Amid the ongoing struggles of racism that inflict violence and harm upon Black bodies and psyches, Lei Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts extends an invitation to experience joy of Blackness. The collection of truth-telling and uplifting essays is a poignant reminder of the constant presence of peace and abundance in Black lives, buoyed by resistance, strength, faith in justice, and deep love for the culture. The pain of betrayals and reality of hardships are part of the fabric of Black life, but so are joy and exuberance for life and love. Lewis-Giggetts writes as a poet inspires: through beauty and triumph.

As a white reader, I'm not the target audience for this book, but I did really enjoy Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts' writing and perspectives. Her interweaving of her own personal history with national and international concerns and history was really powerful, and I'll look for the right places to recommend this book to readers.

Usually books broken down in essays or short stories can be rather stagnant or too broken up, but this book had a very nice flow to it. There was a large theme that related to each story and some points even overlapped, much like life.

As a white person, I wasn't sure how much I would relate to this and went into it as a more educational and learning experience. However, I found the author and aspects of her life very relatable and shows how similar we are to one another if we actually start to listen. With that being said, the intersectionality of being a black woman was valuable in showing the added perspective I will never truly know or experience.

I believe there was important lessons and words of wisdom within this book that anyone can listen to. The structure of the book was well-constructed, while the author's writing was well thought out and poetic at times.

Black joy is something that can be hard to find, especially if you look to others to fulfill it. This was such an inspiring and powerful book That will have you wanting to come back to read it over and over again. This was very uplifting and encouraging.

Like most essay collections some essays were stronger than others. However I appreciated the counter argument that blackness ≠ trauma

This is a series of essays about achieving and honoring black joy in addition to the black trauma that gets all the headlines. As a white person, I read this because it felt like something everyone should read, but it actually felt very much like a book for insiders. I didn’t get the cultural references and that was fine, but I think this book would feel so powerful to someone for while those references did resonate.
The book did feel repetitive. There are 30 essays and they overlap a lot. Also, the author lives in Philadelphia, and so do I, and I would have loved more local flavor.
This book was a 3.5 for me, but I’m glad it exists. It just isn’t one of my favs.
I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

If the means is joy, the end must be our healing."

This collection of 36 short essays is separated into 3 parts: As resistance, As resilience, As restoration. It reminds me of Cleo Wade's Heart Talk: Poetic Wisdom for a Better Life in that it feels like a book without rules; it can be read front to back or even by choosing an essay at random.

It covers a range of topics from that center healing, joy, gratitude, freedom, and Black people while recognizing that Blackness is not monolithic - covering the duality of resisting categorization and claiming categories (e.g., when it comes to representation mattering or not or double consciousness being good or not, "it's always both/and and never either/or".).

The most moving sections to me were about her daughter. This book is even dedicated to her, stating "May your joy always be limitless and liberating." As a fellow mother of a joyous, confident, bright daughter who wants to protect her against the world stealing any of those things from her, I appreciate Lewis-Giggetts' saying, "Her experience of joy will be shaped by us, for sure. Like an archer pointing our bow and arrow in the direction of the ideal target, we will do our best in light of the systemic challenges to set the trajectory of her life in the direction of love, peace, joy, patience, discipline, grace, mercy, fun, and prosperity. But we do not control the wind. Boy, do I wish we did."

It wasn't until I finished the book and read the 'About the Author' section that I realized I had read Lewis-Giggets before, her essay in You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience, "Love Lifted Me: Subverting Shame Narratives and Legitimizing Vulnerability as a Mechanism for Healing Women in the Black Church". I especially remember the last line of that essay, "The church has so much more than shame to give us."

In a world full of anti-Blackness, where our full humanity is often not recognized, this book serves as a great reminder that "Our joy is ever intertwined with our struggle; ever integrated with the trauma wielded against us."

Thank you to Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts, NetGalley, and Gallery Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.) for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book Is such an important read for anyone of any race. It open my eyes up and talked about privilege in a way that I have never experienced. I think everyone should put this high up on their self to read And I think that it needs to be discussed in schools. I think the author did a really good job of conveying the work that people need to be doing without sounding judge mental.

Thank you Netgalley and Gallery books for a copy of Black Joy, in exchange for an honest opinion. Black Joy by Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts is her eighteenth book! This collection of essays details the Black experience of racism, abuse, hardships. But also Joy. These stories were so engaging, made you think deeply and very lyrical. It's a great inspiring read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Honestly, this was an amazing read. I read enjoy the lyrical flow to the essays within this collection. This book is a collection of essays that focus on the Black Joy within America through the lens of one Black Woman’s experience. It features stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration. Most importantly, it shows the vastness of Black Joy, and I really appreciated that. I did have the opportunity to see myself in some of the words while also learning from the other words. It was an amazing book for me to read during this Women’s History Month.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a beautiful collection of essays focused on Black resistance, resilience and restoration. Her writing was so honest and vulnerable, letting readers into her innermost thoughts and feelings. The strength and grace required for writing like that is incredible.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed all the essays in this collection. Trauma is expected and joy is hoped for in the Black community and finding ways to obtain joy through trauma seems impossible. The voices in this collection were able to show that Black joy is a possibility.

A very good read of short essays that are very well written. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. In some of these stories, I saw myself, family members and friends. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving this book in this manner had no bearing on this review.

Goodreads:
This is a good memoir about Black joy: the difficulty in obtaining it (due to racism, sexual abuse, etc), the necessity of having it, and the different ways of going about getting/receiving joy.

(I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not influence my rating. I genuinely like the book.)

Blog (will be published at the end of February):
It's been a few years, but in the past (not often) I've gotten books from NetGalley to review. I recently got approved for a book called Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration by Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts. I liked it. I didn't realize it was a memoir, but I like memoirs so it worked out fine for me. This was a good memoir about Black joy: the difficulty in obtaining it (due to racism, sexual abuse, etc), the necessity of obtaining it, and how to go about getting/receiving joy.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the voice was really compelling and spoke with complete conviction and openness. At times, the essays felt repetitive in their assertions about joy, but some essays were completely unique and extraordinary. I didn’t like the addition of headings in some of the essays, I would have preferred they all have the same structure instead of some with headings and some without.

Title: Black Joy Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration
Author: Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts
Publisher: Gallery Books
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Black Joy Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration" by Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts

My Assessment:

Be ready for a read that will give it all to you especially left with the thoughts of being not only 'honest but engaging, informing, and oh so thought-provoking.' This author provides the reader with quite a read that 'gifts her community with a collection of lyrical essays about the way joy has evolved, even during trauma, in her own life.' The 'Black Joy' collection will recharge one as they pass on this information between friends and, yes, even family. I enjoyed how 'It has an answer for anyone who needs confirmation that they are not alone and a brave place to quiet their mind and heal their soul.' The author lays it all out there for the reader as she describes her trauma, also giving us that of even other Black people...end the end provides us with the tool needed for 'resistance and resilience that will counteract the stereotype of the Black pain.'

Be ready to receive essays that will leave you not only inspired but hopeful and reflected in this nonfictional read. The author knows how to keep one's interest as she shares her stories giving the reader quite an ancestorial collective read. However, to fully understand 'Black Joy,' you will have to pick up the read and see for yourself how well this author brings it all out to you. And Yes, I would recommend this read.

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm disappointed that more folks haven't requested an eARC of this book! It's an excellent collection of essays that inspires hope, joy, and reflection. Lewis-Giggetts is raw and vulnerable when describing her own trauma and that of other Black folks, but she is equally strong in her affirmation of Black Joy as a tool for both resistance and resilience to counteract the one-dimensional stereotype of Black pain.

Read this with an open mind and be prepared to reflect and hold yourself accountable.

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
This is fabulous essay collection, highlighting finding joy and peace as a Black woman despite the trauma. While it does touch on the challenges of Black people’s lives, I appreciate that it also focuses on the positive and helps to redefine what Black narratives can look like.

Honest, engaging, informed, and thought-provoking. There is so much to learn from and dig into with Black Joy — most definitely a book I will recommend to friends, students, and family.