Cultural Books

Many books and/or their reviews glibly claim to "change your life". This one doesn't explicitly make any such promises, but change my life it has. More specifically, it has changed the way I look at life and the world. Postmodernism has brought about radical and sweeping changes, whether we realise it or not. This is a book that blows the lid on reality in terms of the paradigms that most of us have grown up with, and within which humanity has come to understand religion, politics, history and culture. Indeed, it is a timely and sobering deconstruction of many of the illusions (or Socially Constructed Realities) that people across time and cultures have come to regard as sacred and infallible. Its purpose is not to deconstruct for the promotion of its own paradigm or belief system (though I suppose an element of that is inseparable from any such undertaking). One of the most enduring images from the book is the description of a postmodern art piece which shows a hand drawing a hand that is drawing a hand. What a striking metaphor for the postmodern world, and indeed for epochs that have gone before us. Where indeed is the line between objective, absolute 'reality' and that which is subjectively constructed? Does it and can it exist for human beings at all? Whatever else may be said, this is a book that challenged me and stimulated me to think about all aspects of modern life in new and profound ways. If you are anything like me and read books which do that very thing, then believe me - this one is for you.

I am an anthropologist who teaches courses on popular culture as well as culture theory and postmodernism. This is one of the smartest and most entertaining books on the subject of modern and postmodern life. If I had found it in time, I would have used it as a required book in my course.
A lot of postmodern writing is full of puffery, but Anderson not only grounds it but makes it very engaging and immediate. He makes many insightful observations and phrases things in quotable ways. Anyone who is new to, or even fairly familiar with, postmodern and popular culture would benefit from this book. The range of topics and the smoothness of style are among the best out there.

This book was published almost twenty years ago and I only wish I had found it sooner. Written in an easy-to-read and understandable style, it covers the influence of post-modern thinking on politics, pop culture, religion, art and philosophy, among other areas. Powerfully, Anderson makes the argument that everyone has their own version of reality, carefully providing examples from everyday life. For example, he contrasts the objectivist (there are a few perfect rules that everyone must obey) and the constructivist (aware that many rules are part of a socially constructed reality), the exoteric religions (Christianity and Islam - God said so, it must be true) and esoteric religions (Zen Buddhism - a personal journey without judgement).

Why is this important? Because of most of the tension in the world comes from the differences of opinion between six main groups he has outlined: Christianity, Islam, capitalism, communism/socialism, environmentalism and new age. All of these groups passionately believe in the truth of their message and would like the entire world to conform to their thinking. In the end, the book makes you wonder where all this will lead to -- complete freedom is a beautiful thing that makes many people uncomfortable.

Get this book, take it to a quiet beach and you won't see the world the same way again.

I first stumbled upon this book by accident, read a few pages, and was amazed, amused, aghast and (forgive me) agog! Written in 1993, the author's observations and predictions (although he wasnt trying to be prophetic) were accurate and correct -- especially the section about whatit would "take" to get Americans to support a war - and how long (or short) the govt. could keep the people from getting fed up. He said it would take something like Pearl Harbor -- of that magnitude in order for teh govt to whip up enough support for a vindictive invasion/assault etc. He was right about that! That's just one small section -- the entire book is fascinating, easy to read, and explains the fracas over Globalization better than any other book I've read.
Buy it.

Anderson's reevaluation of the past few decades puts a clarifying and relieving spin on everything from global memes to the Ayatollah Khomeini. He sees the postmodern era as superficially confusing but surprisingly comprehensible on a deeper level. By reconsidering the growing pains of our complex and creative species in light of the theory that we humans construct our own realities, he shows the reader pattern and order and even hope amidst the fascinating chaos of our times.

This is an absolutely superb book, comprised of recollections of the Jim Crow years in the form of oral histories. It can be read through, or picked up at any part. There is an appropriate amount of historical introduction to each chapter.
This material needs to be read, and remembered. There was a long time in our history when, although there was no more slavery, African Americans were treated as a separate serf class, under constant pressures and reminders of their lower status. Whites used pervasive legal and social downward pressures to keep African Americans out of an equal education, and equal access to public facilities, much less the right to equal jobs and the right to vote -- and then claimed that African Americans' lack of achievement was a racial fault. If an African American violated one of the many social taboos, the sanctions ranged from a beating, to loss of job, and even being lynched.
While whites benefited from Jim Crow, the whites, also, were trapped in the system. They were also forced to abide by legal segregation, and were subject to social pressure if they were too liberal (being called "n* lover," "white n*," etc.).
What led to the mindset that the end of slavery should lead to continued legal and social oppression of African Americans? It was part of white American culture. Lincoln himself said that he was not "in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry.... [T]here must be the position of superior and inferior. I am as much as any other man in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race." In 1877, Rutherford B. Hayes traded the end of southern post-war Reconstruction for the electoral votes he needed to win the presidency. Southern states then were free to institute the Jim Crow system.
I believe we are more subject to peer pressure than we would like to believe. Although reviewer McInerney asserts that "no civilized person" would benefit from Jim Crow, I feel many otherwise-good people were trapped and/or blinded by their own interests and surroundings. When allowed, and even encouraged, their evil side showed itself. On this topic, see John Griffin's _Black Like Me_, on the different faces that whites showed to other whites, and to African Americans.
While we are certain that we wouldn't go back to that system, we shouldn't be so sure that we, also, wouldn't be trapped by it if we were born into it. Consider that Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy (to a large extent) didn't take effective action to end segregation.
This book is excellent. Those dreadful and shameful times -- and the vestiges which still continue -- must not be forgotten.

Any illusions about the freedom and equality that were alleged to have been given to African Americans in this country following the Civil War were just that, illusions. The reality of America's version of Apartheid was legitimized in 1896 in the United States Supreme Court with the case of Plessy vs. Ferguson. When the de-facto segregation that Plessy allowed was added to the de jure laws that followed, whatever emancipation had been promised was firmly repudiated. It is even legitimate to go back to 1877 when Rutherford B. Hayes and his party sold out, and swapped the presidency for the removal of federal troops from the south.

"Remembering Jim Crow", is a brilliant collection of first hand accounts of life under Jim Crow by those who were victimized by its laws. A large cast collected these verbal accounts over several years, and they accomplished no less than the preservation of a sinister part of this country's history. A time that W.E.B. Dubois characterized as, "living behind the veil". Combined with the book, "At The Hands Of Person's Unknown", which I commented extensively on, these two books, and if you choose the accompanying CD of the interviews, provides a wide, if horrific view of these eight decades.

These testimonies are also notable for the speakers who identify by name the people and families that victimized them. This is not ancient history that many would like to forget. These people who survived and speak of Jim Crow are alive, and so a presumption that their tormentors are alive is reasonable. The end of the book includes portions of a documentary that was made as part of this project with National Public Radio. Happily some of the whites that were interviewed in Iberia Perish in Louisiana remember and look with regret on what they did and did not do. Their willingness to speak on the record is admirable. But lest anyone think that all is solved there are also people who went on the record bemoaning their never having enjoyed the privileges that Jim Crow gave whites. A man named Barrow expressed himself thusly, "That was awful nice, you know, you'd go hunting, "Boy clean those ducks", you know, "Skin that dear", uh, "Shine my shoes". I believe I could have gone for that. Yeah I think you could have too".

No Mr. Barrow, no civilized individual from any state could, "have gone for that". However I am sure that many appreciate your confirmation that even now, ignorance, arrogance, and racism are alive and well.

This is an interesting angle to present a sad era in America's history. This book does not give a history book type of fact presentation, it presents the facts from the people who actually experienced it.

This is a vital book if for only one reason, so that the children born after this era know what it was like so it is never repeated.

I enjoyed the oral history that is presentated and I would recommend this book if you want a greater understanding of this time.

REMEMBERING JIM CROW is a colletion of first hand accounts of life in the Jim Crow south. The stories are compelling and at the same time sad.

The stories create the atmosphere that one is sitting in one of the elderly story tellers living room listening to them.

This book is especially worthwhile for non-African-Amercians readers, because virtually all African-Americans that have roots in the south, know these stories all too well.

This slipcased book and 2-cd set supplements the written word with oral history, gathering the voices of men and women who were firsthand witnesses to segregation in the south. Stories by men and women from all walks of life reveal how blacks fought against the system, built communities, and ran businesses in a society which denied them basic rights. Remembering Jim Crow offers the reader a comprehensive, involving, highly recommended presentation.

This extraordinary book critiques most of the Beatles' songs. It dissects, analyzes and explains the lyrics of the Beatles' songs; it compliments the intelligence of all readers. Music professionals and novices alike will come away with added information; this is a book that will appeal to all readers regardless of place/proficiency on the musical scale.

This book serves as a time line; the Beatles' achievements and the times they were living in are chronicled neatly alongside Macdonald's analyses of the music. It's general tone is light and upbeat, yet a tone of bittersweet nostalgia underscores much of the passages. "There are places I remember..." John Lennon, 1965 could be the sound track of this book. So could John Lennon's 1968 Anthem of the Sixties, "you say you want a revolution, well you know we all want to change the world..."

Beatle fans and those who love and/or lived through the Dodge Dart Era of the 1960s will love this book. It is so worth reading.

This book's publication concludes on a sad footnote. Ian Macdonald ended his life on August 20, 2003. He had been clinically depressed.

I love this book and have read it several times. When I listen to Beatles recordings, I sometimes take it out and read up on the song, and its fun to see the work that was put into it (music flubs, line flubs, edit flubs). I just wish he hadn't beat up on George so much! Highly recommended

More a question than a book review here. This edition is described as being updated; comparing it to the original hardcover, however, I found only one update -- a footnote in which MacDonald briefly comments on the 'Live at the BBC' album. Otherwise it is identical to the first edition. There is nothing on the Anthology material. So the question is this: Is that one little footnote the extent of MacDonald's "revisions"? If there is a fatter, better edition out there, I'd love to have it.

Anyway, now that I'm here I might as well say that this is not only the best critical analysis of the Beatles' work ever written; it's almost the only such book I can even take seriously. MacDonald does come up with the occasional strange opinion here and there (his dismissals of "Day Tripper" and "Helter Skelter" come to mind), but critics are not machines, folks, and even the best of them are not infallible. For the most part MacDonald is serious in the best sense of the word; he is intensely attentive, and his mastery of the catalogue escapes pedantry -- it's just plain jaw-dropping.

I wish that I could give this book more than five stars. It is an absolutely brilliant and supremely entertaining analysis of every song recorded by The Beatles. For those with musical knowledge it provides detailed analysis of things such as chord structure and sequences. For those, such as myself, who are merely fans of this great music, the book provides endless insight and anecdotes about the recording process and events surrounding each song. After reading this book you will never listen to The Beatles' songs in the same way again. This is eye-opening work that puts all other rock/pop music analysis to shame. Get this one!!!

A stunning examination of The Beatles, their music, the sixties, and by implication the state of modern popular music, "Revolution in the Head" is easily the best Beatles book ever published.

Written with an astonishing erudition acquired over his years as a music journailast for New Musical Express and other magazines, as well an obvious love for the music of the Fab Four, Ian MacDonald's book places the Beatles in the appropriate social and cultural context with exactitude,critical acumen and readability.

If you want to know why The Beatles are the most important pop group ever, or wish to reacquaint yourself with their genius, you must read this superb book. Along with Philip Norman's "Shout" and "Mark Lewisohn's" Beatles Sessions, "Revolution in the Head" is an undoubted masterpiece of Beatles scholarship.

People like Jacob give us "permission to hope" and inspiration to create a better future. This short book can provide ideas about how we can participate.

This book points to the possibility of remembering the parts of ourselves we forgot long ago. It's a poem to the forgotten realms of being human and declares the potential to reclaim ones totality. For someone thinking of using psychedelics, there are instructions here for their proper use. For someone who has already used them, there are footnotes from infinitude. This book, and this subject will change you. No longer will you be stained by the propaganda of the drug war. The sacrements of freedom exist. Whether they be psychedelics, meditation, yoga or dreaming. A friendly, helpful voice speaks out to you from the pages of this book. You will be better for listening. Be careful, this is not recreation. This is you, that you are exploring. Have some respect.

As a Master's candidate studying psychology, I am thrilled to have stumbled upon this book! Finally, some of the "darker" areas of the field have been illuminated by a first-hand expert.
Written in a conversational tone, this book is safely navigated by the jargon-wary among us, and is entertaining as well as educational. Pick this one up if you have an interest in the fringe movements in psychology, have an open-minded approach to what is considered therapeutic, and/or simply are intrigued by the spiritually enhancing capabilities of psychedelic drugs.

Let me try this again. The Secret Chief is a fantastically written, conversational and often warm and humorous overview of a real pioneer in the field of psychology. Few researchers or clinicians are willing to boldly sidestep well-known but mostly unfounded restrictions on their practice.
The hero of this story is a man that truly put his clients/patients first and upheld their well being as the foremost goal. From his uncanny ability to listen to what they were saying to his courage and wisdom in guiding them along the path toward recovery and growth, the reader is brought in to delightfully pick up on the knowledge gained.
Operating not just from a medical expert perspective but from a caring human being equally engaged in the challenge of life, the therapist intuitively, assertively spurs the client onto self discovery and mind expansion. Tools of the psychological trade vary. The respective benefits of varying methods of therapy are discussed, and the trail blazing of supposed "radical" "innovative" methods occurs. That they have ever been explored is impressive. That there is a definite need to continue research and practice in this field is made resoundingly evident within the pages of this remarkable, insightful book.

Highly recommended.

Brian Wallace, author, Labyrinth of Chaos

This book reveals some of the true promise of psychedelic therapy that is obscured in other popular histories of the era that focus on the (albeit fascinating) aftermath of Dr. Leary et. al. ('Acid Dreams' and 'Storming Heaven').

The most valuable aspect of the book, and its main focus, is an oral walkthrough of a session with the therapist Jacob. Mr. Stolaroff has done a valuable service in preserving Jacob's insights into what works and what doesnt work.

Though, I was confused when Jacob described his purely religious orientation to the therapy yet didnt elaborate hardly at all on his own 'theological' outlook or experiences.

Also, in my opinion, Jacob goes to an extreme in asserting at one point that transformation *requires* such entheogens. He seems to unfairly discount the traditional religious retreat practices and experiences.

Personally, I side with the theory that such entheogens merely unveil latent faculties that can be cultivated by traditional retreat type practices without the need for entheogens at all.

Also, one danger, perhaps, in the outlook and process described in this book, is its almost complete lack of orientation to 'Right View' (in the Buddhist sense) as the precursor to 'awakening'. The Buddha stressed that insight into Right View was a key prerequisite. Yet, this therapy seems to presume it is largely irrelevant.

I would recommend Thaddeus Golas' 'The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment' as a complement to this book, as Golas himself broke through via entheogens, yet does not see them as absolutely necessary, and focuses on orienting to 'Right View' first as the means to awaken (his book is out of print, but available online now, search for the title in google).

The Serpent Handlers: Three Families and Their Faith tells the stories of three families of the Signs Followers faith - a branch of Christianity originating in 1910, whose members take Mark 16: 17-18 as a central tenet of their belief. Known for the sensational aspects of their belief - picking up poisonous snakes, drinking strychnine, and speaking in tongues - Signs Followers have often been negatively portrayed by the media, and . Journalist Fred Brown earned their trust through longstanding respect, and offers The Serpent Handlers as a counterbalance. Great pains have been taking to present the stories of the serpent handlers in their own words, without extraneous or editorializing, though each individual's memoir is prefaced by with a summary of who he or she is and his or her role in the movement. A "must-read" primary source highly recommended for anyone interested in learning more about Signs Followers and their faith.

Serpent handling is a controversial practice that is often sensationalised by the media. However, the adherents of the Signs Following churches generally avoid publicity. That is what makes this book so special: The handlers are allowed to speak for themselves in telling their own true stories in their own words. What emerges are real people and an impressive testament to an enduring faith provided in moving personal accounts of people who are prepared to risk their lives for wat they believe is obedience to the Bible.

Believers who take Mark 16: 17 - 18 as a literal part of their faith call themselves Signs Followers and are found mainly in the southern Appalachians. Serpent handling is not the only sign; others are handling fire, healing the sick, drinking strychnine and casting out demons. It is important to know that the taking up of snakes and performing the other signs are not attempts to prove anything but is done to confirm the Word of God. This is emphasized by many of the interviewees.

These independent churches are in various ways connected to three great strands of American protestantism: Holiness, Pentecostalism and Fundamentalism. Generally considering themselves as Holiness, they share with fundamentalism a total acceptance of the Bible as the Word of God. Pentecostalism is their link with mainstream protestantism where the signs or Gifts of the Spirit, like speaking in tongues, are practiced.

The first part deals with the Brown Family of Tennessee and the House Of Prayer in the Name of Jesus Christ, situated in Marshall, North Carolina. The people include John Wayne Punkin Brown, Melinda Duvall Brown, Peggy Moore Brown, Rachelle Martinez Brown and Richard Cameron Short. Part Two looks at the Coots Family of Kentucky and the Full Gospel Tabernacle In Jesus Name in Middlesboro, Kentucky. Speakers include Louvernia Coots, Tommy Coots, Gregory Coots and Linda Turner Coots. The last part features the Elkins Family and the Church Of The Lord Jesus in Jolo, West Virginia. The people include Barbara Robinson Elkins, Joe Robert Elkins, Barbara Church Coleman, Lydia Elkins Hollins, Lucille Chafin Church and Charles Church.

In every case, the sections start with a family tree graph followed by a description of the areas or towns like Cocke County, Tennessee, Middlesboro, Kentucky and Jolo, West Virginia. For every individual, there is a short introduction by the authors before the person talks about his or her involvement in the church, their family and their community, what it means to be annointed and how they feel when they are practicing the signs.

Black and white photographs of individuals and families enhance the text and there are accounts of services in each of the aforementiond churches. The book concludes with an index. In addition to this most inspiring and illuminating work, I recommend Serpent Handling Believers by Thomas Burton and Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake-Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia by Dennis Covington.

Serpent handling is a controversial practice that is often sensationalised by the media. However, the adherents of the Signs Following churches generally avoid publicity. That is what makes this book so special: The handlers are allowed to speak for themselves in telling their own true stories in their own words. What emerges are real people and an impressive testament to an enduring faith provided in moving personal accounts of people who are prepared to risk their lives for wat they believe is obedience to the Bible.

Believers who take Mark 16: 17 - 18 as a literal part of their faith call themselves Signs Followers and are found mainly in the southern Appalachians. Serpent handling is not the only sign; others are handling fire, healing the sick, drinking strychnine and casting out demons. It is important to know that the taking up of snakes and performing the other signs are not attempts to prove anything but is done to confirm the Word of God. This is emphasized by many of the interviewees.

These independent churches are in various ways connected to three great strands of American protestantism: Holiness, Pentecostalism and Fundamentalism. Generally considering themselves as Holiness, they share with fundamentalism a total acceptance of the Bible as the Word of God. Pentecostalism is their link with mainstream protestantism where the signs or Gifts of the Spirit, like speaking in tongues, are practiced.

The first part deals with the Brown Family of Tennessee and the House Of Prayer in the Name of Jesus Christ, situated in Marshall, North Carolina. The people include John Wayne Punkin Brown, Melinda Duvall Brown, Peggy Moore Brown, Rachelle Martinez Brown and Richard Cameron Short. Part Two looks at the Coots Family of Kentucky and the Full Gospel Tabernacle In Jesus Name in Middlesboro, Kentucky. Speakers include Louvernia Coots, Tommy Coots, Gregory Coots and Linda Turner Coots. The last part features the Elkins Family and the Church Of The Lord Jesus in Jolo, West Virginia. The people include Barbara Robinson Elkins, Joe Robert Elkins, Barbara Church Coleman, Lydia Elkins Hollins, Lucille Chafin Church and Charles Church.

In every case, the sections start with a family tree graph followed by a description of the areas or towns like Cocke County, Tennessee, Middlesboro, Kentucky and Jolo, West Virginia. For every individual, there is a short introduction by the authors before the person talks about his or her involvement in the church, their family and their community, what it means to be annointed and how they feel when they are practicing the signs.

Black and white photographs of individuals and families enhance the text and there are accounts of services in each of the aforementiond churches. The book concludes with an index. In addition to this most inspiring and illuminating work, I recommend Serpent-Handling Believers by Thomas Burton.

Salvation on Sand Mountain: Snake-Handling and Redemption in Southern Appalachia

Mountain Holiness: A Photographic Narrative

If you only read one book on signs followers(serpent handlers),this should be the one.An accurate account of the beliefs of these unique people is provided in their own words, from the viewpoint of three of the most prominent families in the world of the serpent handlers. Stripped of the sensationalism prevalent in most accounts of believers of this faith, this book will present an honest look into the lives of some of the most honest, likeable people you would be proud to call your friends and neighbors.

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FACINATED WITH SERPENT HANDLING.
I THINK THIS HAS TO BE THE BEST BOOK,IF YOU WANT AN HONEST
LOOK INTO THE LIVES OF SOME SINSERE JESUS LOVING PEOPLE AND THERE
LIVES.I LIKED THIS BOOK BECAUSE ALOT OF IT WAS WERITTEN IN THE WORDS OF SAINTS THEMSELFS.BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE.AND A GREAT BOOK,I HIGHLY RECCCOMEND THIS BOOK OVER OTHER BOOKS THAT I HAVE READ ON THE SUBJECT.PEACE BE.STEVE SPARKS

Jackie Robinson, Bravest Man In Baseball is a biography about how he became the first African-American to play in the MLB. It starts out in Jackie's childhood in Georgia. When he was a kid he was good at all different kinds of sports such as basketball and track. When he played sports he always picked the little kids who weren't as great as everyone else so he could help them improve. Every kid on the block wanted to play on his team.
I think Margaret Davidson's message was you can do what ever you set your mind to. Meaning if you want to be the first woman in the MLB you can. You just have to be ready for what's in store for you just like Jackie.
I liked this book a lot because baseball is my favorite hobby. I also like to read about some of my favorite baseball players. I loved this so much because I can relate to a lot of this book. And I got to learn all about the great Jackie Robinson.

The Story of Jackie Robinson: Bravest Man in Baseball is about the struggles of one black man who never gave up. Jackie Robinson was a great athlete in college and wanted to go to the Major's but they wouldn't let him because he was black. The general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Branch Rickey took a chance on Jackie. Rickey said would let him play if he didn't fight back over racial slurs and attacks. This was known as the "Noble Experiment". Jackie's team looked down on him and fans harassed him because of the color of his skin. At last everybody realized Robinson was a great guy and that the color of a person's skin doesn't mater. In the end Jackie Robinson won the admiration of all American people. I think that you should read this book because it shows someone with great courage.

The Story of Jackie Robinson, Bravest Man in Baseball is about Robinsonýs struggles in life and in baseball. Robinson was great at all sports but he couldnýt play in the Majors after college because he was black. Four years later in 1945 Jackie Robinson was the first black player to play in the Major League because of a man named Branch Rickey. This was known as the ýNoble Experimentý and it did a lot of good all over the U.S. At first the Brooklyn Dodgers team was very angry that Robinson was playing with them and the fans had more hatred for the poor man. However, Robinson won the Rookie of the Year and also won lots of Americans admiration. If you enjoy baseball I think you would like this book because it shows the history of how blacks were finally accepted into the Major Leagues thanks to Jackie Robinson!

The Story of Jackie Robinson, Bravest Man in Baseball is about the struggles of one black man who never gave up. Jackie Robinson was a great athlete in college but he couldn't play Major League baseball because of the color of his skin. When Jackie Robinson played on the Brooklyn Dodgers he was part of the "Noble Experiment" and his teammates were unfriendly. Also fans yelled slurs at Jackie. In 1947 Jackie Robinson won Rookie of the year and the admiration of the American people. I recommend this book because it tells how Jackie Robinson was a great athlete and a brave person.

The Story of Jackie Robinson: Bravest Man in Baseball is about the struggles of one black man who made a big difference. Jackie Robinson was a great athlete in college but was not let into the Major Leagues because his skin was black. Robinson played on the Brooklyn Dodgers in the "Noble Experiment" which was meant Jackie being the first black on a white team. His team looked down on him because of the color of his skin. When the fans yelled slurs at him and other teams yelled at him it overwhelmed the Dodgers. They finally stood up for Robinson. I recommend this wonderful book, Jackie Robinson: Bravest Man in Baseball because it has a lot of action and emotion.

Written from the perspective of an observant little boy, this book is a riveting tale of human misery. I'm familiar with the subject and believe the suffering of the boy's family is representative of the average Biafran family at this hour of grave trial. The book, like many others on the Biafran war, is highly recommended especially since the circumstances leading to the war is very much alive in today's Nigeria. The people of eastern Nigeria (former Biafra) are still suffering untold persecution in Nigeria.I think the author should have been bold enough to recommend a way forward rather than conclude the book with the end of the war.But all in all, this is a fine work. The narration is free-flowing; so smooth that I was reading while eating. It's a book I can recall with pride.

In this book the author reveals what it was like for himself and his family to be caught up in Biafra's war of independence. Now largely forgotten, the war rapidly collapsed into an enormous tragedy as a Nigerian blockade cut Biafra off from the outside world and rapidly brought on hunger and starvation.

These first-hand accounts of an Igbo family forced to flee from an area controlled by other tribes, then trying to survive in a village even as resources began to grow scarce... it is heart-rending but it brought the war and the humanitarian disaster it sparked to life for me.

A beautifully presented account of the suffering, resilience & ingenuity of the Biafrans; the sheer bravery of its young soldiers. Written in the great Achebe's approach. About time Biafran story is included in the school curriculum.

This book is a beautiful account of the Biafran war. I grew up with Nigerian refuges and their children in Cameroon and got first hand accounts of the horrors of that war. Overall, this insightful book is credible and like DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE, KING LEOPOLD'S GHOST, SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL, it gives the reader the opportunity to understand African conflicts and the pattern of genocides that have taken place or taking place in the continent. I learned a lot from this book.

I loved this book because it is similar to reading a personal diary or journal left by a child. It is honest and funny,sad and poignant.

The author, Mr. Uzokwe, doesn't speak as an authoritarian or an analyst. He simply tells the story of what he saw, felt and experienced as a child living in a war torn world. This includes some sorrow but also reminds us of the naiveté and life as usual wanderings of a child's mind. (Not unlike the film "Life is Beautiful" depicting a child's experience in Nazi Germany)

I have read the F. Forsythe book and other material on the subject of the Nigerian Civil War. I recommend those earlier works primarily on historical merit. However in my opinion, Surviving In Biafra is the most heart-felt story telling perhaps because the innocence depicted heightens the senselessness of the nearly 2 million lives lost. Although the subject matter is heavy, many passages are funny and endearing. As a non-African reader I found some ideas and practices presented odd and intriguing. The book is about family relations, community responses and how coping affects everyone differently. A variety of cultural norms are revealed and an overall picture of life in a small war torn village is painted quite beautifully. Many words, phrases and saying and songs are translated into the (then Biafran) native language of Ibo, and a variety of photos are included which adds nice documentation.

Anyone interested in peace will benefit from the truth presented in Surviving In Biafra. For those interested in the holocaust or other genocide attempts it is a must read. Likewise, for those interested in affirming the joy of life and the enduring human spirit this reading is a memorable journey.

This book is one of those great sports tales that they make an move of.It is not written just for the fotballfans.If u are just an guy that likes sports this book will be an great read for u.But if you are an Panthers fan or u got an Panthers fan in your family the book is a must.It covers everything that happened that season on the field in the locerroom and of the field.It makes you wanna play football.And it really touches you when you read how strong Sam Mills was to fight cancer be a couch and father at the same time.Man you just got to read it.That is all I got to say to you.Scott Fowler wrote a great book I became an Panthers fan after I read

Tales from the Panthers Sideline is a must-read for Panthers fans! This book is filled with funny and fascinating behind-the-scenes stories, and includes recaps of electrifying Panther moments on the field. I laughed out loud often while reading; and nodded my head and said, "cool", many times... If you have a short attention span, as I do, you'll appreciate that the book is broken up into short stories, so you can skip around without losing continuity.

I got this book for christmas, and it didnt take me long to find out this was my favorite present. After reading just a few stories, I was hooked. I am a HUGE Jake Delhomme fan, and i even have my own website ( www.cajunpride.cjb.net ). And if you love Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith, or any of the fabulous cardiac cats, you'll LOVE this book. Scott Fowler tells some of the funniest stories you'll ever read in here, and tells everything about the Panthers from the very beginning to the Superbowl last year. Every panther fan should have this book, and it's well worth the money.

As a die-hard Panthers fan and Jake Delhomme fan living in Canada, I knew I had to have this book. I wasn't disappointed after reading it in one sitting - I couldn't put it down.

Fowler's writing style is perfect for conversations over beer and wings with other football fans - Fowler shares short bursts of inside information all organized neatly into sections about either your favourite player or historical season through to last year's Superbowl trip... perfect for sharing "did you know" stories with your football buddies, Panther fans or not.

The stories are amusing (three words... Delhomme. Karaoke. Hilarious...), insightful (just who IS Steve Smith), unprecedented (the story behind THAT Rams game) and even humbling (detailing Sam Mills' and Mark Fields' bouts with cancer).

This book is a must-have for Panther fans and fans of any team will enjoy it too. It is a true behind-the-scenes look into the players you've grown to love every Sunday and I highly recommend this book.

When I read Scott Fowler's book, Tales From The
Carolina Panthers Sideline, I felt like I was pacing the sideline with the Panthers. Fowler was able to take me to the sidelines and locker room of this exciting and mercurial
team. I have been a faithful reader of Scott Fowler's columns over the years in The Charlotte Observer newspaper and felt certain my personal time devoted to reading this book would
be time well spent, and it was. I feel as though I now know the players, coaches and owner in a way the average fan wishes they could. The journey through the storied 2003-2004 season which
took the Panthers to an appearance in the Super Bowl has been captured by Scott Fowler in such a way that any Panthers fan will want to relive the ride again and again. And with Tales From The Carolina Panthers Sideline, they can. This is a must have for any football fan -- and especially Panther fans!! Enjoy!!

Stacey Patton writes with the power of a Claude Brown, and her story of her childhood as a ward of the New Jersey foster care system is just as wrenching, and ultimately hopeful, as Manchild in the Promised Land. Ms. Patton has a remarkable gift in being able to step aside of her own brutal treatment and place it in a much larger, historical context -- the legacy of slavery. It is quite brilliant the manner in which she moves the story from the beatings she suffered at the hands of an adoptive mother, who was not poor at all, but the wife of a Christian minister. Whippings, supposedly intended to raise a good child, physically and emotionally scarred Stacey, but they could not destroy her amazing resiliency,spunk and vision. Her escape from a cruel and violent housefold was accomplished despite the bumblings of agents of the State's foster care agency. It is fair to ask how far can the thesis of a link between slavery and the everyday violence of some families and communities be carried. And one can also fairly ask, how can we get this book into the hands of every public servant who has to serve as the last protector and intermediary for children who become wards of the state?

I found it hard to put the book down. Disturbing. Heartwrenching."Makes me want to holler" --- but inspiring!!
I met Stacey when she was 14 and just starting out at The Lawrenceville School. She was our babysitter. My husband is part of her story. I knew her life was challenging but I didn't know the depth until reading her book.
Stacey adds a historical perspective to her story which opens the possibility of great discussions and conversations.
This is an important book. Pass it on..

In slavery times, the master would beat slaves into submission. Their whippings discouraged slaves from running, rebelling and slothful. In turn, slaves beat their own children so the master would not have to. Whippings and beatings are a learned behavior. One that should have ended with slavery, but someone became the punishment of choice for Africian Americans. When Stacey Patton penned her memoir, of her life as the adoptive child of Myrtle and G. Patton in That Mean Old Yesterday, she compared those turbulent eight years to the life of a slave. Stacey was the slave who endured beatings, displacement and abandonment and who eventually runs away from the abusive massa.

At age five, Stacey's short life is changed with just a visit from the social worker. She is informed by the only mother she knows that she is a foster child and she is just a temporary visitor in the only home she knows. She is eventually placed in the adoptive home of Myrtle and G. Patton, a couple who by all appearances are loving people who cannot have their own biological child. With so much love to give they chose Stacey. And they were the perfect family until the adoption was complete. Then, the first slap, then beatings with a belt, extension cord, shoe, hands and fist began by this loving adoptive mother. In Myrtle eyes, this was done in love, after all, it would be better for her to beat Stacey than the police and the Bible says "The blueness of a wound cleans away evil" and "Spare the rod, spoil the child." So for eight years Stacey endured the beatings for simple infractions such as her shoes being crooked in the closet, saying "yep" instead of yes. Until at the age of 13, she could not take it anymore. Rather than sit passively and wait for Myrtle, her massa to beat her to death, Stacey ran.

I sat with my mouth wide open in horror reading Ms Patton's story. Not because of the abuse she suffered, because as a former Child Protective Services worker I had seen it before, but because Ms Patton was so horribly wronged by those who were supposed to protect her. G and other family members knew what was happening and condoned Myrtle's behavior. School teachers and administrators saw the bruises and did not report it; doctors and nurses treated her injuries and did not report them, and the police placed the blame on her and sent her back to her abusers. Through all of this, Ms. Patton had an inner strength and a strong will that could not be broken. When she got tired of the abuse, she ran away and steadfastly refused to return to her adoptive parents' home. Where many would have thought that life ina group home or the system would have been her demise, she excelled in school and sports. She received a full scholarship to a prestigious boarding school, despite the naysayers. She was one of the kids who beat the system. She refused to let the title "Ward of the State of New Jersey" hold her back. She had dreams and she did not let her dreams be deferred.

That Old Mean Yesterday is not an easy read and I would not recommend it to everybody. Those who read the Darkest Child by Delores Phillips, Neecy's Lullaby by Cris Burke, The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, Somebody's Someone by Regina Louise or A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown might be able to relate to this novel. It is hard to believe a child could overcome all the obstacles placed in front of them, but Ms. Patton did and is to be congratulated for her tenacity and accomplishments.

Jeanette
APOOO BookClub

That Mean Old Yesterday is not just another book about child abuse, a difficult childhood, or a woman who has prevailed. It is a phenomenally written book about a remarkable woman; a woman who has defied odds and stereotypes. A woman who has achieved more in her 29 years than most people achieve in a lifetime...and she truly achieved everything with her will, determination, courage and stamina. Stacey Patton also encourages readers to look deeply into our past, our heritage, by entwining chapters of her life with chapters that deal with history: slavery, slave/master association and slave families. This book was difficult to read because of Patton's authentic and realistic accounts, but it was even more difficult to put down for the same reasons. This book will empower anyone who reads it. A must read for Book Discussion Groups! A must read for young adults...a MUST READ for all!

That Mean Old Yesterday, by Stacey Patton, is a wonderfully written, if heart wrenching, memoir of growing up in New Jersey as a African American child given up for adoption and of the sad consequences of very poor oversight on the part of public agencies. Ms. Patton, however, doesn't write for pity - she writes with a passion and a journalist's eye. She also has a thesis that is marvelously woven in regarding slavery and its lasting imprints on the African American family, specifically with regard to corporal punishment. One needn't look past the jacket cover to see that the author obviously overcame adversity that is difficult to comprehend, however well written in That Mean Old Yesterday. Scars may fade but impressions don't. Obviously a talented writer and a very bright young woman, I am hopeful this is just the beginning. But it is her choice, quite obviously, about sharing such thoughts and emotions through her writing. I would very much like to see her expand on her ideas on slavery and its impact on African American culture. If nothing else, her poetry is wonderfully raw and emotional. So is That Mean Old Yesterday. A great book that should be getting more acclaim then it has thus far.

As CEO Coach, Poet and author of a leadership book that helps leaders unleash their genius and the genius of their teams and corporaions, I find Touching Peace to be one of the most profound books I have ever read. In his book he says, "Our true home is in the present moment. To live in the present moment is a miracle. The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green Earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now. Peace is all around us-in the world and in nature-and within us-in our bodies and our spirits. Once we learn to touch this peace, we will be healed and transformed. It is not a matter of faith; it is a matter of practice. We need only to find ways to bring our body and mind back to the present moment so we can touch what is refreshing, healing, and wondrous." This quote is at the foundation of everything I have and will write. Experience this one. Paul David Walker. Unleashing Genius: Leading Yourself, Teams and Corporations

Touching Peace... was one of the first books I read by the author, and I was quite impressed, and have gained a sincere respect and appreciation for Buddhism. Thich Nhat Hanh writes in a simple, uncluttered, informative style that keeps the reader excited about reading the book, while experiencing a state of calm awareness of the present moment. While I don't necessarily believe in everything the author presents, (diet) I can now understand the thought process that goes into such beliefs.

I was looking for Buddhist writings that were down to earth and relevant to modern Western lifestyle. Being Peace and Touching Peace are just that. They are simple, approachable, and meaningful. I was instantly able to apply what I learned and my practice is better for it.

Thich Nhat Hanh is a fantastic writer. When I first developed an interest in Buddhist teachings, I was a little reluctant to pick up a lot of books for fear that they would be 150 pages of obscure metaphores. In Thich Nhat Hanh's case (especially with this book) he brings a sense of friendship to the reader from the first couple of pages. Also, he makes what he's writing about very undrstandable. I don't really read very much at all, but I finished this book the night after I bought it. Excellent in all aspects.

This was a really good read for several reasons. One reason i gave it a 5 is that the authors personality is strong throughout the book, as if he were in the room. This makes for a great read that is more like a friendly chat than anything. Another great part of this book is the emphasis on mindfulness. If you like this part of the book, you may want to check out Jiddu Krishnamurti's works as well. But the best thing i found about this book was the Sangra (or community) building section. Our happiness does depend very much on other people, so living in peace with the people close to you is very important. This book shows how to make the most of each others presence and our lives.