5 comments about Jimi Hendrix: An Illustrated Experience.

1. My dad loved the book, very easy to read , and lots of pictures and even a music CD is included. My dad is a down heart Jimmy FAN!!



2. Be careful not to buy into anything written or stated by his step-sister.
   She had virtually no interaction with Jimi. Moreover she consistantly places a self serving (monetary) driven slant on everything she publishes about Jimi.



3. I bought this book for my daughter who is a big Hendrix fan. It is really awesome! It contains copies of original writings and songs in Hendrix's own handwritting! It is layed out like a scrapbook with pages of history and narration. There are also photos and personal letters. It is a very unique layout. My daughter loves it.



4. happy i bought it. lots of different types of information plus 70 min of music. very cool.



5. As another reviewer said this "museum in a box" set with over 30 reproduced documents - mostly letters or Journals - slipped in pockets throughout the text is not the best biography of Hendrix. Then again, I'm not sure it's supposed to be. There are other bios of Hendrix - two Hendrix books were already authored by co-author John McDermott.
   
   This book made to be "interactive" with the "reader" pulling out the pieces of paper. Unlike similar "boxes" out there, much of the Hendrix material is in the same format, with the exception of a few mini-posters. I would have though that other multi media would be fun to see. The book does come with a 70-minute CD and - while this material is available from Hendrix specific websites, it's not generally found in major bookstores where this book is made to be seen and sold. The 30 minute "Studio Jam" with Jimi playing with all kinds of sounds could act as a "soundtrack" to leafing through the book and playing with the inserts.
   
   So, no it's not perfect but if you think about it as a hands-on "experience" it can be a lot of fun. And - given the author's credentials - you know that the facts should be correct.
   
   I gave it Four Stars as a fun "experience" and not as a reference book. There are plenty of them.
   
   Steve Ramm
   "Anything Phonographic"

2 comments about Negro with a Hat: The Rise and Fall of Marcus Garvey.

1. Wow! What a wonderful read. I learned so much and Mr. Grant made so many pieces of history fall into place for me. Obviously my education regarding African-American History has been incomplete. Growing up in the sixties with "The Black Power Movement," I now understand where it began and Garvey has not received enough credit or press for his "dream." This book has greatly blessed me. Right on Colin Grant! Thank you.



2. Independent historian and BBC Radio script editor Colin Grant presents Negro with a Hat: The Rise and Fall of Marcus Garvey, an in-depth biography of Marcus Mosiah Garvey (1887-1940), who is perhaps best-known for his "Back to Africa" movement that sought to create an independent homeland through Pan-African emigration. Known as the "Black Moses" to his many admirers, and crowned Jamaica's first national hero after his death, Marcus Garvey also made plenty of enemies - he was deemed a enough of a threat by Winston Churchill and J. Edgar Hoover to warrant surveillance, and was scornfully derided as a "negro with a hat" by W.E.B. Du Bois. His talent for promoting his ideas and resurrecting memory of lost African civilization was unsurpassed, and he earned his place in history as one of the founders of black nationalism and a crucial figure of the twentieth century. Negro with a Hat spares no detail yet remains accessible to readers of all backgrounds, and is highly recommended for its thoughtful and balanced presentation of a thoroughly complex individual's life.

No comments about Inheriting the Trade: A Northern Family Confronts Its Legacy as the Largest Slave-TradingDynasty in U.S. History.

5 comments about Long Life, Honey in the Heart.

1. Prechtel's prose is beautiful but this is difficult to get your teeth into. If you can persist with it, then it is rewarding as it travels the gamut of shamanic experience, and is wildly entertaining at times. However, there are drawbacks. It is very long, and the pace sometimes tedious. It's a pity this wasn't edited better. Overall, a good introduction to shamanism. I would recommend starting with Patrice Some instead.



2. Modern society has us born and abandonded. It does not take any interest in us unless we make lots of money or achieve some kind of fame. We have little purpose in it except to make money for others and that is pretty much the extent of it: nothing else is demanded of us.
   
   Martin Prechtel's book describes a society where giving is more important than receiving, working together for a common cause of spiritual value rather than material value, opposed on both sides by the materialist communists and capitalists, neither of whom can see any value in their old ways of initiation.
   
   Yet the initition creates a person of far greater value than those who sought to destroy it. Whether or not the reader can share the beliefs of the Tzutujil Maya, and for a modern reader it is of course difficult, the result of this system of society is the creation of real human beings, lives not devoid of meaning and afloat on a sea of worthlessness, but deeply intertwined with the living processes of the world, each one feeling that they contribute to the story of life, that they have value and love.
   
   The difficult and dangerous passage of initiation that the adolescents of the village undergo to bring the goddess back to life gives them an inner power and wisdom that stays with them for the rest of their lives, meaning that they don't become disruptive, lost and alienated from the world but an integral part.
   
   It is a shame to me that our modern societies, whatever their political system, cannot operate more in this way. Not to live exactly like they used to - before the modern societies imposed themselves - but to realise what they achieved and how it can benefit our cast-adrift generations.
   
   I have given this book five stars because it offers a way out of the ever-tightening spiral of anguish that drives even the pleasures of modern life and it does so without preaching or spite. There are humourous passages throughout as well as more serious tracts. It is about the joy and beauty of life.



3. This is the third book I've read by Martin Prechtel. I wish there were 5 more to read. He is an excellent wordsmith and his experience with the Maya people of Lake Atitlan is much needed in these troubled times.



4. We saw Martin speak in Ashland, Oregon, and bought his books. they are nectar foods for the soul. nothing else like his writing, he will transport you with language to a place in your brain beyond language. Savory, delicious, honest, wildly reverent. but it and read it. then quit your job.



5. Prechtel's retelling of his life as a part of a society based on ancient tribal traditions. It gives a rare glimpse of mankind caring for its own. A tale of a culture striving for health and balance between neighbors, generations, mankind and nature. It is a beautiful tale of human beauty dashed by the motion of time in the hands of modern man. As sad as it is to see the outcome I find these people living within me as a reminder of what society can accomplish when it is rooted in respect, dignity and love.

5 comments about The Revolt of the Cockroach People.

1. Re-Saturday Review of Literature
   Oscar Acosta disappeared in Mexico in 1974, not 1971 (the year of his trip to Las Vegas with Dr. Thompson).



2. Re-Saturday Review of Literature
   Oscar Acosta disappeared in Mexico in 1974, not 1971 (the year of his trip to Las Vegas with Dr. Thompson).



3. This is the most realistic book I have ever seen about Mexican American hippies in Aztlan, the Chicanos of the 1960's neo-freedom movements. It will surely become a collector's item worth saving in this era of gung-ho Americanism which does not know the kind of objectivity Acosta displays with regard to how we think and why we believe as we do. Hunter S. Thompson described the author better than I can in his introduction to the book, highlighting his uniqueness while lamenting his untimely passing. I will write more after I give the book a more thorough second reading.



4. I read this book after finding out that Oscar Zeta Acosta was the fat Samoan lawyer from "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." Acosta's style is similar, with a lot of drugs and sex with minors. The differences are that Acosta isn't tripping the whole time and he has time to incite political rallies. I love when they protest the Catholic church, or when he pleasures himself with some nubile young high schoolers under a blanket during a sit-in.... For those interested in the turbulent times that was the 60s, this is a must-read.



5. After reading this book, and actually living through those turbulent times of the 60's and 70' s , it was refreshing to read and feel the burning frustration and love that this man was experiencing and the way he expressed his anger against the machine. This type of awareness has been lost , due to us the forefathers of the Chicano Movement, to teach our own and other's children of how important those actions were, so that we may emphasize education, political power and family values. We have implemented a course in Chicano Studies in schools, we now have political representation in our governments, and many more success stories that are due to the work of such people as Cesar Chavez, Ruben Salazar and Corky Gonzales. Oscar Zeta was a man amongst his own that was afraid of nothing and no one.My thanks to him for fighting the powers that be and for creating an example for all of us, regardless of race. You have to stand up for what you believe and Acosta is atrue testament to that.

5 comments about Lucky Child: A Daughter of Cambodia Reunites with the Sister She Left Behind (P.S.).

1. This is an outstanding book. Loung Ung is an excellent writer. I was educated by her first book: First they Killed my Father. This second book shows that she is truly a good author. I look forward to books she will write in the future. God truly is using you and your tragic experiences Loung. Thank you for sharing the struggles of your life. Loung, you are truly inspiring.



2. I just bought the first book on-line finally after reading the Lucky Child last year. I admired the courage and strength of the writer. It must took more than guts to write this book. Reading Loung's book as if I'm reading a book about myself. I'm too from Cambodian; I was too only 5 y.o. when war and genocide happened. My father was executed and murdered during this sadist era. I could truly relate myself to the author's life. Few years ago, I saw The Killing Field only briefly because I could not bring myself to watch it. But reading Lucky Child brought me back so much memories and nightmares. Before reading this book I always wondered what life was like for people back in Cambodia and how people lived day by day,this book answered some of my questions. Bravdo to Loung Ung and many thanks for being the voice of Cambodians. Those 2 Millions innocent people did not deserve to die and definitely NOT to die that way: brutiality and in unhuman ways. I am not a weepy person but reading this book, I cried the whole time. I cried for Loung and her family,for the 2 millions, and for all the survivors.
   I absoultely and highly recommend this book to anyone. Lucky Child should be the reading book in every school.



3. I could not put this book down. Her second book was just as wonderful as her first. It was very well written. I was amazed at her writing skills. Great read!



4. I read Loung's first book and liked it, but something about it subtly bothered me. Reading this book, I realized that it was the anger that underlay the whole thing. She's certainly more than entitled to the anger, but it doesn't always make for the best writing or reading.
   
   This book has been written by a more mature and settled Loung, and it shows. There's more reflection and a lot more humanity, bringing depth to the portraits of family members who were shown more one-dimensionally in the first book: an inevitable byproduct of the book being told straight from a child's point of view, and that of a child focused intensely on survival. I especially liked in this book how the "scary" brother Khouy was given added nuances of character; the moment when he said, hearing of his small sister's death, that "she was so small" brought a lump to my throat. The characters of the brothers and sisters are fleshed out here in a way that's really delightful and much more interesting to read than in the previous book.
   
   What's best about this, I think, is how we're given a look at the love between the siblings and the incredibly resilience of the family members who stay in Cambodia. It's also a good portrait of how some people in Cambodia are moving on with their lives: in our minds, so much of Cambodia remains the war and the killing fields. We need to know that people are surviving and living their lives despite the shadows of this past: it makes the nation real to us instead of a symbol.
   
   A gripping story that kept me up too late to read through it in one sitting. Some reviewers have said the sections on Chou were not as good as those on Loung, but I didn't find that at all -- I could actually have read a lot more from her point of view.
   
   One quibble: the book needed slightly better proof-reading. There were a few spelling mistakes that spell-check missed, and an astounding miss on a picture caption, where one of the Angkor Wat temples was labelled "Wat BYRON" instead of "Wat Bayon." Otherwise, an excellent read.



5. Loung Ung's fascinating second book, Lucky Child, picks up the story that began with her first memoir, First They Killed My Father, and with both books I found it impossible to put them down once I'd begun reading. Lucky Child contrasts life for Loung as a refugee in America, with her sister Chou's life in rural Cambodia, and it's a revealing and moving comparison. Loung, with lasting feelings of guilt for those she'd left behind, found it difficult to fit in, whilst Chou, resigned to her fate, displayed the resilience and inner strength that is apparent in so many of her fellow countrymen and women.
   
   I found two parts of this remarkable book particularly poignant, the heart-rending death of three-year-old Kung and the reunion between Chou and her brother Meng after a separation of eleven years. These passages were hard to read. Whilst the eventual meeting of Loung and Chou is an awkward affair, the tale of their brother Kim's escape from Cambodia to France is enthralling. The book tells a tale that underscores the importance of the bond between family members, the sheer strength of the human spirit and will to endure and most of all, it's a story of two sisters who have survived and flourished against all odds. Loung Ung has a special talent at storytelling. I recommend this book without hesitation.

1 comments about The Man on Mao's Right: From Harvard Yard to Tiananmen Square, My Life Inside China's Foreign Ministry.

1. 
   
   Who would imagine the autobiography of a leading Chinese government figure would read like a novel, engaging us with humor, suspense, surprise and the triumph of one man's love for his wife? With a great assist from ghostwriter Foster Winans, that is the difficult literary feat that Ji Chaozhu's "The Man On Mao's Right" accomplishes.
   
   This is also the first true "insider's account" I have read of the creation and evolution of modern China. Thanks to his work as a translator for Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, Ji was literally the fly on the wall during such historic occasions as Nixon's historic visit to China, the negotiations seeking an end to the Korean conflict, and the chaos of the Cultural Revolution.
   
   Having fled the Japanese invasion of China with his parents, Ji spent much of his childhood in the United States, where he attended Harvard University. Devoted to the cause of Chinese socialism, Ji returned to his native land, where he was uniquely able to translate not just the language of the Chinese, but their culture and belief system, for Western leaders.
   
   I cannot but wonder how history might have been different if not for his participation at so many pivotal moments in the evolution of the delicate relationship between China and the US.
   
   "The Man On Mao's Right" is essential reading for anyone who seeks to understand the modern history of China, its motivations, its people and culture. Best of all, this is such an enjoyable read, that it is certain to find an audience far beyond Chinese history buffs.
   
   Ji's life story is the epic odyssey of a Chinese Homer whose quest for his home, and to be with the woman he loves, literally spans the globe and encompasses several generations. "The Man On Mao's Right" is destined to become a classic of its genre.

5 comments about I Put A Spell On You: The Autobiography Of Nina Simone.

1. It is true that this book is not well written and seems to have been put together on the quick without any professional editing. My guess is that it was written as a means to make a fast buck. That said, the autobiography is worth reading because it is the only real glimpse many of us will ever get into the psyche of Nina Simone. I read that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the 1960s and this was kept secret until well after her death. I don't know for a fact if she actually had bipolar disorder. However, it is evident from reading her life story as told by her that she did have emotional and psychiatric problems. She made rash and erratic decisions for her and her daughter and her life seemed to be filled with self imposed chaos. She was an angry person, was always running from some thing, and blamed anyone and anything but herself for her unhappiness and problems. Most surprising to me was how she was always looking for someone, usually a man, to save her. I had no idea before reading this book that Nina Simone struggled so much with low self esteem, fear, hate, and erratic behavior. Her music is so powerful and she comes off as such a strong and solid person. That is why this book is worth reading. Compared with her music and stage persona, the autobiography shows a different side or Nina Simone. With the two combined, the reader realizes just how complex and even tragic, Nina Simone the woman was. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know a little more about Nina Simone. She is an imperfect human being and this is her account of her life



2. This was a great book. We read it for our book club and everyone enjoyed it. It was also easy reading.



3. Delivery-time of the book was really short. Thanks.
   Great book from a really great artist.
   
   Greetings,
   
   Frank Debruyne



4. This book was good in that it was concise and to the point (unlike the bloated, rambling autobiography of Miles Davis)-- and that's a good thing, because 176 pages is about all of Simone that I could handle.
   
   The book was written for an American audience, but a lot of the usages/ spellings were British English, and that became annoying.
   
   The quality of the photos was very poor-- One comes away from this book with the impression that it was done in a very seat-of-the-pants way.
   
   1. She seems to think that every thing that went wrong in her life is the fault of America. So, she did not pay attention to where her money was going during the time that she was performing and duly got ripped off. But that has something to do with America and the establishment.
   
   2. Ego! She's been known to call herself "Dr." Simone-- on the basis of having been granted an honorary degree. She also talks of being able to play "hundreds of songs" and reviews herself in glowing terms-- but her songs are distinctly not even as technical as, say, something done by Ray Charles.
   
   3. Not the sharpest pencil in the box! Can you imagine someone that marries a man AFTER he beats her to a pulp and then has no memory of doing it? Can you imagine someone that talks about socialism as something that was a good idea-- in a book that was published AFTER the collapse of the Soviet Union?
   
   4. Very needy/ emotionally unstable. Someone dancing naked at a club? Passing over many other men to find a married man that she thought was going to leave his wife for his piece on the side? Huh? Huh?
   
   Not worth more than $5 (I bought it second hand) and one afternoon of reading time.



5. I found this book to be a very insightful look in the personal life and perofessional life of Nina Simone. I particularly enjoyed learning about how her musical talents were shaped by her family and her upbringing in the South. This book provides a very facinating look into the life of a gifted artist.

2 comments about The Faith of Barack Obama.

1. "Give us the tools and we will finish the job." Winston Churchill.
   
   Stephen Mansfield has written a book that will give every voter the tools they need to make a much more informed decision about Barak Obama come November.
   
   This book does not praise Senator Obama nor does it bash or criticize Senator Obama. Some people may see this as an evasive way to write a book. I see it as a responsible and courageous way to write a book.
   
   This book is well researched and extremely well written. I have already used the information in the book to combat and correct emails I have received from friends and colleagues regarding Senator Obama.
   
   I am by no means a supporter of Senator Obama and will not vote for him this November. However, I am not a believer in the politics of fear and am certainly not a believer in the politics of misinformation.
   
   This book helped me to better understand Senator Obama's roots, his faith, and the path he has taken that may lead him to the White House.
   
   Dr. Mansfield has hit a home run with this book, and I would encourage every voter to pick up a copy before the November election.



2. This was, hands down, the best book I've read about Barack Obama. It was insightful and informative while remaining objective. It gave me the facts about Obama's upbringing and his faith through his life so that I could make up my own mind, without trying to influence me one way or another. I think it is a must-read for anyone planning on voting in the 2008 Presidential Election.

5 comments about Happy Birthday or Whatever: Track Suits, Kim Chee, and Other Family Disasters.

1. The shipment was out to me in a couple of days! This book is awesome, too! Thanks!



2. It's hard enough for a kid to absorb and become part of American culture. This book provides a glimpse into Choi's attempt to master two cultures. Choi's memoir is both very funny and thought provoking. She has a wonderful storytelling style - she lets the characters dish out the plot with "kettles" of unabashed humor. I haven't read a book this quickly in years.



3. The book was hilarious, I couldn't put it down. All the situations that she describes in the book are just great. It made me feel better that I'm not the only one with a crazy family, especially since I also come from a Korean background. The book def puts a smile on your face and if you want more she keeps up a blog, so check that out too.



4. I have a Korean mother, and an American father. I was raised in as much of the Korean tradition as possible, and often thought my mother was out of her mind. Having American friends, I would see how their families and mothers were and thought that my mom was just neurotic and out to make my life miserable.
   
   Annie's book is so well written. I felt that I could relate to everything she wrote. By reliving vicariously through her words, I was finally able to see that my family dynamic was not about control and disappointment, rather more about love and wanting the best for me, albeit in a very strange, stressful, mind game sort of way.
   
   Annie says on page 196: "Though we hate to admit it, we care what our family thinks; we've been brainwashed to seek approval and obey, just like the rest of Korea's children." I've repeated this line again and again, and not one of my Korean friends (and siblings) haven't laughed out loud at the funny, but very true statement.
   
   You will fall in love with Annie's family. You will adore her mother. You will feel like you know her in some strange way. This is probably because her spoken English is written as is, and you feel like she is talking to you. If you have a Korean parent, you will laugh at how the English language is somewhat butchered, yet that you are able to read and understand every bit of broken English, mispronounced and incomplete words. You will laugh at the different logic that cultural differences bring, and you will find yourself in stitches over the similarities that seem to be universal in the Korean family dynamic.
   
   This book is a joy to read. It is side splitting funny, and not dull for one second. You'll start reading and not put it down. Then you will go through withdrawal when you are finished. You'll find yourself ordering copies for friends of similar backgrounds, and referring to over and over again.
   
   Annie is comical and quick witted. I only hope that she will continue her memoir into the future.



5. hilarious and heartfelt, Annie Choi's book made me laugh out loud, and explained to the rest of the world what it's like to grow up Asian American or specifically, with nutty but loving parents who can barely communicate with you. Except in "Engrish" that is. However, the funniest thing she has written in my opinion was her "Open Letter To Architects" which is not in this collection. Good stuff though.