Get the book!

On Saturday I made the schelp up to Harlem - which on any other day besides Saturday or Sunday is a given as that's where my work at. But on this day it was my off day and as some of you know, it's my usual college football fanatic day. But when my dear friend gave me a call and was like come on up and check out Tavis Smiley, host of the popular late night PBS show and author of a new memoir - What I Know For Sure, I dropped those plans and made the schelp.
It's funny because when I got there the thought hadn't yet ocurred to me to actually get his book. I think this is 'cause I'm so pre-occupied with my own life: the show, the work, other stuff in my life (hmm... details perhaps?) that I was really in auto-pilot upon Kenyon inviting uptown. Pretty healthy way about going 'bout it all huh, Andre! As life what have it though, Mr. Smiley's talk woke me out of auto-pilot and my own insular world into the life, challenges and raw calls for human love of Mr. Smiley. Oh yes, he compelled me to get it together and snatch up What I Know For Sure (and while I was there... a couple of Octavia's I hadn't gotten yet)!

I found the excerpts he read about his childhood, growing up in the church, and one particular story of how he showed up to Indiana University on the first day of student move-ins with no dorm assignment, no fin. aid, and not a damn thing else but an acceptance letter - beyond inspirational - it was just down home fierce. I'm a sucker for storytellers as men like Mr. Smiley proved to me. I've already begun reading the book and I have to say his church upbringing definitely rang true in just how he carried the talk at Hue-Man Bookstore. In fact whenever he read an excerpt and as if we were back in his Pentecostal church in Indiana, he gave out the page number he was on and encouraged folks to read with him. Which made quite a spirited and engaged audience.

I was just plain gleeful and excited to have been there. After his talk and with a brain buzzed on a nice cup of coffee and thoughts and ideas ignited by the afternoon's event, when it was my turn to have my book signed by him all I could muster to say - in my best impression of a NYC star-dazed school boy - "I love your show, Mr. Smiley."

:)

I'm enjoying this book and really encourage other folks to go out and get it... like... NOW!

Yay.

Oh and p.s. it didn't hurt to have Dr. Cornell West in the house as Mr. Smiley's guest too.

Double Yay.

Much <3