African Books

When I first picked this book from the library I had two minutes left to pick a book. So, I look on a shelf this was the first book I caught on my eye. When we came back to school I didn't want to read it but once I past that first page I really wanted to read it, because it talks about the issues in my life. Such as, how I would get in trouble because I would pick pocket people.
They shot the guy for a reason. Maracas and Eddie know, as black and white on the streets are about to get a scholarship to a basketball school. They don't have any jobs so they can pay for the basketball camp for they can get accepted to the school, so they started robbing people's cars when they will go in the hardware store. Until one day a guy saw them robbing his car so he ran over there and Eddie pulled out his gun and shot the person. Maracas knew who the person was but just couldn't figure it out at the time. One day when Eddie's family comes over and they are taking the bus then Maracas knew who it was, it was... The next day when they went to school the cops come and arrest them for murder.
I think this book is awesome I recommend this book because it has action cover to cover. My favorite part was when they found out that they had killed the guy, but Eddie's family is on the bus, I like this part because it is intense because you want to know who the person was. I like this book so much I read it 3 times because it relates to the issues in my life. This book says that if you don't have a job than go do things like selling drugs or robbing people and when you do that you go to jail.
I think Paul Volponi is one of the best authors in the world, because he knows how to catch his reader's interest. Also, he doesn't wait to the middle of the book to give you the action part he gives it to you on the second page. I think Paul Volponi does that for he won't boar his readers. It is a really good book for teens.

I was really pulled in by this book and found it a page turner. It's got more than racial themes in it. It's also the story of friendship between boys, it's strengths and limits. Additionally, it's also the story of teenagers making poor choices and suffering the consequences of their actions.

You have two friends who are of different races, Eddie and Marcus, but they have pulled together and are tight friends through high school. Then, they both resent not having enough money for various things, and since the are both great basketball players and practices interfere with work, they decide to do some armed robbery to get some extra cash. They only do three hold ups, but things go wrong, and a gun is fired, and Marcus, the black friend gets arrested.

Eventually, Eddie is also arrested, and he was the one who shot the gun. The rest of the book circles around Marcus, and if he will turn is his friend or not since the police don't have enough evidence about the trigger man.

All of this is well written and fast paced. There is also a little romance between Rose, Eddie's sister, and Marcus.

What I feel keeps this book from being a great book, is the ending, which I will not reveal. I will only write that I think the ending keeps the character of Eddie from fully developing, and maybe that's more true to reality as he is only 17.

As a book of harsh, realistic fiction, I think this book has it nailed!

As a book of lasting, enduring literature, I think this book will be mostly forgotten in ten years and I fault the ending and the editor for letting that happen, because I feel this could have been at least better and a much more meaningful and enduring story.

That said, I do recommend this book and think it would give teen and adults a lot to discuss on a wide variety of themes such as friendship, race, honesty, and the US Judicial system.

This book stands with Children of the River as one of the best adolescent novels I have ever read. I thought about this book for weeks after reading it, and I am now working on getting it placed as required reading in our local school. The story is riveting and would capture the attention of virtually any reader, adolescent or adult.

Here's another book, I wanted to read more...more...more! What great messages the author delivered in the story. Volponi speaks of "black and white" issues, but he also goes deep into the human soul and gives guidance on how to live a content, happy life. This book could be a self-help book on dealing with the "big and small" mistakes made in life, change, stress, and growing up!

As a high school teacher-librarian, I will certainly recommend _Black and White_ to my teen readers as a fabulous read.

There are numerous quotes I admire, but my favorite is: [school office speaking to Marcus mother] "I know he's made some mistakes. But that's what adolescents do. Marcus is the type of young man who's going to learn from what he did wrong. He's going to pick himself back up and succeed. And one day, other kids from this neighborhood are going to look up to him for that." p. 131

The book is open-ended at the end. But that's okay and will leave the reader content. There will be ups and downs after the final page and much food for thought in the reader's imagination.

"Marcs and Eddie are the stars of Long Island City High School's basketball team. Marcs is black and Eddie is white, but they got past all that "racial crap" and have been best friends for years." Quote from Black and White

Marcs and Eddie are going make it to the NBA. Everyone knows it. They have scouts coming to their games to see them play. Both know it will only be a matter of time before they get their big scholarships and then they can go to the pros.

The problem is both boys are from the inner city and have little money. They could work but that would interfere with their practices and games. So, they decide to make some quick cash. Everything is fine until one night when things go horribly wrong. Now one will have to pay for their mistake.

This is an excellent novel that I cannot keep on the shelf. My students love this book. Mr. Volponi does an excellent job of portraying the struggle these young men face. The ending shocked me and when I finished reading the book I couldn't believe what happened. Amazing read. Boys who are into basketball will especially like this novel. However, I think boys and girls who want a solid story with realistic characters will enjoy this book.

Paul Volponi has written two other young adult novels including Rooftop and Rucker Park Setup. His first novel was Rikers, which could appeal to teens due to its topic.

The thing which brings this book the best form of credibility is Mrs. Daniels had access to the very subjects of the book. While I was reading it, I laughed, sighed, shook my head, smiled and many other feelings and words (some of which I cannot repeat) came out of me. For me, this was something I've seen for a while now. I'm happy I am not the only one who has felt these things and seen the things which were discussed in the book. It is not a pipe dream: the author, as well as the people she interviewed, don't give us a 1+1=2 solution to the condition of the corporate world for young Black Americans, because it would not be realistic. I would recommend this to any young Black American (or the old-school cats for that matter) who is looking to take that step to corporate America. It will open eyes for some and re-inforce existing ideas for others.

Black Power, Inc. is the book for which I've been waiting for quite some time. Daniels covers the real thought process of today's black professional, being a continuation of the previous generation's achievements, yet something altogether different. Today's black professional sees him/herself as a freedom fighter of a different brand, with corporate and entrepreneurial success as the new 'cause'. As I read this book, I found myself shouting 'Yes!' and 'Finally!' at the thought that there were actually others in the professional world who thought like me. The poignant analysis of the post-civil rights generation and its prevailing thought process was everything I needed to give me perspective and understanding of what my real purpose for acheivement has always been. If you are a young, striving, achieving, believing, competent, and driven black professional, this book is for you. This book IS you.

I must say that Cora Daniels is very insightful as she brings a voice to of us who are "Working While Black" I found myself nodding in affirmation to a lot of the things she made mention of. I discuss situations like the one's addressed in this book on a regular basis with friends and old college classmates. It is amazing how our careers span out over different professions not to mention cities and states yet we still can recall similar incidents. This book is a definite read if you are "Working While Black" or if you are not Black and wish to gain some insight into how your Black colleagues may feel.

Reading the book felt like one of the venting sessions that I need every now and then to keep my sanity. The book was a reflection of the many experiences that I have had and also have witnessed. It was nice to feel that I was not alone and that there is an answer out there and our generation will help find it.

What more can I say about this book that hasn't already been said by the other gracious reviewers... except read it. If you want to know what it's like to be a black person age 25 - 40 and work in Corporate America then READ THIS BOOK. If you want to know what your African American co-workers are going through daily then READ THIS BOOK. If you are responsible for a diversity program at a fortune 500 company then please READ THIS BOOK. If you are a Sista and you plan to enter Corporate America then READ THIS BOOK. Finally, if you are "Working While Black" then READ THIS BOOK... I promise it will make you feel better and increase your drive to succeed in spite of the circumstances.

I read this book about 3 years ago and think it is a very good look at what bi-racial African/Americans go through. At first, I didn't understand the turmoil and angst one goes through who is bi-racial. The bir-racial people I always knew classified themselves as black and most of them did not appear to have a problem with that. Most of them had white mothers who raised them but they didn't consider themselves as denying their white heritage. Society including blacks see them as being black because it is so hard sometimes in distinguishing a bi-racial from a black person with two black parents. Oftentimes a full-blooded black looks more white than a bi-racial. Also a lot of it is all you have been raised, how the parents involved feel about race. Anyway the author does thorough interviews regarding this issue.

Funderburg does an excellent job of finding biracial people and asking questions that help them to explain their understanding of race and how it was formulated. My husband and I plan to have children and I have reseacher biracial children and identity for the past two years. Black, White,Other helped to answer a lot of the questions that we have had and I have also share this information with other mixed couples. As licensed therapists this information will be passed on and used to help other biracial people and their parents through tough times. Some of the stories were sad and some made me mad because of the way the children were treated but I found this to be very helpful expecially with clients because life is not always happy-go-lucky Funderburg does an excellent job of saying this though real people's lives. It is an easy read.

I Really Enjoyed this Book because it is Honest.it deals with America's Greatest Problem Race.this Book takes a look at Multi-Racial Culture it's effects&Outlooks.fitting in&still trying too Remain ones Self-Indenity.it tackles Social Issues&The World at Large.Multi-Racial Children are Beautiful but Society at Large still thinks of the One Drop Of Blood Rule.People Should Be Allowed too be Proud of all The Beauty that is their Creation not Be Limited.cuz that is what makes Everyone Unique.Very Powerful Book.

The book was filled with people from every walk of life and every age. Having a biracial black and white marriage and raising biracial children, I found the book helpful in reading about other experiences; however many of those experinces were negative compared to our family's.

I would have liked to have read about more positive experiences. It is a great book for people who would like to know first hand about being black and white in our American culture.

Black White Other is a simple yet graciously objective read. It is written in such a simple style that it is like meeting a good friend for a coffee.

It is a series of interviews with 70+ black/white biracial people of a great array of age, gender, and life experience.

Although the subject mater, 'race' is often genralised, the people in this book are all approached as individuals in every way. With very different lives,personalities and opinions.

For those of you that are of mixed race, you will find this book very comforting, there are many people that understand you. For those that aren't in our situation, don't be afraid to sit down listen to these voices, embrace the lesson and let it manifest in your life.

This is one of those "hmmmmm...interesting" books. George Rodrigue gives a compelling history about his roots and how Blue Dog came into creation. While I love the content of the book, I am even more facinated by the design. Inside you will find a "punch-out" blue dog mask, postcards and other little nifty interactive thing-a-ma-jigs that help make this book such a pleasure to enjoy.

This is a weighty (but not cumbersome) coffee table book that any thinking, feeling human being would be happy to own. Ever since I saw some original Blue Dog paintings in New Orleans, I've wanted to own one of them. Alas, I'm too poor. This book captures the spirit of the little alien-looking pooch and lets me borrow it for a price I can manage.

You just can't fully appreciate or understand the scope and delight of Blue Dog until you read this book. I adore Blue Dog. This silly, goofy blue dog provokes emotions in me that I have not experienced with art before...there is some strange, sad, beautiful, eerie, rapturous, haunting, joyful essence to this darn dog. This book is completely unique, fun, inspirational...I could go on and on. You just have to touch this book (the cover is fuzzy!) and open it...you will be hooked. The best coffee table book and a sure conversation starter, though that is hardly its value.

Any book with more of Blue Dog is great. This features more of the pop art world of Blue Dog than the previous books of Rodrigue's work. (I actually like the paintings of Blue Dog in cajun settings best.)

Teach an old dog new tricks? Absolutely, provided the pooch in question is Blue Dog, that colorful canine spawned from the mind of Cajun artist George Rodrigue. (For those no up to their four-legged friends fodder, the cobalt canine with the yellow eyes is based on three of the artist's now-dead dogs, and was first immortalized on slick papers back in 1994.) Who says a sleeping dog must lie? This babe is everywhere: portraits hang in the White House, on the set of "Friends" and in fan Whoopi Goldberg's abode; Blue Dog also stars in an Absolut ad. This volume boasts 60 gorgeous never-before-published paintings, along with commentary by Rodrigue on the birth of Blue Dog and its transformation into a pop culture icon. Tom Brokaw, an avid Blue Dog collector, wrote the book's forward. The cat's meow. Really.

I have only recently purchased this book and must say that Lisa Jones is hilarious! Her analysis about everything in black pop culture from big bottoms to blaxploitation puts a humorous spin on race in the United States. I really enjoyed how much of herself (Jewish, Black, woman) she put into the novel. I wish that she would continue to make essays such as these and keep them aligned with current events.

Though some of the events she talks about are dated news events (Mike Tyson rape and Dr. Dre assaulting Dee Barnes), her appropriately hilarious outlook makes reading her essays relevant even today.

I highly recommend this book.

My mum gave me this book a couple years ago and it opened my eyes to different ideas about race. I'm 15 and a few references to the old days are above me but this book speaks to me. It's the perfect cure for an identity crisis and Ms Jones thought processes are deep and humorous.

I especially love the essay "Tragedy Becomes Her" and "Is Biracial Enough". The essays in part 2 - Bring the Heroines made me think about the maltreatment of black women and gave me more reason to be proud of my mum and grandma's and aunties.

It's a good book to give to young black women especially to help them see that they are worth more than people will lead them to believe.

Pure genius.

She needs to write another and another and another. I thought I was actually there in her memories....real time....in color. I have read this book several times and I am suggesting it to be read for a book club I belong to. A great read!!!!!

She needs to write another and another and another. I thought I was actually there in her memories....real time....in color. I have read this book several times and I am suggesting it to be read for a book club I belong to. A great read!!!!!

I purchased this book when I was still a teenager, and to be honest, I dont remember what attracted me to the book. I like to consider it one of those moments where fate leads you to somthing that will make life-journies a lot easier.

Bulletproof Diva became "my bible" I carried it in my bookbag along with my schoolbooks and dreamed of becoming a woman like Lisa Jones who so eloquently articulates her lessons her passions, her battles and her life. I am now 26 years old, and my worn dog eared copy of this book (which has survived a building collapse, two moves and several tempermental boyfriends) is still listed as a favorite.

I hope that it will inspire, elevate and nourish your soul, as it has mine!

I did not know that the person who created the blood banks was black. Charles Drew had to deal with a lot of grief in his life, but he believed in himself and he had great friends. They kept him going.

When he ran out of money during the Depression he almost dropped out of medical school and returned to being a coach of a college but he didn't.

He figured out, what other people couldn't- a way to save lives with blood preseervation.

This was a good book and its well written. It reads like a novel

I thought this was a really good book. I learned a lot about what life was like for Black people 50 years ago.It was really hard. They couldn't go to school or become doctors . When they were sick they couldn't go to hospitals. I didn't know about blood types until I read this book.

This is the kind of book that should be in the hands of every young man in America. Drew overcame the odds and didn't complain. He just did it and lives were saved.My wife bought several copies of this book and gave it to all the boys in our son's scout troop.

My science club read this last week. I was surprised at how primitive medicine was just a few short years ago.

Reading about Dr. Drew and all the challenges he had to face made me more determined than ever to become a doctor.

Charles Drew watched his baby sister get sick. He wanted to save her life but most schools would not let him attend because he was black. He said he "Dreamed High" and found a way. He became a surgeon and helped others become surgeons. He was a great man. I'm glad I read this book.

Williams does a remarkable job of blending jazz, gender, and history into what I see as an absolutely unforgettable novel. If you thought you knew something about the Holocaust, think again. Williams, in his trademark manner, has a way of telling through fiction the factual history that others are to busy or racist to acknowledge. Certainly one of the best in his oeuvre.

A very interesting construction of a diary kept by a fictitious gay black American jazz pianist, Clifford Pepperidge, incarcerated in Dachau leading up to and during the Second World War, but driven by real events. Upon arrival at the concentration camp Clifford is recognised and selected as a house servant by SS Captain Dieter Lange, a former pimp and low life acquaintance of Clifford's, who is not only interested in the pianist's musical abilities, but also as potential for his own sexual outlet. The strange and dependant relationship that develops between Cliff and Dieter Lange, and Lange's wife Anna, becomes ever deeper as they learn each others secrets.
The diary is very revealing about life in a Dachau, and brings home the horrors of the suffering and struggle for survival of the inmates; how circumstances changed as war broke out and progressed, and the desperation of both inmates and captors as the war was clearly coming to, for Germany and possible for the inmates, a disastrous end.
While I am in no position to confirm the authenticity of such a fabrication, the accuracy concerning the fact that in addition to blacks, and Jews, dissidents, criminals, gypsies, gays etc, from very early on Jehovah's Witnesses were imprisoned in concentration camps (something rarely acknowledged), and their unique position (their potential freedom was in their own hands), leads me to assume that the John A Williams has carefully research all his facts, supported by the usefully included bibliography.
All in all it makes for a captivating, moving and informative read.

If only half of what is published were half as well crafted. By the way, the Kirkus Review at the top says this is Williams's first novel. But this is John A., the author of The Man Who Cried I Am, right? Does Kirkus have him confused with another John Williams?

It took me twenty years to finally pull Isaac Bashevis Singer's novel, Shosha, about Jews and the Holocaust from my bookcase and read it. One week later I had finished it and moved on to read Clifford's Blues. Two compelling and distinctive plys coil together to offer up complementary perspectives on the rise of Nazism in Germany. Singer puts a face on pre-World War II European Jews, richly depicting what it meant to be a Jew in western Europe in the years prior to and during the Holocaust. For most modern Americans this is a fairly familiar story.

Williams offers up a tale much less familiar. He introduces us to Clifford Pepperidge, a gay, black, American jazz musician who spends a dozen years incarcerated in Dachau prison, one of the many labeled undesirables who were captured as the Nazis rose to power. While other prisoners suffer the misery of prison barracks and captor abuse, Clifford sits in the comfortable home of a gay Nazi officer and his bovine German wife. There as a servant, Pepperidge allows himself to be used sexually and musically by both husband and wife, the price of survival. In his daily interaction with other prisoners he sees that good men, those with the character and ethics to stand up for their fellows, rarely survive long. It is those who capitulate, who sink down into the muck, who lose their humanity, who will endure.

Williams provides us with a fascinating picture of how people react to power and influence, even when it clearly is evil. We see the German burger who blinds himself to the fate of those caught up in the hungry trap of Nazism. The German officer who grasps at every opportunity to accumulate wealth and power. The many who stumbled forward in step with a horror that grows ever larger and more malignant. Where Singer presents a picture of people desperately trying to hold onto their hopes and dreams even in the face of rising oppression, Williams shows us the convolutions that strip away humanity in both victim and oppressor.

The writing is strong, and Williams clearly took the time to do the necesary research to bring his story to life. Richly developed characters hold the reader's interest. It is not a book to be quickly forgotten. Williams holds a mirror up and asks us to look at ourselves and think about how we can be shaped and influenced by people and events. His darkside tale underscores the possibility of our own tumble in inhumanity and evil.

I read this book a year ago and it haunts me still.

John A. Williams has crafted here a story so compelling, so engrossing in its depiction of life lived on a razor's edge, that you loathe putting it down; you may feel chills when you've finished it. It's that disturbing, and that good. CLIFFORD'S BLUES affirms that Williams retains his gifts (fresh as ever in his mid-70s!) and mastery of his craft.

Clifford Pepperidge is triple-crossed: condemned as "decadent" - for being American Negro, jazz musician, and active homosexual (especially impolitic when he's caught in bed with a prominent white man) - and interned "indefinitely" in a German concentration camp by Nazidom as it rises to power in the early 1930s.

This is a historical possibility we'd not thought of. Yet Williams, no stranger to historical fiction (see, for example, his novel CAPTAIN BLACKMAN), footnotes his text with incidences of real life black jazz musicians detained by the Nazis prior to the outbreak of World War II; I'd never heard about this.

John A. Williams has been publishing books, mostly novels, over 40 years. His heroes have tended to be "manly" black men: uncompromising, heterosexual, hard-loving, hard-drinking and cigarette-smoking urbane sophisticates. I've always taken them to be stand-ins for the author himself; perhaps they represent the image of manliness of a day not quite gone by.

Stepping out of his usual bounds and into Clifford's skin, however, Williams exhibits an even greater sense of manhood, an empathetic virility. Clifford may not fathom how he managed to get himself into such a mess, but he doesn't make excuses. He's as resolute about his sexuality as his racial and artistic makeup, though all combine to make him particularly alienated - and vulnerable - as he faces down brutal imprisonment with other Nazi-dictated "undesirables" (Communists, gays, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews and gypsies) for twelve long years. He lives to see, almost veritably, the walls of his dungeon shake, practical escape, the possible passing on of his testimony - but at what cost?

I can say, with modesty and with pride, that I've read all John A. Williams' published novels. This is, for my money, his most powerful, arguably his greatest book since THE MAN WHO CRIED I AM.

Williams has always been a thinking person's writer and a darn good storyteller. In this extremely well written and deeply felt book he's rendered the poignant story of a character he made me truly care about. Clifford Pepperidge could be the long-feared-lost-or-dead relative whose tattered diary of surviving hell on earth has just been plopped down in your living room. How can you embrace all of what he's been through? What if it were you? The really eerie question is that, given history, or the record of human events, it's apparent that no one has a corner on inhumane depravity - we're each just as likely or capable of being captor or captive when, if, we allow a new holocaust. But when you look in the mirror, do you recognize the humanity within and extending beyond yourself? Will we remember?

This book is a must have for African Americans who are collectors of fine African American art. Gives great information regarding the artists and on what to look for in fine art.

Although filled with very valuable information for anyone interested in collecting African American Art, I was looking for info on particular artist. I/E: James Denmark, Kadir Nelson, Alix Beaujour, Leroy Campbell,etc. These are just a few to give you an idea of what I was looking for. The book had great detailed info. I recommend this book to anyone...

If you have ever thought about purchasing a piece of art by an African American artist you should read this book. It is a rare gem. I met Ms. Taha at an opening some years ago at which time she told me she would be releasing this book, I had no idea it would be the treasure that it is. It is insightful, informative, beautifully illustrated, and gives you all the information needed to begin collecting art or to continue adding to your collection. Having a passion for art and the history of African American artist in this country, I want to thank Ms. Taha for encouring me to continue my pursuit for collecting and sharing much needed tools that will help me as I continue in this endeavor.

Ms Taha hit the nail on the head. Anyone with an interest in African American Art, this book is a must buy. The Author, takes the reader step by step through the African American art Market. Any work presented in the work is a fine example of the work that a collector and or an art lover should own. Too often, collecting african american art is thought of as buying $50.00 posters and placing a $500.00 frame around the work. Ms Taha describes how African American Art is here for all and how one can begin the road to sucessful lover affair with ART. Please support this Author.

This book is a wonderful addition to the library of African American Art History and a tremendous resource for both artist and collector. What an opportunity for the expansion of our work. Thanks, Halima. -Nadine LaFond, fine artist, Art Lives

"To appreciate any sport, you must learn about its entire histroy. And you can't truly appreciate baseball without learning about the Negro Leagues. Begin with this book."

-Sports Columnist, Kansas City Star

"The food industry has Emeril, the political pundits have O'Reilly and the Negro Leagues has Holway. Artfully wrote by the premier expert on Negro Leagues history."

-President, Legends of Sports

". . . statistics that prove the greatness of the Negro League players. Now, we can truly call baseball the National Pastime."

"To appreciate any sport, you must learn about its entire history. And you can't truly appreciate baseball without learning about the Negro Leagues. Begin with this book."

As submitted to Hasting House on Dec. 10, 2001 via e-mail

This is a fine overview of the contributions made by black ball players from the mid 19th Century to the more well known players of the 20th. I judge baseball books on how they contribute to the overall understanding of their subject matter. This book stands among the others, including Only the Ball Was White and Larry Lester's pictorials on the Negro Leagues in Chicago, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh.

As the director of a not-for-profit art center, I've spent years struggling to raise enough funds to improve our center, build our programs and pay our staff.  I read Cracking the Corporate Code because I know Judy Turnock, but I had no idea it was going to help me in my work.  It made me start thinking strategically about the struggle of every art center, and now I've put together a consortium of over 40 art centers.  I would never have thought this way if I had not read CTCC.  It makes you think about how to accomplish more.  I think CTCC has a message for everybody.

Reading Cracking the Corporate Code (CTCC) is like having conversations with the best mentors in the world.. When I first read it, I was in the middle of my fourth year as an associate at a major law firm in Silicon Valley. I was one of very few blacks, and I was struggling through work assignments and feeling so alienated. It was CTCC that gave me the confidence to look honestly at my law firm environment. I think every African-American lawyer should read this book!

As an American lawyer in London, I often feel isolated in an alien culture, even though everyone is speaking English. CTCC was given to me by a colleague who knows Judy Turnock. I was surprised to find how much I identified with the experiences of the corporate executives interviewed there. What they shared has given me even more respect for what so many people have sacrificed to make the promise of America a reality. It also made me proud of my small part in the cultural change underway in every workplace. I find myself turning to CTCC again and again. Wherever you work, read this book.

A Black business book classic that I recommend reading is Cracking the Corporate Code : The Revealing Success Stories of 32 African American Executives by Price M. Cobbs and Judith L. Turnock. This book delivers truth in a disarmingly no-holds
barred fashion.

The truth about advancement in the corporate world is that the unwritten, unspoken rules and values are often more important then those that are written and spoken. The challenge for African Americans is that the rules were created for and by white men.

This book receives my recommendation for both what the book does and for what it doesn't do.

The first half of the book is tough to swallow as an African American because you hear the stories of young, idealist Black men and women entering the corporate world on the heels of years of Civil Rights unrest and newly minted gains. They are pioneers in business and the business world proves to be as dangerous as the American frontier was to the pioneers that left home to settle here.

These new entrants into corporate America face abuse, back stabbing, hurt, rejection and subtle as well as outright racism. Through it all, they manage to keep a proper perspective, excel in their respective careers and prove to many in the business world that Blacks have a place at the corporate table, that we can turn a profit in the white man's world of business.

Now, these executives are stalwarts of business giving sage advice to all who will listen. The stories they tell and the advice they dispense is as invaluable as having 32 mentors unified in guiding you successfully through your career. They openly share their experiences and feelings about them at the time. Have you ever had doubts about your ability, felt persecuted and put down because of your race or have you felt the sting of subtle racism and not known what to do? They have and
they share that with you. This gives the book a sense of sincerity in its efforts to benefit the reader.

The authors teach the skills to overcome the blows to one's ego that happen to everyone but are often complicated by the color of our skin. Have you ever wondered if someone's intention to help was sincere(an honest gesture to assist) or slightly racist(you need help due to your skin color). The authors tell you the skills they developed to perceive these subtle differences.

What Cracking the Corporate Code does not do is try to provide a step by step formula to success. The book decribes the loneliness of success experienced by these Black executives, the ambiguous nature of corporate power and the reality of "unwritten rules" in every business.

The authors recognize that a cookie cutter approach will fail the reader. The real keys to success are embedded in the stories of the executives as we read about their rise to power.

As I expound on to a great extent at www.blackwealthnow.com, core sets of skills are what separate the winners from the losers in business and finance. This book recognizes that African Americans require all the skills whites need to succeed as well an additional set of skills to thrive as Black men and women in a hostile (though there has been improvement) business world.

A few of the skills learned in Cracking the Corporate Code include reading unwritten rules, playing the corporate game, building a base of supporters, cultivating a network and wielding corporate power.

32 African American executives each with decades of experience giving advice and sharing wisdom on these critical issues and more makes Cracking the Corporate Code an indispensable success guide on the bookshelves of all African Americans at any level and in any business.

I'll end here with a quote from one of the African American
executives from the book.

"None of us has gotten here on our own. We may have busted our butts, worked extremely hard, made lots of personal sacrifices, and brought some talent and ability to the table. I believe all that is true, but we didn't do it alone. We've all had people who have been there either directly or indirectly and made a difference."
Bruce Gordon, Group President, Verizon
From the book Cracking the Corporate Code
by Price M. Cobbs & Judith L. Turnock

Over 250 Black men and women have risen to senior positions in major corporations. Along their climb, these leaders have learned, grown, achieved, and influenced as highly effective executives. They have overcome the challenges of being Black, complicating the normally difficult path of moving up the corporate hierarchy. That's the primary story of this book. At least, that's the premise of a book subtitled "The Revealing Success Stories of 32 African-American Executives."

All that aside, I gained a lot from this book. I'm not Black. I'm not a high level executive of a major corporation. I'm a Certified Management Consultant. I help executives do a better job as leaders. To give developing executives the answers they need to succeed, I'd recommend careful reading of this book. Page after page delivers valuable lessons in a captivating way.

The design of this book is quite effective. Chapters headed Ambiguity, Managing Your Demons, Fitting In, Reading Unwritten Rules, Making Your Mark, Managing Relationships, and several aspects of power weave meaningful lessons together into a amazing package of advice. Cobbs and Turnock teach through their own words, illuminated beautifully by mentoring lessons from the 32 selected executives. The role models are liberally quoted, giving them a powerful platform to share their experiences and advice with readers. Their testimonials give so much to those who follow them.

The primary target of this book might be considered rising executives from diverse backgrounds. The demographic description goes far beyond Black men and women. Everyone can gain from this growth tool. I particularly commend it to young people in college and even in high school. You will learn, be inspired, and be freed to achieve far beyond where you ever thought you might go.

My copy of this book will be donated to the library at Hiram College, the Ohio liberal arts college that gave me the boost to achieve what I have in life. I trust it will inspire others to reach for their highest potential.