THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 28, 1996 TAG: 9606260119
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 87 lines
There is a growing cadre of talented African-American authors who have a lot to say. The African Mahogany Book Club meets at the Greenbrier Library to enjoy their literary talents.
Begun by Patricia Butts, the club meets on the third Tuesday of every month.
Before Butts began regular sessions at the library she held an exploratory meeting in November to see if there was any interest or support for a book club that discussed the works of African-American authors.
After the meeting she discovered two pleasant facts.
``There was a lot of interest, so we went ahead and started the club,'' said Butts, 31, a Norfolk native now living in the Greenbrier section of the city. ``And the library told me they would be glad to help co-sponsor and support the group.''
Butts said she's a regular at the Greenbrier branch and is known to its staff. After requesting a room for the group's initial meeting, library staffers thought it was only natural the two got together to sponsor a group dedicated to highlighting African-American books and authors.
``Our main purpose is to get people to read more and to know about African-American literature,'' Butts said. ``We want to discuss what's really happening in these books and with these authors. Once people begin to read these authors they'll go back and read more of their works and then discover other writers and other titles. People tell me, `I know I should read more, but I don't know exactly what to read.' I hope this club will help.''
Butts said the club, which is open to all adults of all ethnic backgrounds and reading interests, is a loose group meeting to discuss book titles chosen by the membership.
``I'm just the facilitator,'' said Butts, who by day works for the Navy Family Services Center's new parent support team out of Oceana in Virginia Beach. ``Our group has a loose structure. We vote on what titles we wish to discuss in future meetings. It's all a democratic, group effort. There are no fees, just come to our meetings. All are welcome.''
At its June 18 meeting, the club discussed Bebe Moore Campbell's ``Up Sweet Summer: Growing With and Without My Dad.'' Next month's meeting will tackle E. Lynn Harris' ``Invisible Life'' and August's session will feature Tina McElroy Ansa's ``Ugly Ways.''
``Basically, the members read the book and we simply discuss it at our meetings,'' she said. ``We explore any and all aspects of the book. We have a good group, and our core membership always comes prepared, having read the book. They come having many questions and different discussion topics.''
Butts said the group has about 20 members.
She said the group also discusses well known and classic African-American authors including Toni Morrison, Ralph Ellison and Alice Walker.
``So far the best meeting and discussion we had was when we did Langston Hughes' `The Return of Simple,'' Butts said. ``It seems everybody likes him. We had 14 people at the meeting. We had young and older members and everybody had good questions, topics and insights about the book. Everybody had something to say.''
Butts is a voracious reader, who operates African Mahogany Books, an African-American book mail order business out of her home with her business partner Joseph Ellis.
Butts said her business, which plans to have a presence at such upcoming popular Hampton Roads events as the Umoja and Afr'Am festivals, offers the latest novels by African-American authors, children's books, poetry and inspirational titles.
She said she got hooked on books and writing when she was a student at Norfolk's Norview High School in the early 1980s.
``I failed this English course at Norview and was determined to take it again and pass,'' she said. ``Thanks to my teacher, a Mrs. Newton, she got me hooked on Shakespeare and that led me to read more and more. Now reading and books are a passion of mine.'' MEMO: The African-Mahogany Book Club meets from 7 to 9 p.m. at the
Greenbrier Library, 1214 Volvo Parkway, on the third Tuesday of each
month. For the July 16 meeting, the club will discuss E. Lynn Harris'
``Invisible Life'' and for the Aug. 20 session it will discuss Tina
McElroy Ansa's ``Ugly Ways.'' For more information about the club or to
get a mailing list from African Mahogany Books, call 543-6338.
BOOKS TO READ
Patricia Butts of the African Mahogany Book Club suggests five
favorite titles by African-American authors:
``Ugly Ways'' by Tina McElroy Ansa
``Some Love, Some Pain, Some Time'' a collection of short stories by
J. California Cooper
``Coffee Will Make You Black'' by April Sinclair
``Invisible Man'' by Ralph Ellison
``Black Betty or Devil with the Blue Dress On'' by Walter Mosley by CNB