African Books

I loved this book! I found it because I am doing a research paper for Sociology on interracial relationships. I am in an interracial realtionship myself so I am interested in finding out more inormation about experiences I may have to go through. I am Mexican and my boyfriend is black. Although Gail is white I still feel that I can strongly relate to her because I don't know if my father will accept my relationship. It felt really good to have someone who knew exactly how I felt and what I was thinking. THere were a few times where I had tears and where I was overjoyed for Gail and Mark. I recommend it to anyone who is in an interracial relationship.

This is one of my favorite books. I actually met the authors during their promotion of this book and I have a signed copy. This story is so moving, only those of us in interracial relationships and marriages truly understand the struggles and obstacles this couple faced and how they triumphed. This book helped make me strong and face all of those obstacles that I was afraid of. My marriage is a strong one, it has lasted 12 years! Gail wrote a very touching statement in her signing of my copy of this book: "Celebrate the love you share". I have never forgotten to do exactly that!

This book was simply outstanding. I waited nearly a month for it and it was worth it. It answered every single question I've ever had about interracial relationships and it helped me find ways to approach others' fears and misinformation in regards to interracial relationships. I came away much more knowledgeable--not just about how human beings interact with one another, but also about the spirit of human beings.

The best part about this book is the way it reads--the story moves fast, the writing is smooth, and many times I found myself almost forgetting that this was actually non-fiction...it was almost as good as a romance novel. And wonderfully, it's all true! I highly recommend this book.

I just so happen to pick this gem up at a library book sale. I never heard of the book, nor the author but it's title alone intrigued me, since I myself has been involved in an interracial relationship for the past 5 years (and counting :-)
This was a very moving as well as an enlightening book. I definitely recommend this for anyone pursuing an interracial relationship or even considering one. Actually I recommend this book to everyone, after all we are all of one race, and that race is called humanity.

The story of a white lady who marries a black South African immigrant, this story is a very genuine, heartfelt account of two people from two different cultures who cross the race line and despite all the odds against them, have a very loving and successful marriage. Everyday trials are emphasised as well as the cultural problems, "going public", reactions from black women, and so on. Each chapter has two parts: Gail's point of view and Mark's point of view. It is a very interesting book not only for mixed-ethnicity marriages, but for everyone else as well. Highly recommended.

Breast cancers are not an easy subject to talk about, let alone craft a story depicting deathbed wishes and privileged promises. Author Kim Louise went one better by giving new meaning to emotion. A Love of Their Own is a heart warming story with poignancy hanging in the balance for heartache and grief to be equal partners in defining the true meaning of dedication. More often than not it's always the speculation of loss, or some quirky notion that we somehow can live and deal with inevitable odds that are destined to cause pall. Kim Louise wrote one hell of a story where Amara Fairchild's close friend and mentor is diagnosed with breast cancer. From here the story steadily forms definitive character development as emotions are taken to limits not easily broached. Amara's devastation is further tested when her mentor makes her promise to raise four-year-old triplets and the husband (Ross) she's leaving behind. Is such a request too hard to fathom? Can this be done without her best friend's husband being equally affected? Amara is between a rock and a hard place...a decision must be made knowing that to do so would have a profound effect on her current and subsequent life.

Despite obvious surface tendencies to dismiss and look askance at this situation, the author gave reason to depict her characters with substance and a unique show of moxie. Such a subject totally unexpected that raises questions are sure to be explored psychologically and with intrigue to want to anticipate, if not be inquisitive enough to read on. I was able to read this story as it gripped me emotionally, instinctly placing me in scenes that I felt closest to anticipating Ross' every move! Without the many positive aspects that this story is aligned with I doubt it would have manifested the need for one to dig just a little deeper to understand why Amara would want to make such a decision. I was amazed at the amount of research done to make this story not only believable, but one where anyone associated with the malady would readily understand and empathize with Brenda. As heart wrenching as this story is, there will bound to be readers who'd be quite surprised how Ross handles the situation without stereotypical responses akin to lack of emotion form a man. As such, it was refreshing to have the male character show so much feeling.

The story is so complete that it radiantly gives illumination to secondary characters as if they should have been written with more involvement. But then again, Ms Louise's writing was just that tight in the sense that just enough coloring was given to enhance all intent. It was refreshing to see the hero of the story show real emotion. Even though the story deals with such serious issues, it still allowed you the wherewithal to know that some aspects and stages of the book lent itself to breezier and lighter moments.

I read this book three times and everytime I read it, I love it more. Amara Fairchild was a true Hero in this book, she was so courageous and strong willed because she made a promise to her dying friend and mentor Brenda Hayward to marry her Husband Ross and become a mother to her triplet daughters when she passes on. Of course she's reluctant to do this, so is Ross... they experience many trials and tribulations, they agree to disagree about what's best for the girls.. eventually Ross and Amara they come together, they fall in love, they have to somehow find a way to cope with the loss of wife and friend, the girls have to learn how to cope with the loss of their mother. I cry EVERYTIME I read this book, the writing is superb and this is a book I'm greedy with because I won't lend it out.

Ok this author was recommend by my Ms Betty, she has read just about every A.A around so I trust her completely, Also on a side if you want a excellent reviews on books, check out free4lyfeu2. So back to the book, I didn't think it was a good premise. I mean marrying your best friends husband because of her promise on a death bed? I was so wrong. Amara and Ross were not perfect both had issues and but the love was there. The book did not have them fall in love by chapter 3, and that made the book even more special, I love the fact that there was still a mourning process, Also the daughters, took the story anyone who wants a hot, love story with a little pain, and lots of joy. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK.

This book tackled a real situation that we sometimes find ourselves in. I loved that Ross was able to let go and see Amara the way he wife wanted him to.. She chose her because she did not want him to be alone and because the girls already liked her.
I also enjoyed the interaction between Amara and the girls. I must say that I read this book more than one time. And cried everytime when the little girl got lost in the mall.

Amara Fairchild is shocked when her dying mentor and best friend Brenda Hayward asks her to marry her husband, and to help raise her children immediately after her death. Of course, neither Ross, Brenda's husband, nor Amara immediately agree to this. However, when they see that Brenda is holding on to that one last breath waiting for their positive response, they reluctantly agree. From there, the story unfolds into a tale of love lost and love found on the oftentimes bumpy road to happily ever after.

It has been a while since I read a novel by Ms. Louise, and once I read A LOVE OF THEIR OWN, I couldn't fathom why I waited so long to read this one. It was a beautiful tale of heartache, loss and finding love again. There are so many positive aspects to this story that combine to make this book one worth reading many times over. Louise masterfully depicts the woes of breast cancer, the importance of monthly breast exams, and how the death of a loved one from this dreaded disease affects everyone, especially small children. It was refreshing to see the hero of the story show real emotion. Ross cherished his wife and did not want to sully the memories of her with thoughts or feelings for another woman. Even though the story deals with such serious issues, there are also moments where you laugh out loud, and, of course, fall in love again. Never again will I hold onto a Kim Louise book. As soon as it reaches my hot little hands, I will find the quietest spot in my house and lose myself in her work. (RAW Rating: 4.5)

Reviewed by Renee Williams
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

The love stories in this book was pretty good love stories. My favorite stories were the one's about Colin Power,and his wife Alma, Rachel and Freddie Cook, and also the one about Barbara and Earl Graves,they seemed more like old fashion love stories than the other to me.

This book is a collection of love stories that meets the definition of supreme love, but proves that extraordinary love does not mean perfect love. It is a realistic portrayal of relationships and it exposes loves many faces. Each story deals with very real issues that we all have had to conquer in our relationships or are trying conquer right now.

It is such a wonderful book that when you are done reading it you will want to recommend it to anyone who is in love, looking for love or has a hard time dealing with love. So I recommend it to you!

Taressa and Calvin Stoval created a beautiful book of pictures and stories that will cheer your heart. If you think nobody falls in love anymore or you think that nobody stays together anymore this book will be a real tonic. The stories of these couples: how they met, how they married and what they've done to stay together was a real inspiration.

Kimberley Wilson, author of 11 Things Mama Should Have Told You About Men

These stories touch the heart. So many times the fact that black families love and cherish one another is glaringly absent in the media. We hear all about the negative aspects of black life. Well, now we've been served up a healthy dose of positive love. Bravo! I enjoyed the stories about celebrities. But I also truly appreciated the stories about everyday people. I applaud the Stovalls.

The Stovall's have capture generations of culture in this wonderful book. This book is redeeming in that it deplicts Black American LOVE (Families) in a light that shines bright throughout the nation, but is often minimized as a result of stereotyping and media imposed images. It wonderful to know that people of all backgrounds can have an inside view of a diverse cultural of people that treasure the essence of love and unity.

This is a book to have on the shelf and most importantly a book to past down to other generations. Thank you STOVALLS!

Sometimes when you pick up a book you have no way of knowing it will be an instant classic. When I first read the work of Jackie Young there was a fluid cadence to the way she made poetry come alive. It danced, it twirled and begged to be set to music. It took you by the hand and said, "Let me teach you why I live and breathe poetry and how no experience I encounter is exempt from being immortalized in verse." As I'd sit back and follow along with the words of her latest offering I felt like the layers were being pulled back on the situation she was describing and I was carefully pulled along like a voyeur for the ride. From the first poem (which may have been back in 1999 or 2000) I knew there was a collection of poetry somewhere on the foreseeable horizon for Miss Young and, so, when she blessed the world with her first poetic offering Love's Reparations: The Learning Curve between Heartache and Healing, I was among the very first to cheer her on and offer my undying support. I'm thrilled that I did and you will be too. Buy it.

Jackie Young's collection, LOVE'S REPARATIONS is a beautiful, honest, truthful and talent-filled compilation of poetry. The personal pieces are thought-provoking and will resonate long after the last poem is read.

Choosing favorites from this collection is almost impossible because each poem has a beauty of its own. LOVE'S REPARATIONS is divided into three sections: Heartache, Learning Curve and Healing. Each of the poems in the separate sections reflects in earnest the feelings of loving, healing and learning from one's experiences. "Last Supper" uses metaphors of food to acknowledge a lover's heartbreak. "Bewildered" is taking a look at one's self and not recognizing who you are anymore. "Musings" is a beautiful piece about becoming one with your poetry. "Homecoming" is welcoming back love after not embracing it due to heartbreak. "Harvest" is about cultivating love. "Peace" is about finding just that. Finally, "Baby Steps" is learning how to follow in God's wake by taking little steps at a time until you learn how to walk with the Lord.

LOVE'S REPARATIONS is a metaphorical and lyrical collection that made me smile, cry and most of all reflect. The poems are to be read slowly so you can absorb their meaning and understand their truth. Young's collection speaks eloquently about the pain of heartbreak, how we can learn from past mistakes and begin to walk the path of healing. Whether the poem was long or short, the strength of its meaning are easily discerned. Young is a very talented poet who is able to use metaphors in a way to capture the emotional depths of each poem. My words cannot adequately reflect my feelings after reading this collection, but I can say poetry lovers and readers alike will be awestruck by this book, it is just that good.

Reviewed by Cashana Seals
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I simply was not prepared for what I found laced, tucked, splattered, carved, and lovingly presented on the pages of Love's Reparations. It starts with A Dream Deferred, a beautiful work that makes you want to tip away quietly, feeling you have stumbled into an inner sanctum of someone's soul, and continues, poem after poem, masterpiece after masterpiece, with a vulnerability and authenticity that will leave you changed -- forever. Jackie Young gives of herself; a self that hopefully she'll give us much, much more of through her profound artistry in years to come.

No matter what the profession, there are only two types of people in this world: those who are called, and those who call themselves - and Love's Reparations is without a doubt the line that separates the two...

In times like these, when anybody is allowed to feel comfortable calling him/herself a poet, it's an unfortunate consequence that respect for the true craft of writing is ultimately lost in a sea of pretenders, wanna-be's, and never-gonna-be's with dreams of delusionary grandeur, loving nothing more than the sound of their own names coming out of everyone else's mouths. To counter all the claptrap, we need refreshing reminders of just what true creativity and inspired writing really looks & sounds like, lest we all fall into the same stupor of blind, mind-numbing praise for the mediocre - and, in light of that fact, thank God for Jackie Young.

Love's Reparations is the clarion call for true artistry in its purest form, and that call is all at once halting, invigorating, and inescapable. Every single offering gives you pause, and just when you think you're ready to move on, you can't help pausing again, wondering just how it so slyly alters the essence of your very being.

Consider this passage from "Merger":

'I gave myself over to you
feeding you the maximum daily allowance
of my love
until only you remained
and I,
I became a chalk outline in my own life.'

And this passage from "Rude Awakening":

'Shamefully, painfully
I glance at the clock
realizing that the hour it silently screams at me
matters not.
My heart knows it's half past forever and you're not coming
back.'

Despite how much we all know it hurts, heartbreak never sounded so good.

But don't be fooled by the title. Love may be the main course, but Love's Reparations serves up plenty of other entrees for your intellectual appetite. Check out this outstanding haiku:

'crayon mixed with crime tape
they hopscotch around silhouettes
prayers can't attend school'

And this jarring passage from "i built me a daddy outta words":

'we talking, creating new worlds between us, new words
some harsh, some kind
all of them ours
'til i found my words asking things,
looking for answers that my daddy didn't have
cause I hadn't given him THOSE words...'

With laconic grace like this, Jackie proves herself an absolute master at transcribing the profound brevity of emotion - and, as with all masters, this is a skill that can never be taught.

And for all the pretenders out there who think quantity is more important than quality and whose offerings are, as a friend of mine once put it, "as deep as a puddle" - this excerpt from "Musings" says it all:

'Tell me to do for myself what I encourage in others:
Breathe
Be in the moment
Become the poet...and the poem.'

In recent years, I've found myself wondering just who among our generation would take the mantle of responsibility for our collective cultural voice, especially as we witness the quickly fading twilight of Nikki, Maya, and Sonia's careers...well I can worry no longer: Jackie Young is the new standard by which all poetic excellence should be measured, and her lyrical genius deserves nothing less than our respect, admiration, and undying support.

Jackie Young's Love Reparations is, by far, one of the best poetic reads I have come across in contemporary literature. The poetry in this wonderful book takes the reader on a journey of love lost to love gained to love's redemption.

The subtitle says it all ""the learning curve between heartache and healing." This learning curve leaves impressions on one's heart and mind as the writings are written so clearly that each piece brings out an experience that we all have gone through and can relate to. Each work paints a vivid picture of what Ms. Young seeks to convey.

Like the works of great poets past, Jackie Young leaves the reader wanting more and also with memorable quotables such as, "I open my mouth to capture every drop of you," and "Sometimes a thing once broken simply becomes more of what it is at its core." A beautiful work of poetry this truly is. I definitely give this book two thumbs up.

Coulee Eidos

APOOO BookClub

This is a (not surprisingly) beautiful and very accurate portrayal of Maasai life. It was written by Teplit Ole Saitoti, himself a Maasai straddling a modern lifestyle, with that of an elder in his home village. Carol Beckwith is one of the most sensitive and talented "human anthropology" photographers the world has ever known. She gets photos no one else can, by living the villagers' lifestyles. The result of the collaboration is the view of Maasai life from within.

Buy anything you see her name on. You will not be disappointed.

When I first saw the Maasai book I thought to myself, "Oh great another huge boring book I have to read." However when I opened to the first page the magnificent photographs of the book captured me. I was amazed at the quality of them as well as moved by many of the pictures. This book takes you through the journey of the life of a Maasai. It all starts out with an introduction of the Masaai, then talks about youth, circumcision, warriors, elders, and then wraps it all up with a personal reflection by the author on the Masaai. The book was both informative and interesting at the same time.
Previously I had studied the Masaai in school and thought I learned everything. However when I picked up this book I found out that there was much to learn. Some of the interesting facts I learned included the back-story on how the Masaai originated, how they transition from warrior to adulthood, and the importance of elders in the Masaai society. The author's personal reflection about the Masaai talked about how the modern world is affecting the Maasai today. The book began talking about simple Masaai childhood. Childhood was brief and explained what the kids did around the village. Some of the games they engaged in however surprised me because of the danger factor involved in them. It then slowly transitioned to the awkward teenage stage, which is probably the hardest for the people in the society to go through. In the society it is the stage right before circumcision. The book really gave me an inside view of what it's like to be a preteen in that society. It did such a good job that I was able to understand why kids would want to get circumcised in the first place. After that it transitions to the actual process of circumcision, which after reading the book seems pretty scary if you ask me. That was the only part I actually had learned in class. However it also talked about the many processes, which occur after circumcision. The process of this is both physically and mentally challenging but according to the book pays off in the end. This was definitely one of the most interesting parts of the book because I could sort of relate to them in a way, since I am a teen myself.
After finishing the that chapter and looking at many great photos, the book starts to talk about the intense process of warrior hood. I was surprised how much the Maasai value certain things in warrior hood such as their hair. After warrior hood the book briefly talks about lives of the elders then it moves onto the personal reflection. It began with the quote, "From the farm, the tragic fate of the disappearing Maasai tribe on the other side of the river could be followed from year to year. They were fighters who had stopped fighting a dying lion with his claws clipped, a castrated nation. Their spears have been taken from them, their big dashing shields even, and in the Game Reserve the lions followed their herds of cattle." That quote came from the author Isak Dinesen who wrote the book Out of Africa.
The author then began talking about his personal reflection of the Maasai today and explained how modern civilization was enclosing on the Maasai fast. He, being a Maasai himself talked about how the Maasai must adjust to society for their own protection. According to the author since civilization is advancing so quickly the Maasai cannot fight against it and as the old expression goes, "Can't beat them, join them." Unfortunately the Maasai are defenseless to civilization and must take up the basic aspects of it such as education, land, and resources. At the second page of the personal reflection the author talks about the conflict the Maasai have faced with regarding land. Ever since 1901 the Maasai have had conflict with the Europeans. In 1910 their land was taken over for colonization. According to the Author by now the government has taken over the Maasai land and has taken away a lot ever since the Europeans invaded in the first place. In the end he wrote down suggestions for what the government should do to better improve life for the Maasai. He finally ends on the note that although the Maasai are facing difficult obstacles right now, they will still pull through in the end. So if you like books with information, great photography, and a nice smell this book is definitely for you.

This book is beautiful. It has beautiful photography, and beautiful text by a man who is of the Masai tribe. I was sad, however, to read that the author of the text (Tepilit Ole Saitoti) says that the Masai way of life is destined for extinction. Though this is inevitable for most indigenous peoples.

Tepilit Ole Saitoti's commentary and insight into his people really make the photographs come to life (the cover photograph is of the author's brother). This is not so much a book as it is an experience, aided by its "over-sized" coffee table format book that gives you the feeling of "stepping" into the beautiful Kenyan landscape. Reading this beautiful book is the next best thing to being able to visit this beautiful land and see these fascinating people in person (which is something I hope to do at some point in my life). What a beautiful land the Masai live in!

Anyone interested in this book would probably find OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT interesting as well. OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT is written by Malidoma Some of the Dagara tribe from Burkina Faso, in West Africa. It is the story of Malidoma's escape from a missionary school (he had been kidnapped), journey back to his village as a teenager, and initiation into the Dagara tribe.

This book made me travel to Tanzania and Kenia, in my thoughts.
Very good pictures and very real too. It's a book that shows us another culture and ways of living. Worth reading.

Having just spent a month in Africa working in orpahages while also being able to take a tour of a Maasia Village in Kenya, this book reminded me exactly of my experiences there.
The Maasia are incredible people and this book shows those of you who have not had the chance to meet them how amazing their culture is.
The pictures are breathtaking. I felt as if I was back in their homeland.
Great literature as well.
Highly recommended

Comer tells the story of his family by focusing on the remarkable life of his mother, Maggie Comer, whose determination helped her survive poverty and segregation in the South and discrimination in the North to raise of family of successful children. The first half of the book is told in Maggie's own words. The second half is in Comer's. An excellent example of the broader social migration of black families from the South to the North following Reconstruction.

I read this book for a college class this past semester and was truely amazed at how well this book was written. This book is basically broken down into three parts, all equally intersesting. The first part is based in Maggies story, her life, struggles and amazing accomplishments. The second part is all about the author, James, who is also Maggies son. The story of "Maggie's American Dream" is an excellent representation of a family that went through tough times and prevailed through a combination of church, education as well as being "taught and strongly encouraged to develop the needed social skills and personal controls." Maggie raises her family during a time when it was difficult to be a black person in America. Maggie was ridiculed and pushed away from any opportunities simply because of the color of her skin. Maggie became a wonderful mother, which I feel is the most important part of this story. Her son James tells the stories of how he was raised. These are stories of a mother that attended all sporting events, assisting her children in becoming talented at several different activities ranging from playing the piano to playing sports. Maggie was always there for her family. She taught them right from wrong as well as a strong sense of that "never give up" attitude. These children continue to strive to do their best in anything they did, even during a time when they were held back from doing just that. This is an example of how a family can make it through most adversities as long as they all stick together and work towards their goals and dreams.

Wonderful book Mr. Comer and thank you for opening my eyes to a great story.

I did a research study on American Dream in America during the 20s-30s decade. I've read a lot of books concerning the subject; literary works, forming the main portion of my resources. These ranged from Fitzgerald's 'Great Gatzby' to Steinbeck's 'Grapes of Wrath', from Dreiser's 'An American Tragedy' to Lewis's 'Main Street'. In addition to these quite old literary works, I collected statistical, analytical information about the particular decades, to verify what I've acquired from the novels. It was a hard study, but I managed to write a reasonably concise thesis, with the help of not the sources I listed, but with this book, 'Maggie's American Dream' instead. Why?

Almost all of the books I've read were productions of imagination. Even Dreiser, who was inspired from a real account, did not stick to facts in his book, but altered them to create a fiction. However, 'Maggie's American Dream' is a true story. It is told from James Comer's point of view, in a very poetical fashion. The second part of the book is his mother's story, which is again expressed by James. The book also contains a nice section of pictures of the Comer family, which are quite interesting after reading about the family.

James P. Comer had a very hard childhood, as it could be expected during the years of never-ending racism issues. Comer beautifully expresses how they managed to stand tall, and get their share in the competition of living. Mr. Comer is now working as a psychiatrist in New Haven, after having completed his doctoral work in Yale University. It is a dream that is realised, indeed.

This book will provide you with a lot of insights about the lives of black families, American societal norms, family relations during the 20s and 30s, which you cannot find easily in any other source this clearly and truely.

What a wonderful book. Very easy to read with lots of short chapters so that even the busiest of us can get through it quickly. And of course Maggie and her family are so real that you find you can't put the book down...you just have to find out what happens to them all next.
It's a great story, and worth reading from that angle alone. But all the way through this book also gives you plenty to ponder - whether you are someone with an interest in education (and doesn't that include all parents?), someone who wishes that all people had an equal opportunity to realise their potential, or someone who really wants to know what life is like for others from different backgrounds and countries. The author also inspires us to think about how we can make a difference, in some small way, wherever and whoever we are.

This book I have read is the best book I have ever read. It has inspired me by not being mad ever time someone gets in my face and be racis toward me. I really like this aurthor he is a very insperational writter. I would tell everbody who is going through something very hard, reconmemd this book to any and every one

Ted Pelton's newest book, Malcolm & Jack, is a tour de force in experimental form, and a pleasure to read. The author knows his history well, and through his unique, hybrid form of narrative, takes us on an archetypal journey through a (quasi) American history peopled by some of the most fascinating characters of the twentieth century.

This book is a must-read for anyone even remotely interested in the Beats, jazz, Jack Kerouac, or Malcolm X!

Don't be shy about this book...it breaks down barriers between journalism and fiction, but is never confusing. Sometimes it feels like personal interviews or memoir, as it really gets into the minds of Billie Holiday, Malcolm X, and others. If you are interested in the legends and real truths of these great American heroes, buy the book!

This carefully crafted tale begs to be read aloud. The hipster rhythms, the delicious slang, the blend of narrative styles and formats. And the voices, everywhere the voices of our history. Read the voices aloud while listening to the musicians that frequent these pages. The sharply etched scenes resonate with the tensions of the era: race, class, and sex; power, art and politics. All of them crimes, when done right. If you know the period, Pelton plays an inspired improvisation. If you're too young to remember, Pelton will make you want to hear more.

A solid work by a rising young novelist who promises to tell us many more such fascinating stories.

The 1940s laid the groundwork for America in the late 20th and early 21st Centuries. WWII led to a generation of victors that created the American middle class. But beneath the prosperity and cultural posturing was an underbelly of dissatisfaction and uncertainty that helped shape later periods. Jazz, drug use, the beginnings of sexual liberation, alienation and rebellion, road-tripping, the beginning of the unraveling of acceptance of racial segregation -- all had roots in the period re-created in Ted Pelton's Malcolm & Jack. Using Malcolm X (when he was Detroit Red --nee Malcolm Little) and Jack Kerouac underpin the novel, which weaves through the lives of "other criminals" -- from Lady Day to Ginsberg to Burroughs to Kinsey -- to reveal a host of "other" Americas yet to rise in the collective consciousness. A dazzling debut novel!

This is a compelling and creative novel that explores the early days of the Beat Generation. By coincidence, I began reading this book just before the excitement erupted around the 25th anniversary of Jack Kerouac's On the Road and the release of its original "scroll". The timing was perfect for me because Malcolm and Jack colored in the landscape of the time period in which On the Road was written and helped me to put Kerouac's work in context as well as to understand what was so exciting about the Beats.

Malcolm and Jack is set at the end of WWII in the USA, when young adults in America needed to release their pent up energy from the enormous weight they carried for the war, and before the social and sexual repression that 1950's McCarthyist America brought with it. This release found its voice in a new sexuality, the creation of Be Bop Jazz, the invention of Beat poetry and literature, as well as drug exploration, among other things. Pelton explores all of these in this novel.

The premise of the book is both unusual and well suited to the subject matter. The main characters in the book are Jack Kerouac and Malcolm X (when he was a young man called Detroit Red); but other key characters include: Billie Holiday, William S. Burroughs, Alfred Kinsey (of the Kinsey sex report), Allen Ginsberg, Edith Parker, and others. Pelton imagines and explores moments when these characters come together, many of which are built around documented events of the time: the murder of David Kammerer by Lucien Carr, the surprisingly harsh incarceration of Billie Holliday for drug abuse, interviews done to assemble the Kinsey report, etc. The resulting novel made me think: Don DeLillo meets Quentin Tarantino.

Although it is not clear that the famous contemporaries in Pelton's novel ever met in real life, Pelton brings them together to examine their implications to the time period as well as to explore how these characters would eventually evolve. In a sense, he used the famous characters we know as archetypes to better understand the motivations of the Beats.

Pelton does a brilliant job of adopting the voices of the various characters and evokes the time period flawlessly. This book is set before my time, but reading took me back to that generation at a crucial inflection point in our modern history. I felt like I could smell the mixture of gabardine, perfume, cigarettes and sen-sen, all the while listening to Bird or Dizzie bopping in the background.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I highly recommend it.

This book uncovers a speech delivered by Malcolm X in January of 1965. In his speech Malcolm X discusses the disenfranchisement that African-Americans have suffered due to the lack of knowledge of our pre-slavery historical roots. Malcolm X reveals numerous African-American acheivements that took place long before there was an America. He also argues that this lack of knowledge is what sepearates African-Americans from other cultures, and encourages African-Americans to educate themselves and end this ignorance of our rich historical past. This book is for anyone wishing to know a little more about some of the African-Americans whom you didn't learn about in History class and those who have all ready read Malcolm X Speaks and would like to expand their collection of Malcolm X speeches. This is a book no one can afford to forget.

During Malcolm's lifetime Pathfinder press began a relationship with him that lasted beyond his death. In co-operation with his family Pathfinder Press became the major publisher of Malcolm's speeches and writings in English and Spanish. This slim book, barely 100 pages, is one of the jewels of that collaboration.

The centerpiece of the book is a 1965 speech by Malcolm on Black history. The book also features excerpts from his autobiography and various speeches and interviews. This book is rich beyond it's size and deserves to be widely read by all.

This priceless little book consists of a talk Malcolm X gave just a month before he was assassinated in 1965. You will find a rich analysis of then contemporary local, national and international issues, exposure of little-known African civilizations, and an inspiring perspective on advancing the Afro-American liberation struggle along with the struggles of other oppressed and exploited people throughout the world.

If only this were in the schools, especially for the teachers. Because although this is no proper textbook for history, it can be used as a guide into how to properly teach afro-american history to the youth.

Malcolm, as well read as he is, references many books as he lucidly and easily brings together many parts of history, but more importantly, a view of history. And his view of history is well-informed, well-sourced, and so full of truth it hurts to listen. But truth in history if very important, and Malcolm helps us in our studies.

This little book packs a powerful punch. Malcolm X explains clearly, and often in a humorous way, how knowing the truth about your history is necessary for building a movement to tear down racism and build a better society. The heart of the book is a speech that Malcolm gave less than a month before his death. His point is that Black people have to become aware of their true accomplishments in the past in order to change the world in the present and future. By looking at ancient African civilizations, West African kingdoms, the rise of imperialism and the history of slavery in America, Malcolm shows that Black people have played a huge role in shaping human history. Even though he spoke at a time when Black History Month was still Black History Week, his message is still totally relevant as African-Americans still face the challenge of leading a movement that can end police brutality, racist violence, political oppression and economic exploitation, while joining up with working people and the oppressed around the world. The impact of Malcolm's speech is magnified by his own explanation of how he studied Black history while in prison; and by a nice set of graphics and maps which illustrate his points.

This is a fast moving novel about a struggling but talented New York-oriented black male writer whose life struggles have become a roller coaster ride through American, European and global racism. The axis of the novel revolves around how America deals with the race issue, and in particular how it deals with the issue of black male on white female sexual encounters.

The story is told through the eyes of a character called Max Reddick, a slightly hip, emerging intellectual, who wants to write like Charley Parker plays the Sax, but yet he is still a very much struggling black writer. Max seems to have as his number one goal in life that of decoding the game being played against blacks by the white man. Or maybe (and the novel leaves this up to the reader) this goal is just a normal by-product of being a black man in a white man's world. Very quickly Max realizes that "politics white boy-style" is just another way white people try to lead black people back to their proper "place" in society: in effect telling them through indirection how to think, feel, and when and how to act, and even how to suffer.

Max travels to Europe where he ends up in a select intellectual circle, that very much respects his manuscript, and where he eventually marries and later divorces a Danish woman who remained his friend even long after the marriage has ended, and who takes care of him at the end of the novel as he dies of cancer.

At the meta-psychological level, the novel proves Ishmael Reed's postulate: that writing, "is fighting and struggling by other more respectable means," as Williams gets to use his pen as his last, and most profound act of rebellion. The book thus is as Walter Mosley has described it as "a shout from deep within some existential void" that resonates on the same frequency of all struggling blacks: suspended invisible in a world that rejects blackness without the need for a cause or a reason, where "Black people have been hollering out in pain for centuries, fighting for freedom, dying in slavery, belittled by little [white] men, and denied by kings and history. Sometimes these black folk have just laid down and died. But mostly they have survived with deformed psyches and distorted notions of the world. Sometimes evil has begotten evil and the one-time slave has slaughtered and even cannibalized his oppressor."

As his personal life spins out of control and he contracts cancer, Max puts down on paper in a scatological way, what everyone else in everyday American society is thinking but cannot say aloud, and in this respect, William's novel is not only a shout from the void, but also a supremely iconoclastic and urgent psychological analysis not unlike Dostoyevsky.

While its organization is structurally very scattered, it still gets its message across. Clearly the novel has a deep existentialist basis and draws on existential themes and metaphors. However, at its core is the notion that at the end of the day, when everything is said and done, the only thing "real" in American society is white racism. Everything else its humanity, its values, its ideals, are subordinate and are carefully calibrated and measured in terms of how they affect the sensitively regulated "white supremacist status quo." According to Max's way of thinking, equality, freedom, and democracy are merely the chips used to move the pieces around the white supremacist chessboard. America and all of its "so-called" ideals are just byproducts of the hard core white supremacist ideology, which lies deep in the nation's bosom. Toward the end of the novel, Max leaves no doubt that "the man" will go to great lengths to protect his white male hero system--including the complete annihilation of the black race if necessary. Max thinks blacks are up to the task, able to match whites, evil for evil to the bitter end. [I, for one, think he is wrong in this regard.]

The book is sprinkled with deeply troubling characters and scenes that reflect Max's deteriorating state of mind, such as the following passage about Moses Boatwright, a Black cannibal and Rhodes scholar, who, after being run mad by racism, killed a white man and ate him. In a mock interview, Boatwright tells Max (acting as a reporter) that: "This world is an illusion, Mr. Reddick, but it can be real. I went prowling on the jungle side of the road where few people ever go because there are things there, crawling, slimy, terrible things that always remind us that down deep we are rotten, stinking beasts. Now, because of what I did, someone will work a little harder to improve the species." (page 53).

The book is filled with images such as this one that have both over and under tones that are frightening in their symbolic implications. This is deep, modern, intense writing. Fifty stars.

This book I happen to stumble on while looking for another book here on Amazon. Wow what a great read! Absoloutley well written and eloquent. A must read for all.

There is this book and Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison that have proven to be one of the best examples of African American writing during the turbulent Civil Rights Era which really hasn't ended. This novel is frequently compared to Invisible Man as the main character Max Riddick goes through a journey, an evolution and recalls his life in flashbacks, goes through a expatriate American phase going to Europe in hopes of finding a better audience for his writing only to find that the same kind of racism he encountered in the States only less blatant. His motivation goes from trying to best his rival Harry Ames, to phsyical survival, to trying to find a resolution to his own issues with a society that objectives him and his experience being a black man in America.

I first read this book in 1968, as Cleveland burned and after a copy boy on my paper had asked me about a U.S. plan to imprison blacks in concentration camps. I told the kid he was nuts.
After reading the book, however, I realized that Williams was fictionalizing the McCarran Act, which set up the very scheme the kid was worrying about.
That law is still on the books.

A neglected classic by a writer who some consider equal to Ralph Ellison in importance. One fascinating aspect is its fictionalized treatment of some of the century's famous black literary figures. It's a portrait of the post-WWII-through-mid-sixties period as seen through the eyes of a black writer as he establishes a career as a novelist, journalist, and Presidential speechwriter in New York, Paris, Washington, D.C., and Lagos, Nigeria. The main character, Max Reddick, is shaped by anger, at the crux of which is indignation at the hypocrisy and hostility that black people and writers faced during this period. It's a historical novel which provides some insight into the social and political ferment of the sixties, and has an Afrocentric perspective that's somewhat reminiscent of Walter Mosley's work. It includes an intruiging fictionalized version of a mythic encounter between Richard Wright and James Baldwin ("Marion Dawes") in a Paris café, and according to James Sallis's biography of Chester Himes, it describes the essence of Wright's expatriate experience and his relationship with Himes. Ishmael Reed has said that the cartoonist Ollie Harrington is depicted, and although I didn't recognize him, Malcolm X is unmistakable and I suspect that "Time" Curry is modelled after jazz drummer Kenny Clarke, who was living in Paris at the time. According to the author's biography of Richard Pryor, Motown explored the possibility of buying the film rights to the novel as a vehicle for its star, Marvin Gaye, until the idea was abandoned in favor of Lady Sings the Blues.

The story begins near the end as Max, who's dying of cancer, sits at an outdoor café in Amsterdam where he's come to investigate the mystery of the death of his friend, Harry Ames, "the father of black writers," a few days earlier in Paris. What he eventually discovers is mind-blowing.

Throughout the novel, Max opines on a multitude of subjects like: Marxism, African independence and African attitudes towards Americans, sexuality and interracial relationships (he works past some of his homophobia too), the different styles of reporters from 5 major NYC newspapers, the theory of the rich president and other political theories, the "lie" of Christmas ("the rich man's chance to dissipate the image of Scrooge"), American cars (with their "long, buttock-smooth lines"), existentialism, and Alban Berg's atonal opera, "Wozzeck" (whose climax, a child's scream, punctuates Max's argument with his woman). Max interprets bebop's message as, "we can not be contained," and modern jazz becomes the avatar of his literary aesthetic: "He wanted to do with the novel what Charlie Parker was doing to music -- tearing it up and remaking it; basing it on nasty, nasty blues and overlaying it with the deep overriding tragedy not of Dostoevsky, but an American who knew of consequences to come: Herman Melville, a super Confidence Man, a Benito Cereno saddened beyond death."

I'm ALMOST done with this book and am looking forward to the next book(s) in the series. Its a wonderful mix of modern American times, magic, adventure and sci fi, where a couple of young kids/tweeners learn the value of their skills and how to be unique!

I purchased this book after hearing the author talking about it on TV. My pre-teen loves this book. I have purchased books in the past but this is the first she started reading and can't stop talking about it. This was one of my best purchases and at a great price.

Wow! What a story!

Louis Proof is a teenager in East Orange, New Jersey. When the book opens, Louis one of the most popular students in his class. He is helpful, kind, and smart. He accepts an invitation to go to a wonderful amusement park where all of your wildest dreams come true. After things go a little wrong there, Louis leaves and mysteriously collapses and falls into a coma.

When Louis awakens, it is three months later and everything is different. Many adults are being replaced with replicas of themselves -- and they are a child's dream. They let their kids do anything they want. Slowly, Louis realizes that he is the earth's only chance. Earth is being taken over by Galonious, a very funny but evil person. He takes away a person's inhibitions and promises freedom. Some people steal and vandalize while others commit murder.

I spent some time speaking with my fifth-graders about this concept and I believe that they found it as scary as I did. The story doesn't come to a conclusion, as there are supposed to be sequels. The hero is also African-American, which is a first, and there are many references to popular culture which makes the story fun.

Enjoy reading THE MARVELOUS EFFECT!

Reviewed by: Marta Morrison

Being an adult who still reads what are called "chilrens novels", I was pleasently suprised that kid in me has been re-awakened in Marvelous fashion. Troy CLE has infused Hip-Hop, True teachings, and a world of fantasy into the "Marvelous World" of East Orange New Jersey...I would say more but the Crims would get me. Then as young Brandon would say, it would be "on". I highly recommend this to anyone who has children of their own, or better yet, to anyone who has a child's heart... Bottom line, "it's marvelous darling". Peace.

This is a beautifully written book that will instantly engage even a reluctant reader. It's fun, it's deep, it's alive with a lively plot and creative setting. I use it for an urban book club. Most of my kids have never read a book over 100 pages, yet they finished this book ahead of schedule. It's a very smart book with great vocabulary and themes that are rich for discussuion. This author has written a book that kids can see, hear and feel.