2 comments about What Would Martin Say?.

1. I am so impressed with Mr Jones' observations. He takes the historical Martin King and brings him to 2008, addressing topics such as Black-on-Black crime, the current status of 'the struggle', the responsibility of modern Black America, the 'Jena Six', today's modern so-called 'Black Leaders', and a host of others.
   
   Mr Jones prefaces each topic with an historical account of how Dr King addressed a similar or identical situation. Mr Jones uses each recollection as a launching pad to address current subjects pertinent in the lives of Black America today, eminently qualifying him to surmise what he believes Dr King would say on the subject in 2008.
   
   Most if not all of these journeys in time are the accounts of the man who was present with Dr King at the time. More than just interesting sidebars, they validate Mr Jones as he gives compelling, rational argument for the positions he believes Dr King would take today.
   
   Mr Jones does not shy away from topics that he could have just as easily avoided. He could have successfully written a book where he honors Dr King's memory but steps on fewer toes. Mr Jones does just the opposite - he gets his big stompin' boots out and commences to "kickin' & takin".
   
   I stopped reading this book and immediately gave it to my niece for a college graduation present. I am ordering additional copies for my son, daughter, other nieces & nephews, as well as a copy for myself to finish. I hope that I see a dog-eared, frequently read copy on their bookshelves in the years to come.
   
   Thank you, Mr Jones!
   
   -RCH Sr-



2. Yes, I want to thank the author for writing this book. He tells the true story of a great man and a great movement--told as only someone who was personally there and lived through it can tell it. Jones uses the very close relationship he had with MLK not to aggrandize himself but to inform and educate anyone who chooses to read this book. The book provides balanced context and fascinating and sometimes unexpected insights, told in an unconstrained, thought-provoking manner. The book seems to be written by a self-effacing man who contributed greatly to the civil rights movement and now is passing along his knowledge and insights about MLK to all of us, regardless of our age/generation. I really enjoyed reading about what would Martin say about many issues of our time, and wish the book was longer.

5 comments about No Disrespect.

1. I PURCHASED THIS BOOK BECAUSE THIS IS THE 2ND PART OF HER 1ST BOOK THE COLDEST WINTER EVER I LIKED THAT BOOK AND I FEEL THAT SISTA SOULJA LIFE EXPERIENCES ARE OF VALUE FOR BOOK READERS TO READ ....



2. This book was not that bad,There are things that agree with Sister Souljah on and things that I disagree with.But for her to be so intelligent and have alot of book sense...She lacks a great deal of common sense and I honestly think and feel that she has alot of issues within herself to deal with by judging of her actions in this book.



3. This book will hit you smack between the eye sockets as Sister Souljah describes her own upbringing in the projects, in the grips of a welfare system designed to convey feelings of inferiority, an educational system in which black children were given no reason to take pride in their colour, their origins or their past, life in college and as an activist. She discovers a class beneath the underclass where she grew up. Souljah writes of the desperation that gripped not only adults but children and the complete death of love between black folks (235). She calls welfare hotels urban hellholes where "African children were doomed. It was a recipe for extinction of my people. It was genocide." This story brings to mind an activist called Geoffrey Canada who tried to convey the urgency of the problem. Souljah nailed it beautifully. Man/woman relationships play a significant role in this story. Be prepared to be jolted out of your seat.



4. I decided to read this book after I learned that my favorite artist and a person I look up to read it, Tupac. This book was a eye opener. I loved how she went into a lot of the issues we as black people deal with on the daily basis and she didnt sugarcoat anything. She was so raw with everything she said and I loved it. I think every young black male and female should read this book. I agreed, disagreed, laughed, cried, and smiled while i read this book it got so many emotions out of me and a book has never done that before. I definitely recommend this book to anyone.



5. This is a good book, Sister Souljah has been through a lot in her life and this book explain everyone who had an influence on her life. And reading her autobiography has made me understand her books a little bit more, now that I read No Disrespect.

5 comments about Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo.

1. By reading this book before watching the movie, you will see what Dr. Gonzo's life was like right before he decides to become a lawyer. If you have ever felt alienated by American ideals, regardless of your race, you will relate to this book. Acosta's writing is good and he does a great job of describing what the character is feeling when he encounters life, drugs, and ulcers.



2. It is easy to dismiss this book. The hallucinations and drug-induced rants become a little exaggerated and tedious. Although, his friend and partner in crime, Hunter S. Thompson, would detail similar bizarre experiences in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, their intent seemed different. Whereas HST played with fantasy in social satire as a form of comic relief, OZA seems to want you to believe it to be fact...or at least for you to trust that he believed it.
   With that said, the story is one of the most self-deprecating, odd, and entertaining autobiographies I have ever read. It can easily stand alone as study of a Mexican-American struggle for the American Dream, as well as companion book to Hunter S. Thompson enthusiasts. Regardless of your intent on picking this book up, OZA will amuse, disgust, and surprise you...making this a worthwhile read.

   On a sidenote: This book truly makes you wonder, when HST and OZA joined up, who influenced who more.




3. Strong writing in places, but Acosta's style is sometimes hard to follow. Overall, I found the book to be meandering, formless, and kind of dull. The "Chicano in search of his identity" stuff is pure marketing hype. "A Chicano in search of beer, chicks and drugs" would be more like it--but there isn't much of that here, either, in case you're looking for a story of epic debauchery by Hunter Thompson's Samoan attorney. Acosta comes off as a fairly conservative character--he was a Christian missionary in Panama at one time--and basically apolitical at this point in his life. He wanders around the country, goes to bars, tries peyote, smokes some weed, drinks a lot of beer, but it's all pretty low key and, personally, I never thought this kind of thing was very interesting to begin with. Still, Acosta is a fairly sympathetic character and he's a better writer than most. This isn't a bad book, but it isn't that great, either--read Hunter Thompson instead



4. This book is one of the most memorable I have read in many years. Oscar lived an incredible life, and his ability to render it in this book is consistently amazing. I've read this book about three times, and I reflect on the trajectory of Oscar's life often.



5. I heard about Oscar'Zeta' Acosta basically from reading Hunter S. Thompson's book but became quickly fascinated by Dr. Gonzo and wanted to know more about him. I was pleased to find out he had also written some books and was even more pleased to find out he was(is?) a very good writer. Truly an inspiration to anyone who has ever felt their identity as an american is something that they have had to come to grips with. Apart from that serious subtext, it also a very entertaining and amusing story that rolls along, introducing some interesting and memorable characters and situations. A passionate human being wrote this book and it is filled with all the honesty and humanity of someone bearing his soul to achieve a greater sense of genuine self which for Oscar Acosta means being "A Brown Buffalo"

5 comments about Soledad Brother: The Prison Letters of George Jackson.

1. This book allowed the reader a rare peek into the thoughts, opinions and emotions of a boy becoming a man in prison. The rage, the hormones, the injustice and the recklessness of the system and his childhood activities. His experience was valid while his words were eloquently laced with black liberation propoganda. The book is a bit mysterious in that there are letters to "A friend," and a person referred to simply as "Z." I have read about George Jackson in accounts others have written about him and they paint him as a giant political figure, ironicaly in the same unrealistic way the prison industry did. This book reveals Mr. Jackson as a young man who struggled with the concepts of who he was, where he came from, how he got there and how he could revolutionize the thoughts of others as an example for change through his letters and his actions. This piece was an important reading. Hard to accept while easy to believe - insightful.



2. The book came in excellent condition and arrived in a timely manner. Willing to work with again in the future.



3. I read this whole book within one week and it definitely left an impression on me. George Jackson was well-written and had become a serious bookworm during his incarceration. Throughout his collection of letters, with a timeline spanning from 1964 to 1970, his knowledge continuously expands. His interest in revolution deepens as well.
   
   I find his responses to his parents relatable. It revealed that as a family, they were, as all are, imperfect and we all face trying times with loved ones no matter how petty the subject may be. I believe that over time, he had become angered by his parents' reluctance to sympathize with his beliefs, which seemed to be the basis of his decision to cease contact with them. However, only for a short period of time. His letters to his younger brother, Jonathan, are tender. It's clear that he was Jonathan's teacher, schooling him and preparing him for the harsh society he would have to face. George wanted to know everything; regardless of the content surrounding the subject. He felt obligated as he took it upon himself to be Jonathan's protective figure. Regarding his letters addressed to Angela, I never received the sense that his letters addressed to her were love letters, but rather revolutionary letters addressed to a younger comrade from her older comrade. His sexist view regarding the woman's role (which at one point he even directed toward his own mother) in the revolution (or the woman's role compared to the male's in any situation) is unmistakable, and regardless of his admiration for Angela (as well as other women he maintained correspondence with) and the fact that he retracted his statements, it is that sexist view in which he never abandoned completely (which, by the way, was evident in his last audio interview). There are also letters addressed to Fay Stender, George's lawyer as well as another revolutionary ally, and I take it that they didn't always see eye-to-eye regarding certain subjects. Even so, she kept him under her wing and continued to counsel him. He continued to use her as a reference as well as his guide.
   
   George's view of the outside world had become limited over the years (like many others who remain isolated from the outside world on a consecutive basis), and it's clear in some of his later letters. He never had another chance to converse with others outside of prison. The only way he could be informed was by literature and visitors. But even in that sense, it wasn't the same. Would he have been able to handle it? Would it have been overwhelming? Or would he have blended in with the population, remaining as unbroken as he remained in prison? We'll never know the answers to those questions. But overall, this book exposes his many moods and the fact that his mind was constantly working.



4. Fear is a powerful weapon which inspires men to commit terrible acts of savagry. Fear of George L. Jackson led the U.S., Government, the state of California and several agencies of state repression to silence the voice of a great black thinker. This text attests to the fearless nature and level of thought George Jackson was cable of displaying. The courage to formulate and express such thoughts as "the time has come for all of us to stand up and stop trembling, grab the bull by the horns, and ride him till his neck snaps," required courage. In the face of oppossition, repression and incarceration Jackson dared to challenge the authority first of the inmate power structure, the department of corrections, state of California and U.S., government.
   
   This could not be tolerated. So is there any wonder that a man of Jackson's capacity met an early death? Could there be any doubt that a man who could speak on the black subculture of America and its propensity to take "one step forward and three backward," would become a source of contention. When was the last time the black subculture produced a philosopher, warrior, general and poet "It is by words that we convey our thoughts, and bend people to our will."
   
   It would have been more desireable "for some," had George remained stuck in the hopeless cycle of criminality that led to his trapping to begin with but the growth he demonstrated through self-inspired determination, a new kind of black hero was born. He joined the ranks of Malcolm X as a man who could indeed be redemned and accepted, if not by society at large then at least by the black subculture which he sought to influence and organize. So when the day came for George to die on his feet, his enemies undoubtably saw the terror of the dragon which inspired fear in the hearts and minds of their ancestors thousands of years ago when the warriors carrying the dragon as their symbol ruled as conquerers in ancient times.



5. All the verbs above describe the text and the man. Incarcerated, unjustly at that, at the age of 18, this beautiful Man-Child went on to become a brilliant writer, and also, tragically, a martyr of 20th century oppression. Killed in prison at the age of 29, George Jackson's living body is no longer here with us, still his spirit shines and lives on through his probing literature. Much can be said of prison literare, however to consider George Jackson's writings 'prison literature' would be to minimize its power. George Jackson's writings are revolutionary literature par excellence; his writings stand next to Fanon, Rodney and Trotsky. Let us remember George Jackson by reading him, and let us not forget what was done to him. Long Live George Jackson.

5 comments about Slaves in the Family (Ballantine Reader's Circle).

1. Quite often history textbooks can be dry and boring. Edward Ball's "Slaves in the Family" illuminates many larger historical events -- the slave trade, the institution of slavery, plantation economies, the Revolutionary War, The Civil War, and Emancipation -- and brings these events down to the human level, to the place where flesh and blood people lived through these events, how the events shaped them, and how they in turn contributed to history.
   
   Ball's careful, meticulous research wove oral accounts with written records kept so well by the Ball family, giving a credible, well-balanced view of plantation life, slavery, and how it impacted the lives of both black and white Ball plantation residents.
   
   Ball paid special note to the nuances of each speaker's story as told, not only through their words, but also their body language. He is an astute observer of people's reactions and unspoken thoughts.
   
   I highly recommend this fasinating book. I couldn't lay it down.



2. Edward Ball made a courageous journey into his family's past when he researched and wrote this book about their slave owning history, and took the step of searching out and meeting descendants of their slaves. This paperback edition includes an insightful follow-up exchange between the author and one of his black relatives about the writing of the book, their relationship, and how their views of race relations have and have not changed since its writing. The book inspired me both to think deeply about my attitude towards race and to read more about southern history, using the prism of slave ownership and my own family's southern geneaology as a focus. Related recommendations: The Ruling Race: A History of American Slaveholders] and [ASIN:0465015557 My Confederate Kinfolk



3. Oh my gosh! I didn't realize that Dawn Langley Simmons had passed away. When I purchased her book about the life of Margaret Rutherford, "A Blithe Spirit", I wrote to Dawn, and was surprised to receive a reply from her or him. For several years she/he corresponded and now I realize that she/he may have mis-represented herself. She did send me several photos of Margaret Rutherford. Interesting story.



4. I thought this was a good read. I especially appreciated the details of the types of Africans that the planters preferred and detested. I recommend this book. Yes, I do agree that the author's writing style was dry. However, I find most books that have a historical base, unless it is fiction, to be dry as cracker.



5. Some reviewers below complain that this book is tedious. Well, sure. I bet the US Constitution and the Bible are tedious to someone who has no clue about, or doesn't care about, their context. To anyone with some understanding of US history, the project of writing this book marks a step forward in race relations, however big or small that step may turn out to be. If you care even a little about why this country is the way it is, this book crackles with a searing flame.
   
   Ball writes about visiting a wary African American man in Chapter 6, and what that man says at the end of his interview speaks for me and my opinion of the book. "Someone has to break the ice. I gotta give you credit, you were man enough to do it."
   
   People won't agree whether reconciliation or forgiveness apply in this situation, and I'm not sure either. But this is the author's best effort at telling the objective truth about black-white relations as it was lived by individuals over the centuries. "I decided I would make an effort, however inadequate and personal, to face the plantations, to reckon with them rather than ignore their realities or make excuses for them."
   
   Chapter 9 describes the shocking child mortality figures on the plantations. And on a slave voyage from Africa to Charleston, over a third of the captive passengers died en route - just the cost of doing business to the owners. No wonder some try to deny this history; it's too painful. Yet, the book also provides some episodes of humanity and hope. Readers will emerge with a greater understanding of our history and human nature. Maybe they'll become more vigilant against trespasses on human life and dignity in our own day as well.

3 comments about Heroes of the Negro Leagues (with free DVD: Only the Ball Was White).

1. I purchased this book for a young boy age 13 and I also have one myself. This book and DVD is an excellent, fun history lesson for a child or pre-teen to reference at his or her leasure. It's an easy read and a great reference for people of all ages who want to know more about the Negro Baseball Leagues! A must have!



2. This book preserves an important aspect in the history of baseball and in African American history, and it does so in a riveting way. A sincere and fascinating tribute -- and a handsome one, to boot.



3. If you have any interest in baseball, you'll definitely want to have this book! Created by very talented men, this is a book to keep.

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

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



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



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



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



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

5 comments about Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now.

1. This is almost like a daily affirmation book by poet Maya Angelou. It contains affirmations on every day life and issues that we all face as a human beings. My personal favorite is her mantra that when one cannot follow the way of the world, than he/she should create his/her own path. While doing that a person of real grace will accept God because God gives us purpose and God's love provides hope that there is something good for us out there. We all have to find our own way to get there. But that way we should still be a virtuous people with manners and respect towards others. Our unique style will make us a brand that will be attractive to the outside world, simply because we embrace it ourselves. While I understand Ms. Angelou's take on racism, I must add that racism in its exclusiveness, meanness and repulsion is no different from sexism, intolerance to people who are different in any way or are treated as a second class citizens due to their national origin. Wonderful book to keep in pocket and refer to in time of need for assurance and comfort. Simply written with wisdom of the woman who has seen, felt and experienced the world.



2. 
   
   Leaves the reader with the thought of what life is all about. Maya, a beautiful and renowned writer, in her usual way holds one spellbound with this piece.



3. Maya Angelou is such an insightful writer. She has a very colorful background that explains why she is so well liked. She certainly knows about many, many aspects of life and has come a long way in her life. She is a true role model in the world. Not just for black women but for all women.



4. Maya Angelou is a prolific writer, and this book is more proof of that. This book was given to me by Maureen A. Fay, during her final year as President of the University of Detroit Mercy, my alma mater.
   
   Each short chapter offers words of wisdom, inspiration, and reflection. One deals with the difficulty of death. Another on how to take a 24 hour vacation (buy the book for this, if nothing else!). One deals with struggling with faith. I read the book in one setting, but have gone over it again and again.
   
   I am forever grateful to Sister Fay for giving me this book. Why not make it a gift for yourself & a friend. Of course, 5/5 stars!



5. Every once in a while I like to pick up a book that is outside the realm of usual reading, and look for a surprise, or spark to keep the fires of imagination from dying out - it is with this mindset I picked up "Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now." And what did I find as a result of my maverick literary exploration? Ehh...
   
   Ms. Angelou may not take anything for her journey, but based on the cover price she will take $17.00 to tell you a bit about it, and even this may not even seem like that bad a deal were it not for the fact that either her journey was bland, her insights wanting or her conclusions misguided - whatever the cause, this book is dreadful. If you are looking for the usual meaningless new age spiritual gobble-gook; i.e., about boundaries, respect, finding ones direction, learning what it means to be a women, etc. then this journey is for you - but if you see this nonsense as the nonsense it is, you will be best served my buckling up your shoes and journeying elsewhere.

5 comments about Don't Let The Lipstick Fool You: The Making of a Champion.

1. Lisa Leslie has really created a great read for basketball followers. She tells things truthfully and lets the reader know her feelings about certain issues. I really enjoyed this one!!!



2. I loved this book because it is like having a conversation with Lisa Leslie herself in which she tells you everything you ever wanted to know without actually having to ask her anything. It's like talking to a friend who just confides in you. I have always admired this woman, but know I really feel like I know her and admire her even more. It's not like I was in the dark about who she is, she projects her personality and values very clearly, however, with this book, one gets to discover how she got to be who she is and why she has gotten so far. I hope one day I get to meet her in person because she is very dear to me as a person, a woman, a player...she is a great role model to have. So go get a copy of this book. You won't regret it.



3. I am a HUGE Sparks fan. I love Lisa Leslie as well. The book was an eye opener. She is a very complex, shy person that turns in to a basketball playing machine on the court. The title is perfect! A must read for any young girl with professional sports dreams.



4. You don't have to be a sports fan to be inspired by Lisa Leslie's incredible story. This book takes you far beyond Lisa's athletic achievements -- which are substantial. It gives you a tremendous insight into the real person behind the extraordinary athlete, an extremlely compelling lady and a true role model.
   
   Kudos to Lisa and collaborator Larry Burnett. Five Star PLUS!!!



5. Even as a non-fan of the WNBA, this story really hit home! LL's different, sometimes heartbreaking stories were really an eye-opener into the life of someone who is constantly facing opposition-- LL is a true inspiration!
   
   I was appalled but utterly intrigued when she recollected the story about her own SISTER trying to steal Lisa's identity!
   
   From an athletic role-model to a stunning fashionista, LL has been through it all and I'm glad that she joined forces with Larry Burnett to create a great read!

4 comments about Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, Written by Himself (The Bedford Series in History and Culture).

1. In the classic slave narrative genre, Frederick Douglass' narrative of his life brings to life, in all its horrors, American slave society, and one slave's life-long protest against it.
   
   When we read Frederick Douglass in his own words, he is less the radical and more the reformer than we've been led to believe. He is also more the Christian statesmen and less the Christianity critic than we might imagine. Douglass' oft quoted comments about Christianity had much more to do with a righteous critique of distorted Christian living practiced by white masters than with any critique of Christianity or of Christ. In reality, Douglass, like so many enslaved African Americans before and after him, saw in Jesus a Savior they could identify with--a suffering Savior.
   
   Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Soul Physicians, and Spiritual Friends.



2. Frederick Douglass is the complete ressurection of the saying, "Knowledge is Power." With the more information he aquired as a slave the more he lusted for freedom. He also provides an excellent example of what black people in this country could do for themselves, interms of their economical status. Looking further, Douglass loved to think and imagine the endless possiblities, while he was still in bondage physically. When he began to read and understand the "Hypocrasy" that this country was based on, using christianity as it main tool, and what every human should be allowed by right, this released his psychological enslavement. If blacks throughout this country could read and understand there were blacks that went through worse situatians and overcame them, and the current situation that destroy the black communities were created for them to fail, just like slavery, many would wake up and take on the mask of Douglass. The mask that says, "regardless of class, race, or creed, this world was created for everyone to enjoy including me."



3. I read this book as part of a summer assignment entering into the 11th grade in addition to "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" by Harriet Jacobs. Both are great pieces of African-American historical literature and well worth the read. I couldn't read this book all in one sitting, due to the need to fight the urge to throw up. He detailed descriptions of physical, psycological, and emotional abuse are enough to sicken any one and make you disgusted with the human race.



4. The honesty with which this is written is amazing. I was glued to it from page one. I felt disgusted by the human race, saddened by his traumas and guilty just for being white. I think this needs to be read more. Especially in schools. Why isn't it???