No Disrespect by Sister Souljah

In No Disrespect, Sister Souljah, America's most notorious hip-hop rebel, offers a stunningly candid book about how young black girls can grow up with their integrity intact in a very tough world. Here is a gripping and searing account of the ferocious struggle for sexual identity and autonomy that confronts every African-American - especially women. Sister Souljah reveals herself to be a writer whose gifts of language are prodigious. In No Disrespect, she has written a work of vast power, fury, wisdom, and love. Divided into seven chapters, each titled after a particular character with whom the author comes into contact - for example, "Nathan, " "Mona, " "Joseph" - No Disrespect is a brutally honest account of the rage and hopes of girls in the ghetto. It is filled with memorable scenes and unforgettable characters as it describes the difficult relationships between African-American women and the men who would seek to have them. Along the way, we learn about the underlying tensions within the black family the entanglements of friends, and the entrapments of lovers. It is a tale of innocence and betrayal. A book sure to confound her critics, No Disrespect will deepen the public debate over issues of race and class and sex, and complicate (in the best possible sense) the public's perception of who Sister Souljah is, and what she has to offer. In a time of terrible crisis in America, this revelatory book is an essential part of the dialogue that must take place between men and women of all persuasions.