Books

I co-wrote this book with 1renowned musician Reggie Harris. Before Reggie was a sought-after performer, educator, cultural ambassador, and civil rights advocate, he was a low-income Black kid in Philadelphia with a love of music. Searching for Solid Ground is a captivating and deeply personal chronicle of Harris’s extraordinary life, from his early years when his love of music was fueled by singing everywhere he could—at home, at church, and in the school choir—to performing across the world for over forty years, to his current work blending his musical gifts with a commitment to promote justice and peace and heal the racial divide.  Harris shares his triumphs and his struggles, his hard-won wisdom and insights, including the challenges he faced launching a career in folk music as a Black musician, his transformative experience hearing James Baldwin speak and the beginnings of his own justice work, and a harrowing journey back to health through the gift of a liver transplant, among many other remarkable moments.  

This book is a poignant memoir of Sammy Dyer’s 42 years volunteering with battered women in shelters and prisons, illuminating the healing power of human connection in the face of devastating loss and abuse, as well as the strength and resilience of women. The book is a heart-expanding memoir that bears witness to the human toll one of society’s most pervasive and tragic problems--domestic violence. Sammy’s touching experiences and reflections from her work with victims in shelters and in prisons are interwoven with the stories and voices of battered women who are working to put their shattered lives back together. Laced with episodes of humor and compassion, the reader gains an intimate view of the deep relationships formed by the author, as well as the challenges faced by battered women. The book provides a unique and humanizing perspective on the issue of domestic violence.

I co-wrote this book with 102-year old artist and sculptor Marilee Shapiro Asher, in which she recounts her memories of growing up in a mansion in the Hyde Park area of Chicago; her domestic life; her involvement with pivotal events and influential people of the 20th century; her career as an artist and sculptor; and her life-long interest in esoteric ideas, from Greek mythology to Zen to the Gurdjieff work.

The book also chronicles her family’s history, including their experiences owning and operating the giant Ferris Wheel at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, and the family-run wrecking company which dismantled the failed French Panama Canal project, and the St. Louis and Chicago Worlds Fairs.  These vignettes and the accompanying photographs beautifully evoke the traditions and cultural touchstones of a bygone era. 

Paperback and Kindle formats available.