Clarence Major Books

This book by Clarence Major is a must have for all cultural groups who want to stay up to date with Afro-Am Slanguage.

Why is that important? Because as our economy expands knowing how to understand and use the slanguage makes you a social threat to those who are ignorant of it. With the ability comes the freedom to go from the Hood to the White House without missing a beat.

And with the awareness of young white children expanding because of the growing epidemic of Hip-Hop suburban parents need to get up on top of it in order to know what in the world their children are saying.

As a matter of fact due to the impact of Hip-Hop language the slanguage has expanded. Now what you don't know keeps you locked out to the point where you're an outsider. But if you want to stay in step tune into this book.

This dictionary is well put together with a great deal of history behind every word. Clarence Major's input in the introduction further preps you for the expansive nature of the African-American culture. Whether you're into expanding your knowledge of language, slanguage, idioms or language development you need to acquire this book and expand your understanding of the history behind Black Slang words. So Juba, what you goin' do? Have me tell you what everyword means? or are you going to step out and take your own life by the horns.

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE

This is one of the best books ever on African American language. And yes, it is a language. The French experiemntal writer Raymond Federman challenged me to write a piece that would be densely and mentally impregnable to anyone but African Americans as American and English Colonies can be to other races. It succeeded on many levels. One, it was a fantastic story and two, it got me to use this book as source for finding new words/terms and as a reference to checking what I already knew.
Thsi book is invaluable to the scholar of language. I spent the last 2 years patiently hunting for this book as it is out of publication. I actually bought it at twice the cover price because it is that good. There is no higher that I can recommend this book. As the tapestry of language is art, this would be one of Picasso's treasured brushes.

This book is by far the funniest book I've ever peered into. It gives comprehensive definitions, origins, time-periods, and in-context sentences of 99% of African American derived slang.

Educational. Entertaining.

It is explicit language but it is not at all gratuitous. 5 HUGE stars.

I had to read this book during my undergraduate studies. I signed up for an African American Literature course in order to fill another block. This class was excellent because I was able to understand the true meaning of protest literature. Many of the authors in this book are the same when it comes to ethnicity, but very different in their approaches to slavery, Jim-Crowe laws, and freedom. A must read book!

Note the woman in this book. She had constant problems trying to be "black" because, when she was out with her children or a black boyfriend, the public saw (accurately) a Caucasian woman with Negroes. Her friend Artie Jones, a fellow mixed-white victimized by Jim Crow racial definitions, tells her that there is no "passing" or difference between "white" and "black." There is nothing she needs to know in order to be "white" - just be herself. Inez comes to realize that it is EASIER for her to be "white" because both "whites" and "blacks" (and everyone else) define people by racial phenotype unless told to do otherwise. Inez also comes to realize that white mulatto women like herself are often considered racial trophies by black men.

Inez comes to realize that, despite the propaganda that she is a "light-skinned black," the REAL blacks either hate or adore her for being so white. Inez has to hide in a car driven by a friend in order to escape the Watts race riot. After all, she is a WHITE and rioting black gangs will not stop to ask every white face if he or she has "black blood" (nor would they care).

Unfortunately, Inez got herself hooked up with a wife-beating black man and bore two of his children because she realized the possibilities before her. Too many girls like Inez are brought up to believe that so-called "pure" whites are gods and that she is unworthy of her European ancestry. The "passer" is the one who realizes that he or she is really "white" if ANYONE is and does not buy the racist nonsense that he/she is some better-looking or superior variety of "black" but unworthy of other whites.

Passing for Who You Really Are

I've never read anything else by Clarence Major but he does a splendid job of sharing his mother's compelling life as a light-skinned African-American in the days of segregation. Inez's voice is intimate but honest about what she had to do to survive an abusive husband while keeping her childen safe. Inez's eventual move to Chicago to make a better life for herself and her children is full of rich detail. It is during this time she passes herself off as white in order to get good jobs. Inez's unique perspective as a black woman living in a white world is well worth reading. I was also struck by her continuing goal to bring her children to Chicago and also improve her own life. It is a hard book to put down and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I read this book within a day, and I enjoyed it. Really. I used to feel contempt for those who passed for white, but in order for one to do better economically and have a more comfortable life, you had to do it. In this book, you have a woman born to a white father and black woman, who survives a difficult marriage and goes to Chicago to make a better life for her and her children. Read it and enjoy.

This intimate look at race and its implications captured me the minute I opened this book. Clarence Major, the well-known poet, has written a beautiful and touching memoir on his mother's story. Although African American, Inez realized she could pass as a white woman with her light skin and was determined to not let Jim Crow laws hinder on her life. She embarks on a double identity in order to help her family. In the end, this sacrifice leads to self-discovery and offers readers an important look at racial challenges in our recent history.

Excellent from cover to cover. Takes you inside the mind of a hard-luck blues musician in 1950. Clarence Major's way with words is nothing short of astonishing.

Why is this out of print? Excellent read. I'm looking for more of his novels.

Bluesman Manfred Banks is trying to pursue his dream of being a singer and harmonica-player while living up to his responsibilities as a husband and father. Complicating his efforts to walk the straight and narrow are his addiction to booze (the "dirty bird") and the sometimes destructive influence of his friend and musical partner Solly. In describing Man's struggles with both the racist society that attempts to strip him of his dignity and his own inner demons, the author demonstrates his mastery of a rich and poetic prose style that is steeped in the sound and imagery of the blues. This is a fine evocation of African-American life in the American midwest in the middle of the twentieth century.

John Canoe is an artist essentially living his life in isolation. He sells his work through his affiliation with a cooperative of artists, and also works as a school teacher. While John has many acquaintances, he doesn't have anyone that he can truly call a friend. Early in the book his mother reminds him that at age 33, he needs to be looking for a meaningful relationship so that he can marry and have children. Even in his adulthood John struggles with his identity, his mother is white and his father is black and his experiences with racism from both races have left him wondering where he fits in. John shares a close relationship with his mother, who lives in Chicago, but has a strained relationship with his father, a notable physician, who divorced his mother years ago.

Susie Chang works for a publishing company and is an amateur poet. She is an American born Chinese woman that has more or less been cut off from her family. Susie is constantly at odds with the cultural norms and expectations of her family, even her move across country and away from her family is frowned upon.

Susie and John meet at a Collective opening and it is practically love at first sight. What ensues is a whirlwind relationship wrought with ups and downs ranging from typical relationship issues, such as problems with communication, to more complicated issues like familial rejection.

ONE FLESH had the potential to be a five star book. The primary plot of the story was thorough and fairly unique. My problem with the book was that the author introduced too many subplots that he never resolved. These subplots could have provided interesting twists and turns but instead they acted more like a dangling carrot. I would love to see a sequel that would address some of the unresolved issues and provide an update on John and Susie's relationship. Overall, I enjoyed the book and believe it would make for a great book club discussion.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Such Was The Season by Clarence Major is a part of the Voices of the South collection. It features Aunt Annie Eliza who tells the story about what happened the week her nephew Junebug, now Dr. Adam North, came to visit. He had not been to Atlanta since he was a teenager and Annie Eliza proudly lets everyone know he is now a doctor. Not only has he come to Atlanta to lecture at Emory College about his Sickle Cell research but to learn about his roots and to reacquaint himself with family members. During the week, all sort of things are happening. Annie Eliza's children are having problems, there is a big shakeup in Atlanta politics, a mysterious illness and a suicide. Annie Eliza finds herself in the middle of all this while Junebug appears to be oblivious to it all but just goes along on the adventures to make his aunt happy.

This story is narrated by Annie Eliza and has a folksy feel to it. It is just like she invited you in for a cup of coffee while she tells you what happened during the week Junebug stayed at her house. Annie Eliza remembers every detail of that week, down to what TV show she was watching, what commercial was showing to what outfit she wore to whatever event. If you ever sat and listened to stories told by your elders, you know when they get on a roll; they tell you a present tense story but have to go back into the past for it to make sense. Imagine getting all this information, pertinent or not, in a narrative; it makes for some intense reading. The characterizations were sometimes funny and usually right on point. By the time Annie Eliza finished with their story, you knew all about everyone, at least Annie Eliza's opinion of them. Hidden in all the narrative about the family is a mystery of which Annie Eliza vows to get to the bottom of. Overall, this was a good read.

Jeanette
APOOO BookClub