5 comments about Kaffir Boy in America.

1. I really enjoyed Kaffir Boy, I found it very engaging and interesting. My husband was born the same year as Mark in Cape Town. His upbringing was very different from Mark's as a white boy. As a matter of fact he was not even aware of apartheid until the early 90's. I figured I needed to read Kaffir Boy in America to find out what happened in Mark's life. It has been a huge disappointment. As one of the reviewers mentioned Mark continually pats himself on the back because he is so wonderful. I am about 75% through this book and all it has succeeded in doing is making me angry. He made stupid decison after stupid decision while living off of Stan Smith's money. He couldn't keep a scholarhip or stay on an athletic team because of his bad attitude. He changed undergrad colleges 4 times. Yes, Mark you have an attitude. I hope that you paid Stan back for the college education he bought you. I spent $50,000 on my education, I didn't have any help. Mark quit working on a master's in journalism at Columbia University while on a full scholarship because he didn't feel like finishing it. Wah, wah, wah. How many people would have loved an opportunity like that? Doesn't matter if you grew up in SA or the US or are black or white or purple, that is not an opportunity you just pass up. Mark, listen to your Momma. Jesus Christ is the only way you are going to be saved. Your own enlightenment because you think you are so intelligent isn't going to get you anywhere.



2. Kaffir Boy in America is a great book by Mark Mathabane. It is an autobiography about an eighteen year old boy from South Africa, who gets a tennis scholarship in America. Mark is eager to go, so he can leave a place of such disaster. Though he goes through some struggles, all is well at the end. This is a great book about a new life in America!



3. Way to go Mark, 303 pages of patting yourself on the back, Boy your arm must hurt. I enjoyed "Kafir Boy" and was looking forward to reading what happened to Mark after he came to America. What happened Mark?



4. Having read the author's seminal work "Kaffir Boy", recounting the incredible hardships in the South African ghetto where he was raised, I was eager to learn more about how Mark Mathabane fared once he arrived in his so-called "promised land" and started the adjustment from a repressed third-world existence to one of opportunity and possibility in the US.
   
   Two things struck me about this follow up account of his life which bear mentioning: the author continues with his unflinchingly honest style of revealing everything, good and bad, in his experience; and secondly, the adjustment was difficult, because of the obvious cultural differences (and some similarities) to South Africa, together with the author's intense personality (which could also be seen, arguably, as stubbornness). Mathabane is unquestionably well read, highly intelligent, highly motivated and has strong opinions. Those are not faults, although he does tend to be a little unnecessarily verbose at times (and this, despite him quoting writers who warn against such things); his opining and at times unwillingness to bend or compromise or adapt to others led him to change or discontinue college courses at least four times, and some would say, squander opportunities. That last point is in the end, probably unsustainable, since he has accomplished much, and succeeded beyond anyone's wildest dreams in reaching a wide and sympathetic audience for his story and work.
   
   It is obvious that Mathabane, after having seen so much suffering and rising above it, does not want to be conventional, which led him to discontinue studies under scholarships at schools that most college students would covet the opportunity to attend. To his credit, he does not try to hide these issues, nor does he hide the, at times, incredulity and head-shaking from those well-meaning and intelligent friends, including Stan Smith and others, who question his decisions and direction.
   
   Mathabane brought to light, at a very needed time, the struggles of South Africa under apartheid. I found him more compelling, more convincing and I felt more empathetic in reading his experiences in South Africa in "Kaffir Boy", than in his recounting of his new life in America in this book, although there are some good passages which shine light on how a form of apartheid, economic and power-oriented as much as racial, still exists in America today. In the end, people of various persuasions appear to have looked to Mathabane to argue their view, be it Christian, humanist, liberal or conservative. I don't think any one group is entirely comfortable with where he sits. It seems at times that he is a little conflicted about where his beliefs lie. It can be frustrating at times, but ultimately this is not a measured and resolute work of fiction, but a true story of this man's life, with all its faults, contradictions and accomplishments wrapped up together.



5. Reviewer: Ana Quiroz from Torrance, CA
   May 5, 2004

   When I first read the book Kaffir Boy I was surprise in how the people were and how they were being treated, like sometimes they wouldn't have no food and they would eat anything, and that makes me think how food shouldn't go to waste because there are so many people in the world that are hungry. And how even people in the world would even consider prostituting just to get something to eat. I think that Mathabane had a rough childhood and he was being harrassed by his dad that would always hit him and treat him bad and his mom was his only help she would talk to him and tell him how he was.
   Its tough being a teenager and not only suffering in school but thinking if you have something to eat at home like Mathabane would do and almost getting raped when you only ate a little something to eat it is sad how people go through all of that and still manage to succeed in life. When I told my friend about this book and what is it about she went and bought a copy, and her mom didn't want her to read that book because its to strong for her as well as other parents in school but I think it helps teenagers how life sometimes is with people even though we don't know it or we try to avoid it. As we see our future its not always how we say its going to be but hopefully it will. Mathatbane lived in a bad time their was slavery, no respect, hunger and most of all they didn't care what woman think, I guess having all of that would make a really bad childhood. And even some kids didn't have an education so they were in the streets with gangs and doing bad things that would get them in trouble and with no future.
   I would recommend this book to people because is not like any other books it talks about important issues that really do happen in life and that is important it helps teens to look at life valuable and to be thankful of what you have.

5 comments about Inside A Thug's Heart.

1. I bought this book for my son, and he couldnt put the book down once he started to read it. He was continually showing me stuff 2pac had written that he really enjoyed. He really enjoyed reading this one. I highly recommend reading this book.



2. I have read almost every book written about Tupac Shakur and though this book does not appeal to me as one my favorites, Tupac's poetry and conversation kept me intrigued. Though I did not think it was necessary for the author to include her fantasies in the book, it can only be confusing to an occasional reader, fortunately for myself, my reading is constant so I didn't get lost in superfluous talk about daydreaming in between telephone conversations and letters, about discussions with him, sex with him, and all the other contrived things that happened only in her mind. The exciting part of the book is Tupac's poems and letters which allows the reader to really get a feel for who he really was.
   
   
   Angela Ardis really tried to give readers a chance to know Tupac on a level most did not know him, however, her attempts beyond actual letters and poems were really poor as she tried to spice the book up with her fantasies which turned out to be really boring and unnecessary. The biggest disappointment for me was the end of the book when Tupac supposedly shows up at her house unexpected, and they begin kissing intensely, and somehow ends up in her bedroom. She abruptly leaves the reader hanging, trying to decide whether or not this "surprise visit" from Tupac actually took place or if it was another one of her fantasy/daydreams. I was left wondering what happened and a bit angry that she didn't reveal it. I was disappointed, I thought it could have been much better. Buy this book only if you are interested in Tupac's thoughts about woman, love, and relationships, everything else leaves a lot left to be desired.



3. Tupac Shakur was shot again on September 7th, 1996, but instead of recovering from his injuries this time, a week latter he died. In this book, "inside A Thug's Heart with original poems and letters by Tupac Shakur" you will explore the emotions, thoughts, feelings, and out looks Tupac has for Angela Ardis or `Ms. Lovely' as he calls her. When at work one late night, Angela and he co-workers are playing around. One of the co-workers asked, " If you could have a `ruffneck' who would it be?" Angela says she would pick Tupac. Everyone laughs at her choice; for at the time he was in jail and everyone also thought he was no good. So a bet was made that she couldn't get in touch with him. Well it just so happens she did. She sent him a letter that stood out from the rest, one that smelled and looked nice. Inside the letter she gave him her number so he would be able to call and a picture so he would know what she looked like. With in one day he replied to with a phone call and soon followed by a letter. Now they're writing to each other. In Tupac's letters he expresses himself in so many ways you never hear the media talk about before. He is forward and honest, plus he wrote wonderful poems. What you read in this book you would never expected from Tupac. You think by the way he raps and acts on T.V. and/or magazines is the way he acts 24-7, but its not. There's another side to him. In fact there are seven as he explains in one of his letters.
   
   My favorite part of the book is each and every time you get to read his letters and poems. It's my favorite part because I get to see the other side of idol. I get to know more about Tupac then what the media portrays. Also get its my favorite part because when I was reading his poems and letters I could feel what was getting at. You get to take a look into a real thug's heart. To show you what mean, below is one of my favorite poems written by him called " 4 those nights when u r alone".
   
   U ever share your love with a stranger
   Only To realize he was a long lost friend?
   Ever Talk 2 A Man like u talk with a woman
   And share what you can't with other men?
   
   Can u picture your love being given
   2 A criminal stuck in this hell
   Can u promise 2 hold off from Judging him
   Until the day when you know him well
   
   Can u close your eyes and imagine
   If everything went Right
   The power of passion finally possessed
   After all those sleepless nights
   
   I bet you think I'm gaming you
   Just like all the men in your past
   Cuz' all of them promised u heaven on Earth
   But none of them seem 2 last
   
   After All, What can I offer u?
   Besides lonely nights & sweet words
   Promises of pleasures 2 come
   And lines you've already heard
   
   All I, can say is have faith in me
   And in Time maybe you'll come 2 c
   The definition and true meaning
   Of friendship can be discovered in me
   
   In my opinion this book is one of my all-time favorites and I would most recommend it. I recommend it mostly to Tupac fans because you get to see that there is more to him then what you hear from the media. Also because when you read it, you feel as though you where there when it was written. So if your looking for a good book to read I would recommend you read this one.



4. I feel blessed that we are able to have access to these letters between Ardis and the late Tupac A. Shakur, and I thank Afeni Shakur (the executor of her son's estate) for allowing Ms. Ardis to publish this correspondence.
   
   Some folks will question the motivation behind releasing these letters, an understandable criticism in this age of vapid kiss-and-tell celebrity culture. What does Ardis stand to gain from this? Is she exploiting her relationship with Shakur solely for personal gain? Fair questions yes, but in light of the fact that Shakur is no longer with us, the only connections that we have to him are through the artifacts that he left behind: his music, films, and personal documents. Collecting and preserving these artifacts is important for understanding the context of Shakur's life, his profession, and the society that he lived in.
   
   The historical significance of this correspondence between Ardis and Shakur cannot be overstated. Here, we are exposed to Tupac Shakur as a human being, away from the exploitive glare of the media spotlight, during what was perhaps the most difficult time of his life, when he was imprisoned in upstate New York for sexual abuse. Confined in a place where he had only himself and his thoughts, he is compelled to reach out to a fan who decided to send a letter to him on a dare. For those of us who think we know all there is to Mr. Shakur, the intimacy and vulnerability displayed in his letters to Ardis is a real eye-opener.
   
   Readers see multiple sides of Pac: friendly, inquisitive, erotic, humorous, frustrated, angry, depressed, reflective, obstinate, and self-critical. He reveals himself to be what astute observers knew all along: a deeply intelligent, spiritual, and complex human being. His uninhibited communication style allows the dialogue between him and Ardis to develop fully, and these two strangers share passions and secrets that most people would conceal from close loved ones. From reading this book, I gained tremendous insight into this person who is no longer with us.
   
   My one criticism of the book is the title. Obviously the publishers saw the marketing potential of the "thug's heart" reference, being that Shakur's public image is defined by this term. However, I do not nor have I ever believed that Tupac Amaru Shakur was a thug. This word was thrown around by Shakur, his record company, his fans, his detractors, and the media as both a term of praise and an epithet. It's loaded with so many contradictions, namely racism and hypermasculinity, and it's a label that too many young Black men are saddled with, for whatever reason. The fact that Shakur was a Black man killed in his youth makes calling him a "thug" even more egregious.
   
   More than just a kiss-and-tell memoir, "Inside a Thug's Heart" is a strongly recommended resource for any serious student of hip-hop and American cultural history.



5. I would like to thank Angela for allowing us (the readers) inside the intimate relationship that she shared with Tupac. With each letter I felt the sincerity of Tupac's words. Even though many reviewers felt she got played, I didn't feel that AT ALL! He was honest and upfront with her. Initially, she didn't set out to fall for him. BUT, who can blame her?? I was mushy after reading every letter. So many WISH they could have shared a little piece of Pac. Angela had more than a little piece of him... she had his mind. Who cares if it was temporary?
   
   Angela, thank you sooo much for sharing.

5 comments about Secret Daughter: A Mixed-Race Daughter and the Mother Who Gave Her Away.

1. This is a very touching story of how growing up insecure can lead a person to great strength. While a totally different story than, say, The Color of Water, it is an honest and sometimes brutal description of growing up a mixed race child in America. I would like to think things have changed a lot by now, but I know the problems my two biracial boys have had -- and they were adopted in the late 80's and early 90's. It took a lot of bravery for this story to be written.



2. Dirty Sally
   This was a powerful book!!!! There were times I had to shut the book and just cry. I know firsthand how it feels to feel displaced. At first I thought the mother was going to put her up for adoption considering the fact that her career was more important than raising her child. Ironically, the author's mothers name is Norma and so is mine. I am biracial (German/Black) and I wasn't raised with my biological mother for the same reasons June wasn't except my mother didn't have a career, my family just didn't like blacks. I often wonder if Junes' inner struggles were of any importance to her mother. I will never understand Norma and I have 3 kids of my own. I will never understand the shoes that she walked in, but I am sure she loved her the best way she knew how from afar. The one thing that really bothered me was when she kept telling her daughter that if only she didn't get darker, she could have passed for white. That really upset me!! Why take an innocent child through so much turmoil? Being biracial already has its issues. I am very happy that June was able to put the pieces back into her fragmented life torn with racial dissent and misunderstanding. The situation is further complicated when we learn Norma had two other white children who she neglected just as much as June. This book was very relatable for me. My birthmother had 5 children, 3 which are white and my brother and me are biracial. My mother kept her 1st born, and subsequently put the rest up for adoption. My BM was 30 years old when she gave me up, so it's not like she was "young", she should have learned her lesson by now. No matter how much June tries, or me and my siblings try, not every woman who gives birth is meant to be a mother. The only way I channel my issues of being half German and half African American is through my writing. I have written a children's book entitled; Dirty Sally........The untold stories of mixed race kids who find a new identity, love, faith and forgiveness through GOD.
   There is an interesting story behind the title. I was often taunted or teased about being biracial. Some of my family members and friends called me Dirty Sally. Dirty Sally is an old slavery term used to identify the descendants or offspring of Sally Hemings, a former slave and the late President Thomas Jefferson. Sally Hemings was biracial her mother was ½ white and ½ black and her father white. This book focuses on the misconceptions surrounding racial identity and the importance of choosing one's racial identity. Dirty Sally is a must read not only for inter-racial families, but for all parents hoping to instill in their children a sense of understanding and compassion. I believe that change requires resistance and within that process we can help heal some of the wounds that continue to inflict on racially mixed children. Purchase available on Amazon.com the ISBN# is 9781432707743
   [...]



3. Passing for Who You Really Are
   
   Despite the book's title, Norma didn't really give her daughter June away. It she had wanted to do that, she could have surrended June for adoption and walked away (which is what Norma did with her first - and totally white - daughter). Even though June lived with a Mulatto Elite couple throughout the school year (absorbing typical Negro-identified, Mulatto Elite prejudices such as a devotion to the "one drop" myth and an obsession with part-black whites "passing" for what they really are), she visited Norma during the summer and her foster parents never became her legal parents. June was also never denied by her totally white half-brother, Larry. It is clear that, despite her numerous faults, Norma loved June. There are worse mothers in this world.



4. I loved this book and could not put it down!! I was born the same year in another part of the country. It was interesting to see how a cohort made sense of the same issues I tried to make sense of. The way she coped and healed would make any therapist proud and provides much healing for a family dealing with trauma forced by survival and coping with the predjudices of a society not willing to accept women or people of color "be all they could be."
   Well written, insightful and candid.



5. I enjoyed this book. At times it was hard to keep up with the people. I felt sorry for the Mother because she didn't have the backbone to stand up for her child. Children of biracial parents have a hard time on both sides of the family. This book did a good job of dealing with all the problems of a biracial child. I am a grandparent of biracial and bicultural grandsons. We are doing our best to give them the best of both worlds.

5 comments about When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost: A Hip-Hop Feminist Breaks It Down.

1. I recently went to a hip-hop symposium where Joan Morgan and a few other activists were speaking. When I first heard the title, I was a little turned off, but after hearing her speaks about her experiences and how they've shaped her perspective...I decided to purchase it. And I'm so glad I did!!! This book is excellent!! Additionally, she annotates so many other wonderful peices written about hip-hop, gender relations, feminism, misogyny, etc you almost want to buy the book to guide your future reading on the subject.



2. This book is a must for any 'older schooled' hip hop female heads worldwide. Morgan has a wonderful street/hip hop rhetoric that speaks to women who have a love for this thing called hip hop and life. Ladies pay attention to her words! She is rough, rugged raw and honest. Mama's, try this book out on your daughters, you may need to read it with them or break Morgans pearls of wisdom down for them as their heads bob in and out of the book either agreeing, disagreeing or shooting looks of confusion. She hits the chicken head directly on the head, there is a little bit of chicken head in every women, depending on how you define chicken head and your own personal beliefs pertaining to the f word.



3. This book effortlessly addresses the many issues that have infiltrated the minds of black women in the hip hop culture...Products of absentee fathers, failed relationships, and questionable loyalty to our black men...Jane Morgan gives it to you straight with no chaser, not afraid to share her own experiences to let her audience know that she is not just an observer of the conflicting issues that leave many successful black women wondering "what the hell is wrong with me", but allows her experience to serve as a reference to the countless women like myself who seldom feel alone in their thoughts, their struggles and their quest to balance their independence in the face of sexism that has plagued the hip hop culture. Salut to Joan Morgan!!!!



4. I believe this book is recommended reading for anyone who loves Hip Hope and/or anyone who questions and/or struggles with the place of Black women in this mordern Hip Hop age, while staying true to Black Feminist thoughts. I found myself agreeing with Morgan, but mostly enjoying her fun and playful writing.



5. I like this book in that the author, Joan Morgan, does not try to act like her book has all the answers for everything. Instead, she just tries to offer her view and let you take what you can from it.
   
   First she explores how feminism has traditionally been interpreted in Black culture, and how this limiting definition has evolved in the 21st century, especially as it relates to being a part of the hip-hop culture. She also explores how the history has influenced the current relations between black men and women, and their evolution into the strongblackwoman and endangeredblackman stereotypes. Joan also talks about the animosity between "chickenheads" and strongblackwomen, and encourages women to really be themselves.
   
   I especially like how Joan explores the relationship between black women and their fathers. She provides a unique insight and solution for this dilemma.
   
   This book is a timely message for "strong" black women who are looking for a way to absolve thier independence with their innate feminism.

2 comments about Rebecca's Revival: Creating Black Christianity in the Atlantic World.

1. This was a great book overall. It was factual history that has been obscured and hidden for 400 years. We have been fed the stories of the "great white hope" who came to "save" the slaves from their heathenish African ways. This book clearly counters that claim by asserting that it was through the African slaves themselves that Christianity spread in the caribbean. It is well documented and purely factual. Anytime the author made a statement of opinion that wasn't quite factual he said "maybe", or "perhaps". Overall, it was an excellent book. It was somewhat of a difficult read, but it never hurts to expand your vocabulary!



2. This is a much needed study on the history of black evangelical Christianity in the black diaspora. As a black African evangelical Christian woman with ancestral ties to both Europe and the Caribbean, I have been informed, intrigued, amused, puzzled, saddened, challenged and overall inspired by the story of Rebecca Protten's life. The author has done a remarkably thorough job. Thank you!

5 comments about Alchemy of Race and Rights.

1. There is a lot to complain about regarding race and civil rights and this author questions how far we've come.
   
   We have NOT arrived, she reminds us.
   
   She is a downer and does not leave much hope, yet, somehow it is energizing to read.



2. A great deal of discourse has come out of the use of this book in my law class on the interaction of law in society, but I find it's use counter-productive to the forward-thinking goals of most academic institutions. Prof. Williams cannot seem to make up her mind on anything. She attacks Marxist lawyers, while at the same time advocating an affront to the bourgeoise, especially those without black skin (whites, Hispanics and Asians are all vilified to some degree in this book). While masquerading as a socialist activist herself, she then advocates a very right-wing goal of keeping each other in our respective racial boxes to keep order, even refusing to accept that she herself can be at once black, female and educated -- these three identities always appear separately for her. Her book is a regressive look at the future that denies the possibility of progress in race and gender relations. She is sadly unable to employ the power in her rights and instead prefers to wallow in a viscious cycle that refuses to recognize nuance, and prefers rather to assume racial categories, because they are simpler. Very few new ideas are presented in this racist, ethnically intolerant and misandric text and it is hardly worth a read, beyond the fact that it may come up in discussion.



3. What a dreary tome. Ms. Professor Williams has a unique ability to obscure the most obvious and trite revelations in pedantic and turgid prose that she thinks is thrillingly poetic because the words are long-winded and flowery. and that's when she's making sense, which isn't very often. the rest of her writings tend to be either outright calls for more preferences for her preferred friends camouflaged as courageous iconoclasm, or just plain idiocy posing as intellectually daring originality. Sadly enough, if Thomas Kuhn is right, we'll have the likes of Professor Pat around for another couple of decades. (But hey, if you have the money, you can always sign up for the Nation's annual cruise and talk about the revolution with Pat and the gang for a mere 8 grand or so....)



4. This is an extraordinary book. Through the use of a wide array of reasoning and writing methods, Williams makes it possible for us to get a glimpse of the dangerous and contradictory legal world that ethnic minorities must negotiate to survive. It may be a bit of a stretch for people unaccustomed to thinking outside the box as well as those unfamilar with literature and literary theory. But the insight Williams offers is well worth the effort. It also provides members of the privileged class with the unusual & valuable experience of not being the central focus of the text. A fabulous experience for readers with an open mind!



5. Williams style is more of a problem than her substance. She uses numerous anecdotal stories, told from one side, some of which are dubious in truth, and rare questionably-derived statistics, to demonstrate an invisible undercurrent of racism from whites against blacks, and these are the issues she addresses best. Her style could perhaps best be described as varying between insightful and incoherent, with I'm afraid more of the latter.
   Williams argues in the beginning of her book against generalization, that "reconceptualizing from "objective truth" to rhetorical event will be a more nuanced sense of legal and social responsibility," (p.11) then proceeds to generalize and polarize whites and blacks and generalize about numerous other issues throughout the book:
   "White women are prostitutes; black women are whores" p. 175
   "To say that blacks never fully believed in rights is true" p. 163
   "Blacks are thus, in full culturally imagistic terms, not merely unmothered but badly fathered, abused and disowned by whites." p. 163
   Argues would probably be a bad choice of word, for logic is the study of arguments, and Williams is neither consistent nor logical. In style, Williams is neither clear nor concise, and in one word, rambles.

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

5 comments about Voodoo Queen: The Spirited Lives of Marie Laveau.

1. Another reviewer here has stated that the author should perhaps have written a historical fiction influenced by Leveau, like what Atwood did with Grace Marks in "Alias Grace".
   
   To be honset, I wouldn't have read the book then either. That's because I can't read this book without feeling... well... search inside and read a brief excerpt. The writing reads like a freshman comp paper. I can't take it seriously because the author's put so much fluff into it.
   
   Check it out for yourself, but read the excert before you go out and actually blow some scratch on this book. Who exactly is she qouting in that first chapter?
   
   Bah... if you're interested in Marie Leveau, a topic worthy of interest; then I recomend Long's investigation into the who Marie Leveau was. It too, has it's short-comings, but I assure you that it is more worth your time than this.



2. Great book , loved it, thought it was wonderful



3. Many people have fallen in love with the women who is known as Marie Laveau. Not much is truely known about her, but Martha Ward does an excellent job in giving it's readers an inside look at the "Spirited Life of Marie Laveau". This book is a must for anyone interested in the subject of New Orleans folklore.



4. Martha Ward deserves great kudos for this incredible work of love and devotion, Finally bringing the enigma of "Marie Laveau", BOTH of the Marie Laveau's to us in this day and age where she is so very much needed again to Bless her 21st Century Children now as a bona fide "Lwa"! Excellent!!! May the Good Mother Bless Martha Ward, And ALL of Us! So Be It!



5. I have always taken great interest in the history of my home town, New Orleans. I read whatever I can find about the corky characters that made this city so unique, and Marie Laveau has always been one of my favorites. Unfortunately, this book was a terrible disappointment.
   
   Much of the insights about Marie Laveau in this book are not new but drawn from other sources that Martha Ward, the author, often fails to acknowledge and what is actually new here contains considerable mistakes on nearly every other page or is blurred with unsubstantiated fiction. Ward also displays little familiarity with Voodoo practices and Catholicism. To make matters worse, Ward makes painfully racist statements such as the best hotels in town "held tasteful slave auctions in their carpeted lobbies" (p.80). In my view, there is nothing "tasteful" about a horrendous ordeal like that, at least not for the men, women, and children who ended up on the auction block. Sadly, Ward, a white woman from Oklahoma, identifies here with the perspective of the slave buyers who indeed must have considered fine hotels to be a more "tasteful" environment than the dingy slave pens filled with stench.
   
   The abundance of fiction and incorrect data makes me wonder whether Ward should have considered writing a historical novel instead, because her passion seems to be in the fiction not in caring about complex historical data. That way it would have been more honest and less confusing for the reader. As it is, Ward's book is both entertaining and an easy read, but should not be mistaken for a meticulously researched serious academic work despite the fact that it appeared in a scholarly press. Even major plots in this volume cannot be backed up historically. For more reliable sources on Marie Laveau see for instance Carolyn Long, Spiritual Merchants, and Ina Fandrich, The Mysterious Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveaux.

5 comments about Mama Made the Difference.

1. I had resisted buying this book because I am not a mother and had just lost my precious Mom and was afraid it would make me sad. NOT! This is one of the two most inspiring books Bishop Jakes has written; he speaks to women of all walks of life: married, single, mothers, non-mothers...My copy is "dog-eared", marked in, has pages turned down, cover is getting worn....Bishop Jakes encourages us to NEVER give up, it is NEVER too late with God, that we are "surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses" who are cheering us on, that we are DESTINED to follow the courage and strength of those who have gone before from generations past....I want to rise up and shout GLORY as I read this book....We are blessed to have this teaching and encouragement and I thank God!
   PS: And, IMHO, Jakes' other "best book" is "The Lady, Her Lover, Her Lord." It is awesome.



2. If you have an good mother like I was blessed with, I would like to recommend for you to read about other good mothers and the relationships that they have had with their children. This book was awesome. Thank God for mama's always being there inspite of the hurt and differences in our life!!!



3. Although Mother's Day only happens once a year, this audio reminds us just how important mothers are in most people's lives. Bishop Jakes shares personal stories about the experiences he shared with his mother along with the lessons and values she taught him, especially in the areas of life, love and longevity. He also includes biblical stories about mothers, along with testimonials from other prominent African-American figures about the importance of motherhood. More reviews at [...]



4. IT'S ALWAYS A JOY TO DO BUSINESS WITH SUCH A COMPANY



5. I love my mom. She drives me crazy, but she also have taught me great lessons in life I carry with me as a testimate to her love for me.
   
   In listening to Richard Allen narrating Bishop T.D. Jakes book Mama Made the Difference(seven cds, nine hours, Unabridged). It stired emotions, which is what a good audio presentation should do. Allen tries a straight narrative format, rather than trying for character voices in this presentation. He also does not try to mimic Bishop Jakes vocal styles, that would be a wasted effort.
   
   Author Jakes takes on the subject of Mothers by relating to his own life lessons he learned with his mother, bible teaching and cases of other people's mothers. It does not preach to the audience, more over it informs and makes you aware without heavy sermons. After I heard the first CD from this audio book, I wanted to call my mom and tell her how much I love her.
   
   In audio format, the unabridged text of this book moved quicker> I only wish Bishop Jakes would have spoken something on this CD book
   
   I am late for this mother days to give these to friends as gift. Well there is always Christmas for my friends who are mothers--maybe you should think about getting this for your mom with a dozen roses and tell her you love her
   
   Bennet Pomerantz, AUDIOWORLD

5 comments about Mankiller: A Chief and Her People.

1. To me this is an excellent purchase. I can relate to many of the author's passages from the time she resided in California, memories of same have been brought to mind, in a positive sense.



2. For anyone interested in Native American History this is an excellent book. The book chronicles the life of the former Cherokee Chief Wilma Mankiller during times of political Native American activism and the fight of not only Cherokee people, but Native Americans as a whole during her lifetime. It is candid about the struggles Native Americans faced due to government programs of relocation and the struggle to make it in the white world while maintaining their Indian heritage and culture. In addition to providing a detailed account of Mankiller's life, the book gives a detailed account of the history of the Cherokee Nation and their struggles with removal, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, oppressive legislation, and issues faced on reservations.



3. This book was horrendous. She is an ultra-sensitive cry baby who can't move on with her life. Aside from her life which literally has almost no accomplishments, the history of the Cherokees is just as boring. She rambles on and on about treaties and agreements that were broken by the united states and won't shutup about it the whole book. We get it, america ripped the native americans off. big deal. that's history, might makes right, and many nations in history faired worse off than the indians. countries have attacked each other for land for years, at least we allowed them to continue to exist. then, somehow she compares the trail of tears to the holocaust, which is just ridiculous. theres a difference between a walk that they chose to take by not previously cooperating, and a genocide of 6 millions jews through torture and starvation.
   
   DONT READ THIS BOOK



4. I read this one in four days ~~ it helped that we had some downtime while camping in a small state park. It is a wonderful memoir about a strong woman who, in spite of physical obstacles, managed to lead the second largest Indian Tribe in America. It is not just a memoir about a strong woman, it is also a history of a strong Indian tribe. It is an absolutely wonderful book and one that every serious reader of history should read.
   
   I picked this book up two years ago while traveling in Cherokee, NC, and never found the time to read it till recently, when I knew that we would be outside and camping again. (It seems that I do my best reading when we're traveling ...) I found the subject title fascinating and when I did finally get to the book, I found it even more fascinating and curious. This is a woman in every sense of the word. Wilma Mankiller is a heroine that every woman should look up to ~~ young and old.
   
   Wilma Mankiller grew up in poverty-stricken Oklahoma and while she was still young, her family relocated to California as part of the Native American relocation program that was offered just after WWII. She grew up in California, married young and had two daughters. She became involved with the civil rights movement and at the same time, she has never lost sense of her own heritage. After her marriage fell apart, she moved back home to Oklahoma, went onto working for the Cherokee National Tribe doing various things and eventually became the first Woman Chief. Intermixed with her personal tale are ancient stories from the Cherokee history ~~ of the times before they left their homelands, about the Trail of Tears, and so on. It's history mixed in with personal story-telling and it's a wonderful way to read this book.
   
   Unlike some reviewers, I did not find Mankiller bashing the whites for all their problems ~~ she was very diplomatic in telling the readers about the history ~~ but the history has shown that when the white settlers came to America, they did break treaties and their promises, and there's reason why the Native Americans don't trust them ~~ the government of US and its citizens have not given them reason to. But on the same breath, Mankiller mentions that her tribe has a hard time with change ~~ she doesn't sit there and bemoaned the loss of their ancient lands, she gets out and work on solving the problems that her tribe is facing. She admits that change has occurred and she's very realistic about fixing the problems. I cannot but help admire her for that.
   
   This is an excellent book ~~ it's guaranteed to be a thought-provoker in conversations and discourses ~~ at least it has for my husband and me. It is such an interesting tale about a woman who never learned the words, I can't. She never gave up the fight for her people. This book is just a small testimony to that fight.
   
   8-13-07



5. In "Mankiller: A Chief and Her People," author and former Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller recounts her experiences growing up on reservations, government relocation, and her activism in Indian affairs.
   This book is well written and offers, if nothing else, of a peek into the mid 20th century Native American and reservation experience.
   There is no doubt that those of us with Native American heritage, particularly Cherokees, have ancestors who have been dealt less than a fair hand throughout the history of the United States. But I find it unfortunate when such potentially powerful leaders of social movements seeking to rise above past adversities, place generalized blame on the "white" community at-large for current problems. It is regrettable that Mankiller, who is herself half-white, can wholly reject one part of her heritage while fully embracing the other.
   Mankiller speaks with contempt of the "white lady" do-gooders, who tried to reach out to her as a reservation bound child. This is precisely the type of racial bitterness that keeps many fellow modern Native Americans "victims," feeling helpless and reservation bound.
   Cherokee heritage has a long history of acceptance and assimilation, not necessarily just into white culture either. Other cultures (even Europeans) were long accepted into early tribal clans.
   While we must never forget the reprehensible Trail Of Tears or any other federally sanctioned forced relocation of any tribe or peoples. There comes a time however, when all persecuted cultures must move foreword, as the tribe most certainly has. We must begin to embrace the long acknowledged civility and citizenship of the Cherokee people and stop seeking modern scapegoats for our moments of misery.
   Having said this, I commend Mankiller for achievements in both American and Cherokee societies. To have witnessed the transitions of Native American culture at the height and hub of the American Civil Rights Movement grants Mankiller the prerogative to share her story and her perspectives in this book.
   REVIEW EVERY BOOK YOU READ, AUTHORS DESERVE READER'S OPINIONS!