African Books

I couldn't set this book down. He literally goes through every possibility, facing years of uncertainty, and still keeps trying - and graduates college and law school in the meantime. I cannot imagine going through what he went through in Kenya, then coming to the US as a safe haven, and facing such a drawn-out, uphill battle simply to stay.

His story is not always easy to read but it is very engaging, even if, like me, you are not a lawyer or law student. David Kenney Ngaruri and his friends and colleagues in this book are very inspirational.

This is an eloquent and heartbreaking tale of one immigrant's journey throught the U.S. Immigration system. It reads like a John Grisham novel although the story is sadly true. The author, a 7-foot tall Kenyan, was a political prisioner in Kenya for his role as a labor organizer. He faced imprisonment and torture and was ultimately able to escape Kenya via the promise of a basketball scholarship in the United States. In his quest for political asylum in the U.S. he encouters heartless judges,corrupt officials, State Department bureaucrats, a beautiful "witch", kidnapping rebels, interpid law students and a dedicated and brilliant law profressor (his co-author). I couldn't put it down and felt a mixture of outrage at the U.S. immigration system while in awe of the power of the human spirit to overcome the most dauting of odds.

My copy arrived yesterday; I may not get to read it until our beach vacation this summer. But the photo of the two authors on the inside back flap of the dust jacket may be the funniest author photo ever! It will be hard to wait until this summer to read it.

This is an amazing book that makes plain the unbelievable complexity of immigration law. Anyone with an interest in immigration policy should read this book.

For those of you looking for a good summer read to take to the beach, or just a great book to snuggle up with on a rainy day, I highly recommend opening up the pages of Asylum Denied. It is both informative and inspiring as it tells the story of David Kenney Ngaruri, the political asylee who struggled to stay in America. Although the book is currently being passed around law schools, as the new go-to-guide for asylum law, I am sure it will not be long before it makes the bestseller stands at nation-wide bookstores or grabs a spot on Oprah's booklist. Asylum Denied, written by two authors, the above-mentioned David Kenney Ngaruri and Philip Schrag, the professor of law at Georgetown University, serves both as a law manual and as a heart-warming story of adventure, perseverance, and love. Unlike most law-related books, it reads very smoothly and catches your attention from the first page. Even if this is not the usual type of book you read, I urge you to give it a try. If the face on the cover of the book is not enough to convince you to read it, then I hope this review will.

I bought this book for the illustrations, but I found the story was just as beautiful. My grandson who has just started playing the trumpet loved it, too. In fact, he even made the effort to give me a call after he had read it to share his enthusiasm. I will definately purchase more of this remarkable woman's work,

As an international music teacher we need to give all theencouragement we can give to keep the music programs alive in ourschools. Not just in the states but in the world. This short story relates to the young hopeful musican who hopes to be a contributor to the music world - Keep the dream.

Ben's Trumpet (authored and illustrated by Rachel Isadora) was named a Caldecott Honor book for best illustrations in 1980. Honor! These black and white pics are striking! I'll have to read the book that actually won that year. I can't imagine anything better than "Ben". But that's beside the point.


Summary

Ben has an imaginary trumpet and frequents the outside of the Zig Zag Jazz Club. He plays his "trumpet" for his mother, father, grandmother, and baby sister. But when neighborhood children see him playing, they laugh and call him crazy. Ben decides to quit playing his imaginary trumpet, until he meets with the trumpeter from the club.

Ben's Trumpet is a masterful with a simple text and "art-deco" that is remeniscent of The Jazz Era. Isadora is successful in conveying a cool, jazzy feel. A must-read with a satisfying conclusion. Play on!

R

In the age of computer games and 3-D animation, the simple imagination of a child to envision himself learning to be a jazz musician is refreshing. Unlike previous reviews, I feel the dramatic black and white drawings set off some of the cultural issues the illustrations portray. Obviously, young Ben does not live an idealized childhood at home. Yet, he finds that his passion for music can only be fulfilled outside of jazz clubs (which usually perform late in the evening and he is too young to enter). The point of the book is how he acts out THIS reality. He is looking "outside of the box" (hence the illustrations of his home life) and finds the attention from the father-figure (the trumpeter) who Ben wants to imitate. The book vividly illustrates the importance of role models in a child's life.

There are large and small crimes in the world. Small crimes includes little white lies and petty theft. Large crimes represent something much larger in the grand scheme of things. For example, it is a very large crime that it took the New York Public Library's 2003 100 Children's Books Everyone Should Know for me to discover "Ben's Trumpet". Have you seen this book? This is a gorgeous piece of work, particularly striking in its publication date (1979) but not dated. Not even a little. Following Ben, a young man living in a Harlem-esque neighborhood, the story depicts the boy's obsession with playing the trumpet. The plot is touching and has a happy ending that doesn't feel forced or tacked on. It flows just as smoothly as the book itself. Nice storylines aren't what push this book into greatness, however. Look at the illustrations a minute. Notice Isadora's use of line. Her clever placement of black and white. Look at the different drawing styles that emanate from the jazz musicians and their music. Now compare this to Ben's home, a simplistic realistic series of pictures. My favorite section comes after the trumpeter at the Zig Zag Jazz Club compliments Ben on his trumpet playing. The next two pages show the trumpeter walking away, his body curved, swaying to some internal music. On the opposite page there is a kaleidoscope of forms and images, possibly representing Ben's elation at the compliment. Possibly just serving as gorgeous filler. Please read this to your children. Teach this to your children. And give this book to everyone you know. Do I gush? I know I do. But trust me, this book is worth it.

I purchased these cards in the late 90's but didn't really use them until a couple of years ago. I truly missed out by not using them earlier. The book is a wonderful guide that is very clear on how to understand and interpret the cards and a good read. Recently I introduced a sister-friend to these cards and she loved them. The cards are very insightful and enlightening if you use them right. The cards also give you the truth about yourself and others. Every sister-friend should have these cards on hand.

The wit and wisdom of Whoopi Goldgerg is here. The courage, grace and dignity of Maya Angelou is here. The vunerability and open guidance of personal conviction which Opra, shows us all, is here. Thank YOU, Earthlyn, for providing a simple but vibrant text for us all, Black, White, Hispanic,Native American, Asian, and any other combination of the above. We needed you. We need this. The vibrance of the cards key to the message from the text and remain a reassuring guide for our growth.

Earthlyn Manuel, whose name signifies the spice of life, has written a gift for all women. Over the centuries, especially here, in the U.S.A., Black women have had to fight for their dignity, strength and individuality, in a way that few can undrestand. The author does. And with great courage, tenderness and intrinsic conviction, presents the truth about us all. She writes for the Black woman who has maintained through it all. She writes of her srengths and her challenges, her foibles and her flaws. But most of all, she writes of the courage and love and power of the goddess in each of us. Black women are strong women. They could not have survived if they weren't. Many are my heros.

It is wonderful to have a healing guide that is African American centered. The Black Angel Book and Cards provide tools to do deep soul searching and to rediscover our beauty, power and and magic. I like Earthlyn's use of the "waking" and "sleeping" paths. Be ready to look within and go to the deep river. It is a path to honest self-reflection. It is a path to unweaving the webs and coming to a place of unconditional self-love. I have laughed and cried. The cards are beautiful and inspiring. I have used them alone and shared the experience with friends.

The book and the cards are beautifully developed to help you tap into spirit more readily. I found the suggestions quite helpful and the cards do invoke spiritual awareness.

This book along with the cards is such the gift from Creator. It is a reminder for me as a Black Woman of my soul and how to take care of it/ ME. I am very grateful to Earthlyn for being open to receiving this information and her willingness to then pass the information on to sisters like me. I share this book and cards with all in my life regardless of race or gender.

The love in this book is for everyone!

somebody told it like it is...The judicial system is not balanced and it never will be. Thanks judge for telling the truth!

As a New Yorker, I remember Judge Bruce Wright well. He was dubbed: "Cut 'em loose Bruce", because he often released arrested citizens without their having to post bail money. Mr. Wright upheld the law that bail is not to be used as a punishment, but only as a guarantee that the accused party return to court to face the charges against he/she. This infuriated the "powers-that-be". The fact that Judge Wright is a Black man, and many of those who came before him were also Black people, swayed the media to portray his actions as racially motivated, as opposed to his acknowledgement of the law. His book superbly reflects the blatant inequitableness of the criminal justice system and how it is purposely designed to work against Blacks and other people of color. His personal experiences, as a sitting judge, lend great credence to his analogy and conclusions concerning the legal system. Wright fearlessly gives names and elaborates on instances wherein he witnessed and experienced bias in the system. This book is not written in "textbook" fashion, provides some humorous irony and is very informative. Add it to your library.

I'm still reading this book. First time reading a book like this.This is one of the greatest. I recommend this book to be added to your library. It's gives truthful information of the legal system concerning the racism of blacks in the court system.

This book is an eye opener. It give you the truth behind the justice system from the perpective of a Sumpreme Court Judge who exposed the racism in the court system in New York. I never heard of Bruce Wright and happen I purchased this book. I have a lot of respect for the author.

somebody told it like it is...The judicial system is not balanced and it never will be. Thanks judge for telling the truth!

The perfect compliment to Marc Baptiste's "Beautiful". Place these 2 books alone on your coffee table and you are sure to have great 'party talk'.

This book is great. It contradicts all the stereotypes about African-Americans being ugly and filthy. This book has beautiful pictures of African American people of all ages. Everyone looks like the royalty that we once were, picture perfect. This is a must have...especially if you like artistic nudity. I highly recommend it!

I was looking for a fresh but classy addition to my coffee table collection that now consists of ONLY Marc Baptiste's 'Beautiful'. Therefore, I was very discriminating about the runner-up. I was looking for another book that contained erotica, but did not want to push the envelope into an area of tackiness. However, Rundu's studio photography, mixed with a tasteful collection of spontaneous location pictures, offer a nice complement to my 'green' collection of eclectic coffee table books.

Black Love is Long overdue too Be Viewed with Class&Style.this Book Hits Home.Very Solid Pictures&Poems that set the tone really well.I wish The FIlm Business would Show this more often&TV as well.Very essential.

The African-American sexualtiy is shown in not only an erotic fashion, but with a romantic class. "Body and Soul" is refreshing view of sexual mood which as of lately has been lost, and redefined. The poems bring to life the sexual impulse of the photographs. A sensuous delight for both the body, and soul.

I'm a longtime fan of Pullman's "His Dark Materials" series who recently read "The White Mercedes". Upon reviewing that rather interesting book, Amazon showed me this little book in my recommendations. The excellent price and intriguing description made me purchase it. I am pleased to say that I was not disappointed in the least.

"The Broken Bridge" is a really great novel for young adults about fitting in and dealing with family. Ginny's life, which she's rarely questioned, comes into question when she discovers a brother, a best friend's older sister, and her own past. Ginny is a pretty cool character, in that she's really easy to relate to. Her awkwardness at times and fears are realistic. Her anger makes sense. She's a perfectly constructed person, living inside a book. Other characters are equally real.

I liked Ginny's development over the summer, emotional and otherwise. She's a bit impulsive and that makes for an interesting read. Thankfully, this novel is very teen-friendly (minus a few swear-words) and should pass any "appropriateness" test, though it deals with serious subjects very well. It will capture the reader quickly and strongly, until you really want to know what happens. And the ending does not disappoint.

"The Broken Bridge" manages to deal with a number of serious issues quite well. Ginny, as a mixed-race teen, faces a number of racial insecurities, living alone with her white father and white community. Her strong artistic bond to her mother is meaningful as well, and this artistic aspect to the novel should draw in (no pun intended) artists as well. The way she views the world is quite special and unique.

Mysterious, well written, and absolutely enjoyable, "The Broken Bridge" is not the same fantasy Pullman, but still the same fantastic Pullman. Highly recommended!

Not up to the same standard as 'His Dark Materials' but it's aimed at a different market, I guess.

I found the writing good, creating that dreamlike, unreal, almost nightmarish feeling when your world is suddenly turned upside down.
The book grips you and you feel dragged along with our heroine as she tries to make sense of what is happening and the 'visions' she has; the only failing is the ending which seems a bit of an anticlimax.

Nevertheless, a very good read.

This is a wonderful book. I think it will resonate with many readers, who might relate to it even though the circumstances are unique.

Philip Pullman has a powerful gift. It convinces us to not only enter into the minds of his protagonists with sympathy, but to emerge actually caring about them. I really miss Ginny now, having finished the book. I try, in my imagination, to watch her grow up. I think she'll be brilliant, just like many of the readers who can relate to her and her step-brother.

As you begin reading the book, you're not told a whole lot; and I liked that. It made me more alert to cues in her thinking, watching her moods and the things that happen around her that she doesn't quite pay enough attention to.

On the other hand, the things she *does* notice are with the eyes of an artist, and one with a creative imagination. Readers who also like to draw and paint will find lots to like about the way Ginny thinks. It's a view of an artist's way, from an artist himself... and just like the best art, it moves something in us in a very subtle but profound way.

The book deals with feelings of isolation, which many of us encounter through race issues but everyone *could* understand, given a writer like Pullman. And then there's the matter of growing up. What happens when Ginny's secure world seems too small, but getting out of it is too scary? What happens when what she thinks she knows is not half of what's really there beneath her nose? Pullman makes her story a lot like our own story. We're hooked.

Her growing awareness of others' lives, her ability to move from a genuine and thoughtful sympathy to actual empathy - putting herself in their shoes, rather than looking at their shoes from her perspective, so to speak - is handled so well, I can't help but think we readers all benefit too.

Philip Pullman will probably always be best known for the "His Dark Materials" trilogy. This may be appropriate, as this trilogy - The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass - are superior fantasy. But there is more to Pullman than these three books. The Broken Bridge is a standalone novel that shows Pullman's skills go beyond just a single genre.

The Broken Bridge is the story of Ginny, a black (actually mixed-race) sixteen year old girl living in Wales with her white father. Despite the disadvantages of having a long-deceased mother (who came from Haiti) and being one of the very few non-whites in her coastal community, Ginny is reasonably well-adjusted. This stable life comes to a close, however, when a social worker appears at her house. Shortly thereafter, her father reveals something that will completely upset her life: her father had a son by another woman; the woman is dying and soon her half-brother will be living with them.

This revelation is only the first of many that will completely turn Ginny's life upside-down and make her question everything and everyone she has known. The most damaged relationship, however, is with her father who still has a number of other secrets that are beginning to leak out. But there are other truths that will be learned too, regarding her friends, her grandparents and her mother.

This is classified as a "young adult" novel, as most of Pullman's books are, but like his other works, these can actually appeal to any adult readers. I would guess it gets this classification because it is tame from a sex, violence or language standpoint, but the topics - including racism, adultery and even murder - are not exactly "childish."

Pullman is as a good a writer as always. The only disappointment readers are likely to experience is if they expect something like His Dark Materials. Outside of possibly one scene, this story is completely non-fantasy. But if you realize that Pullman can do more than just that one genre, you will find this is another is another good book by him.

The Broken Bridge is a beautifully written book about a girl named Ginny Howard, who is one of the very few black children in Wales. Ginny lives with her father, striving to reach her goal of becoming an artist. Then she finds out that she has a white half-brother named Robert. Even worse, she is illegitimate. Knowing that her father may not be telling her the whole truth about her own life, Ginny decides to find out all that she can about herself and her mother. The plot is embellished with Ginny's unique ideas about herself and also her artistic views. This book was very inspiring and I find that I can associate many of the things discussed in it with my own life. I am definitely better off from reading it.

I've read this book several times, and it never fails to move me. I don't think I've read a more powerful book. Oprah needs to get on this one.

Brother to a Dragonfly is the story of 2 brothers who, in their own way, idolize each other. Will looks up to his older brother Joe. Joe is the protector. He always wants to make things right. And Joe knows that Will is destined to have a mark on the world. But Will D. Campbell has written more than a memoir in writing about growing up with his brother Joe in rural Mississippi. He has captured a piece of America's past. This book reads like a novel - poverty, war, race relations, the civil rights movement, drug addiction, domestic violence - it's all there. Occasionally Campbell makes an awkward jump in the story, but this some how enhances the voice and reminds the reader that this is life. Life doesn't always flow like we would like it to. While telling the story of his brother, Campbell paints a portrait of southerners (himself) during the civil rights movement that don't always get the recognition they deserve. I was surprised by the insights he had 40 years ago about both sides of the civil rights movement. I was even more surprised to find that I had bought into many of the southern stereotypes, and I'm southern!
If you are interested in southern literature, coming of age stories, family relationships, American history from 1930's to 1960's, or the Civil Rights Movement, you need to add Brother to a Dragonfly to your list of reads. Will D. Campbell gives a first rate account of his experience. While it is only one man's view, it is a rich one!

This book sets the standard for brotherly love: through the joyous days of youth, through sickness, through the reversal of who worships who, each standing up for the other no matter what.

This book also wrestles with faith, guilt before the law versus guilt before God, examines stereotypes and throws them away.

"Suddenly I knew a lot of things I had not known before. I knew that I had been caught in my own trap. (In a discussion with a Klansman) Suddenly I knew that we are a nation of Klansmen. I knew that as a nation we stood for peace, harmony and freedom in that war (Vietnam), that we defined the words, and that the means we were employing to accomplish those ends were identical with the ones he had listed."

Follow Will Campbell in his journey with his brother and your horizons will be broadened.

If you were raised in the south as I was, have an interest in the civil rights movement, or want to enjoy one of the most irreverent Christian curmudgeons ever to irritate the church, then read Will Campbell (b. 1924). Campbell was born and raised in the rural and very poor deep south of Amite, Mississippi, "ordained" by family members at a local Baptist church when he was seventeen, and, in a delightfully improbable life, played a central role as an activist and agitator on behalf of African Americans. But to leave it at that would badly misrepresent him.

After World War II Campbell studied at Tulane, Wake Forest, and Yale. He served as Director of Religious life at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), but left after two years because his controversial views attracted death threats. He then did a stint for the National Council of Churches where he worked with most of the civil rights luminaries. In 1957, Campbell was one of four people who escorted the nine black students who integrated Little Rock's Central High School; and he was the only white person to attend the founding of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. So, how did he come to sip whiskey with the KKK and get hate mail from the left?

Campbell came to distrust all movements and institutions, especially the church (he once referred to television preachers as liars, frauds, and "electronic soul molesters"). He dismissed all politics as impotent. It was less than Christian, he realized, to agitate for the oppressed but to hate the oppressor. No, one could not preach what Luther called a "fictitious grace." God loves the redneck Klansmen as well as the disinherited blacks. For the most part, Brother to a Dragonfly tells the story of Campbell's deep love for his brother Joe, and how the latter's tragic demise to alcohol, drugs, and domestic violence led to his premature death. But it was through Joe and an overtly pagan family friend that Campbell had a conversion later in life. Without realizing it, he recalls, his twenty years of ministry had become one of "liberal sophistication. An attempted negation of Jesus, of human engineering, of riding the coattails of Caesar, of playing on his ballpark, by his rules and with his ball, of looking to government to make and verify and authenticate our morality, of worshipping at the shrine of enlightenment and academia, of making an idol of the Supreme Court, a theology of law and order and of not only denying the Faith I professed to hold but my history and my people--the Thomas Colemans [who murdered two civil rights workers]. Loved. And if loved, forgiven. And if forgiven, reconciled." There was all the difference in the world, he realized, between being a "doctrinaire social activist," however laudable, and a follower of Jesus. The key? "I came to understand the nature of tragedy. And one who understands the nature of tragedy can never take sides."

Christian renegade, preacher, author of twenty books and plays, farmer, country musician, friend of Thomas Merton, and agent provocateur, Will Campbell loves a good chew of tobacco and will strike many as enigmatic. Not everyone will appreciate his rapier wit. But PBS profiled him in their documentary "God's Will," in 2000 President Clinton honored him with a National Endowment for the Humanities medal, and Brother to a Dragonfly won numerous literary awards.

Brother to a dragonfly, Will D Campbell's brilliant,evocative, nostalgic luminous memoir teels the story of his family in the pre-tva rural south. Though much much more then a simple coming of age story,it is the story of 2 brothers,their lives amid the greatest change in this ountry since the civil war. Will D Campbell and his brother Joe stories are told so movingly,and with such deep power that ,by the end it will move you to tears. It is the sory of a man,family,RELIGION,the south,race,addiction,love and death. It will shatter any preconcieved notions and stereotypes,for Will D Campell is a true iconoclast. I run out of superlatives to describe this book. Read it.

Can redemption exemplified by the likes of a cold-blooded killer bound by the code of the streets in a drug-infested environment, find a safe haven? What would have to be sacrificed? By the Rivers of Babylon Cindy Brown Austin answers these queries in a riveting fashion with enough twists and curves for subplots to truly make it a character-driven delight. Moreover, it's a street-wise adaptation of life full of the type of mayhem that defines what it means to be in control of money, drugs, and the aftermath after the smoke clears.

Lincoln Duval is a ruthless Drug Lord that adapted to the wiles of the trade early and often to achieve a legendary reputation by controlling people, circumstances, and destiny through both force and guile - until his heart betrayed him! Enter Gabriella Sinclair, an astute Christian journalist that plays havoc with his psyche -- so much so that it threatens to dismantle his entire organization, and creates dissention among the ranks after he falls in love with her. Iniquity and benevolence are not good mixes when one is forced to serve and acknowledge one master. Lincoln struggles, but manages to give us an intrusive picture of his inner self - thanks to the pen of Ms Austin.

The storyline is simple but gains poignancy in how the main character gains notoriety by moving up in the ranks. I especially like the way Ms Austin fused a labyrinth of contrast by giving readers balance in depicting the underbelly of how one several characters are reactionary to the environment that crime creates. What makes this story so compelling is how she connected the sensibilities of love, deception, amid the unpredictability of slippery footing without losing step with continuity. The story moves moderately along with enough pauses for dramatic effect.

Not only does Gabriella invade his heart, she becomes much more than a secondary figure and commands her own space for relevance. The secondary characters are meshed interchangeably due to timely appearances in individual chapters adding intrigue to the drama. Redemptive value can be justified in this case to save a soul, especially when we are given a great story to sit back and enjoy. Cindy Brown Austin brought it and gave flavor to a setting that is not often so prevalent and displayed more in Urban Fiction. I rated the book five stars out 5, and would strongly suggest that you buy and add this book to your collection!

By the Rivers of Babylon is a fast paced well written novel which marries "Urban" or "Street" Lit with a low key, yet powerful Christian theme. Not preachy or judgmental, this tastefully written story unfolds in a mesmerizing, and seamless flow. The main character, a woman reporter by the name of Gabriella Sinclaire, meets and falls in love with Lincoln Duvall, a notorious criminal, murderer and drug kingpin. Cindy Brown Austin has created in Lincoln Duvall the ultimate sexy bad guy. This man is so fine, every red-blooded girl- Christian or otherwise- will fantasize about his looks, his clothing, his charisma. But, the things he does, and the people he hurts--ah---what a tragedy.

Gabriella is a Christian girl who grew up and then away from the hood, loves God, and is celibate. The two meet, and we see their love unfold in a manner that could only have been pre-ordained since the beginning of time. Supernatural powers come into play in this tale of money, power, betrayal, lust, corruption and love. On a scale of one to ten, this is definitely a ten, due to Ms. Austin's astute grasp of street culture, her deft portrayal of character, her in-depth depiction of the unique ways in which black folks relate and her sophisticated writing style.


Reviewed by Alicia M. H. Latimer
Sisters Sippin' Tea Literary Group - Tulsa Chapter

This emotionally entwining fiction could also be many people's real lives. Dealing with several of the most contentious issues in our current society, this story bears on the conscience of all political, religious and ethnic groups by addressing the heart of the matter. What does it take to live truly while having the very core of your lives tested, tormented?

All of that swirls around two boys that grew up in the hard ghetto and both aspire to be preachers in their early childhood. Both extremely intelligent, handsome and able. Both avoid the pulpit when they mature. One becomes a vice cop and the other a Mafioso protégé. But who is the real hypocrite? Caught in the middle of both their love for a lone woman is `Bunny' who must decide the fate of her very being, by deciding which man she truly loves and what to do about it. Caught in the middle are the readers, themselves, as they take a stark view of religious hypocrisy, moral vice/integrity and where truth really resides in peace.

There are those kind of `religious' stories which bore one with there cookie-cutter plots and lines and patronizations. You will find none of that in this most excellent tale. There is no prescription, no magic wand of religion waved here. Yet, deep between their lives, is a gut wrenching faith wrung out of the pains and revelations within this story that I had to read above all the other many important tasks of my day. It was a truly enjoyable experience and I recommend this novel to all folks, young and old. It would be most excellent as part of any literature curriculum.

Darryl Markowitz- author of Call of the Tree Book I of the Faithwalker Series
Former high school science teacher.
Call of the Tree: The legacy from the Tree of Life as passed down through generations to the unknown... (Faith Walker)

Day after day of despair, denigration, danger in an arching echo of violence and death by gun, knife, suicide and emotional fatigue; cement blocks in a built environment of din and no win; metal encased doors, multiple locks, industrial plumbing, broken elevators, and stairwells of terror...the hot stale air of a ramshackle Third Ward apartment...Hell with the lid lifted. In this maze one finds families, children, old people, calculated courting, loneliness, mind-numbing boredom, unchallenged spirit, wit and creativity channeled into a survival game; lost souls looking for love in all the wrong places, beaten down psyches self-enslaved to the "Dude of the Moment." The anti-hero reigns...but is that all there is?

This stark question and its answer is folded in these 358 pages of a breathtaking and fast paced journey into the dynamics of a wrenching love story seeded on the banks of a dark river snaking through a bleak housing project in the urban backyard of American politics.

Brown-Austin's book is loaded with slick semiotics, parody, pain, bravado and yearning, yearning for what? The hapless context almost overwhelms the possibility of even the slightest redemption; a fragile hope of reaching the sweet golden shores of Beulah land; finding normalcy on the lip of a volcano - miraculously, love steps out of the shadows, swims past the waves of lust and bitterness in reaching the promised land of love on par between a man and a woman - respect, dignity and mutual protection. An incredulously slippery route clogged with dead ends, sharp curves guarded by the inverted ritual of face and strut; bad-ass, casual stance, diamond glance, schooled indifference, muscle-bound ebony capable of rendering a physical oblivion of lust with a demand for more, and more, and more. Brown-Austin's primo characters are captivating: Alexander Lincoln Duvall is checkmated by a mysterious undulating river-of-a-woman, Gabriella...like the Angel!

This book is not a book for the florid love story crowd. It serves up a gory autopsy of gang violence, and machismo choking the very life out of a low-level rat as a lesson to the big cats hiding in the shadows. You want a love story that includes "A black panther-man with sequins for eyes" and an "Angelfied" woman capable of enveloping all and any insecurities a dude might be hiding? With the need for gamesmanship abandoned, their love flame flares from blue to indigo, embracing the stars. Go for it; it will knock the socks off your insomnia hours.
_____


BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON
Cindy Brown Austin
Strebor Books, New York: 2007

Jess Maghan, PhD - Chester, CT.
jmaghan@comcast.net

With a long term strategy to control drug trafficking in the slum Wards that the major Japanese firms would admire, Lincoln "Linc" Duvall began his ascent up the street corporate company as a runner. Over time he proved effective and efficient even at murder; his superiors kept promoting him. His understanding of supply and demand ultimately led to his becoming his own boss of the Third Ward trafficking with people running and selling under his direction.

The Heartford Chronicle assigns Christian reporter Gabriella "Gabby" Sinclaire to write the story about evil Linc. Although Gabby is engaged to church-attending overly protective Trevis "Trev" Cooper, she and Linc fall in love. However Linc abandoned God for the devil's trade while she remains strong in her belief that all sinners, even killers like him, can find redemption. Will he turn her away from the Lord; will she escort him back to the Lord; or as most likely will occur their relationship die when each rejects the other's opposite pole.

Though conceptually (and legally) difficult to accept the premise that a formerly cold blooded killer can be redeemed if he or she finds God, BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON is a deep contemporary fiction driven by the lead protagonists. To a degree the strong support cast augments the contrast between Linc and Gabriella as opposite vortexes of the religious diameter. The urban setting adds to this deep modern day inspirational thriller as the audience wonders the final outcome between the drug king and the religious reporter.

Harriet Klausner

Being a Hank Aaron bibliographer, I found this work to be an excellent acknowledgment of African-American players who were able to play MLB. It is unfortunate that so many of the Negro League greats were unable to do so! Another great read! relevant to the younger generation of fan.

Even though former New York Mets outfield Vic Coleman proclaimed, "I don't know no Jackie Robinson and I don't care to," baseball fans surely know the story of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier.

All baseball fans, however, would do themselves a favor by reading this book about the other black players who integrated baseball. Integrating the game wasn't accomplished when Robinson stepped into the Dodgers' lineup in 1947. Black players suffered humiliating treatment in the minors and the major leagues for many years.

Jacobson, a sports reporter and columnist for Newsday for 44 years, brings together the experiences of 19 black players for a powerful testament to an ugly and shameful period of history and sports.

Jacobson tells the story of famous players such as Bob Gibson, Ernie Banks, Elston Howard, Frank Robinson, Hank Aaron and Lou Brock, as well as lesser known players such as Charlie Murray (Eddie's brother), Alvin Jackson and Ed Charles. No player (or person) should have endured what they did.

As a kid following baseball in the 1960s, I had no idea what black players had to endure. It didn't make any difference to us if a player was black or white. After reading this book, I have a lot more respect for their accomplishments and character.

Author Steve Jacobson has tracked down various former black players who were willing to share their experiences on what it was like to break into major league baseball following Jackie Robinson's trailblazing effort in 1947. Larry Doby, who shortly followed Robinson, asked, "Do you think it was any easier eleven weeks later?" Ball clubs would sign players to contracts and not prepare them in any way for the racist experiences they would soon be introduced to. Many understandably couldn't deal with the bigotry that was thrown at them while others asked themselves, "What would Jackie do?" The book includes the names of several individuals who assisted these young black athletes. Their small kindnesses will never be forgotten. Michael Jordan was asked why he hadn't campaigned for a Democrat to unseat Jesse Helms in the North Carolina Senate. Jordan's answer, "Republicans buy sneakers, too." Baseball and America have come a long way since Pumpsie Green integrated the last remaining all-white team, the Boston Red Sox, in 1959. However, before we get too smug in the success that has been achieved, there are still reminders that we must continue, as Lou Brock stated, to "cope with the ever-present danger." I did find one irritating mistake that was made four times on pages xix, 42, 100, and 180. The murder of Emmett Till took place in August of 1955, not 1954. Nevertheless, this book also needs to be read by present day ballplayers who, like Hank Aaron said, "don't have a clue" what conditions were like. How many players did Vince Coleman speak for when he stated, "I don't know no Jackie Robinson, and don't care to."? History lessons are in order for professional players who are presently reaping the benefits.

I love to read, but I've had trouble for a while staying focused on a book and finishing it. I
love those books that once you pick them up, you can't put them down. This was one of those books.
The title is VERY appropriate. Recently, I got in an online debate about why Larry Doby was
seemingly ignored during the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's breaking the color barrier in
baseball. I think Larry Doby was a great man to his country (a WWII vet), to his family (remembered as
a good husband and father) and to the game (elected to HOF, 1998) but he was no Jackie Robinson. So many of the men in this book talk about how Jackie guided them and how they looked to him for inspiration.

I think some people today feel that racism is something you only find in a history book, that the struggles black players faced back then don't happen today. I was shocked to find out in this book that Ken Griffey Jr. was targeted by racist hecklers in Bakersfield, CA in 1988. In fact, he wasn't able to leave the park by himself that day because the racists were waiting for him in the parking lot.

I'm African-American. Reading this book did not make me bitter... it only gave me a true appreciation for these men and the crosses they bore to live out the American Dream while they played the National Pastime. And there is no rule that says blacks HAVE to play Major League baseball but I am always glad to see the legacy of Jackie Robinson continue, especially by those who do it with excellence and integrity.

"Many terrific things come to me due to this job, some by pure fortune. For example, The Post and Newsday have seats side-by-side at Yankee Stadium. So for many games, I was blessed to sit next to veteran columnist Steve Jacobson before he retired from Newsday in 2004. I received an education because Steve is a first-rate reporter and even better storyteller. Now, you can share the same experience. Steve's book, "Carrying Jackie's Torch," is in bookstores. It magnificently portrays the struggles endured by the black players who followed Jackie Robinson in integrating the major leagues."

--JOEL SHERMAN - New York Post (2/18/07)

I am one of the ladies who was anxiously awaiting the release of this book. When I came to the end of I Thought About You Today, I knew that Tyler had me hooked. Chocolate Cookies shows the variety of Tyler's expertise. He had already given us a preview of his talents - writing sensual and sexual poetry. So this time, he added some short stories. Just adding a little more to the mix. Giving a bit more of himself. Making a woman think about the things that she should or could be experiencing. Educating some men to what they should be doing and how they should be doing it. Words are powerful. With his written voice, Vincent can make a woman feel more than she may have felt when she was actually with someone. So please keep on writing and adding more to your mixture. I am greedy. I want more!!!

If you are a reader you already have Vincent Tyler's books-
If you are not a reader, you should be and have Vincent Tyler's books. Both books, I Thought About You Today and Chocolate Cookies are books to be on the shelves of everyone's personal library. Both books stand for good romance, good reading and good references. Mr. Chocolate Cookies, I salute you!!! Your writings indicate to all- I'm Not Scared to Feel, I'm Not Scared to Write, and I'm Not Scared to Experience the Unknown-
All I can say is, "What A Man". You did great!!! I'm looking forward to your upcoming books.
Congratulations -
Babycakes

This book is written from the heart of a man and the words are well crafted so that you're left mentally, if not physically stimulated. It's hard not to get caught up in the sweet allure of his seductive style.

After reading this book, you can't help but want "Sum More" from Mr. Vincent Tyler.

With "Chocolate Cookies", Vincent Tyler follows in the footsteps of his first collection of seductive poems, "I Thought About You Today". Once again this smooth brother takes us on a ride through the annals of sensuality with his imaginatively scripted prose. I cannot say enough about the tasteful, yet tantalizing style of Mr. Tyler. I had the pleasure of seeing him perform the poem "Chocolate Cookies" live a year ago in Chicago at the launch party for my website, ...His impromptu performance had pulses racing and I have been hooked on his poetry since. "Chocolate Cookies" will definitely satiate your erotic senses.

Vincent Tyler has done it again. He has taken your imagination and truly put it to the test. This book is not for the squimish. This is a MUST have for couples. To get the full effect of this book, light some candles, put on some soft music, read.........and get ready for the explosion. Mr Tyler will take you places you have never been before. I have his first book and I can't wait for the next.