4 comments about Monk.

1. For an academic dissection look elsewhere but stop here for sheer enthusiasm and insight into Monk from an obvious admirer. I coulnd't put the book down and learned much from the numerous insights into the music business and cultural/social environment in which Monk lived. I recommend the book to anyone who wants to better understand appreciate Monk's music.



2. No one should mistake this volume for a biography of one of jazz's most influential, enigmatic figures. It's a 200-page appreciation of Monk's music, but it's a mediocre one at best.

   It's obvious the author has done a lot of listening to and dissecting of Monk's music, and he writes of it knowledgeably. But his over-the-top prose and Monk-can-do-no-wrong attitude becomes burdensome after the first 100 pages, and by the end of the book, I questioned whether the author had put any of the distance between him and his subject that would allow a thoughtful, valid critique of Monk's music and his place in jazz.

   Adding to the flatness of the portrait of Monk is the fact that there is virtually no biographical information of note in the book. We learn nothing of his life, his bouts with mental illness, his drug use, his devotion to his family, his modest lifestyle or his wit and intelligence. The author alludes to these occurrences and qualities throughout the book, but never provides any detail. I came away frustrated and in search of a better book on this most interesting giant of jazz.




3. DeWilde is French, so the translation may have failed him, but the writing is rather scattershot and too dependent on "hipster" conversational asides. Biographical information is presented out of sequence and often without context. Where this book shines is in DeWilde's explications of Monk as a composer and technician. Those interested in a full-blown biography of Monk will probably have to wait until Peter Keepnews forthcoming book appears.



4. Obviously the reviewer for Kirkus Reviews knows nothing about jazz nor about Monk. There is very liitle biographical detail about Monk that is available because his family (particularly his wife Nellie) will not speak publicly about Thelonius. That said, de Wilde's book is a brilliant evocation of Monk's genius as both a player and a composer. As opposed to Straight No Chaser, Monk attempts to capture the esssence of the man by a mixture of musicological study, an analysis of the recording scene and industry at the time, and a vivid, imaginative journey through a master musician's mindset. Any lover of jazz will appreciate this effort!

No comments about Blacks & Social Justice.

1 comments about A Zuni Life: A Pueblo Indian in Two Worlds.

1. This is a magnificent book, written with skill, sensitivity, insight and the gentle teasing humor that is characteristic of Zuni. After reading it, anyone will easily understand why Tony Hillerman is still an "outsider" to many Native Americans.

   My dealings with the Zunis began in 1967, when I began writing stories about some aspects of life in Zuni and was honored enough to be the recipient of some of their teasing. It's a good place to start: British humor centers on clever word plays, American humor is blunt slapstick, while the essence of Zuni humor is kindly and gentle teasing.

   After all, they've lived and prospered in the Southwest for as far back as science can trace. In Zuni terms, they've been here since the beginning of the world. They learned to live in one of the harshest climates of the United States without depending on outsiders. It's only since the coming of the Anglos, which Wyaco portrays as oddball outsiders who vary from insensitivity cruelty to bumbling kindness, that many Zunis have become dependent upon a sometimes crazy American world.

   His experiences in World War II, which included winning the Bronze Star, are an example. The all-Anglo draft board in Gallup, which easily filled its quotas by drafting Indians, shipped him off to Santa Fe for his medical. He wanted to join the Navy to get out of walking, but was rejected because he'd once suffered three broken ribs when he was kicked by a horse. So, the draft board tried again and sent him off to the Army where he was accepted, even though he'd have to march every day.

   "It didn't make any sense then. It doesn't now," he writes. The book is filled with such examples of non-Zuni illogic. As a combat rifleman, he killed his share of Germans. He was among the troops who liberated Dachau, and was horrified at how the SS guards had treated the dead. He writes the dead "looked like juniper firewood just unloaded from a pickup truck, no more human than that, all naked and skinny.

   "The Zunis don't even kill birds without asking permission," he states. "To the Zuni, death is a transition time that must be handled with love and respect by one's closest family. A person's body and hair must be washed, rubbed with corn meal, and pointed to the west toward Kothluwalawa, with prayers to guide the departed spirit on the way."

   Wyaco was one of a dozen GIs who summarily executed 60 or so Dachau guards, who had surrendered without firing a shot. He says, "I've never felt any remorse for my part in that execution. Those SS guards were more like witches than like men. They'd already lived too long." When he went home, a medicine man brushed him with a wing feather from an eagle and blessed him with corn meal to wipe away such bad spirits from the war.

   It's the only incident in the book that made him really angry. The rest is an insight into traditional Zuni life. It was written by J. A. Jones, a novelist and anthropologist who became a friend of Wyaco after the war. Jones did a superior job, retaining the gentle teasing humor and manner of speaking that is characteristic of Zuni. It is an art Hillerman never mastered, his books present acculturated Navajos dealing with traditional customs, but little of the "soul" of the People.

   Obviously, Wyaco doesn't reveal everything about Zuni life. But then, as Wyaco points out, neither do any of the many anthropologists. He offers something they cannot; he explains the spirit, the meaning and the gentle humor of Zuni culture. It's something no outsider can do.

2 comments about We Flew over the Bridge: The Memoirs of Faith Ringgold.

1. Faith Ringgold began her artistic career in the 1960's as a painter, but is best known for her painted story quilts and her children's books such as the award-winning TAR BEACH. Her memoirs, first published in 1995 and reprinted in this 10th Anniversary Edition, were actually begun in the late 1970's after she returned from a trip to West Africa, a time when she herself was still very much a "work in progress" personally and professionally. Then again, Faith Ringgold will always be evolving; this is not a woman content to rest on her many laurels.
   
   A memoir is revealing on two levels: since it's selective remembering, what the author chooses to tell us about herself ends up telling us something additional. WE FLEW OVER THE BRIDGE is candid, sometimes humorous, sometimes bordering on bitter, and almost quilt-like as she pieces together a wide range of topics, from the intensely personal to political and professional. Harlem at the close of the Renaissance, the art world's resistance to nonwhite artists, Black Power's resistance to feminism, combining marital life and parenthood with a career - all are viewed through her unique lens. For example, raised in a solidly middle-class environment by a mother who was a fashion designer and who inspired her interests in fabric art (and even collaborated at times), Ringgold seems to have felt overdressed at the revolution. She doesn't quite "fit in" but then again, I'm not sure she wanted to; she creates her own routes of activism. To any aspiring artist, I'd especially recommend Part III: Making Art, Making Waves, and Making Money.
   
   In addition to 40 beautiful color plates illustrating her work (mostly the story quilts), the book has numerous black and white photos of her family, associates, performance art and early paintings. You can keep up with her current work at FaithRinggold.com.



2. a must read biography of one of the most important artists of the country. A book about a Black Woman Fine Artist telling her story is a rare find and unsurprisingly interesting, poignant, insightful, triumphant.

1 comments about Bailando en el silencio: escenas de una niñez puertorriqueña.

1. This is a wonderful author who can balance the cultures that determine her character. It is a soft and warm style that brings us home to our childhood memories and that nostalgia brought by growing up. It is a well written story that will leave the reader with a longing for the magic of memories.

4 comments about Frantz Fanon: A Spiritual Biography (Lives & Legacies).

1. This book is only as good as AND NO BETTER THAN first base. Trust me folks, I've been there. True, only once and yes it was about 18 years ago but I'm no dummy. The title is a clear cut case of the ol' Bait and Switch. Most of the book ends up being about one time when the author's basement flooded and how it ruined all his old "Prince Valiant" comics.



2. This book was written with a depth of understanding of the human psyche that only a poet/psychologist could produce. When one reads an average biography one normaly can only gleen snippets of the reasoning in the subject's actions-Pat Ehlen has let me in on the reasoning of a man who's influence can be felt in all of modern black history. A terrific read.



3. Though I was unfamiliar with Fanon before reading this book; I found this biography to be fascinating. Well written and very interesting.



4. A wonderful read all the way through. I knew little of Fanon's work outside the seminal "Wretched of The Earth" and even less of Ehlen with the exception of the compelling short prose of "Aunties". But after a friend reccomended this provocative, exceptionally well written biography I plan to investigate both Ehlen and Fanon thoroughly. An excellent piece of writing--I reccomend it to all.

5 comments about Bright Boulevards, Bold Dreams: The Story of Black Hollywood.

1. I enjoyed this book. It provided some insight into the Black Hollywood scene from its humble beginnings through the 1950s. Since I'd previously read books about Stepin Fetchit, Hattie McDaniel, Sammy Davis, Jr., Ethel Waters, and Dorothy Dandridge, Bogle rehashes alot of information that I already knew. He did, however, talk about some of the lesser known stars like Herb Jeffries, Madame Sul-Te Wan, Fredi Washington, et al. Bogle also talks about the wonderful contributions of architect Paul Williams - someone who I'd never heard of but would love to find out more about. We get to read about the famous Central Avenue and its smoking clubs and swanky hotels. We get some inside dish on career breaking interracial relationships and some pretty detailed info on just how and where the Black stars lived. If you like Bogle's other works about Black film/Hollywood and its contributions to the entertainment world, you'll probably like this effort.



2. It is very informative of Life in Los Angeles for Afro Americans the first part of the 20th century as well as the Movie stars and the growth of the community springing out from its base from Central Ave.



3. I'm a black woman with a lifelong fascination with Hollywood, but who had next to no knowledge about the contributions of African-Americans to the field. During the early 90s, I had taken university level film courses, and I even earned a communications degree, but never once during that time did any of my profs ever discuss the contributions of Black people to the motion picture industry...except for Spike Lee and even at that time he was blown off by some as an "upstart."
   
   Well, thank heavens for Donald Bogle for partially "completing my education" in this subject with this book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Bright Boulevards, Bold Dreams. I learned a lot that I hadn't known before, and had many urban legends and myths dispelled in the process.
   
   For example, all my life I've had immediate knee jerk reactions to the movies Birth Of A Nation, Gone With The Wind and Imitation Of Life because of negative reations from my mother and other people. They would just say "it's demeaning" but never go into the reasons why they felt that way...they'd just change the subject.
   
   While I will probably never warm to any of those three flicks, at least Mr. Bogle's book has helped me to understand why none of those movies or black actors in them can be dismissed out of hand, and how each motion picture in its own way spurred black people to get out there and find their own voice in Hollywood.
   
   It has certainly inspired me to get out there, learn more, find and watch those "race" movies. I've discovered my local library has a lot of them both silent and "talkies", and quite a few are available for purchase online. In the past few weeks, I've watched two Oscar Micheaux movies, and I finally saw St Louis Blues (1929) in its entirety with Bessie Smith. I also discovered the "soundies" from the 1940s, those were the percursers to MTV...
   
   Beause of Mr. Bogle's book, I am making plans to further my self-education on Black Hollywood history by collecting these films, visiting the graves of several black Hollywood pioneers when I visit Los Angeles next spring...and I will also go see and photograph their stars on the Walk of Fame, too. My mission? To make sure their contributions are NEVER forgotten, nor blown off by uninformed snarks who don't remember anything prior to the 1980s 'hip-hop' culture. Why is this so important? Because when you think of it, if there were no Birth Of A Nation, there may not have been an Oscar Micheaux...and perhaps no Spike Lee! If there was no "Gone With The Wind", then maybe we'd still be waiting for a black woman to win an Oscar...or not...one can never tell.
   
   The only real complaint I have about the book? I wish there had been more pictures included! Otherwise, I think it is a real winner overall...and I recommend it for any person of color who is a serious student of theatre or film.



4. Here's a long but informative review!
   Naturally since Bogle is the only one writing about early Black film stars people believe everything he says. He plays it safe by always talking about the same ole' stars that he talked about in his last books. Never does he introduce the public to unsung talents we never heard of. He spends most of the time talking about how mulatto, how light or how dark such and such is and how such and such couldn't do this or that because of this or that. When whites write on their stars they don't write about how blonde, how brunette or how red head someone was and how Irish or Italian one looked. Which proves how stuck on skin color Blacks really are! Why do Blacks feel they always have to spend time talking about race instead of giving these stars their recognition and due, forgetting how they look and telling of their life and versatile careers, who they really were, where they come from, making one reading feel like they knew the person all their lives, make one feel the happiness and sadness.
   Bogle spends more time on what they didn't do then what they did do. Which is sad, the public is missing out on a lot. So again, do for yourself the research and don't' depend on others all the time.
   
   Bogle loves talking about how white Fredi Washington looked instead of writing about her extensive, incredible career, she done more in her life then most of us could dream about it, she didn't let others prejudices hold her back. She was no tragic mulatto, another stupid name, minus well call Stepin Fetchit a tragic ni**er which he wasn't, he was the first black millionaire and no more of a stereotype then Black pimps, gangsters of today who are getting rich off of it like Step got rich off of his stereotype. Fredi will be the first to say she had a great life and career. She wasn't sad or confused but a strong black woman. Bogle is no better than a white writer who puts down a black but thinks its okay to coin a book Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies and Bucks because he's black, I'm sure if a white titled a book that we be yelling racism, don't Black talents deserve a better title?
   
   Bogle also plays it safe by always talking about Lena Horne and Dorothy Dandridge, never telling the stories and never giving recognition to other black actresses like Nina Mae McKinney, Mildred Washington, Theresa Harris, Fredi Washington, Edna Mae Harris, Florence O'Brien, Louise Franklin, Daisy Bufford, Jeni LeGon Evelyn Preer, Suzette Harbin, Hilda Simms, Francine Everett, Shirley Haven and countless of others who had a chance to display their talents on the screen in Hollywood and helped fight discrimination and help in the enhancement and betterment of blacks on screen but he gives all the credit to Horne and Dandridge, who didn't do as much as others if you want to get down to the truth, but I'm glad he don't talk about them in a way because he'll butcher up their life stories, I'll give them their due though. Many aren't remembered because maybe they didn't do as much, who cares about who has done more, were suppose to be remembering them for accomplishments and talents, right? White film historians sure remember all their stars, little or big. Someone like Louise Brooks, considered a early Hollywood icon is highly regarded as a great actress despite she only had a few good films and wasnt a big movie star. The woman is more remembered for one good film and a bobbed hairstyle but white historians will make sure you know her, her achievements and what she DID DO for the film industry. Why can't Bogle be like that instead of criticizing everyone and judging them by white people's standards of what success and beauty is? I guess it's true that you gotta work twice as hard as whites to be someone in this world, whites can be remembered for little things, few successes, Blacks gotta have many successes to get rememberance and recognition even for other Blacks to remember them. Bogle is one of the few black film historians, you would think he would write more positively of blacks in Hollywood but he treats many worse then whites treated them when they were alive. Bogle never mentions Willie Covan and Marie Bryant (and appeared in movies also and was a good friend of Lena Horne's too) who choreograhed many white stars, they were behind the scenes but contributed to Hollywood. He suppose to be giving credit not taking away. Either Bogle is too lazy or likes to show favoritism because he sure won't tell other unsung talents stories. If he does he clutter it up with talking about their looks especially if he doesn't know how to write about them. Bogle knows nothing about the great career of Nina Mae McKinney, the first movie star of Hollywood and Europe, who done more films then any other black actress of her time, the first to appear on many magazines, she had so many achievements, yet he gives her one little page, if you don't know about a person, I rather you not write about them at all then to write lies. He never talks about the Black Cinema independent movie stars or the industry who was apart of American cinema, I guess their too hard for him to research, so he takes the easy path in writing about stars he already wrote about a million times. He never writes about Ethel Moses, Francine Everett, Dorothy Van Engle, Edna Mae Harris, Margaret Whitten, Tomiwitta Moore, Bee Freeman, Lorenzo Tucker, Monte Hawley, Ralph Cooper (created the first black studio in Hollywood), Oscar Micheaux, Spencer Williams and countless other black movie stars who appeared in films for blacks made by blacks in the 30's and 40's, I guess that's too mediocre for him but they done more for the enhancement of Blacks in movies by creating their own images, own roles, own portrayals, playing people from all walks of life unlike ones in Hollywood who were stuck playing the same types of roles and being the same images he always complaining about well I feel give due to ones who at least tried to do for themselves and become what they wanted but see they weren't cross-overs so their looked at as non-important by some which kind of dictated by whites who we should remembered and who's important. It's hard researching Black Cinema stars but boy it's worth it plus studying them, watching them perform gives you a good idea of who they were even if you can't find info on them. I still find the time to give them due and I'm no professional or anything but Bogle is a high class guy who only likes to write about Hollywood and his favorite gals Horne and Dandridge.
   
   
   Ive done more research on unsung, forgotten stars then he has and it has been pleasurable teaching others on the net about blacks who contributed to stage and screen, stars who were just as important as Dandridge and Horne. I'm glad there are other people who are taking it upon themselves to tell the true stories of many unsung black legends and don't write in the same fashion as Bogle. Anyone who is hung up on skin color and don't want to think outside the box and like to hear the same stories then Bogle is for you but someone like me who researched many early black stars of stage and screen on my own and found out the real deal, found how they really were, found how they were really looked at, and found the true stories wouldn't appreciate Bogle's work much. I've talked with some legendary Blacks of the early years, some of their relatives also and they gave a completely different view then how Bogle describes them which shows he just goes by hearsay and documents and don't do accurate interviewing and researching.
   
   I would think Bogle would spend more time on talking about the beauty of black women from dark to light and their wonderful achievements to the world. Black women are quite unique but instead Bogle tells the story of black women from white people's perspective it seems, he tells how black women were looked at from whites perspective not from a true black person's perspective that has pride for his race, maybe Bogle has a white person's way of thinking who is partial. Because I would commend these women, embrace and make the world embrace their beauty, courage, and talents; their many gifts to the world isn't as nearly written about as their skin tones are.
   He loves spending time writing about how light, dark or mulatto someone looks. Again, he makes it seem like such and such suffered because she was mulatto, light or dark, come on man, if she had a tragic life it was her own fault if she suffered. He makes it seem like color and race was the problem for everything which is false, actually many of these women profited from the race sometimes and plus women in general face discrimination, no matter what race or color. Don't you think these women went through enough being judged by skin tone or looks, they wished in their life for being to judge their talent, at least give them that now, Bogle doesn't. Who isn't discriminated against in this world? Bogle makes it look like Black is a curse when these female performers change the world and introduce the world to their greatness and the greatness of the race. He loves talking about whether someone should of passed for white or not like when he's talking about the great Fredi Washington. He misses out on showcasing other great talents like Valaida Snow, Blanche Calloway, Una Mae Carlisle, Eunice Wilson, Adelaide Hall and others but that's okay because they have been written beautifully about by other writers. Well, many are dead so they cant stick up for themselves and Bogle takes advantage of that, he hasn't even interviewed or actually talked to ones who he writes about, he just goes by hearsay. Have your favorites but when you write a book, you can't show favoritism which he does all through which hurts others who has a story to tell but he only give honor to his faves. It seems no black can make him happy, he always has something to criticize. In his words every Black woman is a tragic, confused mulatto and every black man is a coon, or some other stereotype, he wouldn't say that to the young black guys or gals in entertainment today though, he takes advantage of the dead who can't stick up for themselves.
   
   There is a website on unsung black talents of stage and screen, you all will enjoy.
   http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/ninamaemckinney/



5. I found this book excellent in its writing style and information. I finished it in 5 days and use it often to research on black hollywood. I loved it!!!

5 comments about Space Between the Stars: My Journey to an Open Heart.

1. I did something I rarely do: read a book in one sitting. I started around ten p.m. and ended up staying up until the wee hours of the morning.
   
   I was curious to read a book written by the wife of Carlos Santana. I remembered reading in the news that Deborah Santana (born Deborah King in 1951) had filed for divorce last fall - after the book was published. My curiosity however was mostly sparked by the desire to read about the life of a woman that I confess I knew nothing about until I picked up this book.
   
   It's said that behind every great man is a great woman. After reading this book, it's clear that Carlos is one lucky man - Deborah is quite a woman. (Most likely his infidelities was the reason for the seperation and - last I heard - impending divorce.)
   
   I give the book four stars because for the most part it's a brave, eloquent tale of a woman's life. It doesn't matter that she was with two famous men (Sly Stone, then Carlos Santana) - I could easily identify with her feelings and her struggle as a woman who is still finding her way.
   
   At times her writing is lyrical and moving - other times it veers into New Age & Pop Phychology Land, but thankfully she gets back on track before losing the reader (this reader anyhow).
   
   I obviously would not have stayed up late with a book I didn't like and I highly recommend it. (She also writes about the subject of being a biracial child).
   
   In all fairness it would be interesting to read a bio by Carlos himself in which we hear about the same years shared, but from his POV. Not that the infidelities didn't happen - he has not denied them - but still, it would make for great reading to hear his side of the story. Alas, I doubt we're going to see that book anytime soon.
   
   Together since around 1972 and married since 1973 and with three children, one wishes they could have made it.
   
   NOTE: Deborah's parents, her black musician father Saunders King and her white (Irish-American) mother Jo Frances were married for many years (he lived to be 91) and had what sounds like a very happy marriage. The passages about her parents made me want to read a book solely about her their life and marriage. It is when she writes about her father that her prose is the strongest - very "Alice Walkeresque". Maybe that will be Deborah's next book?



2. I enjoyed this very candid memoir by Deborah Santana. I found myself experiencing her joys, pains and understanding her need for a spiritual connection. I cried during her disappointments and smiled as she experienced a re-birth or a self-discovery if you will. I related to her loyal and committed spirit to those she loved and her family values. I truly appreciate Deborah Santana as an accomplished writer. This is a very well written piece of work and a great read.



3. I was so impressed with the book I bought copies for all my sisters and mother. We all loved the book and my 81 year old mother reads reads regency romance novels exclusively. A miracle ocurred and she read this book and didn't want to put it down! We all loved it. The book gave us courage and opened our hearts. THANKS Deborah.
   Sincerely,
   Karen Gravina Hull, Massachusetts



4. Deborah Santana opens her heart and life in this book much the same way a musician such as her father or husband does on stage. Truly a great writer Deborah chronicles a period of Rock and Roll as an insider. We are lucky to have an account from this period of two famous bands to which she was connected. But Space Between the Stars isn't just about Rock and Roll. It is a story of a strong woman who has survived that era and come out stronger. The Music on The Cds is incredible. Her son Salvador is likely to be a force in the music world, admired and respected as were his father and grandfather.



5. This is an amazing book full of truth and wisdom. "You house the truth of God's essence inside yourselves, to be heard in the wisper of silence". "Really, all brokenness is a lack of oneness with one's own spirit and light". For those unfamiliar with Carlos's wealth of music and message, we learn; "every note is chosen with the hope that in the listener it will sing a story, spark a journey to goodness and mercy". I laughed, I cried, I loved it! I am a middle aged white guy who honestly thinks Carlos Santana is a Prophet, chosen and inspired by God. Just listen to his music (all of it!). Deborah Santana is a gifted writer, who tells her story in a magical and compelling narative. The message is truley inspirational. Thank you.

5 comments about I'm Not Dancing Anymore.

1. I think Terri was brave to write this book. It seems to be a very honest account of her family, and their relationship to OJ. From what was written, OJ seemed to remove himself from HIS family, who obviously love him, and create a new family with Nicole and the Brown family, rarely having contact with his family, except it seems out of obligation. I think it is very telling of how OJ treated his family after the murders also,they ran to his side to support him,attended the entire trial,and yet he seemed dismissive of them.Terri recounts how he barely communicated with them, leaving the home a day after the murders and never telling them where he was.The Simpsons camped out at his home to support him, and were left in the dark,having to rely on the news to see what was going on.They were devoted to him at this time,and he seemed to prefer the company of his friends.He seemed to treat his family shabbily,and didn't seem to want or care about having their support.I think it is a telling account of what he is like,and his priorities which didn;t seem to include his own family. Terri also recounts how close he was to the Brown family,and how painful that was to her and her family. I think it is an honest account of her feelings about her Uncle OJ, and I think she tried to be fair about his guilt or innocence.She seemed to want to beleive he was innocent, but struggled with alot of questions and had some doubts.I do think that on the subject of Nicole, and her family,particularly her sisters, Terri seemed to be envious of them, reveals some not so nice stories about them, and left me wondering if her account was rooted in jealousy,which I can't say I blame her if you compare how Simpson seemed to favor the Browns. I think she felt angry about how the Browns were such a big part of OJ & Nicoles life,while her own family was left out of so much. I have read elswhere things about Nicole such as her temper, and how participated in fights etc. with OJ, but I don't think that makes her a bad person, and doesn't mean she deserved to be murdered. I think alot of it was Nicole trying to have some control of her life,defend herself,and fight back against the treatment she got from a very violent man. I don't say Nicole was perfect, just that Terri's account of Nicole & family is a bit shaded by jealousy,and from her desire to believe her uncle was innocent.
   All in all, a very good book, and I have alot of respect for Terri having the courage to write it. I believe overall it was an honest account of her story.



2. Terri, you did a beautiful job. I rented the book from the library and now I must own it. Your expresed yourself clearly about what it is like to have a famous person in your family. I know that Nicole was no angel and was even worse when she drank. I wondered how many people knew that she was under therapy for her temper. She pushed your uncle's buttons and one day she pushed to hard. It is just that simple. Just the things she would say to him about pushing a man around in a wheel chair one day. Well sweetheart that man that you are pushing around in that wheelchair made it possible for you to live the life that you did live. I will never understand this though, if she was oh so afraid of him, why did she go back to him?? He was doing very well with Paula until she wanted to come home, like some spoiled brat. Now I am not saying what happened to her should have happened to her; but I am saying that once you are divorced and have a one-half million dollar settlement plus child support, then you move clear across country. No but she had to stay up under O. J. For what love??? I don't think so.



3. When the OJ Simpson trial was being shown on television every night, I was about 12 years old, and never gave it my full attention. I was cognizant that most people thought that he had murdered his wife and her friend, but I didn't take the time to watch the happenings of the trial; it's just not a topic that will typically hold a 12 year old's attention. Now that I am 21, I am interested in knowing the facts as well as the skepticisms of the trial and murder. Terri Baker, (OJ Simpson's niece) did a great job of filling me in.
   
   
   
   Terri candidly informs her reader that OJ Simpson never really took up much time with his blood relatives. He preferred spending his leisure with Nicole Brown's family and his celebrity friends. On special occasions, the Simpson family would come together as a family, everyone except OJ. His visits were sporadic, and when he was around, his mind was somewhere else and everyone catered to his needs. She also says that the family had always put OJ on a pedestal, and no one ever confronted him with anything, even if they felt that he was doing something wrong. His money? Well, he made sure that he and Nicole lived lavishly, but he wasn't very generous with the Simpson family. In fact, they really didn't reap any financial benefits from OJ.
   
   
   
   OJ was physically abusive and very possessive of Nicole. The book states that there are recordings of Nicole calling the police because OJ had struck her. There are also photographs illustrating a battered Nicole.
   
   
   
   Terri was very vocal about the deaths of Nicole and Ron Goldman and the infamous "trial of the century." Although the Simpson was not very forthcoming with their feelings concerning the murders, Terri had a very difficult time coping. She was having problems at her job and eventually stopped working, and got heavy into alcohol. To this day, she is unsure if her Uncle committed those crimes, but it is something that will bother her for as long as she lives.
   
   
   
   She also let us know how spaced out her uncle was, namely during and after the trial. The day the verdict was announced, they threw a party at OJ's house, and someone congratulated him and asked him how it felt to be home, and he looked at them like they were insane. Terri also mentioned that during the trial, OJ had a very impassive look on his face which drew even more skepticism as to whether or not he is guilty.
   
   
   
   I really, really enjoyed this book and all it said about OJ and the lives of he and his family. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to become more knowledgeable of the trial of the century.



4. I thought this book was very good. Terri did not take sides in this book. she stood by her family even when she had doubts about her uncle. terri tells us over and over in the book how OJ has little to do with his family. I am glad to see that she saw this and was not blind like most of her family was. it is good to hear she has her life back on track. good book with lots of info about OJ and his family.



5. Terri Baker has produced a well written book based on her eyewitness account of the O.J. Simpson murder trial and all that followed. I feel that to say I "enjoyed" the book would be somewhat sadistic, but it was worth the read for anyone that had any type of interest in O.J. Simpson and/or the murder investigation and trial.
   
   This appears to have been a labor of unconditional love, self-analysis, loyalty, forgiveness and healing. It took courage to write a book that is so personally revealing of herself, The Browns, The Goldmans, The Dream Team, Kato Kaelin, Paula Barbieri her Uncle O.J., Rockingham and the rest of the Simpson family. As I read this book, I felt as if I was there among all the family, friends, groupies, media and those that were along for the celebrity ride. Ms. Baker has given her readers an up close and personal view of everything one could imagine and then some things one probably had not thought of. At times I felt she gave the reader more information than we really needed to know, but in order for the reader to fully understand...she had to let the reader into those sacred, private and personal moments.
   
   Her compelling accounts of the various incidents, conflicts, awkard moments and private moments made me feel her every emotion. She provides information about Nicole that not even the tabloids exposed. However, she did not provide a lot of information about Justin and Sydney, but I can understand her respecting the innocent children that have lost more than anyone in this entire ordeal.
   
   If you take away the "celebrity" from the Simpson Family...you have just about any family in the world. The issues and family secrets that the Simpsons share are typical of many dysfunctional families. But most people probably have never really analyzed things as deeply as Ms. Baker did.
   
   Upon finishing the book, I felt that Ms. Baker has made peace with her dysfunctional family, confronted and conquered her demons, picked up the pieces of her life that were lost during the trial and learned how to make lemonade out of lemons.
   
   The book left me wondering though...has O.J. ever shown any gratitude to his family for their dedication, love and loyalty during his ordeal. Did he learn anything from all of this? Has he read this book? How does he feel about this book? Some family members lost jobs and money by choosing to stand by his side all those months. The traveling back and forth, the great financial expense and personal scarifice was a high price to pay. I do hope that he eventually lavished his family with some financial blessings as he did for The Browns and others over the years.

2 comments about Jesse: The Life and Pilgrimage of Jesse Jackson.

1. Neither a smear sheet or puff piece, this is a very objective and thorough look at the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

   Here you see both the good and bad. The infamous "King's blood" incident, the womanizing, the crudity and rudeness (that I've had the misfortune to expereince once), and the scandals are all here minus the Angela Parker case in 1971, oddly.

   However, Frady does not let the reader forget the good that Jesse Jackson has done for society. We also him getting tearful Israeli and Palestinian children to come together in peace. We see him trying to unify poor Whites and Blacks in America (who even THINKS of doing that anymore?), we see him encouraging Black kids to forego delinquency and do better in school (I first saw him on one such occasion in 1978), and we see the successful instances in which he helped in the release of hostages. We also see that contrary to popular (mis)beleif, he has encouraged far more cooperation among the races than this far lesser contemporaries among what remains of "Black leadership."

   Frady lets the reader know that in spite of Rev. Jesse Jackson's considerable and numerous flaws, the good that he has done cannot be dismissed.

   In spite of this, there is a minor complaint. Frady gets to be a bit much with the dialect in trying to capture Rev. J/J's speech patters ("Yawl," "Great Gawd a mighty," "Looka heah," etc.).




2. "Jesse" is a compelling examination of the fascinating life and times of an American original, civil rights leader and two-time presidential contender Jesse Jackson. This detailed, nuanced biography benefits from the author's nearly thirty years covering Jackson as a journalist, as well as the access Frady was granted his subject as a frequent traveling companion and from many interviews with Jackson, his family and colleagues. As a result, Frady has been able to create a intimate account of his subject's life and thought which seemingly allows the reader to get inside Jackson's head and understand his motivations and actions. Striving for a balanced portrayal, Frady does not shy away from Jackson's faults; commendably, he deals with them in a frank, fair manner while avoiding sensationalism. Ultimately, Frady suggests, all of Jackson's activities, from his early work with PUSH and Operation Breadbasket in Chicago, to his presidential campaigns and his incessant world travels, have been motivated by a common spirit of "gospel populism" and a desire to be seen not simply as a black leader but as a moral leader with a vision that transcends racial, cultural and economic boundaries. "Jesse" is not a perfect book; it seems at times a bit lengthy, and often Frady devotes seemingly endless attention to minor or obscure events and breezes over major ones (example: we repeatedly hear references and anecdotes about Jackson's 1989 trip to earthquake-stricken Armenia, but his 1988 speech at the Democratic National Convention - probably his most memorable public moment - is cursorily dispatched in two sentences). "Jesse" is probably not, as one reviewer suggested, the definitive biography of Jesse Jackson, but it is an important key to understanding the man, and in the absence of a definitive portrait, it will no doubt be the best Jackson biography available for a very long time.