"These black proverbs will make you laugh, nod in agreement, remember your grandparents’ wise sayings or simply mutter a heartfelt “amen.” Crammed with pithy advice, Lifelines sheds wisdom on just about every situation from childbirth to adultery to choosing friends. Hallelujah and pass the proverbs."

"This little book contains the wisdom of the ages, and is guaranteed to produce a smile of appreciation at the sheer sense of the proverbs you will find inside. From advice you wish your mother had given you, to things you probably suspected, but had never put into words, Lifelines is a book to be read, absorbed and treasured."

"Lifelines cleverly and uniquely helps to motivate and inspire individuals from all walks of life to move beyond challenges and roadblocks to enjoy a wonderful and awesome life! The authors and creators are truly ingenious, very witty and most insightful."

"These are proverbs about life, not about race. Here are memorable truisms full of wit and wisdom. These are pithy proverbs anyone can understand and powerful proverbs everyone will be able to use."

"When I am attentive in my living, I learn....but to be given all these lessons of ancestral wisdom through Lifelines is a sacred honor. If I had any doubts as to where new inspiration and direction for my composing would be found, I can rest assured that it is within this brilliant gift. Asante sana."

“Most impressive is the way The African Book of Names remarkably and ingeniously resonates the life, history, culture, and spirit of Africa from all corners of the continent. And the icing on the cake is the included two-hundred-year naming calendar. This book is a ‘must-read’ masterpiece.”

“The African Book of Names addresses the complexity and cultural sensitivity of descendants of enslaved Africans in the western hemisphere. Since the 1960s, African descendants have renamed ourselves or given our children African designations. [Askhari Hodari’s] work is a tremendous resource as it not only provides names but offers context for such decisions. Her book will contribute to reconnection and community-building throughout the African world.

“One thing that sets this book apart from other name books is that it makes clear that it’s not just for babies.”

“Askhari Johnson Hodari has put together an invaluable resource book. . . . Inspiring and informative, it is a fascinating glimpse into an important part of African cultural traditions.”

“There is a lot more to Dr. Askhari Johnson Hodari’s book than its list of more than 5,000 African names. The book is also about the meaning of names, the power of names to change us, the role of names in connecting people to their histories, the expectations that names inspire, and the way names reflect the cultures that create them. On every level, this book succeeds.”