Denene Millner & Nick Chiles. Morrow, $20 (240p) ISBN 0-688-17886-3
This follow-up to Millner and Chiles's previous Blackboard Bestsellers, The Sistahs' Rules and What Brothers Think, What Sistahs Know, shares its title with a recent rap song, but it's closer in substance to bubblegum pop. Tackling hot-button relationship topics from "Pre-Nups" to saving money, to airing dirty laundry, Millner and Chiles offer freewheeling advice "From a Sistah" (Millner) and "From a Brother" (Chiles), always ending with a question for the other. There is a voyeuristic appeal in reading these husband-and-wife exchanges, although the dialogue soon becomes simplistic and predictable. While they avoid statistics and the opinions of relationship experts, the authors draw heavily on references to books like Waiting to Exhale and films like The Best Man. Millner's penchant for generalizing ("Why do men always assume... ") and her reflexive statements ("the white man in power is the devil we know") may put off some readers. Nor may everyone agree that stashing money in a sock or frivolous 401(k) withdrawals, "penalties and tax consequences be damned," are good financial strategies. Although Millner, a reporter for the New York Daily News, and Chiles, a senior editor at SayShe.com, don't offer any groundbreaking insights, their lively book will spark debate. (Jan.)
