# Help!  I need a book title

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-need-a-book-title/260542>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 19, 2004, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-need-a-book-title/260542 "2004-08-19T13:36:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-need-a-book-title/260542/1 "2004-08-19T13:36:36Z")

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This is a shot in the dark, but unfortunately, I’ve looked everywhere I can think of, and haven’t been able to come up with an answer. I’m counting on my fellow dopers to guide me in the right direction…

About four years ago, I read a book (whose title I cannot recall, by an female writer whom I also cannot recall) which dealt with single black women raising sons. The writer was from California (I believe), and at the time I read the book, it was in large paperback form (like the kind you may read in a literature class). The book was absolutely excellent, and although I’m not a black mom, I am raising a son. I would love to read it again (but loaned out my copy to someone who disappeared, so it’s impossible to get it back), and would like to recommend it to friends of mine.

Any clues, or is it hopeless?

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**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-need-a-book-title/260542/2 "2004-08-19T13:45:57Z")

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Sounds kind of like the movie Crooklyn.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-need-a-book-title/260542/3 "2004-08-19T13:50:26Z")

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this book is more as “self help” type of book. Oddly enough, I think the cover had a yellow or orange border… \<sigh\> It’s going to drive me nuts all day…

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**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-need-a-book-title/260542/4 "2004-08-19T20:36:00Z")

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Any other things you can remember?

I’d love to see this solved.

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**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-i-need-a-book-title/260542/5 "2004-08-19T20:49:29Z")

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I don’t know what the book is that you’re looking for, but you might try posting it over in the [Booksleuth](http://forums.abebooks.com/abesleuthcom) forums at [abebooks.com](http://abebooks.com), at least if no one here comes up with it.

I did some poking at Amazon and found this book:  
[Can Black Mothers Raise Our Sons?](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0913543640/qid=1092948347/sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_6/103-7267400-8507862?v=glance&s=books)  
It was published in '99, so that seems to be about the right time.