Battlegrounds by Stephen A. Carter
A young John Saxton looks on helplessly as brutal slavers on the slave ship Wanderer throw their human cargo overboard to avoid capture by the American Naval Patrol. From then on, the Boston shipping heir and his giant Maasai mentor Matari (Marcus Brown) become implacable abolitionists.
A supporting cast of unforgettable characters are caught up in a web of murder, dark secrets and political intrigue. Arrayed against them are two arch villains Horatio Garrow and his hapless henchman Harley Blackstone.
Saxton and his beautiful Black bride Virginia survive a dangerous milieu of Confederate espionage, high treason and the siege of Fort Sumter all brought to the fore by one man…..President Abraham Lincoln. This is book one in the four-book Matari Series. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3Ws0Zug.
Benghazi by Salah el Moncef
Salah el Moncef’s Benghazi is the exquisitely crafted story of a teenager confronted with two equally repressive forces: the dictatorial rule of Italian fascism and the stultifying codes of patriarchy. Stymied and stifled by both, she finds hope and inspiration in the words of a charismatic Tuareg woman.
Critically acclaimed as a masterpiece of war fiction, Benghazi delivers a spellbinding chronicle of the dreary days of European totalitarianism, along with the harrowing tale of a woman’s triumph over the traumas of war and family. A lush, immersive gem of a story from a wordsmith at the height of his powers. “Moncef transforms prose into poetry,” says Michigan Quarterly Review. “Absolutely beautiful,” adds Manhattan Book Review. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3N0l4U5.
Secondary Break: An NBA Dad’s Story by Marvin Williams Sr.
Named by Book Authority as one of the Best Basketball Books to read in 2021, this book is about more than just basketball. It is about a young man who came from a dysfunctional and abusive family and fell in love with the sport of basketball. His love and passion for the game would take him on a lifelong journey, a journey of disappointments, setbacks, and finally triumph. This book will show how, by continuing to follow your passions and dreams, anything can be possible.
The author is the father of NBA player Marvin Williams Jr. He coached basketball for over 30 years and is a member of Father’s and Men of Professional Basketball Players. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3fnoVyb.
Jack Mathias and the Boonetown Bandits by G.M. Savage
He’s known as the class clown – the kid with a lot of nerve. And some believe 13-year-old Jack Mathias is too confident for his own good. His audacious practical jokes and impulsiveness frequently land him in hot water and growing up seems a world away. However, a sudden wild adventure with his unlikely companions, Gene (the nerd) and Edgar (the shy outcast), thrusts Jack toward maturity with more of a shove than normal life would ever have managed.
The trio’s illicit and desperate quest to find a long-hidden treasure leads them into great danger, challenging their wits and testing the limits of their physical and mental endurance. Will Jack discover the ancient jewels and a different version of himself in the process? Purchase at https://bit.ly/3WIHiOS.