African Books

Bluford high:Blood is thicker by Paul Langan & D.M. Blackwell

The setting of this book is in a small, poverty suburbs in Detroit Michigan. This book is about a boy named Hakeem, who moves from his hometown in California, Detroit. Hakeem moves to Detroit,Michigan because his father is sick. Hakeem goes to Detroit to live with his uncle and his cousin Savon. Hakeem and savon were very close but lost contact with each other. Savon doesn't spend time with his cousin because he thinks he's to cool for that. The genre of the book is fictional. The conflict is that Hakeem has to figure out if Savon is the robber of all the stores because he sneaks out every night. Hakemm knew that all the stores on his block had been robbed, even his uncle's Jason store. So Hakeem thought it was Savon because he was sneaking out every night. The theme of this book is trust because Hakeem has to trust in himself that his dad we'll be alright. He also has to trust his cousin savon that he isn't stealing. This book has a good ending so i suggest that all middle school students should read this. I like this book because it is very interesting and it tells stories about fake people but real events.

Bluford high:Blood is thicker by Paul Langan & D.M. Blackwell

The setting of this book is in a small, poverty suburbs in Detroit Michigan. This book is about a boy named Hakeem, who moves from his hometown in California, Detroit. Hakeem moves to Detroit,Michigan because his father is sick. Hakeem goes to Detroit to live with his uncle and his cousin Savon. Hakeem and savon were very close but lost contact with each other. Savon doesn't spend time with his cousin because he thinks he's to cool for that. The genre of the book is fictional. The conflict is that Hakeem has to figure out if Savon is the robber of all the stores because he sneaks out every night. Hakemm knew that all the stores on his block had been robbed, even his uncle's Jason store. So Hakeem thought it was Savon because he was sneaking out every night. The theme of this book is trust because Hakeem has to trust in himself that his dad we'll be alright. He also has to trust his cousin savon that he isn't stealing. This book has a good ending so i suggest that all middle school students should read this. I like this book because it is very interesting and it tells stories about fake people but real events.

Bluford high:Blood is thicker by Paul Langan & D.M. Blackwell

The setting of this book is in a small, poverty suburbs in Detroit Michigan. This book is about a boy named Hakeem, who moves from his hometown in California, Detroit. Hakeem moves to Detroit,Michigan because his father is sick. Hakeem goes to Detroit to live with his uncle and his cousin Savon. Hakeem and savon were very close but lost contact with each other. Savon doesn't spend time with his cousin because he thinks he's to cool for that. The genre of the book is fictional. The conflict is that Hakeem has to figure out if Savon is the robber of all the stores because he sneaks out every night. Hakemm knew that all the stores on his block had been robbed, even his uncle's Jason store. So Hakeem thought it was Savon because he was sneaking out every night. The theme of this book is trust because Hakeem has to trust in himself that his dad we'll be alright. He also has to trust his cousin savon that he isn't stealing. This book has a good ending so i suggest that all middle school students should read this.

Bluford high:Blood is thicker by Paul Langan & D.M. Blackwell

The setting of this book is in a small, poverty suburbs in Detroit Michigan. This book is about a boy named Hakeem, who moves from his hometown in California, Detroit. Hakeem moves to Detroit,Michigan because his father is sick. Hakeem goes to Detroit to live with his uncle and his cousin Savon. Hakeem and savon were very close but lost contact with each other. Savon doesn't spend time with his cousin because he thinks he's to cool for that. The genre of the book is fictional. The conflict is that Hakeem has to figure out if Savon is the robber of all the stores because he sneaks out every night. Hakemm knew that all the stores on his block had been robbed, even his uncle's Jason store. So Hakeem thought it was Savon because he was sneaking out every night. The theme of this book is trust because Hakeem has to trust in himself that his dad we'll be alright. He also has to trust his cousin savon that he isn't stealing. This book has a good ending so i suggest that all middle school students should read this.

"That's it Savon barked, charging Hakeem like an enraged lion." This book is called Blood is Thicker by Paul Langan and D.M Blackwell.

This book takes place in a low class suburb in Detroit Michigan. It is about a boy named Hakeem who moves from California to Detroit because, his father is very sick and they cannot afford there house so, they come live with their uncle. Savon is Hakeems cousin. They were good friends when they were young but they have lost contact. We Hakeem got there he wonder why Savon was being mean to him. He also meets this girl next door who he thinks is pretty. He teaches her how to play guitar. It's a way for him to relive stress and have a fun time with her. Savon had been sneaking around came home late at night. So Uncle James asked him to find out what Savon was up to. There had been robberies almost every store on Main Street except his father furniture store. Then the real bad blood between the two begins. The ending is a shock. This is a fictional novel. I would recommend this book for any middle school student. This is the eighth book in the Bluford High series. The next book is Brothers in Arms. If you like big endings this book is for you.

"Bullwhip Days - The Slaves Remember, An Oral History" is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of slavery in America. It is edited by James Mellon. But with respect to Mr. Mellon, it is not his story.

During the Great Depression, the US government created work programs for a besieged economy. One of these was the Writer's Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Someone realized that the last generation of African Americans who had been slaves was dying. Writers were dispatched to interview these ex-slaves and record/write their stories.

This work is a selection of transcripts from these vital historical records.

It is suspected some of the slaves may have moderated their comments to appease the interviewers sensibilities. I really doubt that. Having read a number of personal memoirs of people in their later years, I find their candor amazing. Just because an ex-slave speaks fondly of their former owner does not mean they are lying or have skewed perceptions.

There's no definitive slave experience. We have the account of one woman owned by the Vice President of the Confederacy, Alexander Stephens on a plantation operating entirely by slaves (including the overseers). Another woman agrees to be bred only because her `kind' master had agreed to buy her in addition to her parents.

One elderly couple had diametrically opposite experiences. She had an idyllic family existence with gifts and new clothes for Christmas. He was separately from his parents as a child, starved and beaten. Decades later, he hears of a child abused like himself. Despite being elderly, he and his wife take the boy and raise him as their own.

There is one major theme through the interviews. How a slave was treated was entirely a function of their owner. They had no rights, no recourse to the law. If caught without a pass, you were fair game for the infamous "paddyrollers" (patrollers). Even after freedom, the Ku Klux Klan terrorized the fomer slave population.

Another thing that I found interesting was the mortality rate after slavery. In multiple interviews, these old people were alone with no children or grandchildren surviving. A lifetime of slavery did not equip them well for freedom.

This is the first book I would recommend to anyone interested in the subject.

I have used this book as part of my Black history classes for 5 years now. It would be impossible to make up the stories that actually happened to a people held against their will and it is riveting to read about the memories and nightmares. This book gives a name to slaves, personalizes it and makes the suffering immortal. These recollections, though they belonged to individuals, makes the suffering universal. The experience of one is the experience of all. But yet, these people on occasion find some humor in various memories and you can share there collective joy over 150 years later. I highly recommend this book to anyone, not just students and historians.

I first read this book back in 1991. Even today, I will occasionally reread it. It is very informative and very much real. I can truly say that I love this book and this is a must have. You will truly enjoy it. My people have come a long way.

Wow...That's all I can say. This is a wonderful book and a must read for everyone. I read this as part of a book club discussion for Black History Month. What a way to open my eyes to a part of American history. Very moving.

This is the real deal. Ex-slaves telling their own experiences; a few not-so-bad, many extremely heartbreaking. This is one of the best insights into what slavery was really like during the 19th Century. This is the story, in there own words, of how a people were totally dehumanized during America's most shameful period. A country claiming "liberty and justice for all" while denying that freedom to millions of fellow human beings. And many still ask the question, "why do African-Americans still lag behind in so many areas, while other ethnic groups had to struggle as immigrants also?" This book is a reminder that blacks were forcibly brought here, and denied-for-years even the simplest education. Maybe the reading of this book, will help some realize the continual uphill struggle, blacks have tried to achieve in a few short decades since the Civil Rights Movement. Trying to make-up for Centuries of bondage, and inequality. Just as we can never forget the evils of the Holocaust, so it should be equaly true with the era of slavery.

When I was a child, no one ever wrote about Black children. We were still calling each other whenever a Black person was coming on TV, "Nat King Cole gonna be on TV tonight." Now, 53 and grandmother to a host of children, to them I can read a tale about Black girls and boys who have adventures, rise above their fears, and so help me God, save the whole wide world! And what a world! Faracadar, where the youngest child continues the bloodline and creatures do, literally, laugh themselves to death. Where people are green and blue, and music, MUSIC, saves lives and chases away evil. I had to wait 53 years before a Black girl could ride the white horse, only to have Ms. Wachspress bare the girl away on a tiger. What fun! How wonderful that a new generation of all children can read of adventures set in my culture. A children's book? Perhaps, but one that reminds us of how to live with and respect each other and the Earth, and of how to fight, and with truth and honor. The Call to Shakabaz is a true, true delight!

Reviewed by Brianne Plach (age 9) for Reader Views (6/07)

Do you want to read a good adventure book with a great storyline and no violence? If you do, you will want to check out this one. "The Call to Shakabaz" by Amy Wachspress follows four recently-orphaned Goodacre children on a mission to do something for their mother who died two months ago.

The Goodacre children named Doshmisi, Denzel, Maia and Sonjay, are living with Aunt Alice and aren't too happy about it. They were raised in the city with malls, computers, televisions and video games. Aunt Alice has none of that in her farmhouse on Manzanita Ranch. They wish they had some adventure. Be careful what you wish for, you might just find out that you have more danger than the boring countryside. The four children take along Bayard Rustin, a talking parrot who doesn't make much sense but has a mind of his own.

One midsummer day, they meet Amethyst who is the gatekeeper of Faracadar. They are armed with their amulets that were given them by Uncle Martin, Uncle Bobby and Aunt Alice. They are told to wear these amulets well and with ingenuity, creativity, compassion, courage and hunger for the truth. The amulets must never leave the neck of the children because no one can take them from them unless they would lose their life. Doshmisi is also given a healing book called Herbal which will magically open to the page of the recipe of something to heal the person.

I really enjoyed traveling with the kids to meet all the different people on their trip. There were parts of this book which were funny. Having a powder which will change you into a different color to hide you would be very fun to have sometimes. Of course, your true colors will come out anyway. There is only so much hiding a person can do. Amy Wachspress has a great imagination. I will definitely read this book again! I liked how there weren't violent scenes in the book like a lot of books out there. This book is terrific reading for ages 9-14. It is fun to see that kids our age can do something important too, even if it is a fantasy book. I could see teachers making this a part of their reading class. There is a study guide at the back of this book too. Answer "The Call to Shakabaz' and enjoy the adventure!

Note from Brianne's mother: This book is a terrific fantasy book for kids. With the popularity of the Narnia series, "The Call to Shakabaz" could easily become a favorite for students and teachers. It kept Brianne very enthused about reading and she couldn't wait to finish reading it.

Head Start administrator Amy Wachspress presents The Call to Shakabaz, a fantasy novel for ages eight to eighty following four newly orphaned children who discover a surprising secret about their family. Accompanied by a pestering parrot, they travel to the faraway land of Faracadar, and seek the immensely powerful Staff of Shakabaz in hope of using it to end the tyranny of the evil enchanter Sissrath. Their adventure carries them over land and sea, into the dungeonlike depths of the Final Fortress, and each of them must discover their own talents and gifts in order to have any hope of survival, let alone success in their mission. Highly recommended.

Colour, music, scents and sentiment spill out of this pictureless fantasy novel and sweep us into a story of suspense, self-discovery and nonviolent resistance. Our girls laughed, swooned, quaked and cheered -- then happily chirped "Satyagraha!".

Doshmisi, Denzel, Maia, and Sonjay always thought Aunt Alice's Manzanita Ranch was a great place to visit, but they never thought they would have to live there. But when their mother died unexpectedly, that's where they moved to. It hasn't been very long since then, and the kids are bored stiff. It's a good thing they have the family Midsummer party to look forward to. Although without their mom, or even the cousins who are inexplicably absent, even that might not be much fun.

What starts out as a rather dull, depressing day gets a lot more interesting with a strange lesson in family history. It turns out that the two brothers and two sisters are "The Four." Descendants of a line of four brothers and sisters who can pass through their own dimension and into Faracadar. With their mother gone, the time of their mother and aunt and uncles have passed. It is up to the new Four now.

But what is "it"? Trust me, they want to know as much as you do. Unfortunately, one of the rules is that they don't get to know much the first time around. All they know is that they have to get the Staff of Shakabaz away from a guy named Sissrath. Who that is, how they do it, why they have to, and even what Faracadar is, they'll have to figure out for themselves. They'll have to work together, learning what each of their strengths are and how to use them, and maybe they'll be able to pull it all off.

THE CALL TO SHAKABAZ is richly imagined and incredibly detailed, both land and story. At first it's a bit like a modern version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia). But by the end of the tale you realize it's so much deeper than that. This is a book about finding personal strength, in all different forms, and appreciating the talents of others, and the strength in uniting different people, and so much more! I want to buy a copy for everyone I know, regardless of age, race, or sex. It's part fantasy, part history lesson, part real life -- I can't even describe it! But, it's beautiful, and it's kind of a picture of what I'd like to see our world look like. Although maybe without the greenish sun -- that might be a little weird.

Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman

I really enjoyed this book. You meet famous and not so famous people in this book. Some you will never forget like Hystercine Rankin, who made a quilt of her fathers killing in Mississippi, when she was only ten.She eventually won a $5000 prize for it. Or how the author talks about his family and the "healing quilt" and his lifelong affinity of quilts. The stories in here are good, and the quilts are out of this world. One of the best oral African American history books out there.

Influenced by his love of quilts, photographer Roland Freeman acts as anthrolopologist and quilting historian in this beautiful, comprehensive book. Featuring full color photos of African-American quilts and quilters and well-researched text, this book is a must-read even for non-quilting enthusiasts. The history and cultural heritage of a people have been preserved in this beautiful artform. I found myself moved after reading this book. You will be too.

This book is truly awesome. Although I have almost every quiltmaking book in print, the photos here are of the most unique and breathtakingly beautiful I've ever seen. And the accompanying stories about the quiltmakers are at once inspirational and humbling ... e.g., a quilt depicting the lynching of a woman's father, and explanation of how neighbors were afraid to attend the funeral. (Don't let that discourage you; most of the quilts are uplifting and gorgeous by any standards -- and the few sad ones are incredibly moving and meaningful.)

I can't imagine anyone not loving this book. Frankly, I was so awed by the gifted artists whose work is contained therein that my first thought was that African Americans have all the talent and creativity (and, no, I'm not an African American). Even if you're not moved by the stories/bios (although I can't imagine not being), you've *GOT* to be awed and inspired by the extraordinarily beautiful and truly unique quilting, which cannot help but enable you to improve your own designs.

I wish that there were more stars than 5 ... This book deserves the highest rating imaginable.

African-American Quilters, Preservers and Their Stories represents the first national survey & a personal record of how this photographer & folkorist's life has intertwined with the world of quiltmaking.

The communion refers to the power of quilts to create a virtual web of connections-individual, generational, professional, physical, spiritual, cultural & historical. Some of the names of those glorious quilts are: Rainbow Block; Slave Chain; Log Cabin; Three Pigs in a Pen; Double Wedding Ring; Black Jack Scarecrow; Monsters, Dragons and Flies; African Diaspora; African-American Women; African-American Men; Memories of My Father's Death; Memories; Scripture; Martin Luther King Jr.; Hand Me Down My Mother's Work; Mother Africa's Children; The Underground Railroad; Baltimore Arabber Selling Watermelons; Harriet Tubman Quilt & Tableau.

For all those who consider quilt making one of America's finest crafts, this will be a lifetime companion & will rekindle that dramatic & endearing form of art. Very well done!

You have got to read this book! It is filled with women & men & the love of fabric & colors; of the love of design & community coming together to stitch lives together. Do visit my site for my full review & more books on quilting.

This book thoroughly documents quilting and quilt makers from across the USA. Roland Freeman tells the story of the quilt makers largely through his spectacular photographs. He includes unknown but highly talented artists as well as celebrities who also quilt. The photographs are accompanied with stories from the artists, and these narratives provide a terrific base for understanding why this folk art retains its vibrancy in the 21st century. In many ways, Freeman's photography and writing can also be understood as part of the artistic fabric that he stitches together.

Claudia Mair Burney's second book, Death, Deceit and Some Smooth Jazz was worth the wait. The book picks up right where we left off and all the lovable characters that moved me in book one. And just when you thought that Bell Brown couldn't get in anymore trouble, she does and finds herself in the role of "Girl Detective" again. This time the stakes are higher when she helps solve a murder that hits close to home: Jazz, Brown's ex-wife. In this book, Burney deals with some tough issues, divorce and homosexuality, but not without a strong Christian worldview. It is refreshing to read a book that isn't afraid to deal with the real life issues that believers face.

I am looking forward to reading book three and I strongly recommend this book and Murder, Mayhem and a Fine Man to anyone.This is definintely a "stay up all night and read" book.

This novel is laugh out loud funny in several places.

As soon as I finish writing this review, I'm going to google what a sugar glider is. That tempermental pet was responsible for some my biggest laughs in this book, from the beginning when it attacked it's owner to the end when it saved her life.

Bell the main character is hysterical and it seems like she and I would hit it off immediately if we met in real life.

This novel stretches the molds of christian fiction. Usually I like edgier inspirational stories. This one dealt with murder, gay relationships, self mutilation, and lots of lust.

I guess it was a little too edgy for me to feel like I was reading christian suspense. I felt more like I was reading a secular story where the characters just happened to be believers. I suppose there's a fine line between the two and this novel went just over it. That's the reason I didn't give it five stars.

Amanda Bell Brown is at it again!! This time it's the love of her life that is in trouble. When Jazz Brown "the finest man she knows" shows up at her door with stracthes on his face she wonders what happened but before he tells her, she gets a call from her sister Carly saying that they have found Jazzy's ex-wife Kate dead in his apartment! Now not only is she trying to figure out who killed Kate (meanwhile wondering if he did), she is also trying to figure out whether Jazz really loves her or if she deserves him. While all of this is going on she finds out that she may never have a baby if she doesn't get pregnant soon.

Will she be able to find Kate's killer,learn how to let go of the pain of her past and move on? Death, Deceit, & Some Smooth Jazz is about trusting God to work things out, love, and controlling lust.

In Death, Deceit, & Some Smooth Jazz, Claudia Mair Burney paints her characters human. This second book in the Amanda "Bell" Brown series goes even deeper than the wonderful first book, Murder, Mayhem & a Fine Man. This time the chemistry between the two Browns, Bell, the striving-to-be-holy forensic psychologist, and Jazz, the smooth and equally God-fearing detective is still potentially explosive. But there's the mystery of a recently murdered ex-wife that needs to be solved.

Burney is funny and suspenseful as she keeps us guessing about romance, guilt, and faith. She even takes her writing ministry a step further by making us care about the book's supporting characters. One of the potential suspects's lifestyle is sometimes blasted at from pulpits, but Claudia Burney handles the character in a way that forces us to ask ourselves how Jesus would handle the character. (With compassion.)

I finished this book, satisfied with the story, but wanting more, and I can't wait to get it in book three.

I really enjoyed this book and the first book in the series. The dialogue as well as the plot was outstanding. I've been disappointed with a few of the books I've read lately and this book was a breath of fresh air. The way she describes love and playful banter is this book is great. The characters are lively and interesting.

It was nice to see if Bell would finally get her man. I was really rooting for love and goodness to win in this book. I had faith in Jazz as well and was hoping for a happy ending. Oh, the marsupial was so much fun as well. The story kept you reading page after page. This is truly a must read and I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out.

For once a book that makes you THINK.
To say the example is from the Boer war period (1900) and that the principles exposed are still useful today will give you an idea of how good this little book is...
I've been a military reader all my life (I even did a compulsory military service) and this is on my top ten.
I must admit my interest in war is more concentrated in earlier periods... and the introduction of modern weapons and khaki is my personal limit (mass murder and carpet bombing I find hard to digest)... of course this is pretty silly of me (war has never been "gentle"... but I'll cling to my romantic approach to the subject).

But getting back to the point, the alternatives, thought provoking questions, and scenarios provided by this little gem DID impress me a lot!, I must confess that after years of wargaming and reading about war I committed all the possible mistakes in my deployments and anticipating what...

So the lecture is really a "come back to earth" experience.
A brilliant book, recommended even for crime (is it not a crime to cause the dead of your soldiers because of your negligence?) and mystery aficionados and not exclusively for military buffs.

ADB

Marine officers are often required to read this book during The Basic School (the six month infantry-focused training all lieutenants undergo after OCS or the Naval Academy). I have read that some Army schools also list it as required reading. Swinton takes a simple issue, the defense of a small swatch of land during entrusted to a young officer, and uses dream sequences to illustrate shortcomings of various tactical approaches to the problem. The officer realizes via hindsight the solutions to each problem and the reader becomes engaged in a sort of Monday-morning quarterbacking of his methods. Just when you think you have the answer, Swinton tears your theory to pieces with the next report of failure. After reading all of the scenarios, one realizes that the answer was so simple and some basic but careful analysis would yield the answer. That is the heart and core of tactics. Making a quick decision with limited information but moderate knowledge in order to come up with a 90% solution. Not only is this book a must-read, it yields new lessons every time I go back to it. It's one of those books you buy and come back to every few years. Highly recommended for the military historian, NCO or junior officer.

A perfect primer for every small-unit leader and above. Learn guerilla tactics and how to counter them from the series mistakes in a series of dreams of another young Lt. The story is a fast-paced and entertaining story and provides lessons learned by real combat experience. Though the setting is the Anglo-Boer war, the lessons are universal and well thought out. An enjoyable primer on small unit leadership of counterinsurgency.

Hypothetical Lt Backsight Forethought has 50 men and a mission to hold a drift in South African territory during the Boer War of 1899-1902, and he starts his mission fresh from officer training and being totally unaware of the realities of combat. In the first trial he gets beaten really bad but he analyzes his faults and learn from them. He also gets beaten in his second, third, fourth and fifth trial, every time making different mistakes which the enemy does not forgive. Finally, when he has a sixth chance to re-fight the battle he puts up a splendid performance making his opponent to pay dearly and holding the drift until friendly reinforcements arrive. It is a very enjoyable little book and although it was written a hundred years ago it is still very useful for anyone who wants to learn about the core of tactical prowess in infantry battle.

Swinton is a military professional with experience in the Boer War who wrote this famous short book based on a series of thoughts he had on how a infantry unit with only 50 men could defend a river crossing. A young Lieutenant has the role but you are given his perspective, the terrain features, the political situation, conflict with civilians and limits on your own military support. There is a brief history of the war with the "Dutch" and then your Lieutenant receives his assignment. With the use of maps, there are six scenarios of the Lieutenants approach to defending the crossing (drift). Each scenario is acted out and with each of the first five scenarios there are several lessons learned such as the effect of enfilading fire, the limitations of a simple trench, the use of the military crest versus being located on top of the hill, the effect the local sympathetic population may have on aiding guerrilla fighters, the effect of surprise, disguising your defense from view, proper posting of sentries and responsibilities, how to combat artillery, dealing with multiple directions of attack, using the terrain to advantage and on. As the Lieutenant in each scenario learns from his mistakes, he alters the outcome to his advantage but only incrementally. Only at the end and sixth scenario does he get it right but with realistic loss. The same map is introduced in each scenario with defense features matching the new defensive tactics. Fascinating book for all interested in basic infantry tactics, which has been used as a training manual for militaries world wide. This is a very readable book that can be read in less than 2 hours time. Applicable to any war but this book would be interesting to read with an account of Rappahannock Station, which was a spearhead position held by Confederates in advance of Lee's line on November 7, 1863 where Meade's forces overwhelmed the defenders and took almost 3,000 prisoners. Duffer's Drift would be very applicable here.

OMG!!! This book was dynamic. When I first saw the cover, I thought it was going to be another black novel filled with just sex scenes. Boy was I wrong. Adrianne Byrd kept me on the edge of my seat as I read this book filled with suspense, romance, and deception.

This book pulled you in from the beginning. It did not waste anytime to get to the point. The plot was very strong and powerful. The romance intrigue, adventure and suspense were put together wonderfully. I could tell this book was published in the 90s because no one used cell phones, but car phones and pay phones and they still used VCR. It's amazing how technology has improved. But enough about that go and get this book you will not be disappointed.

I simply LOVED this book it has so many twists and turns it kept me on the edge of my seat. Congrats on job well done!!

Now, if you know me, I love my romance with drama novels right??? Well in my own personal opinion "Defenseless" by Adrianne Byrd has got to the best of all of her works that i've read so far. This book kept me on the edge from start to finish. You want to talk about twist, turns, surprises, Sonya & Dwayne took us on plenty of them. The road to the end of the book was a nice wild ride that anyone who enjoys drama with some romance will just love it. While Sonya & Dwayne are trying to save her sister from prision they are left in a state of wonder as to why things are happening to them at everyturn they take. This book will keep you on your toes and engrossed in the book, not even wanting to go to bed!!!!

Love the book Adrianne! Keep it up!!

A girfriend of mine recommend that I read this book, and I have to tell this book was so good. From the time I picked this book up I couldn't put it down I tell you the book will have your on the edge of your seat wondering what is getting ready to happen next. The suspense and romance in this book is great. Now I tell in the beginning I wasn't feeling Sonja , but she started to warm up to me but it took a minute. Sonja was a independet woman who felt that did not need any help or a man, but shr soon learn that she was wrong. It took Sonja some time to learn and trust men since your had seen so much abused in her parent marriage and her sister. Sonja tried to help her sister but some lesson your just have to learn for yourself, and that is what Laura had to do.The moment Sonja and Dwayne met you knew they were destined to fall in love. Dwayne is one of the top Lawyer and of course in the beginning Sonja had some run in with Dwayne which was all her fault. Smile. Laura was in trouble and in need of a Lawyer and Sonja friend and co-worker Sharon brother just happen to be a Lawyer and guess who the Lawyer in up being my man Dwayne himself.

Can't give to much of the book away but you will love it.


Louise

I read another story by Ms. Alers and it was pretty good. But, when I started reading the Hideaway Series, I was blown away...Martin Cole, Matt Sterling and Joshua Kirkland were all that and then some! However, lurking in the background was Martin's fine younger brother David.

In this story, David's love of music and his woman, Serena was brought to life and all I can say is "have mercy!" From his graying hair to the earring in his left ear, David Cole is one hot brother. In the midst of drama and life threathening circumstances, Serena Morris was the woman to nurse this man back to health and then love him. Who could ask for more?? As with all the stories in the "Hideaway" series, this book is filled with passion and romance.

"Hideaway" is an excellent series and I'm looking forward to more Cole/Sterling/Kirkland adventures.

Can Ms. Alers go wrong!! Great, Excellent book. She has a way to make the characters come alive. Serena was tempting to David and David was tempting to Serena. Good match.
Read the book. It is worth the time.

I don't know what it is but they're all just so sexy. I read the Hideaway Saga last year and was afraid that I'd never find David's story but when I did manage to find it,I had to have it. This book only helped me to see why I love these books so much. I've since purchased the other books about the sons and daughters of the series with the exception of two: Homecoming and Harvest Moon.

Although the women of this series are all wondeful women,I keep coming back b/c of the men. They're all so passionate,strong,beautiful men that would give up everything to protect their families especially the women they love more than life. It's a beautiful thing to read about it and I think that's why this series stands out. It's also not often you read about incredibly successful African-American families. I love these books so much and I love the men even more.

I READ HOMECOMING AND RENEGADE COULD NOT PUT THESE BOOK DOWN
I REALLY HAVE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE COLE FAMILY.AS YOU READ
IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE SITTING AND THE MOVIES AND IT BEING PLAY OUT ON THE BIG SCREEN THE LOVE AFFAIR BETWEEN THE COLE MEN AND THEIR WOMEN ARE A ONCE AND A LIFE TIME LOVE. WHICH EVERY FEMALE WOULD DIE FOR.ROCHELLE ALERS IS A VERY GIFTED AND BLESS
WRITER HER WORK SHOULD BE ON THE BIG SCREEN.

This book touched my soul, what a beautiful and passionate romance. Every one deserves such a wonderful romance. Rochelle Alers outdid herself this time!

I often disagree with some things a writer chooses to share but those are small things that prove your thinking about what you've read and not just scanned the material. The one that stands out the most after 20 years is the piece on Cuba. Each piece however took me somewhere beyond my own thoughts. It is more than well written, it is thought provoking and at times peaceful.

and this is not exception. Her honesty, her heart and her story telling is excellent as ever. May she bless us with many, many more stories.

Alice Walker is insightful and thorough in her examination of literature. I especially enjoy her piece about Flannery O'Connor.

This book helped me gain my voice. I love it so much -- I have two copies of it and I would still not be willing to loan one out. Alice Walker is a powerful visual writer and a Gift to the Womanist Academy!

In her essay concerning post-Reconstruction African-American women, Alice Walker seeks to put a human face on what Americans may otherwise only remember as an unfortunate scar on our glorious history. She asks, "Who were the Saints? These crazy, loony, pitiful women?" And in answering herself, she replies in repetition, "our mothers and grandmothers." These are the human faces to which she has attributed all that is contemporary Black America.

"Moving to music not yet written," Walker's image of the former female slave is one, not necessarily of a battered laborer, nor of a heifer being kept only because of her ability to breed valuable livestock, but rather as an artist ahead of her time. These women made beauty while amidst horrible conditions. These women were not merely ex-slaves, but they were "Poets, Novelists, Essayists, and Short-Story Writers" whose potential was never met, and dreams were never realized. For this reason, Walker attempts to embolden and even mobilize African-American women with the responsibility of realizing the potential of black creativity denied their ancestors.

Walker asks, "Do you have a genius of a great-great-grandmother who died under some ignorant and depraved white overseers lash?" What an amazing question to ask. How many geniuses and artists were slain by the horror of slavery? Americans spend a lot of time and energy thinking about the economic, political, and social restrictions slavery imposed on African Americans, but I have never even heard elusions to the loss of black creativity due to slavery. I too have given more thought to the socioeconomic inequality within black America than I've ever given to the stifling of their creative ability. Perhaps, we should give this idea more thought, for it was the efforts of these "poets" in everyday life that transported black women to where they are today, and have arguably elevated the intellect, creativity, and soul of an entire nation.

Thought provoking; this is an essential read for anyone interested in understanding the effects of slavery, especially those effects that go beyond our typical understanding of oppression.

Suffering is the proper word. Anthropology should be totally, completely fascinating -- it's the study of human cultures, for heaven's sake -- but it's often a dry-as-dust class for college students.

This book is not dry. In fact, it's probably the only anthropology book that can bring the reader to tears of laughter.

Which is not to say that the book is a comedy. It's not. The book is a sympathetic and interesting take on the writer's study of the Dowayo people. But the Dowayo people -- like any other ethnic group or people -- have quirks that the people themselves cannot see. Nigel Barley lives among the Dowayo and documents their lives, tells how he does anthropology, and manages to do so in a way that makes the book one I sometimes pick up, open at random, and enjoy.

Stumbling upon this book was total luck! The only motive I had to get this book was a desire to learn more about Anthro as informal as possible- yet have it be completely nonfiction.

I just want people to know that this is my first actual review. That being said, everyone who reads this review should understand that I liked this book SO much that I not only sent it from my house in Japan to a friend in the states, but I also came back here to write a short blurb on it.

I promise any future reviews won't be such a waste of everyone's time! Take a chance and get this book!

I borrowed this book in the early 90s from a British friend (thanks Mark!) and it fast became one of my favorites (a close second to Brave New World). Witty, touching, and hilarious - I would love to have Nigel Barley over for a dinner party! I just wish he had written more books like this one!

Nigel Barley is a social anthropologist and this is his account of his first fieldwork, a year living and studying the Dowayo people of Cameroon. Social and cultural anthropologists (also known as ethnographers) travel to exotic locales (sometimes in our own backyard) and live among a group of people for a year or more in order to come to know their way of life intimately and write about it. Most every Ph.D. student in the field will face this "rite de passage" in order to become "a real anthropologist," and is generally given precious little guidance in the matter, which seems cloaked in mystery and is therefore commonly a source of considerable anxiety. In recent years, the situation has been partially remedied with the publication of some texts on methods and techniques, as well as the development of courses on field research methods, but there is still little written on the human dimension - namely, what is life like "in the field"? This book joins a small club, which includes Malinowski's diary and Return to Laughter. What sets Barley's book apart is his wit. He faces some serious problems but - in retrospect at least - laughs at them. It is a very entertaining read. You will learn a lot about what to expect in the field. It will also be useful for anyone who will be living in Africa and possibly other developing regions, such as Peace Corps volunteers and missionaries. I was, however, uncomfortable throughout the book because the author seems to be very distant and detached from the people he lived with and studied. It is hard to find anything very positive about the Dowayo, and the book therefore serves to reinforce negative stereotypes about Africa and bolster Western superiority. I prefer the eloquence and wisdom of Return to Laughter.

This is a budding anthropologist's account of his experience with an obscure and previously unstudied people in the Cameroons. If you thought you might want to be an anthropologist, this will either inspire you or turn you to some more comfortable calling. The innocent Englishman describes in hilarious detail his dealings with bureaucrats, missionaries, village chiefs, and rainmakers, while trying to maintain anthropological distance. You learn a little bit of anthropology from the book; you learn much more about the anthropologist. He may have embellished his story in places, but he probably didn't need to. It would make a great film, but don't wait for that. It's one of the funniest books you'll ever read.