IT'S ALL LOVE Black Writers on Soul Mates, Family, and Friends

IT'S ALL LOVE gathers poetry, nonfiction, and short stories about all aspects of love, especially familial and romantic, by black authors. The quality of the selections ranges from passable (there's an occasional dip toward sentimentality or romantic clichés) to quite good. The readings are even better than the writing. Some of the narrators tend a bit toward the wooden, and some give occasional mistaken emphasis, but almost all are engaging, and there are several effortlessly fine performances. The listener comes away with a varied and satisfying take on love in black America (and elsewhere), performed with talent, professionalism, and heart. W.M. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2009]