Books with author Joe Williams

The powerful story of a vibrant African American family torn apart by inner turmoil and the injustices perpetrated by a racist society Sissie Joplin is dying, and her surviving children have come to say good-bye. Estranged from their mother for years, Iris and Ralph have both achieved success—Iris as a jazz singer in Europe and Ralph as a playwright—but the pain of their youth remains forever alive in their memories. Sissie, too, remembers: the bitter struggles and the devastating tragedies; the indignities, cruelties, and deprivations visited upon a strong-willed black woman—and on the once proud men in her life ultimately defeated by a white society that at times seemed devoted to their destruction. Sissie was not always wise or fair, and her actions often did more harm than good, but she survived. And now, at the end of her life, it is time for a reckoning—and one last opportunity to heal. A powerfully affecting family saga and a provocative indictment of racism in America, Sissie is a magnificent achievement by John A. Williams, the award-winning author heralded by Ishmael Reed as “the best African American writer of the century.”

Half a century after brave Americans took to the streets to raise the bar of opportunity for all races, Juan Williams writes that too many black Americans are in crisis—caught in a twisted hip-hop culture, dropping out of school, ending up in jail, having babies when they are not ready to be parents, and falling to the bottom in twenty-first-century global economic competition.In Enough, Juan Williams issues a lucid, impassioned clarion call to do the right thing now, before we travel so far off the glorious path set by generations of civil rights heroes that there can be no more reaching back to offer a hand and rescue those being left behind.Inspired by Bill Cosby’s now famous speech at the NAACP gala celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the Brown decision integrating schools, Williams makes the case that while there is still racism, it is way past time for black Americans to open their eyes to the “culture of failure” that exists within their community. He raises the banner of proud black traditional values—self-help, strong families, and belief in God—that sustained black people through generations of oppression and flowered in the exhilarating promise of the modern civil rights movement. Williams asks what happened to keeping our eyes on the prize by proving the case for equality with black excellence and achievement.He takes particular aim at prominent black leaders—from Al Sharpton to Jesse Jackson to Marion Barry. Williams exposes the call for reparations as an act of futility, a detour into self-pity; he condemns the “Stop Snitching” campaign as nothing more than a surrender to criminals; and he decries the glorification of materialism, misogyny, and murder as a corruption of a rich black culture, a tragic turn into pornographic excess that is hurting young black minds, especially among the poor.Reinforcing his incisive observations with solid research and alarming statistical data, Williams offers a concrete plan for overcoming the obstacles that now stand in the way of African Americans’ full participation in the nation’s freedom and prosperity. Certain to be widely discussed and vehemently debated, Enough is a bold, perceptive, solution-based look at African American life, culture, and politics today.

Amanda Jane Rush didn't plan to be a New York socialite. But here she was, owner of a beauty and fashion boutique, living in a cute, cozy bachelorette pad in SoHo that was the envy of her friends, and sharing life with her lovable dog. But when an unexpected letter arrives, she is reluctantly summoned back to a place she fought hard to forget, and to the family that she abandoned long ago. She hasn’t seen or talked to her mother, family and friends in a decade. With coaxing from her squad, she returns to Alabama to discover that everything she knew growing up had changed, her family was keeping scandalous secrets, and everything she knew was a total lie. Saraland is a sweeping, sexy, humorous story about friends, family, loss, love and identity, and how one woman's world is completely turned inside out.

When death awakens there is nowhere one can hide. Kealin’s blades still reek from the blood of Vakron-Tur. He defeated the dark wizard but lost his elder brother.The god of death’s voice resonates in his mind and he struggles to control what little of himself that remains. He is close to reaching his sister but with so much lost already, he wonders what end will come from his quest. Journeying south with his companions, he meets Veora, a beautiful but sadistic necromancer. As an acolyte of the Five and a student from the High Sanctum of magic, she agrees to lead them to her masters. But while this practitioner of death magic knows what Kealin seeks, he senses a presence about her. Something she is hiding. When it comes to magic, is death no more than another path to life or a shadow of a darker and consuming evil? Many fans of fast-paced sword and sorcery and fantasy adventure, have loved the first three books in the Half-Elf Chronicles by J.T Williams. Do not miss Necromancer’s Curse, the fourth book in the series!

Parents - Do you want your children to realise there is also a world away from their console? If you have to surgically remove the controller from their grasp, you'll love this book.Kids - Don't worry, you'll also love this book. It's absolutely hilarious.For some kids, playing their game console was a matter of life and death... But for ten-year-olds Luke and Conor, it was more important even than that!In fact, the topic of conversation on every boy’s — and even a fair few girl’s — lips was the latest shoot-em-up survival game called Hundred-to-One.The prospect of competing in the Hundred-to-One world championship tournament, with untold riches in prize money and international bragging rights, was simply irresistible.The only thing standing in Luke and Conor’s path to victory was the Isle of Man regional heat they’d have to win. Oh, and the fact that every kid in every school everywhere had exactly the same dream they did. So, yeah, there was that as well.But Luke and Conor wouldn’t let anything stand in their way! Well, okay, apart from homework, maybe, and the school bully, and a younger boy with a watery eye and a gammy leg... and along, of course, with their mums’ rubbish insistence that they set the game controller down and (*gasp!*) venture outside for fresh air on occasion. The lads were determined, though. And their obsession for gaming glory in a virtual world, as it happened, could also open up the possibility of new friendships and new adventure in the real world. A hilarious, feel-good book that's genuinely one for the whole family.

A heart-warming picture book told from the perspective of a dog about two best friends—a dog and a boy.Do you want to learn how to be the best dog you can be? Just follow the steps in this book! After choosing a human to live with, learn where you should sleep (everywhere), who you should be friendly with and who to bark at, how to keep the floor clean of any food, how to play fetch, and more! Before you know it you’ll be having lots of fun . . . and your human may even become your best friend. Told from the perspective of one clever dog, this humorous story perfectly showcases the special relationship between a dog and his human.

The author, William Williams, became pastor at Upton Chapel, Lambuth, in 1877. He was a close friend of C. H. Spurgeon. In his introduction to the book, Williams stated, “I do not propose to write another life of Mr. Spurgeon. I propose writing of the great preacher as I knew him, and as I saw him, under a great variety of circumstances and conditions; giving, I trust, no offence in anything, that this ministry be not blamed. I hope in the ensuing chapters each reader may participate to some extent in the joy I experienced when in company with one of the master minds and most gracious characters of this or indeed of any age.” Williams also complied a book of sermons: Upton Chapel Sermons. A Centenary Memorial, which was published in 1885. Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote the Foreword.

Look! Here comes the shiny red firetruck! And the big blue trash truck! Oh, boy, there are so many trucks. Trucks that tow cars, trucks that carry wood, trucks that carry tons of dirt, and so much more. Children ages 3 to 5 will love the colorful pictures and the easy-to-read words in this fun book about trucks - big trucks, small trucks, new trucks, old trucks, and many more trucks of all kinds!

Are you tired of run-of-the-mill devotions? Are they powerless, meaningless, and void of real intimacy? Are you just going through the motions? I was. So I had a frank conversation with God. And boy did He answer! This book is about three keys to real, intimate relationship with God. It's written in an easy-to-read, devotional format so the reader can easily digest the principles over thirty days. If your relationship with God is dry, this is the book for you!