Walter Mosley Books

The only reason I bought this book is because Walter Mosley's name was attached to it. Mosley is one of America's most valuable treasures, and I jump at any opportunity to experience his words. However, while his essay is excellent, the other authors more than hold their own.

I don't know who the intended audience is for this book, but I think it should be required reading for everyone. From age 15 through 90. Liberal, conservative, egalitarian, libertarian, agnostic, spiritual, what have you.

I cannot put my respect for this book into words. I am saddened with the realization that this book will go unnoticed by many because of a number of reasons. This book deserves much more recognition than it has received to date.

This is a very serious piece of writing. So often, African-Americans look to others for help in "handling our business." Here are 13 essays from people of thought and action that have decided to lay out some ways we can handle it ourselves!

The real beauty of this book is the accessibility of what is written. No offense to Cornel West and other Black Intellectuals (they have voices that must also be heard and heeded!), but this book is written in such a way that even the casual reader will be touched and moved to action. There is no lack of depth here but rather a casual familiarity as well as a sense of urgency that will immediately draw the reader in.

Further, there are a variety of voices presented here. From Spike Lee to Randall Robinson to Walter Mosley, these essayists cover a tremendous amount of ground and touch all of us along the way. There is something here that speaks to the many facets of the African American experience.

Buy this book - I dare you not to be inspired by it!

Why are we intrigued by all of Spike Lee's Movies no matter how bad or good, or Easy Rowlin's character in Walter Mosley's Devil In A Blue Dress? Is it the casting of characters, the mystery of the black experience or the marvel of these geniuses who seem more talented then life itself at times. they are the folks who encourage to hold on to life, catch a dream, and believe that success doesn't have to be a thought but a realization. This book contains the very folks who may or may not seem like geniuses to everyone, but just the mere power of their actions has transformed a generation through movies, literature, sports, fashion, journalism, and Humanitarianism. I always sink into these anthology compilations because I am curious to find out the reasoning behind some of the great Black African Americans featured in anthologies like this. It may be true that to be a success is to know success, but for those who don't have that convenience...why not read about it?

This is some of the heaviest reading I have chosen in a long time. While I must say I did not agree with several of the viewpoints of the collective writers, the writing was done with conviction and the ideas were thought-provoking. I recommend this book to any students of African American history, Journalism or Economics. I thought a better title for this work would have been Collective Black Genius.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Too many times the Black community is treated as if we all believe only one idea or follow one way of doing things. "Black Genius" brings out the qualities our many talented Kings and Queens by providing personal narratives with solutions to many concerns that effect the Black Community daily. I highly recommend this book. If you are concerned about issues in the Black community you wont be dissapointed.

I have a new addiction. I am hung up on the African writer Kola Boof. I guess because I am a black woman, I relate so much more to the urgency and wisdom in Boof's political views mixed with her command of our ancestor's cultures and her defiant love for blackness itself, until I was not as impressed with Walter Mosley's new book as my husband was, but still, I thought "LIFE OUT OF CONTEXT" was very good. I don't regret buying it.

To the contrary, I think this book is much better than some other friends have said it was.

Mosely, who is biracial, speaks of a world view for colored peoples and is concerned with all races. He doesn't resonate with me as powerfully as Kola Boof does, because I still don't think we have saved black people yet let alone the whole earth, but this book shows how intelligent he is and that his heart is in the right place. I agreed totally with his idea of a Black political party. It's long overdue.

If you want to read a true masterpiece that every black human being should wrap their brains around, however, then you should read Kola Boof's autobiography "Diary of a Lost Girl". She has an essay in that book called "The Authentic Black Man" that only an African woman could have written.

My husband and I live by it!

Mosley has done it again. Life Out of Context is a book that not only will allow you to see things differently but forces you to. THe content is straight to the point and the way he lays it out there you have no choice but to read fast and then go back. I read this book in the book sotre for days and then realized I was done. It is a piece that will change the way you put your thoughts together, it has made he see the light.

Does it ramble in some places? Yes. Does it propose some things that kinda scare me? Yes. Does it come up with brilliant, new and wholly-thought-out ways to change the world? No. Now, let's ask ourselves what it was meant to do...

It was meant to walk a reader through the mental steps it takes to lift themselves out of seeing their entire lives in the context of only their own navels. It's not intended to show people exactly how to change the world. It's intended to show people how to think about themselves as agents of change...and changes that could happen TODAY. Sadly, that type of cover description doesn't sell books. So, I'm sure there will be people complaining about how it doesn't deliver on its promises. Well, welcome to the world of book-selling. Now, get over it.

Get over it and read this book. It's been a huge factor in my being able to finally see where I fit in as a citizen of this world...not just a participant in my life. Read it. Let it scare you and then pull back. Let it make you say, "DUH!" and then surprise you by the next sentence's depth and insight. If it were a man, I'd recommend you kiss him just so you can know what it's like. Yeah, it's that good. If you let it in.

I read Devil in a Blue Dress in one sitting. Obviously, writer Jonathan Kellerman did too, because he later wrote, "I read Devil in a Blue Dress in one sitting and didn't want it to end. An astonishing first novel." Fortunately for Mosley fans, there are more Easy Rawlins mysteries. Devil in a Blue Dress remains my favorite. It's set in 1948 in Los Angeles. Easy Rawlins is a war veteran just fired from his job at a defense plant. This is the role Denzel Washington plays so well in the movie. Devil is much more than a hard-boiled mystery. The book left me wanting to read more about Easy Rawlin's adventures.

When Roger Harris, editor of the Books section of the Star Ledger recomended all the Easy Rawlings novels, someone gave me the 3-book set as a present.

You want to get the three book set! The plots are complicated but there are no loose ends, the characters are strongly drawn, and Mr. Mosley has created a world you will want to return to after reading each novel.

Read them in chronological order, and enjoy!

Great detective story writers can rise to being solid novelists. Ross MacDonald was clearly in this category. With Gone Fishin', Walter Mosley has attained that distinction in a new way -- he has gone into a new fictional genre.

Although this novel has the usual crime overlay, it is really a novel about coming of age in the South as a black person before the days of integration. With few books available on this subject, I suspect that Mosley may have set the standard for other authors to meet.

For me, a lot of the charm of the Easy Rawlins stories is their historical setting in the more prejudiced days of the past. How does an intelligent, honorable black person deal with this? The stories are interesting for both what they say about society and for the great plots and character development.

This book, a prequel to the others in the series, does the same, but in a different setting -- far a way from Southern California.

I found it to be an excellent gothic novel, and encourage you to read it as such. If you open this book expecting another Easy Rawlins detective story, you may be disappointed. On the other hand, if you leave yourself open to what you find here, you will probably be rewarded. Moseley's fans need to live up to his talent, and follow him where his skills take him.

If you have not read the Walter Mosley books before, I suggest you start with this one. You'll make more sense out of the rest of the series. You'll also be less likely to be disturbed by the shift in genre. Anyone who enjoys this book will find the detective novels to be an easy follow on.

Tenemos cintas magneticas de este libro pero necesitamos el libro para leer y entender unas palabras.

As expected, this book from America's greatest writer is fun and funny. It's actually three books, put together in a facsimile edition by Oxford. The first books, _The Stolen White Elephant, etc._ is a collection of Clemens' humorous short stories and speeches. Though these do not get into the same serious criticism of society as _Huck Finn_ or _Connecticut Yankee_, they do have a biting tone and make the reader laugh. Despite the title, the only of these tales with any detectives is the title story. The second book, _Tom Sawyer, Detective_, follows Tom and Huck on a third adventure. Huck tells the story, and though the accent isn't done as thoroughly as in the prequel, the novel is funny and...well, funny! The last novel, _A Double-Barreled Detective Story_, makes fun of the whole detective genre.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who who missed Tom, Huck and Hank Morgan, and to anyone looking for a good laugh.

A very good book. Walter Mosely never ceases to amaze me with his story telling ability. His wit and writing style really draws you in. This is a must have for any real Walter Mosely fan or anyone who enjoys a good, engaging, read. This is probably his best book since "Always out-numbered, always out-gunned." I could not put this book down. My only complaint is that it was so short.

A collection of stories (some are more like character sketches) is just not as compelling as a book with one story would be, but the main character is interesting and the book is well-written and not as bleak as it might be. The author likes his protagonist, and you probably will, too, an ex-con with a strong moral code and no inhibition about expressing it. Made me want to read the author's other books, so it can't be too bad.

I really enjoyed this book. Mosley is a great talent and his writing is though provoking and insightful. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star rating is because I felt there was something lacking. I wanted to feel like there was some kind of conflict and there wasn't. It was preachy--in a good way- but if given a definite plot or pushed a little more in a definite direction it would have been an amazing book. Even the constant reminder of his rape and murder convictions didn't create enough conflict. His goodness outweighed his crime and eventually with every mention, I got this "haven't we all" feeling. It was as if he was confessing to stepping on ants. Overall though, I would suggest reading it, just because Mosley has an amazing honest voice in his writing and I love the passion he gives his characters.

Socrates is a man trying to recover from his past mistakes. The story begins 8 years post Socrates' release from prison for rape and murder. Socrates is a man full of character, who has decided that his prison time was not enough to repay the debt to society for his heinous crimes. He makes a life long committment to encourage and mentor as he tries to muddle through the obstacles of being an ex con.
Once again, Mosley has created a wonderful story. Socrates' profound descriptions of life around him are so perfect, it is difficult to imagine this man ever committed such crimes. There is a lesson in this story for everyone.

this is an outstanding and realistic book about both the black society and for any man that is just out of prison and determained to make it. he make no excuses, he becomes a mentor to a young man trying to keep him from gangs and crime in watts. it gives you a hard long look at life, but it is both sad and uplifting as it shows a man who refuses to quit and finds his place in society and stays free

Last summer I read this entire book on the train from Ohio to NYC. Socrates Fortlow is one of my favorite characters of all time. There is a poignancy to a character who seemingly has nothing going for him except his strength of morals. Read this book and you may have to take a second look at the downtrodden of society.

Turning Pages Book Club, members would like to congratulate Walter Mosley on another great mystery novel.
This storyline takes place in the late 1960's in both Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area, which made this storyline extra special for those of us from the "Bay Area".
Our hero the fantastic "Detective Easy Rawlins" in this story revels a sensitive side of "Easy" that has not been introduced much in the previous novels by Mr. Mosley.
Due to the fact that his daughter, "Feather" needs a life saving surgery which will cost $35,000, and this surgery will have to be done in Switzerland, it is a wonder,"Easy" can focus on the business at hand with total concentration.
As usual Mr. Mosley comes up with a unique storyline that captures the reader to the end of his novels and still asking for more. He has the unique capacity to make you laugh, angry and weep all at the same time while reading his murder/mysteries, which star non- other than "Easy", his wild, for real crazy, but always has his back-homeboy-"Mouse", and his homeboy-genius,scared of his own-shadow, friend-Jackson Blue", the person who got him into this mess, while trying to help him out, his friend Saul Lynx who is also a private investigator.
While,Mr. Mosley keeps many of his old characters he always adds new and colorful ones to this novel: Christmas Black -a Vietnam war hero/unhero and his adopted daughter, Easter Dawn, then there is the private investigator-Robert E. Lee and the star of the story "Cinnamon Cargill" and her lover Alex Bowers who have vanished for no apparent reason. Robert E. Lee, who is a Private Investigator, himself is willing to pay $10,000 up front for Ms. Cargill and Mr. Bowers to be found, with the promise of more after they are found. (Makes you want to go "hum").
Well, Easy has an offer from his friend Mouse,(who is trying to help Easy get some quick money), a set-up armed robbery scheme and then there is the offer from his friend Saul, of the simple double missing persons incident up in San Francisco? Well, what would you do, if you are an upstanding citizen in your community, role model at the school where you are employed and have children? Easy, takes the more legitimate sounding offer and heads off to San Francisco to meet Robert E. Lee for this mysterious assignment. This simple missing persons assignment takes him through San Francisco's Haight Ashberry during the prime "love and peace" era of the late 60's then across the bay to Berkeley, back and forth to Los Angles on a wild expedition to solve a mystery that seems very simple until people turn up dead and a crazed, serial killer/assassin by the name of Joe Cicero shows up on the scene. Then, everything seems to start rapidly moving throughout the story with dead bodies showing up, at every address that "Easy" is directed to shows up at and, of course all fingers are pointing at him. The first person he locates is found dead in Berkeley, and the great PI who hired him Mr. Lee, doesn't know this? Finally, when he does locate "Cinnamon Cargill", in Los Angeles,another dead body shows up at the location where she is staying. This gets to be a little unnerving for a simple missing persons investigation or is it really that simple?
This murder/mystery novel covers, crimes in history that were committed during World War II in Nazi Germany, and then brings you back to crimes during the Vietnam War.
Mr. Mosley is a very descriptive writer, who can describe a scene so vividly you could paint a picture from his words; (pg. 307-"I drove my rental car for hours, but it seemed like several days, bleeding on the steering wheel and down my....").
This murder mystery novel was so exhilarating and full of action that I just can't wait to read the next Walter Mosley mystery to see what happens next?

I read it in three nights, just fantastic from start to finish. Highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys great mysteries and suspense.

If you like Easy Rollins you will like this. It is that simple. Walter Moseley seems to get better with age and so does Easy. He smarter, deeper and more sensitive. Great read. If you haven't read any of this series start further back with Devil in The Blue Dress or Black Betty. But it's all good.

Easy Rawlin's is hired by a world famous PI (who models himself after Civil War General Robert E. Lee) to find a young black woman called Cinnamon. Easy takes the job only because his daughter Feather is in need of an experimental and costly medical procedure outside of the US. Easy finds that he is not the only person in search of Cinnamon. He, and his family are soon threatened. Despite the odds, Easy continues his search and uncovers a secret that people are willing to kill for it. This is a very well written novel that immediately pulls you into the story. Walter Mosley's descriptions of people and places are vivid and real. If you have a chance to read this, I would highly recommend that you do.

Lost Hours
Xiii

I'm a great fan of Walter Mosley and specifically his always reluctant hero, Easy Rawlins. Once I finished "Little Scarlet" (loved it!!), I revelled in the afterglow of that one before I began "Cinnamon Kiss". Once again Mr. Mosley's writing is descriptive and visual, effectively placing the reader on Easy's shoulder...watching all the action. Surrounded by intrigue and beautiful women, Easy seems almost overmatched as he simultaneously grapples with some life-changing domestic issues. Although Mr. Mosley still weaves his artful spell over us with his layered and textured writing style, at times I found myself yelling at Easy for his lapses in good judgement and knew it was only a matter of time before he allowed his emotions to overrule his common sense. In spite of this, "Cinnamon Kiss" faithfully portrays how America began to morph into a more accepting society...the hippies, the shift in racial attitudes, the blending of our nation. And, the complex plot keeps you guessing from start to finish. The wrap up of the case is very clever and made me smile, the wrap up with his personal life...not so much. Nonetheless, Walter you are still my hero and I can only hope that my novel Native Intelligence will help me build a fan base as loyal as yours.

Turning Pages Book Club, members would like to congratulate Walter Mosley on another great mystery novel.
This storyline takes place in the late 1960's in both Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area, which made this storyline extra special for those of us from the "Bay Area".
Our hero the fantastic "Detective Easy Rawlins" in this story revels a sensitive side of "Easy" that has not been introduced much in the previous novels by Mr. Mosley.
Due to the fact that his daughter, "Feather" needs a life saving surgery which will cost $35,000, and this surgery will have to be done in Switzerland, it is a wonder,"Easy" can focus on the business at hand with total concentration.
As usual Mr. Mosley comes up with a unique storyline that captures the reader to the end of his novels and still asking for more. He has the unique capacity to make you laugh, angry and weep all at the same time while reading his murder/mysteries, which star non- other than "Easy", his wild, for real crazy, but always has his back-homeboy-"Mouse", and his homeboy-genius,scared of his own-shadow, friend-Jackson Blue", the person who got him into this mess, while trying to help him out, his friend Saul Lynx who is also a private investigator.
While,Mr. Mosley keeps many of his old characters he always adds new and colorful ones to this novel: Christmas Black -a Vietnam war hero/unhero and his adopted daughter, Easter Dawn, then there is the private investigator-Robert E. Lee and the star of the story "Cinnamon Cargill" and her lover Alex Bowers who have vanished for no apparent reason. Robert E. Lee, who is a Private Investigator, himself is willing to pay $10,000 up front for Ms. Cargill and Mr. Bowers to be found, with the promise of more after they are found. (Makes you want to go "hum").
Well, Easy has an offer from his friend Mouse,(who is trying to help Easy get some quick money), a set-up armed robbery scheme and then there is the offer from his friend Saul, of the simple double missing persons incident up in San Francisco? Well, what would you do, if you are an upstanding citizen in your community, role model at the school where you are employed and have children? Easy, takes the more legitimate sounding offer and heads off to San Francisco to meet Robert E. Lee for this mysterious assignment. This simple missing persons assignment takes him through San Francisco's Haight Ashberry during the prime "love and peace" era of the late 60's then across the bay to Berkeley, back and forth to Los Angles on a wild expedition to solve a mystery that seems very simple until people turn up dead and a crazed, serial killer/assassin by the name of Joe Cicero shows up on the scene. Then, everything seems to start rapidly moving throughout the story with dead bodies showing up, at every address that "Easy" is directed to shows up at and, of course all fingers are pointing at him. The first person he locates is found dead in Berkeley, and the great PI who hired him Mr. Lee, doesn't know this? Finally, when he does locate "Cinnamon Cargill", in Los Angeles,another dead body shows up at the location where she is staying. This gets to be a little unnerving for a simple missing persons investigation or is it really that simple?
This murder/mystery novel covers, crimes in history that were committed during World War II in Nazi Germany, and then brings you back to crimes during the Vietnam War.
Mr. Mosley is a very descriptive writer, who can describe a scene so vividly you could paint a picture from his words; (pg. 307-"I drove my rental car for hours, but it seemed like several days, bleeding on the steering wheel and down my....").
This murder mystery novel was so exhilarating and full of action that I just can't wait to read the next Walter Mosley mystery to see what happens next?

I read it in three nights, just fantastic from start to finish. Highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys great mysteries and suspense.

If you like Easy Rollins you will like this. It is that simple. Walter Moseley seems to get better with age and so does Easy. He smarter, deeper and more sensitive. Great read. If you haven't read any of this series start further back with Devil in The Blue Dress or Black Betty. But it's all good.

Easy Rawlin's is hired by a world famous PI (who models himself after Civil War General Robert E. Lee) to find a young black woman called Cinnamon. Easy takes the job only because his daughter Feather is in need of an experimental and costly medical procedure outside of the US. Easy finds that he is not the only person in search of Cinnamon. He, and his family are soon threatened. Despite the odds, Easy continues his search and uncovers a secret that people are willing to kill for it. This is a very well written novel that immediately pulls you into the story. Walter Mosley's descriptions of people and places are vivid and real. If you have a chance to read this, I would highly recommend that you do.

Lost Hours
Xiii

I'm a great fan of Walter Mosley and specifically his always reluctant hero, Easy Rawlins. Once I finished "Little Scarlet" (loved it!!), I revelled in the afterglow of that one before I began "Cinnamon Kiss". Once again Mr. Mosley's writing is descriptive and visual, effectively placing the reader on Easy's shoulder...watching all the action. Surrounded by intrigue and beautiful women, Easy seems almost overmatched as he simultaneously grapples with some life-changing domestic issues. Although Mr. Mosley still weaves his artful spell over us with his layered and textured writing style, at times I found myself yelling at Easy for his lapses in good judgement and knew it was only a matter of time before he allowed his emotions to overrule his common sense. In spite of this, "Cinnamon Kiss" faithfully portrays how America began to morph into a more accepting society...the hippies, the shift in racial attitudes, the blending of our nation. And, the complex plot keeps you guessing from start to finish. The wrap up of the case is very clever and made me smile, the wrap up with his personal life...not so much. Nonetheless, Walter you are still my hero and I can only hope that my novel Native Intelligence will help me build a fan base as loyal as yours.