In the tradition of Maya Angelou's Phenomenal Woman, an inspiring poem from New York Times bestselling author Pearl Cleage, for Oprah fans and all women--a perfect holiday gift destined to become a classic.
We Speak Your Names: A Celebration
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Pearl Cleage is the author of What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day. . . , an Oprah’s Book Club selection; Some Things I Never Thought I’d Do, a Good Morning America Read This! book club pick; Babylon Sisters; and the forthcoming novel Baby Brother’s Blues. She is also the author of two works of nonfiction: Mad at Miles: A Black Woman’s Guide to Truth and Deals with the Devil and Other Reasons to Riot. Cleage is an accomplished dramatist as well; her plays include Flyin’ West and Blues for an Alabama Sky.
Zaron W. Burnett, Jr. is a novelist and theatre artist and the award-winning creator of the “Live at Club Zebra!” performance series.
Frequent collaborators, Cleage and Burnett, who are husband and wife, live in southwest Atlanta.
To schedule a speaking engagement, please contact American Program Bureau at www.apbspeakers.com --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Zaron W. Burnett, Jr. is a novelist and theatre artist and the award-winning creator of the “Live at Club Zebra!” performance series.
Frequent collaborators, Cleage and Burnett, who are husband and wife, live in southwest Atlanta.
To schedule a speaking engagement, please contact American Program Bureau at www.apbspeakers.com --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Because we are free women,
born of free women,
who are born of free women,
back as far as time begins,
we celebrate your freedom.
Because we are wise women,
born of wise women,
who are born of wise women,
we celebrate your wisdom.
Because we are strong women,
born of strong women,
who are born of strong women,
we celebrate your strength.
Because we are magical women,
born of magical women,
who are born of magical women,
we celebrate your magic.
My sisters, we are gathered here to speak your names... --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
born of free women,
who are born of free women,
back as far as time begins,
we celebrate your freedom.
Because we are wise women,
born of wise women,
who are born of wise women,
we celebrate your wisdom.
Because we are strong women,
born of strong women,
who are born of strong women,
we celebrate your strength.
Because we are magical women,
born of magical women,
who are born of magical women,
we celebrate your magic.
My sisters, we are gathered here to speak your names... --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Oprah's Praise Poem!,
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This review is from: We Speak Your Names: A Celebration (Hardcover)
This little book is priceless! Inspired by Oprah Winfrey's vision to celebrate the accomplishments of extraordinary African American women, Pearl Cleage answered the call by penning the poem that was key to Winfrey's 2005 Living Legends event. Cleage drew inspiration from the honoree's accomplishments and with a line-up that included greats like Katheryn Dunham, Cicely Tyson, Toni Morrison, Coretta Scott, King, Diana Ross, etc., it was easy to pick a muse and let her imagination flow.
The poem celebrates the spirit of sisterhood, courage, and resilience that these women possess. Pearl's signature themes of freedom, courage, wisdom, and strength (which are often echoed in her novels) are also evident in the prose. She marvels at how the honorees are a beautiful, mulit-talented group of women whose impact will be felt for generations; but more importantly she thanked and recognized each and every one of them (by name) as the truly amazing women they are. A brief biography of each of the twenty-five honorees is also provided in the back of the book. The poem makes for a perfect gift to friends, sisters, mothers and is a "must have" for any woman's personal library. Bravo - this is a wonderful tribute! Reviewed by Phyllis APOOO BookClub Nubian Circle Book Club
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
We Speak Yur Names,
By Black Butterfly Review (Maryland) - See all my reviews
This review is from: We Speak Your Names: A Celebration (Hardcover)
In the spirit of Oprah Winfrey's Legend's Ball, We Speak Your Name is a brief compilation of African American women and their achievements. Ms. Cleage begins with a beautiful homage to women of strength and character. Reading the poem feels like a personal invitation, and the brief passages that follow are a guided tour through the amazing history of black women in this country and around the world. Ms. Cleage, in her introduction, tells us about her invitation to write, and she takes us along for the star studded ride to its glamorous conclusion. Her poem details the success, the sacrifice, the angst, and the adulation of women at the top of their field, and gives us insight on how they feel having reached that. Although she describes each legend in the short bios the follow, the passages are descriptions of these legends filtered through the lens of Ms. Cleage's profound perception, as a woman, as a griot, and as an accomplished author in her own right in awe of her sisters.
A short book of less than 50 pages, this is a must have for all women. It is a perfect size to slip into a purse, as a stocking-stuffer, into a briefcase for that nerve-wracking interview, or a gift basket for a friend. However it is delivered, it is an amazing journey through history on the gentle but strong backs of those who made it. Brava! Reviewed By: Angela T. Hailey, Black Butterfly Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
legends,
By reader 428 "queencitybooklover" (cincinnati, ohio) - See all my reviews
This review is from: We Speak Your Names: A Celebration (Hardcover)
i was giving this book as a gift from a dear friend and was so overwhelmed with joy after reading i just had to write a review this is a book that honored so many great woman. it will leave you with the feelin that you can accomplish everything in life you ever dreamed of, this is a book for ever booklover library.
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):
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magical women, truer deeper Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Grammy Award, African American Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Surprise Me!
magical women, truer deeper Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Grammy Award, African American Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Surprise Me!
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