1 comments about Flight: The Story of Virgil Richardson, A Tuskegee Airman in Mexico.

1. As a fan of the 1956 tv show "Sheena, Queen of the Jungle" starring Irish McCalla, I wanted to read about the character actor who played many parts in the series. It was very interesting to learn Virgil served in World War II and started his own theate company. Plus the history of Mexico as a refuge for African Americans was enlighting.
   For fans of the Sheena tv show, it was worth reading.

5 comments about First Coming (Library of Contemporary Thought).

1. It should be obvious to anyone who has read Feinstein's articles and books on Tiger that he has an axe to grind. If you are looking for a fair and unbaised read on Tiger Woods - avoid this at all costs.
   
   To the reviewer below who regarded Tiger's success as hype -- the man has 12 majors as of 2006, 2nd only to the Golden Bear and I THINK Tiger has a few more years of good golf left. If you think that is HYPE you must not think much of the other golfing greats like Palmer, Hogan, Player... I could go on... but I think Tiger is saying it better than I ever could.



2. Of all of the Tiger Woods books that have been written this one is the worst I have encountered. Why? Instead of giving a thought provoking analysis of Tiger Woods as a player and his personal impact upon the sporting world, you end up reading a personal vendetta that the author has against Team Tiger.

   John Feinstein starts out with the question of who is Tiger Woods and then proceeds to break the myths surrounding the personality. There isn't anything wrong with breaking myths except Feinstein has nothing good to say about Tiger (except for his game). He accuses Earl Woods of exploiting his famous son, he castigates IMG for being Tiger's management agency, and shows his hatred for Tiger's agent, Hughes Norton. He paints a portrait of Tiger being immature, greedy and totally insensitive to his fans. If that is the case, why bother slapping together a work dealing with the greatest player in the golf world?

   In all fairness to the author, he does expose Tiger for what he was at the time; a young immature player who makes mistakes. He also shows the myths that the media have perpetuated about the young man. He also points out how greedy sponsors and management agencies can ruin the careers of young players. That is good information in understanding Tiger Woods the icon but says little about him as a person.

   What is lacking in the book is Feinstein not really knowing Tiger personally. His diatribes against the player and his cohorts have prevented him from getting to know the other side of the young man who will make a great contribution to golf. Feinstein is caught up in an axe to grind against Tiger's handlers and misses the champion. You don't gain any insight from his musings. If you are a Tiger fan and want to collect books about him regardless of what is said about Tiger by all means pick up a copy. Otherwise leave it on the shelf.




3. I submit Feinstein would be better served to consider Woods' family dynamics, rather than skewer them. And no, you can not consider them by skewering them.



4. If Mr. Feinstein thought this deliberately self-serving effort to drag Tiger's name (and his family's) through the mud would gain favor throughout the sporting world, and throw Tiger off his game, he thought dead-wrong. Tiger's string of top-10 finishes in 1998 (his worst year, when this book was released), his $7-million 1999 season, and now the biggest blowout in majors history (winning by 15 strokes at the 2000 U.S. Open, the only one under par), is an absolutely fitting response, by Tiger, to Feinstein's effort to manufacture scandal from almost nothing. One guy said it best when he said that there are other golfers on tour who are no different, if not worse. Amazing, it seems, that we haven't heard from Feinstein since Tiger's 1999 PGA Championship win. His crow is getting cold.



5. If Mr. Feinstein thought this deliberately self-serving effort to drag Tiger's name (and his family's) through the mud would gain favor throughout the sporting world, and throw Tiger off his game, he thought dead-wrong. Tiger's string of top-10 finishes in 1998 (his worst year, when this book was released), his $7-million 1999 season, and now the biggest blowout in majors history (winning by 15 strokes at the 2000 U.S. Open, the only one under par), is an absolutely fitting response, by Tiger, to Feinstein's effort to manufacture scandal from almost nothing. One guy said it best when he said that there are other golfers on tour who are no different, if not worse. Amazing, it seems, that we haven't heard from Feinstein since Tiger's 1999 PGA Championship win. His crow is getting cold.

No comments about Brown Face, Big Master (Caribbean Classics).

2 comments about Black-Eyed Peas for the Soul: Tales to Strengthen the African American Spirit and Encourage the Heart.

1. If you are a fan of the Chicken soup books, You'll love Black-eyed peas for the soul, a collection of inspirationl, and stories of hope from african americans of every wake of life.



2. This unique book carries the reader into many worlds through the experiences of the writers. A reader is inspired by stories of faithfulness in varied relationships. Lessons about the kind of persistence that leads to life altering achievement are included from unexpected authors like George Washington Carver. It is good to read perspectives from African-Americans from many different disciplies and philosophies. I don't think we have heard enough about the presence of this book in the literary world. My suggeston to everyone is read it and improve the quality of your life. BLACK-EYED PEAS FOR THE SOUL IS A TREASURE.

No comments about Clarity as Concept: A Poet's Perspective.

3 comments about Essence: 50 of the Most Inspiring African-Americans.

1. This was a very uplifting and positive reading. I own it and my 9 year old was surprised by it. We read it together.
   I agree a nice coffee table addition!



2. Black History Month - Feb., 2005. Black parents, more than ever, need to be careful about the choice of role models for their black children. If you take a look at the prominent themes in many black music videos and movies -- you will notice a gradual glorification of the Ho, Pimp and Thug theme for young black kids. Take a look at any 7 out of 10 music videos and you will see black women loosely dressed to seduce men. Take a look at 7 out of 10 music videos and you will notice the black men portrayed at pimps and thugs. The sorry part is that in real life there are too many black men in prison and young black girls getting pregnant at an early age; and all of this contributes to the high school drop out rate and aids. Too much sex and crime glorified in black music videos and movies. And now Hollywood gives it top award to the Queen Black Ho -- Halle Berry. What kind of role model is that? Based purely on good looks and a golden idol (Oscar); but look at how she had to debase and degrade herself to get it. Okay young black girls, have sex with Billy Bob and you can be successful like me? What stupid values to pass along to our kids. All of this means a black kid does not have a snowball chance of hell of surviving with idiotic role models like Halle, Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent. As though dealing with racism in this country was not bad enough, black kids are now being fed a steady diet of negative role models and entertainment that guarantee that they will be losers. Instead of glorifying the non-role models like Halle, Snoop and 50cent, Black people need to BOYCOTT them. All they do is encourage negative behavior, such as being a ho, being a pimp and being a thug. At what point does Essence magazine suggest that young black girls watch Monster's Ball? Just because someone gave her an Oscar (that should have gone to Lena Horne years ago); black people think that it is okay to accept porn for the 1st Oscar given to a black woman. The first white woman to get an Oscar did not have to get naked and have sex -- but the first black woman did. By the way, Hollywood has not given an Oscar to any White woman having down and dirty sex with a black man; but because black women and girls were raped by white men for years during slavery, I guess we are thought of as being "less" so it is okay to give a black woman an award for having down and dirty sex with a white man (just like those good ole slavery days). I think that Essence is owned by a white person, but black people should be smart enough to just say "no" to this gradual emphasis on a Slave Mentality pushed by people who are just in it for the money, but don't have to worry about having their kids fall prey to the same negative stuff that they put out in the world. Let's give our kids something better and encourage education and self respect, rather than putting people like Halle Berry on a platter, when all she did was give good sex to Billy Bob!



3. Essence has come up with a very attractive coffe table book. The photos are lovely and the profiles/commentary is pleasant and non demanding. If you are serious collector of books on black culture you can safely skip this one but if you just want a pretty picture book then this is a nice addition.

No comments about Black Leadership in America (2nd Edition) (Studies In Modern History).

4 comments about A Matter of Justice: Eisenhower and the Beginning of the Civil Rights Revolution.

1. The 1950s is often referred to nostalgically especially by those like me who grew up during this time period. Author David Nichols's book focuses on President Dwight Eisenhower's role during this often turbulent decade. Eisenhower ruled over five Supreme Court appointments, the first being Governor Earl Warren of California. Eisenhower had promised Warren the first vacancy that presented itself. This turned into being the position of Chief Justice which Warren filled. The 1954 decision of Brown vs. the Topeka, Kansas, Board of Education which overturned the 1896 case of Plessy vs. Ferguson which declared separate but equal facilities for both whites and blacks is dealt in detail. Eisenhower was so upset by the Brown decision of 1954 that he is often quoted as saying his appointment of Warren to be "the biggest damned fool mistake I ever made." Eisenhower didn't believe you could legislate moral values by saying, "You can't change the heart by passing a law." States rights, he believed, took precedence in government which also included schools. A rift developed between both Eisenhower and Warren, and has been detrimental to Eisenhower's reputation in regard to civil rights. Warren had come to resent Eisenhower the war hero, and Warren would have liked to have run for president in 1956 if Eisenhower had not run for reelection. In August of 1955 the murder of Emmett Till in Money, Mississippi, sparked the civil rights movement. In December of that same year Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. When asked why she refused to give up her seat she said, "I thought of Emmett Till, and I just couldn't." This anecdote is not in the book, but it has appeared in others. The 1957 crisis in Little Rock, Arkansas, was another incident that erupted when Governor Orval Fabus refused to allow blacks to enter Central High School. Eisenhower was hoping for some vacation time where he could play some golf, and he now had his golf time rudely interrupted by another pressing civil rights matter. This book provides the reader with some of the turbulent times that provided previews of coming attractions during the 1960s.



2. A friend highly recommended this book. He told me that it gave him high respect for Eisenhower and his Attorney General, Herb Brownell.
   Having read quite a bit of Civil Rights history and several biographies of Dwight Eisenhower, I thought I knew the Eisenhower's record on Civil Right. Wrong!
   The author David A. Nichols, a history professor, was unknown to me before reading his A Matter of Justice. He did a superb job of providing detailed and extensive notes which gave me as a reader a great respect for the extent of his research and his perserverance in writing this book.



3. I found this book to be quite educational. It reviews the situation at the time and Ike's past and places his actions in perspective. Neither fawning nor overly flattering, it give a clear view of a decent but conflicted man of the times. The evolution of Ike's moral compass was very well presented. In light of the recent election campaigns, it presents some important history.



4. David Nichols' work on Eisenhower's support for the cause of civil rights, as the blurbs on the back cover indicate, advances the historical record. Eisenhower's view was that the best way to advance the cause of civil rights was through action rather than oratory. This approach to government was a consistent theme of Eisenhower's modus operandi as reflected in Fred Grenstein's ground breaking work. While Nichols enhances Eisenhower's civil rights record by calling attention both to his actions and his public and private comments, he also acknowledges Eisenhower could have (should have?) used the bully pulpit of the presidency more in support of the first Brown decision and the civil rights movements. Nichols lays much of the blame for southern resistence to Brown I to the Court's timidity in its enforcement decision, Brown II, and claims that Eisenhower also was disappointed in Brown II.
   
   Eisenhower, whatever his motives and modus operandi, can be faulted for failing to recognize that a bully pulpit was needed in the aftermath of Brown I and that his overly legalistic and above the board approach stroked southern resistence. The repercussions of not using stronger rhetoric during his presidency caused ripples which reverberate today. While Eisenhower may have provided leadership, he failed to use all the tools of the presidency, including the bully pulpit, to provide moral leadership.

No comments about Telling Histories: Black Women Historians in the Ivory Tower (Gender and American Culture).

5 comments about Cornbread and Dim Sum: A Memoir of a Heart Glow Romance.

1. This was a beautiful, poignant story that needed to be told. I thank Mrs. Sue and her family for allowing the public to take a glimpse at the obstacles she and her husband faced, which only made their love stronger.



2. The entire book was so warm and inviting. It was truly nice to be invited into the Authors life. Being in a BW/AM relationship it was nice to finally read a book with experiences that related close to my own. Thanks to the author for the courage and time spent writing this enriching memoir.



3. I was fascinated and riveted by this personal love story between a Chinese man and African-American woman. The sad part is that I normally would not have picked up this type of genre of a book to read it. That would have been a shame and I would have missed a wonderfully told tale of the heart and the soul.
   
   Cornbread and Dim Sum is more than a look at the lives of two people caught up in the racial tensions caused by their inter-racial relationship - we also get a look at marriage, love, family values and cultural differences. Being a white male, this book afforded me an insider view of their unique life together that I would not otherwise have been afforded. I came away a better person for having read this book. It opened my eyes to what love is all about. Their lives are fully exposed on the pages of this book and honestly dealt with through the easy to read emotional prose of author, Jacqueline Annette Sue. She takes you along her life journey as reflections and remembrances while preparing for her younger daughter's wedding. The writing style works to weave the past and present into a mosaic of emotional and spiritual imagery of where their life took them.
   
   This book is not so much about racial differences that tend to separate us, but about what is means to be a human being. I found this book hard to put down once I got into the first several pages - I was hooked. I had devoured the entire book in less than 24 hours on having it in my hands. I give this book my highest rating and recommendation. This is not just a book for women or ethnic readers - this book does deal with some racial issues that divided people but their love story transcends all that. You will come away seeing these two people not just as an African-American and Chinese couple but as human beings who endured all that happened in their lives because they found a love much greater than anything that would harm that relationship. I fell in love with their story and think that other readers will as well.
   
   Note:
   
   Author Jacqueline Sue is now writing a screen play about Vietnam where she recently made a heartfelt journey. We look forward to reviewing it when it is completed.



4. Cornbread and Dim Sum has received the INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER OUTSTANDING BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD.



5. I was hooked by this book from the first words I read. Mrs. Sue uses a warm and direct style to convey scene and emotion in a way that can almost be felt viscerally by the reader. In describing her unique experience of a life built upon a love between people of different races, the author pulls few punches when describing both the pain and uncertainty of being faced with obvious discrimination as well as the joys and deeply felt passions for her husband and daughters that were a part of her journey through life. This book earns my highest recommendation.