Am I the Last Virgin?: Ten African American Reflections on Sex and Love

A young woman remembers her sexual abuse by her uncle. Another sees her rapist in the supermarket only a year after the assault. A third connects deeply with her mother over an unwanted pregnancy. Most of the 11 essays in this earnest collection are about surviving, but those that feel freshest are about joy. Roberts, an editor at Essence magazine, keeps her virginity but indulges her sexuality, reveling in ""scrumptious exchanges"" and teaching her lovers to take it slow. Actress Jada Pinkett glows nostalgically over her grandmother's free-spoken insights about sexual freedom. Eisa Nefertari Ulen writes effervescently about the women who supported her as she reached maturity: ""My circle of women has taught me to shake my body and love it."" Many important issues, including living with AIDS and coming out as a lesbian, are covered here with frank sincerity and candor, if not exceptional originality. There is also an extensive directory of resources for sexual health. Girls of all races will hear their experiences and concerns echoed in the voices of these African American women. Ages 12-up. (Jan.)