5 comments about The Bear's Embrace: A True Story of Survival.

1. Patricia "Trish" van Tighem - a vicacious, pretty young nurse and her pediatric resident husband of three years are out hiking when they are mauled by a grizzly bear. This is the story of the ensuing 15 years including the many surgeries Patricia went through and her depression that ensued as a result of the pain she has had to endure along with the disfiguration caused by the attack.
   
   Trish and Trevor had everything going for them when they, two experienced backpackers, took a well-deserved weekend off to do something they enjoyed. They took all the necessary precautions but the couldn't escape a particularly aggressive female grizzly one fall day in Waterton Lakes National Park south of their home in Calgary, Alberta. Trevor was attacked first and Trish was torn between helping him or climbing a tree to save herself-she had always been told grizzlies couldn't climb trees. But due to their experience, the cold weather, and two hikers who find them soon after the attack, they both survive. This book is less about the attack itself than the years afterwards including quite a bit about their initial time in the hospital, Trish's many surgeries, and their life in rural Canada with (eventually) four children.
   
   This book was a bittersweet read for me as I read it after hearing of Trish's death by suicide in December of 2005 at the age of 47. So I knew that although the book ended on an upbeat note, that the real story hadn't ended and it didn't end happily. I also knew that at the time of her death Trish and Trevor were separated. That may have colored my opinion of Trevor from the very beginning, but I did find him a bit selfish throughout the entire book and even though he seemed to try to accept Trish after her injuries, I don't think he ever truly could deal with her disfigurement. All in all though the book was a mesmerizing read. Trish was a talented writer and this is a stunning story. I highly recommend it.



2. First, the book. It is sometimes hard going to read about such a horrific experience as a grizzly bear attack and its excruciating aftermath, but believe me, it is worth it. This is a book that will exhaust your emotions, it will make you FEEL and marvel at how much one human being can endure. It will do that, unless you are a relatively shallow human being, uninterested in the human condition and emotions, as some of the reviewers of this book are. So "The Bear's Embrace" has "very little action", is "boring" and describes "pointless suffering"? Oh, please God help me! A story about a grizzly bear attack and the frantic attempts to save the victims has "very little action"? A woman's attempt to cope with the disfigurement of her face and the ensuing torture of constant pain and infection is "boring"? Her severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, her forever-changed relationship with her husband, their Down's syndrome baby, the loss of an eye, the incredible pain from her injuries and infection that just seemed to go on and on is "POINTLESS SUFFERING"? Well, let me tell you something. NO suffering is "pointless". You poor readers, having to read such a "boring" book; no murders or sex or car explosions, WAAAHHH! This is an incredible book about an incredible quirk of fate that changes a woman's life forever; it is a tale of endurance and survival that will move you deeply. You wonder "how could anybody STAND this"? Ms. Tighem did...for a long time. But it got to a point where she simply could stand no more. She committed suicide on Dec. 17, 2005. She was 47. I hope that she is now at peace, without any pain at last. She was a courageous, remarkable woman...rest in peace, dear lady.



3. I picked up this book for resale, and I leafed through it. I was caught at page 16 and sat down to read it all. I did. The attack, the recovery, the emotions, and finally the resolve. This woman has been through hell and lived to tell the tale. The life we all have, or will, experience: Marriage, love, accident, loss of a loved parent/child. A less than perfect life. I hope you will never know the sorrow this woman has been through, but I hope her story will enlighten you to be strong, and deal with your demons before they bring you down. And, by the way, she is an excellent writer.



4. PTSD is a wickedly subtle thing that can creep into your life without you having the slightest clue what it is or what the far reaching effects may be. It can be the result of a pointed trauma or something smaller, such as an adverse emotional experience. Ms. Van Tighem seems to have no interest in exploiting her drama for the sake of attention, but perhaps seeks validation for her experience exactly how it happened- a few hours of horrifying excitement during and immediately after the attack, and more pointedly, the reality of the long term effects of this life altering incident to herself and her family over the following seventeen years. It is something that is often missing in the bear attack story compilations on bookshelves today. Kudos to this author for finding the bravery and the shameless audacity to actually write a true story, as is.



5. With heartrending honesty, Patricia Van Tighem invites the reader into her nightmare of physical and emotional disabilities and the struggle to put her life back together after the brutal attack she experienced. Having experienced PTSD after the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989, I could relate to her stress and confusion. Factor in her unending pain, the loss of her appearance, people's stares, and the callous, judgmental treatment she received at a hospital, and you have a woman who had overwhelming issues to deal with.

   I have nothing but praise for Patricia's willingness to candidly share her struggle with others. I hope she continues to write.

1 comments about For Women and the Nation: FUNMILAYO RANSOME-KUTI OF NIGERIA.

1. This is the first historical narrative about the life and times of late Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. The authors are qualified based on their extensive research about women and nationalist movement in Nigeria. They lucidly show the local beginning of Funmilayo, and her international connections. The radicalization of Funmilayo is explained by British ineptitude and unreceptive posture towards nationalist issues, devolution, and the the transfer of power. To them, Funmilayo was not only a dominant figure during the period, she was a fomidable player in postcolonial politics as well. Whether or not Funmilayo was a communist, a fellow traveler, or someone that exploited ideology to better her aspiration and that of the women folks is left to readers to judge. Well written, readeable and concise; this is a must for all interested in women, nationalist politics in Nigeria, and the emergent gender dominated civil society in colonial and postcolonial Nigeria.

5 comments about The Woman from Mossad: The Story of Mordechai Vanunu and the Israeli Nuclear Program.

1. This is a great story if all you care about is money as the publisher and author seem to be interested in. Any news media which jeporadizes the security of any country must be a greedy lot. I liked reading the story just to see how far the Media would go. No suprises! No I will not be joining this author in his attempt to discredit Israel.Woman from Mossad: The Story of Mordechai Vanunu and the Israeli Nuclear Program



2. I preface my comments below by saying I truly enjoyed reading this book.
   
   However, the editing in this book is terrible. I wouldn't attribute this to the author, as he seems like a phenomenal writer, but the typos are just annoying and sometimes led me to think I should discount the credibility of the book.
   
   As for the substance, I think the author clearly writes this book from a viewpoint sympathetic to Vanunu; he writes as an advocate and not as an impartial objective journalist. To his credit though, he does make this agenda subtly but painstakingly clear on page one.
   
   One thing I don't think is well-established is the author's assertion that Vanunu was acting purely for humanitarian reasons. This is taken as fact and without scrutiny by the author. He does not critically or sufficiently analyze Vanunu's alternative options in arriving at the conclusion that Vanunu had altruistic motives. Why DIDN'T he go to the IAEA first?? To me this would have been an obvious option, which even if it wasn't, the reason for discarding this option is not spelled out well enough other than for a lone short paragraph in the book. Given that this is the international body/watchdog set up specifically for the purpose of nuclear monitoring, I thought more analysis of the purported futility of this option was required.
   
   Which brings me to my next point. One of the author's main criticisms of the treason charge was that Vanunu did not disclose the sensitive information to a foreign country, which is an element of that crime. Au contrare. While that claim is technically accurate, by publishing in a major international newspaper, the author glosses over the fact that in doing this Vanunu enabled disclosure of that information to EVERY (not just one) enemy of his country and that was a despicable, nation-abandoning act that deserves an even harsher punishment than he actually received (because he in fact committed **countless** acts of treason - one for every Arab and other enemy of Israel that benefited from this information). To me, that is the very definition of treason - a criminal charge whose purpose is intended to prevent individuals from harming the national security of the country to which the offender is a citizen. Vanunu did just that, and by the worst means possible, not only harming Israel's national security, but also damaging it diplomatically with its major allies.
   
   To those who claim Israel was skirting international agreements by pursuing these weapons, that is in fact true. But you need look no further than a map of the Middle East and history books of that period describing bellicose declarations of the hostile Arab countries surrounding this small Jewish state to understand Israel's need for these weapons as a deterrent force, and know that their intended purpose was and still is defensive. This was the only way Israel could get them, and I think it speaks volumes, as an implied acknowledgement of this assertion as well as an attestation to the trust placed in Israel, that the civilized world's then-superpowers willingly turned a blind eye while having overt knowledge that these weapons were being developed by Israel. These countries welcomed Israel in The Nuclear Club because they knew it could be trusted as a responsible partner in harmonizing the Middle East's balance of power and serve as a long-term deterrent for other nations to think about seeking, producing and possibly detonating a nuclear bomb in the Middle East. Just look at what's happening today with Iran and you can clearly see the different attitudes expressed to their pursuit of the same, in light of that country's long and conceded history of terrorism-sponsoring (Hezbollah) and declarations of their pursued destruction of the Jewish State. To think that "equal opportunity" is the proper framework in which to analyze the propriety of a given country's pursuit of nuclear weapons is, I think, not only naive but incredibly outrageous.
   
   I agree, if the author's assertions are in fact true, that Vanunu did not seem to be looking for money. But he damned well wanted notoriety, another human vice that unfortunately escapes an in-depth analysis by the author. (I think Vanunu knew full well that his offer to remain anonymous would have been a non-starter, for the reasons the author articulates very well.) He had revenge on his mind, too.
   
   Those criticisms aside, I think this book has a fantastic discussion of the shocking game that is nuclear politics.
   
   Last, I agree with the author that the later shameless decision by The Sunday Times to abandon Vanunu by not covering his legal defense costs is unequivocally an outright stab in the back and a black eye on this paper's otherwise internationally credible reputation. When someone gives you a scoop like this, as a paper I think you must undertake to unqualifiedly attempt to exonerate that individual no matter what the legal cost, and no matter how long that legal process may drag on and no matter what technicalities may not legally require you to do so. The fact that a contract was never signed to this effect also seems a little suspect to me, perhaps the result of deliberate oversight (a possibility not even remotely entertained by the author) rather than innocent scheduling conflicts as the author suggests, for the very reasons cited above.



3. First off, Mr Peter Hounam should get his facts streight. He's covering a story he seems to know nothing about. The books is horribly written, lie after lie, and he's promoting Vanunu a world class trader. Do not waste your money on this book as it's worthless.



4. (...) Hounam's book is a fine introduction. I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about nuclear politics, and about nuclear weapons proliferation in the Mid East. Hounam's research has added some pieces of the puzzle, for example, how rogue parts of the US government supplied Israel with nuclear technology (for the control room of the Dimona reactor, in triplicate) in violation of official US policy. In other words the left hand of the US government hasn't known what the right hand has been up to. This insanity has helped produce the current crisis in the Middle East. For surely if anything has inspired Saddam Hussein and the leaders of Iran to acquire nukes and other weapons of mass destruction it is the Israeli example; which is one of deception and contempt for the international community.
   
   Recently I received a letter from the nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu (who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize every year since 1987). In it Morde asked me to send him a copy of Hounam's book. This tells you everything you need to know. Get it. You won't be disappointed. (...)



5. all facts are either published already or invented by the author. I really didn't read many good books about Israeli espionage, and the reason is probably that these guys are so devoted and secret, nobody can infiltrate them.
   I'm waiting for Tom Clancey to write a good one about the Mosad.

2 comments about Women in Russia, 1700-2000.

1. Engel tackles a vast subject. It sprawls across three centuries of turmoil and revolution. Plus it spans a vast geographic area and a multitude of ethnicities and religions.

   The care she has taken with this book starts in the very title, "Women in Russia". It does not say "Russian Women", for that can be taken to connote ethnic (Christian) Russian. Whereas she includes in her study Muslim women, Jewish women, the women of the Volga Germans, and Finnish women. Probably out of praticality, she omits discussion of the Russian Far East (Siberia), which has enclaves of Korean, Mongolian, Japanese and Chinese.

   The later chapters that deal with Communist rule may owe much of their detail to the fall of Communism, and the subsequent accessibility of many documents. This may have been further eased by these documents undoubtedly being seen as having no military value. Unlike say a history of Soviet rocketry or microbiology.

   I found the most interesting sections to be on the Communist period. They did put the first female astronaut (V. Tereshkova) into orbit, and proudly trumpeted this. But, as Engels makes clear, inside the Soviet Union, women were commonly relegated to traditional family rearing roles, not so different from the US at the time.

   A very commendable survey by Engel. One that an interested reader might then wish for her to write more detailed analyses of the various aspects she discusses here.




2. Engel¡¯s history of women in Russia is a fascinating glimpse at an otherwise overlooked part of Russian history. It is a great addition to any personal library.

No comments about Sally and Me.

5 comments about The Accidental Office Lady.

1. I enjoyed this book for the most part, and would recommend it with a few reservations. The best parts are when the author describes the small but special episodes of her life in Japan (her first bike commute to work, the ride up Mt. Fuji with her male bicycling club, going to the hot springs with her two colleagues) and the worst are when she lapses into her "yea me!" moments (starting around page 187 or so and continues to the end of the book) or tries to summarize her experiences with some type of pithy comment (it seems from the last pages of the book that she was rushing to meet her deadline). Descriptions in this book are excellent but moments of analysis and reflection are very weak. For example, when the author vandalizes the toilet in a public bathroom she simply portrays it as a laughable sorority-type prank and misses the opportunity to explore her actions as an inability to deal with a cultural difference, which would have added a great deal to the book.
   
   To summarize--"An Accidental Office Lady" shines when the author leaves her ego out of it, which is about two-thirds of the time. Look here for great descriptions of expatriate experiences in Japan but not for much else.



2. Based on her two-year cultural experience working at the Honda Company in Tokyo, Japan, Laura Kriska wrote her unique and insightful work titled "The Accidental Office Lady." The author was the first American woman to work at the Honda corporate headquarters in Japan. She wrote this book to which drew the readers to experience her difficulties of trying to fit in the Japanese corporate life and her two-year account of being a trainee at the Honda Company to her satisfied work at the factory in Japan. Through the eyes of the author herself, she helps the readers to see the Japanese culture with her use of woman's perspective, humor, Japanese language, and attitudes.
   
   There are sixteen chapters in this work with the addition of the "Prologue," which introduces the author as she just graduated from college, and she expresses her affection of Japan with her brief experiences from her childhood to her years in college before moving to the country of Japan.
   
   One intriguing thing from this book that it explores the conformity of the Honda Company and its negative and positive aspects. The best example of the conformity at the Honda Company as shown in this book was the office lady in general. Since the office ladies have a strict routine, they were all working in harmony and with almost same job function day after day for months on end. Every office lady in the company has the exact same uniform and was expected to have the same politeness and attitudes, despite their sizes and their unexpressed, different opinions. By looking at the office ladies in action at the Honda Company from a Western perspective, one might think that they are seeing numerous feminine machines with common uniforms working together as one. The main negative aspect of the conformity of the company was a strict routine everyday of a week which could cause a worker to lose one's self-identity and sense of freedom. A worker's loss of self-identity would be like losing one's arm because self-identity is part of who they are. In a way, the worker would only be a part of the corporate system where they are seen as nothing but a simple tool to their company success. The main positive aspect of the conformity, from a different perspective, as implied in this work was to present a good image for the Honda Company. The conformity seems to be the company's perfect system that can achieve their success and goals, and can run their business "smoothly and effectively." The author also expresses in her experience that the act of conformity was the "center of almost everything" that the office ladies did, such as answering the phone and wearing identical uniform (p. 118). One could see that the conformity of the Honda Company in Japan as evident in the book where one can understand its negative and positive aspects.
   
   This book is very insightful and entertaining to which gives a fascinating woman's perspective about the Japanese corporate culture.



3. Interesting, well-written account of just how big a difference there can be between 'the honeymoon period' and actually living and working in a foreign country as an everyday working stiff.
   
   As someone else who's also had the 'privilege' of working for a Japanese company, I'm thinking that those who gave this book a low rating are 'Japan cheerleaders' who think that anyone who criticizes anything Japanese must be simply 'closed-minded' or have unreasonable expectations.
   
   I spent a lot of time over there avoiding the ex-pat community and networking with Japanese folks who spoke zero English. Even after my immersion (or maybe because of it), I couldn't help but come to many of the same conclusions Ms. Kriska did. The pettiness, passive-aggressive behavior, sexism, and group-thinking is enough to drive one insane. Sorry, but treating women's role in society as 'babymakers' is not simply a 'cultural difference'; it's backwards thinking.
   
   To be fair, there is another, pristine, sublime, side to the country which I don't have to tell you about if you've lived there long enough. It is a sum of good and bad elements, just like anywhere else. Just because we come from another culture does not make us out of line for criticizing it - if anything, it puts us in the ideal position as the detached yet embedded observer.



4. I enjoyed reading this story of one woman's experience of working in Japan. The writer's affinity for Japan remains clear despite the frustrations she encounters as the only American woman among thousands of Japanese workers. This book provided insight into the Japanese-American relationship that I haven't before seen. Overall this was a thoughtful, funny and engaging read.



5. Maybe because I live in Japan, this does nothing for me. Heard it all before and heard it told better. Reminds me too much of the bright-eyed bushy-tailed who come over expecting it to be geishas and cherry blossoms and find it's pink salons and garbage strewn on beaches. They only missed the Edo period by 500 or so years just like this book missed the mark on really telling a less whiny tale of woe. Have to agree with reviewer who wanted to strangle her because she reminded him(?) of so many non-Japanese here who just won't shut up.

2 comments about Washington Through a Purple Veil: Memoirs of a Southern Woman.

1. This memoir is a great account of the author's life up to 1994, and since then she has been ambassador to the Vatican and I hope she does a sequel. Her husband, Hale Boggs, was elected to House from Louisiana in 1940 and served till he was lost in an air crash in Alaska in 1972. Lindy ran for his seat the next year and won election and served till she voluntarily retired from Congress in 1990, ending her service on Jan 3, 1991. Her account of her public and family life is well-told and never boring. It is like a historical account of the political life of this country during the fifty years involved. This book is a winner, as far as memoirs of Congress goes. Another book in this genre, which I enjoyed, though it is of a different era, is: Washington Wife: Journal of Ellen Maury Slayden from 1897-1919, which I read on 21 Aug 1976.



2. Lindy Boggs could have written at least five or more books, or one for each administration in which she served; there is so much history in this volume and much interesting material was only briefly mentioned. I enjoyed her lively account and admired her spunk.

5 comments about A Woman Like You: The Face of Domestic Violence (New Leaf Series).

1. I'm a married male with two sons, and I found this book to be amazing. Since domestic violence is more often (and more lethally) perpetrated by males (like it or not, I have to be honest about what's happening), that means the emphasis of "helping books" is going to be toward women. While I'd like to see more books oriented toward males as victims, that should NOT discount the significance and quality of books that reflect the real-life realities of mens' violence against women. And since this book exists to represent true portraits, I can't help but be amazed with what it reveales.

   Instead of pleading for less "us-and-them" dynamics in books that encompass what's actually "us-and-them" forms of violence, I'd like to see more books that reach out to women positively as they escape violence, and more books that assist us men in coping with the violence that we have the choice and power to end, with help.

   Instead of faulting this book because of what it omits, I'd suggest that this book is valuable, and that the subsequent review below mine should judge this book on its inherent merits, and then simply plead a case for *additional* books that cover the topics he'd like to see, as well. It is not the intent of this book to span the breadth of the domestic violence issue, only to demonstrate what kinds of women experience it commonly.




2. This book only perpetuates the stereotype that all domestic violence victims are women and children, and all abusers are male. This kind of one-sided 'women-good, men-bad' thinking makes it impossible for a man abused by his wife/girlfriend to be taken seriously. It also means that law enforcement, the courts, and even the shelters won't take a man seriously when he needs help. This is not a book to celebrate.



3. This book is excellent in portrayal of domestic violence, and through pictures, one realises that domestic violence affects everyone, not simply women. For example, the narrative by the two children in the book can break anyone's heart--particularly for those who have actually experienced the similar traumatic experience like myself. The narratives by the different women are all very touching, and this book can be read and SEEN by everyone, with no selectiveness of the audience. For those working as domestic violence counselors, lawyers, criminologists, law enforcement officials, etc., they should all examine this book to understand the impact of domestic violence within their community. Overall, this book is excellent!



4. This is a touching, meaningful, and an innovative way to break down the denial concealing domestic violence in this country. In this work, Anderson utilizes interviews and photographs of 30+ women who are survivors of domestic violence. Questions like, "Why would a woman stay in a violent relationship?" and "Couldn't she tell before she married him that he was abusive?" are answered by the women without the question being asked. Second, the book can be used by therapists to help clients look past their own denial regarding their life experiences and find similarities between themselves and the women presented in this book. The last positive attribute to be mentioned here is Anderson's ability to capture the "face" of domestic violence. If one ever thought he or she could determine whether anyone else "looked" like a battered woman, one may have to reconsider his/her position. This book shows that domestic violence can happen to anyone... and it does. Domestic violence happens in all income brackets, racial and/or cultural groups, and in heterosexual and homosexual relationships.



5. The book includes interviews that tell of abuse stomping down avenues and alleyways, terrorizing woman regardless of class, race, religion or age. Hard words and Harsh contrast link victims of abuse to common ground. Vera Anderson teaches us, through the eye of her camera and poignant interviews, that we must open our eyes to the possibility of abusive situations no matter what woman we are gazing at. It also includes a suggested reading list and contact information for those seeking help.

   Mandy Baker was sexually abused when she was eight. No one explained to her what had happened, and she was forbidden to talk about that night. Now, eight years later, Mandy is experiencing problems that she cannot solve on her own. She is constantly nauseous, especially around boys. She cannot participate in a romantic relationship, and it is impossible for her to communicate with her family. Increasingly confused by so many conflicting emotions, the girl finally seeks help. When she finds the courage to express what she has held inside for so long, her walls of silence are broken down.

   Anderson is a photojournalist who escaped an abusive marriage. Her portraits are of women whose looks are remarkable for their familiarity. They are people we see every day, gazing directly at the camera, indistinguishable in their appearance from others in the community; but their stories, briefly told, speak volumes.

5 comments about When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost : My Life as A Hip Hop Feminist.

1. As a strong black woman and proud of it I didn't understand Ms.Morgan's definition of a strong black woman so I didn't see eye to eye with her on that point. Overall I struggled to read through this book I wasn't feeling a lot of what Ms.Morgan had to say and plus I thought the book would be written in a more story telling type of fashion. The book is written as just Ms.Morgan rambling on about her opinions and ideals. I give a sista props for her opinions and being able to share them with an audience but I didn't understand her hatin' on "chickenheads" in one breath then wanna talk about her bond with sistahood in the next. She sound hypocritical to me. Ms.Morgan went on and on putting the "chickenheads" on blast for their sopposed wrongdoing but didn't say a word about the brothers that fall for these type of women I don't get that! I personally couldn't hate on a sista for doing her thing I don't want to hate on another woman period I feel that's the reason why us women can't and won't get far because we want to tear each other down before anybody else. I'm sure Ms.Morgan is an educated,opinioned,strong,classy woman but in her book she just comes off as hateful and bitter.



2. I have say that I was pleasantly surprised by Ms. Morgan's discussion of issues that have been rolling through my mind for the past couple of years. I could identify IMMENSELY with the STRONGBLACKWOMAN ideology. I guess you could say that I'm a STRONGBBLACKWOMAN type myself. I would say that I'm recovering, but it's really hard to do so when you're in college, holding an excellent GPA, and being a part of so many different ogranizations. It's just SO hard to say no!!! LOL

   As far as the rest of this masterpiece of feminine literature goes, I have to say that there were certain parts that I disagreed with. I was kinda hurt when she down talked African-American peeps from middle class backgrounds...I mean, why did she work so hard to have a good income to take care of her son if middle class peeps "don't wanna be reminded of their kinky roots"? Just something to think about...maybe I took it the wrong way, but that's just the way I see things.

   Secondly, I have to say that I in NO WAY envy Chickenheads...in fact, I'm glad that they're around to take all the weak men who fall for them off the market. One thing I can't stand is a man that's weak enough to fall for anything that has a big behind and a C cup!!! I want a strong, intelligent man that can appreciate a woman with class, home training, a solid head on her shoulders, and plenty of goals with the ambition to follow through on them like myself!!!

   I guess this book was a wake up call for me to write my own view on things. I come from a middle class home, unlike most African-American feminists that come from very poor backgrounds. I feel my voice needs to be heard and you can believe that I WILL put the work into writing a novel that speaks from the standpoint of sistas like myself!!! Good work Ms. Morgan!!! Thanks for encouraging me to keep perfecting my craft!!!




3. I could not put this book down. The book articulated thechallenges I felt in my own relationships and experiences. I certainly enjoyed the chapter "Love Notes". The author by no means male bashes but frankly puts out there the real deal.

   The book just had me saying AMEN!




4. Being caught at the tail end of the Baby Boom, I'd say that this book is really written from the viewpoint of young women a few years younger than I am. Still, it is reminiscent of Michelle Wallace's "Black Macho and The Myth of The Superwoman" which debuted some 20 odd years or so ago. Being a strong willed, independent Black woman is still as hard today as it was 20 years ago and I am glad that there are still fierce sistah's out there willing to address the issues at hand.

   Great view on a never vanishing topic from a new voice and new perspective !




5. This is a must read for the black feminist who doens't quite get the "N.O.W." viewpoint on feminism. Joan Morgan puts into words the conflicting feeling and emotions of being black, female, and a feminist from the generation X-ers viewpoint, using language that is easily related to. She doesn't sink down into dense theory that could be exclusionary in language and nature. Theory that can leave one feeling as if they should have taken a beginners course before attempting to delve into the mind bogling, high handed concepts. She maintains her focus and is concise as well as insightful. Most feminist theory tends to be a turn off since a lot of such material is geared towards a limited, elitist audience who leaves black feminist and other of an outside group feeling even more like an outsider because they don't address the differning issues and concerns that pertain especially to woman of color. Moreover, this is a book that should not only be read by black woman but by latina's as well. As a black female of latin descent I fould myself relating to almost every word. A must have. A must read.

5 comments about Red Dirt: Growing Up Okie.

1. I could not put this book down. It is an engaging book. I read it for some background research on John Steinbeck and the Grapes of Wraths. If you have read Steinbeck's masterpiece you have to read Red Dirt. I think Roxanne's memoir completes the story of the Joads. The psyche of the "Okie" comes alive and the drive of Roxanne to break away and then come to terms with it is fascinating. I loved this book so much that I use it for the Ethnic studies classes that I teach. I believe that to understand different ethnic groups we all have to understand what makes White America tick. This book delivers a much-needed look at the class divide among white America and no matter how much the poor whites have been abused by their richer cousins they still stand by their side. Why? Because they are white. This was a great ride



2. This book was my introduction to Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz. I read it before I learned more about her and her career as an activist for the past 40 years. She reflects on her life from birth until her move to California. She grew up in rural Oklahoma during some of the worst years ever. These were the years that shaped her, the launching pad of her feminist, anti-family, pro-socialist, anti-war, ... efforts.
   
   The reader can learn a good bit about the Socialist movement in Oklahoma in the early 1900's, the Green Corn Rebellion and the patriotic surge that accompanied World War I.
   
   Roxanne's grandfather, one of the less 'disfunctional' family members was a Socialist and strongly pro-labor and imparted his views to her. She remembers him fondly. It appears that her abusive alcoholic mother influenced her ideas about the family and church. She had very little to say about her mother or father that is not negative. Considering these influences, the dire poverty of her early childhood, and her marriage 'up' the social ladder her views on things are not too surprising. Simple - yes, but undeniably true, at least in part. And that does not take away from her drive, talent and desire to make a positive change in the world.
   
   You can learn more about Roxanne at her website, reddirt.com.
   
   I think I will read Outlaw Woman, the next volume of her story.



3. ...
   The best of autobiographical works are those that convey, in the telling of one life story, larger truths than those we experience as individuals. To accomplish this feat with seeming effortlessness, as Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz has done with Red Dirt, is to create not only a valuable historical record, but a literary work that is a pleasure to read. Employing the finest storytelling skills, Dunbar-Ortiz lovingly recollects her youth in Oklahoma and the family dynamics she experienced "growing up Okie" during the mid-20th-century. In the process, she touches upon a host of social issues--among them racism, sexism, and economic disparity--that have plagued the U.S. since its earliest days. Perhaps most importantly, she offers one resounding voice from among a vast population--namely, the white underclass--that consistently has been underrepresented in historical texts, and misrepresented in popular culture. Exploding the notion of 'poor white trash,' Dunbar-Ortiz offers three-dimensional alternative as she reconstructs through her personal memoir the history and struggles of the frontier settler class and its descendants. As we move into the next century, Red Dirt is a text of vital significance to our collective humanity



4. if you like books about the old way of living,you will love this book. it brings back memories of my childhood...



5. I grew up in central Oklahoma and can identify with many of the themes Ms. Dunbar-Ortiz writes about in Red Dirt. I think anyone who is on a journey of self-discovery or is attempting to reconcile his or her past will enjoy this book as much as I did. I rarely read literature about Oklahoma that makes me proud to be an "Okie" - this book does just that.