Bitch Is the New Black: A Memoir
At 28 years old, having survived a tortured childhood raised by a peripatetic lesbian mother and a career as one of the few black writers for the New York Times and the only one for Politico.com, Andrews has surpassed the stereotype of the strong black woman and been deemed “perfect girl” by a boyfriend desperately trying not to commit. Andrews offers a caustic and humorous running account of her life, mad texting her girlfriends about dates and career horrors, as she navigates the prickly terrain of a modern America getting used to a black First Lady and struggling to rethink its image of black women in general. She recounts adventures with her dog Miles, who apparently—to her embarrassment—hates black men, and her search for Mr. Right, including a date with President Obama's bodyguard. She also offers painful recollections of near-abandonment by her mother, later growing up the only black child on Catalina Island, watching The Cosby Show with longing. Fans of her acerbic wit will appreciate this collection of essays. --Vanessa Bush