African-American Books

I loved reading this book aloud to my second graders. It is delightful to see how Flossie outwits the fox. Have fun reading it to your children at home too!

Little Red Riding Hood is essentially a British folk tale. Flossie is a quintessentially American product. She's smart as a whip, cute as a button, and clever without being obnoxiously sassy or brash. She minds her manners while protecting her basket of eggs. She lives in the rural south of sometime past. Big Mama sends her to take some eggs to a neighbor because a fox has taken all the neighor's eggs. Big Mama warns Flossie to watch out for the fox because they surely do love eggs, and off Flossie goes in her pigtails and pinafore. She does meet up with the fox, and she cleverly outsmarts him, but you aren't sure she's going to do it until the last page, when she reveals what she's known all along. Patricia McKissack says this is one of the stories told her as a child. I can't find the source, but I read something else this gifted author wrote once about this 'black Little Red Riding' story. As best I recall, what she said is that this isn't a 'black Little Red Riding Hood story," it's a Flossie and the Fox story, and there's no need to have 'African American' substitutes for the traditional tales which we all should know, because we all should know them. She didn't write this story as a substitute- it's just another really good, ripping yarn that we *also* all should know. I hope I'm not misrepresenting what she said, but that's how I remember it. At any rate, I agree that this is a really good story for all children and their parents, and it stands boldly on its own merits, and Flossie is a little girl I'd be proud to know.

Flossie Finley, the smart and feisty heroine of this book is one of my favorite characters in all of childrenÕs literature. The story is an African American variation on Little Red Riding Hood, but Flossie is no wide-eyed innocent who has to be saved in the end by the big, brave woodcutter. She can save herself, thank you very much. The way she tricks the fox who wants to devour her basket of eggs is delightful. Every little girl (and probably every boy as well) ought to be introduced to this brave and resourceful child.

And Flossie is not the only great thing about this book. Patricia McKissack based it on a story her grandfather told her and she tried to reproduce the way he told it, in "the rich and colorful dialect of the rural south." The language is lovely, musical and poetic Ð a joy to read aloud. And the illustrations are equally gorgeous. The pictures of sun-dappled wood remind me of Impressionist paintings.

Great story, great writing, great pictures, great character Ð this is one of the best childrenÕs books IÕve ever read.

This has become my favorite children's book! I bought it for my "almost" three yr old son and he was captivated by the story and the beautiful pictures. Flossie is so innocently sly! She will not be out-witted by some ol' fox! The idea that this regal creature is being insulted by a mere child is absurd to him, yet he can't get past his own ego to see he is being out-foxed! I adored everything about this book.

Flossie And The Fox is a story that is absolutly loved by my children, one you will be asked to read again and agian. When flosie is asked to run an errand for her grandmother, the curios girl runs into a fox on her way, yet not the typical fox. In order to keep her eggs from being eaten she must keep the fox's mind of those eggs. Through her journey in the woods she is able to use her qaint childlike cleverness to entertain the foxes ego. Great story! Brilliant plot! Should be made into a movie! Exellent anti bias story as well, flossie speaks as a young african american girl would growing up in the country in Tennese, The fox uses proper Engish, and the narrator uses the language of the day. Highly recomended!

This book was a wonderful look on the inside of a designers life! It made me aware of how much politics there is in a University, and how much Archie Boston did for Graphis Designers in general. From reading this book he has truly made me realize what a master he is in what he treaches. Not only does he teach it well, but he loves to teach it and it really shows.

I personaly thought that "Fly in the Buttermilk" was a great inside story of a great designer and professor. It was intersting to find out how he got where he is now, and all that he has done as a designer, aswell as the head of the Graphic Design Department in CSULB. At times when you think that some teachers are not on your side, you really have not met Professor Boston. He has done so much for the department that you really get the feel of how passionate he is with Graphic Design, and how valuable it is for him to teach it.

Mr. Boston's colloquial style is at once engaging and poignant...
True to his nature, he holds nothing back: his triumphs, disappointments
and even embarassing moments are recounted with wit and humor.

Mr. Boston deserves his role as pioneer: not only as a Black man,
but also as Chronicler of a crucial moment in Advertising where Social Consciousness
married Visual Communications and laid the foundation
for activism today. Too often Graphic Design literature focuses on the work, and by inference on the client, and not enough on
the people behind the work...

Read it this winter break and it was well worth my time. I picked the book up with the intent of reading a few pages and was just sucked in. It informed me a "white boy" from the burbs on life from a different perspective. The book showcases classic and award winning graphic design projects. Also has plenty of motivational ammunition for YOU to do good and succeed in life and in graphic design.

I say two thumbs up.

When my book arrived, I had the intent of reading just a few pages, I had to force myself to put it down over halfway through just so I could get some work done. I easily finished it in the first available moment I had. This book will take you on a journey through the life of Old Skool Archie Boston, and the moments that shaped his career and work. Also included is his ... portfolio that puts polital-correctness in it's place. Motivational, tragic, humorous and historical- this book is recommended for designers, advertisers and design educators alike. Buy this book today.

Two reasons might put one off from reading Frederick Douglass's autobiographies: (1)Douglass's life was so admirable and heroic that they are likely to contain more virtue than interest; and (2) there are so doggone many of them (after all, "autobiographies" ?! three of them?!). Don't let this happen. First, Douglass is a very good writer -- he's funny, he's earthy, he's smart, and his attitudes are surprisingly contemporary. It's almost as if your Democratic neighbor (although Douglass was a stalwart Republican -- those were the days) were to visit 19th century America and report back on what he saw. Second, reading his autobiographies seriatim allows you to see Douglass's life as he lived it: one sees how his own views of his past changed over time, and one comes to appreciate the unbelievably dramatic developments contained in the later autobiographies(I don't want to give them away). That said, three (count 'em 3!) autobiographies are a little much and, in retrospect, I would skip the second one, but do not, under any circumstances, skip the third one. Finally, the notes to the Library of America editions are really, really, really unhelpful. There aren't enough of them, and so the reader has no idea of the significance of some of the events Douglass refers to. Bottom line: Buy it used. Read it now.

- As an author myself, I recommend that you purchase this book for personal study. "The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" is a fascinating book and video that helped me understand one of my relatives.
Author. "Knowledge For Tomorrow" Quinton Douglass Crawford

Once you read Douglass's narrative, you will be surprised that Douglass learned enough to be able to write the first narrative written by an uneducated slave. This is one of the most moving narratives you can read -- I challenge any reader to read this and not understand the irony of the white people supressing black people's accomplishments for hundreds of years. The story of Fredrick Douglas in inspiring on many different levels. Once you read it, any reader will understand why this is mandatory reading in any American literature course. It is impossible to understand life after the Civil War without reading this moving, touching novel about how a slave learned how to read and write. Douglass's autobiography is a great literary achievement which should be savored by all who read it both as a historical and literary document.

Frederick Douglass (1818?-1895) was the greatest African American leader of the Nineteenth Century. He was born a slave on the Eastern Shore in Maryland and grew up on plantations on the Eastern Shore with several years in Baltimore. He was a physically powerful, highly intelligent, and spirited youth and developed quickly a hatred of the slave system. As a slave, he taught himself to read and write, and learned the art of public speaking from the church and from a book of orations popular at the time that feel into his hands. He escaped from slavery at the age of 20 and moved to New Bedford,Massachusetts. He became part of the Abolitionist Movement and achieved fame as a public speaker. He became a newspaper editor and writer. During the Civil War, he assisted in the recuritment of black troops. He met President Lincoln on several occasions and became a great admirer. In later years, Douglass was aligned with the conservative "stalwart" wing of the Republican party and continued to speak out for the rights of African-Americans, to oppose (somewhat belatedly) the end of Reconstruction, and to work for the life of the spirit and the mind.

Frederick Douglass wrote three autobiographies which are given in this volume. The first, shortest, and best was written in 1845, seven years after Douglass had escaped from slavery. It tells in graphic and unforgettable terms the story of Douglass' life as a slave, the growth of the spirit of freedom in himself. and the early part of his life as a free man in New Bedford.

The second autobiography was written in 1855. It repeats much of the earlier story and describes Douglass's visit to Great Britain. A higlight of this volume is the Appendix in which Douglass gives the reader excerpts from several of his speeches, including his perhaps most famous speech "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July."

Douglass wrote his third autobiography in 1888 and edited it substantially in 1893. It describes Douglass's relationship with Abraham Lincoln and John Brown. I also enjoyed the section of the book in which Douglass describes his trip to England, Italy, and Egypt near the end of his life. It is highly intelligent, perceptive and reflective travel writing. There are also excerpts in this final autobiography from Douglass's speeches and letters.

The most striking incident in all three volumes is Douglass's story of how he stood up for himself and became in his own eyes a man of dignity and courage. Douglass had been sent for a year to live with a small farmer named Covey who had a reputation for breaking the sprit of strong-willed slaves. Covey whipped Douglass unmercifully for the first six months. Then, after a whipping which left Douglass scared and weak for several days (he ran back to his old master who ordered him back to Covey) Douglass fought back. Covey attempted to whip Douglass and Douglass resisted. The two men fought hand-to-hand for hours. Douglass could not assume the offensive in the fight (it was enough to resist at all) but more than held his ground and had the better of it. Covey at last walked off and never whipped Douglass again. This incident is strikingly told in each autobiography and marks the moment when Douglass showed he could stand up for himself and not have the spirit of a slave. It is inspiring and it grounded his actions for the rest of his life.

There is much in these books that transcends the resistance against American slavery, utterly important as that is. We have, as I have tried to explain, in this book the voice of personal freedom and self-determination which is something every person must learn and undestand for him or herself in deciding how to live. In addition,I get the impression that as Douglass aged he became increasingly committed to the life of the mind and the spirit. This is apparent from his writing and from his interest in travel, in European high culture, art, literature, and music. Douglass learned the meaning for freedom. He tried to devote himself to matters of the spirit in addition to his lifelong quest to improve the lot of the former slave. I think there is still a great deal to be learned here.

Douglass had much to say about the nature of American freedom and democracy. He loved and had faith in them, in spite of the horrible stain of slavery. Here is a wonderful observation from the third autobiography in which Douglass' describes his activities during the Presidential campaign of 1888.

"I left the discussion of the tariff to my young friend Morris, while I spoke for justice and humanity....I took it to be the vital and animating principle of the Republican party. I found the people more courageous than their party leaders. What the leaders were afraid to teach, the people were brave enough and glad enough to learn. I held that the soul of the nation was in this question, and that the gain of all the gold in the world would not compensate for the loss of the nation's soul. National honor is the soul of the nation, and when this is lost all is lost. ... As with an individual, so too with a nation, there is a time when it may properly be asked "What doth it profit to gain the whole world and therby lose one's soul?"

There is a spirit and a wisdom in Douglass that still has much to teach.

As a man of the Nineteenth Century, Douglass tells us little in his autobiographies of his personal life. Upon his escape from slavery, Douglass married a free, uneducated black woman. Upon her death, Douglass married a white woman, which (as we see briefly in the book) caused shock among American whites and blacks alike. We also see little of Douglass' relationship to his children. The reader who would like to learn more about Douglass' personal life needs to read a biography, such as William McFeeley's "Frederick Douglass" (1891)

Douglass' autobiographies are are precious work of American literature and a testimony to the free human spirit.

This account of Frederick Douglass'
life and time by Henry Louis Gates
is the personifaction of Excellence
in Achievement through the Human Spirit.
In spite of the hardships of slavery, Frederick Douglass continued his fight for freedom. His dynamic oratory and leadership helped him to move barriers for all people. This self educated man rose to great prominence to serve as a testament to the world that if you have courage, persistence and faith in God, you can achieve anything that you set your mind to. He knew the power of education and the spoken and written word, which is manifested in his creating the NorthStar newspaper to communicate to others. Of course you have to have mortal men who believe in you and your abilities.

I believe that Mr. Gates captures this strength, this conviction and the essence of Mr. Douglass' spirit and his commitment to make a better life for himself and others like him. His dynamic use of the language allows you to feel conviction and essence of Mr. Douglass' concern. It was like listening to Mr. Douglass speak to me through those pages.

I found this book very intriguing and educational. It has something for the world to learn from.

Thanks to Mr. Gates and others for bringing this great American (World) hero to the forefront. We need to know and share in the histor and spiriti of this great man. By the way I was named after Frederick Douglass. I strive to be like him as much as I can. I am still working on my oratory!

THIS BOOK IS POWERFUL, ITS SHOCKING, AND IT IS ASPIRING. THERE IS NOTHING ON CHANNEL 11 THAT BRINGS THE HONEST, INSIGHTFUL, VERY REAL ACCOUNT THAT MR.DOUGLASS DOES IN HIS BOOK. FROM SLAVE TO FREE-MAN, THIS IS TRUELY AN AMERICAN SUCCESS. SKIP THE INTRO, AND JUMP INTO IT.

Douglass's second, and lengthier, narrative fills in many of the gaps left in his first autobiography: we learn about his mother, his siblings, and more details about his psychological transformation from brute to man. It's quite insightful, as Douglass is careful to relate each of his personal experiences to the innate evil of the peculiar instituition, for both the slave and the slave holder.

What are your impressions of Frederick Douglass? What would you say about Douglass observation that "conscience cannot stand much violence? Do you think it was possible to be a good slave owner?Why or why not? Why does Douglass view slaveholders as well as slaves as victims of slavery? Why is education incompatible with slavery? Why do you think the white children's attitude toward slavery is different from that of their parents? How would you describe Douglass attitude towards Mrs. Auld?

Having read a biography of Douglass many years ago, I thought I knew his story. Hearing through his pen was an entirely different matter. What a master of the language and insighful set of observations on human nature.

I am a man of many words, but words fail me in my endorsement of this book. The letter to his former master in the appendix is worth the price of the book by itself.

Standing in line at the Lincoln Memorial, a book beckoned to me that I previously hadn't seen before. The face of Frederick Douglas grabbed my attention; a man that I've respected for many years, encountering him mainly through my study of Abraham Lincoln. On the spur of the moment, I snatched up a copy of "My Bondage and My Freedom", and within a few days, my admiration in Frederick Douglass was transformed from interest to awe.

Frederick Douglass orginially penned his book as a response to people's accusations that someone as articulate and composed as he couldn't possibly be a former slave. With that goal in mind, Douglass wrote his memoirs, in a straight forward, powerful way. In the book, he painfully and honestly documents the path his early life took; the memories of being owned, how slaves coped during these times, and how he managed to pull himself out of it all.

While Douglass' life in itself is amazing, (as he describes the amazing process he undertook to learn how to read), what amazed me even more are Douglass' discourses that he sprinkles through the book, discussing relevant issues during the time. In one instance, he addresses the concern about why slaves simply didn't run away from their oppressive situations. It's almost as if you can actually hear the people talking to Douglass and he responding to them.

This book does not only tell the tale of a truly amazing American, but gives us a unique insight to the times. This book should be required reading in every high school in this country.

FMSTY is the conclusion to Shattered Souls. The characters Britton,Damascus,Indera & Chyna have the conclusion to their soul shattering situations. Britton's life is turned upside down in his dealings with his son's mother. He also gets a visit from his past life that include's his wife. Tee & Indera come to a head about having kids and Indera slowing down and tending more to her home life. Chyna finally gets some closure or at least a moment of peace in dealing with Sarina. Yep Ms Thang survived her butt whopping from Indera. If you don't read the book for no other reason read that part about Indy & Sarina going at it, and what Indy does to her before her parents arrive to get her. Mr Birch does an excellent job tying all of the characters past together and bringing them into the present.

Author Dywane D. Birch reacquaints the reader with Britton, Indera, Damascus (Tee) and Chyna. Married life has not tamed feisty Indera one bit and despite her near death experience in Shattered Souls, she still talks mad trash and is ready to throw up her hands and fight the first person who comes at her incorrect. But that's Indy. She keeps it glamorous and exciting. You gotta lover her.

Her husband, Tee, on the other hand, seems to have made a 180 degree turn around. Former male stripper and now famous author, he loves Indy and puts up with her wild spending, disrespectful mouth--she tells him to "lick her a--" in a hot minute. I think Indy's dirty talk turns Tee on because there's lots of passionate sex going on with this married couple--in bed and on the phone.

Britton is handling fatherhood without any emotional support from the twins' mother. He's a pillar of strength and it just seems like this good guy is never going to win.

Chyna is unable to control her mentally ill daughter, Sarina. A friendship is tested over a conflict with her unstable child. I was glad to see Sarina get a starring role. I really LOVE her character. In one scene, she's strutting through Penn Station, looking crazy as a loon, but you can't tell her that. She imagines that all the travelers are her fans, awaiting her arrival, so she smiles and waves excessively. Oh, the things she says and does will make your jaw drop. Her over the top antics are both hilarious and sad. Her disjointed inner thoughts often gave me reason to pause and reflect. Due to her illness, Sarina doesn't give her parents a moment of peace. The author painted a realistic portrait of the nightmarish existence of the mentally ill and the people who love them.

Celeste, who made a cameo appearance in Shattered Souls is also back and with a serious agenda.

Dywane D. Birch is a gifted storyteller and I look forward to journeying through the pages of his next book.

It has been three long years since we've been in the company of Indera Fleet, Chyna Littles, Britton Landers and Damascus Miles. Friends who all share Shattered Souls. However, the friends have grown over the years. While life has dealt them all difficult hands, they have survived...haven't they? While they have overcame much of the strife, the pain from their childhood is still very much apart of them. In search of happiness, will the friends be able to let go of the baggage?

Indera Fleet and Damascus Miles are husby and wifey. Yo, you can't even begin to imagine how wild their lives must be. Wait for it; although Miss Indy said 'I Do!' she hasn't really committed her heart for fear that she'd be hurt. On top of that, she's also masking the pain of the loss of her mother and a scary family secret that she's unable to share with her husband. Tee is demanding all of Indy, but she's unable to willingly give so freely and as usual the drama is thick and may wreck their happiness. Now sister girl is fierce, but is she foolish enough to allow her pride to step in the way of love?

Tee has put pen to paper, and is now a best-selling author. So now his fans that used to visit him at the clubs are standing in line in the bookstores trying to see if he's all committed and whatnot. While he loves Indy with everything, he feels as if she's continuing to hold on to too much minus him. He understands that he has to compromise, but can he mask the pain from learning that his endearing wife Indy, who is used to being silent and handling things on her own, is keeping secrets from him? Will Tee stand by and continue to be shut out, or will he cut out?

Back in the USA, Britton is living in LA with his baby mama, Lina, who has career aspirations that don't seem to include being a mother. While Britton agreed to be Mr. Mom, he did in someway expect that Lina would at the very least try to be apart of their son's lives. When Britton finds out that Lina is truly willing to do any and everything to make it on the big screen, it's enough to send Britton and the twins packing! Britton has been carrying that bruised heart around and it doesn't seem to be getting any better when a blast from his past whisks in with hopes of making amends. Is there someone made exactly for Britton?

Chyna has been traveling and rekindling her relationship with Ryan. Things for them have been going well despite their disagreeing on how best to treat their youngest, Sarina, a schizophrenic who causes a lot of havoc whenever she's off her meds. Chyna still feels guilty that she hid her family secrets. Will Chyna continue to allow Sarina's paranoia to dictate her own life?

From My Soul To Yours picks directly up where its predecessor Shattered Souls left off. While I truly enjoyed catching up with the characters and would definitely recommend this, I kind of feel slighted in a few situations. While I wont ruin the read for others, I will contact Dywane on my own to see what's up. If you've read Shattered Souls then you already know that drama is on overflow as readers are dealt a barrage of trials, love, trust, forgiveness, hope, secrets and fears. Trust, you won't be able to contain yourself as you're crying one minute and laughing aloud the very next.

You better work, ok!!!

Reviewed by Nardsbaby
for Urban Reviews

From their debut in Shattered Souls, friends Indy, Tee, Britt and Chyna are still reeling from the effects of their past and learning to cope and move on in FROM MY SOUL TO YOURS. The connection they share is very prevalent as their lives intertwined in providing a network of support and encouragement for each other in their individual pursuit of unconditional love.

Although Indy and Tee have married, Indy's questionable behavior and unforgiving attitude may force Tee to doubt his decision to love her. Putting your mate's needs above your own could be a hard pill to swallow for the ultra-controlling Indy. Chyna must make a choice between her sanity and her daughter's. Either way she feels, she will lose. Britt has twin sons and, to his dismay, their mother is very absent from their lives. He puts everything into raising his sons and helping his friends stay the course, but his personal life could use a little shake up. That is exactly what a blast from his past intends to do.

Dywane D. Birch has written a scrumptiously, entertaining tale with enough drama to get your ire up and enough love to soothe the savage beast. Each character was fully developed with an attention-grabbing story to relate. I didn't get lost with the many characters, but reveled in having such an interesting group of individuals to get to know. Each one told their story in first person and at times carried on a dialogue with me. I felt as if I had a ringside seat for all the action. Birch's writing style and candid approach evoked many reactions of which humor was chief among them. Although this book could be a stand alone, I would suggest reading Shattered Souls first. This sequel does as it intends--to excite, captivate, shock and surprisingly educate. A definite must have.

Reviewed by Brenda Lisbon
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Guess who's back? Ms. Indy, that's who, along with all of the beloved characters of Shattered Souls in this sequel. Through "From My Soul to Yours," Birch offers readers another look into the happenings of the day-to-day lives of Indy, Tee, Britton, Chyna and the new, mysterious agenda driven character Celeste.

Damascus , aka Tee, has hung up his g-string and is now a bestselling author and loving devoted husband to Indy. Marriage is no picnic, but the pros far outweigh the cons. Or do they?

Being a single father was never on Britton's to do list, but now that the task is here, he has happily stepped up the plate for his twin sons, Amir and Amar. Discouraged by his previous failed relationships, is there a woman to complete this family unit?

The writing is on the wall and everyone can see it but Chyna. She has done everything possible that she could for her daughter Sarina and her mental instability, but Sarina doesn't seem to be getting any better and their relationship has only gotten worse. Is Chyna finally ready to accept the inevitable?

Celeste is on a mission - to reclaim what's hers - and she's willing to do what she has to to accomplish that goal. But is that possession really hers to possess?

Indy has always been a one-woman show, an island; in other words, Indy does what Indy wants when Indy wants. But marriage is about compromising, yielding and sometimes putting the needs and wants of another in front of your own. Headstrong and independent, will Indy's attitude be the cataclysm of her marriage?

Dywane Birch again returns with the grace, skill and power that captured my attention in Shattered Souls. He does a superb job of conveying the emotions and turmoil of his characters. While I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more from him, the use and the choice of some terms (of a sexual nature) were redundant and at times overshadowed the story. It's unfortunate and weighted the story unnecessarily; and because of that falls shy of a 5-star rating. That said, "From My Soul to Yours" is good reading.

Reviewed by: Toni

I don't write reviews for books, but I found this book to be absolutely fabulous!!! I couldn't put it down. I would definitely recommend it!

From being raped and molested, Rachael has had one traumatic experience after another. She had to deal with issues like being abandoned by her mother, physical and mental abuse, and never knowing who her dad was. With two failed marriages and a suicide attempt, she comes to a crossroads in life and is unsure of which way to go. Rachael's new found love for the Lord keeps a light burning strong within her. She then realizes that there's a force stronger than she is. Soon she understands that God has great plans for her life. Throughout her constant downfalls, a voice enables Rachael to stay true to God and embattle the storm.

From the Extreme shows the reader that you can repent, be delivered, and be healed from whatever is going on within your life. What I mainly enjoyed about this book was that no matter what obstacles that was put in front of Rachael, she pulled through them and pressed her way through. Author Renea Collins continued to make God an intricate part of the story that was profound. There are scriptures quoted and prayers prayed throughout the different parts of this book. You may try to imagine yourself as Rachael and try to figure out what you would do if you were in these situations. She takes you through all of the issues that the main character goes through and how she depended on no one but God to bring her out of the storm. From The Extreme will make you think about your life in terms of how well of a relationship you have with the Lord.

Reviewed by Jackie
for Urban Reviews

From the extreme is a powerful book that is full of a woman's dramatic life. What I loved about the book is that no matter what the character racheal experieneced she continued to push and press through it. She knew even from the time she was a small girl that God was going to come in her life and change her situtations around. This woman went through all kinds of drama but never, never gave up beleiving that God could change it around. Thats what I have learned from this book is that whether He does or not He; God can change it around... And just seeing where Racheal came from to where she is now is a blessing and a praise that I love to just shout about!!! You go girl! I will purchase your next book too. This is a must read book!

Man,I'm so happy for u Renea Collins. Thank u for a awesome book. It has allowd me to think about things in a different way. ( a good way) CONGRATS and cant wait for the next book.

I loved this book I could not put it down I know this book is going to deliver millions of women through Christ Jesus please do your self a favor and GO GET THIS BOOK this book is so awsome

I'm reminded after reading this book that a good story, no matter how horrific, is a lesson in life. I enjoyed this author's style of introducing me to some very real characters. Each character plays a key role in a drama that travels along like an Amtrak train beginning at a point of departure, expected and unexpected stops along the way and a sure fire final destination.

Tracy Price-Thompson in this story gives us not one but multiple tragedies that drive her characters to say and do what they do and keep us glued to the edge of our seats while waiting to see what'll come of it all.

The language and speech given to the characters is straight ahead, "this is who I am," Brooklyn/New York style, which makes for some harsh realities and words. If you can handle "The Sopranos," you can handle "Gather Together In My Name."

This book also touches on many issues that are facing us today; Capital Punishment, Child Abuse, Drug Addiction, Racial Profiling, etc...

An all around good read for men and women. I applaud the author for staying true to her story and not veering off into a female romp of male bashing literature. Nobody's a saint in this story, and for every sin there are scars left behind.

A Very Enjoyable Story, you won't be disappointed.

Okay, the wait is over! GATHER TOGETHER IN MY NAME is yet another one just like the other one(s). Rare would you find a Tracy Price-Thompson written novel devoid of dramatic poignancy and verve. Based on her previous work relative to my reviews and others that pay homage to good writing, I've come to know this author well in this regard. Each book has its own juices that marinate with the spices that hit the literary palette. If you thought BLACK COFFEE, CHOCOLATE SANGRIA, and A WOMAN'S WORTH were stellar, wait until you witness the trial and tribulation of Shyne Blackwood. Shyne's incredible story is told against the backdrop of a triumvirate that gives the story different shades of coloring where the author exudes every ounce of intrigue to keep you guessing as each scene is dependent on what's destined to happen next. Loyalty, love and a sordid sense of loathing drives this story.

The setting is a crime-ridden Brooklyn that adds a synonymous layer that the author takes advantage of by blending of a set of triplets born into poverty and great consternation. The boys - Gabriel (Shug), Isaiah (Shyne) and Ezekiel (Shadow) are introduced in alternating chapters as the author weaves a fabric rough at times, but with enough traction that it moves along gathering tone and tenor for a climatic, if not surprising end. Is love and loyalty worth dying for where hate is circling in the midst waiting to claim another victim? The author sets the tone when a gristly rape and murder is committed on a young woman and her three year-old daughter. Who dunnit? Two of the three brothers are interwoven into this tale as Shadow meets an early untimely death of his own. Was it Shug, a momma's boy and his mother's favorite, who is an intellect, law-trained and a politically savvy individual bidding to become the second black mayor of New York City; or the snake-bitten Shyne, who is a street-seasoned hustler, thief and seemingly someone only the next door neighbor can love that committed the crime?

I read this story with much trepidation recalling the plight of so many Black men sentenced to lives that are stereotypical of some of them being in the wrong place at the wrong time. As you read this story you will want the author to give it practical familiarity by allowing readers to come to the conclusion that may be obvious, but certain twists keeps the suspense riveting! As such, one of the brothers are accused and convicted of the brutal murders, and everyone demands vengeance as death row becomes his next place of residence. The coda gains momentum on the eve of Shyne's execution, when five people travel to the jail to witness the event. Redemption can be defined only when intrusive meaning is worthy of holding on to an unshakable feeling.

In tick-tock fashion the culprit is good as gone, but the adhesiveness of loyal rears its head to reveal a secret that will test the bonds of familial order, the strength of one man's character, and the all encompassing power of a love worth dying for mentioned earlier. If you manage to gather together for the sake of a good read, then do so by naming and claiming this author as one of the best in guaranteed page-turning delight! Tracy, when is the next one due out?

Tracy Price Thompson never disappoints! This engaging and sad story provokes thought on many levels. Ms. Thompson introduces themes such as the unconditional love of a mother and stinging neglect from that same mother; racial injustice; love between two very flawed individuals and so many other issues. I applaud you once again Ms. Price-Thompson. You've written another profound story, a true page turner. If you haven't read anything by this author yet, please get this novel! If you have read her other books, don't miss this one. You'll be sorry if you do.

A set of triplets were born to Della and Bo Blackwood. The birth should've solidified the love between them; however, the entrance of the last baby changed the tide for everyone, leaving Bo dead and Della in a miserable state of hatred. Shug, Shadow and Shyne Blackwood, though born to the same mother, knew her very differently. Shug and Shadow knew her as a loving, caring mother. Shyne, on the other hand, knew the cold disdain of a woman who refused to even acknowledge him as her child, preferring to allow someone else to care for him.

Despite their upbringing, the three boys formed a bond that was unbreakable by their mother. The untimely death of Shadow, at age six, was the only breach the boys knew. If possible, Shadow's death made Shug and Shyne even closer. With the encouragement of his mother, Shug went on to become a successful lawyer with a burgeoning political career. Lacking similar encouragement from his mother, Shyne took to the streets for his education and life. One night, a white woman and her three-year-old daughter are brutally murdered in New York. DNA evidence connects Shyne to the crimes and, as a result, he is arrested, convicted and sentenced to death. The only problem, Shyne didn't do it and he isn't ratting out the one who did. Giving up his rights to the appeals process, the execution is moved up hurriedly. On the night of the execution, all the witnesses gather for his final breath. Will he get a reprieve?

In Tracy Price-Thompson's GATHER TOGETHER IN MY NAME, she gives readers a very sensitive and intuitive look at how far one will go in the name of loyalty and love. This is particularly so when the street code of honor and respect dictates that you lay down your life for your brother. A black man falsely accused on death row feverishly navigating the appeals system seems like a common thing to hear about these days. The author took this premise to another level and begged the question if the accused willingly accepted the punishment for the crime knowing full well he was innocent.

GATHER TOGETHER IN MY NAME is a sad coming of age story about a young man never receiving a fair chance at life, while those closest to him were given all the benefits of normalcy. Price-Thompson captures a topic that was an emotional slow cooker for me. The characters elicited such emotions as anger, pity and sorrow as the man was really found guilty of circumstances rather than a true crime. I found myself in tears several time throughout this book as I railed against a system of injustice and a mother who was too callous against her own flesh and blood. Prepare yourself for another captivating Price-Thompson title.

Reviewed by Brenda Lisbon
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

Tracy Price-Thompson's Gather Together in My Name is a most riveting and compelling account of a convict's final few hours on death row. From page 1 to the very last page (241), the author does an incredible job of making sure the reader is hooked!

The character development is phenomenal - you get to know, not only the convicted, but the five people who gathered in his name to witness the scheduled execution. Each of the five person's account of their relationship with Shyne Blackwood (the convicted) is very detailed and leaves the reader feeling like you know the people personally.

This story is layered and addresses topics like a mother's love or the lack thereof for her children, the result of a person's foundation being scarred and how it affects their entire life. It also addresses loyalty and love in a most profound way.

Never have I read such a powerful story in 241 pages. It's been said that an author must grab the reader within the first 100 words in order to keep their interest, Tracy certainly exceeds this and you are hooked by page 2 of the story. Don't take my word, get a copy today!

You won't be disappointed. This story will stick with me for a very long time, albeit, a fiction novel with real life truths. It's really true that our parents shape who we become!

Shunda Leigh
Booking Matters Magazine
www.bookingmatters.com

Fans of soul music will find Richard Younger's Get a Shot of Rhythm and Blues to be a fine biography of one Arthur Alexander, a singer/songwriter who may not be well known by name, but whose songs influenced the 1960s rock musicians. A fine coverage of his life and achievements is presented in a lively survey of soul and rock and roll music.

This is a great book that provides clear and concise insight into the life of Arthur Alexander. The story behind the singer, the songwriter and a true influence behind some of the greatest figures of rock and roll. This story should be made into a movie so everyone can learn about this unsung hero. Richard Younger has researched Arthur's life, the people he affected directly, and the soul of this talented man. READ THIS BOOK AND LEARN THE STORY OF A MAN WHO DESERVES TO BE RECOGNIZED AND REMEMBERED!!!

After being a fan of Arthur Alexander in the early sixties he seemed to drop out of sight, occassional records but very little else seemed to appear, this book puts the record straight and fills in all those gaps. It also goes a long way to answering the reasons that he did not make it to the position in the music scene that his undoubted talent deserved. The book is very well written by Richard Younger who obviously felt very deeply about the subject, he deals with the problems that AA encountered in his music career and his private life. It was sad that at the very time that AA was begining to make a comeback and he was again showing the talent that was always there he was taken from us. He had become religious during the last few years and this seemed to have a calming effect on him and I am sure that he would have again had big selling records. Thank you Richard for an insight into the life of Arthur Alexander through the highs and lows.

Arthur Alexander was always a mystery man - till now! Richard Younger's biography of one of the most distinctive and influential black singers of the 60s sheds sympathetic illumination upon the life, the music - and the demons - of this woefully underrated singer/songwriter (the only writer to have songs cut by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan). AA's hugely-satisfying vocals married to his distinctive soul-country arrangements (his reputation was founded on just four 1962 Dot-label singles) emerged moments before the UK beat boom swept the globe and was crucial in its influence on the Beatles and the Stones. Younger's book explains how it all came about, taking us on a roller-coaster ride through AA's life of musical and personal extremes. With a series of revealing interviews he transports us to the heart of the Alabama music scene and charts Arthur's role in the foundation of the Muscle Shoals/Fame recording empires. Whether you're a long-term Alexander devotee, a soul music buff, or simply a Sixties survivor, then you'll find this unputdown-able tome a tonic that'll have you listening with a fresh ear to those perennial Alexander classics.

Fans of soul music will find Richard Younger's Get A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues to be a fine biography of one Arthur Alexander, a singer/songwriter who may not be well known by name, but whose songs influenced the 1960s rock musicians. A fine coverage of his life and achievements is presented in a lively survey of soul and rock and roll music.

As an awkward black girl who went to a private school attended by very few girls who looked like me, I know these stories all too well. Not quite knowing where or how to fit in, immersing yourself in one environment by day and then returning to a rough neighborhood after your last class at 3pm, struggling to be down without getting pregnant or putting yourself in physical danger...Solomon understands. I even teared up a bit when reading Star of a Story. This book breaks your heart...in that good way.

I came across these stories completely by accident - and I'm so glad I did. I know short story collections don't tend to sell a ton, but these are really great and I hope they do.

For some reason, I've been reading a lot of short story collections lately, and for some reason there are a lot of great ones out there now! ("Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures" by Vincent Lam and "Like You'd Understand Anyway" by Jim Shepard).

First of all, the stories in "Get Down" will take you back to your growing up years - and all the awkwardness that comes with that. Some of these stories are really just touching and heartbreaking. This book reminds me of two books that I really enjoyed: "Prep" by Curtis Sittenfeld and "Black Ice" by Lorene Cary. Like "Get Down," all of these books take us back to that magical time of childhood where the everyday friendships and school relationships could be gloriously exhilerating or soul crushing on any given day.

Any women who wants to read some beautiful stories that will take you back to your preadolescent or adolescent years should buy this book - you'll love it.

This is one sly, deft, funny, and truly moving collection of stories. Solomon has great grace as a stylist and as a chronicler of interior lives. I read the book in one sitting and blushed with recognition and empathy for her deeply realized characters. I also laughed out loud at the wit that studs the entire collection. You're going to love it.

If you're looking for stories that will make you laugh and ache in sympathy in equal measure, then get started reading right away. Get Down is filled with characters who will earn your love even as they make decisions that will have you talking out loud to them while you're reading, trying to keep them from doing things you know are only going to make their lives harder, which will get embarrassing if you're not by yourself. It won't bother you if you're alone, though, because they seem so real that it won't seem strange to think that maybe if you talk loud enough they might listen to you, even if you know you won't be able stop them. A highly impressive debut from someone to keep an eye on.

Get Down should be required reading for anyone who's ever felt slightly out of place--a bit too smart, too fat, too black, too white--but who's just not sure if s/he should let on. Solomon's capaciously human characters try, and almost succeed, at concealing their secret, shameful squareness: their hopeless nostalgia, their utterly futile crushes, their nerdy earnestness. It is precisely this slightly out-of-sync quality that makes Solomon's characters so captivating. No description, no matter how elaborately hyphenated the adjectives, could ever pidgeonhole them. Because Solomon's wit is so dead-pan, her characters so young, readers might almost just miss her stories' gut wrenching insights into love, adolescence, and identity. The number of times I laughed out loud was equaled by the number of times I got a knot in my stomach. Solomon deftly fills her finely crafted stories with surprising stylistic touches, too: a story written entirely in the second person, turning you--the reader--into the only unbeliever stuck at a Christian summer camp; the moving "choose-your-own adventure" ending of the last story; the title itself, which brilliantly illustrates the complex tone of the book. Spoken with the right amount of coolness, the phrase "Get Down" can capture the life of the party. But who really has the charisma to pull off that pronunciation? In the mouths of the book's self-conscious adolescents (or its real-life reviewers!), "Get Down" takes on its true ambiguity: a cool phrase spoken by someone who's not. And when you find the phrase in the fourth story, it takes on a whole new meaning, which I'll let you discover for yourself. . . .

Percival Everett's "God's Country" is at once the funniest and dryly bitterest novel about race I've read. Not to mention highly entertaining dialog -- all around, one terrific book. Everett just keeps getting better and better for me. Up next, as soon as it arrives (hurry up Amazon), is Grand Canyon, Inc. My husband was out of town this week so I was quite lonely reading Everett last night as I had no one to share the especially thigh-slapping bits except the cats and, well, let's just say their sense humor isn't well developed.

"God's Country" is an irreverent farce, one that peels away the romantic whitewashing (pun intended) often given to depictions of the Old West - even depictions that think they are being irreverent. Everett's characters, more often than not, are smelly, boorish, and stupid. More importantly, they are narrow-minded, violent, racist, sexist, and self-righteously hypocritical. Everett masterfully balances coarse humor, a broad and penetrating social critique, and a sympathetic portrait of the far more complex Bubba, a black tracker who struggles to maintain his independence and dignity against this hostile cultural backdrop: "All I want is one day where I ain't got to worry about a white man decidin' I looked crosswise at him, one day where I ain't got to worry just 'cause I hear a rider behind me, one day where I ain't called a boy." I was continually reminded of Mark Twain as I read this novel: it is that funny, and that smart.

This book is amazing. I read Everett's Watershed and liked it so much I had to read another one by him. Watershed and God's Country have just been reprinted together, and they are both incredible: funny, poignant, incredibly intelligent, and heart-breaking. Everett portrays America at its starkest, from the point of view of the downtrodden, with a dignity and surety it makes you shiver. The language is miraculous, and the story breathtaking. This is realistic fiction as I've always dreamt of finding.

It is this reviewer's opinion that Percival Everett's God's Country is nothing short of a mini-masterpiece. Set in 1871 and narrated by a very unlucky cowpoke, Curt Marder, the book shows the good, bad, and ugly aspects of life in God's Country (the proverbial Wild West).

The story opens with marauders burning Curt's ranch, kidnapping his wife, Sadie, and committing the ultimate indiscretion of shooting his beloved dog. Curt, a spineless coward and ardent racist, does nothing to stop them and watches from a distance as his home is destroyed. He hires Bubba, the best tracker in the area (who happens to be African American), to lead him to the culprits (and subsequently Sadie) in exchange for half the ranch. It is in the journey to save Sadie that Curt constantly witnesses and benefits from Bubba's selfless acts of benevolence and humanity, but is blinded by racism, stupidity, and ignorance to realize the errors of his ways. Instead, he consistently lies, steals, and cheats, largely driven by greed and his own self-interests.

Mr. Everett is an excellent writer having pulled off such a spoofy odyssey. Through his words, the reader experiences the sights, sounds, and smells of hard living in hard times. It is a relatively short novel that is richly saturated with dark humor and unforgettable, wonderfully imagined characters with names like Wide Clyde McBride, Pickle Cheeseboro, and Taharry whose speech impediment causes him to preface every word with "ta," thus earning him his unusual name. The book even includes a "cameo" appearance of "Injun killin'" George Cluster and bank robbers reminiscent of the James/Younger Gang.

This book touched on so many issues (the "isms") on a number of levels. Through the misadventures of Curt and Bubba, the author covers the institutionalized racism and social injustices that Native, Asian, and African Americans endured. There are painful scenes of an Indian tribe massacre and a lynching of an innocent black boy. The sexism exhibited against women in the West was evidenced in the Jake and Loretta storylines, and the emerging socio-economic strata (classism) between western landowners was touched upon as well. However, for me, the most powerful messages were saved in the last few pages of the novel's surprise ending. Without revealing too much, I thought it was clever in the way that the author paralleled Bubba's "dream" to live freely without fear or judgment to MLK's desire to be judged by the content of one's character and not by skin color. Curt comments that Bubba's dream did not sound like much of a dream summed up the underlying arrogance and indifference toward his fellow man that resonated throughout the story.

This is the second book I have read by this author and I have not been disappointed yet. I am looking forward to picking up his other works as time permits.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub, The Nubian Circle Book Club
July 19, 2003

Womanizing and hustling, gambling and drinking, horse-rustling and cross-dressing--Everett sends up the cliches and formulae of every Western novel you ever read. And the narrator Curt Marder, part-time husband and full-time loser, adds an all-important forgotten ingredient: "I had read what I could of the dime novels about the frontier . . . and generally the little books gave a fair account, but always failed to mention the smell." That's why cowboys tended to be quiet loners: "We came together in bars and churches more or less to assure ourselves that our smells were normal and not an indication of coming death."

The action begins when a band of marauders torch Marder's house and barn, kidnap his wife, and kill his dog. ("Killed your dog? What kind of heathens do we have in these parts?" "Efficient.") After gambling away the remains of his ranch, he enlists the help of the local tracker, Bubba, a pensive black farmhand with a reputation for getting things done. This unlikely duo travels the hills and vales of the Wild West, looking for Marder's captive wife--unless something more interesting crops up. Along the way, they have to avoid a country minister selling Bibles with only a few pages missing ("a bout of illness just as we pulled away from Kansas City saw the demise of most of Deuteronomy"), a two-bit hooker seeking revenge on nonpaying customers, inbred locals who will bury folks up to their necks for the entertainment value, and the spotlight-hogging swagger of the local army commander. ("My name is Colonel George A. Custer. Perhaps you've heard of me" "No, sir." "Drat.")

Page after page, the one-liners and the tall tales keep coming. But about two-thirds of the way through the book the tone shifts bracingly and unexpectedly when an ever-present threat in Bubba's life penetrates the fog of Marder's irresponsible tomfoolery--that a posse of vigilantes is often more than happy to lynch the first available black man whenever a crime is discovered. The author relentlessly spoofs the racial dynamics between whites and blacks and Indians; Marder's buffoonery is brilliantly offset by Bubba's gravity and by a local tribe's apprehension. Yet the book never stops being funny: even when the satire becomes acidic and shines a light on uncomfortable truths, Everett keeps the reader laughing at the story's situational absurdities, its characters' foibles, and our own racial attitudes. "God's Country" is one of the most hilarious--and somber--Westerns I've ever read.