Black Books

The love stories in this book was pretty good love stories. My favorite stories were the one's about Colin Power,and his wife Alma, Rachel and Freddie Cook, and also the one about Barbara and Earl Graves,they seemed more like old fashion love stories than the other to me.

This book is a collection of love stories that meets the definition of supreme love, but proves that extraordinary love does not mean perfect love. It is a realistic portrayal of relationships and it exposes loves many faces. Each story deals with very real issues that we all have had to conquer in our relationships or are trying conquer right now.

It is such a wonderful book that when you are done reading it you will want to recommend it to anyone who is in love, looking for love or has a hard time dealing with love. So I recommend it to you!

Taressa and Calvin Stoval created a beautiful book of pictures and stories that will cheer your heart. If you think nobody falls in love anymore or you think that nobody stays together anymore this book will be a real tonic. The stories of these couples: how they met, how they married and what they've done to stay together was a real inspiration.

Kimberley Wilson, author of 11 Things Mama Should Have Told You About Men

These stories touch the heart. So many times the fact that black families love and cherish one another is glaringly absent in the media. We hear all about the negative aspects of black life. Well, now we've been served up a healthy dose of positive love. Bravo! I enjoyed the stories about celebrities. But I also truly appreciated the stories about everyday people. I applaud the Stovalls.

The Stovall's have capture generations of culture in this wonderful book. This book is redeeming in that it deplicts Black American LOVE (Families) in a light that shines bright throughout the nation, but is often minimized as a result of stereotyping and media imposed images. It wonderful to know that people of all backgrounds can have an inside view of a diverse cultural of people that treasure the essence of love and unity.

This is a book to have on the shelf and most importantly a book to past down to other generations. Thank you STOVALLS!

Comer tells the story of his family by focusing on the remarkable life of his mother, Maggie Comer, whose determination helped her survive poverty and segregation in the South and discrimination in the North to raise of family of successful children. The first half of the book is told in Maggie's own words. The second half is in Comer's. An excellent example of the broader social migration of black families from the South to the North following Reconstruction.

I read this book for a college class this past semester and was truely amazed at how well this book was written. This book is basically broken down into three parts, all equally intersesting. The first part is based in Maggies story, her life, struggles and amazing accomplishments. The second part is all about the author, James, who is also Maggies son. The story of "Maggie's American Dream" is an excellent representation of a family that went through tough times and prevailed through a combination of church, education as well as being "taught and strongly encouraged to develop the needed social skills and personal controls." Maggie raises her family during a time when it was difficult to be a black person in America. Maggie was ridiculed and pushed away from any opportunities simply because of the color of her skin. Maggie became a wonderful mother, which I feel is the most important part of this story. Her son James tells the stories of how he was raised. These are stories of a mother that attended all sporting events, assisting her children in becoming talented at several different activities ranging from playing the piano to playing sports. Maggie was always there for her family. She taught them right from wrong as well as a strong sense of that "never give up" attitude. These children continue to strive to do their best in anything they did, even during a time when they were held back from doing just that. This is an example of how a family can make it through most adversities as long as they all stick together and work towards their goals and dreams.

Wonderful book Mr. Comer and thank you for opening my eyes to a great story.

I did a research study on American Dream in America during the 20s-30s decade. I've read a lot of books concerning the subject; literary works, forming the main portion of my resources. These ranged from Fitzgerald's 'Great Gatzby' to Steinbeck's 'Grapes of Wrath', from Dreiser's 'An American Tragedy' to Lewis's 'Main Street'. In addition to these quite old literary works, I collected statistical, analytical information about the particular decades, to verify what I've acquired from the novels. It was a hard study, but I managed to write a reasonably concise thesis, with the help of not the sources I listed, but with this book, 'Maggie's American Dream' instead. Why?

Almost all of the books I've read were productions of imagination. Even Dreiser, who was inspired from a real account, did not stick to facts in his book, but altered them to create a fiction. However, 'Maggie's American Dream' is a true story. It is told from James Comer's point of view, in a very poetical fashion. The second part of the book is his mother's story, which is again expressed by James. The book also contains a nice section of pictures of the Comer family, which are quite interesting after reading about the family.

James P. Comer had a very hard childhood, as it could be expected during the years of never-ending racism issues. Comer beautifully expresses how they managed to stand tall, and get their share in the competition of living. Mr. Comer is now working as a psychiatrist in New Haven, after having completed his doctoral work in Yale University. It is a dream that is realised, indeed.

This book will provide you with a lot of insights about the lives of black families, American societal norms, family relations during the 20s and 30s, which you cannot find easily in any other source this clearly and truely.

What a wonderful book. Very easy to read with lots of short chapters so that even the busiest of us can get through it quickly. And of course Maggie and her family are so real that you find you can't put the book down...you just have to find out what happens to them all next.
It's a great story, and worth reading from that angle alone. But all the way through this book also gives you plenty to ponder - whether you are someone with an interest in education (and doesn't that include all parents?), someone who wishes that all people had an equal opportunity to realise their potential, or someone who really wants to know what life is like for others from different backgrounds and countries. The author also inspires us to think about how we can make a difference, in some small way, wherever and whoever we are.

This book I have read is the best book I have ever read. It has inspired me by not being mad ever time someone gets in my face and be racis toward me. I really like this aurthor he is a very insperational writter. I would tell everbody who is going through something very hard, reconmemd this book to any and every one

This book uncovers a speech delivered by Malcolm X in January of 1965. In his speech Malcolm X discusses the disenfranchisement that African-Americans have suffered due to the lack of knowledge of our pre-slavery historical roots. Malcolm X reveals numerous African-American acheivements that took place long before there was an America. He also argues that this lack of knowledge is what sepearates African-Americans from other cultures, and encourages African-Americans to educate themselves and end this ignorance of our rich historical past. This book is for anyone wishing to know a little more about some of the African-Americans whom you didn't learn about in History class and those who have all ready read Malcolm X Speaks and would like to expand their collection of Malcolm X speeches. This is a book no one can afford to forget.

During Malcolm's lifetime Pathfinder press began a relationship with him that lasted beyond his death. In co-operation with his family Pathfinder Press became the major publisher of Malcolm's speeches and writings in English and Spanish. This slim book, barely 100 pages, is one of the jewels of that collaboration.

The centerpiece of the book is a 1965 speech by Malcolm on Black history. The book also features excerpts from his autobiography and various speeches and interviews. This book is rich beyond it's size and deserves to be widely read by all.

This priceless little book consists of a talk Malcolm X gave just a month before he was assassinated in 1965. You will find a rich analysis of then contemporary local, national and international issues, exposure of little-known African civilizations, and an inspiring perspective on advancing the Afro-American liberation struggle along with the struggles of other oppressed and exploited people throughout the world.

If only this were in the schools, especially for the teachers. Because although this is no proper textbook for history, it can be used as a guide into how to properly teach afro-american history to the youth.

Malcolm, as well read as he is, references many books as he lucidly and easily brings together many parts of history, but more importantly, a view of history. And his view of history is well-informed, well-sourced, and so full of truth it hurts to listen. But truth in history if very important, and Malcolm helps us in our studies.

This little book packs a powerful punch. Malcolm X explains clearly, and often in a humorous way, how knowing the truth about your history is necessary for building a movement to tear down racism and build a better society. The heart of the book is a speech that Malcolm gave less than a month before his death. His point is that Black people have to become aware of their true accomplishments in the past in order to change the world in the present and future. By looking at ancient African civilizations, West African kingdoms, the rise of imperialism and the history of slavery in America, Malcolm shows that Black people have played a huge role in shaping human history. Even though he spoke at a time when Black History Month was still Black History Week, his message is still totally relevant as African-Americans still face the challenge of leading a movement that can end police brutality, racist violence, political oppression and economic exploitation, while joining up with working people and the oppressed around the world. The impact of Malcolm's speech is magnified by his own explanation of how he studied Black history while in prison; and by a nice set of graphics and maps which illustrate his points.

This is a fast moving novel about a struggling but talented New York-oriented black male writer whose life struggles have become a roller coaster ride through American, European and global racism. The axis of the novel revolves around how America deals with the race issue, and in particular how it deals with the issue of black male on white female sexual encounters.

The story is told through the eyes of a character called Max Reddick, a slightly hip, emerging intellectual, who wants to write like Charley Parker plays the Sax, but yet he is still a very much struggling black writer. Max seems to have as his number one goal in life that of decoding the game being played against blacks by the white man. Or maybe (and the novel leaves this up to the reader) this goal is just a normal by-product of being a black man in a white man's world. Very quickly Max realizes that "politics white boy-style" is just another way white people try to lead black people back to their proper "place" in society: in effect telling them through indirection how to think, feel, and when and how to act, and even how to suffer.

Max travels to Europe where he ends up in a select intellectual circle, that very much respects his manuscript, and where he eventually marries and later divorces a Danish woman who remained his friend even long after the marriage has ended, and who takes care of him at the end of the novel as he dies of cancer.

At the meta-psychological level, the novel proves Ishmael Reed's postulate: that writing, "is fighting and struggling by other more respectable means," as Williams gets to use his pen as his last, and most profound act of rebellion. The book thus is as Walter Mosley has described it as "a shout from deep within some existential void" that resonates on the same frequency of all struggling blacks: suspended invisible in a world that rejects blackness without the need for a cause or a reason, where "Black people have been hollering out in pain for centuries, fighting for freedom, dying in slavery, belittled by little [white] men, and denied by kings and history. Sometimes these black folk have just laid down and died. But mostly they have survived with deformed psyches and distorted notions of the world. Sometimes evil has begotten evil and the one-time slave has slaughtered and even cannibalized his oppressor."

As his personal life spins out of control and he contracts cancer, Max puts down on paper in a scatological way, what everyone else in everyday American society is thinking but cannot say aloud, and in this respect, William's novel is not only a shout from the void, but also a supremely iconoclastic and urgent psychological analysis not unlike Dostoyevsky.

While its organization is structurally very scattered, it still gets its message across. Clearly the novel has a deep existentialist basis and draws on existential themes and metaphors. However, at its core is the notion that at the end of the day, when everything is said and done, the only thing "real" in American society is white racism. Everything else its humanity, its values, its ideals, are subordinate and are carefully calibrated and measured in terms of how they affect the sensitively regulated "white supremacist status quo." According to Max's way of thinking, equality, freedom, and democracy are merely the chips used to move the pieces around the white supremacist chessboard. America and all of its "so-called" ideals are just byproducts of the hard core white supremacist ideology, which lies deep in the nation's bosom. Toward the end of the novel, Max leaves no doubt that "the man" will go to great lengths to protect his white male hero system--including the complete annihilation of the black race if necessary. Max thinks blacks are up to the task, able to match whites, evil for evil to the bitter end. [I, for one, think he is wrong in this regard.]

The book is sprinkled with deeply troubling characters and scenes that reflect Max's deteriorating state of mind, such as the following passage about Moses Boatwright, a Black cannibal and Rhodes scholar, who, after being run mad by racism, killed a white man and ate him. In a mock interview, Boatwright tells Max (acting as a reporter) that: "This world is an illusion, Mr. Reddick, but it can be real. I went prowling on the jungle side of the road where few people ever go because there are things there, crawling, slimy, terrible things that always remind us that down deep we are rotten, stinking beasts. Now, because of what I did, someone will work a little harder to improve the species." (page 53).

The book is filled with images such as this one that have both over and under tones that are frightening in their symbolic implications. This is deep, modern, intense writing. Fifty stars.

This book I happen to stumble on while looking for another book here on Amazon. Wow what a great read! Absoloutley well written and eloquent. A must read for all.

There is this book and Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison that have proven to be one of the best examples of African American writing during the turbulent Civil Rights Era which really hasn't ended. This novel is frequently compared to Invisible Man as the main character Max Riddick goes through a journey, an evolution and recalls his life in flashbacks, goes through a expatriate American phase going to Europe in hopes of finding a better audience for his writing only to find that the same kind of racism he encountered in the States only less blatant. His motivation goes from trying to best his rival Harry Ames, to phsyical survival, to trying to find a resolution to his own issues with a society that objectives him and his experience being a black man in America.

I first read this book in 1968, as Cleveland burned and after a copy boy on my paper had asked me about a U.S. plan to imprison blacks in concentration camps. I told the kid he was nuts.
After reading the book, however, I realized that Williams was fictionalizing the McCarran Act, which set up the very scheme the kid was worrying about.
That law is still on the books.

A neglected classic by a writer who some consider equal to Ralph Ellison in importance. One fascinating aspect is its fictionalized treatment of some of the century's famous black literary figures. It's a portrait of the post-WWII-through-mid-sixties period as seen through the eyes of a black writer as he establishes a career as a novelist, journalist, and Presidential speechwriter in New York, Paris, Washington, D.C., and Lagos, Nigeria. The main character, Max Reddick, is shaped by anger, at the crux of which is indignation at the hypocrisy and hostility that black people and writers faced during this period. It's a historical novel which provides some insight into the social and political ferment of the sixties, and has an Afrocentric perspective that's somewhat reminiscent of Walter Mosley's work. It includes an intruiging fictionalized version of a mythic encounter between Richard Wright and James Baldwin ("Marion Dawes") in a Paris café, and according to James Sallis's biography of Chester Himes, it describes the essence of Wright's expatriate experience and his relationship with Himes. Ishmael Reed has said that the cartoonist Ollie Harrington is depicted, and although I didn't recognize him, Malcolm X is unmistakable and I suspect that "Time" Curry is modelled after jazz drummer Kenny Clarke, who was living in Paris at the time. According to the author's biography of Richard Pryor, Motown explored the possibility of buying the film rights to the novel as a vehicle for its star, Marvin Gaye, until the idea was abandoned in favor of Lady Sings the Blues.

The story begins near the end as Max, who's dying of cancer, sits at an outdoor café in Amsterdam where he's come to investigate the mystery of the death of his friend, Harry Ames, "the father of black writers," a few days earlier in Paris. What he eventually discovers is mind-blowing.

Throughout the novel, Max opines on a multitude of subjects like: Marxism, African independence and African attitudes towards Americans, sexuality and interracial relationships (he works past some of his homophobia too), the different styles of reporters from 5 major NYC newspapers, the theory of the rich president and other political theories, the "lie" of Christmas ("the rich man's chance to dissipate the image of Scrooge"), American cars (with their "long, buttock-smooth lines"), existentialism, and Alban Berg's atonal opera, "Wozzeck" (whose climax, a child's scream, punctuates Max's argument with his woman). Max interprets bebop's message as, "we can not be contained," and modern jazz becomes the avatar of his literary aesthetic: "He wanted to do with the novel what Charlie Parker was doing to music -- tearing it up and remaking it; basing it on nasty, nasty blues and overlaying it with the deep overriding tragedy not of Dostoevsky, but an American who knew of consequences to come: Herman Melville, a super Confidence Man, a Benito Cereno saddened beyond death."

This book was a fun, quick read that follows the exploits of a sexy widow with "an itch to scratch!" She gets in all kinds of trouble and finds herself in many sensual situations. This is a good summer on-the-beach book.

This book reminds me of the daydreams my friends and I had as young girls. It takes me back to days of truly believing in soul-mates and in believing in magic that could stand the test of centuries and fate. I honestly would not have picked it up had it not been for just stumbling across it somehow, but I highly suggest it! I think from the paranormal tag.

This paranormal romance novel is a sweet escape! A timeless story filled with all the best stuff- love, mystery, adventure and a happy ending! A blissful read- great for "me" time!

An exotic tale of a modern woman's life colliding with ancient Persia, when an amulet begins to make the veil between ancient and present thin. A dark mysterious man haunts her visions. She is sent across the globe on assignment to photograph artifacts for a private collector. The romance is smoldering with passion. filled with action and danger, I think it would make a great film also.

I was pleasantly surprised at the way Medallion of Solaus carried me along. I would not ordinarily pick up a book with an occult theme, and tend more to gothic and mystery, but found that the Medallion of Solaus includes plenty of both to not only hold my interest, but make this book hard to put down. I highly recommend it as a wonderful read to transport you from your daily commonplace to exotic places filled with mystery and intrigue, and will definitely be watching for the next book authored by Ms. Adkins.

Mr. Touchdown is a tightly written story about desegregation from all perspectives, black and white, young and old. It's a gripping, realistic account of a town torn, ultimately, between right and wrong. While the civil rights movement, historically, was in the 1950s and 1960s, the messages and themes of this time period ring true today-just as Ms. Phillips novel does. An incredible read for all ages.

Hannah R. Goodman
Author of MY SISTER'S WEDDING and MY SUMMER VACATION
www.hannahrgoodman.com

Mr. Touchdown is a fictional story of the integration of an all-white high school in Memphis in 1965. This realistic depiction of a small slice of the overall civil rights movement of the '60's surrounds a very talented athlete who has been selected by his minister father to be the first black student at Forrest High. Eddie Russell, who had lettered in multiple sports at his old school, is faced with a football coach who insists on keeping Eddie on the bench for no good reason. Of course, everyone knows why his job throughout every Friday night game is to see that the bench doesn't fly away. The book details Eddie's many trials with the redneck morons who will do anything to keep him down at all cost, even to the end of a losing football season. Taunts, insults, and outright violence follow the key characters from the wrong side of town as they attempt to become just a few more students at Forrest High. The tension of the times is well documented in this fictional account of America's dark past. The Bob Dylan song lyrics used as chapter titles are quite appropriate and the action is well paced. I personally would have preferred the book to be twice as long with the inclusion of a lot more football action. Those parts were as poignantly written as the similar scenes from Remember the Titans. I recommend you overlook the juvenile painting on the cover and go right to the story of these memorable characters.

Mr. Touchdown is by far the most meaningful book I've reviewed to date. It touches on issues that were prominent in the sixties and still exist today. Issues that we have yet to overcome.

Mr. Touchdown is about a small group of African-Americans chosen to be the first blacks integrated into a small-town high school. As Eddie, Lakeesha, Lethe, and Rochelle endure that first year at Forrest High School, they will overcome terror, hate, and violence. And out of this will emerge the beginning of understanding, acceptance, and new friendships.

But all of this comes at a price, one that, to me, seems to be a terribly high one to pay. It saddens me to think that such hatred existed, still exists. A hatred so strong that it seeks the destruction of innocence. It is shameful that such acts persist in today's world, it is shameful that we have not learned to embrace one another. There is a lesson in this book that is very applicable to today's turbulent world. One that we should all learn, should remember, and, most importantly, heed.

I have to applaud Lyda Phillips's writing, for this book is nearly flawless. It's a prime example of how a book should be written. However, it does contain a few typographical errors that mar its near perfection. But none of these minor flaws impair the read, and everyone, particularly those filled with hate, should seek enlightenment by picking up a copy. For we all should learn from our past shames and work together to prevent them from ever happening again.

-David Hoffman for Gloomwing Magazine

Rebeccasreads highly recommends MR. TOUCHDOWN as a glimpse into the life & times of teenage students back in 1965 who must face the change of their lifetimes when the law demanded that the schools in their home town of Memphis, Tennessee be desegregated.

We follow Eddie & Lakeesha, the children of Rev. & Mrs. Russell, as they are picked by the local NAACP & SNCC to transfer & break the color bar. Eddie's a straight A student with a passion for football, & Lakeesha is a math whizz with a serious case of shyness. Together, with a handful of other black students, they start the tortuous & excruciating process of facing the unfettered hatred of almost all the teaching staff as well as the students at Forrest High.

Except there's Nancy & Spencer, who are both stars in their own right. Both are appalled at the outright antagonism they witness from the first day of school, & are more curious about these newcomers, than hateful.

MR. TOUCHDOWN touches on a deeply serious subject, with all the injustices & interracial violence & fears as the first wave of integration swept into our schools, & Lyda Phillips has tackled this exciting & scary era as seen through the eyes of the youngsters.

In these PC times, you're going to come across a lot of "N" words & racial slurs. Lyda Phillips tells it like it was, & it was horribly cruel, humiliatingly constraining & astonishingly exciting.

"Mr. Touchdown" is a story about an African-American football player named Eddie who starts going to an all-white school around the time of the Civil Rights Movement. It's also about a white cheerleader who has a decision to either befriend Eddie or to treat him badly, like almost all the other white kids do.

I liked "Mr. Touchdown" because it shows realistically what African-Americans had to put up with before and during the Civil Rights Movement. I think Lyda Phillips is a really good writer because she can pull you into the story and make it seem like you're actually there.

Becsuse Eddie was brave enough to attend an all-white school, I think his character is a really good role model for kids who will read this book.

Carol von Pressentin Wright's BLUE GUIDE NEW YORK is a brilliant guide to the city and stands alone for historical perspective, cultural depth, and effective prose. Though I've lived in New York City for 12 years, this book serves as a constant companion, and I grab it nearly any time I walk out the door--every outing can now yield new layers of understanding of this, my adopted town. In the midst of a busy day, I might pass through, say, Union Square and take a moment to read the appropriate entry. Not only do I absorb details of architecture and city planning that previously eluded me, but also the whole checkered and colorful history of the place jumps to life.

Thus, I heartily recommend the book to all longer-term visitors and to those New York residents who yearn for a greater appreciation of home. Indeed, the richness of detail and comprehensive geographical coverage may actually render BLUE GUIDE less than ideal for the short-term visitor. (For those in need of a restaurant or hotel guide, there are more than enough lesser guides to fill the bill.)

One caveat. As an avid user of the 1991 2nd edition, I looked forward to the long overdue 2002 edition. With all due respect to the two new co-authors and their well-intentioned efforts, I believe that the newer, more user-friendly visual format actually decreases the book's effectiveness, as does the additional text, which lacks the consistently high critical standards of Wright's solo work. I recommend seeking out the 1991 edition (Amazon seems to offer several copies at reasonable prices). Whatever inconvenience is caused by the several outdated entries is outweighed by the ample rewards of the text.

Although Amazon lists only one author, the current edition of this book was actually revised and heavily rewritten by Stuart Miller and Sharon Seitz as a glance inside the book itself will reveal.

Co-authors of "The Other Islands of New York City" and individually authors of "Big Apple Safari for Families" (Seitz) and "Where Have All Our Giants Gone" (Miller), we streamlined many of the routes and shifted the emphasis of the book to add more on the boroughs outside of Manhattan and to add places that reflect previous oversights in terms of nature and of popular culture (places like CBGBs, for example).

All right, the most recent edition of the Blue Guide added CBGB's, an East Village rock, punk club that has now gone out of business. A few other establishments in the various editions of this fantastic guide are undoubtedly also no longer with us.

Having said that, even the oldest first and second editions (the latter, from 1991) are still incredibly useful, even timeless. For even they have listings of the most important sights in each of the city's five boroughs, a bevy of maps, lists of hotels and restaurants, sightseeing services, theaters, amusements, gardens, museums and so on.

But unlike the average, perfunctory city guide, this one (at least the 1991 edition) has more than 760 pages, including all the maps. And those pages also encompass a broad spectrum of architectural descriptions and historical events.

Not only buildings and the like are described here. So are whole parks, streets and districts, along with detailed pointers on all the exterior and interior trivia one could ever want to know while on a walking tour.

I can't attest to the value of any of the other 40-plus Blue Guide titles. But if you forget every other guide book while in New York, it will be okay, so long as you bring along at least some version of this one.

--Alyssa A. Lappen

Because I note that the existing reviews on this site refer to the previous edition, this New Yorker recommends the Blue Guide as the only NY guidebook you will need. I refer to mine again and again.
One caveat: the subway lines are now happily back to normal, again running to South Ferry, and the map included in this book, which went to press shortly after the World Trade Center disaster, is out of date. Updated maps are posted in every subway station and train, are available free at every subway change booth, and can be reviewed on the Web.

Carol von Pressentin Wright's "Blue Guide to New York" is probably the most comprehensive guidebook to the Big Apple available. Absolutely indispensable, it includes 41 detailed maps for all five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, along with several black and white photographs. As a New Yorker, I cannot think of anything that has not been included here. I frequently use the book myself, especially when I have out-of-town visitors. It is also excellent, for New Yorkers and visitors alike, to use on walking tours. I have the 2002 edition.

In an extremely accessible format, "The Blue Guide" presents information on all NYC districts and important sights, including: practical information, lodgings, restaurants and eateries for every budget, transportation, museums and galleries, sports, performing arts, shopping, monuments, historic detail and districts, detailed walking tours and background information. As noted, there is a veritable plethora of clear and easy-to-follow maps, along with a large pull-out MTA map of the subway system, and bus, railroad and ferry connections.

From the posh shops on Madison and Fifth Avenues to the funky Lower East Side, from the streets of Greenwich Village and Soho to the brownstones of Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope, this is the one and only guide you will need to navigate through this fabulous city, and to find fascinating out-of-the-way places most tourests never discover. There are myriad cultures here: Little Odessa in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, Little Italy, Chinatown, a thriving Greek community in Astoria, Queens, Atlantic Ave. in Brooklyn where Arabic is heard on the street and wares from all over the Middle East are sold. Almost every country in the world is represented here and you can visit them all easily with the Blue Guide in hand. I hope you enjoy the city I love!
JANA

this is the best one yet,I enjoy it,and told some friends about it,pictures help also,this is a winner

God is Awesome.... This Bible has actually opened my eyes to information not found in my 65 years of Bible study.... Every Family should own one of these.... I now have a different perspective of how God uses who He chooses in order to do His will and that no one race or ethnicity is any better than another.... Also, I can now show my children's Sunday School class how each race had an integral part in biblical history.... Thanks for the opportunity to review this magnificent historical account.....

I have purchased two of these Bible's, And I read and learn so much of God's word.

Easy to read and follow. Some good background information that really lends understanding to the information in the bible.It really puts things in context. A must have for people of African descent all over the world.

Although I have other KJ versions, this is the best buy that I've ever made because of the TRUTH regarding biblical geography! Once I purchased this one, everything fell into place in an accurate manner as I used my biblical study maps, books and other study tools for reference. Has anyone noticed how here in the West, Noah and his family are skimmed over, Abraham is spoken of briefly, but a rush is made to tell the stories of Moses and David as if they are the beginning of humanity? Check your own study maps and books! How many, if any, give indepth info or mention of Noahs family tree? Amazing! Simply amazing how so-called theological scholars had the NERVE to eliminate others from the Bible! In addition, may I mention how the names and geographical lines were drawn up to divide/change the biblical locales? For starters, I suggest the map book titled, 'Then And Now Bible Maps' which can be found right here on Amazon between $12 and $14 only. It has clear plastic overlays showing the old world and the world as it is today. It is a great beginners map for a reasonable price. I must say, however, common sense should tell the average person that caucasians were NOT of Eastern heritage! (Here I'm referring to all of the biblical pictures, drawings and... let's not forget movies!) Their skin peels and turns red as a beet as they lay out in the sun trying to get a "TAN" to make their skin color darker, due to the lack of melanin!!!!!! As we all know, the temperatures in the East are much hotter and stronger!

When it comes to biblical truth, what is fact should be told! What has been verified as truth, should be told! there is only ONE God who is the ONLY Supreme One! No man should have the audacity to claim supremacy over another simply because of their skin color! To take this attitude into the theological decisions regarding the biblical truth is sad. I love this Bible for it's enlightenment of truth.

Purchasing The Original African Heritage Study Bible should be a must for all people. It is a purchase you will not regret.

If you are wondering why the Black woman in your section of your company doesn't seem to want to socialize with you or seems guarded around her White co-workers or why the White women in your organization get all riled up about sexism but are silent when it comes to racism this is the book for you. I recommend this book along with Divided Sisters for those who really want Black and White women to unite in the workplace. These two tomes will give you more than a clue. They'll give you guidelines as how to build a truly "diverse" workplace where everyone is welcomed AS THEY ARE and not as stereotypes others want them to play out. If you are a Black woman, you'll understand why you see your work status merely as a "job" and not as a career and why you feel so much like an outsider looking in at your organization.

The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is that I wanted more in-depth analysis of how the White female managers confronted the idea of Black women as equals (and not just on the job), something I've experienced that White women have a difficult time doing in the workplace.

This book is a must for anyone who is interested in the career paths of women in the corporate world. That would include spouses of, grown children of, and parents of women. It is based upon Harvard research including in-depth case studies of both white and black women from childhood to the present day, career journeys one will find fascinating. When the reader returns to his/her workplace after completing this book, diversity will take on a more significant meaning. This book is also a useful tool in college career development classes. Rather than a dull read, it keeps the reader coming back for more.

GOOD BOOK. BUT I HAVE NEVER HAD AN INTERRACIAL FRIENDSHIP WITH A WHITE AMERICAN WOMAN. MY FRIENDS WERE EITHER EUROPEAN, ASIAN, AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN, SOUTH AMERICAN, OR BLACK. IM NOT EVEN INTERESTED IN CLOSING THE GAP WE'VE HAD BETWEEN EACH OTHER SINCE SLAVERY. AND EVEN IF WHITE WOMEN AND BLACK WOMEN ARE FRIENDS IN CORPORATE AMERICA, BLACK WOMEN STILL GET PAID LESS. ITS UNFAIR AND I DONT WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH SOMEONE WHO THINKS THE WORD WOMAN, FEMININE, OR LADY MEANS WHITE.

If you are wondering why the Black woman in your section of your company doesn't seem to want to socialize with you or seems guarded around her White co-workers or why the White women in your organization get all riled up about sexism but are silent when it comes to racism this is the book for you. I recommend this book along with Divided Sisters for those who really want Black and White women to unite in the workplace. These two tomes will give you more than a clue. They'll give you guidelines as how to build a truly "diverse" workplace where everyone is welcomed AS THEY ARE and not as stereotypes others want them to play out. If you are a Black woman, you'll understand why you see your work status merely as a "job" and not as a career and why you feel so much like an outsider looking in at your organization.

The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is that I wanted more in-depth analysis of how the White female managers confronted the idea of Black women as equals (and not just on the job), something I've experienced that White women have a difficult time doing in the workplace.

Bell and Nkomo dive straight to the heart of the matter. They base their findings on comprehensive personal interviews of African-American and white women working as managers or executives. Ultimately, the authors hit the reader over the head with the obvious: People from strikingly different backgrounds bring profound personal differences to the workplace. Too often, organizations stupidly attempt homogenizing everyone into minor variations on the existing (typically---older, white, and male) leadership theme. Unusually (Bell and Nkomo cited no such cases), organizations may wisely embrace the differences so that the organization and its people benefit from a more perceptive and inclusive world view.

Folks who need not spend their working hours "fitting in" contribute (A) more (B) less to the organization. Leaders who accept their people for who and what they are get (A) more (B) less from their subordinates. Guess where the authors suggest the readers take their outfits.

I have always hated short stories, because they had no substance for me. This was the first of J. California Cooper's books I read and I am now HOOKED! In reading these books I can relate to people I really know. This is the first time I had actually laughed out loud reading a book. I am now a huge fan. I feel these are a must read.

I simply loved the stories especially Liberated. That woman had me saying "you go girl!"

I borrowed this book from a friend, and I am upset that I have let this treasure sit in my apartment for 2 months without reading it. This book is awesome! The writing is simple, wisdom-filled and flavorful! Without making her characters heroic, you find yourself admiring them, because they are so human... full of good, but full of frailties at the same time. I didn't want this book to end, and I'm about to order any book of hers that I can get my hands on. Ms. Cooper is a good writer, with an obvious love and respect for her craft. More than that, without being preachy she manages to impart insight into human nature. I loved this book! The book and the woman who wrote it are classics!

A wonderful, quick read. Her stories touch the heart and some even make you say "you go girl". Iloved this book and would pass it on to many friends. You won't put it down!

I'm enjoying the work of J.California Cooper more and more. I've never been one to read short stories but I'm hooked now. Each story touch my heart and reminds me of someone I know. I feel as if I'm sitting on the porch talking to my grandmother when I read some of these stories. So heartwarming. God's Blessings.