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Favorite Books I Can’t Live Without
16
items These books shaped how I think, create, and see the world. You’ll find transformational African-American biographies, timeless African-American literature, powerful fiction, and mind-expanding science fiction. I’ve also included influential works in ...
Sections
6
African-American Literature
Stageplays
Philosophy
Fiction
Paranormal
Favorite Cookbooks
African-American Literature
This is a powerful collection of voices that define strength, resilience, and truth. From classic African-American literature to modern Black authors redefining culture and identity, these stories explore freedom, faith, love, and legacy. Each book i...
This is the book that changed everything for me. Growing up without a father figure, The Autobiography of Malcolm X became my blueprint for manhood, discipline, and purpose. His journey from hardship to enlightenment represents one of the most powerf...
The Autobiography of Malcolm X|Paperback
Anyone who wants to learn more about the struggle for independence and liberation, should look no further than the Black Panthers. Assata Shakur’s story is a must read for those who want to see the truth behind the narrative.
Assata: An Autobiography|Paperback
If you’re a fan of Jazz, add this to your must read list. The naked honesty with which Miles Davis talks about his upbringing, drug addiction, and life in the music scene is vivid, and sometimes brutal. This is the closest thing to being in a smoke f...
Miles - by Miles Davis (Paperback)
Add this to your collection. A hauntingly beautiful story of an incredible talent gone way too soon.
Dorothy Dandridge: A Biography|Paperback
If you’ve ever wanted to get a better understanding of who Malcolm X was, this serves as a great companion piece to his autobiography. Go past edited sound bites and YouTube clips. Gain a larger insight into the man and his evolving ideas.
Malcolm X Speaks: Selected Speeches and Statements|Paperback
Stageplays
This is a collection of iconic stage plays and screenwriting classics that reveal the depth of human emotion, culture, and creativity. From groundbreaking African-American playwrights to timeless Broadway and contemporary works, these scripts teach s...
One of the first and most powerful stage plays I’ve ever read. August Wilson is a masterful storyteller and poet. At a time where there is a concerted effort to strip away the footprints of African-American identity and history, this powerful, haunti...
The Piano Lesson|Paperback
My second favorite play behind The Piano Lesson, Arthur Miller gives a poignant story of one man’s quest for an American Dream that remains elusive. We see not only the effects it has on him, but his family as well.
Death of a Salesman (Penguin Classics Series)|Paperback
Another great story from playwright August Wilson, I often view ‘Fences’ as a companion piece to Arthur Miller’s ‘Death of a Salesman.’ Both feature strong, often overbearing protagonists who could see past their shortcomings/failures, and that frust...
Fences|Paperback
Philosophy
This is my corner of life-shifting reads; the books that challenge old beliefs wide open and rebuild you from the ground up. Expect mindset mastery, purpose-driven living, and the kind of philosophical wisdom that punches through doubt and drags you ...
Everybody talks about ‘The 48 Laws of Power’. THIS is where that book got its game from. A definitive work on strategy, philosophy and discipline that resonates today, both in life as well as in business.
The Art of War (Signature Classics)|Paperback
This classic of Japanese philosophy emphasizes the need for self discipline and awareness in all things, even death. If you like The Art of War, check this one out.
Hagakure: The Secret Wisdom of the Samurai|Paperback
Fiction
This is my personal vault of page-turners, world-builders, mind-shakers, and soul-stretchers that make you miss your bus stop and rethink your whole grind. If you want fiction that fuels creativity, boosts your storytelling instincts, and lights up y...
‘It’ is the first Stephen King book I was brave enough to read as a kid. A long read (as many of King’s books are), it is more than worth the ride. The film doesn’t do the novel justice. As with any Stephen King work, you don’t just read it. You get ...
It: A Novel|Paperback
If you haven’t read this one…are you even a Stephen King fan? And yes, the psychological terror in the book is worse than in the film.
The Shining|Paperback
Paranormal
This section is a collection of ghost stories, urban legends, supernatural thrillers, and real-life accounts for anyone interested.
Secret Life: Firsthand Accounts of UFO Abductions doesn’t just sit on the sidelines as a spectator. The author takes you inside the UFOs for a better understanding of their methodology.
Just before my senior year of high school, I got a chance to go...
Secret Life: Firsthand, Documented Accounts of Ufo Abductions ...
Another great read for those interested in UFOs and alien abductions.
Intruders: The Incredible Visitations at Copley Woods|Paperback
Favorite Cookbooks
Ok, I’m from New Orleans, I know what I’m talking about. This isn’t just a list of my favorite cookbooks. This is a love letter to the folks who season like they mean it. From Creole masters who can turn a pot of roux into a spiritual experience, to ...
In the past, I have been guilty of wearing this book OUT. One of my favorite recipes in it is the lamb stew. Definitely check it out!
The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook: 200 Deliciously Simple Recipes for Your Electric Pressure Cooker|Hardcover
Anyone who is a lover of meat, particularly steak, should have this in your collection.
💥 TIP: Learn to love wine.
Meat Illustrated: A Foolproof Guide to Understanding and ...