Every Nigga that wrote a book, ain't write a book!
I spend quite a bit of time in the bookstore, preferably Borders (gift idea), perusing the aisles, checking out all kinds of different books. I can chill in there for hours. I typically frequent the same areas over and over again, Music, Biography, some Mystery and Thriller, Sociology, African-American Studies and African-American Literature.
That’s what pains me, African-American Literature. Aside some of the greatest literary giants ever: Ralph Ellison, James Baldwin, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Octavia Butler, Langston Hughes and countless others, stands “Wifey”, “Turned Out”, “Between My Thighs”, and “My Baby Daddy’s Other Baby Mama’s Baby Daddy”. Lost and turned out!
As far as I can remember, I’ve had a love for reading; I would read just about anything, book, magazine, newspaper, VCR instructions, whatever. But this crap has got to stop. Literature as defined as “the written work of excellence of scholars and research” is being desecrated by a gang of thieves. Where is the scholarly research in this? I’ve always believed that reading allowed you to pass through many worlds, it provides you with entrée into areas that ordinarily you may not have been exposed to. At its very worst, literature is to provide you with the tools to navigate and negotiate through conversations, subject matter and knowledge that has been denied you previously.
The written word should at its best challenge you intellectually, improve your vocabulary and provide you an accurate glimpse into a world you ordinarily don’t venture into. Now, these poorly proofread prose and paragraphs I’ve perused do nothing of the sort. I can open a newspaper, sit in a bar for a few hours or listen to Lil’ Kim’s album and hear what’s between these pages!
The sad part is that these books are being passed on to the babies as good reads. The very people who need to improve their critical reading and vocabulary skills are reading material that may set them back a few years. C’mon, how many times can we replace “s” with “z” in the title? Where's the mental stimulation? Damn the escapism effect, watch a karate movie, read to expand your horizon. Some people will say that they think too much throughout the day, I don't know many people who are forced to use as much brainpower as I, but when I settle in at night, it's with a book.
Now, I know someone is feeling some type of way right now, because they have a “Nigga Novel” in their desk, purse or in the car right now. Chalk this one up to the “If I don’t like it, I don’t like it that doesn’t mean that I’m hating” file. Right next to Tyler Perry! I’m just saying, “Manchild in the Promised Land” was published in 1965, nearly 50 years ago, classic! If “Forever a Hustler’s Wife” and the like are still considered good reading in 43 years, I pray that I’m not around, because I’m scared of that society!
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