Vagina Monologues for African Americans, Nappy Journey: The Twisted Road to Natural Hair is filled with rich personal histories that will have you laughing out loud and then looking for a tissue in a matter of minutes.
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Book #4: No Lye: The African American Woman’s Guide To Natural Hair Care
Synopsis: "No Lye is a degree granting, home study course in the mystique, magic and proper care of black women’s hair. What a blessing!"
–Iyanla Vanzant, author of In the Meantime
"No Lye is not an ordinary how-to book. Tulani Kinard’s study on African American Natural hair care is based on her philosophical belief that beauty and self-love is also healthy and biologically sound. A must-read for every African-American women, man, girl, and boy–at least!" –Bernice John Reagon
** Read the JBTM Review HERE.
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Book #6: Textured Tresses: The Ultimate Guide to Maintaining and Styling Natural Hair
Synopsis: Textured hair styles like Locs, Braids, Twists, Cornrows, and Knots are all the rage, adorning the heads of celebrities, athletes, and everyday folk now more than ever before. Yet, the actual caring, styling, and maintenance of textured hair still remains a mystery to many.
Now, Diane Da Costa, celebrity stylist and master designer of natural hair, unravels the tresses of textured hair, providing readers with information on the proper care of natural hair as well as a step-by-step guide on achieving various exciting styles.
Textured Tresses will help you:
- Identify and celebrate the texture you were born with (whether it’s wavy, curly, very curly, or tightly coiled)
- Keep your hair healthy and strong by using hair products and tools correctly and managing stress effectively
- Select the right stylist and salon to suit your hair care needs
- Transition from chemically relaxed hair to natural hair safely
- Experiment with color, weaves, and chemicals
- Achieve the styles you admire on your favorite movie stars and recording artists
Packed throughout with photos, illustrations, and special celebrity sections, Textured Tresses is a must-have whether you already twist, coil, loc, or want to learn how to begin.
** Read the JBTM Review HERE.
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Book #7: Hair Raising: Beauty, Culture, and African American Women
Synopsis: Rooks takes an interesting look at the social and political implications that hair has held for African American women. The six chapters discuss hair and its connection to black pride, race, advertising, gender, and women’s magazines. She has used advertisements from different periods to trace representations of hair, which she then analyzes to show the political implications for women. She notes that discussions of hair in a political context have taken place in the mainstream press; however, the similarities and differences between the hair of women from the dominant culture and the hair of women of African American descent have never been fully explored. Rooks digs deep to describe how beauty and culture have politicized African American women and demonstrates that Western definitions of beauty are often not endorsed by African American women. Although Rooks’ work is written in an academic style, the content is so compelling, readers will be intrigued by the quotes and footnotes rather than overwhelmed.
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Book #8: Hair Matters: Beauty, Power, and Black Women’s Consciousness
Synopsis: For this discussion on the politics of black hair, Banks, a professor of black studies at Virginia Tech, interviewed over 50 women, from teens to seniors, to determine how hair shapes ideas about race, gender, sexuality, beauty, and power.
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Book #9: The Knotty Truth: Managing Tightly Coiled Hair at Home: DIY Survival Guide
Synopsis: The Knotty Truth is an opportunity to embrace the physical and mental journey of going natural. It’s about so much more than hair: this book gives a voice to women with extremely coiled hair and the complexities of transitioning from relaxed to natural hair.
** Read the JBTM Review HERE
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Book #10: Thank God I’m Natural–The Ultimate Guide to Caring for and Maintaining Natural Hair
Synopsis: THANK GOD I’M NATURAL is a must read for any black woman who has suffered hair loss or breakage caused by relaxers — or has grown tired of spending thousands of dollars and their entire Saturday afternoons frying their kinky tresses into submission. Full of personal tales — of hair disasters and ultimate successes, THANK GOD I’M NATURAL offers thorough and extremely modern and up to date information — and a plethora of tips to help women go natural the right way. Featuring the advice of celebrity stylists for Jill Scott, Lauryn Hill, and Erykah Badu (among others), readers will get ALL he information they ve always needed — to look good on the outside and most importantly, feel good on the inside. You won’t want to do your hair again until you’ve read this lifesaving, reference book and heartfelt narrative from cover to cover!
JB2M Review Coming Soon
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Synopsis: The star of "In Living Color." "Cosby" and "That’s So Raven" has written a wonderful guide to natural hair. It is an informative medley of styles, basic care, plus poetry and allegorical stories about African American hair that demystify antiquated, oppressive thought.
The 100+page, full-color paperback book includes step-by-step instructions for more than 30 styles plus hair care tips, poems, stories, gorgeous color photos and celebrity models!
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Book #12: Going-Natural: How to Fall in Love with Nappy Hair
Synopsis: Have you ever considered going natural but thought it would be too hard? Try Going-Natural!
Many of us are alienated from our stigmatized coils and have no clue what to do with our nappy hair.
This book helps you reacquaint with your natural naps and shows you how to grow out a perm. But more than that, this book makes a joy out of what you thought would be a difficult journey.
Find out
~ The best way for you to go natural
~ How to enjoy your journey
~ Why your hair is breaking
~ The basics of natural hair styling
~ How to grow and groom natural hair
** Read the JBTM Review HERE.
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Read a few of these yourself? Let me know what you thought.
Have a few more titles to recommend? CONTACT ME with your feedback.
As soon as I have secured and read these books, I will offer my own opinion of them. Until then, thanks for stopping by!
Healthy Hair Wishes,
