The Subtle Art of Breathing

by Asha Bandele, Tony Medina

Poetry. African American Studies. THE SUBTLE ART OF BREATHING is a work about women, survival and abuse that deals with self evaluation and politics from an intimate and personal perspective. "asha's writing has an ease and urgency that is rare, welcome and necessary. Her story is at once highly particular and universal. Her courage to love is heroism without pretension, and as Malcolm once said of himself, her sincerity is her credential"--Mos Def. asha bandele is a former features editor and writer for Essence magazine, and is currently the deputy director of policy with the Drug Policy Alliance, an organization leading the nation in reforming drug laws and mandatory sentencing. Her previous works include the novels "The Prisoner's Wife" and "Daughter", and the poetry collection "Absence in the Palm of My Hands".

Genres: Poetry

69 pages, Paperback

First published July 27, 2005

About the author

An award-winning author and journalist, asha bandele first attained recognition when she penned her 1999 debut book, The Prisoner’s Wife, a powerful, lyrical memoir about a young Black woman’s romance and marriage with a man who was serving a twenty-to-life sentence in prison. With the hope that they would live as a couple in the outside world, she became pregnant with a daughter. A former features editor for Essence Magazine, she returns with her latest memoir, Something Like Beautiful, the continuation of her love with Rashid and its ultimate loss, with another emotional disappointment and a serious bout of depression. She is also the author of two collections of poems and the novel, Daughter. She lives in Brooklyn with her daughter, Nisa.