Young Americans Books

I got this book because I loved NINI HERE AND THERE so much. I absolutely love Anita Lobel's illustrations and if I could buy framed prints of the artwork in this book I would. This book is simple and sweet.

This book should become a classic. The illustrations areincredible and echo Van Gogh. I bought it for a child who will be three in November and who is used to imagining what is brought forth by picture. Another child in our family always selected it as the book to be "read" first. As happens with children, they had internalized the book before I had. One day I said as a joke something like "blue shoes on Tuesday" -the reply was "No! No! Red Shoes on Tuesday." Great fun.

As a semi-retired Elementary Librarian, I find very hard to stay out of the Childrens book Dept. of bookstores. This new one by Anita Lobel has all the earmarks of a classic! It is lovely in every way. A must for kids of all ages.

My 18 month old daughter loves this book and I read it to her every night. The book contains 3 small stories. One counts the days of the week with 7 pairs of shoes, the next the months and the final story counts 1-10 with seashore imagery. The three stories are tied together by a striped cat you can watch for on virtually every page. The drawings are beautiful, with lots to look for on each page.

This is a terrific history of the GA Cherokee Indians. I use it in my lower elementary class. It seems to strike just the right chord with the 6,7,8 year olds.

I have read the book Only The Names Remain many many times. I am of Cherokee blood and my roots are from Oklahoma. I was very interested in my history when I was younger and I found this book in my library. It tells so much about what has happened to the Cherokees throughout those tough years. While reading it to my Grandma she pointed out that my Great Great Great Grandfather was a Cherokee Chief and is talked about in the book. In the older versions there is also a black and white drawing of him. Because of this book, I can tell my grandchildren and my children the interesting story of how their grandfather saved President Andrew Jackson's life in a battle before he became president. I'm so glad that a book like this was written to tell both the good and the bad of the Cherokee life. It makes me wish that I could learn more and more about it.

This is a worthy introduction to the Trail of Tears. For students aged 12 and older, a more compelling book is Walking the Trail, One Man's Journey Along the Cherokee Trail of Tears by Cherokee author Jerry Ellis. He was the first person in modern history to walk the 900 mile route and the book, nominated for a Pulitzer and National Book Award, has been in print for 15 years. The author lectures around the globe on the Trail, having presented in Asia, Africa, Europe and throughout the US.

I fully agree with Shannon, this book is a must for anyone wanting to see what was done to Native Americans in the South at the hands of whites and especially Andrew Jackson's policy of destruction of our people. We are trying to trace the family ancestry of a child (my great great grandmother) who was taken from a Trail of Tears family and "adopted" by a white preacher. She may have been saved from the Trail of Tears but not from the dispicable way in which she was treated during her lifetime subsequently. Shannon, I hope you email me!

Going Home

OUR DADDY THEIR FATHER is a poignant tale about shedding family secrets. The story opens on Christmas Day, the day the father of Janice Michelson and her brothers dies, and follows them through the next week as they mourn his loss, come to terms with the past, and heal old wounds. The death of Janice's father is significant because she, her siblings, and his relationship with her mother have been one of his biggest secrets. He was in fact, married to another woman with whom he had another, more legitimate, family life. When the siblings learn of his death, and go to the nursing home to view his body one last time, they are shocked to run into their half-brother and sister, who seem to already have a sense of who they are. Over the next week, we follow the Michelson family as they prepare for the funeral. Each of the children and their mother seem to experience a myriad of varying emotions as they revisit the past, try to make sense of their lives and the relationship that did (and did not) exist with their father, and figure out what role their new found family will play in their lives.

Bonita Young has penned an impressive debut novel about complicated family relationships. Although much of the story is about the death and impending funeral of the main character's father, it also delves deeply into inherently human issues such as our need for love and acceptance, or the fear we face when we make ourselves vulnerable by relinquishing total control. OUR DADDY THEIR FATHER highlights the impact of domestic violence, not only on the direct victim, but on the children and families who share that environment, and even the impact of substance abuse and AIDS on families. The pacing of the story kept me engaged as I got to know Janice intimately and grew to understand her mother and brothers better. OUR DADDY THEIR FATHER is a touching story about love, loss, and forgiveness.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

This book will touch home for a lot of people who are in and have been in a situation like this. This is a very emotional read and the subject matter of this book is very deep! I enjoyed it from the beginning to the end.

I enjoyed "Our Daddy, Their Father" from the moment I began to read. I could definitely relate to various situations in the book that were both comical or sorrowful. Bonita Young's novel gives a fresh perspective on family, the challenges of building relationships, and the importance of communication. It's definitely a must-read.

~Monifa B.

Bonita Young is one of the best new black authors of our time. Her story is compelling and definitely worth reading. If you have ever experienced a dramatic family situation, you can relate to the characters in this book.

Dr. Boyce Watkins - author of "What if George Bush were a Black Man?"

Although the uniforms of the US Army are not my primary interest, I found this book to be an excellent introduction to this subject, albeit a photographic essay. Having several of Shelby Stanton's books on US Army uniforms, I would like to see a similar book on WWI, but as a primer this book has no peer. I recommend it unreservedly.

I too purchased this book from a book club, and a facinating buy it was! Although uniforms of the US Army are not my primary interest, this book covered a subject that I knew little or nothing about; this book changed that emphatically. Although I would have liked to read more on uniform development, especially the evolution from blue to khaki, the book is an excellent source for students of WW I, and I highly recommend it.

I saw this in the military book club for $14.95! A really GOOD collection of photos of the US Army in WW1. I actually learned some new things from the captions. The BEST book of WW1 photos I have seen in many years. Would also be good for a novice

This book is part of the G. I. series of short illustrated studies covering a period or a series of campaigns. All of these books are vertical studies covering a period of years. Though sometimes the illustrations serve to identify individual items of equipment, these works are not intended for that purpose. They are not catalogs intended for materiel collectors. They are of such a length and of such a level of detail that they will serve the purposes of the general reader with a curiousity about what grandaddy did in WW II or great great great grandaddy in the Civil War and what he looked like and how he lived. This is not to say that the specialist such as myself cannot find useful nuggets herein. I can. I use these for general surveys of periods I do not study in detail, such as the Civil War, and the War With Mexico, etc. And to look up the odd facts. I have yet to be disappointed with any of them.

I really liked this story, well written, for every age to enjoy.

Students of American History will find the researched tales here chock-full with true stories of how women made a difference in the struggle for independence. Great way to involve those who think the history of war is only about the 'boys, blood or battles'.

There were many brave women who fought in the American Revolution, and Patriots In Petticoats profiles some of them ranging from Martha Bell (who spied on the British), to former slave Phyllis Wheatley who wrote passionate inspirational revolutionary words. Twenty-four heroic women are profiled in this exciting coverage.

Forgotten in the dust of history are the women who fought, who financed and who fanned the flames of war and independence but were forgotten in the male-dominated history books. Reading level is about fourth grade, great graphics, text is engaging and stories are short. Although the text is somewhat "bloodless" this title is bound to get some readers excited about finding out more about these ladies.

Story catches your imagination with wonderful illustrations and even better narration by Robin Williams. Fun and enjoyable for the whole family, would recommend to anyone interested in reading/hearing a good story.

Story catches your imagination with wonderful illustrations and even better narration by Robin Williams. Fun and enjoyable for the whole family, would recommend to anyone interested in reading/hearing a good story.

Robin Williams does a great job of storytelling. This is truely whole family entertainment. Kids will definately sit still for this one, and adults will find it wonderfully funny. Robin Williams infuses the reading with his tremendous energy, wit, and love of adventure. The illustrations in the book are humorous and kids will laugh when they see them. Adults should be aware that there is one picture where Pecos Bill is nude, but it is not full nudity and it is only one picture. All in all I think this, like all Rabbit Ears Productions, is wonderful. I would especially recommend it for anybody who is looking for a great way to keep the kids entertained while they are in the car.

The photo and barcode for this video are actually for a
RARE CBS PLAYHOUSE presentation from 1988 starring
STEVE GUTTENBERG and my very favorite actress, the beautiful
and very talented REBECCA DE MORNAY; Roy Rogers & Co. are
great, but they had NOTHING AT ALL to do with this video:

so, whoever it was at AMAZON.COM who put these details in
this listing are simply mistaken: this is a great, rare
OOP VIDEO, but as of this writing, the details are wrong:

this one features MARTIN MULL, STEVE GUTTENBERG, AND my favorite actress REBECCA DE MORNAY ( see her in CANNON TALES
BEAUTY & THE BEAST, RUNAWAY TRAIN, BY THE DAWNS EARLY LIGHT
and her most famous performance as the evil nanny in
THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE -- thats what I just love
about Ms. De Mornay: you never know what you're going to
get: she has such a fantastic range & versatility: she can
be the most wonderful heroine you would just die for, or
the most vicious, cold-blooded villian you want to kill!!
Terrific Actress, at this time, in my opinion, there is no
better Actress in Hollywood!!

I bought this book about 20 years ago - It was a favorite of my then young children. TO this day, my daughter, son and I remember the great stories and pictures. They are now 24 and 26 years old. I have given this book for a gift as well. You can't beat this one!

"The People Could Fly" has it's roots in Angollah and the "Gullah" people. It is beautifully illustrated and written. The colors only enhance the beauty of the original black and white drawings. This book will spark a child's interest in African American history and mythology.

The death of author Virginia Hamilton in 2002 was a blow to the world of children's literature, no question. Hamilton was an extraordinary writer, creating complex fantastical books for children that seamlessly integrated contemporary interesting situations with aspects of African-American culture. Heck, one of the first ways I learned about the Underground Railroad was through her "House of Dies Drear". I hadn't read her collection of black folktales entitled "The People Could Fly" though I intended to. I was a little confused, therefore, when a brand spanking new "The People Could Fly" was published in 2004. I soon learned, though, that the book had taken one of the stories from the original collection, in a beautiful retelling of the amazing title story. This is a book that is beautiful to look at and a joy to read and reread.

For you see, they say the people could fly. Long ago in Africa there lived people who had beautiful bright black wings and who could soar in the sky. When they were captured by white slavers, the people shed their wings in the tight confines of the slave ships and forgot how to soar. They were sent to work in the field under the whips of the "masters" and overseers. One day, a woman and her babe were suffering too much to go on much longer. With the ancient words of the old man Toby, the woman and the babe remember how to fly and soared away from the farm. The story recounts how the people who knew how to fly learned to do so again with the help of old Toby and how the slaves who did not know how to fly watched them escape and retold the story to their children just as this book tells it to you.

It's a lovely story, all the lovelier due to the illustrations of Leo and Diane Dillon. The Dillons have illustrated the covers and books of Ms. Hamilton for years, so it is not surprising that they should do so again here. I've always been a huge fan of the Dillons, and this latest effort of theirs is as beautiful as anyone could hope. Even its endpapers are gorgeous, all matt black with shimmery feathers floating down the pages. What "The People Could Fly" does best is introduce children to the concept of slavery within the context of a folktale. Through this story kids understand the horrors of enslavement, rejoice in the escape of some, and understand that most slaves remained trapped and unable to fly. What really set this book apart for me, though, was the use of Editor and Author's Notes. Some great picture books (such as "Ellington Was Not a Street") are beautiful and interesting but never set their story within any context and leave you feeling very confused. "The People Could Fly", on the other hand, tells you everything you need to know about Hamilton, the origins of this tale, the various interpretations of flight (and how you can find a similar idea in Toni Morrison's excellent "Song of Solomon"), and the degradation of slavery.

All intelligent dialogue aside, this book is just a great read to kids. It'll capture their attention with the beautiful pictures, and the words will give them the additional thrill of wondering what it would be like to fly with wings. It's written with slightly older children in mind. Those kids who still like picture books but may want something a little more sophisticated than your average "Horton Hears a Who". With all the folktales out there, it's sometimes difficult to find African-American tales that aren't ALL based on Brer Rabbit. Fortunately, we now have this story to read to all the children we can find. This is a gorgeous addition to any collection and should be adored for as long as it exists.

The story, prose, and illustrations of this book are beautiful and timeless.

We checked this book out from the library and it became an immediate favorite--we didn't want to give it back! I'm buying my own copy for our collection.

How sad I was to go to my local bookstore and discover Spier's "Christmas" book is out of print. My children are grown and still talk about his books. There is a lightness and positive energy in his books that any child in any generation can relate to. The lack of words allows anyone to use their own memories and imagination to create the story. I had planned to start buying these for my grandchildren. Favorites are "Christmas" and "Bored - nothing to do."
How do we get these published again?

My children are growing up with Spier just as I did. The youngest love to look at the pictures and hear me tell about them. Older children love to make up the story as it progresses. Great tool for promoting imagination.

This is too delightful a book to be out of print!

Mr. Speir again showcases his talent for detail in this charming, word-free picture book about Christmas. The story is linear, have a starting point and logical ending point, but many of the images in between could easily be shuffled about with no detriment to the overall book.

What we have here are snatches of personal memory, vignettes of both public and hidden moments, perhaps even just a glance that catches a simple image from a childhood Christmas past, all faithfully recorded in the mind's eye and replayed with each new Christmas season for years and years. I was struck by how carefully Mr. Speir was able to capture these images for us, all of which we instantly recognize in a sort of collective unconscious, or universal memory.

The ornaments packed away in the attic, the hectic shopping at grocery stores and shopping malls, hanging a wreath, standing outside in the quiet dusk to admire the Christmas lights and the tree in the window, a packed church service, carolers, bringing small gifts and a visit to the elderly nieghbors, the cat sitting by the electric candle on the window sill and looking out at the world, the silent night, the magic of Christmas Morning, the presents, the dinner, the relatives, the phone calls to old friends and family seperated by distance, the quiet moment by the fire at the end of the day.

Everything, absolutely everything is here, lovingly detailed by Mr. Speir's ink pen.

This is the perfect Christmas, with no fighting, no stress, no phony commercialism, no bickering children or adults. Like memory, Mr. Speir wisely highlights the good, the pleasant, the golden, the loving, and the ideal rememberances of Christmas.

A rare and wonderful achievement, and a Christmas book to be treasured.

You don't have to be a child to revel in Peter Spier's beautiful full-color art (and at age 55 I can speak from personal experience). Here he tells the story of a typical American Christmas season with never a printed word, beginning on December 13 and going on the following January 4. A family of five (plus dog and cat) shop the bedizened mall, make decorations, address and send out Christmas cards, choose and trim their tree, shop for and prepare their holiday feast, go to church, open their presents, and welcome grandparents for Christmas dinner. Nor does the artist fail to show the post-holiday chores--taking down the trims, vacuuming shed needles off the carpet, returning gifts and putting the denuded tree out on the curb. From the hectic (the mall scenes) to the beautiful (the family standing outside its own house to inspect the effect of the decorations, a streetscape showing neighboring homes including two that aren't decorated at all), the fun (a mass snowball fight) to the contemplative (Mom and Dad sitting before the fire on Christmas night after the grandparents have gone home and the kids are in bed) to the mischievous (the family cat tearing a piece of meat off the turkey carcass as it sits on the kitchen counter), it's all here. Spier's Christmas is a season of love and joy and peace, as we're told Christmas should be. This book should be tradition in every home that celebrates it.

We set this book out with all the other Christmas decorations every year. It's a tradition. Even the older ones in the family enjoy the book without words. The beautiful illustrations take you through a journey of a family's Christmas season. If you love Christmas, you must have it.

My 7 year old really liked this, and more generally this whole Landmark series is very good for young readers. Vocabulary and sentence structure are age appropriate. Content is good solid history. As opposed to much of the stuff for this age which is "silly" reading, this series lets them learn something while improving their reading skills.

This work, for the young reader, is an excellent additon to one of the best series for young people over the past fifty years. This is the story of the Wright Brothers, from their early childhood through the time of their invention of the "flying machine." It does stress the influence their parents, particularly their mother, had upon them. It is simply written and very direct. The story is quite easy to follow and gives the young reader a very good insight to the minds and work ethic these brothers had. It is an excellent introduction to the subject of flight. Overall the book is quite inspirational. I can remember reading it as a child (mid-fifties) and am quite gratified to see my grandsons read it today. Recommend quite highly.

This book was easy to read and helped me gain an understanding of the Wright brothers and the influence their mother had on their lives as well as their accomplishments and what drove them to invent, and invent, and invent! Not only did it provide a good review of their acccomplishments, but it also provided inspiration to my 11 year old daughter. These men had a can do attitude and never gave up. I recommend this book for anyone who wants knowlege of the Wright brothers, and inspiration to always keep trying.

A book that truly describes what happened to the Wright Brothers. It tells of how they went from almost nothing to building arplanes. It tells how they worked to build the airplane, and always wanted to build one. Recomended for anyone who wants to know more about Orville Wright and Wilbur, and wants to read a good book

At the same time that many African-Americans were suffering in slavery in the United States, countless Cubans were enduring a similar fate in their own country. Juan Francisco Manzano was born into a family of Cuban slaves in 1797. He served two mistresses (the second of whom was self-centered, cruel, and vindictive) until he escaped as a teenager. Even as a young boy, Juan possessed an amazing gift for remembering and reciting poetry, which propelled him into the performing spotlight under his first mistress Doña Beatriz. When his first mistress died and he became subject to the mentally unstable La Marquesa de Prado Ameno, his incredible talent for verse as well as his passion for life, learning, and self-expression became both a curse and an escape for Juan. He clung to the poems he had internalized as well as his own creations as he endured confinement and torturous abuse as a slave.

Margarita Engle, winner of the Pura Belpré Award and the Junior Library Guild Selection Editor's Choice for The Poet Slave of Cuba, recounts the heartrending biography of Juan's childhood and teenage years as a slave. Respectfully echoing Juan Manzano's poetic voice by writing in verse herself, Engle chronicles Juan's story through multiple voices. Even with the conciseness that poetry demands, Margarita Engle captures the individual personalities of the various characters of this story--Juan, Maria del Pilar (Juan's mother), Toribio (Juan's father), Doña Beatriz (his first mistress), La Marquesa de Prado Ameno (his second mistress), Don Nicolas (La Marquesa's son), and the Overseer. Engle illuminates Juan's passion for knowledge, his quiet patience, as well as his ferocious tenacity. She underscores the icy, cruel selfishness of La Marquesa De Prado Ameno. Maria del Pilar's steadfast compassion spills out of the voice Engle pens for her. Even the Overseer's internal torment over being the instrument of torture for La Marquesa seeps through his limited lines.

As a Cuban-American author with a background in botany and agronomy, Margarita Engle not only tells an inspirational story of suffering and survival, but she also grafts in glimpses of the island setting, the agriculture backdrop, and the cultural hierarchy of nineteenth century Cuba. Sean Qualls' intermittent illustrations in shades of black, grey, and white create an effective spotlight for scenes in Engle's verse.

Although Engle describes Juan's cruel punishment, this book would be completely suitable for middle- or high school age students. In fact, Engle's book contains very little blood, gore, or overly-explicit material. It is the brutality, mercilessness, and inhumanity of the slaves' punishments that disturb the readers' unaccustomed minds. Engle's book does not gloss over the inhumane treatment of Cuban slaves in the 19th century, yet it provides a story of hope and transcending harsh realities.

You learn about the life of this child and experience his triumph over adversity. The book makes you want to read the child's original words even though they are in Spanish.

How would you feel if your former master, who had loved you and cared for you like you were her own child, had said that once she died, you and your family would be free. Happy, right? Well what if no one paid any attention and you were sold to another master who punishes you for crimes you didn't commit?
That is the dilemma Juan Fransisco Manzano faces when his former owner, who took him to parties and had him wow her guest with his uncanny ability to recite poems and verses from the bible. At his baptism, Dona Beatriz, his former owner, declares that once she dies, he and his family will be free, for the price of 300 pesos, and any new-born babies will be born free. But once Dona Beatriz dies, Juan's family discovers they don't have enough money to buy Juan's freedom. So he is sold to La Marquesa De Prado Amendo, whose son, Don Nicolas, takes a liking to Juan, and befriends him. But La Marquesa frequently and brutally punishes Juan for sneaking peaks at her books. But she is grateful enough to let Juan watch her sons take art classes, and Don Nicholas gives Juan some parchment and a stub of crayon to draw with. Eventually, Don Nicholas helps give Juan the courage to run away, and Juan flees in search of his mother.
In really enjoyed this book for three reasons: the poetry, the character development, and the Spanish vocabulary sprinkled into the text.
The first reason I liked this book was in was written in free verse poetry form. This made the book very quick and easy to read, which made me like it more. It was also very unique, and was very well done.
The second reason I liked this book was the character development, mainly Juan. He grows up a lot in the book, from age eleven to age sixteen. But he also develops, by not abiding to La Marquesa's rules or caring about the consequences. He also learns that he doesn't need to keep sneakily buying pen and paper using the money he receives at parties. He can just store all the knowledge in his head.
And finally, I enjoyed the Spanish vocabulary sprinkled in. I take Spanish class on B days and found that the Spanish words were very useful. I also like how the author used in text definitions to explain to you what the word was.
In conclusion, I thought this was a fabulous book and would recommend it to someone looking for either a book written in poetry of a book with Spanish sprinkled into the text.

C. Davidson

The verse novel is a tricky fickle thing. Though no one to the best of my knowledge has ever put down the rules that govern the creation of a verse novel, there are always a couple unwritten understandings. No verse novel should tell its tale through poetry when it would make more sense to tell it through prose. Also, just breaking up a bunch of sentences into lines doesn't mean you're writing poetry or anything. The ideal verse novel is one where it makes sense to write a story through poetry AND just happens to have an ear for beautiful language. Such is the case with Margaraita's, "The Poet Slave of Cuba". In the book it says that, "The life of Juan Francisco Manzano haunted her for years before she finally realized that to do justice to the Poet Slave's story, she needed to write it in verse". The result is an achingly beautiful and horrific story that deserves to be read by teens everywhere.

Born a slave in Cuba in 1797, Juan Francisco Manzano grew up the toast of his owner Dona Beatriz. His ability to memorize speeches, plays, and words of all sorts made him a kind of sought over pet to the Spanish aristocracy. Though she promised to grant him his freedom when she died and she allowed both his parents to buy their freedom, Juan Francisco remained a slave after Dona Beatriz's death and was handed over to the dangerously psychotic Marquesa de Prado Ameno. The Marquesa resents Juan from the moment he is put into her possession and every attempt he makes at reading or writing is put down with shocking violence. A biography told in poems, this book shows the worst of slavery's cruelties and the sheer will it takes to not only survive under such conditions but escape.

The text in the book alternates between different points of view on almost every page. In a sense, the villains have just as much of a say as the heroes. Juan, for his part, sometimes will have three pages in a row of thoughts, each with its own separate poem. Alongside this format are illustrations by Sean Qualls. Qualls has a style that usually doesn't do much for me. In this case, however, he's the perfect complement to Engle's tale. The white aristocracy with their blank eyes and sharp pointed teeth are positively horrific. These images magnify the storyline. Here, for example, are two ladders that lead suggestively against a wall. Now a shiny coin. Now a butterfly. They are rough unfinished drawings that show far better Juan's situation than any polished colored print could ever convey.

At first I was a little perturbed that for all the book's poetry and loveliness, I couldn't find any actual poetry by the real Juan Francisco Manzano. Then I reached the end of the title and in the back found that author Margarita Engle not only offers us a biography of the true Juan Francisco, but reprints his bibliographic details as well.

Now, there is a debate surrounding this book. It is not a debate that questions whether the story is told well or whether or not Engle gets her point across to the reader. It's more a question of audience. Though published by Henry Holt, Inc's young reader division, and not a specific teen imprint, there is little doubt in my mind that this is not exactly kiddie fare. It's repeatedly violent, often to extremes. There is more bloodshed, torture, screams, and pain in this book than you'll find in most children's literature. To put it plainly, this is the "Beloved", of kiddie lit. Which, when you think about it, doesn't make it very kid-friendly at all. Teens, on the other hand, will find much to appreciate here. Juan Francisco spends much of this book as a teen, after all. His thoughts and actions are not those of a young boy, but rather a man trapped in an untenable situation. As such, I'd steer this book clear of the shorter set and aim towards kids with some maturity.

You read about the main character's pain, and to some extent a kind of apathy has to take place or the story's too difficult to bear. As a reader, you actually find yourself wondering how a person could live under such grueling conditions without a hope of a reprieve and still want to live. And there is a moment in the book when someone says that good always triumphs over evil. That it is amazing that the devil even tries. Words like these and phrases of this sort have been turning about in my brain ever since I put, "The Poet Slave of Cuba" down. Engle's text has a kind of staying power that wordsmiths everywhere should envy. Envy and admire.

I guess I should point out that while, "The Poet Slave of Cuba" is well-written, smart, and beautiful, it is not a pleasant book to read. Teens who pick up this book should be informed right off the bat as to what the book consists of. Just the same, it's definitely one of the more honest treatises on slavery I've ever had the chance to read. Engle does a magnificent job with her subject. She does the man's memory proud.