No comments about Families and Freedom: A Documentary History of African-American Kinship in the Civil War Era.

No comments about The Educational Thought of W.E.B. Du Bois: An Intellectual History.

5 comments about When Race Becomes Real: Black and White Writers Confront Their Personal Histories.

1. Passing for Who You Really Are
   
   This book would have been far better if the author had included accounts from mulattoes and mixed whites. He seems to think blacks can speak for them. They CANNOT.



2. When Race Becomes Real is probably the best book to come across my desk in two years. Bernestine Singley and the other contributors have managed to take a tension-laden subject -- racism -- and approach it with the deepest honesty possible. The result is not a book that will send people reeling away in shame or disgust, but one that is accessible to anyone, regardless of skin tone or occupation.

   It is an odd thing to say about non-fiction, but this is a very tough book to put down once you start. If it were a novel, we'd call it a page-turner.




3. This book made me laugh, cry and everything in between. In the wake of the Trent Lott controversy, I would highly recommend this book to Blacks and Whites. Although there were a couple of stories that were long and uninteresting, I still gave this book 5 stars.



4. Bernestine Singley is to be congratulated for her thought-provoking, nitty gritty book. She has assembled a group of writers who aren't afraid to make it plain about race, including black folks who are sick of it, white folks who are finally getting it and everything in between.
   My favorite pieces are Derrick Bell's epilogue (I have been a big fan of his since Geneva Crenshaw), Julianne Malveaux's hilarious and rather poignant "Race, Rage and the Ace of Spades" (that woman needs to write a memoir or something), and Tim Wise's insightful piece.
   This is too searing to read in one setting, but it is the kind of book that begs for discussion. I am suggesting it for my book club and plan to use it at work to deal with some diversity related issues. Check it out!



5. "When Race Becomes Real" initiates a discussion long overdue in America where the subject of race is so sensitive that it has become virtually taboo. Some of the essays in this book touched me very deeply, some annoyed me, and others provided thoughtful new insights. All of them impressed me with their sincerity. After reading these writers' revelations about their own highly personal experiences and feelings in regards to race, one understands that there are many sides to the same truth, and that in order to approach any level of comfort in relations between the races, well meaning people need to be able to bare their souls without fear of censure or ridicule. This stimulating work can be used to open up frank discussions in the classroom or the living room and is highly recommended to anyone who is ready for an honest examination of the unavoidable everyday complexity of race relations in America.

5 comments about Beyond the River: The Untold Story of the Heroes of the Underground Railroad.

1. Author Ann Hagedorn, who moved "on location" to complete her research and add inspiration to her writing, offers a rarely seen individual account of the underground railroad. Most other books on the topic take a view from 50,000 feet. Hagedorn focuses in on one river (the Ohio), two states (Ohio and Kentucky), and one man (John Rankin). The abolitionist work of this Presbyterian minister (whose letters about abolition are a crucial primary source) serves as the backdrop and foreground for Hagedorn's exposition. Though focused on Rankin, the author does not fail to provide compelling real-life stories of many other "key players" both slave and free. For a compelling, unique read of the courageous men and women conducting the underground railroad, "Beyond the River" is the book to read.
   
   Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Spiritual Friends, and Soul Physicians.



2. Beyond the River was just named one of the American Library Association's Notable Books for 2004. The annual list is highly regarded and identifies 25 very good, very readable and very important books.

   This is a tremendous honor for Beyond the River and one that is richly deserved; this book lovingly weaves together tales of the abolitionist heroes in the town of Ripley, Ohio in the years leading up to the Civil War.




3. Ann Hagedorn offers the reader a captivating perspective on America's struggle with slavery in her work, "Beyond the River." The uniqueness of her work eminates from two particular aspects of her work, both of which begin with the way she takes her subject out of the macro world of politics and economics into the smaller world of the lives of the people effected by the souths 'peculiar institution.' Looking slavery through the eyes of individuals, the reader gains a far greater appreciation of the suffering, torment, and most of all, the fear generated by those who stood in opposition.

   Interesting also is the location the author focuses on, the Ohio River where on one side men are free and on the other live in chains. Most texts present slavery at great distances, like The Carolinas an and New York. Here we see just how intimate the slavery and the abolitionist could be and the blood spilled by both sides.

   Most importantly, Hagedorn writes in a cool clear voice that is enjoyable and informative. She delivers facts and passion in the same sentence without ever becoming melodramatic or shrill. Readers who enjoy this fictional work may also want to look at "Cloudsplitter," Richard Bank's novel on The Brown family's war on slavery.




4. This is a great read, suspenseful and thoughtful, one of the best page-turners I have read in a long while. I strongly recommend the book to anyone, of any race, of any religion, and from any part of the U.S. It has made me reflect on what 'weak' creatures most of us are when it comes to moral risk-taking, and how courageous other Americans in the past have been. This is a book that will make you feel very humble about how 'morally righteous' you really are.

   Unlike one of the other reviewers, I have enjoyed reading the 'large blocks of text'--the original written voice of the people livng at the time, and their [lists of] names make the events very real. These folks were a whole lot more articulate than myself--read this book!




5. So you think you know all about the Underground Railroad, the secret network that fugitive slaves used to escape bondage? Try this quiz:

   1. Once they reached one station of the UGRR, how did fugitives reach the next station?

   2. What role did women and children play in the UGRR?

   3. What religious group do you associate with the UGRR?

   So those questions are easy? Try these:

   4. What connection did Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, have with Ripley?

   5. How many years did the citizens of tiny Ripley, Ohio serve as major players in the Underground Railroad?

   Ann Hagedorn answers all these questions and more in Beyond the River. In her skillful hands, a century and a half fades away and the people of Ripley spring to life. By day, they live a surprisingly civilized life-- none of those rustic log cabins and barefooted trips to the outhouse that you read about in many attempts to bring history alive. By night, the sophisticated network of friends and neighbors bands together for one purpose: "a solemn promise to fight slavery until it is dead or the Lord calls me home."

   As a girl in the 1960's, I traveled through Ripley, Ohio a couple of times a year to visit my grandparents. I knew a little about the Rankin family and the Underground Railroad from reading the historical marker near Rankin House, but until Ann Hagedorn's book, the story of Ripley was lost history. Read Beyond the River the first time for the gripping story, the second time for the historical accuracy, and the third time for the inspiration to make our world a better place.

2 comments about Leading Between Two Worlds: Lessons from the First Mexican-Born Treasurer of the United States.

1. "The American Dream is the fundamental story of this country, and my life is a grateful reflection of its reality." This quote on the back cover of the paperback edition of the book sums up the heart of this true-life story.
   
   Rosario Marin, coming to America as an immigrant child via Mexico, had no expectations that her life would be any different than the path that her family, culture and fate had laid out for her. Yet the beauty of the American dream, and the heart of Rosario's true-life story, is that someone can come here, with nothing, not even speaking a word of English, and can find herself becoming an influential person in state and national politics within a matter of a few years.
   
   The wonder of the California dream imbedded within the larger American dream is that in the Golden State, one can rise to greatness even without family connections, a famous last name, money or influence. California, especially Los Angeles, where Marin spent the last of her childhood, is the one place where anything is possible, and even an immigrant who arrived without any particular dreams of greatness would find herself truly living out the best of the American dream. With the words Si, Se Puede! Yes, We Can! Rosario Marin ends the preface to this wonderful book.
   
   This book is truly inspirational and well worth reading.



2. Rosario's story was a well-written, easy read. I could feel the heart she put into it. She revealed a lot of sensitive, personal information without coming off as maudelin. Many of the stories within the story contained useful advice for any one, especially any woman, wanting to break into politics.

5 comments about Marvin Gaye, My Brother.

1. In this bio about his brother, the late Frankie Gaye makes constant references to the Seventh-day Adventist Church as being the church the Gay family grew up in. As a lifelong Seventh-day Adventist myself, I can safely tell you that this poor man has us mixed up with someone else. The Gaye family actually belonged to the House Of God, Inc. (a Hebrew Pentecostal sect); while they are similar to Seventh-day Adventists in their beliefs about the Sabbath, dietary laws, and the state of the dead, there are other differences. When he started talking about the dos and don'ts of their faith, I said, "Oh no! Those weren't Adventists! We have our standards, but they are nowhere near that strict (not even for the era he grew up in)! I have read the official website of the House of God, and they do not site their origins as having any connection with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I'm so sorry that the author is deceased and unable to correct this error, although I'm quite sure he meant no harm.
   
   I will say this, that I enjoy the music of Marvin Gaye, especially as an adult. His was a wonderful talent. I was 11 years old when I heard of his murder, and I thought it was such a sad way for his life to end. If only his family wasn't so dysfunctional, if only he hadn't gotten hooked on those stupid drugs (what a robber of human life drugs are in our communities!)! What else can we say but "Makes Me Wanna Holler", "Mercy Mercy Me", and "What's Going On"? Thank God we have his music as a legacy!



2. WHen I read this book, I was a little disappointed with a few things. First to know that Marvin Sr. got really no time for commiting murder. Weather of not, Marvin pushed him did not give him any excuse to pull the trigger. I felt that Marvin Sr. was probably jelous of all the attention or that some of his songs were about sex.
   I honestly thought that Marvin My brother was pretty well written and pretty interesting.



3. This book is very intersting, it let me know more about Marvin Gaye and his brother. I'm going through the book again.



4. This is the second book I have read about Marvin. This book had far more insight as it was written by his brother. Very good reading for fans of Marvin, Motown or Music.



5. I've read Divided Soul twice, once when it was first published and again in the late 90's. For me, it was the definitive Marvin Gaye book, until I read Frankie Gaye's book!
   
   Frankie Gaye's book is so compassionate and tender, so factual. After all, he was Marvin's best friend and confidante. Whatever you do, do not skip to the end. Read the entire book and when you get to the ending, you will have gone through Marvin's struggle with him, with Frankie. My only regret about this book is that I never bothered to know more about Frankie Gaye.

No comments about Journal of a West India Proprietor (Oxford World's Classics).

5 comments about When Nothing Else Matters: Michael Jordan's Last Comeback.

1. Published in 2004, author Michael Leahy shares his experiences during Michael Jordan's last comeback to the National Basketball Association.
   
   Leahy's potrayal of Jordan showed a different side of the basketball legend which is not normally seen in the eyes of the public. Jordan, the "the most marketed player in the history of the NBA," was finally..."mortal" and did go through the same trials and tribulations (from a heightened perspective) that we all go through at some point in our lives. Leahy accounts the days wherein Jordan was at his best and would score 35 points over the span of several games to the days wherein he wasn't unstoppable and hit his career lows of 8 and 2 points respectively.
   
   What stood out for me was Jordan's lambasting of players who didn't play up to his standards. Leahy quotes Jordan on numerous occasions wherein he would lambast teammates. Coach Fred "Tex" Winter, an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers and former assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls summed it up best, "you either work hard or Michael has no use for you."
   
   But the one paragraph in Leahy's entire book which rocked my very foundation of emulating Michael Jordan was the following:
   
   "His people had held him up as a man to be emulated, making Jordan more than a half-billion in endorsement dollars in the process...he had raised the bar on his behavior during 17 years of unremitting self-promotion, in campaigns approved by the Jordan camp and coordinated by Nike and other corporate sponsors that elevated him from great athlete to hero and, finally, to moral symbol.
   
   ...when you present yourself as virtuous in years of ad campaigns and TV commercials, you will be fairly held in time to that standard. Fairly held because uou have sold your basketball shoes to people plunking down in excess of $100 not merely for a chance at better Ups but for a way to rub up against your aura, to feel a tiny sense of you in that admittedly silly way people feel when they wish to emulate anybody, to be inspired by your class and elegance, your morality and grace, as they've heard it told. And if some of that was artifice, then so, too, was everything you sold with your likeness on it."
   
   Disturbing but quite true, personally, I have seen myself on many occasions wanting to "be like Mike." I've bought the shoes, worn the clothes, gotten the cards, read the books...and it is only now I realized. What about me? Leahy's book showed me that. In the years that I have been collecting "Jordan" in order to be inspired, all I needed to do in the end was look in the mirror in order to be inspired.
   
   This is a great book that puts any not only Michael Jordan's life in perspective but also that of your own, especially if you are a Jordan fan who has collected his paraphernalia over the years.



2. Michael Leahy obviously likes to tear down icons. In doing so he comes over as petulant and singularly lacking in the understanding of what it takes for a Michael Jordan to be as successful as he was.
   
   All of the NBA elite are tough in an over the top alpha male hyper competitive environment. If they are not, they quickly fall by the way side. Obviously the author failed to grasp this fact.
   
   That Jordan wasn't a crack executive is neither here nor there. His single minded successful quest to be the best player ever, did not leave him much room to observe and learn board room politics.
   
   If Mr. Leahy ecomes half the writer that MJ was as a player he would have world's of success and probably win a Pulitzer, however, he will more likely have a career mirroring a Brad Sellers, just not good in the clutch!



3. Mr. Leahy is a very talented reporter, but his interesting, carefully collected raw material is poisoned by his obvious agenda, which is to make the case that Michael Jordan is a terribly flawed man who never truly deserved the admiration of his fans. By the end of the book, Mr. Leahy's perspective just seems childish. He is forever blaming others for telling part of the truth, but concealing the rest--yet that is precisely what he does throughout the book. Certainly, Jordan had his faults as a teammate and as an employee, but what about the admirable features of his "last comeback"? What other fading sports star tried to turn around a miserable franchise? What other fading sports star remained one of the best players in the world at 39 years old, even though his performance was limited by a serious knee injury? What other sports legend risked spoiling an absolutely PERFECT conclusion to a brilliant career just because he loved the game and wasn't ready to give it up forever? Jordan took on an extraordinary challenge and didn't succeed. That may seem pathetic and selfish to Mr. Leahy, but I don't see why readers should view Jordan's struggles as a Wizard in that way.



4. The Michael Jordan story always seems to be told in extremes. Either he is heralded as an icon so mindlessly that the storytelling appears uninteresting or he is vilified, as previous writers knew the value of tearing down an icon.
   
   When Nothing Else Matters is a portrait of a man that feels honest, Jordan is neither vilified nor overly praised; instead Micheal Leahy has given us a view of a man experiencing his only real failure in his career as a professional basketball player. A failure that is proven by the simple fact the Washington Wizards, with Jordan in a powerful position off, then on the court, never ascended the heights of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Eastern Conference. It is a fascinating look at the world's most famous basketball player, during a time period where he seemed unable to transition his on the court reputation and success, to a career in management.
   
   Jordan, the man, had grown comfortable being an icon and as his skills faded and his team missed the playoffs, Leahy reveals someone whose disconnect from the world around him made him unable to finesse his way to off the court success. Therefore his last games for the Wizards are revealed to have been one last chance to court the spotlight as a prime-time player, as the chances to move forward off the court didn't exist, Leahy lays out these realities, and Jordan's apparent blindness to them, that shows Jordan as a very accomplished yet out-of-the-loop figure who couldn't overcome his last challenge in the N.B.A. It also makes clear what Micheal Jordan was to the Washington Wizards management, a cash infusion.
   
   Leahy's even handed treatment may prevent When Nothing Else Matters from being extreme in its presentation, but it doesn't prevent it from being an extreme success as it stands as a historical document for basketball fans to turn to when looking at a honest portrait of life in the N.B.A.



5. I was hoping that Leahy had recaptured some of the magic that Sam Smith used when he wrote 'The Jordan Rules,' and early on I wasn't disappointed. However, halfway through the book I realized that the magic ran out. It's possible that the magic ran out because Jordan himself ran out of magic when he came back with The Wizards.
   
   This book does a fine job detailing the downward spiral of Jordan's NBA life, but becomes tedious and boring in the latter half. Much like the Wiz stopped selling out their arena during Jordan's comeback as fans lost interest, I started losing interest. The ending of the book chronicling Jordan's 2nd Wizards season is a desultory piece of writing without a strong narrative flow.
   
   Recommended for hoops diehards, but not the casual fan.

5 comments about Not a Genuine Black Man: Or, How I Claimed My Piece of Ground in the Lily-White Suburbs.

1. Brian Copeland's new memoir shows us the world through the eyes of an 8-yr old black boy and the challenges of growing up black in an all-white neighborhood and school. He never really got to relax and enjoy his childhood because life was pretty much a war zone for him. His absentee father would show up and verbally abuse him, as did potentially anyone he came in contact with. So he had no role model; he had to grow up too soon and become the man of the house. The protector of his mother and younger sisters. No one was in his corner. Teachers feared uprisings or job loss for taking up for him. As he got older he learned how to mask his fears and to use humor to cover up the painful past. The book also delves into mental illness. When suffering from tearful outbursts for no apparent reason, his psychiatrist likened his condition to PTST - Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Dealing with that after all these years has made him a stronger person, and one who can reach out to help others. The book is a huge eye-opener. It is a heartwrenching read. But his humorous writing provides the foil needed to keep the reader from throwing down the book and drowning in despair and shame for what injustices blacks went through in order to get out of the ghetto and to have a productive, satisfying, prosperous life. While race is a big part of the book, Copeland insists his story is more about being an outsider and what skills outsiders can use to "cope" in a "land" of insiders. I highly recommend this book! I couldn't put it down! I am a richer person for having read it.



2. Brian Copeland shares his life story with us in Not a Genuine Black Man. It is insightful, touching and important. Although the subject matter of racial prejudice is serious, he tells the story with much humor to help us, and him, be able to get through it.
   
   If you've ever seen Brian do stand up comedy, listened to him discussing topical news issues on his highly rated talk radio show or met him in person he comes across as being "not like other blacks".
   
   Every white person knows someone like Brian. The co-worker at the office who doesn't have the "accent". Who talks about and does "normal" things. The one who is "just like us". The one who "doesn't play the race card". You've heard at least one person say "why can't they all be like him?"
   
   There are white people who believe racism and discrimination are a thing of the past, saying that no one alive today was ever a slave and everyone now has the right to vote. They feel that African Americans just have a chip on their shoulder based only on injustices that happened a long time ago to someone else. For "proof", they point to African Americans like Tiger Woods, Barack Obama, Colin Powell, Dick Parsons, Stanley O'Neal, John W. Thompson and Oprah Winfrey. Surely they are "just like us", the theory goes, because they choose not to feel victimized by the ancient injustices others suffered.
   
   Copeland lets us see behind the curtain. We learn of the pain that prejudice causes first hand through the eyes of Brian as a child and the toll that experience takes on him as an adult. We learn that with everything he has accomplished, there are white people to this day who say "Yeah, but he's still just a n____". We learn the pain doesn't stop with the discrimination -- when he refuses to make an issue of it and not let it get him down, there are those in the African American community that accuse him of not being a "genuine black man".
   
   Brian let's us know that he is successful and "like us" not because he never experienced the pain of prejudice, but rather he is successful and "like us" despite it.
   
   "Not a Genuine Black Man" is a must read with lessons for everyone. African American readers will surely relate to his experiences and the pain he feels. White readers may begin to understand it.



3. I enjoyed the book, but not for $14. I thought the author could have had more depth instead of simply recalling the past. I did enjoy learning about the Bay Area and the history of San Leandro, though. He is a funny man, but the book could have had a little more "meat".



4. Brian Copeland's "Not a Genuine Black Man" is a provocative and moving autobiography that begins the Copeland family's 1972 move into "lily white" San Leandro, California. Brian was then eight years old. And San Leandro (99.9% white) was using any method it could to maintain an all-white status.
   
   Copeland, a San Francisco Bay Area TV/Radio celebrity, comedian, and author, is an excellent story teller and tells his story alternating between his arrival in San Leandro and an awakening at age 35 which led to an attempted suicide. "Not a Genuine Black Man" is more than the story of Copeland's struggles with overt bigotry and eventual depression, it is also the story of his mother's and grandmother's resilience that brought San Leandro into the post-civil rights era as a diverse, inclusive community.
   
   The book's title "Not a Genuine Black Man" comes from a letter Copeland received from talk-radio listener which said, "As an African-American, I am disgusted every time I hear your voice because you are not a genuine black man. The letter becomes a catalyst for Copeland to explore his past and find out who he is. "Not a genuine black man...What does that mean?"
   
   Upon reflection, Copeland sees that his mother really wanted white childre and did not want to associate with the black community. "I'm not one of these blacks." As a result, a young black child was faced with the challenge of growing up in one of the most racist suburbs in America with a mother who was trying to escape her black roots. Unknowingly, he had to develop a mask to protect himself from these truths...a mask that would lead to depression.
   
   "Behind most of our masks is a truth that is hidden for a specific reason. Often we don't know what that truth is. I wasn't ready to deal with my truths, but ready or not, they started to bubble to the surface. Once that began to happen, try as I might, I couldn't get the toothpaste to go back into the tube. I knew I had to face the truth about my mother."
   
   Today, San Leandro has changed and Copeland now feels proud of being part of the change. Members of all races worship side by side in the pews of churches of all denominations. His grandmother and, posthumously, his mother were presented with a commendation from the City of San Leandro for "their bravery" to make San Leandro a better place for all.
   
   And as the City has changed, Copeland has also changed. He knows now what it really means to be a genuine black man - he is a "unique man" who has the resilience of his forefathers and the fortitude of his mother and grandmother. His experience is unique and it is a "true" black experience because this is his experience.
   
   A human life is the most complex narrative of all: it has many layers of events which embrace outside behavior and actions, the inner stream of the mind, the underworld of the unconscious, the soul, fantasy, dream and imagination. There is no account of life which can ever mirror or tell all of this. Copeland has offered us a sample of this complexity and reminds us that black people are not a monolith with one lifestyle, one viewpoint, and one agenda. They are a varied lot like any ethnic group, each with their own complex narrative to tell. Narratives that we all must hear.



5. An ideal assigned reading for ANY and ALL high school/college level students. So poignant, humorous, self-reflective and blatantly truthful --Mr. Copeland's personal retrospective, analyzing just exactly what he knows (his life), comes entertainingly packaged in a wrenching yet totally engaging exhalation.
   
   I'd say that this book IS GUARANTEED (yes, this is a superlative) to activate "the thinking mechanism" and elevate your class to that of an educational milestone. If there is one common element which student readers most respect, it's an author's iron-clad commitment to
   "keeping it real". Well, Mr. Copeland's clever and stylish prose delivers a tasty dose of head-on reality which will move readers to a new and better place.
   
   Reviewer's "poetic license" observation:
   
   Inexplicably often, peoples' names accurately and ironically depict a significant measure of their calling. Mr. COPELAND, I'm personally thankful for you and your families' inspirational determination; I'm humbled by my ability to include you in this often recognized, yet little understood club.
   
   NOT A GENUINE BLACK MAN: OR, HOW I CLAIMED MY PIECE OF GROUND IN THE LILY-WHITE SUBURBS

3 comments about The Black West: A Documentary and Pictoral History of the African American Role in the Westward Expansion of the United States.

1. This book is great and very informative. It tells how the West was won with the help of African-Americans, the things they had to endure during slavery and after freedom and how they establish productive communities.



2. Just a collection of informative vignettes detailing the Brothers and Sisters contributions to the creation of the Old West. Yet another piece of the historical African puzzle that everyone (but especially Blacks) need to become aware of.



3. THE BLACK WEST is a revised edition of an older book by William Loren Katz. He gives us a definitive history, not only of the Black people who helped settle the West, but also of the machinations of the United States to steal the land from the indigenous people. He includes the brawl with Santa Ana of Mexico regarding Texas as well as the struggle to take California from the Mexicans and the Indians. Katz lets us know that although Blacks were prominent in the settling of the West, they were not welcome additions. Many territories that later became states, passed "black laws" to restrict the entry of Blacks into the territories and to regulate their behavior once they were there. Two such laws were keeping them from voting and preventing them from attending the local schools.
   
   On the plus side, Katz gives the glittering history of the Black cowboys who herded the cattle, tamed the ponies and found gold. He even covers the lawbreakers who rustled cattle and gave Billy the Kid a run for his money in terms of bad behavior. Also there were those Blacks who were not willing to quietly accept the discrimination that they had left the states to avoid. Many of these individuals left a legacy of protest. Two women were told in a bar in Seattle, "We don't serve niggers here." They tore that place up. Then there was the sheriff who falsely arrested a Black Buffalo Soldier in Texas. Not only did his fellow soldiers protest, they ripped open the jail and took their comrade with them.
   
   The heartbreaking side was those Blacks who worked hard and long to buy their freedom. Once they had the money and gave it their owner, their owner would accept the money and then continue to keep them in bondage. Also, when Blacks discovered gold, irate gangs of Whites who wished to steal from them frequently ran them off the claim.
   
   This was an excellent book and in my opinion should be required reading for every school child in America. Katz does not sugar coat history as we've come so used to seeing in regular history books. He tells the good along with the bad. He makes the West come alive with his tales of individual courage as well as covering the ugly racism that has colored this country's history.
   
   Reviewed by Alice Holman
   of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers