Sometimes Rhythm, Sometimes Blues

Today's women expect it all: a successful career, an understanding and equally successful mate, and children- all wrapped up in a white picket fence. But recent studies show that while black women have ascended to form a new middle class and have attained success in the business sector, black men haven't followed suit. Perhaps as a result, with other sociological and economic factors at play, many successful sistahs are having trouble finding a partner to call their own. This ground-breaking anthology explores the many reasons why- analyzing materialism and financial expectations, single motherhood, bling bling culture, media representations of African-American gender roles, missing fathers, incarcerated partners, and more- and offers hope from women who have beaten the odds. Writers including Kevin Powell and Victor LaValle weigh in on the men's side in a "Talking Back" section, while female contributors include Kiini Ibura Asalaam, Shawn E. Rhea, Shani O'Neal, and Asha Bandele.