Black Girl, Call Home

Black Girl, Call Home is a poetry collection that chronicles the experiences of being a Black woman in America. The poems move through childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, examining family relationships, sexuality, and identity. The collection incorporates various poetic forms and structures to capture both personal narratives and broader cultural commentary. Mans addresses topics including mother-daughter bonds, coming out as queer, and navigating predominantly white spaces. The work centers on the concept of "home" - both as a physical place and metaphorical safe haven. Mans examines her experiences in Newark, New Jersey while exploring universal themes of belonging and self-discovery. Through raw honesty and sharp observation, the collection speaks to the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality in contemporary America. The poems contribute to ongoing conversations about Black womanhood and the search for authenticity in a complex social landscape.

Readers highlight the raw emotional impact and powerful storytelling in this poetry collection that examines Black womanhood, sexuality, and family relationships. Many note the accessibility of the poems even for those who don't typically read poetry. Likes: - Authentic voice and conversational tone - Exploration of mother-daughter dynamics - LGBTQ+ themes that resonate with queer readers - Effective use of repetition and rhythmic elements Dislikes: - Some readers found certain poems too straightforward or lacking metaphorical depth - A few mentioned the collection felt uneven in quality - Several noted similarities to other contemporary poets' styles Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (13,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (1,200+ ratings) "The poems about her mother cut straight to the bone" - Goodreads reviewer "Like having an intimate conversation with a friend" - Amazon reviewer "Some pieces feel more like Instagram poetry" - Goodreads critic

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🌟 Jasmine Mans wrote many of the poems in Black Girl, Call Home while sitting on her childhood bedroom floor in Newark, New Jersey, returning to the space where she first began writing poetry. 📚 The collection addresses topics that span generations of Black women's experiences, from the author's relationship with her mother to the murder of Breonna Taylor. ✍️ Before releasing this book, Mans gained recognition as a spoken word poet, with her performance of "Footnotes for Kanye" going viral on YouTube in 2015. 🎓 The author was mentored by Maya Angelou while studying at the University of Wisconsin, where Angelou served as a visiting professor. 🏆 Black Girl, Call Home made several "Best of 2021" lists, including Ms. Magazine's "Most Anticipated Reads for the Rest of Us" and Publishers Weekly's "Best Books of 2021."