Black Liturgies

Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human

By: Cole Arthur Riley

Narrated by: Cole Arthur Riley

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A collection of prayer, poetry, and spiritual practice centering the Black interior world, from the author of This Here Flesh and creator of Black Liturgies

“A true spiritual balm for our troubled times.”—Michael Eric Dyson, author of What Truth Sounds Like

For years, Cole Arthur Riley was desperate for a spirituality she could trust. Amid ongoing national racial violence, the isolation of the pandemic, and a surge of anti-Black rhetoric in many Christian spaces, she began dreaming of a more human, more liberating expression of faith. She went on to create Black Liturgies, a digital project that connects spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black memory, and the Black body.

In this book, she brings together hundreds of new prayers, along with letters, poems, meditation questions, breath practices, scriptures, and the writings of Black literary ancestors to offer forty-three liturgies that can be practiced individually or as a community. Inviting listeners to reflect on their shared experiences of wonder, rest, rage, and repair, and creating rituals for holidays like Lent and Juneteenth, Arthur Riley writes with a poet’s touch and a sensitivity that has made her one of the most important spiritual voices at work today.

For anyone healing from communities that were more violent than loving; for anyone who has escaped the trauma of white Christian nationalism, religious homophobia, or transphobia; for anyone asking what it means to be human in a world of both beauty and terror, Black Liturgies is a work of healing and empowerment, and a vision for what might be.

©2024 Cole Arthur Riley (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Readers will be deeply moved by the beauty of Arthur Riley’s writing and her moral clarity, tenderness, and wisdom.”—Imani Perry, National Book Award–winning author of South to America and columnist at The Atlantic

“Cole Arthur Riley is a spiritual guide and a gift in our lives. Restoring us to ourselves and reminding us of our humanness, our fragility, and the strength of faith, she calls us back to community, to breath, to our god-given selves. Black Liturgies is true spiritual balm for our troubled times.”—Michael Eric Dyson, New York Times bestselling author of What Truth Sounds Like

“Black Liturgies is a garden for the soul. With rare wisdom, beautiful clarity, and generous vulnerability, Cole Riley brings her whole self to these letters, verses, and promptings, offering bright, deep truths about who we are and can be as Black women, Black people, and human beings. Hold these luminous words close and let them be your balm.”—Tiya Miles, National Book Award winning author of All That She Carried

Great book - not so great narration

The book itself is wonderful, but unfortunately, the narration is subpar. It's clear that the author should not have chosen to read her own book; instead, hiring a professional actor would have greatly enhanced the listening experience. BTW I did purchase the paper copy and highly recommend it!!

Excellent content and narration

This book is personal, and poignantly honest and humble. I enjoyed the author’s narration because it made it even more authentically her voice.

It’s a book of insights, personal stories and devotions. I think it’s best digested in snippets so you can absorb the messages.
I bought both this and the kindle book and I enjoy listening to it on my drive to work, it makes me feel less anxious and alone.

Format

Had to gradually adjust to sound and pacing of voice. overall it was very good.

Cole's beautiful voice - the sound, cadence, and content.

Wisdom and raw honesty. Spoken from the heart. I love the space she allows, while staying true to her own story.

Oh, what a journey!!!

I appreciated the layout of the book. Personal stories, guided breathing, prayers, confessions and scriptures. I'm not religious but could appreciate the journey as it was delivered in a way that a diverse group could get something and connect in some way.

Bad narration

Cole is indeed an excellent writer but this one is one book where the author should not narrate her own work. She has deep emotional issues and it comes though she in the reading so much so that I was beginning to feel depressed. Yes tell your truth but this should be a work of inspiration. I will purchase the Kindle edition and maybe her energy won't be as strong in format. Audio books are tricky because the work could be great, which this is, but narration is everything. it's awful here. I pre-ordered the book so I couldn't sample it. Had I sampled it, I would not have purchased the audiohook.