Breaking the Fine Rain of Death

In her new book, Emilie Townes focuses on the health and health care (or lack of it) of African Americans and does so from a womanist perspective by paying attention to race and class as well as gender. Townes describes the lamentable history of health care in African American communities and the diseases that affect African Americans disproportionately -- diabetes, hypertension, low birth-weight babies, and drug-related illnesses -- as well as the cultural, genetic, and socio-economic factors that account for them. Townes offers models of care that have worked in some African American communities and need to be used on a broader scale. She explores healing models sensitive to class and cultural context, and provides practical recommendations relevant to the needs of the Black Church and the African American Community.