Praise for Where Did Our Love Go: Love and Relationships in the African-American Community
"Where Did Our Love Go provides a forum for African-Americans to share their voices, to give their perspective and feedback on the 'love problem' that exists in our community." - News Blaze>
"Analyzing the trouble in black America and what may be leading to fractured families all over America, 'Where Did Our Love Go' is an enticing and much recommended addition to black studies and social studies collections." - Midwest Book Review
"The successful commoditization of dysfunctional black relationships continues to rule reality TV at the same time that a picture-perfect black First Couple occupies the White House. Somewhere between that absurd paradox lies a deeper truth, which is what makes the book Where Did Our Love Go: Love and Relationships in the African-American Community such a conversation piece." - Creative Loafing Atlanta
“Where Did Our Love Go proves to be a most informative and entertaining read, at least in terms of the individual contributors’ intimate experiences." - The New Tri-State Defender
"What this anthology does is offer multiple platforms from which to draw strength and support to fight the good fight. If Black love is important to you and crucial to you, your friends and family, Where Did Our Love Go embraces both sides while sacrificing none." - Knowshi.com
A thoughtful collection of short essays, addressing a wide range of issues and emotions facing African Americans, should become a well-thumbed nightstand fixture. Organized into five themes (family, culture, relationships, community and self), contributors range from celebrities like Isaiah Washington and supermodel Beverly Johnson to education administration authority Ontario S. Wooden and self-described “Black Male Teen in America” Bernard Harrison, and a 16-year-old from Queens, N.Y. In the “relationship” section, actress Hattie Marie Winston pens a loving letter to her husband Harold, while documentary filmmaker Muta’Ali Muhammad confesses his ambivalence toward “modern black women.” Readers should resist the urge to read through these essays all at once; concise and thought-provoking, they deserve to be savored.
PRAISE FOR GIL L. ROBERTSON'S FAMILY AFFAIR:
"Concise and thought-provoking, [these stories] deserve to be savored." —Publishers Weekly starred review “Family Affair is about who we are and how our past has shaped us. It reflects the prism of the individual and collective black experience in contemporary America, which is just as varied and colorful as the different shades of our skin. Being black in America is not a one-size-fits-all proposition.” - Terrie Williams, author of Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting
"Congrats to Gil Robertson for not only figuring a way to take the collective pulse of African-Americana but for distilling the essence of his research into an informative and eloquent cultural tapestry destined to stand the test of time." - Kam Williams
"Confidence, self-respect and a sense of purpose. Those are the strengths of Gil Robertson, bestselling author and syndicated lifestyle journalist, hopes children will gain from reading his new series..." - Black Voices on Books
"It’s no secret that the African-American community is in crisis...The fundamental reasons for this dysfunction stems from an identity that’s been thrown off course due to a number of external and internal factors. Family Affair addresses this imbalance, offering revelations and insights on issues and topics that the majority of African Americans only talk about in secret." - Philadelphia Tribune
"Family Affair doesn't pretend to have the final answer or be the ultimate authority on topics involving African Americans, but it is among the most extensive and informative surveys documenting contemporary thoughts and ideas from an intriguing array of black Americans ever compiled." - Nashville City Paper
"That’s partly why Family Affair is so meaningful. The book is a collection of essays from everyday people and extraordinary individuals sharing their ideas on family, culture, relationships, community and self. They just happen to be African-American. Seen through the prism of personal stories, anyone can identify with these experiences and appreciate the lessons learned." - Culture Surfing
"All real, all authentic stories that paint a picture of just how diverse we really are even in our own race. If you're an avid reader and looking for a book of stories of your reality, [Family Affair] is very thought provoking and will make you reflect on your own inner self." - Hip Hop Wired
The full power of this book rises from the personal testimonies of African-Americans writing from varied sexual, gender, class and lifestyle perspectives….‘Having watched countless accounts of the virus’s impact on the African American community,’ Robertson writes, ‘I was dismayed by how few African Americans was an active part of this dialogue.’ Not any longer: those voices are loud and clear.”
PRAISE FOR GIL L. ROBERTSON'S NOT IN MY FAMILY:
"A compilation of 58 short essays and one poem from a broad spectrum of African Americans giving their opinions, reactions and counsel on the subject of HIV and AIDS." - Kirkus Reviews
"A collection of essays and first-person stories from everyday and well-known contributors...who uncover our denial in dealing with the most threatening menace of our time." - Ylonda Gault Caviness, Essence
"The full power of this book rises from the personal testimonies of African Americans writing from varied sexual, gender, class, and lifestyle perspectives." - Publishers Weekly
"Not In My Family presents powerful stories about a scourge on the African-American community, and offers insight that can likely lead to effective change." - Ebony
"Though the collection includes diverse perspectives on how to address the epidemic, information about HIV/AIDS is presented accurately; all of the essays approach the subject with compassion rather than judgment or intolerance. Taken together, these essays send a powerful message: take care of yourselves, take care of one another, and speak out." - Library Journal highly recommended
"The first time a cross-section of prominent African Americans has combined forces in a book designed to urge the black community, especially families, to come to grips with the AIDS epidemic." - Curtis Taylor, Newsday
"Grips its readers from the opening words...This candid compilation pokes its head into the darkest corners of the African-American psyche and experience...Not In My Family is a guide and an icebreaker. It is thought provoking, sincere and heartfelt. It is necessary." - Upscale
"Give your teenager this important book and make sure it’s read. Protect yourself. And hope that the story of AIDS and African Americans is one that changes very, very soon." - <Terri Schlichenmeyer, The Bookworm Sez
Writing As A Tool is a book every wanna-be journalist should read for inspiration while breaking into the biz. It answers every question (re: query letters, internships, etc.) and gives a handful of sound advice from people who’ve made it. If you’re strapped for cash and time, skipj-school and play by this book. info@booksbygil.com