Black History Month selection
“This is a teacher who can help us put together so many things that our modern Western world has broken.” —Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple
“A renowned, respected teacher and mentor to thousands, Sobonfu Somé was one of the first and foremost voices of African spirituality to come to the West – and the author for our February 2025 book club discussion – The Spirit of Intimacy: Ancient African Teachings in the Ways of Relationships.
“Somé was born in Dano, Burkina Faso, a remote West African village with a population of about 200 people. Dano has preserved the old ways of African village life, with family structures, spiritual practices and methods of living that have been in place for more than 10,000 years. In The Spirit of Intimacy, Somé distills the ancient teachings and wisdom of her native village to give insight into the nature of intimate relationships.
“Somé generously applies the subtle knowledge from her West African culture to this one. Simply and beautifully, she reveals the role of spirit in every marriage, friendship, relationship and community. She shares ancient ways to make our intimate lives more fulfilling and secure and offers powerful insights into the ‘illusion of romance,’ divorce and loss. Her important and fascinating lessons from the heart include the sacred meaning of pleasure, preparing a ritual space for intimacy and the connection between sex and spirituality. Her ideas are intuitively persuasive, provocative, and healing – and supported by sound practical advice, along with specific rituals and ceremonies based on those used for thousands of years.” (Book bio)
Learn more about Somé HERE. OPEN TO ALL!
Sadly, Somé died in 2017 from a weakened immune system attributed to water contamination.
To register
When/Where: Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. Pacific Time (US and Canada) via Zoom.
Register in advance* for this meeting at bit.ly/shadesbookclubreg-feb25.
*After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Learn more about the books/author:
- Goodreads: (A helpful website to read about books, but doesn’t sell them.)
- Sobunfu Somé on Wikipedia
- Author website and bio
Purchase books:
- Amazon: The Spirit of Intimacy: Ancient African Teachings in the Ways of Relationships
- Online book sales: Google
Free from the library:
- Check out in person
- Libby (app+your local library card) for ebook or audiobook (or your library may use a different app such as Overdrive or Hoopla)
- If your local library has limited options, many libraries allow you to get a card even if you are not local. NY public library – any New York Resident. San Jose public library – any CA resident. Or try a neighboring city or county. Google for your location.
Purchase options other than Amazon
- Your local independent or chain book store will order for you if they don’t have it in stock.
- Order from Bookshop.org and choose which Indie Bookstore gets the sale.
- Order audiobooks from an Indie Bookstore of your choice using the app Libro.fm (subscriptions available, but not required).