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What Your Mama Never Told You: True Stories About Sex and Love – Personal Memoirs About Sisterhood and Coming-of-Age for Children
Like big sisters sharing secrets, these everyday young adult black women bravely open their arms and bare their souls. Their intimate and insightful memoirs about sexual coming-of-age experiences reveal that the most personal moments are often, surprisingly, the most universal. Find out what your mama never told you—and let your sisters’ stories wrap you up in a big hug.
- GenresShort Stories
258 pages, Paperback
First published January 29, 2007
1 person is currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Tara Roberts
9 books64 followersTara Roberts breathes passion and vision into her work as a writer and editor and publisher. Her directive and personal mission is to use the power and influence of the media to empower and uplift women and girls, give shape and substance to original ideas, and encourage bold action and achievement.
Starting her career at Essence magazine as an editorial assistant in the Arts and Entertainment department in 1993, Tara immediately began writing youth-oriented social and cultural commentary on issues relevant to young women. One such article, "Am I the Last Virgin?" was so controversial and drew so many responses from readers across the country that Simon & Schuster contracted Tara to write a book on the topic. The result, Am I the Last Virgin? Ten African American Reflections on Sex & Love, offers heart-wrenching first-person essays by young black women exploring their own sexual coming-of-age experiences. The American Library Association nominated Am I the Last Virgin? for its Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers Award, and the New York Public Library chose it as one of the best books in 1998 for teenagers. Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and the School Library Journal hailed it as fresh, soulful, and earnest work.
While working on the book, Tara quickly rose to the ranks of lifestyle editor. After three years, she became the editorial director of Essence Online. Soon after, Heart & Soul magazine approached Tara and hired her as their lifestyle editor.
In 1999, Tara began teaching journalism at the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Information at Syracuse University. The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., honored her for being the first African American woman to be hired there on a full-time basis.
Tara published Fierce magazine, a bold, pro-female, socially conscious magazine that encourages women ages twenty-one to forty-plus to throw aside convention and excavate for their authentic, wild, and powerful selves. Fierce was nominated by Utne magazine as one of the best new magazines in 2003.
Tara has conducted workshops for young women at Spelman College, Mount Holyoke College, Howard University, North Carolina A&T State University, the Adolescent Connection Outreach Center for At-Risk Adolescents in Greensboro, North Carolina, and "Young Ladies on the Move," a self-esteem workshop in New Rochelle, New York.
Her lectures and speaking engagements include the City University of New York (CUNY), Crossroads Theater Company in New Jersey, the Third Wave feminist organization, the Asian American Journalist Association, Borders Bookstore, the Connecticut Governor's Mansion, Nkiru Books (Brooklyn), Shrine of the Black Madonna (Atlanta), Hillside Chapel & Truth Center, National Association of Black Journalists, and the Media and Democracy Congress I and II (San Francisco).
Tara's appearances on numerous radio and television shows and mentions in print media have ranged from Good Day New York and Good Day Atlanta to the Women's Wire, the New York Times, and Source and Emerge magazines.
Tara graduated cum laude from Mount Holyoke College and holds a master's degree in publishing studies from New York University's Gallatin Division.
Starting her career at Essence magazine as an editorial assistant in the Arts and Entertainment department in 1993, Tara immediately began writing youth-oriented social and cultural commentary on issues relevant to young women. One such article, "Am I the Last Virgin?" was so controversial and drew so many responses from readers across the country that Simon & Schuster contracted Tara to write a book on the topic. The result, Am I the Last Virgin? Ten African American Reflections on Sex & Love, offers heart-wrenching first-person essays by young black women exploring their own sexual coming-of-age experiences. The American Library Association nominated Am I the Last Virgin? for its Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers Award, and the New York Public Library chose it as one of the best books in 1998 for teenagers. Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and the School Library Journal hailed it as fresh, soulful, and earnest work.
While working on the book, Tara quickly rose to the ranks of lifestyle editor. After three years, she became the editorial director of Essence Online. Soon after, Heart & Soul magazine approached Tara and hired her as their lifestyle editor.
In 1999, Tara began teaching journalism at the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Information at Syracuse University. The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., honored her for being the first African American woman to be hired there on a full-time basis.
Tara published Fierce magazine, a bold, pro-female, socially conscious magazine that encourages women ages twenty-one to forty-plus to throw aside convention and excavate for their authentic, wild, and powerful selves. Fierce was nominated by Utne magazine as one of the best new magazines in 2003.
Tara has conducted workshops for young women at Spelman College, Mount Holyoke College, Howard University, North Carolina A&T State University, the Adolescent Connection Outreach Center for At-Risk Adolescents in Greensboro, North Carolina, and "Young Ladies on the Move," a self-esteem workshop in New Rochelle, New York.
Her lectures and speaking engagements include the City University of New York (CUNY), Crossroads Theater Company in New Jersey, the Third Wave feminist organization, the Asian American Journalist Association, Borders Bookstore, the Connecticut Governor's Mansion, Nkiru Books (Brooklyn), Shrine of the Black Madonna (Atlanta), Hillside Chapel & Truth Center, National Association of Black Journalists, and the Media and Democracy Congress I and II (San Francisco).
Tara's appearances on numerous radio and television shows and mentions in print media have ranged from Good Day New York and Good Day Atlanta to the Women's Wire, the New York Times, and Source and Emerge magazines.
Tara graduated cum laude from Mount Holyoke College and holds a master's degree in publishing studies from New York University's Gallatin Division.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 13, 2008
Reviewed by Amanda Dissinger for TeensReadToo.com
WHAT YOUR MAMA NEVER TOLD YOU: TRUE STORIES ABOUT SEX AND LOVE is an intimately personal collection of sixteen short stories all written by African-American writers. In this funny and graphic compilation, the writers discuss such taboo issues as first love, sexual experiences, and molestation and sexual abuse.
This very humours and honest book provides information that, yes, your mother probably never told you. The soul-baring stories, while entertaining, help the readers to embrace their sexuality and their body. They are also extremely enjoyable to read, with names like "Stacked: Confessions of a Girl with a Great Rack," and "How NOT to Define Sexuality: An Ex-Good Girl Gets Open," among others.
While focused mostly on young African-American girls, this anthology appeals to women of all ages and races. It helps them all appreciate their true beauty and love themselves for who they truly are. After reading this book, girls will embrace their past and present experiences, and learn how to make the most out of their future. It is a book that should be passed from girl to girl and daughter to mother for it offers hope and understanding between females of all backgrounds and with different life experiences.
WHAT YOUR MAMA NEVER TOLD YOU: TRUE STORIES ABOUT SEX AND LOVE is an intimately personal collection of sixteen short stories all written by African-American writers. In this funny and graphic compilation, the writers discuss such taboo issues as first love, sexual experiences, and molestation and sexual abuse.
This very humours and honest book provides information that, yes, your mother probably never told you. The soul-baring stories, while entertaining, help the readers to embrace their sexuality and their body. They are also extremely enjoyable to read, with names like "Stacked: Confessions of a Girl with a Great Rack," and "How NOT to Define Sexuality: An Ex-Good Girl Gets Open," among others.
While focused mostly on young African-American girls, this anthology appeals to women of all ages and races. It helps them all appreciate their true beauty and love themselves for who they truly are. After reading this book, girls will embrace their past and present experiences, and learn how to make the most out of their future. It is a book that should be passed from girl to girl and daughter to mother for it offers hope and understanding between females of all backgrounds and with different life experiences.
September 2, 2007
i read this in the summer and its deep and real. i like it a lot....
October 5, 2007
this book is bangin i read it in less than 2 days! its very deep and every_gurl that is deep or would like to learn some things should like read this
November 1, 2008
The book has alot of "disturbing" stories that i wasn't ready to read at the time, but read it anyway
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews