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3 Books is a completely insane and totally epic 15-year-long quest to uncover the 1000 most formative books in the world. Each chapter is hosted live and in-person at the guest\'s preferred location by Neil Pasricha, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Awesome, The Happiness Equation, Two-Minute Mornings, etc. Each chapter of 3 Books uncovers and discusses the three most formative books from one of the world\'s most inspiring people. Sample guests include: Judy Blume, David Sedaris, Chris Anderson of TED, the founder of the world\'s largest feminist magazine, the world\'s greatest Uber driver, Pete Holmes, Angie Thomas, and Malcolm Gladwell. Each of the 333 chapters is dropped on the exact minute of every single new moon and full moon until September 1, 2031. 3 Books is an Apple "Best Of" award-winning show and 100% ad-free, commercial-free, sponsor-free, and interruption-free. For more info check out:\\xa0https://www.3books.co

Chapter Description:

Happy Blue Moon and Happy Halloween everyone!

A singular lunar event is fitting for the release of my next chapter with the venerable Nikki Giovanni. Do you know Nikki? I\\u2019m a bit ashamed to admit I didn\\u2019t until I came across her wonderful children\\u2019s book, Rosa (on American civil rights activist Rosa Parks), which I read to my kids and loved. After Apurna called 1-833-READ-A-LOT in the End of the Podcast Club in Chapter 59 and suggested Nikki as a guest, I watched her TED Talk, read some of her poems and watched a captivating interview she did with James Baldwin back in 1971.\\xa0 And then I reached out to her and she graciously accepted to be interviewed for 3 Books.\\xa0

Nikki Giovanni was born in 1943 and is an American poet, writer, commentator, activist and educator. Wikipedia says she is one of the world\\u2019s best known African American poets. I think she\\u2019s one of the world\\u2019s best known poets, period! (Why do we always hedge it??)

She is prolific and deeply introspective throughout her poetry, anthologies, recordings and nonfiction essays on topics ranging from race, to social issues, to children\\u2019s issues. She was nominated for a Grammy and was named one of Oprah Winfrey\\u2019s 25 Living Legends for her prominence in the 1960s Black Arts Movement and as a defender of both the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements. She\\u2019s been dubbed \\u201cThe Poet of the Black Revolution\\u201d for her strong militant perspective.

Today, at 77, she is a distinguished professor at Virginia Tech where she still teaches and mentors students to help them find their voices. And it is from her very office that she dialled in to chat with me.

Listen in as we discuss the true meaning of activism, the true meaning of community, why it is important to hate (yes hate!), and to share what she believes is the best thing to do when you get up in the morning. And of course we get into her 3 most formative books.\\xa0

I am honored and humbled to bring you this lively conversation with the eminent Nikki Giovanni.

Let\\u2019s go!

What You\'ll Learn:

• How can we be better at being alone?

• What is a mirror check in?

• How does poetry give us hope?

• How can we learn to write poetry?

• How was the first black show Soul started on TV?

• Why was Nikki\\u2019s interview of James Baldwin a cultural turning point for the Black community?

• Why is forgiveness overrated?

• How can we hate productively?

• Why is it a good idea to be old?

• What was it like seeing a movie during segregation?

• What still needs to be done to combat racism?

• What is the link between abortion and capital punishment?

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:\\xa0https://www.3books.co/chapters/65\\xa0

Leave us a voicemail. Your message may be included in a future episode: 1-833-READ-A-LOT.

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