5 comments about Holding On to the Air: An Autobiography.

1. I stumbled across this book by accident almost a year ago and have been touched by it ever since. I'm not sure that I can explain the specialness of this of this story but it feels like a real life fairy tale. You can feel Ms. Farrell's emotions and passion of what it must have been like for her to work with her teacher, George Balanchine. What a dynamic duo they must have been together. I would recommend this book to everyone, whether you have been exposed to ballet or not, as a special glimpse into a very public but very private life. Truly a lovely story.



2. how i enjoyed this book...why more people have not read this inspiring story is - as they say - beyond me. what is not beyond me is how imparticularly this book brings the world of suzanne farrell - during her years as george balanchines principal "muse" and dancer - so inspiringly into my own thoughts. she has written her account of that time in a simple and straight forward manner, until it is finally evident that what she experienced at the new york city ballet was truly euphereal and transcendent...i certainly felt as if my own life was enriched through reading her words; it reminded me of the decency which must be cultivated and conveyed as we all live out our jouneys: it matters to believe in love; it matters to create - for ourselves, and others , from that take- off point. i have read five or six accounts from other dancers lucky enough to have known and worked with the obvious enigma that is george balanchine. this book , importantly, stays with the reader. why is that ?



3. i read this book as a young adult, when i was entrenched in the rigours of technique and training and it inspired me in many ways. from farrel's honesty and dedication to her art to the descriptions of balanchine as both a person and an artist. i love this book and i highly recomend it.



4. Suzanne Farrell was often regarded as Balanchine's ultimate "muse", although she was neither the first nor really the last. Balanchine in the 1960s became obsessed with this willowy, mysterious dancer, and choreographed many ballets for her. Their personal relationship was much gossiped about. But Balanchine was married (to another "muse", Tanaquiel le Clerg), and Farrell was a staunch Catholic. Eventually, she married another dancer, and left the New York City Ballet. When she returned 5 years later, Balanchine's personal obsession was over. They worked professionally till his death but it seems as if Balanchine never became emotionally invested in her again. Farrell for her part loftily insists that the relationship was consummated through "dance" and not the traditional way. One wonders if it was this remoteness and unattainability that made Balanchine so hurt when Farrell married and left the company.
   Farrell's book is a moving personal story, and I'm too young to have seen her dance but surviving videoclips make it easy to understand Balanchine's obsession. She was indeed a beautiful, electrifying dancer. However, like a lot of singer autobiographies, Farrell can't help but sound a bit self-centered. She was isolated at the NYCB due to resentment from the other dancers, but it seems impossible that she'd remain so completely oblivious to the company's other members. Thus, 1960s mainstays of the NYCB like Edward Villela, Patricia McBride, Karin von Arnoldigen, that all figure so prominently in any chronology of the NYCB, are completely absent in Farrells story. From someone reading her book you'd think Balanchine choreographed solely for her, that she was the only important ballerina in his life, and that the company essentially revolved around her. This is not a criticism, but it's something to keep in mind when reading the book. I'd suggest also getting a biography of Balanchine, to keep this in perspective.
   To Farrell's credit, she never self-aggrandizes or vilifies anyone. She admits Balanchine could be selfish and smothering, but overall she treats him very sensitively. She is also fair about her mother, a typical stage-mom. Overall, this is one of the best autobiographies of a dacner that I've read. Its candid and personal. However, like most autobiographies I wouldnt read it as an entirely accurate history of ballet either.
   As an interesting footnote, Farrell's frequent stage partner and new NYCB dancermaster Peter Martins fired Farrell from teaching at the NYCB after a blowup in the late 1990s. In a preview of the book Farrell mentions the firing.
   Farrell's co-writer was Toni Bentley, who's also written a fascinating personal account of being a NYCB dancer.



5. After reading (or, in my case, rereading) Suzanne Farrell's wonderful book, one feels a tremendous debt of gratitude. It isn't just that her life and views on dance and art are fascinating, though that is certainly true. It's the tremendous sense of generosity and compassion that flow from these pages. I remember when I first read her mother's words to her young daughters, that if they had "the arts in their life they would never be lonely", that I quietly marked the page, closed the book, and wept appreciatively. This was the first time I had heard these words expressed by anyone and it confirmed the feelings I've had since being very young.
   Many may find the Balanchine references the definitive biography of this section of his life, but there is so much more to this glorious volume, gratefully back in print from the University of Florida. This paperback edition is very well-bound, pages are highest quality; the price may seem a tad high, but is in truth worth more than pricier hardcovers. This, along with the DVD of Farrell's exquisite "Elusive Muse" documentary make an outstanding gift idea for young people uncertain of how to attain their dreams. Ms. Farrell's life is certainly a great inspiration.

1 comments about Susanna Wesley.

1. Mr. Dallimore presents Susanna as a real person. Her faults and her struggles come alive, and yet she is an inspiration. She was obviously highly educated for her time. The book educates us about history and society in her era, as well as religion. But there are no flat characters. Very informative. Nice and short, also.

4 comments about The Sisters: Babe Mortimer Paley, Betsy Roosevelt Whitney, Minnie Astor Fosburgh : The Lives and Times of the Fabulous Cushing Sisters.

1. I tend to agree with reviewer, Margaret Ogilvie, about this book. I was interested in learning more about style icon, Babe Paley, and her family and although the author did tell the interesting story of her upbringing (father was famous brain surgeon, Henry Cushing) and subsequent marriages of the 3 sisters, I found the story lacked substance. I didn't really feel I left the book knowing anything more about Babe Paley or her sisters. I learned, for instance, that Betsy married to FDR's son and they had a troubled marriage but it (Grafton's story) seemed like distant heresay. I've read great biographies and this was not one - I felt I was, as Margaret Ogilvie said, reading a compilation of newsclippings. I read through this book, unimpressed and rather disappointed. I'm hoping there are other books available about the Cushing sisters, specifically Babe Paley.



2. The Cushing Sisters were an intriguing trio, by now largely forgotten except for their nearest and dearest. Groundbreaking neurosurgeon Harvey Cushing of Boston had three beautiful daughters born at the cusp of the 20th Century, but it was his wife who raised their girls with the single goal of making good marriages.

   Daughter Betsey grew up to wed James Roosevelt, son of then-President Franklin Roosevelt, until she divorced him for the far-richer John (Jock) Hay Whitney.

   Minnie married fabulously wealthy Vincent Astor, but not for long. Vincent subsequently married Brooke Astor, the sole survivor of this group of siblings and spouses and ex-spouses; Brooke has devoted her life to using Vincent's money for good works. And Minnie's second husband was...gasp!...not rich.

   The beautiful Barbara, known as "Babe," first married socialite Stanley Mortimer, then divorced him and married the much richer founder of CBS Television, Bill Paley. Along the line, Babe became a fashion icon, the tastemaker of her generation.

   These three women gave shape to the Jet Set of the 1950's and 1960's. In writing THE SISTERS, author David Grafton sheds light on a fascinating family and, in the process, Grafton also provides a snapshot of a fascinating moment in social history.




3. ....Granted, not a great book - but a very good one. To me - this is a fasinating look at an era that exists no longer. These women led extremely interesting lives - not only in the people they married - but the way in which they chose to live them. Try and get a copy of this book - you won't regret it. It is one of my favorites.



4. The only good thing about this book is that it has no grammatical errors or typos. This is the shallowist of biographies, probably gleaned from newspaper clippings. There are lists of who wore what at each sister's wedding as well as who attended and, later, lists of who was left exactly which items when the sisters died. In between is a vast nothingness, punctuated only with the barest details of the sisters' lives. We never do find out what they themselves are like - surely the whole point of a biography.

5 comments about On the Wings of a White Horse: A Cambodian Princess's Story of Surviving the Khmer Rouge Genocide.

1. "And a child shall lead them" -- Oni Vitandham begins her real life story as a child, of resilience and survival surrounded by constant death, destruction, danger, and unimaginable horror. Although dealing with a conflict over 30 years removed, this book could not have arrived at a more poignant time. At its core, the political themes are as relevant today as they were then in stemming the flow of innocent blood.
   
   This book should further resonate with recently honed political sensibilities (per Abu Graib, Iraq, etc) and serve as inspiration to us all not only as citizens but as human beings to stand up for justice and equality (even in the face of dire political rhetoric).
   
   Oni's story reminds us how truly blessed we all are and of our universal responsibility to prevent these horrors from re-occurring.
   
   "Evil prospers because good men do nothing." Edmund Burke



2. A reading of Oni Vitandham's "On the Wings of a White Horse" is an inspiring experience to say the least. It is a tale of immense pain and suffering, yet courage in the face of failure and despair. It is the story of a life that may never have been but for the love of family and friends. A theme that seems often lacking in our world today. It is not an easy book to read. Indeed, it is often violently confronting. However, it is certain, that the reader will leave with a greater sense of compassion, love and hope for the future of humanity
   
   Oni's is a powerful, at times confronting and terrifying story that delves into the subjects that have all too often been left to the back pages of history. From the fall of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, to the Communist movements in Laos and Vietnam, and beyond to a new life in America, Oni's journey often reads like a political history of South-East Asia during the 1970s. For one young girl to be at the centre of some of the most desperate struggles of the decade, and to emerge not only alive, but also so incredibly empowered, seems almost beyond comprehension.
   
   Yet this is what makes Oni, and her story, so enthralling. To quote the saying, "whatever doesn't kill us, makes us stronger" seems almost inadequate to describe this story. Indeed Oni tells her life as it is, with little attempt to shield use from the intense pain and suffering that she herself has had to endure. At first this seems almost to hard to bear. However as even Oni herself tells us at the start of the book; these are her childhood memories. It is this thought enough that inspires the reader to continue on.
   
   Indeed Oni stands for an idea that is greater than her own personal story and even greater than her desire to see a prosperous and peaceful Cambodia. She believes in the right of all people to have the chance to grow up in peace and happiness. She believes in the power of the individual and the immense capacity that humans have for spreading happiness in their world.
   
   A reading of Oni's "On the Wings of a White Horse" will leave the reader inspired. Indeed it is a story that enters through the heart and leaves through the head. One cannot read it and not be inspired to get up and care about the plight of the millions of people who are so less fortunate than ourselves.



3. This is a wonderful book and easy reading. I would recommend it to anyone and I am going to refer it to my friends. Take the time to read it, it's definitely worth your while.



4. This is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. From the beginning of her life in a cave to the constant struggle for suvival, Oni describes her ordeal, an ordeal no one would have dreamed could ever actually happen. Her life could have ended many times if it were not for the caring people around her and for her own perseverance. Oni is one strong, determined lady and her story needs to be told to the world. If you only read one book a year, this should be the one!



5. This Book is one of the best book i have ever read. Oni, the author has such a sad story in her life that really touch your heart. Those who survided the 1975 Holocoust you might want to consider read this book. as young child Oni was taken to the Killing camps along with her family, she suffered many death and very harsh treatment. However that did not stop her to become the great person she is today. I Love her book it is a really good book.

3 comments about The Story of My Life (Enriched Classics Series).

1. Keller has a remarkable story of how she overcame her obstacles, but I do not recommend this book for students under 16. It's just very dry and her writing was overly detailed when she was in her young 20s and that writing can go over the heads of younger learners.



2. This extraordinary biography is a true masterpiece. One of the greatest books of the 20th Century.
   Dr R. Chris Barden



3. Truly inspiring! Helen Keller beautifully narrates all her deepest thoughts and also projects her dark and human life so skillfully. She vehemently points out that she has got a mind of her own and the life of Helen Keller makes the reader feel that he is dim-witted. This book is a jolt to the reader in a positive sense.

2 comments about Margaret Fuller: An American Romantic Life, Vol. 2: The Public Years.

1. Professor Charles Capper has put us in his debt for his thorough two-volume biography of Margaret Fuller, the female stormy petrel of early nineteenth century America. The second volume, which has just appeared, subtitled "The Public Years," is twice as large as the first, and contains a plethora of details of her later life. Perhaps, there are too many details for a general audience, in fact. For he has turned over every scrap of paper relating to this passionate intellectual and has used an enormous number of sources.
   Volume Two begins with her editorship of The Dial and ends with her tragic end in a storm at sea, off the American eastern coast.
   To some extent Margaret Fuller has not yet entered the mainstream of American literature, save for her feminist book "Woman in the Nineteenth Century." Yet she wrote poetry, fiction, translated works in German, and created some superb journalism. Her personal journals are a wonderful read. Most of this has fallen by the wayside, alas.
   Capper's two volumes, under the title "Margaret Fuller: An American Romantic Life," can easily be considered the authoritative biography, replacing a half dozen earlier attempts to grasp the breadth of her work and life. After reading the two books, the reader can feel assured that he or she has a through knowledge of her troubled life. If I have any cavil, it's the excessive details and endless quotes that make reading a chore. This impedes the narrative flow.
   For this is a scholarly biography, and as such not a colorful panorama of the subject's passage through life. Aside from this, I can only congratulate Professor Capper for a magnificent study of this outstanding woman's life. Now--to read her.
   
   Philip Brantingham



2. I loved Charles Capper's first volume of his biography of Margaret Fuller and was pleased to find he has published this second volume, which I have found to be just as, if not more, satisfying than the first. Like the first, it's wonderfully readable and psychologically penetrating, but here Capper deals with Fuller's public life and its truly astonishing to read just how crucial Fuller's writings were for her contemporaries. I appreciated the way he plunges us into Fuller's fascinating world of Romantic writers and intellectuals on two continents, whose loves, revolutions, and spiritual searches make the life of the mind in history something living and breathing. From her launching of the first avant-garde magazine in America to her and her Italian husband and son's tragic drowning in a shipwreck 300 yards off Long Island, this book is totally captivating. I give it five stars plus!

5 comments about Since You Went Away: World War II Letters from American Women on the Home Front.

1. Compiling 400 letters, Litoff and Smith give readers a very personal look at what World War II was life for American women at home. Reading them is an almost vouyeristic experience, as these women share their thoughts, struggles, personal victories and tragedies.
   
   The book is divided topcially rather than chronologically, giving the reader an opportunity to focus in on one aspect of the war. For example, "I Took a War Job" focuses exclusively on the liberating and empowering experience women felt in working in the defense industry (and making a man's wages.) The most touching and strongest chapter, "The Price of Victory" dealt with the loss of a loved one - husbands, brothers, lovers. The letters are from all social classes, races and parts of the country, providing a representative view, and speaking to the commonality of experiences. It is a remarkable resource, a fantastic read, and a rich collection of primary documents. For the professioal historian, I highly recommend it. For the lay reader, it is as insightful as it is fascinating. Recommended.



2. The letters in this book are divided into categories such as war brides, working women on the homefront, newlyweds separated by war, why we fought, the price of war and having a loved one away for so long, and courtship by mail. There's also one chapter that consists entirely of photos and photocopies of postcards, advertisements for things like V-mail and writing to servicemen overseas, posters, drawings, and newsletters. Although many of the concerns and experiences are similar, no two stories are exactly alike. We get a wide range of people, such as newlywed wives who had to cope with pregnancy and raising young children while husbands were away, wives who lost their husbands and often kept writing because they didn't know of their deaths right away, a family in a Japanese-American internment camp, a couple who went from friendly correspondence to a nationally-known breakup and angry feud to finally lovebirds again and a happily and long-married couple, a Quaker couple dealing with the husband being in prison due to his pacifist beliefs and refusal to serve in the military, wartime shortages on the homefront, and the often hard life many farmers faced during these years. The one thing all of these female letter-writers had in common, though, was that they were dealing with the absence of husbands, sons, brothers, fathers, and male friends.
   
   However, this book didn't pique my interest quite as much as it could have due to there being just so many different excerpts; even with the longer sections, there just wasn't as much opportunity to really draw the reader in and make him or her fully connect with these longago letter-writers, the way there could have been had there been more longer excerpts (even with fewer letter-writers represented overall), with some shorter excerpts mixed in along the way. Although this is a problem with all such anthologies; as great as the material is, one can tend to feel that it's still not the full complete picture, particularly when the editors haven't included all of their letters and have even edited the length of some of them. It makes one wish one could read all of these letters written by these interesting people instead of just these relatively short samples. Still, all things considered, this is a relatively minor complaint, certainly nothing that should dissuade one from reading this fascinating book.



3. I study all kinds of stuff from the WW2 homefront. I really liked this book. It's an easy read, however, you really get to know what it was like for the women who had to stay home during the war. I learned really early in my studies to NOT just listen to what the propoganda tells you. It was not all USO swing dances, troubles finding nylons and writing letters.
   
   The only thing I didn't like about the book is that the letters are edited. I read the book "war letters" before this one and I was spoiled because the letters in that book are unedited and even includes spelling errors, etc but they are exactly how the soldiers wrote their letters. So when I read "since you went away", I was kinda disappointed that the author only gave you what they thought was important in the letter.



4. I'm very interested in the powerful tapestry of the US homefront during WWII. This book provides a wide variety of first hand accounts of what was happening and more importantly how people felt about these events. The power comes from the fact that the words were written at the time rather than as later rememberances tainted by subsequent experiences. The only selectivity is in the letters people chose to save. But I think the authors have done a good job in trying to mitigate this natural bias by drawing from a wide variety of sources.



5. This book of letters is so revealing of that period in time. It lays the emotions of the women left behind during war time right out in the open for all to feel and experience. This book has become a part of my life. I work at a college and when we have a program that needs a reading done I am always called on to read from "my" book of WWII letters from home. I feel like these letters are my children and each one is crying out to be heard and I really do hate to have to pick only a couple to read. This book is that good. I feel that this book should be read by everybody especially young people. I get very good response after my readings and some very emotional responses as well. This is a truly wonderful book and I recommend it to everyone.

5 comments about Happy Times.

1. Read: In Her Sister's Shadow: An Intimate Biography of Lee Radziwill and you will be able to fill in everything for:Happy Times. If you like reading about the Kennedy's this might help with a faction of Jackie's family and needless to say "Onassis"! I assure you, you will appreciate "Happy Times" and the two will all make (some sort of) sense.



2. Filled with hidden treasures. I knew the "format" of this book before purchasing it so I was not suprised that it was not in a traditional biographical layout - it is more like spending a long weekend with a friend of a friend sharing memories, insights, hopes and dreams and then packing up and heading home. I just loved it. She has a very deep understanding of the importance of nurturing children and one line in this book (which I will let you discover for yourselves) is more impactful than a roomfull of "self-help" books - amazing how she just slips it in. Lovely.



3. Having read IN HER SISTER'S SHADOW and knowing of Lee's past ventures, this seems to be the most successful of them. She has the rich lady's talent of putting together Louis XV rooms and arranging flowers, and she definitely has a wealth of pictures to cull from, but I thought she chose an odd lot to include here! And I wonder why some were enlarged while other lovely pictures (such as she and Tina on a Moroccan-looking bed) were so miniscule that you barely noticed them. (I've since seen the picture enlarged in DOMINO magazine, and it's mesmerizing). The book is indeed what she chooses to remember (though it's confusing to see how she could include pictures of Anthony without a little loving note to his memory--I suppose she prefers to remember the happy times when he was alive). I thought the pictures of John Kennedy were boring (I've seen these types 1000 times), but I loved the ones of Lee and Jackie on Christmas morning. They were glorious! I liked her inclusion of a page from her guest book (should be more of this kinda stuff), and I liked her pictures in couture through the years. But you do get the feeling that she's a little self-centered because everything was Lee, Lee, Lee. I loved the pictures of the interiors of her homes and the Italian home and the baptismal pictures. But I think the editing could have been a lot better, and I would've liked more commentary from Lee. Pictures from her brief acting stint would've been interesting too. Still, you will like this book if you love to look through photo albums and decorating magazines and Vogue. That's the feeling it gives you. The best part is the black and white pictures of Lee and Jackie (and their children). There's also a great picture of Lee going to a theater production of COCO in a great suit with her hair up. She is very pretty and the gloss comes through in the pictures. But some better choices could certainly have been made, IMO. I have bought and given away the book TWICE and am fixing to buy it again! I wish it would go to the "bargain books" section so I could buy more for gifts!



4. I have to confess to being an addict to all things Kennedy and Jackie, especially. I bought this thinking it would be loaded with Jackie information, previously unknown. Well, I was wrong, but in the process I believe I got a truer image of her younger sister. I always had envisioned Lee living entirely, and jealously in her sister's shadow. It appears to me that after reading this book that we have done this woman a disservice. She has led a fabulous life in her own right. English estates, Beach Houses, cruising on Yachts. I found it interesting and I noted that Lee seems to have pretty impressive taste herself and was a little more conservative. (The Philadelphia Story Years notwithstanding) I was pleasantly surprised. I think it's time we allowed this woman her own space. Imagine being compared to your sister the First Lady for over half your life!



5. You have to like, or at least be interested in Lee Radziwill in order to appreciate this book. You have to realize that it's a Lee Radziwill book, not a Jackie book, or a Kennedy book, or even a Truman Capote/ socialite circle book. Its title suits it perfectly. This book represents what we'd all like to have one day: a sparkling documentation of the happy times of our lives with no mention of, in Lee Radziwill's case, the considerable bad times. It's unfair to criticize this book for what it never was meant to be.
   If you've read the DuBois biography, you will recognize a lot in this book. Unfortunately the DuBois biography focuses exclusively on the negative, documenting every last derogatory comment anyone ever made about Lee Radziwill. I think Happy Times proves that Lee Radzwill is far more graceful than the world seems to think.
   This is a beautiful book. Great photography, creative format, interesting narrative. A real treasure!

5 comments about Margaret Wise Brown: Awakened by the Moon.

1. I used this book for my report on Margaret Brown. It was helpful, but theres a lot to read.



2. This is one of my favorite books in the genre of literary biography. I found the details to be fascinating and Wise's life to be quite bohemian and a fascinating study. For me, it WAS a page turner and worthy of anyone's time. In fact, I chose to use it as the basis for an hour long presentation for various book clubs. Everyone was familiar with GoodNight Moon and enjoyed hearing about Wise's life. I heartily recommend this book. It's just that good.



3. The bizarre bohemian-preppy life of Margaret Wise Brown captured by Leonard Marcus in "Awakened by the Moon" is an excellent enjoyable read comparable to Andrew Wilson's "Beautiful Shadow" biography of Patricia Highsmith. The only flaw is Marcus did not interview Albert Clark, the chief beneficiary of Brown's will and the inheritor of the royalties of "Goodnight Moon."
   
   This is a highly detailed book, and so it is more "by a writer, for writers" than a general or curious audience.



4. It's no small task to create an enchanting picture of an adored figure in children's literature. Unfortunately, Leonard Marcus was not up to the challenge. The biography is too linear, too literal, and written too much like a graduate school study. Still, the segment about her studies at Bank Street College of Education (I'm a grad) was interesting, as was the description of her evolving sense of child development as it affected her story crafting.



5. Thoughtfully written biography of an intriguing woman author. All the "interesting" details present without dropping into lurid. Many would consider this a "dry" reading book, but in the context of that specific time in US history she really broke ground, both professionally and personally.

5 comments about On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker (Lisa Drew Books).

1. This a wonderfully written biography on Madam C.J. Walker's life. I felt uplifted and inspired by her success as a business woman, as a human rights activist and as a philanthropist. A'Lelia Bundles, Madam Walker's great-great granddaughter, did an excellent job of transporting readers to 1867-1919 to experience the politicial, social and economical issues during Madam Walker's life time.
   
   A'Lelia Bundles was very clear and truthful regarding the fact that Madam Walker did not invent the hot comb. Madam Walker's business provided hair and skin care products to women of color not only in the U.S., also to women in the Caribbean and in Cuba. It is my strong opinion that Madam Walker was one of the first people to develop the concept of self-empowerment and financial independence for women of color because she provided the opportunity to become a Walker sales agent to thousands of women across the U.S. Madam C.J. Walker's work as a human rights activist and her contributions as a philanthropist, impacted a countless number of institutions, organizations and individuals. On Her Own Ground is powerful, moving, enlighting and it is filled with courage!



2. Before I read this book, I knew Madam C.J. Walker must have been one tough cookie! And she certainly was. But her story is more than just "daughter of slaves makes good."
   
   Madam Walker was orphaned at 7, and went to live with her sister and brother-in-law in what was apparently an abusive household. She married at 14 to escape the situation and, at 20, was left a widow, with a child to support. Leaving Mississippi for St. Louis, she began an extraordinary journey, one that would lead her not merely to wealth and fame, but to a position of influence and importance in the affairs of her race and her nation. She overcame obstacles of race, gender and class to found a business that would help give independence and financial stability to thousands of women. From the very beginning of her success, she used her money to help others, not merely through employment, but by setting an example of charitable giving that lasted throughout her life.
   
   As a woman rising from poverty, attempting to establish herself as a leader, she often met with resistance even in her own community (it took quite some time, for instance, for Booker T. Washington to acknowledge her as a leading businesswoman). But she persisted, and, even more to her credit, was able to walk a fine line between the supporters of Washington and those of W.E.B. DuBois, who took Washington to task as not aggressive enough in fighting for civil rights.
   
   I was fascinated by the section discussing Madam Walker's involvement in the efforts of the African-American community to have the issue of race placed on the table at the Versailles Peace Conference after World War I. This was a part of our history that I had not been aware of before reading this book. It does not surprise me that the government was spying on prominent African - Americans and community organizations (plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose!). And anyone, black or white, whom the government perceived as not being completely behind the official point of view was denied a passport to travel to the conference. The issue never came to the table.
   
   Unfortunately, as with a lot of strong, determined women, Madam Walker was not as successful in her choice of men (a difficulty her daughter also had!). But she did not hesitate to do what needed to be done in her personal life. Her daughter, Lelia (later A'Lelia), whom she raised with the usual mother-daughter conflicts, grew up to become an important part of the family business, though not an artist in any field herself, a key supporter of artists of the Harlem Renaissance.
   
   The author, A'Lelia Bundles, is her subject's great-great-great-granddaughter, and is a journalist. Her experience in that field surely was a major factor in the quality of this book. The woman knows research and documentation! She has provided endnotes, as well as a lengthy bibliography. Madam Walker is fortunate in her biographer and Ms. Bundles is fortunate in her ancestors!



3. Mrs. Bundles,
   I just wanted to let you know, I got an 'A' for my presentation on your great- great grandmother. My teacher told me that my speech was on a 2nd year speech class level and that I was like a piece of brass, I just needed some fine polishing. I may have a future in motivational speaking and I just had to thank you. The information in your book was not only factual and informative, but interesting to me as well as my mother and sisters. Our family history could be parallel to yours, except we have yet to find the key to financial success, but we will.
   I have fully enjoyed your book and reading what you yourself have been able to accomplish has been an added inspiration to me.
   Thank you for your time in guiding me to my 'A'



4. The author tells the amazing rags to riches story of her great great grandmother, while at the same time providing a detailed account of a fascinating time in American history. This was a delight to read. Highly recommended!



5. This book helps you to appreciate our past generations and how their struggles were not that different from our own. Madam CJ Walker is more than a shinning example of what anyone with determination can accomplish. A'Lelia Bundles is truly blessed that her great-grandmother and grandmother left so much documentation her to quench her love of family history. The experiences and stories of those that knew them take you back in time. This book helped me to look at my grandmother's antiques differently. I used to view them as beautiful things I have grown up with and am comforted by, but now I realize that they hold the key to what I may have been searching for all of my life. Just as she was drawn to the her grandmother's dressing table so was I. We are blessed as black women to have such a rich heritage to share. A'Lelia carries with her the dignity and pride of her family that I wish all of our young people could express. I think reading this book will help everyone to look to their past in a quest for the future.