5 comments about More Christian Than African American.

1. I am a white female, just about Mrs. Tate's age. This book has helped me understand why there is sometimes a racial divide between the races, and it has strengthend my spiritual walk. I had many "aha" moments as I read the book and I highly recommend it to all people of all ages and races.



2. This book opened my eyes to all the compromises I was making because of my race in spite of my spirituality. I, too, strive to be a 24-7 Christian. More Christian than African American. I highly recommend this book to people of all races.



3. I've had the wonderful pleasure of not only reading Mrs.Tate's book, but also meeting her in her church home. It was clear why Mrs. Tate was lead to write an account of her spiritual journey. Surrounded by a loving and supportive family at home as well as church only ensures that she's bound for even more writing success. All you "haters" keep those bad reviews coming! This only fuels Mrs. Tate to plow ahead ! Keep it coming, Kim.



4. "Open your eyes and tune your ears, so you know what you see and understand what you hear." This is the message I would like people to read before opening the pages of this book. Ms. Tate's experience is not much different than many others (me included) who have experienced a new religion/church for the first time. Usually we are mesmerized for some time at the beauty of the Bible or other teachings and the strength of the preacher. I just wish Ms. Tate would have waited to write this book after she had more time to reflect on her chistrian and "African American" experience and identity. I also wish she would have had more courage to tell her publishers to give her book a title that was more relevant to her story and one that did not provoke an avenue that allows white America and the Ward Connerly's of the world to deny the stifling affect racism has had and continues to have on Black Americans.

   I do believe her book has value in the fact it shows us that not all Black folk share the same historical experiences nor do we see all things the same way. However, I hope Ms. Tate realizes that her book will not bring too many more black folks, particularly young ones, into the church or christianity. She needs to understand, if she doesn't already, that most African Americans share a "common black experience", not a christian one. Even the christian experience among African Americans is different. Therefore, I expect that more white Americans will find themselves in her book than African Americans will. (When those black men got together in Washington for the Million Man March, they did so because they shared a common experience as African/African American/Afro-Carribean men...Louis Farrakhan organized it, but his religion and ours had very little to do with why we attended. It was brotha's for brotha's, not christians against muslims, muslims against jews, Jehovahs witnesses against baptists, or black lutherans against black catholic. The spirit that ran between those of us who attended that day was beyond that!

   Readers should also note that Ms. Tate lives in the same city I do, and Madison, Wisconsin is a place where many middle class African Americans are very comfortable with the status quo. We should also note that Ms. Tate's church is not typical of many black churches- they do not recognize nor participate in the political struggles of African Americans in their own community and their minister vehemently denounced the Million Man March. While this may not be true of Ms. Tate, this is the history of the "horse that lead her to water."ÿ




5. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this wonderful and beautifully-written book. I, like Mrs. Tate, am a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which widely embraces the practice of incorporating the personal testimonies of God's people into the worship service. I, like many others, derive great benefit from hearing the testimonies of others who are striving to grow and mature under the leadership and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Reading Mrs. Tate's testimony was very timely for me. I am a thirty-one-year-old, caucasian, born-again christian. When I began reading "More Christian Than African-American" I was at a point in my life when I was just on the verge of beginning to, truly, walk in victory. Naturally, the enemy was on the attack, telling me that I had not really grown much at all, trying to convince me that I didn't have much to celebrate. Then, glory to God, I read Mrs. Tate's up-lifting testimony of how Jesus wiped away her sin, delivered her from distasteful & destructive behaviors, set her free from a spirit of un-forgiveness towards whites, and then began using her in a mighty way to uplift His holy name. As I turned the pages of her book, I was reminded of many of the sinful behaviors from which I have been delivered. And, while I know that I have much work to do, Mrs. Tate has encouraged and inspired me to "keep on keepin' on", as her open and frank approach makes her one to whom it is very easy to relate.

   Additionally, Mrs. Tate has boldly brought forth a powerful message which instructs all of us to cease from being anything but christian first. I appreciate the way she has dealt with this issue head-on. Those who are mature in Christ and have placed Him as Ruler and King over their ENTIRE being will receive this message as they ought. Jesus really is LOVE. However, I know that some black christians will criticize her for taking this stand, citing former and modern offenses comitted by the white majority and vowing to "stay black" and to keep their churches black. In contrast there will be whites applauding her for this refreshing approach, while waving their "Love" banner and ever-so secretly concealing their fear of black culture as a whole. They will breath a heavy sigh of relief and then flock to their all-white churches, to their comfort zones. Brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to wake up! Thank you Kim Cash Tate for the call! (Thank you Lord Jesus.)

5 comments about A-Train: Memoirs of a Tuskegee Airman.

1. I had the opportunity to read this book. From the moment of the first word to the very last word, the book draws you in to read more. The graphic descriptions can take you to the other side of the world and stand next to the author on his travels. You know what it was like be black during the "Jim Crow" days on the trains in the south. Granted that my 25 years never saw the ugly side of America, his visual imagery is just so vivid that I seriously think they should dump "Scarlett Letter" and place this book on the reading lists of High School Students.



2. Charles Dryden's book forces people to see the trials and tribulations encountered by black servicemen and women during WWII. I was shocked to read about the different encounters with 'Jim Crow' that Dryden and his peers waded through during their service years. A must for anybody curious about WWII, the Tuskegee Airmen or about the fight for civil rights in America.



3. I meet Col. Dryden when he gave a talk about his experiences and his book. I then read the book a felt a tremendous respect for the author and all the Tuskeegee Airmen. Col. Dryden tells his personal story in a way that made me feel as though I was there with him the whole time. The challanges of blacks in America in his story left a powerful impact on me, the courage the author displayed is an insperation. A-Train is very well written and reads easily. It is an powerful story that left me feeling inadequate and ashamed to be white. I had the oportunity to meet Col. Dryden again and sought him out just to shake his hand again, knowing him from his book, it was hard to hide my emotions.



4. Every young African American boy should read this book. It is an inspiration.



5. I initially bought this book expecting it to be similar to the other slew of WWII books out there ( The ME-109 dove at me out of the sun with guns blazing...). Instead I got an honest account of a man who wanted to fly for his country and be treated with the same respect as any other pilot. Dryden's memories and descriptions of his voyage through training to be a pilot as well as the segregated and de-segregated Air Force are interesting and honest. Dryden't narrative is not the heart-pounding, can't-put-the-book down type but rather the story of a man who, faced with tremendous adversity from his own society and country, persevered. There is no bitterness in Dryden's story, and I put the book down tremendously impressed by his belief in himself, in his religion and his friend. It's a good book

3 comments about Lady Sings the Blues the 50th Anniversary Edition (Harlem Moon Classics).

1. Nice reissue of the 1956 original. Billie was and still is an American jazz icon. For me the CD stuck in the back of the book was a wonderful bonus. 16 year old Renee Olstead singing "Good Morning Heartache" just blows me away! She has the potential to become another great jazz icon!



2. I have a deep love and respect for some of the most influential female jazz and soul singers of our time, like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Dinah Washington, Carmen McRae, Lena Horne, and last but not least, Billie Holiday. In LADY SINGS THE BLUES, Holiday recalls some of the most resonant memories of her turbulent past--the good, the [mostly] bad and the [frequently] ugly. From the very start, Billie Holiday (birth name Eleanora Fagan) born to thirteen year old Sadie Fagan and sixteen year old Clarence Holiday, had a very difficult life. The young girl saw much in the rough streets of Baltimore, Maryland, as a call girl, a jailbird and a spitfire with a vey hot temper.
   
   Billie didn't even consider a career in singing, and her introduction as a vocalist was (perhaps) accidental, but definitely fate. Her descent into drug addiction, jailtime, turbulent relationships (with both men and women) and the great antipathy she faced in the storm of racism, jealousy and gossip made for a very adverse life, on and off of the stage. Some of the greatest moments of her career are documented here, as told to writer William Dufty. We learn the stories behind songs like "Strange Fruit," that are songs she created and truly lived and experienced, before setting them to lyric and melody. Though, I never heard Billie Holiday's speaking voice, I heard it throughout this piece, and I can see why it was brought to the screen, as a film. I haven't seen it, so I honestly have no idea how well it translated as a movie, with Diana Ross. Though, I have heard it was fantastic.
   
   There is also a companion CD, that goes with the memoir, to mark the 50th anniversary of its original release (1956-2006). Perhaps that's why I had to take one star away from the package, as a whole. You really can't read a book like LADY SINGS THE BLUES and then hear other artists covering the songs that Billie really created. There is no comparison, even though musicians like Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds are featured on the album (doing a respectable job of STRANGE FRUIT). It's just not the same. Yet, if the CD was excluded from this 50th anniversary reissue, I would give the book (on its own) five stars, without hesitation. Highly reccomended!



3. The only thing that saved this book is Billie's personality, which oozes off every page. I found it really hard to get through this book because it doesn't read chronologically---events are thrown all over the place and there are too many people named throughout the book (as if she just wanted to give them a shout-out--so that they could be remembered because she cared about people in that way) but its very difficult to keep up with so many names. It doesn't dig too deep into her drug habit or relationships...and some things are believed to be fictionalized so that the book could sell. Nonetheless, I have to give the book three stars because if anything, it introduced me to Billie. She was sassy, charming, real, and plain beautiful inside and out despite her life experiences. I'm very unfortunate to have not lived in that musical era...when artists truly sang from the heart with passion. I would have loved to meet her. In fact, after reading this novel, I feel like everytime I hear one of her songs, we will have a connection. You don't have to buy this particular book, but you should read up on her and try to listen to some of her music...just to keep her memory alive.

5 comments about Chief of Station, Congo: Fighting the Cold War in a Hot Zone.

1. This book arrived quicker than I thought. We are planning to move and I thought this book would not make it in time for our move. It came as almost a brand new book and after I read it will ad it to all my books on Africa. Thank you seller for this good looking book!



2. Well documented account of life in Central Africa during the 1960's. Having lived in other parts of West Africa (as a child) and traveled to sub-Sahara countries, Mr. Devlin's narrative brought back many memories of a very influential part of my life.



3. When the Belgians decided to grant the Congo independence the huge country was immediately plunged into chaos. Katanga province secedes and other parts of the country are wavering, the Soviets are arriving in droves, the Congolese army has mutinied and the newly-elected government has no clue. CIA officer Larry Devlin is tossed into this mess and his first-hand account makes some of the strangest works of fiction seem pale in comparison.
   
   Mr. Devlin discusses the politics of the Congo and makes sense of Lumumba, Tshombe and other players who seemingly changed roles from protagonist to villain and back again. The policies of the UN and where they were coming from also come to mind.
   
   Forgotten now, the Congo saw a significant intervention by the United Nations and USAF aircraft airlifted material in support. Fear that the Soviets would gain control of the vast mineral wealth of the Congo was one of the motivating factors of western nations in dealing with the crisis.
   
   A great book!



4. An excellent biography, discusses what happened during the Cold War in the Congo from his point of view. I found it an enjoyable read.



5. A good book giving an overall flavor of the Congo in the early 60's. It would be nice if Devlin had filled in more details however perhaps this is proscribed in his publishing agreement (I presume that he had to run this through the CIA before publishing it). You do get an idea of just what a CIA COS does to try to guide events to follow US policy. He's rather blase about the physical risks of operating in an unstable environment although maybe this is because he survived to tell the tale. I don't think that I would have my family at my side in such an environment.

No comments about Baldwin's Harlem: A Biography of James Baldwin.

5 comments about Here I Stand.

1. Paul Robson was the son of an escaped slave. He earned 15 Varsity letters in sports at Rutgers in Baseball, Basketball, Football and Track and Field, and graduated from Rutgers in 1919 as valedictorian. He then attended and graduated form Columbia Law School in 1923 and after a brief time practicing law he pursued a career in the arts as a singer and actor. If there ever was an American Renaissance man it was Paul B. Robeson. How does a man with all these talents become a communist?
   
   Here I stand sheds light on the complexity of Paul Robeson and reveals a lot about who he was especially his strong sense of social justice. He was one of the first artists who became a political activist. Yes before Bono there was Robeson. He not only gave millions of his own money he also raised funds to help the poor and causes he believed in; he supported factions against Franco in the Spanish Civil war, raised money for refugees from Hitler's regime and he lobbied President Truman to support anti-lynching Legislation. He was known for supporting socialist causes; at the time socialist causes included the eight hour work day, abolishing child labor, programs to feed and care for the poor and elderly before our country had unemployment and social security.
   
   Here I Stand his personal examination of his own philosophy and reading it makes you wonder what Black men of his generation could have achieved if they had been born after the civil rights movement. My grandfather was a communist organizer and lived in St. Louis, Missouri. My father met Robeson as a boy. Some Black people, like Robeson and my grandfather, embraced communism because it offered hope.
   
   Personally, I believe that if our country fully embraced the principles of equality written in our Constitution and accepted Black people as full citizen's communism would have held no appeal at all to men like Robeson and my grandfather. Had Robeson had the same opportunities as white men who had the same talents in his generation then I doubt communism would have held the same appeal for him. My grandfather was a WWI veteran and because of segregation he had to travel 300 miles just to enlist in the Army; if he had been treated fairly like all men who sacrificed to serve this country communism would not have appealed to him either. Paul Robeson's struggle was the struggle of the Black people of his generation who, like him, looked for hope in a philosophy that we now know with historic hindsight was not the panacea they sought; nevertheless in Here I Stand he gives them a voice.
   
   This is a fascinating look into Robeson's life and it is worth reading; we read it in college in Afro-American History and I was able to discuss this with my dad(who was patriotic and served in the Marines) and learn even more about this fascinating person who would today be labeled a multitalented genius; in the post civil rights era Robeson would also have the full rights of citizenship and have more opportunity to benefit from his hard work and talents.



2. I was expecting to read an autobiography of Paul Robeson but in the first few pages, he clearly informs the reader that the book being read is not an autobiography. And it's not, although it deals with facets of his life. The book focuses more on exploring how Paul Robeson came to hold his strong political beliefs.
   
   As a student of African history (of the diaspora and Africa itself), the most valuable thing about this book, at this writing, is how ahead of his time Robeson was. Before learning about Africa, or learning African languages became the cultural phenonemon it is in some circles, Robeson was doing it. He wasn't doing it simply to expand his repetoire of songs or for any other self-serving reason. He was doing it because he understood that being able to communicate with people in their own language works wonders in being able to develop a genuine rapport. He also did as an extension of his understanding that the centuries long condition of slavery had deprived him of a correct perception of Africa and African people.
   
   I finished this book with an increased respect for his personality, his character, his devotion to African people and last but not least, his intelligence. Paul Robeson's life is an example to progressive artists who aim to have their art serve their people's struggle, not just be a vehicle for personal expression.



3. The life of Paul Robeson is a story worth telling and hearing by all. Whether of not one agrees with all of the places in which he journeyed in search of truth, we should and must recognize his strength in traveling against the mindless tides of the time and his unwillingness to merely be blown along by the strongest winds -- as so many are today.
   Speaking of which, I must cite the slanderous "review" of 8 January 2001 by an, of course, "anonymous" naysayer who seems forever mired in the days of McCarthy's cold war rhetoric, hatred, and mindless babbling. Please note that the cold war is over, and even when it was on, we were ill-served by the kind of dimwitted buffoonery which branded anyone who dared have an opinion of his own as an enemy of the state.
   Sadly, that kind of blatant fascist lunacy has come to rule America again.
   This is the perfect time for this story to be told.



4. Good book for anyone who wants to learn about this unsung american hero. When will history books teach the youth of our country about this man?



5. Paul Robeson was a proud man. A man of bravery, intelligence and integrity. He was a man who had to walk alone, as men must do sometimes. He formed his own opinions, defined his own ideology, and stood up for that ideology when confronted. Faced with hatred the way he was, many men would give in and surrender, Mr. Robeson refused to do this. He walked the road that Malcolm X, Nelson Mandela, and Michael Jordan walked and he lived to tell it like he saw it. All the kids who live in poverty should know that education is the key to being your own person, if you need a guide, read Here I Stand.

5 comments about With Head and Heart: The Autobiography of Howard Thurman.

1. This book is the best kept secret regarding Dr. Howard Thurman, a little known household name. If you ever wondered who inspired great leaders such as Dr. Martin L. King, Jr., Jesse Jackson, and the list goes on...read With Head and Heart. It is truly a story worth reading; one of sacrifice, perseverance, and success.



2. In becoming better acquainted, through reading, with a man some of my friends have encouraged me to become familiar with, I have found an incredible gift in the form of Hward Thurman, whose message is not only inspiring, but timely, interfaith, intercultural and, most of all one, thatif taken to heart and put into practice, could change the world. I often wonder why such messages are read, spoken from various platforms and then passed over and and remembered only as inspirational words as we forge ahead in the world doing things the same way over and over again.
   
   I recommend the message in this book to everyone who will care enough to not only learn about an incredible human being who was with us for a while, left us with a vision, and challenged us to see things in a new light. I invite us to see the wisdom he shared and put it into action.
   
   It is an autobiography and so we must accept it as written, staying free f rom judgement as to style, etc. It is a man's heart, gifted to those who will read and those whom he has influenced and those who could gain so much from sharing in the vision.



3. I recently returned to Thurman's autobiography after 15 years. I am developing a course in Composition/African-American Literature. Thurman's words will be the springboard. His prose is elegant and concise; his sensitivity to nature, a poetic model; his expansive spirit, inspirational. Many chapters will serve as exercises for writing; e.g.: his instruction for the preparation of sermons. In fine, his response to life is a guidline for good writing and holy living.



4. Thurman stands on his own as a giant. The only weakness of the book is that often the compilers feel the need to tell us what Thurman is going to say.

   Not sure so much from Disciplines of the Spirit needed to be reprinted.

   I read much of the book during a 12 hour Prayer Vigil and found it very enriching and satisfying.




5. Howard Thurman's autobiography is a defining, powerful collection of one man's life-stories that inspire family, schools, churches, nations and gives timely revelations into the transforming power of God's grace that spans the many gulfs that we call racial, economic, religious, political lines. This is a must read text.

2 comments about Being a Black Man: At the Corner of Progress and Peril.

1. Very interesting. Most of what I read I always knew but was unable to put in words.



2. Written by the staff of the Washington Post, this book is a compilation of a series of articles, augmented by some new material, on the issue of being a black man in America. The book offers a contemporary view on the issue and reveals how divided black men actually are on how they view themselves in the context of race. The articles are insightful, candid and highly personal, as they evolved from interviews with many black men from all walks of life and provide a birds-eye view into how black men in America currently define themselves and their lives. I was entranced by their stories.
   
   The writing is superlative, and the reader will find the introduction by Pulitzer Prize winning novelist, Edward P. Jones, quite poignant. The book also includes the results of a nationwide poll that empirically confirms what the articles declare anecdotally, that black men in contemporary America are divided on how they view themselves, each other, and their country. Those who are interested in social issues, as well as those simply interested in the human condition, will enjoy this well-written, insightful book.

5 comments about I Make My Own Rules.

1. Good book, not great. A look into the life of L L. It's a very positive book. I was disappointed that he wasn't more specific on some issues. He only very briefly talks about Fubu. He doesn't mention the controversey with the Troop clothing line at all. He doesn't include his famous rap battles with Kool Moe Dee or Ice T or the battle he had against Jay Z. He talks briefly about how he almost went broke but he doesn't specifically cover how he was losing so much money. He doesn't talk at all on what made him get more involved in body building. I hoped the book would be more; but it's still good. It's a "feel good" kind of up book. It's good reading for any age.



2. If you are as much as an LL Fan as I am, then you won't want to miss out on this book. LL doesn't hold back anything in this book. He reveals it all. Everything. From his wild experiences with groupies, his relationship with Quincy Jones's daughter, his trials and tribulations, and even the abuse that he suffered as child by his step father.



3. What a good book! He has a very deep history and I love the fact that he was not at all trying to brag about being rough when he was young (help him with a"ganster rap" image) or by how big he has become. He is a very REAL human- down to earth. You feel it in his music, but really get to learn through this book. Just a great guy!



4. I'm not a person who has a lot of respect for rappers or hip-hop. Yes, it's a legal way for black people to make money, but I have a major problem with the imaging, content, and attitudes of most hip hop artists who are our most visible representatives to the world. And the way they behave has a trickle down effect on me and every other black person regardless of the way WE behave. Being black and from the ghetto doesn't make it okay to be devoid of class and dignity. Our behavior puts us in the doghouse more than our color does. And I don't see much respectable behavior in hip hop.
   
   Nevertheless, I find LL Cool J more respectable and likeable than most of them; and his story is an interesting, worthwhile one. Maybe if the public were more exposed to the real, living, breathing individuals in rap music rather than just the "star" we could empathize more with their situations and be less critical of their flaws.
   
   LL gets emotionally naked as he informs his readers and fans alike of his life: from growing up to becoming a man with superstar status and millions of admirers.
   
   He discusses...
   
   ...his relationship with his father who severely wounded his mother and grandfather with a shotgun; and his stepfather who physically and emotionally abused him behind his mother's back.
   
   ...his sex life with women: including groupies, Quincy Jones' daughter and his current wife.
   
   ...his career
   
   ...his ability to forgive and to mature in order to survive and stay relevant



5. VERY DETAILED AND HONEST AUTOBIO HE HAS TRULY MATURED AND HAD A WILD LIFE TO SAY THE LEAST! I DONT WANNA GIVE THE BOOK AWAY BUT IF U R A LL COOL J FAN U NEED TO GET THIS ONE AND LEARN ABOUT JAMES TOOD SMITH!

5 comments about I May Not Get There with You: The True Martin Luther King, Jr.

1. I find it very refreshing when a product of multiculturalism throws a wrench in the system and violently turns against his masters. In this provocative (though unsurprisingly silenced) work of pop scholarship college diversity program poster-child and hip hop "expert" Eric Dyson sets to work on deconstructing the white-washed image of Martin Luther King, Jr. that the American left has successfully promoted without opposition for the past four decades.
   
   But wait a minute, Martin Luther King Jr. was an American patriot, someone who was deeply devoted to the ideals of its Founding Fathers and simply wanted to tinker with a few of the more archaic aspects of American society (Jim Crow) so that everyone could at least have a fair shot at the American Dream. I must admit that up until a few months ago I was captured (more like poisoned) by this ridiculous myth, probably more so than most even. The story of King's life seemed so inspiring, who wouldn't want to believe in it?
   
   Turns out pretty much everything taught about MLK in public schools are at best half truths and all of the most hideous aspects of his life go completely unmentioned. As Dyson tells us, the truly radical aspects of King's ideology - such as his close association with the American Communist Party - are silenced specifically to keep African Americans in check. Undoubtedly, but these facts are suppressed specifically to keep suspicious whites in a state of unthinking, unquestioning silence as much as anyone else. Dyson didn't have to dig very much to uncover this information, even King's closest associates and biggest financial backers were Communists.
   
   Dyson also quotes some of King's most damaging speeches and interviews on economics that leave little doubt about what King's larger social and economic objectives actually were. "Oh, gee willickers!," the multiculturalist will scream, tearing the hair from his head, "You've got it all wrong - King only promoted the positive aspects of Communism." Well that all depends on just what you think the "positive" aspects of Communism really are. Let's see, King patently endorsed the redistribution of wealth, destruction of the military, labor's seizure of private business, abolition of private property...oh but don't worry, no Gulags!
   
   Predictably the trail of putrid scandal doesn't end there. In what has become a recurring theme amongst American leftists King possessed a voracious and positively uncontrollable appetite for cheap prostitutes. The point in mentioning this type of degenerate behavior at all is so Dyson can tie King's participation in the Civil Rights movement to the anti-objectivity counter-revolution that occurred subsequently thereafter. Here as well King was quite an active critic of the military (not JUST Vietnam), did interviews with pornographic magazines, generally did everything in his power to undermine sensible restraints wherever they existed, and ensured that a whole generation was indoctrinated into loving themselves and living for themselves only. Most important in all of these activities by King were the rumblings of what would later become known as "Affirmative Action."
   
   Dyson of course supports this development unconditionally and who could blame him, he is where he is precisely because King and his predecessors (backed by the Federal Government) were able to intimidate employers, agencies, and universities into adopting certain "hiring policies" favorable to African Americans. Noticably missing however in this book is elaboration on King's despicable intellectual dishonesty and theft (60% of his doctoral thesis at Boston University was stolen from another student) of other people's work throughout the entirety of his career.
   
   The story of "Dr." King is not an entirely uncommon one for political figures and needless to say his story is hardly inspiring. Indeed, it's typical even for the most violent political leaders to take a relatively egalitarian approach in the beginning, only to shed this facade once they start gathering steam in favor of uncompromising authoritarianism. Vladimir Lenin was an outspoken critic of the Czar and railed against the regime for its suppression of political speech, exploitation of the working class, and persecution of ethnic and religious minorities. Well, we all know how that turned out. I seriously doubt that Martin Luther King, Jr. was any different. Just as another reviewer pointed out, if he were alive today I'm sure he'd be right there with Al Sharpton and Jesse falsely accusing random college students of rape, petitioning to get O.J. Simpson reduced bail, and doing anything he possibly could to exacerbate whatever racial tensions still exist in this country.
   
   Why Dyson thinks this new version of King is great for black folks is anyone's guess, frankly I don't care. I'm just glad I don't have to listen to this hippy nonsense anymore and for that I am thankful.



2. I agree with Dr. King's message of harmony and peace. At the same time I can appreciate Dyson's exposure of aspects of King's personal life that most authors do not address (an obvious exception is "And the Walls Came Tumbling Down"). In a very real sense it leads to questioning Dr. King's sincerity in asking others to value the character of a person and not the color of their skin. Dr. King was an admirable figure in American history; I wouldn't go as far as the author in saying he might be the most important American ever; that's a bit over the top. I've read a lot on the subject; this book is worth reading.



3. I have always been fascinated with Dr. King as one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century. I love the work that Dr. Dyson did in writing this book, because he is authentic in talking about Dr. King the man - strengths, weaknesses and all - while exposing the myths about him. Being African-American, I can understand why many within our community woud want to scold Dr. Dyson for exposing Dr. King's dirty laundry. I, however, consider it not only essential, but relevant that we talk about the true humanity of our leaders (espcially one as esteemed as Dr. King) to avoid the danger of us elevating them as idols. It is a great reminder that God uses people (albeit flawed people) for magnificent works in a fallen world. This is a great book that I highly recommed!!



4. I picked up this book expecting a fresh approach and analysis of Dr. King apart from the obligatory images we're force-fed each new year. Instead, I was disappointed to find that Michael Eric Dyson made heavy use of speculation with the intent to scandalize more than to inform and enlighten. One such example includes Dyson conveying the idea that Dr. King may have engaged in orgies with many different women along with his right-hand man Ralph Abernathy. He then goes on to infer that there was talk of King and Abernathy engaging in sexual acts with each other! The author had no commentary to either support or dispel this "theory" making Dyson's retelling of the alleged incident totally irresponsible and even libelous. He just dropped the information, true or untrue, in the reader's lap to do with as the reader pleased. To that end, it is my opinion that Dyson's intent in writing this book was in no way honorable or truth-seeking, rather it was a means to convey his baseless ideas to anyone who would listen. I'm reminded of something my grandmother and mother would always say to me, "an empty wagon makes the loudest noise." Michael Eric Dyson makes a lot of noise in this book but totally lacks substance. This was an expensive tabloid.



5. This book was not what I expected, but enjoyed regardless. I particularly liked his idea of banning the 'I Have a Dream' speech from public media. The stories about his philandering were a bit shocking to me, but I have never read any biography of King before, so I wasn't prepared. The ocassional tangents might irk some, but understand Dyson has to take some risks and expand on ideas to make the book worth his time. Realize the civil right movement is not over. Dialogue needs to continue in written forms such as this book to make progress.
   - logan square yuppie