Races Books

As an editor of a collection of creative nonfiction writing about the Middle East (Encounters with the Middle East, Solas House), I've read a lot of personal narratives set in or about the Middle East and its relation to the U.S. and Europe. Arab in America is among the best I've read. It could do for the cause of better awareness of Arab Americans in the U.S. what Persepolis has done in better explaining the Iranian revolution and its effects to the West.

Toufic El Rassi lays out for us the pernicious and normative cultural prejudices facing Arabs, Muslims, and others in the U.S., in ways that make visible to readers common social practices and beliefs that may have seemed fairly harmless. And he tells a very good story while he's at it. I hope this book sells--would make a great text for high school and college courses about identity issues, politics, US foreign and domestic policy and cultural affairs, writing, art, Middle East studies. Looking forward to the sequel in Lebanon, another poorly misunderstood place.

I'm glad that Arab in America is the first graphic novel I've read because it demonstrates what illustration can add to an absorbing text. The author's drawings make the reader experience what the immigrant experiences: that the product we Americans advertise--open arms and a welcoming smile--is not always what we deliver. As the writer tells us, Americans are so ill-informed about the geography, history, and religions of our neighbors across the sea that we don't even know whom we hate! This is a valuable book published just at the time when we need to read it. Besides which, it's a fascinating read.

The Guardian

On the defensive
Craig Taylor rounds up recent releases

Saturday March 22, 2008

Arab in America: A True Story of Growing Up in America by Toufic El Rassi

Those looking for lush artwork and nuance will do well to skip El Rassi's autobiographical tour of his troubled American existence, but Arab in America is more complex and rewarding upon closer examination. The scrawled black and white drawings track a journey from El Rassi's birth in Beirut to his struggles with and in America. He understands he's different after a childhood production of The Wizard of Oz places his face among his classmates - a "dark splotch" beside the white. From there he examines his family and his role in this eternal war against terror that seems to have shuffled him into the opposing camp. Why do they have to be referred to as "our troops", anyway, he asks. Not only does El Rassi feel the sting of racial slurs, but he often receives the wrong ones altogether: "Americans don't even know who they're supposed to hate."

He explores the different degrees of Muslim activism through the reactions of the friends around him. Throughout El Rassi remains an inert figure, held in by the contraints of his personality and his culture. The struggle to find an identity is kickstarted finally by Rage Against the Machine and a reading list of revolutionaries. Even then El Rassi questions the best intentions of the liberals around him. He decides to become a US citizen to save himself from a possible one-way ticket out. The work is most powerful when El Rassi is recounting his own failures, his missed opportunities and outrages, petty or otherwise. The post-9/11 context he's gathered to illustrate his thesis seems to be snipped from newspapers. At its best, his personal history is enough to illustrate a life lived constantly on the defensive.

I absolutely loved this book! My question is- where's the second part?

The author does a great job of interweaving his personal life with historical events which serves to make the narrative an engaging and valuable read. The writing style and images work together seamlessley to deliver a story that wil stay with you long after you finish it.

I recommend this book for educators, students, or just anyone who loves a good story (and doesn't mind learning a little bit on the way).

Most importantly, the book is about Arab experience in the U.S. In this post-9-11 world, we need more of this kind of literature.

Ashleigh has always wanted to be a jockey. Thats why when she sees a flyer for a race camp at a neighboring farm she deseperatly wants to go. But Dream Time, a racehorse being boarder at Edgardale, is injured in a race because of her obnoxious owner. Ashleigh is devestated and changes her mind about the race camp; she doesnt want to go anymore. But her friends and family send her there anyway and she gets stuck with the school bully, and a less-than-spectacular horse. Will ashleigh find her dream again?

My opion- The book was okay. i liked the idea of the race camp. However i dont like the ashleigh's little problem: every time a horse is injured she stays inside, neglects her own horse, and mopes around until someone else solves her problem. If i recall correctly in Ashleigh number 4 (Goodbye midnight wanderer) when midnight was put down she refused to see stardust, and she stayed inside. then in Holiday Homecoming (#9) when shadow was sold she didnt want anything to do with the horses so she stayed inside. ditto for this book. these books need change! there are too many books that have THE SAME THING.

This book is pretty good but there is no real pattern in the Ashleigh series-they show no back look of the previous book so you really dont know what happens-But this book is great-The story is one of the best yet for the ashleigh series-though they already did this about 5 times the story still is good-Will ashleigh re-find her dream? The race camp is a good idea- i really recommend this book!!

Ashleigh works hard to find a way to go to a local race camp where she can learn more about the care and training of Thoroughbred racers. But things begin to go wrong, and one of her favorite racers gets hurt. Soon, Ashleigh begins to think that she might not want to go to race camp at all. Ashleigh is losing her dream of becoming a great jockey and riding in the Kentucky Derby. Can her friends and family help Ashleigh get her dream back?

When a racing filly that is being stabled at Edgardale is badly hurt during her second race, Ashleigh Griffen is devastated. She no longer is interested in horses or racing. Before the accident she badly wanted to go to a race camp. When her family and friends send her to the camp she has to work with the school bully and their horse is a not-so-hot runner. Will Ashleigh ever get back her dream?

Roger Daniels's 1962 book The Politics of Prejudice: The Anti-Japanese Movement in California and the Struggle for Japanese Exclusion is a must for all voting-age citizens. Why a must? Because at first glance this book seems like obscure, dark history of a time almost now forgotten and because of the little attention devoted to pre-Pearl Harbor treatment of Japanese immigrants (Issei)and Japanese-Americans (Nessei). More importantly, it is a book that speaks of our national character and grows timeless in its treatment of immigration which of course is hardly a new phenomenon.

It is almost like walking into a timewarp! Substitute "Japan" for "Mexico" or "Latin America" and substitute "Japanese" for "Mexican" or "illegal alien" and you'd think Professor Daniels had written this book last night! The Tancreados, the Jim Gilchrists--even the more wishy washy Schwarzenegger-types of the period are all there! (Even Fabian socialist and Lenin-admirer H.G. Wells bought into the "Yellow Peril" paranoia.) Exclusionist groups like FAIR, the Minute Men and legislation like the Sensenbrenner bill, were all present a hundred years ago! The book also covers key propagandists like the Rupert Murdoch of a century ago: William Randolph Hearst. Nothing new under the sun, eh?

This is a slight book, crammed with information. The only problems are the tiny print (for my myopic eyes) and the lengthy footnotes. Also, once in a while, Professor Daniels slips into obscure early 20th century California politics, but that said, I would purchase used copies and mail them to choice legislators. Would that work?

Trotsky was mistaken. History DOES repeat itself (for those who didn't learn from it the first time, anyway, as the ancient Greek philospher said.)

Great facts and opinions about Japanese internment in the United States; everyone should read

Nice and short (not "long and boring" like many history books!) -- a very thorough examination of the causes of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Professor Daniel's book is beautifully written and should be read by anyone who is interested in the topic!

The best part of this book is its organization. As a reader,having no background in subjects of politics nor Japanese American History, I was able to clearly understand the point of view of those people who were against Japanese immigration and how their actions effected the decisions to use internment camps for the Japanese American people during WWII.

"What's in a name? History! The African American community has their community in Harlem; the Dominicans are beginning to carve out a space for their people...Spanish Harlem is the soul and heartbeat of the Puerto Rican people...groups survive by controlling space and maintaining a viable and visible presence..." (p. 73). This statement, made by an activist and poet during a debate on the use of the term "El Barrio" to reference East Harlem, touches on one of the main issues that Arlene Davila so brilliantly expresses in her book, Barrio Dreams: Puerto Ricans, Latinos, and the Neoliberal City. This rich ethnography focuses on the issue of space, particularly in the neighborhoods of El Barrio, or Spanish Harlem, located in the East Harlem district. She brings to light the cultural politics involved in the definition of space and its subsequent appropriation, as well as the commodification and marketability of ethnicity and race. Through extensive research, that includes interviews with local neighborhood residents, observations and participations at community meetings and organizations, and public hearings, Davila is able to put together a magnificent work that documents the complex effects of culture, space, commodification, representation and gentrification of space and the residents in El Barrio. In doing so, she is able to call "attention to the symbolic and representational processes that have tied race, ethnicity, and place in East Harlem within the public imagination...account[ing] for the value of these representations in the symbolic economy of contemporary cities" (p. 24).
El Barrio, a growing urban, Latino community is the foreground for Davila's examination of the politics of culture, urban space, gentrification of neighborhoods, and "the neoliberal policies that favor privatization and consumption" (p.2). Davila raises important questions in her work by focusing on the increasing attempts to create social change in urban communities through the introductions of new developments, businesses, museums, charter schools and tourist sites. In the chapters in her book, she devotes much time analyzing the complexities surrounding such gentrification issues, brining in to play the resistance of the local residents against developers. One particular impressive aspect of Davila's work, touches on the difficulties local residents face when they buy into the developer's ideas of programs that include home ownership and museums. Many residents agree that the image of Spanish Harlem as "poor, crime-ridden, and underdeveloped" sheds a negative light on their community (p.115). Developers, craftily pointing to the lack of value and marketability of Puerto Rican heritage or "Puerto Ricanness" reinforce the existing stereotyped image on El Barrio as unpopular (p.114).
Yet as Davila shows, the support of local residents of new projects can sometimes in fact lend a helping hand to the process of gentrification, resulting in residents jeopardizing their stake and claim in their own neighborhoods. In other words, "by supporting consumption and entertainment projects, such as museums and home-ownership programs, residents are furthering gentrification and increasing prices in East Harlem, thereby hindering their own future claims to the area" (p. 4). The Edison Project that Davila describes in her fourth chapter highlights the attempts of private organizations to claim stake in the urban communities of El Barrio, telling residents that "the project would educate residents about their own common heritage" while creating avenues "that would provide jobs and place the neighborhood on the map" (p. 129). But the price of these incentives was not free. Developers used culture as "the bait for a larger project for privatizing social services and further commodifying place in El Barrio" (p.129). Arlene Davila does an excellent job in bringing to light the complexities involved in the processes of gentrification and culture consumption and the desires of residents to reclaim their neighborhoods through highlighting their cultural values.
Another fascinating aspect of Davila's work touches on the issues of the relationships between the Puerto Rican residents of El Barrio and African Americans. Davila points out that both African Americans and Puerto Ricans share a common history, yet the introduction of a cultural space and the desire for "local control of resources" and "local electoral politics...has polarized the groups' relationship since the start of urban renewal projects and still mediates debates over space and development in the area" (p. 19). The advancement of African Americans in the political sphere is another point of tension between the two groups, as well as the dominant leadership roles of blacks in the urban development sectors. Additionally, Davila describes the tensions that exist between Puerto Ricans and Mexicans. The rapid growth of the Mexican population in El Barrio is causing the "rapid transformations in the area's demographics and landscapes" resulting in "tensions between Mexican and Puerto Rican populations, raced to their different histories, citizenship status, and/or self-conception as residents, racialized minorities, or temporary immigrants" (p. 21). While illuminating, the relationships and tensions that arise between the Puerto Ricans, African Americans and Mexicans alike can sometimes be messy. Their fight for control over space and their commonalities as minorities, whose culture is being commodified by developers and outside organizations, all tie in and relate to one another in a complex web of defining space and cultural values. As a results, the neighborhoods in which they all reside are slowly changing, reflecting the backdrops of multiculturalism, neoliberalism and globalization that form a common thread between the various issues and projects that Davila discusses in her work.
Barrio Dreams is an exceptional piece of work that illuminates the debates and issues surrounding the ever increasing urbanization and gentrification of one of New York's most well known neighborhoods. Arlene Davila is truly a genius at work!

Various historical points reveal where the redefinition of culture took place due to economically driven motives, which have proven pivotal for empowering as well as defining cultures. From the Pledge of Allegiance to the current war in Iraq, the lines drawn around the essence of one's culture have been exploited by money-driven entrepreneurs and politicians. Arlene Dávila exposes this phenomenon in East Harlem, and more specifically in el Barrio, in her new book Barrio Dreams: Puerto Ricans, Latinos, and the Neoliberal City. She is "concerned mostly with the specificity of current racial, ethnic, and spatial conflicts in the area" which, "become exacerbated by the cultural bases of many contemporary development initiatives at the very time that intraethnic and racial alliances among minorities are most impending and most needed." (5) Her book displays the reality of the struggle in El Barrio where "ethnic" groups have been battling for a place at the same time the "Latin" community as a whole has been fighting for a political position in order to gain control of the definition of their culture.
Culture, contrary to Dávila's belief that there was a time "when cultural demands commanded economic resources and political valence," (2) has almost always been advanced for economic reasons. Countries in the Arabian Gulf have attracted workers from all around the world to work in the oil and gas fields to an extent where now the citizen is a minority due to the influx of these workers-citizens of these countries have yet to object to the increasing number of workers. Surely when one's culture becomes the minority culture it will have a great impact on the shape it takes.
Dávila, author of Sponsored Identities: Culture, Politics in Puerto Rico and Latinos, Inc.: The Marketing and Making of a People, has done extensive study on the issue of politics in the marketing of the "Latin" identity. The use of "Latin" or "Latinidad" implies homogeneity-it is a remarkable how the author is sucked into this normative stereotypes constructed for categorization purposes. The author herself argues that the "Latin" community is not homogenous in any way, thus "these groups differ in mission and objective." (157) Hence we have El Barrio as an area where various groups are fighting for various ends-using the word "Latin" inevitably hinders our vision concerning the diversity of the "Latino" culture.
Nevertheless, it is not simply about homogeneity among the Puerto Ricans, Mexicans and Dominicans. It's about hierarchies within hierarchies; "the relations are mediated by existing racial and ethnic hierarchies that are shaped by racialist processes in the United States and in Latin America and also have particular manifestations that are historically and regionally situated" (171). Hence the "ethnic" groups are placed into hierarchies according to the basic social class and political participation in the United States, which finds El Barrio (in general) in the lower middle-class. But hierarchies exist within this hierarchy, which leads to the divide between the "Latino" groups. Their stance in this category revolves around several classifications such as devotion to work, crime rate, longevity in the community and other such ingredients. The "stereotypes of Mexicans as less educated or unsophisticated" (173) have been a catalyst for Mexicans to attempt to present themselves in a picture they believe suite their community most and thus they have considered themselves as "hard working, and ethical Mexicans" (173). But other than the competition between the "Latino" groups, in the one specific group there is a hierarchy. The example of Puerto Ricans "with a longer history in El Barrio, criticized Puerto Rican newcomers just as forcefully, despite their Puerto Rican nationality and pro-Puerto Rican leanings." (79) The complexity of these levels and allegiances causes conflict in the group, which ultimately leads to the dismantling of the "greater community"-the "Latin" one.
How does Dávila define culture? She states that culture is an "ethnic or racial identity" as well as an "object of entertainment." (10) Culture is almost always associated with tradition and history and it is ironic how modern means can reshape our concept of culture in addition to molding the minds of `outsiders' in regards to their perception of a community's culture. Culture is man-made and it is "imagined." It is interesting to note the use of Benedict Anderson's "imagined community" in Dávila's study of El Barrio. She throws it in on page 65 whilst talking about Puerto Ricans and their creation of their community. It is a shame that this notion of "imagined community" is not introduced earlier in her work. That is the foundational base of conflict in any society where various communities live and fight for elements of their own culture so as to proclaim its exclusivity to them.
But what is especially ironic is the fact that culture is not tangible and Dávila seems to miss a step between providing us with her definition of culture and the various problems that have taken shape in El Barrio due to gentrification, which ultimately means the exclusion of some communities-the exclusion from political representation in New York City is center to Dávila's study. She argues that the "Latin" communities are losing grip of the fate of El Barrio due to the lack or representation in organizations that decide the final outcome of El Barrio. Her argument is clear and impressive because of the depth of her research in the politics of representing a community; the author provides us with several examples of how tenants are defined by race and social class, and thus reshape the community.
Overall, the study is extremely interesting in seeing the impact of marketing and politics on culture and vice versa. El Barrio is not a unified force and culture-Dávila proclaims, "sure El Barrio continues to be "de todos." Which is obviously a partial todos." (96) The complexities that the author examines is impressive and brings to light the power of marketing and advertising that are politically motivated in a society. She is an anthropologist and it is a study that presents us with extensive examples and theories but leaves the door open, as anthropologists tend to observe and not interfere.

It is no secret that our society continues to thrive and grow out of the economic structure of capitalism. Globalization provides more opportunities for free trade, and in the process our economy becomes increasingly privatized. These concepts of neo-liberalism, which require less government intervention, have been expressed through policies that deregulate 'big business' and further the gap between the affluent and the impoverished. Although many are bearing the fruits of this growing interconnection of trade and exchange, it comes at the expense of those who remain indefinitely at the bottom of the economic pyramid. Through her book Barrio Dreams, Arlene Davila uncovers many repercussions concerning the growing competitive housing development market in El Barrio or East/Spanish Harlem. Davila discusses the process of gentrification that has resulted in a pauperized community within New York City. The book aims to characterize the cultural and political interactions between different groups of Latinos as well as between those within the greater community. Their attempts to shape the future of their barrio while understanding their own cultural capital are also constantly revealed. Davila portrays the politics of marketing ethnicity as culture, and how it is treated as industry to further the process of gentrification. This book highlights the increasingly significant role of Latinos in American society and their struggles to gain power and authority in their communities.
In areas such as New York City, where property value only has the ability to grow with time, impoverished neighborhoods such as East Harlem are susceptible to development from outside private companies. Government policies have further contributed to the gentrification in the Empowerment Zone in NYC and have opened the door for private development. Davila states, "Since the 1980's, similar policies involving tax incentives to the private sector, as in today's EZs, have consistently replaced publicly financed community-based development strategies as the dominant urban development strategy (pg 9)." In compliance with the philosophies of neo-liberalism, governmental organizations have shifted the responsibility of social housing onto private development organizations, which are solely driven by profitability. Unfortunately, this has rapidly decreased the amount of affordable housing in East Harlem. Local businesses and residents have been displaced and neglected as a result of this rapid gentrification. "East Harlem's real estate is not advertised in El Diario or other Latino and local newspapers...many believe, (they) intend to keep Latinos out of the area (pg 54)," said one the area's residents. This process is a result of the lack of representation from Latinos and residents of the community. Even those Latinos from the area who have shown upward mobility have been consequently displaced outside of East Harlem and thus do not intend to return. Spanish Harlem symbolizes the romanticized version of Latino culture and will unlikely relinquish its reputation of being underprivileged. Roberto, a union leader Davila interviewed, describes why he can not live in El Barrio: "I saw a lot of brutality...El Barrio will always be El Barrio, not the Puerto Rican Barrio, but the barrio of immigrants and the poor (pg 38)." Roberto's comments shine light on the fact that this neighborhood is not able to develop without providing outlets for upward mobility and representation.
Part of reshaping the marginalized perception of El Barrio is being provided by activists in order to "secure the identity of (their) place (pg 24)." The current commercialization and outside marketing contradicts attempts and assertions that are being made to redefine the associations to the Latino identity. Many of the residents that reside in East Harlem are not a homogenous culture or ethnicity. Specifically, Puerto Ricans have struggled to assert their identity as a community in American society. As a group, they have attempted to downplay the stereotypes and negative associations that are being exaggerated by cultural marketers. In attempting to understand the own accurate identity, Puerto Ricans must be able to understand their significance in El Barrio. Puerto Ricans have been commonly linked with other ethnic groups such as African-Americans, who reside in West Harlem. Davila discusses the movement of Puerto Ricans to differentiate themselves as a functioning and successful ethnic group. Mexicans, who are the fastest growing immigrant population in the United States, experience similar struggles of re-signification in East Harlem. They have tried to establish themselves as "worthy and hard-working immigrants," and separate themselves from the marginalized reputation of other Latinos in the area (pg 156). Davila cites one man who commented, "We Mexicans are hard workers and don't depend on welfare as do Dominicans...many Mexicans are deported because they are illegal. Each month, Dominicans are deported because they've been jailed for selling drugs, committing robberies, crimes and fraud (pg 172)." The US depends on Mexicans to fill the lowest positions in the workforce - those jobs that require extensive manual labor for very little pay - but our government and policies prevent these immigrants from gaining rights and representation in their communities. The Mexican Day Parade was one example of a culturally-specific event that was marketed and organized by non-Mexicans for corporate interests. Davila emphasizes that the control of such cultural events by marketers who do not represent the Mexican community actually undermines the purpose of such ethnic celebrations. Further, she stated that the outrage of Mexicans in such situations "asserted ethnicity over industry and challenged the inequities in the production and consumption of ethnic events (pg 167)."
Artists have become catalysts for publicly marketing the real Latino identity with images that represent both the past and present. This initiative contradicts the growing commercialization of Latino culture geared toward economic gains in the EZ. The author adds, "Heritage is ancillary to tourism, put in the service viable tourist districts containing cultural, entertainment, dining, and recreational attractions (98)." The various cultural projects in East Harlem that would further allow the appropriate exposure of Latino heritage, such as el Museo del Barrio and the Edison Project, were centered around tourism, economic interests, and employment. This only furthered the process of gentrification in East Harlem. To inhibit this process, artists began to show an effort to represent Latino aspirations and dreams through non-profitable murals and graffiti. Their actions signify that ethnicity is more than just a business venture. Davila posits, "The fact is that current ethnic and cultural identifications are being concurrently fueled by a variety of political and commercial interests, and are thus not about to fade, as long as they are profitable, politically marketable, and viable (pg 214)." Thus, the need for further artistic expression of the actual Latino ethnicity is vital.
Through her book, Arlene Davila clearly represents the position and role of many Latinos in American society today. Neoliberal policies further prevent these groups from taking hold of their community and ethnicity, and allowing private companies to consolidate affordable housing. This book can only shine light on the rapid gentrification of all cities around the country. It is difficult not to think of the re-urbanization process going on in Durham over the last five years, and in doing so I hope those involved think of places like East Harlem. Many of the same efforts to improve the image are fueled by economic interests, however without considering the history and diversity of this culturally-rich city, the future of Downtown Durham will continue to be tainted.

Arlene Davila's BARRIO DREAMS is simply amazing. It grapples with the diversification of New York's Latino population, asking important questions about community solidarity and alliances. The final chapter on Mexican immigration to El Barrio is especially informative. Professor Davila is a stellar scholar whose ground-breaking work is helping shape the future of Latino/a studies. A must-have book indeed!

This is the story of the first African World Boxing Champion, Battling Siki.

In the 1920's, a World Title was an honor reserved for the very few. Most fighters would toil at their craft for seventy five to eighty fights before even getting an opportunity to fight for a title. There were only eight weight classifications, and only one title holder per weight class. A world title meant instant fame, adoration and an opportunity for long lasting wealth.

Battling Siki was a Sengelese National when he received a crack at the Frenchman Georges Carpentier's light-heavyweight title. Ostensibly, this fight was to be a fix in which the Frenchman was scripted to retain his title via knockout. However, Carpentier began firing some of his punches in earnest, angering Siki, who began punishing the Frenchman, until he knocked him out.

Thus began an oddysey for Siki, who lost his title in a dubious decision, and came to America to earn his living.

One of the beautiful things about boxing is how great fighters become trainers, and pass the lore on for generations and keep stories alive. Champions like Joe Gans and Archie Moore, and as of late, Buddy McGirt impart history to their protege's and keep the memory of boxings greats fresh.

Here, the author actually lived in West Africa, and began his research there. This is a well researched, documented and chronicled book, and a subject in which the author has developed a great passion.

I remember reading about Siki in a Ring magazine story as a teenager, and seeing a picture of a well built black man in a top hat with a cane strolling down a Manhattan boulevard. The story spoke of how the media conspired to turn his legacy into a joke.

The author flushes out a story of a man who was a fierce warrior in the ring, and a happy-go-lucky man outside of it. Revisionist history has brought Siki to light in a different way as Light-Heavyweight champion as a man to be respected and revered. Had his career been managed differently, he may have been regarded in the second tier of the elite in the division, behind such greats as Gene Tunney, Billy Conn, Archie Moore, Bob Foster,
Michael Spinks and Roy Jones (not necessarily in any order).

This is a story any true boxing history fan should read for a more thorough understanding of boxing's dark side. Through it all, Siki's courage, and buoyance shines through.

After over 25 years of reading boxing books, especially about the "old school" guys, it is refreshing, even startling, to read such a detailed and captivating book on a fighter we all know so little about. Siki has been branded through the ages by so many as a barely literate 'child of the jungle" who had poor judgement in picking opponents and came to a predictable end on a New York street. The entire short but epic life of Louis Fall is presented here in the well-detailed context of his times and turns out to be not what we had believed at all. But even if you are not a fight fan or had never heard of Battling Siki, the rich description of the times Siki lived in and the forces he endured until one day he didn't, is well worth the read. Bravo.

Don Scott

Professor Peter Benson is a former boxer himself who came up the hard way, his father a Marine boxing coach who had his own son in the ring from the time he was a teen. "I dreaded those time when my dad would come home and suddenly sprung on me that some friend of his had a PAL or YMCA tournament lined up in a nearby town, and wouldn't I like to fill in for some kind who was sick (yeah, sick my @ss, I thought--try afraid)?" Stationed in Dakar (Senegal) on a Fulbright teaching gig, Benson noticed a pasteboard poster of a fierce African fighter, and learned that in Senegal they still idolize their homeboy, "Battling Siki," who had left Senegal and gone to Europe and beat Georges Charpentier, who was sort of the Maurice Chevalier of boxing.

This set Benson into asking himself why in the name of forgotten history had he never heard of Battling Siki, for he was a boy he grew up cutting his teeth on Bill Stern and his books for boys on famous boxing stories. When he returned to Stern's dog eared book he found out that, yes, Siki was in it for sure, but portrayed as a combination of a ninny and a savage. The present biography is a noble attempt to restore the real Battling Siki and to combat the legends and the misinformation inculcated around his name.

Nothing is too petty for Benson to dispute, for example, he launches immediately into refuting the idea that Siki was too ignorant to have heard of St. Patrick's Day. Benson shows us that racist promoters and an upset French boxing fraternity (aghast that their white boy had been beaten by an African athlete) had threatened to strip Siki of his precious boxing license, and that Dublin, on St. Patrick's Day, was the only place left to him to fight. He had indeed been backed into a corner. As we know from studying the career of Jack Johnson (whose reign preceded Siki's by perhaps 12-15 years), the white infrastructure of pugilism did not like seeing a black man smile in the ring.

And Siki, like Johnson, compounded his sins by marrying a white woman and in general carrying on as though he was the champion of the world. Benson compares his unsettling appearance to the "menace" claimed by many when Sonny Liston knocked out Floyd Patterson. And a "gangsta" image comparable to Mike Tyson's was foisted on him by the popular press. Benson puts it all in context, showing, for example, that his ownership of two cute little lion cubs was not all that unusual at the time, for it had become an affectation of many boxers, not just black ones, to parade unusual pets. (Siki's cute little cubs ate a dog during boxing practice one day at the ring. Oops!)

Benson is a vivid writer and brings you right back into the roaring twenties with a powerful wit and a knack for research that hits home every time. You'll learn not only about Siki but a whole host of other great personalities of the day, from Jack Dempsey to Kid Norfolk. And beyond the ring, you'll encounter the predominant culture from new angles. You'll see why some people of color preferred if at all possible to "pass," and you'll see the American South through the eyes of a king in slow motion decline. Even the sympathetic seemed to see Siki in terms of "gratuitous animal analogies: Siki as ape, Siki as peacock--creatures embodying rage, lust, sexual display." Funny to never have heard of a man, and then to find out that he was the key that opens up vast occluded regions of the early 20th Century. Good work, Professor Benson. It was worth it, all that early boxing training by your dad.

An oftentimes flamboyant light-heavyweight boxer has waited years for a title shot. Of Senegalese heritage, he had his ring career interrupted by World War I, where he earned honors in a unit that was used mostly as fodder by the French generals. His opponent is also a decorated veteran and - if not for the war - may have been the "Great White Hope" in the apartheid-game to dethrone heavyweight great Jack Johnson.

But the match has a twist from a proposed fix. The challenger, Battling Siki, is supposed to take a dive, actually suffering a "knockout" by falling to the canvas and thrusting his arms out as if he was crucified. Siki tries hard to fake the match, but pride takes over and he floors Georges Carpentier to win the title - the first world title by an African fighter - in a decision wracked with controversy and gamblers screaming about being double-crossed.

Author Peter Benson takes the reader on a journey into alphabet-soup boxing organizations in Europe, American mob-backed fighters, trainers, promoters and sportswriters, a contender with ties to the KKK, overt racism, the art of the fix and the battle waged by a great athlete in a blood-sport that was not only in the ring.

Within months after winning the title, Battling Siki loses a title defense in a decison to a white fighter in Dublin on St. Patrick's Day during the Irish Civil War and then traveled to the United States in pursuit of another world title match. And what he got was an inept manager, no trainer, many brutal fights and his indelible pride not letting him take a seat on the canvas. And because of that, Battling Siki was gunned down on a street in Hell's Kitchen in New York City.

Benson brings to life a fighter who has had his life defined by the racist disinformation campaign that did not rest upon his death. It is not solely a boxing biography, though Benson's descriptions of several matches literally places the reader in the ring, feeling the shots and tasting the blood from the open cuts.

Battling Siki fought many forces that were evil and though many may say he ultimately lost in the end, Benson shows a man who stared down these cowards and could only be cut down with bullets through his back.

C'mon ladies, don't be put off because this one is from the male perspective, in fact, that in itself is a great reason for picking this one up!

I loved this read!

Written in a first person narrative, and filled with quick British wit, humour, and colloquialisms, Billy's Log takes you through the daily happenings of one very average man, Billy Ellis, who keeps a daily journal that you'll be left feeling honoured to have been offered a peek inside of.

Billy Ellis is the hero in this hilarious page turning saga of men, women, life, and love, whom at the crossroads of entering his thirties takes a hard look at where his life is at, where he's heading, and ultimately what he desires. Whilst reading through the journal that he's kept from the previous year he decides that this is the year that he is going to make things better in his life, and that is where this delightful journey begins.

I laughed out loud throughout, and I'll sheepishly admit here, that I even found myself thinking, "Oh boy, he's in trouble now!"

In this world of Venus and Mars it was refreshing to discover that men experience the same emotions that we do when it comes to life, love, and the opposite sex.

I very highly recommend this one to all!

This is a great book full of the wonderfully English humour that has come to be so popular as a result of Bridget Jones and the Loiuse Rennison teenage books. Of more interest to me was the fact that it is about a male (lad) and his desire to secure some romance for himself. There were lots of occassions where I found myself laughing at situations simply because like most men, I've been there myself!

Read and enjoy.

I picked this book up on holiday in the UK and cannot cannot even begin to work out where to start with it because everything is so spot on. It is brilliantly written, brilliantly observed and also happens to be one of the funniest books I have ever read. It's been said before, but in this case, it really is true. In Billy's Log, we males finally have our very own version of Bridget Jones Diary. And it deserves to do equally as well.

Take a huge helping of Bridget Jones Diary, stir in a dash of Nick Hornby and a pinch of Notting Hill and you have this book down to a tee. Hardly surprising then that it is very 'English' in both its language and some of its situations but that said, as an American I found that the vast majority of the book easily translated to my own life and I'm sure other readers will find the same. Indeed, it is true to say that I found this book so achingly accurate it was quite worrying but it is also fantastically funny with some superb observational comedy.

Quite simply, if you like comedy, you will love this.

A reviewer, curator of AfroAmericanHeritage.com, 03/13/2007
Highly recommended!
Brief though the period of the Wild West was, the exploits of its villains and lawmen have fascinated people around the world, and been disproportionately represented in pop culture. But the multicultural nature of the Wild West has rarely been evidenced in the plethora of films, books and television shows. Which probably explains why the arrival of Sheriff Black Bart in Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" (1974) elicited such a stunned response from the townspeople, and a riot of laughter from the audience. Imagine: a black lawman in the Old West! Imagine no more. Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, a former slave, served for nearly 30 years in the Oklahoma and Indian Territories, the most deadly location for U.S. marshals. And according to glowing accounts of his bravery, skill and steadfast devotion to duty (found in white newspapers of the time, mind you) nobody was laughing when he rode into to town, especially not the bad guys. As this book amply illustrates, Reeves is remarkable not merely for being a black marshal (there were others) but for being one of the greatest U.S. Marshals, period. But Reeves' story - with the exception of references published here and there - has been largely ignored by western historians. Though widely known and respected during his lifetime, he was illiterate and left behind no diaries or letters, so what little has come down has been in the form of oral history and legends. Art T. Burton has spent the better part of 20 years reclaiming the heritage of African Americans in the American West, and has scoured through a wide range of primary sources - including Reeves' federal criminal court cases available in the National Archives, and account books at Fort Smith Historic Site - to separate legend from fact and painstakingly piece together the story of this American hero. The book is not a biography in the traditional sense, but as the subtitle states, a reader. It reproduces many of the court documents and contemporary newspaper articles with just enough narrative to put them into context. Not being a Wild West buff myself, I felt the author did an excellent job providing background to help me make sense of it all. As the author recounts, one of the first responses he received from a local town historical society in Oklahoma when inquiring about Reeves was "I am sorry, we didn't keep black people's history." This book is the perfect example of the wealth of information which can be gleaned by a creative, dedicated historian who looks beyond the usual sources in order to root out the hidden history of multicultural America. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Western history and culture, law enforcement, American or African American Studies. And I hope this book inspires someone to finally bring the life and times of Bass Reeves to the big screen.

This is a very intereting book about a black marshal that rode for Judge Parker. I was amazed at the amount of money he made as a "non-paid" marshal. His influence on the court and the city of Fort Smith at the time was also interesting. An interesting twist to see a marshal on trial, and obviously, motivated by hatred.

Brief though the period of the Wild West was, the exploits of its villains and lawmen have fascinated people around the world, and been disproportionately represented in pop culture. But the multicultural nature of the Wild West has rarely been evidenced in the plethora of films, books and television shows. Which probably explains why the arrival of Sheriff Black Bart in Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" (1974) elicited such a stunned response from the townspeople, and a riot of laughter from the audience. Imagine: a black lawman in the Old West!

Imagine no more. Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, a former slave, served for nearly 30 years in the Oklahoma and Indian Territories, the most deadly location for U.S. marshals. And according to glowing accounts of his bravery, skill and steadfast devotion to duty (found in white newspapers of the time, mind you) nobody was laughing when he rode into to town, especially not the bad guys. As this book amply illustrates, Reeves is remarkable not merely for being a black marshal (there were others) but for being one of the greatest U.S. Marshals, period.

But Reeves' story - with the exception of references published here and there - has been largely ignored by western historians. Though widely known and respected during his lifetime, he was illiterate and left behind no diaries or letters, so what little has come down has been in the form of oral history and legends. Art T. Burton has spent the better part of 20 years reclaiming the heritage of African Americans in the American West, and has scoured through a wide range of primary sources - including Reeves' federal criminal court cases available in the National Archives, and account books at Fort Smith Historic Site - to separate legend from fact and painstakingly piece together the story of this American hero.

The book is not a biography in the traditional sense, but as the subtitle states, a reader. It reproduces many of the court documents and contemporary newspaper articles with just enough narrative to put them into context. Not being a Wild West buff myself, I felt the author did an excellent job providing background to help me make sense of it all.

As the author recounts, one of the first responses he received from a local town historical society in Oklahoma when inquiring about Reeves was "I am sorry, we didn't keep black people's history." This book is the perfect example of the wealth of information which can be gleaned by a creative, dedicated historian who looks beyond the usual sources in order to root out the hidden history of multicultural America. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Western history and culture, law enforcement, American or African American Studies.

And I hope this book inspires someone to finally bring the life and times of Bass Reeves to the big screen.

Professor Burton's book about Bass Reeves combines thorough, meticulous scholarship on the details of Reeves' long career as a lawman with a most impressive general knowledge of the times in which he lived. The result is a biography unlikely to be surpassed.

A question that has long interested me, and is asked by this book, concerns the criteria of historical remembrance. Why, for example, is Wyatt Earp (to pick just one example) remembered and even celebrated to this day, when--at the very least--equally deserving historical figures, such as Reeves, languish in relative obscurity? Were history fair (and of course it is not) the reverse should be the case, as by any objective measure Reeves was the superior lawman. One is cynically tempted to conclude that too often subsequent historical recognition is far more a result of puffery than of merit.

Burton does an admirable job of reconstructing what can now be known about Reeves' remarkable life, and adeptly separates myth from fact along the way. This was a difficult task, as Reeves was illiterate, meaning that the record of his life is only indirectly available primarily through court transcripts, oral histories by others, and sketchy accounts in contemporary newspapers not often disposed to celebrate the accomplishment of a black man.

In addition, Burton is able to present new and significant information. I, for one, had not known that, toward the end of his career, Reeves was prominently involved in a spectacular shootout (every bit as dramatic as the OK Corral) in Muskogee with a deadly gang of religious fanatics. Until now, lawman Bud Ledbetter (the "Fourth Guardsman") got most of the credit for confronting these dangerous criminals.

Professor Burton notes that he's been working on this project, intermittently, for some twenty years--the result is worth the wait.

A 132-year dominance in anything isn't likely to go quietly and the 1982 America's cup was no different. The American tradition of cut-throat-competitive yacht racing regularly produced America's cup defenders of the highest caliber and it was a major step to even grasp the magnitude of what really needed to be done in order to have a fighting chance at winning the race, let alone to actually carry it out. However, one man accomplished exactly that, he did it in style, and we are most fortunate to have this tome "printed in lightning bolts" as the foreword author, Richard Bach, puts it.

At the heart of it, the book is about much more than winning a boat race (although, to be fair, a very large portion of the book covers exactly that). It is the story of a man and his single-minded pursuit of his dream. The story grips the reader and draws you into the life of Bertrand. It puts you right there, standing right beside him at the helm through every mishap and expertly executed maneuver. It also takes tells the story away from the water, the stories of the exceptional men with whom he sailed, as well as his family. You will discover, along with Bertrand, what it takes to do what nobody has ever done before and, when all is said and done, you will feel privileged to have sailed with him.

I also wish to correct a gross injustice in the review written by Art Tirrel. It is clear that, at the time that he wrote his review, he had not read the book in its entirety. Had he done so, he would have known that Bertrand's boat, Australia II, was not in fact faster than Liberty, Dennis Conner's. He would have also noticed that the "charismatic Aussies" were not poorly organized and had to deliver the performance of their lives in order to win. To have suggested facts "from the reading" which are clearly contrary to what is written is bordering on insulting, and I can only guess at his motives for writing an inaccurate review.

A true underdog story, a magnificent recollection of one of the great sporting achievements of the 20th century, an endearing personal account of a man's journey - however you want to look at it, a riveting read. One of those rare books which will both entertain and educate the reader.

Fantastic book. It is an instructive lesson in how to prepare for what you overwhelmingly want to achieve. Being set in the context of one of the most famous sporting events in history, the attempt to wrest the America's Cup from the US after 132 years, makes it that much more exciting. Sailors will love it, but anyone interested in the psychology of winning will gain from this book.

This book is fabulous! For sailors, the story alone is worth the read, but it is much more than just a story about sailing. Bertrand's description of the final race against "the red boat" (Dennis Connor) is so powerful that I felt what he and his crew felt, even before I had read what they felt! Any reader interested in the nature of sport and competition will find this book valuable.

There's a saying in sailboat racing: nothing makes you look smarter than a fast boat. Yet John Bertrand and the crew of Australia II, despite having the demonstrably superior yacht, nearly failed to win the 1983 regatta that ended the longest winning streak in the history of sport.
Bertrand begins at the low point. Down three races to one in the best of seven series, Australia II is on her way out for the fifth race. One more loss and it's over.
What follows makes blow by blow, hold-your-breath reading. Bertrand opens with a major blunder. Australia II is over early - on the course before the starting signal - and has to go back and start correctly, thus handing the Americans and Dennis Conner a one minute advantage.
In match racing, such an error is almost always fatal. Once again, however, when you have the fast boat, mistakes tend not to be as costly. Eventually, Australia II makes up the lost time and sails to a wide margin of victory to remain alive in the series.
So, if they had the faster boat, how did Bertrand and crew manage to lose those three races? From the reading, I see two answers; in the "slow" boat, the American team sailed a series of unsurpassed magnificence, and the Australian team committed mistake after mistake. Race one - steering failure; race two - mainsail headboard broke; race five the major blunder described above. Fact is, from Bertrand's telling the charismatic Aussies were poorly organized in general. To complicate matters, syndicate owner Alan Bond's hatchet man Warren Jones seemed to enjoy putting the screws to Bertrand at every opportunity. Given these pressures, it's a miracle Bertrand could function on the water at all.
Born to Win stands out for its wonderful race descriptions and inside knowledge but sags when the author delves into the underlying personal issues - where maybe he sounds a little too self-serving. But what would you expect, it is his side of things he's telling.
Art Tirrell - author of The Secret Ever Keeps, Spring 2007 ISBN 978-1-60164-004-8.

I loved the cover. How did Mandery draw all of those characters onto the book jacket? Very impressive!

This is not only an interesting, easy to read book, it shows a side of politcal campaigning from an interesting point of view. Mandery is an objective observer with an inside seat. He was part of the campaign, but not part of the culture. That, in my opinion, is to his credit.

The book he has written is rife with funny anecdotes, touching scenes and aggravating politics as usual. Mandery keeps his perspective through the whole mess.

This book is the most insightful book about the nature of the modern campaign I have ever read. As a professional campaigner I know this from first hand experience. Here is a chance for the citizen to peel back the veil and view the inner workings of the campaigns that, in so many ways, choose our officials and shape our nation.

The great thing about the book is that much of it is universally true and important. The issues that Mandery writes about from fundraising, to polling, to the dangers of ethnic politics, to the motivations of the press are as true in the high-flying campaigns of Bill Clinton as they are the failed campaign of Ruth Messinger. The mayoral campaign is, in many ways, simply an entertaining backdrop to a thoughtful guide of the ins and outs of American politics.

That said, the book offers particular insights into the mind of the Mayor who would be Senator. New Yorkers in general and reporters in particular would do well to sit up and take notice before the coming election.

Mandery has a superb lucid writing style. The text brings to bear Mandery's unique perspective combines the laser like analysis of a Harvard lawyer with the ironic sense of humor of one of New York City's hottest amateur stand up comedians.

Mandery brings to life a host of characters that range from the entertaining to the downright bizarre that will keep you turning pages even though we all know how it ends.

In his literary debut Mandery delivers a unique and thoughtful rumination on the machinations of a modern political campaign. With the fresh perspective of a campaign neophyte and his considerable skills of lawyerly analysis, Mandery offers a refreshingly honest chronicling of the 1997 New York mayoral race. Mandery's razor-sharp wit adds zip and readability to a topic lesser authors have consistently made bland.

Mandery asserts that the book is about modern political campaigns in general, and only "incidentally about the 1997 mayoral campaign." Indeed, his position as research director for the Messinger campaign affords the reader a fascinating insider's view of the nuts and bolts of a political campaign at the end of the twentieth century. We are privy to all of the key players, the sometimes-stilted decision-making process, strategy sessions, various private letters between campaigns, focus group sessions, and the research operations. We are even told how much the famous political consultants are paid (it will make you consider a career change!).

At each step of the way Mandery offers his insightful analysis of campaign maneuvers and press coverage. He asks the commonsense questions that any thoughtful outsider might ask. His logic is consistently solid, systematically and lucidly cutting through the muck of political "spin" to reveal the truth of the matter at hand. Though he often wonders aloud whether he can possibly be objective given his position, Mandery scores points for his even-handed critique of both sides.

Perhaps more importantly, and most interestingly, Mandery brings into high relief the cast of characters involved -- the men and women who eat, drink and sleep politics, whose lives move from one campaign to the next. From his boorish campaign manager Jim to colorful rival Sharpton and hilarious longshot Menendez, Mandery describes real characters to rival any of fiction's most entertaining. As Mandery himself might agree, 'you can't make this stuff up.'

A good read for anyone who followed cycling in the late 80s and 90s. This makes the struggle of stage racing a very human experience - what an incredible talent Indurain was!

The inevitable comparisons are legion now that Lance Armstrong has won his sixth (and last?) Tour De France this past July. The past winners were all manifested again during the summer of 2004 with the same predictable results...Eddy Merckz was the "cannibal", the merciless killer among the past 5 time winners...Bernard Hineault was the silent assasin, the least likely looking winner, but perhaps the meanest cycler who ever lived...Jaques Anquetil was the elegant talent, the one who modernized world class cycling in the 60's and of course Armstrong, who is still really establishing his legacy. Who, then is this Miguel Indurain and what "category" does he fit into? Samuel Abt tries to define Indurain's place in history with "Champion: Bicycle Riding in the Age of Indurain". The problem, of course, is that this work was published in 1993 and Indurain still had much more to say on the cycling front.

Abt's story is one that I'd sort of compare to the early Roger Angell works on baseball...a set of diverse observations that pertain to the main event...in this case the 1991 and 1992 Tour De France. Abt descibes both races and certainly suceeds in fitting this race into the context of that day...Indurian, like Armstrong 10 years later, is the man to beat and all others, although interesting, will become mere shadows when viewed in Tour history. The reader gets all angles of world class cycling as Abt describes the growing Indurian myth and how Miguel is slowly replacing American Greg LeMond as the celebrity of the cycling world. We also hear from the less talented riders as Abt talks about their chances as well as how the economy is affecting the team structure in the early 90's. Indeed of all the teams that competed in the 1992 Tour, only the Lotto-Domo Belgian team still competed in the 2004 Tour (Indurian's Banesto team is now Illearas-Banesto).

Abt's descriptions and commentary border on brilliance as he succeeds in presenting a human picture to the world class cycling world and brings to the literay world the only true historical treatment of the brilliant Indurain that can be found (the Armstrong books by comparison, past and future, overwhelm the published books on Indurain). Abt's work is also timed to descibe the end of Greg Lemond's reign as the American Champion and the book ends with a portent of the future with "The First Lance" chapter wherby he descibes the young Armstrong and gives glowing predictions of Armstrong's future.

A work that true cycling fans should undertake (Abt does not attempt and does not succeed in clearing up the complex and at times maddening strategy pertaining to Tour riding) and one that sort of sets the stage for the Armstrong on-slaught, Sam Abt brings a truely worthy and capable champion to light and in the process elevates world class cycling to the level soon realized in the early 2000's.

Essential information for Indurain enthusiasts giving insights into the early Tour victories of the great champion. Also provides interesting glimpses into the personality of one of the more enigmatic figures in cycling history. Noteworthy too for its sidebar coverage of Grag LeMond, whose career was begining it's decline when Indurain's Tour dominance began.

This book captured the quiet, contemplative nature of Miguel Indurain, the 90's most dominant Tour de France rider, very well. Also it played out the backroom drama of "Le Tour". For any cycle racing fan, a must read.