Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop by Danyel Smith is a 2022 Roc Lit 101 publication.

This is a well-researched history of Black women in pop music, as well as a personal memoir by the author.

I enjoyed reading about many of the performers I listened to growing up and hearing details about their personal lives and careers I had not heard before. The songs we grew up listening to can conjure up various memories- sad, hard, poignant, and bittersweet times- but also fun and humorous thoughts we had as children. Danyel Smith shares moments in her childhood that coincide with the featured artist and songs, many of them difficult, as she recalls an abusive upbringing- but there were also some charming and nostalgic recollections in there as well.

All that said, I have struggled in the past with the duality of non-fiction and personal memoir. For some reason the combination just does not work for me. One area distracts from the other, leaving both areas weakened- but this book managed to meld the two with much more fluidity, so there is more balance and fewer distractions.

Still, it was the history and the featured artist that commanded my attention, as this was what drew me to the book in the first place. The personal recollections would have felt more impactful, perhaps, if I had been more familiar with the author’s work before reading this book- But that said-

I used two formats with this book- a digital copy and the audio version- switching back and forth between the two mediums. Smith narrates the book and her emotions at times were so raw, it made a deep impression on me, causing me to really think about how personal this journey was for her.

Overall, though the memoir/history mashup is not normally my favorite- Smith is very convincing and by the end of the book had earned my respect. I enjoyed the history, the nostalgia, and the appreciated the author’s research efforts and her heartfelt presentation.

4 stars ( )