Big events coming up at Malik Books! Jay Ellis is talking with Issa Rae about his new book Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (Or Just Me) Adventures in Boyhood! August 13th at the Miracle Theatre in Inglewood!
Plus, the Covenant with Black America by Tavis Smiley celebrates 20 years…and Tavis revisits it with a free re-launch party for the community on August 14th!
In this episode, Malik talks about the importance to literacy to the community, and reviews The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons of Personal Change by Stephen Covey
E-mail: RealMalikMuhammad@gmail.com
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Episode Transcript
My League.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
Buds has how to knowledge you want?
Speaker 1 (00:02):
My league? But has he the knowledge you need? My league?
But chat they have all the books that the whole
wild world one up read.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
My League, Buds.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to Malak's Bookshelf, bringing a world together
with books, culture and community.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
What a dude? What a do? Everyone? This is Malie,
the host of Malik's Bookshelf.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
I hope you're having a wonderful week and I hope
that you're doing very well well to This episode is
going to be about information, book reviews, and our upcoming
event with Jay Ellis in conversation with Easter Ray With
This has taking place August thirteenth, twenty twenty four at
(00:47):
the Miracle Theater in Inglewood.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Now, this is going to be a performance by Jay Ellis.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
And a book discussion centered around his new book that
just came out, Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend or
Just Me?
Speaker 2 (01:05):
An Adventure in Boyhood.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Jay's new book is a life affirming, hilarious, and vulnerable
exploration of coming of age in the nineteen nineties with
an imaginary side kick.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend or Just Me?
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Is not only an AFFIRMI but also transporting a true
beacon for both our younger and older selves who were
once lonely and perhaps all still lonely at times, but
have also been capable of wielding our immense imaginations. Whoa wait,
(01:41):
This book is pot with humor and it's a fun read.
This is a book that j Ellis trucks, an unforgettable
story of looking inward to solve some life biggest and
smallest challenges as he opens up his world and his
mind in a way to bring joy, guidance, and fun
(02:06):
to the readers at large. Now, August thirteenth, at the
Miracle Theater in Inglewood at seven pm, Jay Ellis is
gonna be in conversation with Issa Ray.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
This is gonna be an electric day.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Now, what Jay is going to do is a performance first,
which is gonna give a very telling, artistic and theatric
portrayal of his new book.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
And after j Ellis's performance.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
We're gonna go right into the historic conversation with Ray.
Who's gonna moderate the conversation with Jay Ellis?
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Is this gonna be electric day?
Speaker 1 (02:52):
And that's not all because right after the conclusion of
the discussion, the performance and the book signing, because Jay
gonna be signing.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
His new book, Did Everyone.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Have an Imaginary Friend or Just Me An Adventures in Boyhood.
After the conclusion of that part of the event, we're
moving on to the Box Stage after party, which is
gonna take place at the Miracle Theater at the conclusion
of the first part of the event, and we're gonna eat,
(03:24):
and we're gonna party, live band, and we're gonna talk,
and we're gonna network, and we're gonna play games, and
all of that takes place all on the same evening
from six o'clock where the doors open till midnight. Is
all going down at the Miracle Theater hosted by Milik Books.
(03:45):
Register for this upcoming event go to milikbooks dot com
now stay tuned for the rest of this episode on
Malik's Bookshelf Bringing a world together with books, culture, and conity. Well,
you know, Malik's Bookshelf is all about community. But what's
(04:07):
going on in the community, what's happening.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
In your neighborhood.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
I know that in Los Angeles we try to do
a tremendous amount of events to bring consciousness and culture
to literacy because books are important. I read something the
other day that sixty one percent of low income homes
(04:33):
don't have books inside their homes.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
That's mind boggling. That blew me away.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Also read with fifty percent of homes don't do any
reading inside their homes. And also one out of four
children grow up without learning how to read.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
That there's over forty five million functionally illiterates in America,
the most advanced and superioration on the planet.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
There is a.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Direct relationship between reading and juvenile offenders because eighty five
percent of juveniles that are offenders have difficulty reading. So
there is a relationship between crime and illiteracy.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Now, we got to do better in this country.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
And we got to increase and promote reading because it
is a direct result of your achievements and advancements. And
so Malik Books is doing we can, but we need
a lot more people to be involved and engaged in
finding ways to help our young and our youth in
(06:00):
America to read in order to achieve It's a direct relationship,
and so we need to do better. This country is
being most advanced nation on the planet and our test
scores are low.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
There is a statistic that was done this show just
reading twenty minutes a.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Day helps children score in the seventy five percentile on
the standardized tests that they give.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Every year to students in school.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
And they say if you read five minutes a day,
it increases to fifty percent on the standardized tests that
they give students all over the country.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
So reading has a direct relationship to.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Your grades, achievements, your ambitions, and just overall how you
see the world and everything in it. I can go
on and on and on the power and the effect
of reading.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
You know, I don't you know.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
We specialize in African American and diversity books, but our
recommendation is you to find books that can.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Excite you to want to read. Because we get people.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
In the store all the time and say, hey, my child,
he doesn't read a lie.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
What do you recommend?
Speaker 1 (07:36):
My first question is what does he like to read?
Because we want to give a kid a book. If
it's a comic book, hey you're still reading. If it's
a graphic novel, if it's a book about mystery, if
it's a book about humor, if it's a book about
you know. Only thing about Malique books is that we
specialize in black and diversity books, so we try to
(07:58):
find a subject matter that they like, but the author
is typically black, because most of our books in our store,
not all, but most of them are written by black authors.
But we try to find a book so that they
could if they like a venture, if they like fantasy.
You know, I go to Kobe Bryann's books, which you know,
(08:20):
he has a series he created and God rest his soul,
you know, he's no longer amongst us, but he was
creating these series of books about the superpower within you
and the work ethic and your ability to drawing from
your inner strength by working hard, due diligence, stick to
the determination, and harnessing your inner talents by through hard work.
(08:44):
And he was creating this whole series of books, the
Wizard series and the et Parking and the series of
books that're all sitting around sports, but they're all center
around work ethic. And he wanted to courage the next
generation to see themselves as superhuman and if they apply themselves,
(09:07):
if they worked hard and if they stuck to something,
that they could become a master and therefore elevate. And
so that whole series I always share that with a
lot of people that comes to Maligue books, the Kobe
Brown series that he created. He's no longer amongst us,
but the series is still around, it's still evolving, it's
(09:29):
still books are still coming out. So I definitely encourage
that series because it teaches, you know, our young and
our youth the importance of working hard and believing in themselves.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
But we got to do better and making reading exciting,
reading important, and reading as a way to be a
building block for success because we're competing against so many
other distractions, video games, phones, you know, their cell phones
are very addictive, and just kids strolling on their social media,
(10:07):
which can be very time consuming for waste of time,
doesn't elevate your brain.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
And there's so many influence on there, this misinformed, misguiding people,
and we just got to do better at making reading
more fun and entertaining and inspirational. So if you're out
there listening, do what you can to create the next
(10:35):
generation of change by using books to make a difference. Yo,
we got another high event this August fourteenth at six.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
To nine pm to coven it with Black America twenty
years later.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Now, twenty years ago that was a bestseller written by
Tavis Smiley. Well, today, twenty years later, we have the
book relaunch twenty years later, The Covenant with Black of
America by Tivis Smiley, the owner of KBLA Talk Radio.
(11:16):
And we all know how important talk radio is. Where
Tavis Smiley has a black owned, progressively owned black radio
station that's progressively black, that talk about black issues all
day long, twenty four seven, three hundred and sixty five
(11:36):
days a year, and he's having this explosive event, The
Covenant with Black America twenty years later. Now check out,
this is a pre launch pre event where Malik Books
is the official bookseller.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
At the event.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Now, this is a community event and it's free. And
if you go to KBLA Talk Radio you can register.
That's KBLA fifteen eighty dot com.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
You can register free full event.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
I got the links on Belief Books dot com too,
make it easy for you.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
But guess who.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
All is in the house besides Tivins Smiley, Who's gonna
be joining him for an evening filled with the inspiration
a pre publication book party featuring Covenant contributors Cornell West,
Malia Abdullah, Connie Rice, Mark Ridley, Thomas Tyrone Howard, and
(12:37):
Lisa A.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Dona, all contributors.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Of the relaunch of the Covenant with Black America twenty
years later. This is gonna be epic, It's gonna be community.
They're all gonna be.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
In the house talking about the.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Block agenda, the Covenant with Black America and where do
we go from here and beyond?
Speaker 2 (13:03):
And this is gonna be stellar. You got to come
on through. This is gonna be prolific, progressively.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
Black, and it's gonna be one of the events you
don't wanna miss.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
August fourteenth at six pm.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Now, Now, for those who don't know, doctor Cornell West
is running for the presidency of the United States and
his vice president is one of the founders of the
Black Lives Matter movement, Melina Abdullah. Now both of them
are gonna be at the event and their contributors to
(13:41):
the Covenant with Black America twenty years later. They are
gonna be at the event, along with Tyvins, Smiley and
the other individuals contributors that I mentioned. But Cornell West
is one of the most intellectuals and speakers.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
In the country. Now he's running for president.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
I don't know all his views, but I imagine that
evening he's gonna talk about his campaign and.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
His policy issues.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
But he's one of the most highly sought out speakers
in the country for decades. He's one of the most
highly respected black figures in the black community and America.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
So this event is going to be history. You don't
want to miss this.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Mark Really Thomas, one of the most decorated councilmen in
Los Angeles, is in the house as well. Listen, you
gotta come on through and if you want to attend
this event, you gotta go to KBLA fifteen eighty dot
com to register for the event and receive the undisclosed
(14:57):
location after you RSVP.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
So right now, if you want.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
To attend this event, you gotta go to KBLA fifteen
eighty dot com. That's KBLA fifteen eighty dot com and
after you register, you'll receive.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
The location of the event.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
This is an event you don't want to miss.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Hey, I got a book review.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
Now, this book I came across I carried in the
store as well. It's called The Seven Habits are Highly
Effective People, Powerful Lessons and Personal Change by Steven R.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Covet.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Now, this book was very interesting and powerful and effective.
Some of the things I learned from reading this book
was how humans are creatures of habit. You know, that's
one hundred percent accurate. We all have these habits, and
these habits affect our lives, for the good.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
And for the worse. And so you've heard it takes
twenty eight days the breaker habit. Well, it takes twenty
eight days the former habit.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Some of the other things I thought was powerful about
the book was how to create lasting change, like act
not react, predict consequences before pursuing endeavors, listen to others
before speaking, schedule your priorities, seek the common benefits, keeping
effective system running, work with others to achieve results. I
(16:33):
thought that those were very simple and effective things that
you can do to create lasting change.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
In your life.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
You know, one of the things that emphasized in this
book that I thought was very striking was that we
worry about things that we can't change instead of dealing
with the things that we can't change. So, hey, if
it's something that you can't do nothing about, that you
don't have no power to do nothing about, then kind
(17:04):
of leave those things to the side and let things
happen as they going to happen. But the things that
you can make a difference, and the things that you
can make a change and the things that you can
be more effective. Do those things, focus on those things,
organize those things. One of the most effective things that
(17:24):
you can do for personal development and personal change is
to focus on yourself.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
That's mind, body, and soul. Working out makes you.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
Feel good doing the things that elevates you and enhances
who you are. The book really emphasized that personal growth
and investing in self sharpens you physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally,
and socially, and it creates.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Harmony and balance.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
So you must invest in yourself and that's very important
because that's the only way you're going to unlock the
potential inside you. And one more things we cannot underestimate
the development of good relationships with others.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Connecting emotionally with others.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
That's one of the most important ingredients that effective people
are so good at, and they create these powerful relationships.
Because of this effectiveness they have with people, they are
able to connect and people are able to build a
(18:38):
relationship and transcend the moment to long lasting friendships, business relations,
professional relations. These are some of the habits that highly
affective people are very good at, and these are some
(18:58):
of the things that we can learn, learn to implement
in our lives to make powerful relationships.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
Because when to grow, you need to.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Have strong habits, effective habits, and these are some of
the seven habits of highly effective people. Now there's old
saying we don't have to reinvent the will, but all
we have to do is study.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
People who are highly effective.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
So this book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,
Powerful Lessons and Personal Change, by Steven R.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Covey.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Pick it up at melitebooks dot com or wherever books
are sold. Thanks for listening to Maleak's bookshelf, where topics
on the shelf are books, culture, and community.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Be sure to subscribe and leave me a review. Check
out my instagram at Malak Books. See you next time.
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