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Naked by Ayana Byrd: Book Cover

Naked: Black Women Bare All about Their Skin, Hair, Hips, Lips, and Other Parts by Ayana Byrd (Editor), Akiba Solomon, Akiba Solomon (Editor), Sonia Sanchez (Foreword by)

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(Paperback)

Average Customer Rating: (8 ratings)

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Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Pub. Date: August 2005
ISBN-13: 9780399531637
Sales Rank: 286,331
255pp

Synopsis

Provocative essays on body image by black women.

Candid, witty, and insightful, Naked is a compelling collection of essays that captures what today's black women think about their bodies-from head to toe.

Tackling such issues as hair texture, skin color, weight, and sexuality, it follows women on their paths to acceptance-and enjoyment -of their unique features...to a place where it doesn't matter how big the breasts or how long the legs, only what is in the heart.

Includes contributions from women of all ages and walks of life, including such notables as:

- Iyanla Vanzant
- Jill Scott
- Kelis
- Tracee Ellis Ross
- Jill Nelson
- Hilda Hutcherson
- asha bandele
- Melyssa Ford

Edited by Ayana Byrd and Akiba Solomon
Foreword by Sonia Sanchez

Author Biography: Ayana Byrd is an author and journalist who divides her time between Brooklyn and Barcelona, Spain. A Barnard College graduate, she has contributed to numerous anthologies and magazines such as Vibe, Essence, and Rolling Stone. Akiba Solomon is an award-winning advocacy journalist, columnist, and editor. A graduate of Howard University, the Brooklyn resident and former senior editor for The Source is the editor at Essence magazine. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications including Essence, Vibe, XXL, POZ, and ColorLines.

Library Journal

Twenty-five African American women, including Jill Nelson (Sexual Healing), recording artist Jill Scott, and spiritual life coach Iyanla Vanzant, reveal their innermost thoughts about sexuality, weight problems, eating disorders, and much more. Reading for the most part like erotic fiction, these true stories reflect how the women feel about themselves, how they deal with unwanted attention from men on the street, and how they feel about their changing bodies during pregnancy, among other issues. One author of Senegalese descent describes how her skin color in the United States caused black men to ignore her, while in Senegal she was simply adored. Another writer speaks of sex in her teen years, how promiscuous she was, and how she misused her body. A former prostitute, now in prison for killing a john, shares how she was molested as a child by her uncles and cousins, which led her to hate herself. These women have all learned to "look in the mirror without turning away." Edited by journalists Byrd and Solomon, these essays will be an inspiration to young African American women in the age of hip-hop where negative images of them abound in music videos and elsewhere. Recommended for African American women's collections in public libraries.-Ann Burns, Library Journal Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Customer Reviews

Number of Reviews: 8
Average Rating:
Write a Review

Another response to Brittany, light skinned sistah from DC
carol, A reviewer, 09/06/2006

If you believe that the women in the book 'expressed almost a deep seeded hate for women with lighter skin tones or people with good hair' then you did not get the point of the book. We all have self-hate issues to overcome. That's why racism has been so very powerful. Brittany, if you have good hair, what is bad hair? What hair is not good? The point of the book was to show that we all have 'good hair' be it straight, wavy, kinky, locked, etc. Exploring our own self-hatred brings to light the problem with terms such as good hair.

Also recommended: the covenent with black america

A book that every mother & daughter should read
Monique S., a beautiful woman, 06/29/2006

I related to every women's story in this book. As a woman of color, it is comforting and inspiring to know that I am not the only one that has struggled with self-image, sexuality and feelings of powerlessness. I wish I could have read this book when I was 10 or 12. I will pass this book on to my daughter when she is old enough to understand differences & similaries. I will also give this book to my mother who needs to see that NAKED is not DIRTY. A must read for every mother & daughter across all color lines- so they can pass on the message to their daughters too. Great Job Akiba & Ayana. I'm a so proud!

More Customer Reviews

From the Publisher

Provocative essays on body image by black women.

Candid, witty, and insightful, Naked is a compelling collection of essays that captures what today's black women think about their bodies-from head to toe.

Tackling such issues as hair texture, skin color, weight, and sexuality, it follows women on their paths to acceptance-and enjoyment -of their unique features...to a place where it doesn't matter how big the breasts or how long the legs, only what is in the heart.

Includes contributions from women of all ages and walks of life, including such notables as:

- Iyanla Vanzant
- Jill Scott
- Kelis
- Tracee Ellis Ross
- Jill Nelson
- Hilda Hutcherson
- asha bandele
- Melyssa Ford

Edited by Ayana Byrd and Akiba Solomon
Foreword by Sonia Sanchez

Author Biography: Ayana Byrd is an author and journalist who divides her time between Brooklyn and Barcelona, Spain. A Barnard College graduate, she has contributed to numerous anthologies and magazines such as Vibe, Essence, and Rolling Stone. Akiba Solomon is an award-winning advocacy journalist, columnist, and editor. A graduate of Howard University, the Brooklyn resident and former senior editor for The Source is the editor at Essence magazine. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications including Essence, Vibe, XXL, POZ, and ColorLines.

Library Journal

Twenty-five African American women, including Jill Nelson (Sexual Healing), recording artist Jill Scott, and spiritual life coach Iyanla Vanzant, reveal their innermost thoughts about sexuality, weight problems, eating disorders, and much more. Reading for the most part like erotic fiction, these true stories reflect how the women feel about themselves, how they deal with unwanted attention from men on the street, and how they feel about their changing bodies during pregnancy, among other issues. One author of Senegalese descent describes how her skin color in the United States caused black men to ignore her, while in Senegal she was simply adored. Another writer speaks of sex in her teen years, how promiscuous she was, and how she misused her body. A former prostitute, now in prison for killing a john, shares how she was molested as a child by her uncles and cousins, which led her to hate herself. These women have all learned to "look in the mirror without turning away." Edited by journalists Byrd and Solomon, these essays will be an inspiration to young African American women in the age of hip-hop where negative images of them abound in music videos and elsewhere. Recommended for African American women's collections in public libraries.-Ann Burns, Library Journal Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Customer Reviews

Number of Reviews: 8
Average Rating:
Write a Review

Showing 1-5 Next

Another response to Brittany, light skinned sistah from DC
carol, A reviewer, 09/06/2006

If you believe that the women in the book 'expressed almost a deep seeded hate for women with lighter skin tones or people with good hair' then you did not get the point of the book. We all have self-hate issues to overcome. That's why racism has been so very powerful. Brittany, if you have good hair, what is bad hair? What hair is not good? The point of the book was to show that we all have 'good hair' be it straight, wavy, kinky, locked, etc. Exploring our own self-hatred brings to light the problem with terms such as good hair.

Also recommended:�the covenent with black america

A book that every mother & daughter should read
Monique S., a beautiful woman, 06/29/2006

I related to every women's story in this book. As a woman of color, it is comforting and inspiring to know that I am not the only one that has struggled with self-image, sexuality and feelings of powerlessness. I wish I could have read this book when I was 10 or 12. I will pass this book on to my daughter when she is old enough to understand differences & similaries. I will also give this book to my mother who needs to see that NAKED is not DIRTY. A must read for every mother & daughter across all color lines- so they can pass on the message to their daughters too. Great Job Akiba & Ayana. I'm a so proud!

I LOVE THIS BOOK.
yogi, an avid reader of books, ANY genre, 04/10/2006

In a world full of 'European beauty', it is sometimes difficult for black women to accept and love their own beauty. We are BEAUTIFUL, and blessed. A wonderful book for both dark AND light skinned sistahs, and all those colors in between.

Also recommended:�The Covenant With Black America, Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America, The Vision: Reflections on the Way of the Soul

In response to Brittany, light skinned sistah from DC
Lekeisha-24 (redcatpoetry@yahoo.com), a sistah that loves all my sistahs!, 02/20/2006

How could it be an attack when half the writers are light skinned themselves? I believe that there is some sub conscience feelings among black women about our skin complexions and the history behind them. I am darkskinned and my mother is light skinned and we have a connection that is beyond our skin tones. If anything the writers were expressing their personal experiences that black people have put them through. Don't be offended. Take those experiences and consider them that our generation will not repeat the same self hatred toward ourselves and our people like generations before. I love you girl!

Attacks on light skins
Brittany, light skinned Student from DC, 01/12/2006

i read this book hoping for a deep eye opening experience and yes i was able to connect with some of the stories but most of them expressed almost a deep seeded hate for women with lighter skin tones or people with good hair. instead of feeling connected to my sistahs i felt like the enemy

Showing 1-5 Next