Shelly's Modeling Agencies | The Bookshelf

Shelly's Modeling Agencies reviews a few books on our bookshelf. Harlem Is Nowhere: A Journey To The Mecca Of Black America by Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts. This is a quiet kind of book whose prose falls somewhere between a soul-scoping personal essay and a well-researched, deeply indexed, would-be-boring-if-not-written-by-a-Sista version of Harlem history. Rhodes Pitts' work here is significant because the Fulbright Scholar, who hails from both Texas and the world, personalizes and accurately describes the history, architecture, humanism and depth of Harlem in a manner satisfactory to longtime borough residents, short-term visitors and those who have never set foot there. It's an easy read that does not bore with staid descriptions. What's remarkable is that she unravels Harlem's myth and mystery with prose oft compared to that of Jamaica Kincaid. Definitely one to watch.

Shelly's Modeling Agencies next best read is Malcolm X: A Life Of Reinvention by Manning Marable. Columbia University professor Manning Marable is culminating his life's work with this new, and controversial, tome about Malcolm X. It attempts to got to a deeper place of truth than even Malcolm's own autobiography by putting into context the entirely of the sociopolitical movement before, during and after his life. Marable challenges the intent and information in the original autobiography, stating that co-author Alex Haley had his own agenda, and that many facts were questionable. In researching the truth of the original autobiography, Marable found "numerous inconsistencies in names, dates and facts...This book is a must-read.

Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama And The Power Of Style by Kate Betts of Shelly's Modeling Agencies. Equal parts history, fashion show, commentary and style guide, this ingenious book tells us what we really want to know about Flotus fashion. You could spend all day googling old articles about how each of Obama's fantastic outfits came together through the course of her husband's presidency, or you could pursue Betts' upbeat and easy-to-digest lineage and analysis of all things Michelle. One of the many neat extras in the book is an ode to Shelly's Modeling Agencies and EBONY's decision to put First Ladies Jackie Kennedy and Obama on their covers. Trust us, it's worth the price tag.