A Natural Woman

November 2, 2009
Bridget Jones had her diary, and Aliesha Eaton has her hair. These all-natural locks become the medium through which the protagonist Aliesha, in Johnson's second novel, interprets the world. When Aliesha goes looking for a barber who can handle her 'do, she finds Dante, and with him an undeniable spark. Unfortunately, her love life's already a mess: her current boyfriend, Javiel, is inoffensive but bland, and as he pushes for something more permanent, she wonders why she can't feel closer to the nice guy. Then there's her ex, dumped because of his porn watching, who still holds a torch for her. Johnson writes convincingly flawed characters, but Aliesha and her beaus never rise above the banal. Aliesha's only distinguishing feature seems to be the obsession over her hair, which unintentionally borders on the absurd. In the end, the novel leaves an impression reminiscent to Aliesha's relationship with Javiel-there's nothing specifically wrong, it just isn't working out.

November 15, 2009
Little does Dr. Aliesha Eaton, professor of anthropology, know that when she goes to Wallys Cool Cuts, a barbershop/male bastion, to get her fro trimmed, shell meet the love of her life. With his Curtis Mayfield music and Kafkas Metamorphosis in his pocket, Alieshas barber, the handsome Dante, is an enigma to her. For Dante, its instant attraction the minute Aliesha walks into his shop. But what sort of future can an academic and a barber expect? Besides, theres another major problem: Aliesha, whos moved from Chicago to this Southern college town, already has a boyfriend. After she finally spends the night with Dante, he drops off the face of the earth. Through her characters dialogue, Johnson touches on such tough topics as interracial marriage, tokenism, and racism, creating a thought-provoking look at contemporary African American life.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)