In CUTTIN’ UP, Craig Marberry once again takes oral history to a new level, offering fascinating glimpses of life in the African-American community. In fifty vivid interviews and photographs that chronicle a panorama of barber shop experiences—from the first haircut to the last, and everything in between—Marberry has created a book that sings with the handsome beauty of the oral tradition, which is the cornerstone of the black barber shop.

This colorful collection of stories reveals the camaraderie, comic turns, and sharp-tongued commentary of barbers and their customers. These are pitch-perfect portraits so good you’ll feel as if you’re eavesdropping.

A portion of the proceeds from this book benefits the Maya Angelou Research Center on Minority Health at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.