African-American Books

This is a great way to get younger children involved and interested in U.S. history. It is especially good teaching African American children about part of the culture. While the subject material is sensitive it is written in a fashion which will hold a childs interest and spark questions.

This surprisingly comprehensive little book addresses over 40 questions children would dream up about a slave's life...and a few they wouldn't. What did slaves wear? What did they eat? Would you live with your father and mother? What if your father belonged to another slave owner? Did the children have to work? What games did they play? Were any black people free? While the answers are by necessity simplified for the targeted age group (9-12) the content is honest and relatively thorough. I think this provides an excellent foundation for helping children understand this sad time in American history. Includes web and physical addresses of seven historic/interpretive sites.

I'm teaching Early American History to Japanese adults who have an "elementary" level of English and virtually no experience in studying American history. The "If You Lived in ....." books targeted for US elementary school children is ideal for college students in Japan. Just the title causes discussion. eg. Why do you spell Willimasburg with ..burg but then spell Pittsburgh with "h"?

This book is simply incredible! My daughter read this book and was fascinated by the details that helped her understand how people really lived during slavery times. This book sparked such an interest in understanding her history until she is constantly reading and requesting more information about the struggles of African Americans. The book also makes for good conversations and an understanding of how obstacles and the struggles are life should be used to motivate us to seek better things in life. As an African American mother, it is absolutely necessary that our children be given all the tools to survive. This book helps them understand the importance of making the best of any kind of situation that you are placed in and always striving for something better!

Young readers will come away from If you Lived When There Was Slavery in America with an I-was-there knowledge of the history and lives of slaves in America. Some of the information is especially interesting, since it comes directly from slave narratives or diaries. The story of Robert Glen's secret education from an owner's son and Emma Knight's report of sobbing in pain because of having no shoes in the freezing cold will stimulate genuine understanding, classroom discussion and a desire for further study.

I highly recommend this wonderful book.

This is a must have resource for teachers of African-American history, specifically the time period known as "the misery days." The music provided on the CD, along with the storytelling introductions, captures my elementary students' attention year after year. Nothing conveys a message like song, and Alice McGill delivers a message of courage, hope, and a life without fear.

The original music and the creative fabric art work combined have made this a delightful introduction to this newcomer to eastern North CArolina. I have given away 4 of the same books to other residents of Scotland Neckbecause I think that the book reflects the heritage and customs of this particular culture. It is a book that deserves wide-spread use to the children and residents in the Tillery and Halifax County area of NC.

These African-American slave songs tell the stories passed down through oral traditions. Each illustration is a fabric collage illustration, which is quite beautiful. I only knew one of the dozen songs. A sound CD accompanies the book. The author tells her personal connection to each song after presenting each song's words. The music is in the back.

Alice McGill is a real historian. I treasure not only the songs but her stories that go with them. Her voice is soothing and warm. My 2 year old granddaughter begs for Alice McGill when I pick her up from daycare. My cassette goes from car to house many times so we can listen to it over and over. Thank you, Alice, for sharing your history, stories and songs with all of us. I'm ordering this on CD to give to Julia, my granddaughter, and all of your other books, too.

Whenever I put the CD on, my baby pauses from whatever she is doing, captivated by McGill's lovely, rich voice. The CD is a permanent fixture in our CD changer, so I have gradually picked up all the songs. "Who Dat Tappin'" and "Dip-Dap Dudio" are playful chants that will always get a laugh from baby, even if you can't carry a tune. With the help of the book, which contains both printed lyrics and sheet music, I have memorized "Liddy Lay Low" to sing at naptime and bedtime. When my daughter is a little older, I am sure we will look at the beautiful illustrations together and I will teach her rhymes such as "Rock de Cradle, Joe." School-age children might want to use the collection as the basis for an American history project, and kids who are studying a musical instrument will enjoy picking out the tunes.

Lauretta Ali--Letting Loose With Lauretta

Daryl is a writer and a lay leader in the Catholic Church. But, what is most profound is that he has the ability to be open regarding all religions. That is why this book is so important. It is based upon major historical black leaders. What makes this book such a delight is that each leader represents a day in an entire year. This means it is like a calendar. By writing in this manner, this book has to be one of the most significant works of our time. I am saying this because we need to give Daryl "his roses while he still can smell them." I am praying that he goes down in history as a major contributor of African American history. Surely we are in the midst of absolute greatness!

The book opens on January 1st and details The Emancipation Proclamation which took place on January 1, 1863. I knew about this historical event. Yet, I could never remember the date. Now it is forever stamped on my memory bank. Round and round people have gone on for years debating whether or not Lincoln freed the slaves. Yet, this author puts greatness where it belongs and that is upon our enslaved brothers and sisters who kept the wind on their backs and the sun in their faces. Daryl, of course, gives God all of the glory that it was the Almighty's hand that provided our ultimate freedom.

W.E.B. Dubois, Nelson Mandela, Ma Rainey, Barbara Jordan, John Coltrane, Angela Davis, Patrice Lumumba, Andrew Young, Tupac Shakur and my personal favorite the Pulitzer Prize winning Gwendolyn Brooks are just a few of the people who the author shines his talented light upon. I can't explain to you enough how important this book is. It should be in every library in every country, everywhere. Better yet, it should be required reading for any African American History class, from elementary school straight through college.

Each day from January 1st through December 31st is an eye opening revelation of leaders who helped to change the world for the better. What is stunning is that there are so many leaders listed from musicians, writers, entertainers to those who gave their very lives in the name of freedom. As a Muslim woman, who believes in the Quran which states I am to love my fellow human beings regardless of color, this book is of major importance to me. February 25th is dedicated to The Honorable Elijah Muhammad. He was truly a man of controversy. The founder of the Nation of Islam, his teaching was one of black nationalism. Whether one agrees with Minister Muhammad or not, he certainly was a man of importance. As the author states, the Minister was able to transform known criminals into men and women whose changed lives exemplified dignity and purpose. His death on February 25, 1975 was mourned by many. His teachings remain strong even to this day. Only a man of greatness would think to include such a man in his book in the rightful place that he belongs. I am eternally grateful to this giving writer.

I can't tell you about every single leader that he touches on. Please run to your book store and request that this book be placed on it's shelf. In the meantime, go to Amazon.com and purchase your copy. I implore you to support this mission of enlightment. This is how we can celebrate our history every day, every year! Daryl Grisby, I salute you! I say this with heartfelt gratitude. I say this with love. I say this as prayer!

"In Their Footsteps" is an inspiring book! It's encouraging to learn about people of color who have made a difference - it can be difficult to find those unsung heroes but Mr. Grisby has done it for us!

Even if you only have a small bit of time to read every day, you should take time to read this book. Why? First, it is most readable, and if you follow the author's suggestion, it is something that is probably best read in bits and pieces so you can absorb the stories and the messages that are portrayed throughout. It is a thoughtful, reflective, and beautifully written work that is a must read. The stories of those who influenced the course of black history are compelling and inspiring.

The faith, perseverance, and strength in the struggle Mr. Grigsby shows us in the lives of these leaders who have gone before us encourage us to do the same--to daily pick up the pieces of our lives and press on, to keep believing, and to know that one day we will accomplish our dream. I love this book!

I can't imagine anyone whose introduction to this book doesn't involve "thumbing through." It's a useful getting acquainted strategy that reveals a clean, clear format, striking artwork, and the occasional familiar name that converts browser to reader. That first, casual reading also reveals Daryl Grigsby's skill and talent as a writer and storyteller: "Submerged under the Paraiba River, the sculpture of the Virgin Mary had slowly darkened as sediment and mud collected over its smooth surface" (Oct. 12, Our Blessed Lady of Blackness) "The long day was near end, and none too soon, for tempers were short. Boston fishermen and common workers were antagonized by the British troops hovering around the local customs house." (Mar. 5, Crispus Attucks).

And we discover history within the history. The reflection for Sept. 14 focuses on Bishop Desmond Tutu preaching on transfiguration in the face of government brutality that led to the death of 25,000 individuals, mostly black South Africans. We read of Tutu again in an entry on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, created to help maintain peace when apartheid ended in 1996. Another such link comes into play with the entry for The Souls of Black Folk, written by W.E.B. DuBois and published in 1903. DuBois was instrumental in founding the NAACP, which is mentioned in several other entries. In addition, Grigsby tells us, the DuBois book inspired the search for authentic black identity by many, including Angela Davis, Stokley Carmichael, and Malcom X, all three profiled in "Footsteps."

Grigsby spent six years researching material for this book written to address "the relative absence of inspirational literature regarding the legacy of black spirituality." Many will use the book according to the calendar, as Grigsby suggests, and others, whether for personal or group study, will choose reflections from the index. Regardless of the approach, the encounter will be rewarding.

I have lived in South Africa and when this book was released for publication, I bought and enjoyed it as many did. Later, I lost the book during one of my many house moves and was not able to replace it since it was out of print. To my amazement, it is now available on Amazon!

if you have an interest in african history and mythology you will adore this book.even if you don't within is a magnificent new view of life and religion and human beings.one of my favourite books.

Without the infromation in this classic one has no claim to knowledge about Africa and her people.
Credo Mutwa is 'the real deal', and his outpouring of African history flows in the oral tradition to take the reader on a journey of discovery. The book contains incredible facts and insights, sure to alter old perceptions. This book has value for those interested in history, anthropology and archeology, shamanism, sociology, psychology, language, politics and mythology -If you feel any doubt about reading this book -Simply get it and read it.

There is no other book like this one. Any African-America studies student cannot consider his or her training complete without reading this book. It offers profound insight into Sub-Saharan culture, rules, mindset and motivation. Tales are varied, interesting and the book is well written. Thank you Sanusi

This book contains beautifully told traditional legends and history of the Bantu people that goes back to the dawn of human life on Earth. It is an epoch that hints in places of biblical legends but is not derived from the bible by any means at all. In addition to the legends there is some illuminating material about the most sacred places in Africa and about the ancient Ba'ntu language and grand civilization that once covered most of Africa. There is also something about the magical language that is used in Cameroon to communicate with the ancestral spirits which the author believes to have come down from paleolithic times. The last section reveals some of the secret core traditions of African spirituality. Anyone interested in African tradition owes it to themself to read this book. It is deeply moving.

I found this book to be very simple in its explanation that it's not what God can do for you, but what you can do for God. It's His will that one needs to seek in order to undstand what He requires of us in order to glorify Him.

An excellent, life changing book that helps you to align your perspectives and priorities in God's will.

Gotta give it up to Mommy, her new book is quite
thermal. It is entitled "It's Not About You," by
Mommy--I mean--- Rebecca Osaigbovo.
She's funny, and she cuts to the heart of one of the
biggest strongholds we can have- pride. Its also very
encouraging, because in it she shows how God can use
our trials, struggles, and infirmities for His
Purposes.
Its targeted at black women, but everybody should read
it; even if she's not your Mommy.

This is the first book outside of the Holy Bible that TRULLY spoke to my spirit. I've just begun reading the book [I'm currently on page 57] and I can't seem to get enough of this TELL IT LIKE IT IS reading.

If you are at a season in your life where you feel like
"There's Got To Be More to Life Than This" then this is the right book for you.

I'm very grateful that the author was obedient to the Holy Spirit and wrote this book for this season in my life.

The author does a great job of explaining and giving examples on how "we" CAN uncomplicate matters in our lives by simply giving it over to God.

I personally understand that it can be challengning to give it over to God because my mind has not been fully renewed in this area. This book is helping me to make a decision to throw off my old mind and put on His New.

Quite frankly, many of us "Strong Black Christian Women" and I use this phrase loosely are missing the mark. This book is an excellent tool in helping "us" sisas begin to understand life from God's perspective.

God desire's much more for us than a husband, 2.5 kids, and a phat house with money. He HAS So much more for us!

As a result of this book, I'm challenged to take a good hard look at my inward man. To be honest, there's some stuff that I'm seeing that I don't like and needs to be corrected.

If you trully want God to Do More for you in 2004, I highly recommend that you purchase this book. You're eyes will be enlighted and opened. You'll get the AHa!!! on the situation.

Meditate and constantly chew on this book. You'll get something fresh out of it everytime you pick it. Excellent choice for a Book Club.

When I started reading this book I knew that it would be a challenge to my belief system. The title "It's Not About You" troubled me, but it was what I needed to hear. This book reminds us that the world does not evolve around us! God has the big picture in mind.

Although we may go through many trials and tribulations, God is the same yesterday, today and forever. The author did a great job reminding us that God is not surprised about what is going on in our lives. He is in control and He cares!

I guarantee that once you start reading this book, you will be encouraged. You will gain more knowledge on how to have joy in times of adversity. This book is a must read!

It takes a very good book to bring a lump to my throat.
It takes an incredible book to keep me up past 1AM reading it. Jubal did both. Compelling, gripping and historically accurate. I felt like I had fallen into a time machine. Penley paints pictures with words that Hollywood can only hope for. Thanks Gary for yet another really good book. I didn't think you could do another one as good as "Rivers of Wind."

Tom D. / Leeds, AL

This book is more than I expected. The cover and title indicated the book would be about the experience of a Black man, Jubal, making his way in the prejudice of the South. It was that. But the book was much more.
The book also tells the story of two white children struggling through a dysfunctional family life to grow up in the money-short Depression era. It also relates the fascinating regional peculiarities of the "Delta" area of Mississippi. Each of those topics would make for a terrific read. And in this book the author has combined the power and fascination of those topics to create a story that crackles with tension. Gary Penley has crafted a tale that thrums with the energy of a boy growing up, and steams and seethes with the submerged loathings of an area of racial hatreds. The story fascinated me as I saw the mist of innocence evaporating from the eyes of the narrator, Lucas, and he began to recognize the prejudice of his relatives and the failings of his very human family.
Yes, the book is about the prejudice of a racist and violent region of the South. But it is more the story of the battle of an individual boy to grow up to be a complete human being and the story of a few crucial individual victories in that struggle. The story touched me and brought to my mind memories I thought were gone; some bad, some transcendently beautiful.
This book is much more than a simple story of a Black man in the deep South.

"Jubal," the first novel by Gary Penley, author of two non-fiction books, features a black man coping with racial prejudice in the Mississippi Delta town of Linville in the 1930s.

How Jubal Jefferson survives and interacts with the white Dunaway family touches the heart. The novel enfolds through the eyes of Lucas Dunaway, who is about five when he first encounters Jubal, gigantic and powerful. Lucas, his mother, Jessica, and younger sister, Sarah, were in a department store and, awed by the black man, Lucas asks his mother who he is. She replies, "That wasn't a man, Lucas. That was a nigger and you stay away from him. People call him Dummy and most folks think him crazy."

Reid Dunaway and Jessica, comfortable but not rich, make a pleasant home for their children. Lucas and Sarah, almost inseparable, are allowed freedom to explore the town and do so often. Thus they see Jubal almost daily as he pulls his old red wagon with its wooden box on top that enables him to pick up or deliver laundry that his mother, Amanda, has washed and ironed for her customers. Jubal speaks only to the black maids when he calls at a home, saying, "Sure is a pretty day, ain't it, Ma'am?"

Penley weaves his plot with deftness, exploring the strengths and weaknesses of his characters, His love of the Delta and understanding of Southerners allow him to create accurate and sometimes explosive situations and settings. Sarah's attraction to Jubal, for example, ignites her mother's fury. The plot also poses many secrets that are an incentive to a reader to turn pages quickly

One focus concerns Jessica's longing to be accepted by the top social circles of Linville but fails. Gradually, in her frustration she turns to alcohol for solace, leading to physical abuse of her children, particularly Sarah. Reclusive, Sarah, seemingly unaware of her own beauty, does not respond to her mother's efforts to put her on display. She often retreats to her room to play with her dolls, particularly the rag dolls made for her by their black maid.

Jessica, an accomplished pianist, wants Sarah to learn to play but her criticism of Sarah's efforts results in the child doing poorly. However, Sarah has a natural talent and plays well when her mother is not present. Thus, one of the most poignant scenes in the book occurs when the Dunaways are guests of Reid's employer and wife.

Lucas and Sarah have a favorite place, the swimming hole where the family has picnicked, and they go there secretly by themselves. Jubal, who has become a friend to both, often joins them. He takes them to the shack where he lives and they meet his mother.

There is a short time when the Dunaway family seems to heal and enjoy each other, but this is brought to a halt when Reid is killed in an accident at Hardeman's Mercantile, where he has been the top salesman. Jessica and the children are devastated. She soon returns to liquor.

When their home is destroyed by fire, the children are rescued by Jubal, but Jessica dies. Jubal, himself, is terribly burned. The children go to live with their Dunaway grandparents, but more problems lie ahead, especially for Jubal.

Penley's coupling of the young Lucas and the 75 year old, Lucas, returned to the town of his childhood, is an effective vehicle for the exciting story. The author has the ability to create suspense. His insight into the human heart is true as he makes "Jubal" a book never to be forgotten. The critical, final secret is revealed to the adult Lucas and the why of Jubal's withdrawal from society is explained.

Readers will enjoy "Jubal" both for the tale and its setting in a South that has vanished. The day one reads "Jubal" will indeed be '''a pretty day."

JUBAL IS AN EXCELLENT TRIP INTO THE NOT-TOO-OLD SOUTH, STILL WITHIN THE LIFETIME OF MANY. THE SETTING IS WELL DESCRIBED, AND THE CHARACTERS SEEM TO COME ALIVE, AS IF YOU YOURSELF KNEW THEM AT ONE TIME. THE STORY IS COMPELLING AND I WAS EAGER TO SEE HOW THE STORY DEVELOPED. WELL WORTH READING.

With the publication of Jubal, Gary Penley exhibits his versatility by creating a fascinating work of fiction that reads like truth. Penley is also the author of Rivers of Wind: A Western Boyhood Remembered, an autogiographical look at growing up on the plains of southeastern Colorado, and Della Raye: A Girl Who Grew Up in Hell and Emerged Whole, the biography of a bright woman who spent her entire youth in a mental institution in Alabama.
Set in the Mississippi Delta in the 1930s, Jubal is the story of growing up in a rigid social structure in which race and economic status unite some citizens and separate others. Paralleled in the story are Jubal, a young black man, and Jessica, a beautiful white woman who is the mother of the young narrator Lucas and his little sister Sarah. Jubal's race and his terrible inner fears isolate him from white society and force him to play the role of a mentally disadvantaged person. Jessica is isolated from the elite society into which she so badly desires acceptance because her husband doesn't make quite enough money and because she has a drinking problem of which everyone is aware but no one acknowledges.
The children, Lucas and Sarah, befriend Jubal, setting the stage for a dramatic ending in which an unlikely hero emerges.
Jubal deals with hard, elemental issues--racism, child abuse, alcohol abuse, social inequality--the combination of which could be overwhelming were it not for the facility with which Penley handles the subject matter. His descriptions of the setting and the characters, his balanced portrayal of both sides of some issues, and his pacing throughout the novel enable the reader to appreciate the situations described and to believe the characters to be real, though some are anything but likable. Also softening the rawer edges of the subject matter is Penley's choice of narrator; a young boy tells the story but with a maturity of an elderly man looking back on the events of his youth, giving the scenes a sense of distance in time to the events in the narration.
Penley does a masterful job of evoking the reader's emotions and controlling their intensity. Anger, sympathy, sorrow, hatred, love: all are present at one time or another and by the end of the book the reader feels the gamut of all of these emotions. Jubal is an important book, one that provides insight into a dark period in American history.

Every parent, educator, school board member, etc. should read this book. I have been in education for over 20 years, and I can say with no hesitation that Mr. Kunjufu is on the mark with this book.

This book provided as much insight as I needed to adress the topic I had been researching. Very useful

I brought this book because it is very revelent. The book is Afro- centric. In some was has a strong 60's type message and tone. The facts are true, candid and thought provoking. I highly recommend the sections on how to deal with the school system as an advocate for the child as well the sections on developing the child's self esteem. The recommendations in the book do work.It's a good book for educators and African American families regardless of your child's grades. I highly recommend it.

The teachers who do not reside within the same urban areas of the public schools should read this book. This book confirmed my suspicions about the Teaching styles of Teachers who do not understand how to teach the African-American male students.

When I first visited my son's classroom, I made a mental note to view the boards for educational material. However, after reading "Keeping Black Boys Out of Special Education", I witnessed how the educational boards only reflected Caucasian references. There were no references attributed to African-Americans or Latinos, which made up 90% of the classroom. I agree with the author that there should be more Afro-centric educational systems within the urban area, but it is these African-American school administrators who would feel more threatened about adopting such educational centers or programs.

I used this book as a resource for the meetings with my son's Teachers. After reading this book, I have decided to take my son out of the public school system and enroll him in a private educational institution. Although private school is not the answer to all, but least there is some sort of accountability and I can have a more active role in the school's decision process for educating the children. The public school system needs a major renovation in order to secure the future of the African American students. I am not suggesting for the removal of these ineffective Teachers, but at least have the Teachers (all ethnic groups, including the African-American or Latino Teachers) go through a de-sensitizing program so they become aware of the culture of the African-American students within an urban area.

I have been a student of Jawanza Kunjufu's writings since college, his books and presentations have been a critical part of my development as an educator, entrepreneur and mentor to students.

Keeping Black Boys Out of Special Education not only presents the facts about the low expections and unfair treatment of African-American boys in public schools, but it also provides solutions. The solution that is most important is that African American parents must become involved in the education of our youth. Schedule several conferences and visits to your child's school and hold the teachers, administrators, the child and yourself accountable to the education of your student.

I recommend this book and all the books written by Jawanza Kunjufu to anyone who is interested in the education of youth and more specifically, African American youth.

Linsey Mills
Author of Simply Outrageous
simpyoutrageous.org

As a person who has celebrated Kwanzaa for a couple of decades and as the creator of several kwanzaa products myself, I found the book 'Kwanzaa: From Holiday to Every Day' to be a very informative book on this growing celebration.

The book offers historical info on Kwanzaa and illustrates how the celebration connects people of African descent around the world with our cultural roots.

The book shows you how to organize a Kwanzaa celebration of your own and has a lot of great contacts for Kwanzaa music, books and supplies.

I recommend it for anyone interested in learning about Kwanzaa. I also recommend it for those who already know of and celebrate Kwanzaa as a way to reinforce its concepts and its meaning to you.

This book explores not only the holiday of Kwanzaa, but how to incorporate the values of Kwanzaa into your everyday life without going outside of who you intrinsically are. You are already a person who is creative, caring, conscientious and interested in African inspired cultural values, then this book can expand and enhance your practices.

Ms. Angaza's journalistic style takes the reader on a historical voyage as well as a personal one. Her sense of prose will dazzle the reader as well as make him ponder of why it is so important to celebrate such a holiday. This book has even inspired me to throw my first Kwanzaa event this year.

I picked up Ms. Angaza's text, Kwanzaa: From Holiday to Every Day,and have begun to read it like a novel. I thank Ms. Angaza for penning this positive vibration and upliftment. Her prose is smooth and rational. It puts into perspective the cultural repression and damage to the psyche of Africans worldwide while also providing numerous examples of our triumphs, successes and committment to our cultural heritage.

I laughed out loud at the passage where she exposes the cultural bias inherent in the debate over hyphenated identities and the kiss me i'm Irish example. She's crafted a blend of history, social commentary, practical applications, call to action and inspirational vignettes that can be beneficial to all. I reccommend purchasing this text just for the resource section - simply phenomenal. The resource seciton could be used as a life long self study core curricula. Don't overlook the recipes - yummy. She presents things so honestly (sans pretext) that I think people will be encouraged to try out many of the book's recommendations. A Complete guide is an apt subtitle for this work.

I thoroughly recommend this book to everyone! Were I able to give it 6 stars, I would have given it 7. This book is not simply a nice read... it is an Absolute Need. Seriously, this piece comes at a time when our communities & our families are in dire need of self-realization and a reconnection to the roots and core values that make African people unique. One of the things that was most impressive to me was the level of research that was done to compile this work. Who knew that so many people in so many countries across the world are celebrating Kwanzaa and adapting it's principles. Myself and my mate have even discussed beginning to travel each year during the holiday so that we may expose this tradition to our children as it is celebrated throughout the world. If you have never celebrated Kwanzaa, have celebrated all your life or think that this book is not for you... Buy this book! It is for you and you will absolutely not be dissapointed. The Resource pages toward the back are worth the purchase alone.

I agree that this is the best book on Malcolm X and the evolution of his thought and action in the last year of his life. Breitman does well to faithfully draw out, including the contradictions Malcolm was working through, the pathways Malcolm was pursuing... his aims, his objectives, his goals... Breitman gives good context, clearly debunks myths and obfuscations and tackles common attacks that were levied against Malcolm in the year before and after his murder. Should be read hand in hand with Malcolm X Speaks... pretty much essential if you care at all about anything really.

I, like the author, believe that the Autobiography of Malcolm X left out crucial elements to understanding Malcolm's life and sentiments because it did not cover his life to the last day. This book actually looks at Malcolm's life in three separate stages: his life up until and including being a Nation of Islam spokesperson, his transition period while he was breaking with the Nation of Islam and shortly thereafter, and the path he was setting for himself as he was killed.

This book aims to prove that Malcolm was setting an anti-imperialist path, and internationalist path, an anti-capitalist path, a truly revolutionary and truly dangerous (for the ruling classes) path.

I think the book proves it, and I respect Malcolm all the more for it.

This book also contains criticisms of Malcolm by various people, notably some liberals, and so it's good to get an idea of where people stood, who was really afraid of Malcolm and what he was really starting to represent.

This is a great book for the period of time in Malcolm's life that might be the least covered. Not to long of a read, but full of information not readily available when looking for Malcolm.

It dispels the idea of Malcolm just being a racist anti Semite, how he was portrayed by the media during and after his life, but installs the belief that he was a revolutionary fighting for the human rights of all, and nothing could more truthful.

I was surprised when I read this book. It gives Malcolm X's speech announcing his political program for fighting for Black control of the black community and Justice. I didnt know what that was before I read it. I read the talk Malcolm gave introducing the program and he talks about how he was supposed to bring Che Guevara up to the meeting, but Che couldn't make it. Heavy Stuff. Breitman is pretty good at defending Malcolm X against critics and showing what the man stood for without imposing his own views on him. We need to see how Malcolm X was in action to get a better idea how we can advance the struggle.

This excellent little book traces the evolution of the thought and action of Malcolm X in the last eleven months of his life.Malcolm rejected the anti-Semitism and anti-woman policies of the Nation of Islam, and its refusal to involve itself in the civil rights movement. He continued to more and more place the Black struggle in this country in the world context : in the context of the struggle of the workers and farmers in Asia , Africa, and Latin America against imperialism, Yanki imperialism in the first place. He continued to expose the role of the Democratic Party to fool the masses of working people into thinking that we have a friend among our oppressors and exploiters. More and more, he spoke out against capitialism as the cause of racism and described himself unabashedly as pro-socialist.He spoke of the Chinese, Vietnamese, and Cuban revolutions as examples of what we working people must do HERE for the future of all humanity. The author is no academic ' observer'; he covered Malcolm's evolution for The Militant newspaper, the only place Malcolm's speeches were published in full and undistorted after he left the Nation of Islam. This book is an excellent companion volume to read alongside Malcolm's actual speeches, also published by Pathfinder Press.

After reading this book, I must say that it has the WOW factor. I can't believe that I've missed such a good read. The book I'm referring to is Life Is Never As It Seems by J.J. Michael. This is one of the handful of times that I've been able to say that the title fits the book perfectly!

This book is about an young woman name Lindy who grew up in Washington, D.C. in the 1960s during the Black Power movement. She lives with her mother and grandfather, who is the pastor of their church. They are very strict with Lindy. In their eyes, the devil has his hands in anything outside of church. Just like every other teenager who lives in a strict household, Lindy eventually starts to rebel. One day, she meets a boy named Nick and he secretly becomes her boyfriend. Of course, she starts to lie to her family in order to spend quality time with him. Not long afterwards, Lindy discovers that she has a very "special" gift and that is the real reason why her family keeps such a tight rein on her. She then starts to seek answers about herself and her spiritual gift.

Life Is Never As It Seems has such the perfect mix of paranormal and scripture that it makes you believe in the story. J.J. Michael has written a great story that is truly a page turner. Once I started reading it, it was very hard to put it down. I can't wait to read the sequel!

Reviewed by LaShonda Bates
for Urban Reviews

The title LIFE IS NEVER AS IT SEEMS by J.J. Michael is indeed fitting for the story of a young girl who is about to embark on a revealing journey of learning about the spiritual gifts she possesses. With a mixture of paranormal and scripture revelations, we're treated to an exquisitely written novel.

Lindy, a graduate of Howard University, is an impressionable young lady who is kept under thumb by her mother and grandfather, who is pastor of Mount Olive Baptist Church. They are strict and insist that anything outside of the church or their home that Lindy is exposed to is the devil's work. However, there is another underlying reason why they keep tabs on Lindy - she has a gift that many would consider strange or weird. She has the gift to see what others cannot, such as when someone is ill. Her mother, Margaret, is a neurological mess with a mixture of hearing voices to jealousy because she fears her daughter is taking her father's attention away from her. The grandfather is trying to hold the family together, but is unsuccessful because he has several issues to work with also.

Set in the era of the black power movement, Lindy is drawn into the environment and has a secret boyfriend named Nick. Living in a religious and dysfunctional household, she has to connive in order to leave the house to enjoy a social life with him. While attending a party with Nick at a professor's home, Lindy encounters a lady dressed in a hooded white robe. Unfortunately, she is the only one who sees and speaks with her, which sets the stage for Lindy seeking answers about her special abilities.

J.J. Michael has written a very compelling story of a young lady's quest to learn about her gifts and goals in life. She eloquently writes with detailed precision the explorations of her character's love life and the sins of the grandfather and mother collectively as she travels toward the truth about her family and the legacy of her grandmother. As you hold on to each word, the scenes are magnified from page to page, allowing you to experience each character's dilemma, and their decision-making. The theories and explanations of biblical scriptures and other religious overtones are wonderfully outlined, and it really gives you the opportunity to ponder and reflect on life, God, and our human purpose.

And finally what stands out is the ending because there is no ending; it's just the beginning that will open the door to a sequel to LIFE IS NEVER AS IT SEEMS by J.J. Michael.

Reviewed by Kalaani
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

I was spellbounded throughtout the reading of this book. I felt each character evolve. I could see their faces and read their minds. It was as if I was right there, a silent character.

As an African American who is Baptist, I know this story well. Ms. Michael's account corresponds with my personal experiences. Her wonderful way of writing has me anxiously anticipating the sequel to this book.

Ms. Michael engages the reader to remember their own life history identifying through her vivid portrayal of characters from the 1960's in Washington D.C.

I enjoyed reading this book very much. When I did put 'Life Is Never As It Seems' down, I found myself thinking about the characters and wondering what was going to happen next. This is the mark of a great writer. Bravo!!! Can't wait for the sequel!

Sharyn Leigh
Sedona, Arizona

From the moment I picked this book up, I was hooked. It felt as though I had been literally transplanted back to my college days at Howard University in 1967 when I was 20 years old. Every character felt so very real. Every incident was one I had known of or heard about throughout my own search for spiritual truth in the midst of a rigidly fundamentalist church environment. Lindy's commitment to her family as well as to the boyfriend despised by her family were both playing havoc with her rapidly growing inner thirst for spiritual fulfillment and realization. She had unusual gifts and an inner power craving to be set free. Plus, there just might be a genuine soul mate for her in God's plan. Until the very end, my heart was in my throat hoping Lindy would make the right decision. I can't wait for the sequel. Kudos to JJ Michael.