People Books

I just saw "Amazing Grace" about William Wilberforce
and the ending of the British slave trade. There is little doubt that the Ricky Braithwaite who is a relatively young black teacher in England
is the breeding product of such slaves used by sugar planters
in British colonies. In arriving at their destination a large percentage died in the crossing. An even larger number usually died each year as
a result of over work and underfeeding. Genetically this actually tended to make the black slaves superior to their white masters in many ways.
Survival makes very good people.
But the question is not if Braitwaite was as good teacher a teacher as
he is a writer, but have conditions improved since 1959 when he first published this. From hearing about the life of Amy Winehouse who is a very popular British singer, one tends to think they may have actually gotten worse in London's East End, not better?
So for all the popularity of the book and movie of this book,
not a lot of attention was really paid to his lessons in understanding
and care for the poor and hard pressed of all races.
Amy Winehouse was expelled by a Weston type for being independent and different. Progressive education has been replaced with regimentation and discipline. Braitwaite made the point that music, even classical music, got through to these children, but in California we spend money on contact football instead? In California E. R. Braitwaite wouldn't be allowed to teach in an high school. He doesn't have a recognized teaching credential.

During my school days, we had an extract from this book as one of the lessons in our English subject. The lesson was named "In the Grip of Prejudice". After reading the lesson, I just wanted to read the whole book. ER Braithwaite has handled a touchy subject aesthetically.

Highly recommended! :-)

A very enjoyable book. Braithwaite tells an inspirational story about both teaching kids but also overcoming prejudice as a black man in post WWII England. I'm a new teacher and hope to develop the type of relationship he had with his students with mine some day.

When Mr. Braithwaite took the job as a teacher, he never expected his students to be barbaric savages. Though tempting, Mr. Braithwaite didn't give up, teaching the teenage rebels to call him "Sir" and treat him and others with self-respect. With hard work and dedication, he turned this class of deliquents into a class of young men and women with class.

This book is thoroughly motivating. It is a story that is unforgettable and one to look to for inspiration. This book is a definite must read!

I remember having read an extract of "To Sir with Love" during my school days and have been wanting to read it ever since. Unfortunately I never got around to doing so for quite a while. Recently while browsing in a bookshop, my eyes fell on the book and I decided to pick it up.

The book is an extremely inspiring autobiography which chronicles the life of a 'coloured' teacher in a particularly rowdy neighbourhood of London.

Written in an extremely touching, charming (and ocassionally witty) style, the author talks about how he has to deal with racial sterotypes. It is uphill all the way for Braithwaite as he counters the cynicism of his impressionable students and, ocassionally, that of his colleagues also. Slowly, he wins over the minds (and in the case of Pamela Dare, heart) of his students as he tries to wipe clean their minds of prejudices (racial or otherwise).

The book was also filmed starring the ever-charming Sidney Poitier in the lead role. See the movie after reading the book.

This is a very informative book. It certainly shed light on a shameful slice of American history.

This is history book in the purest sense of what a history book should be yet this book is much more than a history of American Violence against African Americans, it's a history of how civilization can be repressive and savage despite it's seemingly enlightened ideology. Philip Dray doesn't hold back in painful details of lynching, the dynamics and psychology behind the mob mentality, and how people actively seek to uphold an illusion of law and order from the bigoted vigilantes to the unsympathetic courts. Collectively we have tried and still continue to try to supress the history of slavery and the bloody history subsequent racial violence. This book needs to be required reading in our schools as a counter to other so-called history texts admonishing certain fathers of the nation.

Dray's account, while often disturbing reading, is an essential for anyone who seeks to understand the lynching phenomenon in the United States. Scholarly, but accessible, the history's gruesome recountings of lynchings are balanced by the tales of those individuals and organizations that fought, often at great personal peril, to bring an end to this national disgrace. This meticulously researched volume is recommended for the professional as well as the lay historian. It is a cautionary tale, but ultimately one not without hope.

This book was not only shipped within 2 days but in new condition. The book itself is very informative about other things than lynching. It talks about various people related to the anti-lynching movement tons of other things. I'm currently using this as a text book for a college class. This is a great teaching resource! Buy the book, you won't forget it!

Quite possibly the best, most well-researched book I've ever read. A smooth read, impeccable use of historical sources, and a clear narrative account of the most tragic era in American history. For scholars who research or teach in the area of social control, legal, and extra-legal punishment, you *cannot* have a full grasp of the topic unless you read Dray's work. A fine work of history...the author is to be commended.

loved this book. my son is also bi-racial. i was born in 1956 and could really relate and re-read the book with my son. he never experienced most of the things in the book so it was an incredible sharing and bonding experience for us and it opened a whole new dialogue with his dad who's family originated in north carolina. great read for all parents and children. truly enlightening

This is such a good book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It reminds me of so many strong women I know who raised their kids to the best of their ability regardless of their circumstances.

WOW! In addition to being a tribute to his mother, James McBride allows us to peek inside his incredible family history, his upbringing, and wrenching emotional conundrums. His extremely well-written and insightful book is a treasure trove of information. Words cannot express the positive impact that his story has had on me. The love of the parents for each other and the major contributions of both of the fathers was exceptional. When I got to the part about James's mother (who had hundreds of reasons to give up many times in her life) was enrolling in college, at age 65, to help others, I had to pause and send everyone involved a congratulatory mental-telepathy message of appreciation for all of their hard work, tenacity, abilities, and compassion for each other and the folks in their communities. I was delighted with the eventual world travels (of Mommy), huge family celebrations, and across-the-board positive - and extremely well deserved - outcomes for each of the 12 siblings. It's enough to encourage and uplift an entire nation, if not planet. Stunning!

Some reviews here say it all. This is indeed a remarkable biography/autobiography, so I would only add my praise for such a loving, touching homage to a very special lady and her remarkable family. I loved the forthright descriptions of this numerous mixed-race family and was touched by Mrs. McBride Jordan's personal tale, kept inside for so long. Her buried past and the author's own reminiscences entwine flawlessly, making this an emotion-stirring book. By writing it, James McBride is finally able to piece together his own past and that of his mother, thus quenching his desire to learn more about his origins.

The difference with the original edition is an interesting Afterword, summarizing the 10 years since its first publication (1996) and the impact its success had on the author himself, his family and, above all, his mother. I shall not disclose anything here, but it is worth to look into.

I truly think this is a standout among the various memoirs I have read so far, an inspiring and remarkable contribution to race-related literature.

This was the second copy of this book I purchased after the first disappeared into circulation among my friends. A timeless story interstingly structured and skillfully told. A worthwhile read.

wonderful book.informative.makes good late night reading.i love reading about local gangsters/crimes.what an era!and this author really dug out the details.

If there's a bible to crime, this is it. There are hundreds of books out there that deal with Depression Era crime. You can buy them all and plow through them for information, but seldom know how accurate that information is. On the other hand, you can get this one volume and have it all at your fingertips. Researched in detail and written with a light finger, this well-laid out book is easy to read. You get the dates, times, details, photos and personnel that made America's Golden Age of Crime what it was. Get it; read it; refer to it. It's a winner on all levels.

Not much can be added to previous reviews. This updated edition has given my earlier dog-eared copy a rest. For anyone who does any kind of Prohibition era crime research, this book is a must have by two of the masters in this field. The most complete compendium of crime information from that period available today. Whether you research or just enjoy reading about crime, this book is tops.

Respected authors William Helmer and Rick Mattix have provided us with a reference book of nearly 900 pages relating to "the gangster and outlaw era: 1920--1940." The book is divided into seven sections dealing with all facets of crime during this turbulent era. Parts of this book can be read like any other book while criminal incidents from various years are listed chronologically. I feel this part of the book can be best used as a reference. The book contains numerous photos, several of which I have never seen before. The big shots of both Chicago and New York are all here as are the depression-era desperadoes. Depending on your interest level you may feel you are being told more than you care to know. However, as I said, much of this book can be used as a useful reference book to your crime library. If you do have such a library this book would be a worthy addition. Co-author Rick Mattix has reviewed numerous crime books on Amazon, and his opinion carries considerable weight with me in whether or not I decide to purchase a book.

This is a must have referance/gangster/outlaw book. If this subject or even this era of history intrests you at all this book is a goldmine.

My 10 year old daughter and I read this together and we both loved it. The author does a wonderful job of creating the real feelings of a 8-9 year old girl and demonstrates how a young girl slowly learns to trust herself in doing what is right, even though it is scary. The 1920's South Carolina setting is wonderfully created. This would be a perfect read aloud book to a class of fourth or fifth graders.

I really enjoyed this book about a 9 year old girl and her family. Dary Carmichael is a 10 year old girl growin up in Marlboro County, SC, with Evette her black friend, her ma , hre pa, Aunt geer, hr brother Mcall and her friend Beth. it is about when Little Darby desides to be a news-paper girl and publisies a story in the local news-paper about toads, after that great report, she writes about her great Uncle Henry bein' blind, next she writes a story that gets the Ku Klux Klan all active again. Darby writes a story that showed at that time that kids were smarter then the grown-ups, will peace ever restore it's slef in Marlboro County? read this faboulus book and find out. I reccommend this book to people who like hisory and reading about the civil war, for the ages of 9,10, 11,12 ,13 year-olds.

Since I am not a child it is great to read a book from a child's view. Darby Carmichael is a wonderful character in this book. The base of the story is something every child needs to learn about. So as a teacher it could be used as a history lesson. This is a must have, must read book!

When young Darby Carmichael writes a controversial article about race relations (as seen through a child's eyes), the citizens of Marlboro County, South Carolina, reel. It is 1926, and the KKK is very active in the South. A black boy has been killed by a white man, and Darby's innocent voice fuels tensions.

All Darby wanted was to tell the truth, and her best friend, Evette, helped edit the rough draft. Evette lives with her family in a tenant house on the Carmichaels' farm, but Darby isn't bothered by Evette's skin color. They just want to be friends and newspaper girls, but now their families have been threatened by angry Klansmen.

Fuqua eloquently shares Darby's perspective in an inspired story. Aside from the larger issues of race and morality, he addresses friendship and loyalty. Autumnal Marlboro County and the frightening situation are beautifully rendered through Darby's senses and emotions.

The events and views portrayed in this novel are thought provoking for children and adults alike. I highly recommend DARBY for individual or classroom reading.

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
12/11/2006

I loved the book it was such a good book to read during black history month. It is about a young girl named Darby and her friend Evert. Darby's friend is an Afican Amercian girl. A young boy is also beaten to death by Mr. Dunns. Darby becomes a newpaper girl and wrires her own story's. She is very hurt when she has her birthday party and Beth her other friend bosses Evert around and tells her to do everything.

I read this book when I was about 10. I had remembered the premise of it, but not the name or author. A book club leader brought me a review of it and asked it this was the book I remembered. I ordered it and when I read it 60 years later, I don't know how A librarian let me check this book. I can't have understood much of it!! I am glad I got to read it again and I don't know why this stayed in my memory so long.

For some years I was familiar with the name Philip Wylie as one of the authors of the disaster story "When Worlds Collide". I was also surprised to find that one of his books ("The Gladiator") influenced the creation of the hero Superman. "The Disappearance" (1951) is the first book I've read by Wylie.

In the introduction to this edition of "The Disappearance" Robert Silverberg thought it more appropriate to regard this book as fantasy rather than science fiction. Bizarre happenings in science fiction stories are usually "explained" and rationalised in an effort to achieve plausibility. The mysterious phenomenon that occurs here - the world suddenly splitting into two realities where men and women exist separately - is never actually explained, although characters in the story try to attribute it to things like mass hallucination or divine intervention.

From two perspectives, male and female, we see how events unfold following the disappearance of the opposite sex, and the way it has affected society in either world. The basic message is that one can't live without the other. The all-male society slides into violence and aggression, atomic weapons devastate certain cities, and martial law is declared. The all-female society is little better off, because most of the women lack such practical skills for things that were once (in the 1950s at least) considered "mens work". Anything technical or scientific was outside the women's experience, considered too rough or complicated for their abilities. Gradually though, the women adapt and attempt to live off the land despite such crises as lawlessness, disease and starvation.

"The Disappearance" is an entertaining story, and quite philosophical (which is appropriate since one of the main characters is a philosopher). For anyone who enjoyed this book I also recommend John Wyndham's novella "Consider Her Ways" (1956). In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Wyndham had read "The Disappearance" because the premise is quite similar: a regimented all-female society in the future where men have been rendered extinct by a virus. In Wyndham's scenario women are coping quite well on their own and believe they're far better off without men. They also found a way to reproduce without needing a man. One character argues that in a two-sexed society women were conditioned to be unthinking consumers and parasites, that it suited commerce to trick women into embracing a life of slavery and serving the household. The bait used to entice women into this trap was called "Romance". Philip Wylie discusses these issues and others in more detail in his own work.

Although society has changed a lot since "The Disappearance" was first published in the 1950s it is still very readable. I've heard some feminists say that even now, in the early twenty-first century, women still lack equality in a world that is still considered male-dominated. Whatever the case may be, "The Disappearance" is a book that deserves to be read.

One of the most remarkable novels ever written, The Disappearance must have caused a sensation in 1951 when it first appeared. I won't belabor the plot, because others have already recounted it. But its frank analysis of the way in which our society separates men and women, teaches children to be ashamed of their bodies, teaches men and women NOT to fulfill their potentials and destinies but to fill the paths set down by our narrowminded forebears, is every bit as poignant today as it was then.

Wylie's two protagonists -- Bill Gaunt the philosopher and is wife Paula -- a PhD in languages -- are three-dimensional and fascinating. His assessment of the world of men without women disintegrating into lawlessness is frighteningly real. His world of women discovering that very few of their number have been trained in the rudiments of running the society is sobering. And although women have come a long way in that respect since 1951, the glass ceiling still exists. The perception of the "role" of women or men in a particular situation hasn't gone away.

The whole story is told with insight and a wicked sense of humor. Just look at his picture of the wives of the government officials trying to run the government of women. Unfortunately, politicians do not always choose wives for their intelligence but for a host of other attributes and skills that do not help them to cope with the catastrophe. And the showdown between the American and Soviet women will leave you breathless and laughing.

To me, the best example of the way Wylie chose to tell this story is Chapter 13, which does not further the plot at all. Bill Gaunt is asked by the President and a committee of scientists and other thinkers to prepare an essay assessing what it all means. Chapter 13 is that essay. Even the title of the chapter lets impatient readers know that if they skip it, they will lose none of the sense of the story. DON"T SKIP IT!!

Not for the faint of heart, but DEFINITELY for the inquiring mind. Those of us who have already read this one (several times) are pleased it is back in print so we can replace the lop-eared copies we have been reading for years.

Note to Hollywood: Wouldn't this make a fascinating subject for a movie? Probably not. Its subtleties and interweaving of plots and events would go beyond Hollywood's ability to translate it without succumbing to the temptation to mess with it. So I guess we'll just have to read it again.

One cautionary note: Be aware that the novel does have one bit of baggage that is left over from the time it was written. Its Cold War politics may seem out of place today, but it carries the story forward. Aside from that small anachronism (from our point of view), the novel could have been written yesterday.

If you've never heard of this one, give it a chance. You'll be as amazed as I was.

There's good reason this book is out of print. Wylie's story, THE DISAPPEARANCE, doesn't stand the test of time. Back in the '50's this startling plot certainly impressed the reader-no more. Now we expect some plausible, physical or psychic explanation for this split world phenomena. In fact, Wylie's principle character, Bill Gaunt, spent four year searching for an answer but could only come up with psychological mumbo jumbo.

In fact, contrary to the premise of this story-that the two sexes lack appreciation for each other-the battle of the sexes, for many, could be the only factor that keeps life interesting enough to live. Wylie's disdain for homosexuality is now as antiquated as slave ownership.

Whatever putty holds the material world together came unglued for four years while the males and females found themselves on two ships at sea, never passing. The happy ending, the reuniting of the sexes, was a pure and simple cop out. The reader expects some plausible explanation but never gets it. Perhaps Wylie brewed up a fine stew here but provides nothing to sharpen your intellectual teeth on.

Having just finished the book, I can heartily recommend it for its prescience and message. The ending is especially fitting and uplifting. Despite its somewhat anachronistic style and vocabulary, "The Disappearance" is a must-read for feminists and misogynists everywhere.

I enjoyed this book so much that I read it twice,
then a year later, read it again!!---FANTASTIC!!
It captures the times, the people, places and things that
made Sylvester, San Francisco, that music and that era
such a golden & magical time!
I love the stories of the young Sylvester growing up in
South Central L.A. in the 50's and 60's, FLAMING THE CHILDREN!!
Giving them fabulousness and outrageousness at every turn,
from his soul-stirring falsetto rendition of the black gospel
classic "Never Grow Old", to off-the-charts outfits that
must've stopped traffic in the hood big time! (LOL!!)
It was evident to all that knew him even then, that this
pretty black child with the high voice was way different
and way way special!! (-:

Some didn't know how to take Sylvester or even know what to
do with him, yet he pressed on!---Carving out his own space
within the harsh realities of ghetto life as best he could.
Sylvester was a true pioneer in every way!
He didn't see race, gender, the expectations of others,
the taunts of hateful & ignorant people, etc.,
as obstacles or boundaries he needed to respected.
He was a true original!--Uncut, undiluted, young, black,
gay, gifted, stylish, full of charm and ambition,
with the soul of a torch singer or a blues shouter
infused by a rock-n-roll rebel spirit and soul singer's chops!
What a combination!
I myself can attest to Sylvester's impact, as both a fan
and as young gay black kid who was coming of age and into
self-awareness at the very time that his star was reaching it's zenith!
I had just started partying and experimenting sexually by
the age of 14 in 1978 when "Dance (Disco Heat)" and
"You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real!)" burst onto the music charts,
in the clubs and in house parties across the country
and eventually, the world!
I couldn't yet get into the disco clubs, but oh boy!--
I could sure get into house parties!
I was hanging out with people who were 5 to 10 yrs older
than me and I was learning MANY INTERESTING THINGS!!
Of course, back then you had "FAIRY GODMUTHAZ", older gays
who would take us young "up & comings" under their chiffon wings
and school us on the do's and don't's of gay life, sex & survival
in the late 70's and early 80's!!
PRE-AIDS and in the last writhing throws of the SEXUAL REVOLUTION,
it was a great time to be alive!
I grew up in the south during this time, which already had
it's issues with race and sexuality, so the gay world of that time,
on that end of the country, was very still underground,
hypocritcal and always hush-hush!!
There were a lot of secret stares, codes, slangs, etc.
to let those who needed to know, what you wanted them to know.
But though it was very repressed and subterfuge,
MAN, DID WE HAVE SOME FUN TIMES IN OUR LITTLE NETHERWORLD!!
And yes, as is now, back then, straight men did venture
into it our world quite frequently!!

Anywayz, enter THE FABULOUS SYLVESTER from the legendary
and exotically far-reaches of a city they called
"the gay shangri-la"...SAN FRANCISCO!!
It was the summer of 1978, and here was this strong,
proud, black, beautiful, talented, androgynous gay man
telling us, by the very nature of his exsistence,
that it was not only alright to be what you were out
in full view of the world, but it was also our duty
to be FABULOUS & JOYOUS!! (-:
Sylvester was more than just a disco diva,
HE WAS A WHOLE MOVEMENT!!--Every time he would perform,
it was part church revival, part circus, part drag pageant
and part gay pride celebration!!

TRUE STORY!!---Picture It!!--Greenville, SC in May of 1979...
I had just turned 15 yrs old, and me and two young gay freinds
of mine, one 16 and one 18, hear through the grapevine
that none other than THE FABULOUS SYLVESTER would be appearing
at a club called SAN SOUCCI's in Atlanta, GA
(which was 200+ miles way, and well on it's way to becoming
the southern San Francisco!) and we go absolutely nuts!
It becomes our mission, our sole purpose of exsisting!!
To somehow, obtain fake ID's, fabulous disco-era outfits
replete with lots of glitter, dripping foxtails off the
lapels & double belts, shoes called "crayons" that had
a clear amber heel that had lights in them that blinked in rhythm
as you danced your booty off on the dance floor, either Sassoon or Jordache jeans which had a little stretch fabric blended in with the
denim to hug your firm perky teen-aged azz and tiny waist to
perfection, outlining your package in the front, and making
the local guys salivate with lust over a hot piece of
TENDERONI like you!
(LOL!!--we were too much!)
We used our allowances, our summer jobs, etc. to obtain
tickets through an older bisexual cousin of mine who lived
down in Atlanta at the time, who also arranged the fake ID's as well. Keep in mind, I had just turned 15, one freind was 16 and the
other was 18...none of our parents even knew we were gay,
and there was no way in the hell that they would've
sanctioned us (under-aged) going all that way to Atlanta...
and to see this gender-inspecific weirdo named SYLVESTER!!
(Boy George and Ru Paul were still a ways off yet!)

So me and my freinds, being rife with teenaged angst,
secretiveness and resourcefulness, concoct the half-baked
scheme to hitchhike from Greenville to Atlanta with duffle
bags in tow filled with our outfits, toiletries, etc.,
use our fake ID's to get into the club and party with
Sylvester & Two Tons O' Fun into the wee hours,
get my older bi cousin to rent us a hotel room in Atlanta,
have us a slam bang good time with some local fellaz
overnight and then hitch it back to Greenville by Sunday
evening before 5 pm!! (LMAO!!)

Anywayz, long story short, as is with all half-cocked
and scantily thought out teenaged schemes, we did pull it off,
got in the club and got down with Sylvester, got high,
got the boys, got the hotel room, etc.
But what we didn't bargain on was our mothers not being born
yesterday and the lose lips of my younger cousins & brothers,
or the jealous young queens who wished they had the
balls to pull off what we did! (We got ratted out big time!)
We also had a hell of a time trying to hitch it back from Atlanta
to Greenville on a Sunday morning, and after our mothers up in SC
found out what we had done, they got in a car and headed for us
like heat-seeking/search & destroy SCUD missles
with fire in their eyes!
Man, did we get our teenage closeted gay behinds handed to us!
My older cousin caught it too from my uncle in Atlanta for his
hand in our scheme, and we didn't have time to put concealer
on over the many "hickies" on our necks and chests from our
Atlanta frollick in the hotel from the night before!
Boy, it was a mess!--We wound up being forced out of the closet
to our mothers (it was a horror to them!), not being able to
socialize with each other for about a month,
and we got the butt whippings of our young lives!
(Yes, parents still whipped butt back in those days!)
BUT MAAAAANNN!!--We didn't care!
It was well worth it, because we got to see THE GODDESS,
THE DISCO DIVA...SYLVESTER, live and upclose!! (LOL!!)

Now, here I sit...a 44 yr old, well-traveled, successful,
proud and fortunate gay black man who has had my fun,
relished the memories of those far away magical days,
and if there is any bittersweetness to the story,
it's that I have outlived not only my two freinds from
that teenaged excursion, but Sylvester and about 30 more
freinds and acquaintances from the late 70's
to the mid 90's to the scourge of AIDS.
As we grow older, we reflect and long for things that
were familiar to our particular generation as things are
being torn down, people die or move, and the world of
our pasts erased. This wonderful book, along with
Sylvester's music playing in the background as I was reading it,
brought all the magic back for awhile!
This book would make an excellent movie and I hope someone
will make it happen someday in the near future.
In the meantime, enjoy the book folks!
R.I.P. To Sylvester, Izora Rhodes, Patrick Cowley,
and to all my freinds and acquaintances who have made
their transitions in the prime of their lives!--
I'll see you again one day!!
LOVE & PEACE 2 ALL!!

this Book was on right on time. Sylvester was something else back in the day as a artist and very Open about his sexuality. He didn't back down from anything. His voice was the truth and very soulful. this Book explores his whole career and thensome and the many other artists he encountered and how important they were,etc... this book takes you back to a time period when so much was happening. a must read and it is very well written and is a real page turner.

I am still reading the book and have been quite pleased with all the details of Mr Sylvester James Jr. Life, I am sure when a read the final pages it will be as smashing as the life he lived!! I also found a DVD, Filmed in San Francisco, in 1985 or 1987 when he celebrated his birthday, the video is grainy and not what I expected which was Him and the Famous (Two Tons of Fun,) what I have is Sylvester in his what I call break out years his voice was not as vibrant during this period but to have anything of him suits me just fine. He came into his own he perfected his voice and character, I still miss his presence on earth just as I do all the Great Ones.

Sincerely,
LEE

At last, a beautifully-written book about a beautiful artist - Sylvester. I have been waiting for this book to arrive for years and, finally, here it is!

I was hooked by the opening chapter which tells the story of a young boy named Tiki Lofton who sneaks out of his bedroom window at night and over to a friend's apartment where, in 1960's South Central, with the help of a young Sylvester, he transforms himself into a "Disquotay." The Disquotays were a group of boys who liked to dress up as sophisticated ladies. And Sylvester, or Dooni as he was known then, was in charge of the wigs.

"The first Disquotay bash that Tiki went to was over on 120th and Athens, at Etta James's house, sometime around 1965. Etta, who would later be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (largely on the strength of her 1961 hit "At Last") and the Betty Ford Center (largely on the strength of her smack addiction), was already a recording star and a friend to many local Los Angeles drag queens . . . The house, with its swimming pool and fireplace, had stunned her. Women, drag queens, and guys, all sending joyful noises in Tiki's direction; the music had been jumping; Walter Jackson's version of "Lee Cross," Jr. Walker & the All Stars' "Shotgun," "Nowhere to Run" by Martha and the Vandellas, Fontella Bass singing "Rescue Me." Gay kids all perched on gigantic speakers, singing and carrying on . . . Tiki had said to herself. "This -- honey, where is this world?" Within months, she would be a full-fledged Disquotay, made-up, bewigged, bejeweled."

Joshua Gamsom recreates this world vividly in that first chapter. Simultaneously, he introduces us to the members of Sylvester's family. His beautiful and beloved mother and grandmother. His twin sisters, Dette and Dean. The quotes are full of heart and expertly placed and the story unfolds like a fine silk fan. I can't help but think that Sylvester would be very pleased to read this biography.

I had the honor of meeting with Sylvester to discuss a project a few years before his death. It was mid-afternoon and he was sewing sequins on something, which was his favorite pasttime. He was always sewing, a talent he picked up from the women who raised him. He walked over to the turntable and put on Patti LaBelle's "If Only You Knew" and said he was dedicating the song at his One-Night-Only concert the following night to his fans and supporters in San Francisco, the city in which he always felt most at home. That night, with Martha Wash at his side, they performed that song together, bouncing their voices off each other inside the Castro Theater. Those two powerful voices, the acoustics of the Castro Theater, and the magical spell he wove with Patti LaBelle's song was something to behold.

That Sylvester could hold his own with the amazing Martha Wash is a testament to the power of his falsetto. He didn't have a thin, reedy falsetto. His was full-bodied, gravelly even, and very much in evidence on one of his biggest hits, "Do You Wanna Funk."

"So when I tell you, that you're really something, baby, will you stay, or will you go away."

Joshua Gamson captures the essence of Sylvester's personality, the diva fits as well as the immense kindness and sensitivity, and wraps it all together into an highly readable book that I wholeheartedly suggest you pick up. Although some have faulted him for not having an encyclopedic knowledge of music, Gamson lets experts like Joel Selvin provide insightful commentary.

It is my hope that someone has optioned the book for a movie and we can expect to see this wild individual portrayed in all his glory.

John Waters wraps up "The Fabulous Sylvester" pretty well in his cover blurb: "A well-written, touching, dignified biography of a gay black diva who never really fit into any minority but managed to achieve his dreams of stardom. Now that's what I call a man."

Five Stars. Great Read.

The Fabulous Sylvester is a fascinating recounting of the life of Sylvester, the dance scene and Sylvester's career. This book explores the life of Sylvester from his early childhood days to his development into an international dance icon. This book does not sugarcoat any part of Sylvester's life. It is detailed and honest and shows us all aspects of his life and career. This book is as interesting and fabulous as Sylvester was.

I enjoy exposing my children to different cultures. This book is a simple and wonderful way to show children life in a small village in Thailand. A mother is trying to put her baby to sleep. The indigenous animals make noise, and the mother hushes each of them.

There is onomatopoeia as each animal makes its own unique sound. The rhymes flow soothingly, and the repetitive phrases let the kids participate in the "reading" of the book.

My only criticism is that some of the animal noises are not very soothing if the book is being used as a bedtime story. As the book progresses (and the children get sleepier), the animals become progressively louder. The book does end on a calming note, but sometimes my kids get worked up by the animal sounds, and the bedtime story has the opposite affect.

My 22 month old son loves many books, but this one has been a stand-out since the first read. He keeps asking for it "again" at the ending and has started to take it to bed with him. I was initially surprised, but now I also love the rhythmic pace and gentle story.

My husband is from Thailand and we were having a hard time finding books that were for children with Thai themes. This was perfect. Our 1 year old son enjoys the colorful pages and the story is just the right length. I actually enjoy all childrens books by this author.

The little ones I read this to absolutely delight in the gentle, rolling rhythms of Hush! It's become a pre-nap favorite in their house.

I bought this book for my little grandbaby on his lst birthday .. I wanted to start building up his "library", and I found this title under a listing of Caldecott Award winners. The colors are wonderful, as are the graphics. The story is very sweet and something every parent can appreciate. I only wish this book was available in a more hard-bound format. I can see how little fingers can (and probably will) be too hard on the pages.

This is a fantastic book, though it's more of a global history lesson than a lesson in entrepreneurship. Monique Maddy covers the history of Liberia in depth and in less depth the history of several other African countries. She talks about economic development and the failures of the UN, IFC and World Bank. She is clearly an advocate for economic development via private investment. Her perspective is shaped by growing up in an exemplary company town. It was part of a mining project in Liberia sponsored by a joint venture named LAMCO. The project had a social development component that both supported the mining company by developing employees, and supported the citizens by developing them. The book is significantly a biography of Maddy herself and how she came to start her venture. That core of the book is surrounded by chapters that describe her efforts to start a pan-African telecommunications company- Adesemi - and its ultimate demise.

Maddy writes a warm, but penitrating review of the life of her family, as well as the nation of Liberia.

She gives great insight into the exploitation of Africa by the west. She makes recommendations that companies and individuals should heed as they work in this great continent.

Her writing style is easy to read, and very to the point.

REVIEW BY IAN MOUNT
www.ghanaweb.com: Business News of Monday, 1 October 2001

The Last Place to Start a Company
Monique Maddy tried and failed to launch a telephone service in Africa. She's moving on. Africa isn't.

Three short years ago, Monique Maddy was boasting that her company was going to "change people's lives" and "revolutionize things." Adesemi, the wireless pay-phone company she founded in 1993, had raised $37 million dollars, built a network in Tanzania, and moved into Ghana, and was planning to expand its service to the Ivory Coast. Maddy was the new face of African business. A Wall Street Journal article in September 1998 even proclaimed, "If the disenfranchised of Africa ever join the global economy, it won't be diplomats, politicians, or church people leading the way. It will be entrepreneurs like Monique Maddy."

It hasn't turned out that way. Maddy walked away from her company in disgust in the fall of '99. Her story is a familiar one, full of the government corruption that has become an African clichi, but the 39-year-old Maddy doesn't blame her company's demise on the bribery requests or Kafkaesque red tape. For the Liberian native, who's writing a book about third-world entrepreneurship to be published by HarperCollins next year, the real reason for Adesemi's failure and Africa's continental mire can be traced to the international development agencies that are designed to help the region. "Africa is worse off today -- in many countries -- than it was at independence, even though billions and billions have been spent," says Maddy, who herself served for five years as a United Nations Development Program officer. "As long as you have these kinds of institutions, you won't have any change."

Take Maddy's experience getting a pay-phone license. In mid-1995, a year after the Tanzanian national phone company granted Adesemi the license (and Adesemi had spent $1.5 million on its network), the phone company president said that it was no good because Adesemi's pay phones were wireless. Only after an acquaintance at the Harvard Business School, her alma mater, put her in touch with World Bank president James Wolfensohn did the matter get settled. The World Bank pushed the government just so far, however. The phone company insisted on charging Adesemi inflated rates to use its infrastructure. "When we asked the World Bank to do something about the rates, they said they couldn't tell the government what to do -- but they could lend them millions of dollars," says Maddy, referring to a $75 million interest-free loan the World Bank made to the national phone company. "They had a conflict of interest," she says.

Still, Adesemi kept at it, eventually building its network up to 600 pay phones and a pager service with 5,000 customers. The sell was easy, Maddy says, because Adesemi's phones actually functioned (the street nickname for the system was "the phones that work," she says).

When an Adesemi backer, CDC Capital Partners, refused to invest more money for the company's expansion into what Maddy argued were more profitable markets -- it wanted to see profitability in Tanzania first, despite the stacked odds -- she finally gave up. Maddy, who now lives in Boston, hasn't been to Tanzania since; her investors are selling off the network.

Not surprisingly, Maddy says her book will call for a radical departure from a system based on an international aid bureaucracy. "You basically have bureaucrats trying to develop countries," she says. "How many bureaucrats started Microsoft?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Ian Mount

As I read this book I couldn't help but notice how similar Monique's tale is to the story of Africa. She weaves us through a maze of emotions as we feel her joy, hope, determination only to be suddenly brought to earth with frustration, anger, desparation.

For anyone ever been to Africa rarely has a book come along that so perfectly captures the daily difficulties of survival in Africa. Though tongue-in-cheek Monique certainly understands clearly the difficulties facing that part of the world and I would hazard we'll be hearing more from her on this subject.

Oh by the way did I mention that she became a World Class marathon runner in her spare time?

As someone who grew up overseas much like Monique, i deeply admire how she chose to use her acquired skills and network to give back to a continent in dire need of what rare individuals like her have to offer.

The book is enjoyable to read and deeply inspiring to anyone interested in contributing to third world development.

Alumit's first novel "Letters to Montgomery Clift" is a coming of age story unlike any other. I was afraid that the Montgomery Clift name in the title would serve as a hook that would be hard to pull off in a believable way. Quite the opposite. The persona of Clift flows through the story and deepens the struggle of this character to make sense of a miriad of issues. Despite the inclusion of so many charged issues - political protest, torture, foster care, abortion, growing up gay, mental illness - none of them is sensationalized or dealt with in a stereotypical manner.

The story is told from the point of view of Bong (Bob) from the age of 8 to his late twenties. The story ultimately delivers answers and provides some closure but never falls into predictable story formulas.

I highly recommend this book. It is not always an easy read, but it is always honest and beautifully written.

What an impressive debut book. "Letters to Montgomery Clift" is moving, compelling, and a bit funny. Like others who have reviewed the book, I also was not able to put down the book once I started reading it. I was completely engulfed in the main character's world--feeling his challenges, hopes, anger and awakenings.

If you get a chance, see Noel Alumit performances--the one I saw was brilliant!

This is a wonderful piece of early essay writing, and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone (dare I say it!)

A friend of mine recently gave me this book. The story sounded interesting and I decided to crack it open and give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised by this debut novel written by author Noel Alumit. It begins with Bong Bong, a young Filipino boy who is sent away from his home by his mother during the vicious Marcos regime. She promises her son that one day she and his father will join him as he is sent away to live with his Aunt Yuna in California. Once there, life for the young man becomes worse, as we learn that Yuna is an alcoholic, who resents taking care of the young boy and begins verbally and physically abusing him. As a source of comfort, the young boy begins to write to handsome Hollywood 50's idol, Montgomery Clift. Clift becomes his guardian angel and a confidant. Over time, however, the letters lead way to mental illness as the young man tries to deal with his blossoming sexual orientation and the fact that he may never see his parents again. He begins a path of self abuse and hurting those that care for him. Although the ending is a little bit too convienent, the story is good overall and worth reading. I recommend it.

In the Philippines during 1976, a very young Bong Bong Luwad is put safely on a plane to America by his mother Cessy to stay with her sister Yuna. She promises to come to the US as soon as she found his father.

Living with Auntie Yuna is like a hell on earth for Bong, and all the while he holds on to hope of reuniting with his mother. It's during his stay with Yuna that he first discovers Montgomery Clift, in a film titled "The Search." Leaving a permanent impression on Bong, he writes letters to Monty, even though he knows that he's dead, asking for his guidance. These letters help him through the many tough patches to come in to his life: life with of Yuna, being thrown into the foster care system, discovering a dark secret about his foster family, learning about the fate of his family, and dealing with his own sexualtiy.

This is an engrossing story of separation, loss, love and hope, and told from a view that isn't heard to often in literature: a Filipino perspective view of the world and of sexuality. Bong Bong is a strong character, not only in dealing with his own coming out, but with the realization of what happened to his family. He is likable and you want him to succeed. At the heart of the story, though, is the bond between mother and son; that's what drives Bong to suffer through the ups and downs, hoping that in the end everything will be okay, that he will be with his mother again.

A strong first novel.