5 comments about John Coltrane: His Life and Music (The Michigan American Music Series).

1. An excellent book that includes thorough analysis and scores from Trane's solos (imagine that, a book about a musician that actually focuses on the guy's music). Chasin' the Trane was full of trite, silly speculation in some places and clearly was not written by someone with a working knowledge of music. THIS book deals with many facts about Trane's music. Porter carefully breaks down Coltrane's "methodology" and shows how, even though the aesthetic of the music changed drastically after 1965, he was actually adhering to the pentatonic scales in thirds approach (albeit without steady rhythm and harmonic anchors). Include many transcripts of pieces ranging from Fifth House (early) to Venus (late). If you are a musician who wants a serious study of Coltrane then THIS is the book to buy.



2. It's unfortunate for John Coltrane that such a poor writer decided to take up the pen to sketch out his life. The writing of Lewis Porter is incredibly stilted, weak, and generally poor. There is absolutely no style to his treatment and the detailing of Coltrane's life is thin at best. While the book appears to have the guise of a linear arc, it meanders, it flails, it fails.
   
   One walks away wondering who John Coltrane was. The cursory attention given to the personal details of his life, especially his later life, is unforgivable. Yeah, he liked sweets, so what? We are given hardly any personal details of his life in the 60's when his fame was at its height. At one point Porter casually mentions a Sheila Coltrane, who apparently was an illegitimate child of John's, and then drops it. I mean, really? He couldn't do a little more research and fill the reader in? Towards the end of his narrative Porter scores the ultimate cheap trick and gives the reader a chapter containing only quotes by other people about Coltrane--I mean who does this? I'll tell you who--A lazy biographer who's looking for filler, and can't be bothered to do what legitimate biographers do and weave the quotes into the text.
   
   The real meat of the book is in the analysis of the music. Porter devotes countless pages to breaking down minute details of Coltrane's music, producing sheet music, charts, and yawns...
   
   I'm sure Porter's scrutiny of the music will appeal to some serious music fans, but don't buy this book if you are interested in learning alot about John Coltrane.
   
   The details say 448 pages, but the actual text is only 300 pages with the rest devoted to bibliography, notes, a timeline of his shows (???), and an index.



3. To fully appreciate this book the reader should certainly be able to read music. There are a multitude of scores that the reader should understand to be able to get the most out of this book. However even if you can't read music (As I can't) there is a lot to interest one in this book. Coltrane came from the Rocky Mount Section of NC. It seems ike he had an interesting, stable Family Life, though the Father does not seemed to have lived with him. Moved to Philly after High School, where he did Graduate. He was in the Service in the Mid 40s, and surprisingly was in an integrated Navy Band. I thought the services were segregated at that time.
   There are also details of his two marriages.
   If you can read music or at least understand scoring this book is highly recommended. If you are like me you will still probably enjoy it.



4. Porter's biography is a detailed exploration of Coltrane's musical development, consisting of extensive analyses of selected examples of Coltrane's music, together with what reads like a patchwork of biographical details (much of which is newly researched and not included in other Coltrane biographies). The latter dimension of the work was apparently an afterthought which Porter started working on in 1994 after having spent the previous fourteen years working on the musical analysis (he indicates this in his preface to the book). The analysis of the music is challenging and would probably be inaccessible for someone who does not have some knowledge of music theory.
   
   The biographical portion of the book seems to be well researched and explores parts of Coltrane's life which his other biographies have not delved into (although Porter does rely significantly on two previous biographies - one by J.C. Thomas, the other by C.O. Simpkins, to flesh out his own research). The first chapter, titled "Southern Roots," is an exploration of Coltrane's familial roots and the origins of the Coltrane name. A family geneology, photos of family marriage licenses, the 1920 census of High Point, North Carolina (where Coltrane grew up) and even Coltrane's birth certificate are included. The author then explores Coltrane's childhood through stories recounted by family members and friends who knew Coltrane as a boy. Included in this section is a remarkable photo of Coltrane's grade 3 class, in which the young Coltrane already has a look of concentrated seriousness.
   
   Porter then goes into a lengthy exploration of Coltrane's early musical development through a discussion of Coltrane's encounters with books and teachings the saxophonist used to develop his obviously vast musical knowledge. This section, which dominates the first third of the book, is highlighted by interviews with other musicians, particularly Jimmy Heath, who knew Coltrane during his musically formative years, and by Porter's insights into some of the sources of Coltrane's playing. This section is definitely one of the strengths of the book.
   
   During the second third, Porter makes the usual stops, touching on Coltrane's substance abuse, his membership in the Miles Davis Quintet and his apprenticeship with Thelonious Monk.
   
   The final third of the book begins with Coltrane's final split with Davis and ends at the present time with an examination of the saxophonist's influence on contemporary music. In between, the formation and eventual dissolution of Coltrane's classic quartet is outlined. Within this last third is Porter's most intense analysis of Coltrane's music, highlighted by a very detailed exploration of one of the peaks of his art, "A Love Supreme."
   
   Another chapter, called "The Man:'A Quiet, Shy Guy,'" in the final section presents quotes and interviews drawn from a variety of sources about aspects of Coltrane's personality along with his views on philosophy, religion, race and politics. This chapter, although useful, is somewhat awkward and might better have been integrated into the other chapters. As it is, it highlights one of the problems with Porter's book - it tries to be too many things and does not integrate them into an organic whole.
   
   A particularly valuable part of the book is a forty page chronology which documents all of Coltrane's known performances and interviews. This section alone, might make the book worth purchasing for some readers.
   
   In summary, if you are looking for an analysis of Coltrane's music, this is the place to look. If it's the biography you are interested in, this book cannot be ignored because it presents details not mentioned elsewhere but it still falls short. Porter's writing is dry and academic, which is useful for presenting the facts of an artist's life or for analysing his work, but it fails to evoke a sense of the man and the world he lived in. For that, a writer with a warmer, more imaginative style is needed.
   
   The definitive Coltrane biography still remains to be written, but Porter's book is worth holding onto in the meantime.



5. This is a nearly perfect biography in every way. It is comprehensive, objective, and written with a good understanding and appreciation of Coltrane's music. The tone is scholarly without being too dry -- a difficult balance to achieve.
   The book is fairly long, providing in-depth coverage of Coltrane's life and music from his early development through his controversial late work. There is a good balance between discussion of his musical and personal development. There are lots of quotes included from people who knew him and worked with him.
   For non-musicians, the theory and analysis may be intimidating and un-necessary. For musicians, it is good reading, but non-musicians may not understand some parts that deal strictly with music theory. I don't really think there is any way to explain the significane of Contrane's music in any depth without going into this type of explanation, so I cannot count this as criticism. How can one explain the significance of Giant Steps, for example, without describing the innovative harmonic movement by thirds? How can you give a good discussion of Interstellar Space without analyzing specific examples of motivic development? For non-jazz musicians or non-musicians, these parts can probably be skipped when they go over their heads without significant loss to the value of the book, but perhaps they should at least skim through them to get an idea of why Coltrane is such an important figure in jazz history.
   There is adequate criticism and praise for Coltrane's music from many different, reliable sources included throughout. For example, McCoy Tyner's displeasure with the direction Coltrane took with his groups in the mid-60's is included, along with quotes from people who loved playing with him at that time.
   Overall, this biography is objective, comprehensive, and enlightening to anyone interested in jazz or in the development of a remarkable talent in general. Very much recommended.

5 comments about The Big Sea: An Autobiography (American Century Series).

1. First of all, I dont think i've ever read a book so fast.
   I borrowed a biography of Langstonn Hughes a number of years ago from a relative and started to read it. However, i put it down at some point and never picked it back up... which is what happens to books that take a minute to pick up the pace.
   So when i saw this book on here, and i noticed it was an Autobiography (and i read all the reviews) i ordered it. Once i got it and opened it up, it seems like in no time i was done and wanting to know more.
   
   This book is amazing to me, because I am an aspiring writer. And i'm always intrigued to find out what the Literary Legends Path to Greatness was. And i was so pleased to read this book, because Hughes' path was in ways very similar to my own.
   
   Taking MYSELF out of the equation however, the book is so great because you are basically walking through the entire world with Langston by your side explaining everything you may need to know. He goes from all over the US to New York to Africa to Italy to Haiti and Cuba and France just soaking up different personality types and different social mores along the way. The way he writes is so conversational that it makes the pages fly by like nothing.
   
   Any aspiring writers should get this book.
   and i just started on "Wonder as i Wander" the other day and it looks equally great.



2. Langston hughes presents us with his travels. This is not a great book nor it a bad book. It falls in between the scope of what happens to a guy when he goes around the world and mets people.



3. Published when Hughes was 38, the subject of The Big Sea is the period of his life from 1902-1939. It covers a wide variety of episodes in Hughes' life, with key elements being his travels as a youth, his relationship to his father, and the Harlem Renaissance.
   
   I knew his poetry, of course, from all those years as an English major. I have not had the occasion to read any of his prose, and decided to pick this up after reading the collected works of Nella Larsen.
   
   There was a lot to engage with in The Big Sea. I particularly liked Hughes' description of the Harlem Renaissance. His tone when he talked about it was affectionate and wistful, but still acknowledged the limitations that it had as a lasting solution. There were many great stories ("never hit a woman") and fascinating details-- reproductions of the whist party invitations, for example.
   
   I also really was interested in the way that Hughes discusses his father and the issue of the race. His father left the US (first to Cuba, then to Mexico) in order to avoid race prejudice. His father had nothing but scorn for people of color who stayed in the US and subjected themselves to the inevitabilities of race and class limitations. The anger that this self-imposed exile cost him comes out in his dealings with his son and the way in which he engages with the world around him.
   
   At points, it is as though Hughes is meditating on all the different ways that people around him (including him) have used to address the race problem. It is not the most uplifting of sketches, since none of the various paths seem (according to Hughes) to be a good or lasting solution.
   
   Well-written, interesting, and with many pointers to further reading.



4. I read this as an assignment in college and found it wonderfully painful in its realism and truth. A must read for every American, regardless of what ethic origin.



5. "On a radio show, he (Hughes) defended the right of trumpeter Louis Armstrong, who had long faced the white world with a broad grin, to vent his racial anger."
   
   Like Armstrong, Hughes also faced the same world with his broad smile. Throughout the BIG SEA and I WONDER AS I WANDER, there in the texts of both autobiographies is the ever smiling Hughes. Other than the people he met and the foreign lands he visited---all making for great and entertaining reading--- very little is revealed about the man he was. His larger than life personae masked a man who was only 5'4 in stature, closeted gay
   because being open would have meant a short career and ostracism, especially in the African American community who was a refuge from a racially hostile world and who Hughes loved with an unmatched passion back in his day, and, according to the late Gwendolyn Brooks who had known Hughes since the age of 16 wrote in a New York Times article that when Hughes was subjected to offense and icy treatment because of his race, he was capable of jagged anger - and vengeance, instant or retroactive. She has letters from him that reveal he could respond with real rage when he felt he was treated cruelly by other people.
   
   Both autobiographies do a great job at documenting the world in Hughes' day. The most fascinating thing about the first book of his life is the Harlem Renaissance and the people who moved in it during its illustrious height. Till this day, the BIG SEA provides one of the best sources of this important period in American culture. Few people realized that if not for best friend Arna Bomtemps the autobiography may have never been written. Bontemps encouraged Hughes to write the book. Up to that time, few blacks, especially black males, had seen and done what Hughes managed to do. Plus, the book challenged stereotypes about black America in general. The challenge he had in writing the book was how to write for two audiences, white and black. Characteristically, Hughes did not pander to the white audience, "I do not hate `all' white people," nor did he distance himself from and sacrifice the racial pride his grandmother taught him to have for his people, who he primarily wrote for. In the second autobiography, Hughes is on the road again and much more time is given to his travels, especially in the then Soviet Union. Absent are his communist sympathies. Like many blacks of the day, socialism was preferable to segregation. Blatant is the unspoken critique that in the absence of capitalism, everyone man is "equal." As far as romance is concerned, scholars have noted Hughes'rather perfunctory and insincere rendezvous with the very few woman he talks about in these autobiographies. Quite understandably, Hughes attempts to pass himself off as having all the accoutrements of straight men. His situation with the over zealous Russian woman who he does not portray favorably in I WONDER AS I WANDER is interesting. She is portrayed as the Duboisian woman whose association with black men destroys them. Plus, Hughes did not favor interracial marriage so it is peculiar that he proffered the idea in the text of bring the Russian woman home as a wife as she wanted.
   
   The above quote was from Volume 2 of Arnold Rampersad's biography of Hughes. What made Hughes' defense of Armstrong so intriguing is that Hughes also reveals much about himself and what lied behind the mask he wore. The readers of the BIG SEA and I WONDER AS I WANDER will not see the man behind the mask. They are largely presented surface, a fleeting glimpse of Hughes here and there. A scholar said to really understand Hughes, one must read Rampersad's two biographies. This scholar was partially right. But, don't dismiss these autobiographies! They are worth the read and are a enjoyable read. Time and interest permitting, do read LANGSTON HUGHES Vols. 1 and 2 by Rampersad for balance also read Faith Berry's LANGSTON HUGHES: BEFORE AND BEYOND HARLEM. Reading these latter biographies with the two autobiographies by Hughes, one will be presented the man Langston Hughes was: proudly African American, gay, brave, smart, ambitious, often very angry, and often lonely.
   
   Hughes doesn't reveal much of himself, but his autobiographies are still 5 star ratings because like his work they continue to inspire and for everyone, especially young blacks in the inner city, let them know that they can overcome any obstacle in life so long as the desire and determination is there.
   
   
   
   

3 comments about Searching for Robert Johnson: The Life and Legend of the "King of the Delta Blues Singers".

1. Excellent book. Interesting prospective not only of Robert Johnson, but of his contemporaries.



2. The 96 pages of this book are pack full of information about legendary bluesman Robert Johnson. Virtually everything that is known about Mr. Johnson is vividly detailed in this work. Makes for excellent reading.



3. It is to bad that someone so capable of telling a good tale could take a dive with such vivid subject matter at his disposal. It is extremely over priced for such a dismal read. Anyone who has purchased the Box set has read pretty much the same info given in this minute pamplet of wash. We need a vision of this man not a paint by numbers acount of times,places and song verses. Then again If you do not know the tale of johnson then this is the book for you. let me also highly recomend Robert palmers book Deep Blues. Also the finest attempt to give an acurate portrayal of such a god is the book LOVE in VAIN by Alan Greenberg...

5 comments about Close to the Knives: A Memoir of Disintegration.

1. Close to the Knives is David Wojnarowicz's masterpiece. He was an accomplished artist but I think this writing is where he really turned it out.



2. David Wojnarowicz reveals his backstory in layers, throughout the course of this essay collection. Eventually a complete picture is conjured, of Wojnarowicz' dysfunctional family, his youth on the streets, prostitution, and same-sex lust. His writing is very natural; alternating at first between his sexual and suicidal fantasies, before unleashing his wrath for the American politicians who are deliberately withholding information about AIDS from the public (a condition which Wojnarowicz himself is battling.) The information imparted here is shocking; the insidious influence of the church in American government is uncovered here lucidly, and David gets personal -- introducing one of his dearest friends who eventually dies from AIDS. His grief takes on a political significance, as he has lost many friends to the disease, and is aware that this suffering is unnecessary, and could have been prevented.
   
   This book is very intense, and David Wojnarowicz' prose is potent and often original, but towards the end it starts to unravel. He begins using more experimental techniques, such as dream sequences, interviews, and motifs ("Smell the flowers while you can"), as well as alternating between two seperate narratives, which I found self-indulgent and wearisome. Maybe it was cathartic for him as a writer, but from the reader's point of view, tying together these seemingly (and perhaps actually) unrelated threads just ultimately wasn't worth the effort. After being seduced by Wojnarowicz' prose initially, the final impression left on me wasn't particularly positive, as the message had been hammered home quite well enough by then, and I had to force myself to get to the end.



3. CLOSE TO THE KNIVES is simply one of the most important books ever written by one of the most brilliant creative minds of the era. This is an AMAZING, STUNNING and thoroughly SUPERB collage of essays surrounding Mr. Wojnarowicz's battle with HIV, dealing with the politics and bureaucracy of the disease, justice, history, the ranking of lives as "important" and "unimportant" by the powers that be, and life in general. FIERCE, POETIC, and INSIGHTFUL these pieces compose a whole that packs an awesome whollop and is nothing short of GENIUS. This book lights fires and breaths fire with the energy of the words literally screaming from the page at points. CLOSE TO THE KNIVES is also sad proof of yet another life lost before it's time due to the AIDS pandemic. It is a call to action with a message that has not dimmed one iota since it's writing. More timely and pertinent than ever.



4. I first discovered Wojnarowicz in a "Village Voice" article in 1990. Everything about his work intrigued me. He had a passion for life, and a sort of well-placed fury that is invigorating without being negative and worked in almost every type of art medium possible. I did a Master's thesis on his works that include photography and writing in 1994.

   I first picked up _Close to the Knives_ over 10 years ago and I've thumbed through it many times since. It's a combination of stories, essays, talks, and catalogue entries. The beginning is a bit difficult because there isn't a lot of punctuation. But the stories begin to slowly make sense, and get more grammatically correct. Throughout his writing wanders from being angry, scathingly funny, to erotic and back again.

   I'd recommend him to anyone interested in gay/lesbian writing, outsider art, the history of AIDS and the anti-NEA battles in the early 90s. Apparently his estate is releasing more writings as time goes on, so I'm not up to date on everything available. But _Memories That Smell Like Gasoline_ is good, although depressing.

   Books on his visual art are _Fever_ and _Tongues of Flame_ (both museum catalogues), and _Brush Fires in the Social Landscape_ (a book with essays by friends and great photos published by Aperture photography magazine). I can't easily describe his visual work, but he had a great visual style, a wonderful sense of composition. Early on he exhibited graffiti type paintings, and explored photography/writing more from the late 80s onwards. I like his photography the best, usually including his writing. He died of an AIDS-related illness July 22, 1992.




5. Enter the young male prostitute, performance artist, author, street monger, and angry prophet. He was all of these things and more until AIDS finally claimed him. But with Close to the Knives, he has left us all a very precious legacy--a frame of reference that begs us to truly witness the politics of suffering in American society and become more compassionate in the process. His omnivorous approach to our culture is dizzying, enraging, mysterious, beautiful, dangerous, heartbreaking, and very very necessary. When I finished reading it, I turned it over and started again. I will never be the same.....I have been galvanized.

5 comments about Brown: The Last Discovery of America.

1. Richard Rodriguez is a very provocative thinker from a well thought out perspective that should be shared and understood. It works well in contrast to older writings by Robert Ardrey. We are a visual species who categorizes, and will always categorize the people, places, things, and ideas we encounter based upon their literal and figurative appearance. Mr. Rodriguez brings to question some of those things we define, and some of those things we mis-define. After over 100 years of scientific research on exactly what makes a breed of man and a society there is no longer any excuse for questionaires which attempt to undermine inequality by mixing culture and race. As he points out, Hispanic is not a race - but a culure, and should not appear in a list to be checked next to white, black, or American Indian - which again are inaccurate. The entire system of boxing into said categories fails both in accuracy and only reinforces the divisions of modern prejudices.



2. I made the mistake of buying this book because the introduction intrigued me. His word play and analogies seemed interesting, but it quickly grew annoying.
   
   He rarely makes any sense, and it seems like he's making one inside joke after another with himself or with people his age. I don't 'get' his obscure cultural references from the 60s. I'm not kidding, read through a few pages and you'll see that it sounds like he was high off his a$$ when he wrote it. His writing style is literary masturbation, like he's getting himself off by coming across as an intellectual making a good point, instead of making a good point with a solid argument. The use of 'fluff' words and unecessary prose will be the first thing you'll notice ruining this book.
   
   I'm not one to put down a book and stop reading it, but this is the first one in years. As a Chicano, I cannot identify with this man. Aside from the front he's putting on by trying to come off as an 'educated man', he makes several references that he should be on the same shelf as great 'white authors'. That he does not want to be "The Hispanic" on the shelf. What's wrong with that? Is he not proud of what he is? I don't hear black authors complaining like this, because they have self acceptance. What does it matter if he's the Hispanic on the shelf? Is it a negative connotation to the word that he has on the back of his mind that bothers him? Is he afraid he'll be judged by whites by label alone? It's almost like he's trying to prove that he 'can do it too' and it's the first proof in a long list of evidence that Richard Rodriguez desperately wants to fit in within white circles and is begging to be accepted. Someone on here commented that it seems like he has an inferiority complex, and I would have to say that hit the nail on the head. The vibe I get from this guy is that his "brownness" is the only thing holding him back from receiving full acceptance, and he's out to prove that he shouldn't be judged by that. It's almost like a self serving agenda he has, instead of showing the virtues and accomplishments of "brown people".
   
   I will not finish reading this book, and I have now crossed his other books off of my "to read" list.



3. That inconvenient truth or understanding that America is more than what some would like to still believe. We are not black or white (or Hispanic - a nice made up word). We are brown. Black and white both imply voids that either absorb everything (like black) or contrast completely (like white). The truth is in America we are all mixed up. I know that's an ugly truth for many. The reason that it becomes a hang-up here and not so much as in Catholic countries (like Mexico) is that Protestant/Puritan values still live on strong. Be who you want, but don't try to blend lines or anything. Keep to your true pure self! Listen only to "your" type of music. Only eat "your" type of food (none of us is guilty of this one as obese as the country is). Only wear "your" type of clothes. Yes, you can have freedom in America, as long as you fit into your little niche. "You're African-American! You're supposed to listen to Hip-Hop. What are you doing liking Classical music?" Beethoven was the stuff! But anyway the only "race" that in America is tolerated to "cross the lines" in terms of cultural identity is whites (Is it because white pigment blends with other colors without the colors losing their essence?). And this whole "race" thing! Skin has only one color! "Shock"....I'm not speaking blasphemy. It's true. The color is called MELINAN. Actually it's a pigment. The difference in people is the amount you have. Young people today don't have the hang-ups about "race" like the older generations have. It takes a while to get rid of deeply entrenched ideas. This book had my mind spinning. Very insightful and complex. It's dense like others mentioned, but hey life is dense. Americans would like to think of life as uncomplicated with our little categories to put things. But as life (and history) shows us time and time again nothing is really black and white except divinity. And even that isn't as straightforward as some believe. Consider the fact that Jesus Christ, Gautama Buddha, the Prophet Moses, the Prophet Muhammad, Adam and Eve were brown. Think about it!
   
   The human world (Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and etc.) is brown.
   
   Post-Note: According to the Rodriguez, Brown also means complexity not just the color itself.



4. Rodriguez has written an ambitious book: who else would be willing to take on the idea of "brown" and all it involves, from the many perspectives from which this writer sees? I teach a university course on Biography and Memoir and his is one of my favorite books to include. I love his attention to the role of the public library, schools, how religion divides and unites us. Increasingly we all live in a "brown" world and Rodriguez shows us how books and culture help us explore that world in its origins and awesome potential for good and for ill. His riffs are right-on target: Malcolm X as latter-day Puritan, Frederick Douglass on the same shelf with Benjamin Franklin in terms of writing memoirs that tell us how to live honestly in This America of Ours. The poetry of Rodriguez's language is not at all what we might come to expect from an analytical writer. His work is closer to poetry that looks back to the multiple historical origins of these Americas, asks about the originary moments of various races, cultures, religions coming together, and what has happened since. By writing evocatively, rather than cut-and-dry rants or analyses, Rodriguez does much to explore the structures that pervade and are promised in present-day America. Rodriguez is worth, will pay back in insights every bit of time you put into reading him. Maybe his identity isn't yours, maybe you will want to dismiss him, but if you read through, stay with this book, I promise - he will get under your skin.



5. This guy is full of it and full of himself. Wants to sound sooooooooooooooooo educated. Comes off sounding like a pretentious overcompensating guy with a real inferiority complex. Obviously has not come to a point of self-acceptance. It is a pity. I got the book in hopes of finding some help with my own Mexican-American son's struggles to fit in to either the Mexican or the "white" sides of his heritage. This book is NOT one I will leave around for him to read. I wonder how he got published.

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 Tupac: Resurrection.

1. After listening to Tupac ever since I can remember and reading The Rose that Grew from Concrete, I just couldn't get enough information on this legend. The artist born Tupac Amaru Shakur was born in the East Harlem section of Manhattan in New York City. But his family moved around alot and eventually, when he was 17, he moved to Marin City, California. Tupac's 1st album, "2pacalypse Now," was highly contreversial and didn't have any chart toping hits. But Tupac persevered and came out with "Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z." This album went gold and boasted some great tracks. But as Tupac's fame grew, attacks were sure to be made on him. On November 30, 1994, Tupac was shot 5 times in the Quad recording studios where the Notorious BIG was also recording. But Tupac had surgery and recovered. Tupac couldn't help but feel that Notorious BIG had something to do with it and a war between Notorious BIG and Tupac broke out. And on September 7, 1996, Tupac was shot 4 times in a drive-by shooting. Tupac stayed on life support for 6 days and died of cardiac arrest on September 13, 1996. And so died the 25-year-old lyracist and the world lost one of it's truly amazing occupants.



2. this was a interesting book it tells use about his whole life and story it includes pictures and when he died. it also shows all the times he has been aressted by the police and it shows his copy of the songs he wrote about his family and mom in prison and it is signed by tupac shakur it even shows wat the police did when he was drunk one night and they trippd him into a ditch and started baeting him intoa commma it was a very fascinating book and if you like it to you should get the movie.
   
   A. Quinn



3. This book is an autobiography about Tupac Shakur.It tells about his lifestyle, every song he wrote, anything that was important in this man's life is in this book.It shows jail pictures and everything you could ever imagine.
   
   Very good book for adults and teens. If you like autobiographies, then this book is a must.Its a little expensive, but its worth the money.
   
   J. Schell



4. Any Tupac fan should get this book...it is one of the BEST bio/autobiograpy books ever written...10 stars!!!



5. I'm a senior in an independent reading class. I enjoy action and adventure novels as well as mystery and non-fiction books. As you can tell this book is non fictional book that tells the life and tragedies of Tupac Amaru Shakur. This book gives all the information you need about the life Tupac led as well as followed.
   
   This book begins with giving background information on his mother and what she did and accomplished in her earlier years as a Black Panther. Not only was his mother a powerful and strong Black Panther but so was his father. His mother, Afeni Shakur, not only was a powerful and strong leader, but was also a motivational speaker.
   
   Tupac's childhood was both bad and good. He grew up poor with no money, always moving around from place to place, ghetto to ghetto. This was both good and bad because nobody in this world wants to be poor, but his experience in those situations made him a stronger person. As he grew up he had no confidence because he knew he had nothing important in his life. Confidence didn't come until he became famous as a rap artist. During his career Tupac also got into a lot of trouble that involved gangs, fights, drugs, and many other things that got him into either jail or the hospital. Those experiences gave him the knowledge to do what he does best which is to rap and share those experiences with others.
   
   Overall, most of the things Tupac did or accomplished in his life were for the good. Although he did bad things at times and got into trouble, the things he did helped people do certain things that they do today which is why this is a good book to read. This book helped me understand things in a different perspective.

5 comments about Burro Genius: A Memoir.

1. I bought this book a year ago, I enjoyed it tremendously, great story,many parts of the book reminded me of the time I spent in the Catholic school system of my youth. I bought three copies to give out at Christmas time. All who received a copy, also enjoyed it.
   This is a great read .People have told me that I resembled the kid on the running board of the car on the book cover.



2. I was under the impression that this book would focus on the author's triumphs over adversity (i.e. dyslexia, racism, etc.). Although the book did touch on the aforementioned themes to a certain degree, I felt that its central focus was steeped in some of the most prosaic, banal details of Villasenor's childhood. The author's writing has a way of making the most tragic experiences of Villasenor's life seem incidental. The majority of children have stories about growing up but I am not sure that they are all noteworthy enough to be chronicled in a memoir. Likewise, I think that Villasenora could have broadened his work's appeal if he would have omitted several lackluster childhood experiences. I started the book with an open mind and with each page I hoped that it would get better. Regrettably, the book did not meet my expectations.



3. I've read "Rain of Gold"(which I also recommend) and found "Burro Genius" to be just as wonderful. I recommend this book to everyone. Especially anyone of Mexican/American descent. If you've never read a book of Victor's, now's the time!



4. Excellency is the only word that describes this amazing tale! It is not Victor's fantasy but Victor's life in light of his dreams and struggles to be who he is. The Villaseñor's story is still the story of many inmmigrants, from many countries and many races. It is a redemptive experience that helps us to to keep on with life, no matter how hard it might be or turn. In a world where everything is "made" and taken for granted, Victor's creativity and desire to suceed over its limitations, emerges as a clear example for those who want to give up. It is simply remarkable! It is possible!



5. Victor's storytelling magic lies in his very natural ability to make you feel as if you are 'right there' as an observor or silent participant in the experiences and adventures he is describing. His stories are treasures because they take his Latino readers back to their own lives in this country AND they offer non-Latino readers a golden opportunity to experience life as seen through the eyes of an immigrant. This particular book, BURRO GENIUS, is just such a story. The key to understanding and feeling what Victor writes about is to try and 'check your cultural baggage at the door' and experience the stories with a clean canvas.

1 comments about Easter Rising: A Memoir of Roots and Rebellion.

1. If you've read "ALL SOULS" you need to read this book too. Also, if you ever have a chance to attend a reading by Michael, GO!!!
   This description was was done by the publisher...
   MacDonald's first book told of the loss of the author's four siblings to the violence, poverty, and gangsterism of Boston's Irish-American ghetto. The question "How did you get out?" has haunted him ever since. This narrative of reinvention begins with the young MacDonald's first forays outside the soul-crushing walls of Southie's Old Colony housing project. In greater Boston and eventually New York's East Village, he becomes part of the club scene, providing a 1980s social history and a powerful glimpse of what punk music was for him: a lifesaving form of subversion and self-education. Yet family tragedies eventually draw him home again, to a devastating breakdown induced by trauma and guilt. He meets his father for the first time, as a corpse. Finally, two trips to Ireland, the first as an alienated young man, the second with his extraordinary "Ma," are healing journeys unlike any other in Irish-American literature.

5 comments about Willow Weep for Me: A Black Woman's Journey Through Depression.

1. This is definately an excellent read. I originally had to read this book for school but now that I have read the book, I purchased the book to add to my personal collection. Excellent depiction of what a black woman encounters when she suspects that she has depression.



2. After experiencing several bouts with depression throughout my 30s--I am now 38 and the daily battle continues, this book caught my attention from another message board. I checked it out from my local library and finished it within 2 days. I could so relate to the author. Her story was very poignant and I appreciated her honesty. While medication has not worked for me I am trying a daily balance of selfcare to work with my depression. This is a book I will buy. Continued success to the author, her family and circle of friends.



3. I bought this book and didn't want to read it at first. I thought it would be too sad. But I read it anyway. I am sure glad I did. This book gave me the courage I needed to go find help for my own depression. Thanks Meri.



4. Reading the excerpts of this book on your web site got me thinking deeply about my wife, who is presently looking for a place of her own. I just sent her the url to the excerpts and hope she will read it and change her mind and stay. Thanks for saving my marriage!



5. I read this book after going through a bad break-up with my fiance. It's wonderful to read about a black woman being totally honest about her emotions, her illness and her reality. I appreciated Meri telling her story without wearing the "Superwoman" mask mainstream America forces on black women. This was an eye-opening book and it helped me to realize that I don't have to wear the superwoman mask. It inspired me to be brave enough to be honest about my own emotions and vulnerabilities! Black women and men should read this book, and everybody else should too! Dispel the myths!