5 comments about Wrapped in Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston (Lisa Drew Books).

1. I had been reading about the genius of Zora for several years, but I had no idea of what she was about. I heard Valerie Boyd speaking about her biography on Zora C Span. She spoke about Zora with such love and respect that I felt that I had to get the book. In Boyd's hands, what is generally portrayed as a tragic life becomes a story of triumph. In spite of poverty, sexism, and racism, she was able to produce important literary work which is now being recognized as such. The story of her early life in the south, her life in Harlem, and her later years make a great read. I loved this book.
   
   Morris Johnson



2. While Zora Neale Hurston was truly a great writer, she also did an amazing job of documenting her beloved Florida's history. Taking advantage of President Roosevelt's W.P.A. project and doing her best to get around Florida noting stories of black America that are still available to us today.
   
   'Wrapped in Rainbows' does a terrific job of wrapping all of this plus her excursions to New York and her otherwise sad life in this very well written book. Good luck getting out of this book without a tear shed. I feel this is a must-read for anyone wanting to know the life of an author or of life in Florida during Zora's lifetime.
   
   A side note: Something not mentioned in this book or anything else I've read about Zora is if she ever ran across her contemporary and, I feel Northern doppelganger, Dorothy Parker. Though both had different career milestones, both were also after certain career and personal goals that were never met and both were nearly the same age. This is something that really dogged me while reading the book and noticing the similarities. The big difference between the two is that Parker was a depressed sort and Zora did her best to keep looking up. As well we all should.



3. This is a very good book on the life of Zora Neale Hurston. It is very detailed and written very well. If you are interested in the life of this famous author this is for you.



4. Valerie Boyd blew breath into Zora Neale Hurston's remarkable accomplishments. I felt as if I was riding alongside Zora while Boyd narrated the different scenes;Zora was like a felt tip pen, as creative as could be. Of course, I wasn't ready to get off the ride, but I believe Zora lived a fulfilled life with little bumps and potholes or life lessons along the way.



5. Valerie Boyd does what most biographers cannot; she makes facts as savory as fiction. As a great admirer of Zora Neale Hurston--the woman, I had long been searching for a piece of work that captures her emminence and vitality. I stumbled across "Wrapped in Rainbows" at Borders and resolved then and there that I HAD to have it. I do not at all regret this choice. Order this book, and I guarantee that it will be one of the best investments you ever make! The chapters on the Harlem Renaissance and Zora's involvment with it are magical, and the sections detailing Zora's friendship and eventual fued with Langston Hughes are fascinating. I can't say enough positive things about this biography. If you admire the spunky and talented Ms. Hurston, you will NOT be disappointed.

5 comments about African Nights: True Stories from the Author of I Dreamed of Africa.

1. I did volunteer work at Kuki's Ol Ari Nyrio in 11/07 and it was the most amazing experience of my life. I also had dinner with Kuki and she is an artist- attentive, creative, intelligent, and misses nothing. Africa is a place like no other-you cannot expect the norm - truth is always more interesting & stranger than fiction, remember. Kuki is an amazing person and the work she has done for the people & animals in the area, without spoiling the natural habitat or trying to change the people's ways, is well told. The death of her son and husband, so tragic, has led her to different levels in life, where so much work has been done for the good of generations to come. Read her books-they are wonderful!



2. When I finished this book, I felt I had learned something, or perhaps been reminded of something I already knew. What struck me was the author's capacity to love, to suffer, and ultimately to find strength and see the beauty in her experiences. I admire this woman's spirit and her unique spirituality. The connection that she finds with the land and the animals and the people that pass through her life make me think, "wow, that is a life well-lived and worth reading about."



3. My family and I visited Kenya last year and were utterly overwhelmed by the experience. Following that trip we read several books on Africa and amongst them was firstly "I dreamed of Africa" and latterly "African Nights". On a subsequent trip to Oman, I was reading the former book on the plane and had to stop, lest the flight attendants and fellow passengers witness me breaking down in tears. (Kuki's words at her son's funeral service). The spirit and the eloquence of her writing and indeed of her very experiences touched our hearts deeply. So much so that we traveled this year (August 2007) to Likepia, to her 'ranch' (now a conservation area), as a kind of pilgrimage to an Africa that has mostly vanished, swallowed up in commercialism, in over-grazing and exploitation. What did we find? An incredibly special place where conservation efforts harmonise with nature; where people are valued. Where students from all over the world come to research 'projects', encouraged by the owner of the land - Kuki. We met a variety of people, both African and otherwise. Pokot Tribespeople. Belgium guides. Eastern European Photographers. Kenyan Musicians. Village children at the custom built school... An eclectic mix of people with a common passion - for Africa, for its people and for its land. All inspired by one person. An author of two books.
   
   The grammar in Kuki's second book may, according to several reviews, not be immaculate or even American, but given the life that Kuki has led, and indeed continues to lead, I believe that people should simply get past such utterly insignificant details and try to feel the reality that the author describes.
   
   Kuki tells her story her way, and obviously leads her life her way. She has suffered loss and tragedy, but this is an author who has 'moved on', in control of her destiny and embracing change with a passion and an artistry that the vast majority of us could not hope to emulate.
   
   Perhaps her sentences may be deemed a bit long by some. But when she describes a vignette of her family, of Africa.... you are there with her: With her husband at the coast. With her son catching snakes by the lake... And in being there through her writing, you are actually the closest you'll likely come to a very special part of Africa. A part that isn't on the tourist trail. A part that is rapidly encroached by charcoal burning; by agriculture, by population explosion. But a part that is still home to both Elephant and to Lion and to a very special community.
   
   Put criticism of grammar or sentence structure behind you. These matters do not rate for much in the overall tapestry of life. And it is that tapestry that Kuki so artfully weaves, allowing you to enter her world, and become a part of her life by doing so.



4. How she does it I don't know. She's incredible, seeing beauty in everything, painting vivid pictures for all to delight in. Presuming it to be only remnants from her perfect book I Dreamed of Africa, I doubted the caliber of this work. I was skeptical but willing - but Gallmann has proved that everything she touches illuminates in melodious detail. Whether it is the amplification of a salmon pink sky, silhouettes at dusk, a tree that appears imbued with knowledge, or a night sky saturated with the sounds that are Africa, Kuki's awareness and ensuing stories are exceptional - encroaching inspirational. There is something in every story that appeals to heart and soul. I almost wanted to frame each story separately as if it were a sapphire or quartz rarity, explicit, precious and real. I'm so impressed by her writing and the lighted manner in which she takes in Africa. It's wonderful.
   
   I liked this book.



5. I was quite offended by this white settler's life of endless parties, adventures, gourmet foods and travel around the world and throughout the stunning countryside of Kenya. Based on the colonial legacy of British, one of the many brutal European powers that profited from the domination of Africa, Gallmann was able to purchase 100,000 acres of land, stolen through the colonial system. All of Africa is in fact the birthright of the African people themselves. Gallmann's book is full of idealized and romanticized stories in which she is the central star. For a more realistic view of Kenya where nearly 60 percent of the people still live on less than $2 a day with a life expectancy of only 45 years, see, for example, Imperial Reckoning: The Untold Story of Britain's Gulag in Kenya by Caroline Elkins. This is the story of the British slaughter of the Kikuyu people of Kenya in the 1950s who were put by the millions in concentration camps and murdered when they were rightfully struggling for the liberation of their homeland.

4 comments about Classics from Louis L'Amour Boxed Set.

1. Excellent! It came 2 weeks before it was supposed to and right to my door! In Argentina that's rare! Packaged perfectly! Love the books!
   Thanks



2. read these years and years ago still great great books. for the price cant be beat



3. This is a collection of four good paperback books from Louis L'Amour: Fling, Hondo, Utah Blaine, and The Californios. A great collection if you Like L'Amour stories.



4. This cover isn't very interesting; the portrait format that is becoming so common in L'Amour reprints really makes me not want to look at them. I would strongly encourage L'Amour fans to check out the early editions of Bendigo Schafter and Catlow, western art at its truest form. Recent reprints of these two books exhibit art that proves their literatur content has decreased as well. Save your money for yard sales.

No comments about Hazel Scott: The Pioneering Journey of a Jazz Pianist from Cafe Society to Hollywood to HUAC.

5 comments about Black Titan: A.G. Gaston and the Making of a Black American Millionaire.

1. So much of our American history is not taught in our schools, so when we become adults, we must self-study especially contributions of Black Americans. This account of A. G. Gaston's life by his niece and grand-niece is well-paced and informative. Gaston took advantage of every opportunity made available to him and his suberb work ethic allowed him to flourish in many business enterprises. Many of us know a lot about Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but how many of us know A.G. Gaston was the man who bailed MLK Jr. and others out of the Birmingham jail? This is a must read. I've already ordered copies for my parents and my local library. Enjoy!



2. This book is not a civil rights manual and its not guide to getting rich. This book offer a glimpse into the life of a man that was successful in business when Black folk in business was virtually unheard of especially at the level that he operated. If you keep an open mind and read this book you will learn something about the civil rights movement and getting rich.



3. This book is AWESOME and a MUST Read! The authors definitely did their research not only about their grandfather, but also about the history/activities that took place during that era. I was so happy that my mentor, recommended this book to our book club. I am a black woman and I NEVER heard about Mr. Gaston. I didn't even know that we had any millionaires and influencers during this time. This book should be a supplement to African American literature, as well as business courses. The Black Titan should be right next to those books written about J. D. Rockerfeller, J. P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, Sam Walton, etc.



4. Actually most of the information from this book was taken from Green Power ( written by the man himself) and the rest was stretched. Actually, I know the authors. Neither of them truly new him and as far being related, they were nieces only by marriage. I just think they are trying to make a quick buck on something that they know nothing about.



5. As a child I participated in and won the A.G. Gaston spelling bee on the state level two years in a row (1957-1958). It was a stepping stone for me and enabled me to go on and do more rewarding things as an adult. I remember staying in his motel in Birmingham with my sponsor and god mother, Mrs Tempie Horton. This is a piece of history that I share with my grand kids. My name is (maiden) Lois Jean Scott and I attended Calvary Jr. high school in Huntsville, Alabama. I am grateful for Mr Gaston and his wife, whom I met on several occasions, for giving me this opportunity.

5 comments about I Make My Own Rules.

1. I have been a fan of LL Cool J for a long time, and after reading this book I look at him totally different. I enjoy the fact that he waas honest about his struggles with his readers. This book has help me open my eyes and see him not only as an artist but as a human being,and family man.I love this book and I encourage everyone to read this book.



2. Good book, not great. A look into the life of L L. It's a very positive book. I was disappointed that he wasn't more specific on some issues. He only very briefly talks about Fubu. He doesn't mention the controversey with the Troop clothing line at all. He doesn't include his famous rap battles with Kool Moe Dee or Ice T or the battle he had against Jay Z. He talks briefly about how he almost went broke but he doesn't specifically cover how he was losing so much money. He doesn't talk at all on what made him get more involved in body building. I hoped the book would be more; but it's still good. It's a "feel good" kind of up book. It's good reading for any age.



3. If you are as much as an LL Fan as I am, then you won't want to miss out on this book. LL doesn't hold back anything in this book. He reveals it all. Everything. From his wild experiences with groupies, his relationship with Quincy Jones's daughter, his trials and tribulations, and even the abuse that he suffered as child by his step father.



4. What a good book! He has a very deep history and I love the fact that he was not at all trying to brag about being rough when he was young (help him with a"ganster rap" image) or by how big he has become. He is a very REAL human- down to earth. You feel it in his music, but really get to learn through this book. Just a great guy!



5. I'm not a person who has a lot of respect for rappers or hip-hop. Yes, it's a legal way for black people to make money, but I have a major problem with the imaging, content, and attitudes of most hip hop artists who are our most visible representatives to the world. And the way they behave has a trickle down effect on me and every other black person regardless of the way WE behave. Being black and from the ghetto doesn't make it okay to be devoid of class and dignity. Our behavior puts us in the doghouse more than our color does. And I don't see much respectable behavior in hip hop.
   
   Nevertheless, I find LL Cool J more respectable and likeable than most of them; and his story is an interesting, worthwhile one. Maybe if the public were more exposed to the real, living, breathing individuals in rap music rather than just the "star" we could empathize more with their situations and be less critical of their flaws.
   
   LL gets emotionally naked as he informs his readers and fans alike of his life: from growing up to becoming a man with superstar status and millions of admirers.
   
   He discusses...
   
   ...his relationship with his father who severely wounded his mother and grandfather with a shotgun; and his stepfather who physically and emotionally abused him behind his mother's back.
   
   ...his sex life with women: including groupies, Quincy Jones' daughter and his current wife.
   
   ...his career
   
   ...his ability to forgive and to mature in order to survive and stay relevant

3 comments about Prince: A Thief in the Temple.

1. Prince's career has had so many ups, downs, left turns and triumphs that no one book could contain the story of his career. Authors (be they biographers, musicologists or in this case, suggestive theorists trying to prove a point by balancing both biography and musical output) have largely had to content themselves with capturing the eras through which he passes, or only key developments of his career.
   Prince traditionally produces so quickly and through so many avenues that most books about him or his music are dated almost upon publication. There are a few classic books (classic in the sense that they're great and in the sense that they are, yes, dated, but were great for their time) that really give what people who might be interested enough in the artist to read a few hundred pages devoted to his life and work: studio insight, musical inspirations, band drama, hard-to-acquire interview revelations, etc. This book, however, doesn't come close.
   
   In all fairness to Morton, this book does not strive for comprehensiveness. The author is well aware that even a meager internet search would glean just about everything presented in this book; to a stalwart fan even less. Despite being a former academic, Morton's goal here is only to draw enough conclusive evidence to make a point, not to illuminate corners of Prince's world that audiences may not have seen or heard about before. So it is a slim book - a treatise, really, and under 200 pages very large-formatted - and it is extremely light on details...so light as to be offensively cursory.
   
   But what is the point of the book, the premise? Be clear that it is not what its dust jacket suggests:
   
   "[The work] alleging that all along Prince has been aiming for a biracial music...[Morton] dissects the man behind the artist and shows emphatically why [Prince] still matters in the twenty-first century."
   
   I'm not saying he wasn't shooting for this; I'm saying the book doesn't accomplish this.
   
   Looking for the answer in the preface seemed more prudent. Here is as close as we get to a point for this ill-conceived tome;
   
   "The myth of America is all about successive rebirth, and seeming to grow younger rather than older...
   Prince has followed [Miles Davis and Bob Dylan] in treating his own astonishing body of songs...as if they were counters on an improvisational game-field, part of an open flow of `work' rather than canonical `works'. he hard thing for any student of Prince, but an endless source of delight and discovery for his admirers, is that the real work does not come through to us as settled `product' but as a tricksterish chase after bootlegs, reworked ideas, willful suppressions and mere rumour. It has kept him, depending on how you look at it, either ahead of everyone else, or in sole charge of his own enigmatic game."
   
   So the author thinks not only that Prince is a big calculator of a huge endgame of mind tricks, but that his book will be the one to show you just how cunning Prince's plan really is. What the author does not allow for is the most likely scenario of all: that Prince had a stunningly great start, peeked out a little, freaked out a little, despaired a little, hit a musical bottom aided in no small part by the fact that he surrounds himself with people 24 hours a day that wouldn't tell him he had a bad idea if their lives depended on it, and only within the last few years released some music people beyond only a slavish fanbase could appreciate. I think that a far more reasonable theory than suggesting that Prince is a puckish genius pulling our collective legs with tripe like "Chaos and Disorder" or "Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic".
   
   Morton seeks to prove all of this with a cursory take on his early years, a jaw-droppingly short take on his high-powered 80s success, and a practically non-existent take on the genuine turnaround of Prince's career post 2003. Even if I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, he doesn't give me enough room on the ledge to stand on next to him. And the constant desire by most Prince biographers to draw race into the equation hurts their cases more than it has ever helped.
   
   In the end you could skip this book entirely and you would not have gleaned one thing about Prince you couldn't have gotten off of a fan site or in five minutes with a genuine, bootleg-collecting fan.



2. If you're looking for an accurate document of Prince's work, stay well clear from this book. Prince's prolific output deserves attentive, accurate documenting, and thankfully they are a few books out there that do this. Unfortunately this book doesn't. There are so many silly errors it beggars belief. The author just doesn't have a clue. It's as if he's been given only a few albums, and a few newspaper/magazine clippings from over the years and wrote this 'book' based on that. A total and utter waste of resources. If I ever come across this author, he's in big trouble. AWFUL.



3. I was very excited when I heard that this book was going to focus on Prince's work and music and be less of a biography. What it contains is a hodgepodge of fact, rumor and critical analysis. Although I did find a few insights, I was astonished to find the approach to be all over the map. It barely maintains a chronological or thematic order -- where was the editor? Certain albums receive a lot of attention (particularly the 0(+> album)while others barely merit any notitice, in particular, anything past the aforementioned "Love Symbol" album. As the book runs through the release of "3121", that is a shame and a missed opportunity.

5 comments about The Ditchdigger's Daughters.

1. Dr. Thorton knocked it out the park with this one. It was so inspiring to me and there was such wonderful character development, that I sought out and bought the TV movie. This is a true story about what you can accomplish if you work hard and get an education. I made my kids watch the movie based on this book and the movie based on the book "The Pact". Read this book.



2. Hreat book, Covers fatherhood, parenting, racism, etc. Powerfully and humorously written. Must read



3. In my introduction of Dr. Yvonne Thornton, for our interview about her memoir, The Ditchdigger's Daughters, I gave this synopsis of the book:
   
   "It's the story of five girls born into a black family as World War II came to a close and America looked to its next challenge: the Civil Rights movement. Donald and Tass Thornton loved each other and they loved their children. That's it. He was a laborer and she was a housekeeper. But, as often is the case, what we do isn't always the true measure of what we are. They saw a country on the verge of change. Through astounding dedication and love, they wrung more hours than there are to be had out of a mere mortal's day and boosted their daughters to regional musical fame and to accomplishment and security via the highest achievements in education. They ended up with two doctors, a dentist, a court stenographer, a teacher, and a nurse. Yeah, I know that's six, but the plan only got bigger as this family pulled together and sent strong, successful woman out into the world, one-by-one, until the nest emptied."
   
   And, indeed, that is what happens in The Ditchdigger's Daughters. But as we talked, I was no longer sure that was what the book is about.
   
   This week in my own little corner of the world, I titled my work-in-progress, a novel that I hope to present to an agent soon. To do so without a title feels like the hallmark of a rank amateur, so I've been tearing my hair out in avoidance of such a fate. I kept milling over what happened in my story, but I realized that the `what' may not be as important as the `why'. This is how I came to my title and also how I came to the conclusion, by something she said during the interview, that Dr. Thorton's memoir is a parenting book. And it's about parenting with a goal in mind, about parenting in hard times, and about parenting with the conviction that education trumps all. The book's not been out of print in thirteen years and it's never been more relevant.
   
   They had a hard time, and a long road to run, in getting this book published. It was said that it didn't have enough conflict. Rubbish. It's fascinating and enthralling and inspirational. And the Pulitzer Board thought so too, enough to consider it for the top prize in literary achievement in 1995.
   
   Our interview can be heard at PsychJourney dot com.



4. My wife and I saw Brian Lamb's interview with Dr. Thornton on CSpan and were inspired. I thoroughly enjoyed every word of the book and recommend it to all our friends. I felt like I was walking 4 feet off the floor after finishing this wonderful book. Good parenting does not depend on education, money, or anything else but determination to set good and easily understood rules and sticking to them.
   
   The New Jersey ditch digger was a great man and a master parent. All parents of children need to read this book and follow its precepts. It is fun to read so don't worry about being bored.



5. This was a great read. I heard about this book on a book panel hosted in the Harlem book fair this past summer. The story of a man who wanted all of his daughters to become doctors was definitely off the chart, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be tried. This author presented her story in a matter that any family can relate to especially when it comes to hardships. I enjoyed the spiritual meaning in this story, especially knowing that God is always there no matter how hard the task. The author was also impartial, she able to show members of her family without having any negative or positive extremes. She just showed them as they are with a little humor. Overall, this was a great read that showed that Black Americans paved the way for many people especially immigrants of different ethnic backgrounds coming into this country.

2 comments about Michelle Obama: Grace and Intelligence in a Time of Change.

1. thoughtful and well-written. an interesting if somewhat unconventional delivery--the author combines michelle's story with a bit of her own, often suggesting an allegory between mrs. obama's humble roots and the happenings within her own respective life. this does occasionally detract from the main focus, but it also provides some interesting subtext that makes an at-times detached presidential spouse seem all the more familiar. overall, 'grace and intelligence' provides us with the rare biography that not only conveys the subject's life from an outward perspective but also draws us closer to a woman with whom we all, whether we realize it or not, can relate.



2. I am so excited to read this biography of Michelle Obama. She is smart, beautiful, hard-working, and a dedicated mother. For people who say you can't do it all, Michelle is the proof that you can! And she does it with grace and elegance, all from the heart, with sincerity that many other political figures don't show. My only regret with this Kindle edition is that I can't share it with my daughter!
   
   UPDATE: Now that I've finished the book, I have to say I'm very disappointed. I am a BIG fan of Michelle Obama, but the author wrote this book without ever speaking with, or even having a personal e-mail from, Michelle. She basically Googled Michelle Obama and wrote about whatever she found on the internet. The author pretty quickly exhausts her info about Obama and then spends a lot of the book talking about her own uninteresting suburban life. What a bummer!

3 comments about Compañero: vida y muerte del Che Guevara.

1. El Che fue sin duda un personaje contradictorio, por un lado el revolucionario idealista, por el otro un frio burocrata manejado por la disciplina. Esta biografia lo describe como el ser humano que era, inclusive sus fallas, que al fin lo condenaron a un tragico fin. Aunque el autor cubre un campo imenso con sus multiples entrevistas y sinumero de referencias, la objetividad sin embargo, resulta en una biografia carente de emocion. Esta es una biografia cientifica, y hace falta un poco de brio para dar vida a un personaje tan lleno de suenos e idealismo.



2. Este libro presenta de forma organizada la vida del Che desde su nacimiento hasta su muerte y la situacion politica,economica familiar que le rodeaba.Va mas alla de la leyenda para ver el hombre y el revolucionario detras de ella.Analiza en una forma objetiva sus pensamientos y su trascendencia despues de su muerte.En fin creo que quien quiera conocer la figura del Che,este es un excelente libro para hacerlo.



3. Explodes the myth of Che Guevara as you thought you knew him, while opening a new level of charisma for those who loved him and his ideals. A must reading for students of the sixties that is a real eyeopener. A believeable biography written with a distinct Latin mindset that will not allow you to put it down. Che Vive!