BOOKSHELF. - Review - book review

WHITE Teeth (Random House, $24.95) is a clever debut novel about two curious multicultural families living in London, by Zadie Smith. The characters--from a beautiful toothless Jamaican to a pigeon-shooting Arab halal butcher to all average Joe who decides his life with the flip of a coin--create the tension in this riotous tale that examines the themes of faith, class, identity and love. The author weaves this complex story with ease, using the failed suicide attempt of the main character to fashion the tale of his new life--an interracial marriage, a daughter his Bangladeshi best friend--seamlessly moving readers between cultures and continents, race and gender It's a standout arrival on the literary scene by a gifted writer.

The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (HarperSan Francisco, $26), a memoir of the meaning behind the legendary career of the first African-American American to win an Oscar, by Sidney Poitier. Beginning with his Bahamian childhood, the author recalls the values and lessons of his youth--tenacity, integrity, humility and sacrifice. Poitier explains how he drew on these principles as he experienced racial straggles (Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Movement) and continues to recall those truths in his contemporary dealings with Hollywood, the media, child-rearing and mortality. In this powerful book, he shares his touchstones with us and makes us question what foundations guide our own lives.

Wake Up and Smell the Dollars! Whose Inner City is This Anyway (Amber Books, $18.95), a guide to economic empowerment, by Dorothy Pitman Hughes. The author gives tips (in how to make your small business--and community--soar despite the threats of racism, classism and gender inequality.

Soldier: A Poet's Childhood (Basic Civitas, $20), a memoir of the childhood experiences that shaped a poet's art, by June Jordan. Through her recollections, we glimpse Jordan's reality as a girl groomed to be a "soldier" by a strong West Indian father who wanted her to receive the same respect, power and opportunities afforded to Whites. As she struggles for parental approval, the author learns courage, to recognize the poetic rhythms of her surroundings and the magic of words. It's an eloquent story of how a girl finds her voice.

History of Black Photographers 1840 to Present (W.W. Norton & Company, $50), a comprehensive history of Black photographers, by Deborah Willis. The striking assemblage features moments in Black history from the antebellum era to the present, memorializing the toil of slavery and the industry of the Great Migration to contemporary images of the Black middle class. The book, which includes portraits by James VanDerZee, Gordon Parks and Pulitzer Prize-winning EBONY photographer Moneta Sleet Jr., showcases some of the most memorable portraits--not just for Black America but for the entire nation.

Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora (Warner, $24.95), an anthology of 100 years of science- and fantasy-fiction by writers of African descent, edited by Sheree R. Thomas. The singular collection stands out for its breadth, spanning the works of Black luminaries such as W.E.B. DuBois and sci-fi's diva Octavia E. Butler to emerging voices such as Tananarive Due. The book uncovers a rich--but unheralded--tradition that deserves attention.

The Flip Side of Sin (Simon & Schuster, $24), a modern tale of a Detroit man released from prison who must reacquaint himself after 12 years with the outside world, by Rosalyn McMillan. Isaac Coleman, the book's main character, gets quite a few disappointments--his wife is now romancing his best friend, his son has become ensconced in the world of gangs and drugs. He finds solace through his saxophone and through his minister sister. In the process of reclaiming his life and trying to save his family, Coleman learns enduring lessons about healing, faith, atonement and love.

Julian Bond NAACP Chairman

Last book I read: Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler

What I thought: "It was fabulous. It's science fiction and like the best science fiction it takes you out of yourself and like almost no other science fiction, the main character are Black, So it's fabulous writing, but it's also Black, and you almost never see Black people in science fiction."

Coko Recording star and former lead singer of SWV, whose current CD is Hot Coko

Last Book I read: Single Mom Omar Tyree

What I thought: "Between my performances, I try to pick up some sort of African-American literature. I recently purchased [this] book of a lifetime: It gave me a new perspective and opened up my soul to be able to appreciate all things around me."

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