5 comments about On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker (Lisa Drew Books).

1. This a wonderfully written biography on Madam C.J. Walker's life. I felt uplifted and inspired by her success as a business woman, as a human rights activist and as a philanthropist. A'Lelia Bundles, Madam Walker's great-great granddaughter, did an excellent job of transporting readers to 1867-1919 to experience the politicial, social and economical issues during Madam Walker's life time.
   
   A'Lelia Bundles was very clear and truthful regarding the fact that Madam Walker did not invent the hot comb. Madam Walker's business provided hair and skin care products to women of color not only in the U.S., also to women in the Caribbean and in Cuba. It is my strong opinion that Madam Walker was one of the first people to develop the concept of self-empowerment and financial independence for women of color because she provided the opportunity to become a Walker sales agent to thousands of women across the U.S. Madam C.J. Walker's work as a human rights activist and her contributions as a philanthropist, impacted a countless number of institutions, organizations and individuals. On Her Own Ground is powerful, moving, enlighting and it is filled with courage!



2. Before I read this book, I knew Madam C.J. Walker must have been one tough cookie! And she certainly was. But her story is more than just "daughter of slaves makes good."
   
   Madam Walker was orphaned at 7, and went to live with her sister and brother-in-law in what was apparently an abusive household. She married at 14 to escape the situation and, at 20, was left a widow, with a child to support. Leaving Mississippi for St. Louis, she began an extraordinary journey, one that would lead her not merely to wealth and fame, but to a position of influence and importance in the affairs of her race and her nation. She overcame obstacles of race, gender and class to found a business that would help give independence and financial stability to thousands of women. From the very beginning of her success, she used her money to help others, not merely through employment, but by setting an example of charitable giving that lasted throughout her life.
   
   As a woman rising from poverty, attempting to establish herself as a leader, she often met with resistance even in her own community (it took quite some time, for instance, for Booker T. Washington to acknowledge her as a leading businesswoman). But she persisted, and, even more to her credit, was able to walk a fine line between the supporters of Washington and those of W.E.B. DuBois, who took Washington to task as not aggressive enough in fighting for civil rights.
   
   I was fascinated by the section discussing Madam Walker's involvement in the efforts of the African-American community to have the issue of race placed on the table at the Versailles Peace Conference after World War I. This was a part of our history that I had not been aware of before reading this book. It does not surprise me that the government was spying on prominent African - Americans and community organizations (plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose!). And anyone, black or white, whom the government perceived as not being completely behind the official point of view was denied a passport to travel to the conference. The issue never came to the table.
   
   Unfortunately, as with a lot of strong, determined women, Madam Walker was not as successful in her choice of men (a difficulty her daughter also had!). But she did not hesitate to do what needed to be done in her personal life. Her daughter, Lelia (later A'Lelia), whom she raised with the usual mother-daughter conflicts, grew up to become an important part of the family business, though not an artist in any field herself, a key supporter of artists of the Harlem Renaissance.
   
   The author, A'Lelia Bundles, is her subject's great-great-great-granddaughter, and is a journalist. Her experience in that field surely was a major factor in the quality of this book. The woman knows research and documentation! She has provided endnotes, as well as a lengthy bibliography. Madam Walker is fortunate in her biographer and Ms. Bundles is fortunate in her ancestors!



3. Mrs. Bundles,
   I just wanted to let you know, I got an 'A' for my presentation on your great- great grandmother. My teacher told me that my speech was on a 2nd year speech class level and that I was like a piece of brass, I just needed some fine polishing. I may have a future in motivational speaking and I just had to thank you. The information in your book was not only factual and informative, but interesting to me as well as my mother and sisters. Our family history could be parallel to yours, except we have yet to find the key to financial success, but we will.
   I have fully enjoyed your book and reading what you yourself have been able to accomplish has been an added inspiration to me.
   Thank you for your time in guiding me to my 'A'



4. The author tells the amazing rags to riches story of her great great grandmother, while at the same time providing a detailed account of a fascinating time in American history. This was a delight to read. Highly recommended!



5. This book helps you to appreciate our past generations and how their struggles were not that different from our own. Madam CJ Walker is more than a shinning example of what anyone with determination can accomplish. A'Lelia Bundles is truly blessed that her great-grandmother and grandmother left so much documentation her to quench her love of family history. The experiences and stories of those that knew them take you back in time. This book helped me to look at my grandmother's antiques differently. I used to view them as beautiful things I have grown up with and am comforted by, but now I realize that they hold the key to what I may have been searching for all of my life. Just as she was drawn to the her grandmother's dressing table so was I. We are blessed as black women to have such a rich heritage to share. A'Lelia carries with her the dignity and pride of her family that I wish all of our young people could express. I think reading this book will help everyone to look to their past in a quest for the future.

5 comments about Dance Of The Infidels: A Portrait Of Bud Powell.

1. Obviously any serious Bud fan will have to read this, being one of only a handful of books devoted to the genius. That being said I ended getting much more out of the read besides examining a period in a musician's life. Even if this book were not about one of my favorite musicians I still would recommend it highly and would call it one of the more interesting reads I have had. (I read it about 6 months ago.)
   This book also becomes, inadvertently I believe, a study into human personality. Bud had numerous mental problems, many of which were pigeonholed as manic-depressive or schizophrenic. But the author's fly on the wall psychology savant observations (many obviously from journal entries) show that these diagnoses are simple and barely scratch the surface of the behavior of Bud Powell.
   I think about this book often particularly when I am considering what makes a person a person. Before I read this book I thought I had an idea, but after reading it I am not so sure. It also led me to read more direct analyses of personality by Lucan and Piaget.
   Bud begins the book in horrible shape, mental & physical, completely reliant on someone who cares nothing for his well being. He is unkempt and rarely speaks. You wonder how he could have reached the age he has with so few of the skills which are required for human survival.
   When the author begins to interact with Bud it is almost always wordless, with the author describing Bud's input with non-verbal actions. How "looking into his eyes I could tell how Bud felt."
   I was very skeptical believing perhaps the author's worship of Bud were clouding his judgment about Bud. Maybe the author wanted to communicate with Bud so bad he was sub-consciencely creating Bud's side of the conversation.
   This hero worship by the author made certain that there was a bias to anything in the book, but a careful reader can still infer what actually took place.(It is nowhere near as revisionist as Miles Davis' autobiography.) And after reading the book I honestly believe that Mr. Paudras would never intentionally lie about anything to do with Bud Powell
   As the action of the book proceeds you realize there must be something happening to Bud because of the healthy changes occurring and the gains Bud makes. Bud begins to perform again, gets healthier, and begins to take more control of his life. But major barriers still remain. Often he will only communicate with Francis. It went as far as when someone would ask Bud a question he would ignore it until Francis repeated the question to Bud and then Bud would only answer Francis. Also, Bud was greatly affected by even the smallest portion of alcohol, which would haunt him for the remainder of his life.
   By the end of the book I was engrossed. There is even a heart-wrenching climax that was more affecting than most novels I have read. The denouement is too powerful to describe. (I am choosing my words carefully as not to give away anything)
   There is a measurable action by Bud which makes me doubt the assessments that he was merely a child with a prodigal gift allowing him to never mature. Apparently, Bud would write poems to go along with most of his songs. Most have been lost. The poem by Bud included in the book is so lucent and shows a startling awareness that I was left contemplating why Bud behaved the way he did. Francis spent so much time with him it could not have been and act. Also, Bud hurt himself by acting this way that you have to believe he would have stopped if he could.
   This book has helped make Bud's amazing art even more poignant for me. I believe every person has trouble relating to the world around him or her. To me, Bud music is about expressing these difficulties. Somehow trying to reconcile the sublime beauty of the world with the horrible darkness it also contains.
   Although, my belief in heaven is dubious at best, if I could pick two people who deserve to be there it is Bud Powell & Francis Paudras.
   My final comments are about the fate of the author who recently committed suicide. After getting to know a side of him through his book. (And I do believe the seeds of his demise are hinted at in the reading particularly in the last scenes.) It also opens up a whole slew of questions about when is life worth living, and is there any reward for those who love and bring goodness to the world when all they seem to receive is senseless pain.
   As you can tell I have thought about this book considerably so if you have any insights you'd like to share please drop me a line at derek_weisel@hotmail.com. Thanks. DW.



2. For some time I had been tempted to buy this book, but had always been put off by the review on this page by the Los Angeles Times Sunday Book Review, which describes it as a florid remembrance containing much passion (and by inference little substance).
   Then recently I was told that an acquaintance had read the book and stated that it was one of the most moving stories he had ever read.
   So on this recommendation I bought it and having just completed the book, I can now reiterate unequivocally that it truly is a remarkable tale of the generosity and strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
   Herbie Hancock stated that Francis Paudras was a hero. I would add that he was a saint.
   Francis was first drawn to Bud because of the latters musical genius, but then he also sensed the deep humanity and sensitivity of Powell. When he saw Bud's heartache as a result of being abused and at the mercy of people such as his (purported) wife Buttercup, he took him into his own home as a member of his own family. Paudras was a young and struggling graphic artist, living in a cramped apartment with a new (and fortunately equally kind and understanding) wife.
   For years they fed, clothed and kept a roof over Bud's head, fought his battles with the police and Buttercup for him, nursed him through ill health, paid his medical bills and asked for nothing in return other than the deep satisfaction of knowing that they were bringing a measure of happiness, stability and love to a man whose deep humanity and musical genius made them love him unreservedly.
   When Francis finally brought Bud back to the USA for a triumphant return gig, it was nice to see those people who held their hands out in genuine friendship and support. It was infinitely sad to read of those who showed indifference and sometimes even violence towards Francis as he continued to try and protect Bud from succumbing to the dark forces which had brought the latter to his mental breakdown originally.
   As desparately sad as I feel for Bud after reading the book, I feel equally sad for Francis Paudras, who met with more personal tragedy of his own at the end of Bud's life.
   Francis Paudras was clearly the sort of man who was extremely sensitive, especially to the plight of another. He gave his love and his life unconditionally to Bud Powell, asking (and receiving nothing material) in return. In a world where we are constantly confronted with man's indifference and hostility towards his fellow man, this is a story to remind you that there are people in this world who are decent, moral and have a deep capacity for unconditional kindness towards their fellow human beings.
   After Bud Powell died, Francis Paudras lived for another 31 years before taking his own life. I pray that he found some happiness and loving companionship himself in those long years, especially in the face of the blind indifference, misunderstanding and even hostility such as that shown in the Los Angeles Times Review.
   So please do yourself a favour and buy this remarkable book.
   Even though it will make you sad, it is also uplifting. It deserves to be read as a paen to two remarkable human beings.
   And say a prayer for Bud, for Francis, for Francis' wife Nicole and for Francis' little son Gilles.



3. I expected this book not to be so well written because it was a translation. I was really surprised. Once I started it I could not put it down.



4. As my review below will show, I think Paudras' biography is essential reading for any fan of Bud Powell. Until recently it was the only book available on the subject. However a new book about Bud Powell has arrived on the scene and is available from Amazon. I have ordered my copy: The Glass Enclosure : The Life of Bud Powell -- by Alan Groves, Alyn Shipton.
   "Dance of the Infidels" is absolutely first rate. It is for good reason that the back cover contains endorsements both by Marian McPartland and Herbie Hancock. I heartily agree with Marian McParland: "...Francis Paudras has captured the genuius who was Bud Powell in this fascinating book..." I agree with Herbie Hancock too: "Francis Paudras is a hero who has dedicated his life to preserving the history of the great cultural figures of jazz...This book is a wonderful living document of his personal relationship with the genius of Bud Powell..." As for the importance of Bud Powell, here is a quote from Bill Evans: "Of all the musicians I ever loved--Bird and Stan Getz and Miles and lots of others that no one even knows I listened to--it was Bud who influenced me the most..." (By the way, be sure to read "Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings" by Peter Pettinger.) I personally feel that "Dance of the Infidels: A Portrait of Bud Powell" should be required reading in all jazz programs at every college, university, and school in the country if not the world. It is a profound book. I feel sorry for anyone who is unable to appreciate this book. You will never listen the same way to Art Tatum or Dizzie Gilespie or Monk or, of course, Bud, after you read this book. The inside cover mentions that Francis Paudras committed suicide on November 27, 1997.



5. A very well written and well documented account of a period in the life of a jazz legend, Bud Powell. Francis Paudras' sincere and humane relationship with Bud Powell is evident throughout the book. Great quotes from other musicians and friends in Bud Powell's life. Although I knew the ultimate fate of Bud Powell, the ending is very disturbing. I have many questions that I would like to ask Mr. Paudras. It is shame that he is no longer with us. An excellent book.

5 comments about The Senator and the Socialite: The True Story of America's First Black Dynasty.

1. I enjoyed this book from cover to cover. Not only was in a nice superficial overview of the reconstruction era with highlights about some of the major Black figures but also a sad story of a prominent family's fall from the top of the Black social ladder over three generations.



2. _The Senator &c._ is the family history of Blanche Kelso Bruce, the first African-American to serve in the United States Senate, during Reconstruction. It's a fine story, and I'm glad to be learning what I am about the Reconstruction years and politics, opportunities and swindles. But the author doesn't exactly excite me. His research seems relatively sound, but his writing is not going to get him any prizes or true fans.



3. Excellent book. Very informative, happy to have obtain this great reading material. Book is in excellent condition, received it in a timely manner. I'm very happy with my purchase.



4. The Senator and the Socialite is less about a dynasty and more about a wealthy family degenerating into poverty. Blanche Bruce may have been a powerfull politician, but what power did he realy have? The White establishment could have thrown him away at any time. And his "wealth" came from renting farmland to poor Blacks, so in reality, he was a just another Southern plantation owner who happened to be Black. His children and grandchildren went to Harvard, Radcliff, and Exeter, but what for? Few companies would hire an African-American for a position of responsibility, unless it was to manage a business that catered to African-Americans (like the Dunbar Apartments). Booker T. Washington was right in his philosophy; if you have technical and industrial skills, you're more likely to get steady work. After all, I don't need the services of a Philosophy major, but there's 80 co-ops in my building who'd pay $200 a piece to have their sinks fixed!
   
   In the end, the children turn out to be disasters. Roscoe Bruce Jr, Clara Bruce Jr., and Buril, go to top colleges, do poorly, fail in business, get in trouble wth the law and disgrace themselves. Roscoe Sr. lets a racist pedophile abuse Black schoolgirls, costing him his job as head of the DC colored schools. Then his son mismanages a client's money and winds up in jail. His Daughter marries a Black actor who then decides to pass for White (as does his college friend John Syphax). All in all, the Bruce family were just lazy, spolied, rich brats who ruined themselves. I guess power and priviliege didn't jsut corrupt the Kennedys.
   
   But I have one question....what happened to all these characters later on? What happened to Barrington Guy/Sharma? When did he die? What happened in later years as he passed for White? What happened to Roscoe Jr.? What about his decendants? Where are they now? If only one of the Bruce's decendants turned up at the recent memorial to Blanch Bruce, does that mean they don't know about him, don't care, or are they keeping their ancestry hidden to this day?



5. Lawrence Otis Graham's "The Senator and the Socialite" is an important work. Graham does a wonderful job of detailing the great accomplishments of Black-Americans - much of which you would not ordinarily hear about and should be proud of. However, I am saddened to learn the descendants of such an important historical figure (Senator Blanche K. Bruce) are ashamed of their Black-American heritage and now live as white people.

5 comments about Daughters of Men: Portraits of African-American Women and Their Fathers.

1. I had never heard of this book until I had to read it for my book club and now I'm grateful to my bookclub!
   
   With all of the bad press Black men get day in and day out, what a good idea to highlight the positive black men in this society who boldly take their rightful place as men. The stories were funny, heartwarming, and tearjerking. They were told by famous, somewhat well known and everyday type of women in a very relatable way. It's a coffee table type of book



2. I gave this book to our son-in law for Father's Day. He was very touched, especially since it focused upon the relationship of Black men to their daughters. He has two girls. I also gave a copy of the book to my husband who is the father of our two grown daughters. I often tell him that I have no doubt that my daughters chose the men they did because of him.



3. It's very touching how each woman, known and unknown spoke with passion about the relationship they had with their father.



4. I was in a bookstore and happened to glance down and see the cover of this book. I picked it up, browsed through it, and immediately scurried to buy it shortly after. What a great idea to highlight Black men who are not fitting the stereotype of not taking care of their children, showing how daughters and fathers can be so tight, and giving readers a little personal view of some of our favorite female celebrities. By me being from a family full of responsible fathers, I was thinking "Finally!" It was fun for me to read about other proud daughters like myself. The story that stood out to me the most was one of the saddest ones: Cathy Hughes of Radio One, Inc. I was terrified for her father during his audit, and for him to live through that and still be such a phenomenal father makes me want to curtsy for that man. There were plenty of other good stories from celebrities I'm a fan of (Beyonce and Kelly of "Destiny's Child," Tisha Campbell-Martin, Nicole Ari Kodjoe, Aisha Tyler, Malinda Williams, and Meagan Good).
   
   I was a little bored with the celebrities I didn't know. However, by me reading this book, it was also a Black history lesson to me to be introduced to sistas who have done such positive things in the community and to learn about their success.
   
   I took the idea from this book, thought about the uncreative Christmas gift that I got my father (i.e., gift card), and immediately found a picture of him and I to print out. Before long, I had an essay for him too, and I will present it to him on Christmas Eve (when we open our gifts). I also decided to read "Pop: A Celebration of Black Fatherhood" and both books gave me the motivation to create a dedication page/picture for my brother, my godfather, and my grandfather too. I hope they appreciate their gifts the same way I appreciated this book. Thanks for the idea and your work, Rachel Vassel.



5. This book is very inspirational in terms of outlining the many facets of relationships between dads and daughters. I liked the fact that the author chose from several different genres of women. I wished, however, that there were some common women amongst the group. Each of these women were celebraties, CEOs or claimed some high-powered position in their respective fields. It would've been nice to include highlights of the very average relationships that go on everyday with women and dads who are not at all famous. Overall, however, the book was very gratifying. I am giving it to my daughter's father for Christmas, along with my own essay on what a great dad he has become thus far.

5 comments about What I Know for Sure: My Story of Growing Up in America.

1. Tavis managed to craft some of the most tragic and disappointing aspects of his young life into a beautiful and inspiring novel. I came away feeling uplifted and empowered! Great job, Tavis!



2. This book helped me to understand how Tavis Smiley became who he is today. His family, community and church had a strong influence of his behaviors and thoughts as a speaker and commentator,



3. By the time I finished the last two pages of this book, one thing I knew for sure was that this book was a disappointing reading experience.
   
   Tavis Smiley did not write this book; David Ritz did. The "story" of Tavis Smiley's life was supposedly "told" to David Ritz and David Ritz wrote it down. If this is the truth, David Ritz took a not-so-good story, one heavy with super-ego morality, and did nothing with it, except put it in grammatical form with a story-line.
   
   How is it that a man who, through high school and college, was known for his oratorical and debating skills, and who, after graduating college, later became a popular interviewer on TV, doesn't trust himself to tell his own story? What's up with that?
   
   I suppose if you're rich enough, you just hire someone to write what's supposed to be in your soul and make every event in your life sound like a child's Bible lesson. But where's the unique individual stamp of Tavis Smiley in the tale? I didn't hear Tavis Smiley's voice at all in this book.
   
   I think Mr. Smiley did himself a big disservice by producing a book with his name on it in this manner. It certainly cannot be called an autobiography as he didn't write it; nor can it be called a biography as David Ritz doesn't approach the story of Tavis's life the way an official biographer would. The book has a media slickness to it: a ventriloquist's act, and we're supposed to be the dummies buying this "oral tale" full of biblical malarkey.
   
   As the story goes, Tavis Smiley grew up in an extremely narrow, parochial, religious family (it seemed insane and foreign to me, not part of America at all); he had gone to college even though his parents had not wanted him to; and he went on to make a name for himself in entertainment media. While still a teenager, he had been beaten unmercifully by his mother and, particularly, by his step-father such that he wound up in a hospital at one point, and it took a long time before his could reconcile himself emotionally to his parents. He loved his Grandma ("Big Mama") more than anyone. She was the most tolerant and understanding one in the family. He held tight to his religious beliefs all along, or so we're told, and to this day he still holds them tight (so we're told), though he never states for sure exactly what his religious beliefs are, though it is admitted they are different from his parents' beliefs.
   
   All the struggling and all the pain is wrapped up in a nice-sounding package of love and reconciliation at the end of the book so that his current success makes what happened in his childhood, and before his fame, seem worthwhile and nearly inevitable. This is the common story told of anyone who has achieved commercial success, and a commercial writer, paid to tell it told it -- or wrote it, with Tavis Smiley's approval.
   
   I'd rather hear from Tavis Smiley himself in his own voice, even if he stumbles here and there and parts don't always add up as neatly as a commercial package in the end. This simulation of Tavis Smiley's life cheapened his value for me.



4. Growing up in Bunker Hill, Indiana, with his mother and stepfather, along with four cousin, five brothers and his grandmother, Tavis struggled to find his niche.
   
   Faith and church dominated the Smiley household, and it was there that Tavis first discovered his love for discipline and words. Physical punishment was regular, harsh and usually given by Tavis' mother. After a particularly embarrassing situation at church, Tavis' father took discipline too far, and Tavis ended up in foster care. While his cousin was sent to a different town completely, Tavis was located near his family, and after only three months, moved home on his own. Though the physical damage done by his father had healed, it would be years before the relationship damage was restored.
   
   Throughout his schooling, the power of words and his love for Dr. Martin Luther King were his salvation. Though his parents were not supportive, he made his way to college with nothing except an acceptance letter and a suitcase. Fortune was on his side and he began classes at Indiana University. His eyes were opened to the African American civilization and society that had previously been closed off to him. In September of 1983, a tragic and unexplained death near IU campus deeply affected Tavis and directed him into social activism.
   
   A semester in Los Angeles once again changed the course of Tavis' life. Serving the public through government inspired Tavis and gave him direction. Though he was unable to continue serving in the government, Tavis was able to create his own way. A self-started radio program led to a BET program and the chance to meet with numerous powerful and famous people, including President Bill Clinton and Fidel Castro. His BET stint eventually gave way to NPR, which eventually gave way to his own company and many different ventures.
   
   Overall, What I Know For Sure is comfortable and heart warming. Tavis Smiley's latest book is refreshing. Whether African American, Caucasian, Hispanic or Asian, the story presented here will encourage anyone facing difficult or impossible circumstances.
   
   Armchair Interviews says: We need more encouraging books with good messages.



5. From Gulfport to Gotham to Black Entertainment Television, this is the exciting story of a man who survives a horrible childhood and now has the golden touch in media, business and life.

5 comments about From Selma to Sorrow: The Life and Death of Viola Liuzzo.

1. Only one of the many people who gave their lives for racial justice in the 1960s was a white woman. Several reasons for this become clear in Mary Stanton's moving portrait of the life of Viola Liuzzo.
   
   In an age when conformity was considered a virtue, especially for white women, Viola Liuzzo was not a conformist. A spirited woman who married the first time as a teenager, Liuzzo was at the time of her death attending Wayne State and the mother of five children. Her best friend was African American, when that was considered peculiar. Her husband was a Teamster, but he could not control her. When none of the other students who agreed to accompany Liuzzo to Alabama at Martin Luther King's invitation showed up, she went alone. The March from Selma to Montgomery was hours finished when she and a young black male passenger in her car were shot. He survived, just barely. She did not.
   
   For all Liuzzo's unconventionality, nothing prepared her friends and family for the drubbing her reputation was given by the government. Overnight, she went from a brave, unselfish freedom fighter to a slut who abandoned her children, possibly used drugs and was married to the mob. The information leaked to the press was the invention of the FBI's J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover had his own reputation to protect, and that of an informant inside the Ku Klux Klan, who contributed to Liuzzo's death.
   
   Stanton, who has since written several portraits of whites caught up in the Movement , shows that it was these slurs on Liuzzo's reputation, rather than her death, that inflicted the deepest wounds on her family. She was killed twice-once by a bullet and again by the ugliest kind of slander.
   
   While Congress debates whether or not the Voting Rights Act should be renewed, this book reminds us that our government of, by and for the people has often colluded with the worst among us to keep down the weakest. It's worth remembering.



2. Like the author I was stunned in 1965 when I heard of the Liuzzo murder and the trial of Collie Leroy Wilkins. The prologue in Stanton's book was engaging and beautifully written. However, after the prologue the book is not as compelling. Ms. Stanton clearly suggests that Rowe was the murderer, but leaves some large questions unanswered. Where is Leroy Moton? If Moton testified that Wilkins was the murderer why dismiss Moton's testimony because of lie detector tests administered to Wilkins? I wonder if Rowe committed the crime myself, but I don't see evidence in the book to support the author's perspective. Even if Rowe did commit the murder, that does not exonerate Wilkins or Murphy. Also, the book seemed unevenly documented. In some cases there were footnotes from newspapers that were either unnecessary or provided insufficient support. In other cases claims were made without any documentation.

   What is good about this book is Ms. Stanton's passion. What it lacks is structure and support for some of the claims contained therein. Still, I am glad I read the book and glad she wrote it.




3. The only thing I remember in 1965 about my childhood in Montgomery, Alabama was that I was six-years-old and there was the terrible murder of a white woman by the Ku Klux Klan. I didn't know her name. All I knew was she was killed for having a black man ride in her car with her. That is all I have known for years. Thanks to Mary Stanton's excellent biography, I now know her name and her story. One night after reading several chapters I could not get to sleep. My thoughts were of Vi and Highway 80 out of Selma. Remembering can be a painful thing but through the sensitivity of Stanton's writing and her personal admiration for Viola Liuzza, I came to love and admire this courageous woman. Sorry that we never met. I appreciate Stanton sharing her struggle to research the story and write it. That was fascinating and very rewarding to be at Stanton's side page after page hoping her contacts and leads would pan out.



4. This book took priority over my agenda, a page turner of the first order. Getting the real story of Viola Liuzzo was on the back burner of my own mind so long I didn't remember it was there until Stanton's book caught my attention at the library. The book is in layers, with the story of getting the story as telling of the 1990s as the unfolding of what was actually happening in Selma and America in the 1960s. The role of women and political correctness 1960s style all over the U.S.A. as well as in Selma rings true. The story of the civil rights movement in the context of the South is absolutely girpping.



5. Like Mary Stanton, I was also curious about Mrs Luizzo, and she stayed in the back of my mind. I am sorry for the loss her family and many other families suffered simply because they wanted to change something that was completely wrong and unjust. I also feel shame on a government who would go so far to make those who were right and decent appear so degrading and immoral and to even allow murder to protect the "status quo" This book is must reading for anyone who really wants to take the blinders off about what really happened during that horrible time. I have recently been given the opportunity to visit parts of Alabama and while the area I visited is very decent, mentally I can still visualize the Alabama of 1965 and understand why it is necessary to leave the Viola Luizzo marker defaced; as the author has stated the struggle isn't over. Thank you Mary Stanton

5 comments about Woman of Color, Daughter of Privilege: Amanda America Dickson, 1849-1893 (Brown Thrasher Books).

1. I finished this over Thanksgiving. My mom flipped through it, as did several other family members, asking was it a dissertation. I did not think that it was, but discovered my error in the Acknowledgements. I have a special affection for scholarly works that are compelling reading. The genius of non-fiction is a story that would not be believable if made up.
   
   Leslie documents every assertion, and includes transcripts of interviews and court proceedings so that there can be little question of context. The intermittent inclusion of belabored detail is a little odd to the casual reader, but there is often a gem in a table or list which helps transport the reader back over a 100 years (a list of schools in Augusta includes the only public one for blacks in the state - and that segregated, of course).
   
   The story itself is stunning (grown plantation owner forcibly rapes 13 year old slave girl before her first period, "getting" upon her a b*stard half breed upon whom he dotes all his life and to whom he leaves all that he has, making her the richest "colored" woman in America), but aside from the drama which unfolds chronologically in such a way that without device one is compelled to keep reading, one is almost by the way exposed to an entire sub-culture of "people of color" whose character, enterprise, integrity, ability, and or good fortune prevailed against all odds to create a world of privilege, the survival of which depended in part upon being invisible to less affluent whites. One of them married the grandson of a signer of the Declaration of Independence!
   
   Leslie presents the product of research of a phenomenon without mediated moralizing. Nor does the author speculate upon motive beyond presenting the range of possibilities. This volume belongs on your shelf next to Thurmond's Freedom, Meyer's The Children of Pride, and Reese's The Clamorous Malcontents, especially if you are a Georgian.



2. I first saw the movie, A House Divided and searched out and found out that there was a book. I read the book and i recommend this book for everyone to read. It is a good book. If you haven't seen the movie. SEE IT! the author that wrote this book should be commended. He did a very good job. I am about to write a paper for my history class on this book. Linda D. Westman Mannsville, Oklahoma



3. Hi my name is Ashlee Dickson and I am a descendent of Amanda America Dickson. I am very apprieciative to the people who have read the book and reviewed the website. I am also proud of my heritage and what she has done for the people of America. I am proud to be a Dickson.I am John R. Dickson's daughter's child. Thank you for your time.



4. Hi my name is Ashlee Dickson and I am a descendent of Amanda America Dickson. I am very appriciative to the people who have read the book and reviewed the website. I am also proud of my heritage and what she has done for the people of America. I am proud to be a Dickson.I am John R. Dickson's daughter's child. Thank you for your time.



5. I JUST RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT THIS BOOK IS ABOUT A GGGG/MOTHER AN FOR THE OBVIOUS REASONS FOUND IT VERY INFORMATIVE I MEAN HOW MY OF US HAVE THE BENEFIT OF A BOOK BEING WRITTEN ABOUT A PAST RELATIVE THESE COMMENTS ARE NOT ONLY TO EXPRESS MY JOY TO FIND OUT ABOUT MY GENELOGY BUT I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO USE AS A VEHICLE TO REACH OUT TO ALL OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS THAT I DONT KNOW MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS PAULOTOTHEMAXX@AOL.COM MY GFATHER EDWIN EUBANKS DICKSON DIED HERE IN COL OHIO ON 04/09/46 AN THE TRIAL ENDS IF YOU HAVE ANY INFO FOR ME PAUL DICKSON OR MY FATHER JOHN R DICKSON OR MY AUNT EVA DELEROES DICKSON(THOMPSON) PLEASE EMAIL ME AT ABOVE ADDRESS THANKS

3 comments about Slave Narratives (Library of America).

1. This book is a collection of ten narratives that document the nature of American slavery from colonial times to the eve of the Civil War. There are some familar narratives, particularly that of Frederick Douglass (who has a volume of his own in the Library of America series) as well as many writings that were new to me.

   There are two writers from the colonial period,a short account by James Gronniosaw and a loner narrative by Olaudiah Equiano. The latter book has a first-hand description of the notorious "middle passage" -- the transatlantic journey by which Africans were transported to a life of bondage in the New World. This book also features accounts of life at sea during the mid-18th century that reminded me of Patrick O'Brian's novels of sea life during the Napoleonic era.

   There are two narratives in the book by women. Sojourner Truth's narrative, as told to a woman named Olive Gilbert, appeared in 1850. It tells the story of slavery in New York State (where it was not abolished until 1827) and introduced me to a strong-willed woman who combined abolitionism with strong religous passion and a commitment to woman's rights. Harriet Jacobs's account, "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" appeared in 1861. Written in a Victorian style, it still tells the story of the trials of a young woman who resisted her master's advances and hid for seven years in a narrow attic before escaping to freedom.

   "The Confessions of Nat Turner" became the basis of a controversial novel by William Styron. It is an account recorded by a local attorney, Thomas Gray, of Turner's description, while in jail waiting execution, of the slave rebellion he led in Virginia in 1831. This is a spare account but to me much more impressive than what I remember of Styron's novel.

   There is a lengthy account by a slave named Henry Bibb written in 1849. This book describes several escapes, and a slave prison of almost unbelievable cruelty in Louisvill, Kentucky. I found this perhaps the most riveting narrative in the collection.

   Jacob Green's narrative appeared in 1864. This is a short tough-minded book by a person who was not afraid to fight back.

   The narrative by William and Ellen Craft (1860) describes how a husband and wife disguised themselves to make a 1000 mile journey from Georgia to freedom. (Most escapes occured from the border states, which were themselves extraordinarily difficult.)

   William Wells Brown, like Douglass, went on to a literary career after his escape from slavery. He was the author of the first published African-Novel. His narrative (1847) is short but documents convincingly his escappe from slavery in Missouri.

   This collection will help the reader understand the nature of slavery in the United States from its beginning to its end. The volume is part of the Library of America's admirable attempt to produce uniform series of the best in American literature, thouught and history. The narratives of American slaves included in this book amply deserve their place in a series that documents the American experience, both for good and for ill.




2. Ten original slave narratives provide important testimony to the slavery experience and the longing for freedom and provide insights into how a diverse group of writers challenged literary traditions by expressing their pain and anger. From 18th century slaves abducted in Africa to later activists, this provides a fine cross-section of experiences.



3. Slave Narratives is a compendium of writings and recollections by a diverse group of writers who exposed the realities of slave life in pre-Civil War America and thereby challenged the conscience of a nation while laying the foundations of an African American literary tradition. Included are the late 18th century narratives of James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw and Olaudah Equiano (both of whom were abducted in Africa and brought across the Atlantic); the "Confessions" of Nat Turner (leader of the deadliest slave revolt in American history); the memoir of Sojourner Truth; "Running a Thousand miles for Freedom" (the story of William and Ellen Craft's escape from Georgia); "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" (Harriet Jacobs' complex and moving story of her resistance to sexual and racial oppression; the narrative of the subversive "trickster" Jacob Green; as well as the writings of Frederick Douglass, William Wells Brown, and Henry Bibb. Slave Narratives is a searing collective portrait of American life before emancipation and would prove a core title for any Black Studies reference collection or reading list.

5 comments about Bad as I Wanna Be.

1. In my opinion, in his prime, Dennis Rodman was a better athlete than Michael Jordan in his prime. The event that convinced me of this was a playoff game many years ago when the Bulls were playing a team where Shaquille O'Neal was the opposing center. Luc Longley, the starting Bulls center was in foul trouble and on the bench. The backup Bulls center was getting completely overwhelmed by O'Neal and the Bulls went to Rodman in an attempt to stop him. Rodman is 6'7" and around 240 pounds and O'Neal is 7'1" and well over 300 pounds. And yet, the first time that O'Neal tried to bull Rodman out of the way, he just came to a halt and this was repeated. It amazed me that this relatively little man could so forcefully stand up to the most powerful man in the NBA.
   Dennis Rodman was a difficult person, yet he was very well liked, even admired by many people. He was outrageous, at times unstable, flippant, yet there is something very endearing about his approach to life. Much of what I admired about him on the court is that he was a very unselfish player who took an absolute beating in his battles for rebounds. He was also a very smart player, when his fellow players gave an honest appraisal; they were generally universal in extolling his depth of understanding of the game of basketball.
   This book continues that Rodman tradition, standing up for himself, making no excuses and not having a great deal of concern over what people think of him. He often uses segments of bolded text to make his points, as if we need to be shouted at in order to understand his statements. At times the book is disjointed, Rodman moves from point to point in a sequence of inconsistent phrases where it is often difficult to understand the connections between the statements.
   A rebel to the core, this book is Dennis Rodman's statement of "you can put it somewhere" to the world that criticizes him. It is entertaining to read, a glimpse into the mind of a man whose basketball and general intelligence is under appreciated due to his desire to stand out as a wild man with an attitude. If he had been born 100 years earlier, he, by his own admission, would have likely been lynched.



2. I lived in Chicago during the Bulls heyday during the 2nd run of their championships, and everyone I knew had this book, or knew someone who did. I didn't have a copy, but I read it during a break, and found it to be very tiresome and really boring. Even though it's not meant to be Tolstoy, Dickens, or even a dime novel, it's really a waste of time. The book now is completely dated, and Rodman is just a nobody again. All I remember from the book was a rant against David Robinson which started, in typical 90's fashion, "the problem with David Robinson is...". Rodman went off on how Robinson didn't have what it takes to win an NBA championship (Rodman was wrong. Robinson did eventually win a few). Rodman was one of the greatest rebounders of all time, but that's really the only thing he was ever good at. He was your typical celebrity. Obnoxious, rude, outrageous, "outspoken", filled with drugs, marrying stupid women (Carmen Electra in his case), and generally moronic behaviour. The media loved people like that in the 1990's. Rodman just loved to party and behave like an idiot. In other words, typical celebrity behaviour. He did a few bad movies, wrestled in WCW (now defunct), and went on Fear Factor, but he was never a great actor, star, or writer. Just a good athlete that like being a celebrity (hence all the ridiculous clothes, dye jobs, tattoos, etc., etc.).



3. i start loving the NBA because of dennis!! i saw him ones in tv in europe!! and i start to watch the NBA !! i was reaqding the book the first time 1997 in german!! i gave it to a friend and never got it back!! i love the story about his life and all the questin he ask people and what he have done before he was a superstar!!!
   i just can say thanks dennis !! if u are in basketball u must read this book!!



4. As a longtime basketball fan, I was at first anxious to see what I would find in a tell all novel of one of the best rebounders and all around defensive players of the game. What I found was horrible talk about women and other players. Rodman's racist comments against white people are enough to scoff at no matter what color a persons skin is. His comments of "black" players being better than whites is just a terrible shameful label to put upon all of those who play the game. Would have loved to hear what Larry Bird, John Stockton, and Jerry West had to say when they heard that one!
   
   Rodman does talk in depth of the family he lived with for some of his life and I commend him for that. The only downfall to this is the fact he didn't seem to learn from them anything about class or manners. If you are looking for a book about a "worm" then you've come to the right place. If your looking for a book about the wonderful game of basketball as told by one of it's greatest players, I suggest that you look elsewhere.



5. Dennis Rodman was a fascinating bad boy who wasn't afraid of mouthing off about anyone. His book is full of a very few good stories and plenty of complaints about fellow players, basketball management, coaches, everyone. He's bitter and angry, not full of interesting anecdotes. Most of this has ceased to be relevant as his heyday of shock value has passed. For someone not intimately involved in the mid to late 1990's basketball scene, none of the information retains relevancy as time passes. This might be good as a history book for a true fan, but if you lived through the Rodman heyday, you probably picked up his memoir back then.
   
   So much is done for pure shock value, and it gets tiresome.

5 comments about Wounds of Passion: A Writing Life (Wounds of Passion).

1. What a treat for her fans and admirers. This is a glimpse into a brilliant mind and a radiant soul. It's also a precious companion for many black women struggling with the double loneliness and struggle of life in america and the writing life anywhere. How gracious of her to share more of her personal history with us.

   Her observations are wise. Her grasp of history is absolute. Her ideas stimulate intelligent and loving thought, conversation, and action. Read this book.




2. Wounds of Passion by bell hooks is an autobiography that explains the struggles of a very independent-nonconforming-feminist-black-woman-writer from the South struggling through a difficult childhood then later trying to adapt to the "foreignness" of the academic world of California. Just like hooks, this book is not easily placed into a clearly defined category. It could be at home among works of women's studies, feminism, African-American studies, cultural criticism, or autobiographies, just to name a few. This book is not merely a memoir of bell hooks' writing life. It presents several strong statements about American society and how difficult it is (even down to the family level) to be independent and to challenge the status quo. She calls the reader to bear witness to her pain and struggles throughout her life as a black female writer.

   Two intertwining voices throughout the book make it a very interesting and unique narrative. As one voice is telling the story through time as the events are happening, another voice is looking back at these events as a third person in the here-and-now. This gives a reader more than the normal single-perspective and brings the reader a little closer to the story she's telling.

   One of the many statements hooks makes with Wounds of Passion is blackness does not have a universal truth. This is exemplified by the following quote explaining the fundamental differences between her and her boyfriend Mack (who was born and raised in California) throughout their long, rocky relationship. Hooks explains, "He does not feel the pain of Jim Crow. Shared black skin does not draw them closer. Her kinda blackness is strange to him. His kinda blackness I've heard about but find it hard to believe" (52).

   Many social issues surface in Wounds of Passion such as domestic violence, conflicting feminist views among black and white women, racial issues of the South, stereotypes, issues of social class, and several others. But hooks does not preach or prescribe any concrete "solutions" to these problems. She seems to merely want people to recognize these problems exist, and with that acknowledgment, be taking the first step in the overall solution.

   She speaks many times about how poetry and words are a place for her to escape from the harsh reality of everyday life and how she moves beyond the boundaries of race and class through books (105). "Poetry is a place of transcendence" (109). Poetry is often a place where gender and race is not usually evident or important in the words and their meanings.

   Although there's never any doubt that bell hooks is a feminist black woman, she says in the following quote about two good friends of her and Mack: "Their gayness is both significant and not solely defining. This is how she wants to feel about blackness, that it can always be significant without being the only aspect of her identity that matters. The same is true of being a woman" (237-238). This outlook will hopefully be the "norm" someday. Wounds of Passion will definitely help get us there.




3. As a black woman poet/writer, I was able to connect with hook's experiences and frustrations. There were deeply moving passages that explored the pain in loving and the satisfaction of pain articulated. "Language is a body of suffering and when you take up language you take up suffering too." At times, though, I felt that hooks could have been more succinct; the book could have been half its size. All in all, it is an interesting exploration into the heart of a writer and is an honest read.



4. This insight to a black woman's life learning her craft of writing is insightful and very revealing. Those who have read Ms. hooks knows she leaves no leave unturned and has a no-holds approach to telling it like it is. The abuse, both physical and mental she witnessed in her childhood home must have been painful to relive. In expressing how it was to both want to follow her love of writing and loving a black man with the same ambition is a testament to her perserverance. When she found that she was being stifled she knew she had to choose for her own well-being. Loving and writing. Can the two be done? I recommend this book as a part of black women writers.



5. I have read so many of bell's books, and she is by far one of my most favorite authors; her work has greatly influenced my own thinking and writing. No one with a bit of openness and academic integrity can reject the wealth of insight bell has offered to feminism, race theory, and cultural studies.

   With such a prolific career, however, there will be inevitable ups and downs. Without a doubt, bell's earliest works (ain't i a women, yearning, from margin to center, talking back...) are among her most groundbreaking; these works set the standard for studying race and gender as interrelated social phenomena. some of her later works lack the novelty and texture of her vintage writing.

   for this reason, i am THRILLED to see wounds of passion. i love this book. having read bell's other books, i can appreciate the story she is telling -- it is interesting to see how her life experiences contribute to her academic writing. for those who describe the book as "self indulgent," self-centered, etc. Guess what? IT'S AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY!!! TO WHOM SHOULD SHE HAVE GIVEN THE ATTENTION????! Anyway, the book reveals how writing is often a mechanism for processing life's trials and tribulations. Congratulations, bell, on another wonderful work.