Almost everybody has a book or two that changed their lives in some way...

What books changed your life and in what way?

Autobiography of Malcolm X- to just watch the transformation of a man, and not only a change from a criminal to a spiritual leader, but being able to look within to continue to seek out spiritual growth...

Black People& Love by bell hooks- People don't talk about black pain& love enough, hooks not only talks about it, but her scholarship takes that sh*t seriously. She explores the family, race+patriarchy, gender issues and simply maintaining a relationship. So much insight that it made me want to grow so much.

Breath,Eyes, Memory- Edwidge Danticat. I'm haitian-american. Being able to see a writer w/ a similiar background is always life changing, but danticat has such forceful fleeting imagery... her prose is so poetic... that ish is something out a dream, she weaves and paints...scribes for the soul's desire.

ANYTHING toni morrison-because its toni morrison.

JUNE JORDAN& AUDRE LORDE- these WOMEN are my favorite favorite poets. Mainly all their works speaks deeply to me, and their ability to survive in academia, yet still have great stuff for the common person.

said, the shotgun to the head- changed my perspective on what was poetry& what i could be.