theGrio’s summer 2012 books round-up: Great beach reading on black love, African-American history and more!

theGRIO REPORT - Whether you are looking for words of wisdom from a top chef or a former of secretary of state -- or perhaps a little history or just a great story -- theGrio has your summer 2012 reading list covered...

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

 Swirling: How to Date, Mate, and Relate Mixing Culture and Creed, by Christelyn  D. Karazin and Janice Rhoshalle Littlejohn, Atria Books, $15.

It seems there are guides for everything these days. Thinking of mixing it up this summer, but don’t know how? Karazin and Littlejohn come to the rescue in this insightful and amusing handbook on the ups and downs of interracial relationships.

The authors lay out the dismal statistics we’ve seen over the past few years, the shortage of black men; the fact that seventy percent of black women are single,and that only forty two percent will ever marry.  Karazin and Littlejohn encourage black women to break away from the sell-out stereotype of dating outside of their race (“you are allowed to love a rainbeau and still advocate for your people”) and embrace their options. Towards this end, Karazin writes: “…You just have to snatch snatch love for yourself when it comes knocking, in whatever color or cultural package he’s wrapped in. That’s the purpose of this book, and my hope is that all who read it will find love, however it arrives.”

No matter what your opinion is on this hot-button topic, Swirling, a well-researched and intelligently written book, is certainly food for thought.

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