Nikki Giovanni and Bryan Stevenson - Make Me Rain Virtual Event
A Cappella Books is proud to partner with William Morrow for a special virtual event with renowned poet and activist Nikki Giovanni in honor of her latest collection, "Make Me Rain." Giovanni will appear in conversation with "Just Mercy" author and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, Bryan Stevenson.
Order a copy of “Make Me Rain” via the button below to obtain your login info via email directly from William Morrow and Crowdcast. Be sure to include your current email address at checkout.
Please note that we have a limited supply of signed editions, so be sure to purchase your copy before we sell out! Orders must be placed no later than 3 PM on the day of the event in order to attend the program.
About the Book
One of America’s most celebrated poets challenges us with this powerful and deeply personal collection of verse that speaks to the injustices of society while illuminating the depths of her own heart. For more than thirty years, Nikki Giovanni’s poetry has inspired, enlightened, and dazzled readers. As sharp and outspoken as ever, this artist long hailed as a healer and a sage returns with this profound book of poetry in which she continues to call attention to injustice and give readers an unfiltered look into the most private parts of herself.
In "Make Me Rain," she celebrates her loved ones and unapologetically declares her pride in her black heritage, while exploring the enduring impact of the twin sins of racism and white nationalism. Giovanni reaffirms her place as a uniquely vibrant and relevant American voice with poems such as “I Come from Athletes” and “Rainy Days”—calling out segregation and Donald Trump; as well as “Unloved (for Aunt Cleota)” and "When I Could No Longer”—her personal elegy for the relatives who saved her from an abusive home life.
Stirring, provocative, and resonant, the poems in "Make Me Rain" pierce the heart and nourish the soul.
About the Author
Nikki Giovanni, poet, activist, mother, and professor, is a seven-time NAACP Image Award winner and the first recipient of the Rosa Parks Woman of Courage Award, and holds the Langston Hughes Medal for Outstanding Poetry, among many other honors. The author of twenty-eight books and a Grammy nominee for "The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection," she is the University Distinguished Professor of English at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.
About the Conversation Partner
Bryan Stevenson is the executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, and a professor of law at New York University Law School. He has won relief for dozens of condemned prisoners, argued five times before the Supreme Court, and won national acclaim for his work challenging bias against the poor and people of color. He has received numerous awards, including the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant.
