{"product_id":"make-me-rain-poetry-prose-nikki-giovanni-9780062995292","title":"Make Me Rain by Nikki Giovanni","description":"\u003ch2\u003eMake Me Rain: Poems \u0026amp; Prose by Nikki Giovanni\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverview:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of \u003cstrong\u003eAmerica’s most celebrated poets \u003c\/strong\u003echallenges us with this powerful and \u003cstrong\u003edeeply personal collection\u003c\/strong\u003e of verse that speaks to the injustices of society while illuminating the depths of her own heart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFor more than fifty years, Nikki Giovanni’s poetry has dazzled and inspired readers.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs sharp and outspoken as ever, \u003cstrong\u003eshe returns with this profound book of poetry\u003c\/strong\u003e in which she continues to call attention to injustice and racism, \u003cstrong\u003ecelebrate Black culture and Black lives,\u003c\/strong\u003e and give readers an unfiltered look into her own experiences.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSynopsis:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eMake Me Rain\u003c\/em\u003e, she celebrates her loved ones and \u003cstrong\u003eunapologetically declares her pride in her Black heritage, \u003c\/strong\u003ewhile exploring the enduring impact of the twin sins of racism and white nationalism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni reaffirms her place as a uniquely vibrant and relevant American voice with poems such as \u003cstrong\u003e“I Come from Athletes”\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003e“Rainy Days”—\u003c\/strong\u003ecalling out segregation and Donald Trump; as well as \u003cstrong\u003e“Unloved (for Aunt Cleota)”\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003e“When I Could No Longer”\u003c\/strong\u003e—her personal elegy for the relatives who saved her from an abusive home life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStirring, provocative, and resonant, the poems in \u003cem\u003eMake Me Rain\u003c\/em\u003e pierce the heart and nourish the soul.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHigh Praise for \u003cem\u003eMake Me Rain\u003c\/em\u003e:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Black love, Black struggle and Black joy have long been at the center of Giovanni’s work. Her newest book is thick with affection for African-American people in their everyday lives.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—New York Times\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Giovanni... celebrates in her poignant 20th collection art as redemptive of traumas past and present, illuminating the way in which ‘the blues is our encyclopedia’ . . . The most memorable moments in the collection reveal the cutting directness that made her a laureate of the Black Arts Movement.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Publishers Weekly\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Nikki Giovanni—one of the great poets of any generation—still has much to impart in Make Me Rain, her hybrid autobiography of poems and prose. Given the tumultuous aspects of 2020, the disruptions and the dislocations of quotidian and public life, there’s a refreshing discordance in reading Giovanni’s newest and especially personal collection... This book is indeed a love letter, a celebration, both musical and soft-spoken, that doesn’t shy away from politics or pain, but is, above all, hopeful and thankful... History matters. Storytelling matters. Who we choose to be matters. Nikki Giovanni—this collection—reminds us of why.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Chicago Review of Books\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e“The work of Nikki Giovanni has been as evolutionary as it has been revolutionary. One of the finest poets of our time. . . Her work still resonates.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Ebony\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Nikki Giovanni’s work has always been remarkable for energy, venturesomeness, direct honesty, and courage.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Gwendolyn Brooks\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Not even equipped with the apex mastery in poetry and prose could I ever express in words the blessings that Nikki Giovanni has improved and empowered the world with. As your voice and spirit are tattooed in time; our eternal gratitude will exist the same.\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Zack Poole, Bust-Down Books \u0026amp; bustdownbooks.com\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout the Author: Nikki Giovanni\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNikki Giovanni (Yolanda Cornelia \\\"Nikki\\\" Giovanni Jr.) was an American poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. She was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on June 7, 1943, and died on December 9, 2024, at the age of 81. A prominent figure in the Black Arts Movement, her writing explored themes of race, gender, politics, and love, and she was a celebrated public performer and educator.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe published numerous poetry collections, essays, and children's books, and was known for her powerful and emotive spoken word recordings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eEarly Life and Education:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn in Knoxville, Tennessee, she and her family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she spent most of her childhood. \u003cbr\u003eShe graduated from Fisk University in 1967 with a degree in history, where she also became involved in the \u003cstrong\u003eBlack Arts Movement.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe further pursued education at the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University, although she dropped out of both before completing her degrees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCareer and Achievements:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni was a \u003cstrong\u003evocal activist for civil rights and equality,\u003c\/strong\u003e organizing the Cincinnati Black Arts Festival in 1967.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer poetry collections, such as \u003cem\u003eBlack Feeling\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eBlack Talk \u003c\/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003eBlack Judgment\u003c\/em\u003e, explored the experiences of Black people and gained her recognition as a leading voice in the \u003cstrong\u003eBlack Arts Movement.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe held teaching positions at Queens College, Rutgers University, and Virginia Tech.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond her poetry, she wrote several works of nonfiction and children's literature, including the \u003cstrong\u003eaward-winning \u003cem\u003eRosa\u003c\/em\u003e,\u003c\/strong\u003e about Rosa Parks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiovanni recorded several spoken word albums, including \u003cem\u003eTruth\u003c\/em\u003e, which won an \u003cstrong\u003eaward from NARTA.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eShe received numerous awards and accolades, including:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Langston Hughes Medal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe NAACP Image Award\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDeath:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe died on December 9, 2024, in Blacksburg, Virginia, due to complications from lung cancer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHer legacy as a poet, activist, and educator continues to inspire generations of writers and thinkers. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bust-Down Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50303174607163,"sku":"0062995294","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0855\/2077\/7531\/files\/9780062995292.jpg?v=1778920527","url":"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/make-me-rain-poetry-prose-nikki-giovanni-9780062995292","provider":"Bust-Down Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}