North America Books

This book is an excellent piece of history and well written. The author extensively researches private correspondence involving homosexuals and homosexual activists, newspaper reports, congressional reports and so on. The author makes use of the records of the most extensive congressional investigation into homosexuality among government employees, the Senate committee chaired by Senator Clyde Hoey, records which were closed to researchers until 2000. He also makes use of personal interviews and other biographic records that gives a picture of what homosexual life was like in Washington D.C from the 1940's to 1960's.

An important point the author makes is how previous historians have usually downplayed or, more often than not, completely ignored, the prominence of the homosexual issue during the McCarthy era. Part of the reason for this, the author suggests, is that historians have used Senator McCarthy's public pronouncements to provide them with a measure of the public focus on gay people. In his initial speeches in early 1950, McCarthy linked homosexual behavior with adherence to communist doctrines, but then, for no clear reason, ignored the homosexual issue for the rest of his career. Dr. Johnson shows what he says other historians have ignored, that other politicians picked up the issue and were successful in using in it. The Lavender Scare picked up steam in early 1950 when under-secretary of state John Peurifoy stated before a Senate committee that 91 employees from the State Department had been fired for homosexual activity. Pretty soon, newspaper reports indicated that while a quarter of the letters to McCarthy's office were about communists, the other three quarters expressed fear and anger about homosexuals employed by the federal government. President Truman's advisors told him that the public worried more about homosexuals in government than communists. In particular, the state department was seen in the public mind as a haven for homosexuals. In his syndicated column, the reactionary Westbrook Pegler continually stressed a connection between homosexuality and the State Department. The right wing continually tried to link liberal Democrats to homosexuality, portraying the Roosevelt and Truman administrations as being populated by effete, unmanly intellectuals and bureaucrats who raised the taxes of hardworking Americans and sold out to the Soviet Union at Yalta. There was much speculation that homosexuals had been placed in the State Department by Sumner Welles, who had been the number two official in Roosevelt's State Department. Welles had been forced to quietly resign after he drunkenly propositioned several male porters while travelling by rail with Roosevelt's entourage in 1943. Homosexuality would be used against Charles Bohlen, who had been one of the US architects of the Yalta accords, in guilt by association way in 1953, during his confirmation hearings to be ambassador to the Soviet Union. Bohlen was not gay but had a friendship with a gay State Department official named Charles Bohlen. Bohlen got the ambassadorship but his friend lost his job.

The official justification for firing homosexuals was 1) a foreign power, mainly the Soviets, could lure homosexuals in sensitive government posts into compromising positions and blackmail them into being spies 2) homosexuals demoralized fellow government employees with their "abnormal" behavior. The spying/blackmail issue was that which was most prominently played up. The Soviets were trying to lure female government employees into lesbianism so they could blackmail them into being spies, Senator Kenneth Wherry claimed. Dr. Johnson shows that during the Hoey Committee hearings, Senators looked for statements from medical experts that would substantiate their belief that homosexuals had weaker moral fibers, a greater vulnerability to becoming spies than heterosexual folks. The medical officials responded that no evidence existed for these claims but the committee ignored them. The Committee seized on the claim of the director of the CIA that, in the early 20th century, the chief of Austrian intelligence had been caught in a homosexual act by Czarist Russian agents and, in return for not making evidence of the homosexuality public, forced him to become a Russian spy. Johnson argues that, in reality, while this intelligence chief may have been gay, there was no evidence that he became a spy because the Russians threatened to use his gayness against him. Homosexuality was again cited as a cause for the defection to the Soviet Union of two NSA analysts in 1960. The lead NSA analyst seemed to have been gay but no evidence exists that the Russians used his homosexuality to blackmail him.

Homosexuality ranked as a very prominent "security risk" in the eyes of government officials. In 1953, State Department official Carlisle Hummelsine told congress that of the 654 dismissals or forced resignations of employees on "loyalty" or security grounds in the Department since 1947, 402 were because of homosexual behavior. Especially after Eisenhower became president in 1953, security specialists swarmed over all government agencies, using gossip from informers or background checks, to bully alleged homosexual government employees into resigning. The standard of the federal government was that even one homosexual experience in an adult's life, no matter how far in the distant past, automatically disqualified one for government employment. The number of people fired or whose application for employment in the federal government was rejected on the grounds of homosexuality, ran into the thousands. Many were subsequently blacklisted from gainful employment. A handful of people have been documented to subsequently have committed suicide, though this number is probably much higher.

The Lavender Scare is held by Dr. Johnson, I think quite plausibly, to have started the Gay Rights movement. It was not the Stonewall Riots of 1969 as is commonly believed. Frank Kameny, who had been fired as an astronomer with the navy (at the dawn of the space race) in 1957 for being gay, helped build on tentative gay organizational efforts in the 1950's. Kameny's organization The Mattachine Society of Washington gained national attention with a series of pickets before federal government offices, including the White House, in 1965. Kameny helped start legal challenges against the federal government's discrimination against gay people.

A very readable book on modern history of a segment of society that might go unnoticed. We all know about the Stonewall Riots and the importance they played in the history of gays and lesbians in the United States. THE LAVENDER SCARE puts that event in perspective and points out how this was only a part of the fabric started by brave men and women who finally decided to speak out against government oppression long before Stonewall.

David K. Johnson's history is an excellent, well documented, and captiviating account of a largely forgotten aspect of the Cold War and McCarthy period. While the reputation of Senator McCarthy is alive today, few people are aware of how the anticommunist and anti-gay purges affected life for all Americans, creating a bitter climate of fear and recrimination that felt nation-wide. The political spirit of that time will resonate for everyone who reads the news today, as political leaders are motivated not by a sense of justice, but by a fear of getting branded as being on the "wrong side" of a political issue. As Mr. Johnson points out, the only blackmailing government workers were subject to was that from their own employers. The fear, ignorance, prejudice of that time is brought vividly back to life in Mr. Johnson's book, as is the extraordinary intellence and bravery of the few souls who sought to make a just change in thier country. This is truly an important tale of freedom in America.

Rarely does a work of history both capture a particular moment in time and resonate so deeply with issues alive in contemporary public culture. As the country debates the possibility of gay marriage and the possible meanings of these unions, David Johnson's The Lavender Scare reminds us that homosexuality has at least one other time been conjured up as the nation's "bugaboo" during a period of political shifts and broad cultural change. In an account that is as riveting as it is sobering, Johnson shows how "containment of sexuality was as central to 1950s America as containment of communism." The issue of homosexuality sat at the center of discussions about "national security" during the Cold War period, resulting in the persecution and ouster of hundreds of gay (and suspected gay) federal workers.
The book is written with marvelous grace and sensitivity. Johnson's brilliant skill at research and powers of analysis are in evidence on every page. Much to his credit, Johnson has used those skills to give voice to those from whom otherwise we might never have heard. The impressive narrative structure of The Lavender Scare makes it read like a fine novel. And the callous devastation, the lives lost and ruined by the tactics of a government in search of a moral center after WWII, makes one wish it were a work of fiction. But it is far from that.
The Lavender Scare, rather, is a work of consummate historical research and writing. The enduring contribution of the book is that it shows how the "McCarthy Era" had much less to do with "the Communist threat" and much more to do with homosexuality and "moral panic" than we could have possibly imagined. We will never again be able to think of the Cold War period in quite the same way. Johnson has complexified and clarified perhaps the most vital time in Post WWII American history. The book is certain take its place alongside George Chauncey's magisterial Gay New York.

What a great book! I never liked any type of history. I almost failed it in high school. This book has changed that for me. The only reason I read this book in the first place was because the author is a friend of mine, so I felt obligated to read it. Otherwise I never would have considered it. Well, I was glued to it the entire time reading it. Not only did I find it riveting, angering, thought provoking and scary, but I actually learned a lot about history that I never paid attention to in high school! I also found it quite timely, and I feel like we're going through many of the same things in politics now. (John Ashcroft = Joe McCarthy)

This book is a must read!

I purchased this for my 3 1/2 year old. He loves it. Most of it was pretty easy for him, but I am so glad I got it. He loves stickers so the first few pages were a neat way to get started. The one on one time with Mom is wonderful and he looks forward to it every day. We usually did 3-4 pages each day. It is bright and colorful and the paper is very sturdy.

My son received this book for his second birthday and absolutely loved it! He wouldn't put it down. We have had a similar experience with the other Kumon books we have purchased since then. Highly recommend.

My son and I went through the entire book last night -- he loved it! I'm going to buy the More Sticker & Paste. He really enjoyed the gluing. I thought this would be a great book to bring on a trip with the exception of the need for scissors (which wouldn't work on an airplane).

This is an excellent book for teaching fine motor skills to little ones. I am a teacher and I highly recommend this for toddlers. My three year old loved it and wanted to do the whole book in one sitting.

My 2 year old loves this little book!! We're working through this and Let's Color simultaneously, and she asks (to put it mildly) for them everyday. It starts off very simply, placing a colored, shaped (circle, triangle, square) sticker over a coordinating blank spot in the middle a picture of an apple, watermelon, etc. I explained to her that the goal is to place it very carefully to try and cover the entire white space with the sticker. The paper and stickers are excellent quality, and can endure a couple of retries if she's not satisfied with her first attempt.
Of course you have to cut out pieces for the pasting portions. That's where the coloring book is coming in handy. She can do one of those while she's waiting for me to cut out the pieces for her next project. The pasting starts off similarly to the stickers, but advances to gluing features on a face, decorating a birthday cake, and 2-4 piece puzzles. Her first face was rather picassoesque, but the next day her panda was pandalike with no prompting at all.
This is my 4th child and I've "home pre-schooled" them all. I wish I'd had these available sooner. I love the incremental approach to more challenging activities. We've recently ordered the "More Let's Sticker and Paste" and "More Let's Color" and we're going to try "Let's Cut Paper" as well.

This is an easy read text, organized well for quick reference and very helpful in counseling.

Excellent book, those written more recently have different agenda, but this book was excellent in terms of creating a way to understand issues specific to Native people and counseling.

This book gives a brilliant insight into the issues that Native Americans are facing as a colonialized people. I don't believe America as a whole has come to the realization of just what it did to the indigenous people and the traumatizing effect the American Dream has had on the original inhabitants. To make matters worse, these people are normally treated by individuals that only come from the Newtonian-Descartian worldview of present day mainstream psychology. When treating people from another cultural background, you need to take into account WHERE they are coming from, and what their worldview are. To not do so, is just to continue the cultural genocide that has been going on for far too long. A highly recommendable book.

This is one of the best books that I have ever read. I see it as basic material for any counselor or therapist. While the focus is on Native Americans, it is relevant for work with clients of all cultures. The discussion of intergenerational trauma and the soul wound is particularly well done. Highly readable and it can change the way you practice. Profound!

It's been many years since the first time I read this book, it was, and remains, a very powerful and very relevant analysis of anger turned inward in the Native American community. It is, nevertheless, a work that confronts a very sensitive issue in the United States of America - the impact on current generations of genocidal colonization practices against long-established Native American communities by European colonizers. Do not read this book if you believe the Americas were pristine, unpopulated lands waiting to be "discovered" by Columbus, or Erikson, or any other European. Do read this book if you want to understand why other colonized cultures have turned to violence and dogma to seek revenge for the foreign imposition of arbitrary and intentionally destructive rulerships.

This map was the best thing we took with us on our week-long vacation to New York. Small and pocketable, we could easily stow the map and conveniently pull it out and find our bearings without having to look too much like tourists. The map shows not only streets but theaters, shopping, tourist attractions etc.
However, the one thing the map lacks (and why I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5) is that the subway stops are shown on a separate, smaller map, and it was quite challenging trying to overlap where we were on one map and where a stop was located on the other map--we certainly got our exercise circling a few extra blocks here and there! Also, by the end of the week, the map was showing some signs of wear and tear: one of the perforated folds ripped, and sometimes I'd struggle to get the map to fold back up to its flat size. Regardless, I would definitely recommend this map to anyone headed for New York. And, if you plan on traveling by subway, ask for one of the free (and very large and in-depth) subway maps from any subway station.

A friend got this map for me when I went to New York for the first time and it proved to be invaluable. I studied it before I left on my trip to get an idea of the layout of the land. It was easy to read, folded neatly on it's own, fit in my coat pocket, and it was easy to reference it without having to call attention to myself as a "tourist". The subway map was indispensible at helping me navigate my way around town and it even shows you where the post office and public markets are around town.
This company makes the same types of maps for other major US and European cities so I'm investing in a few before my next trip abroad.

Hi,

I live in NY now. I am about to buy another 6 of these as our visitors keep going home with them because they forget they have them in their pockets! Simply the best maps of NY - I have tried about 5 other types.

These are great, small and detailed

This is surely the best map you could have of Manhattan. I will not go without mine. In fact, I have lost mine several times and always buy a new one before I go. This one has a wonderful layout of the subway system too. But I have used these popout maps in other cities as well. They are so small, convenient, and they show important landmarks/monuments and also hotels. I just bought five different popouts for my trip to Europe this coming summer. I'm sure they are going to be great!

The most annoying thing about maps is having to refold them, and heaven forbid they make you look like a tourist. With the Popout map series, the map is small enough to fit in your pocket and when you open it, it expands on it's own and folds back when you close it. Anytime I go to any major city I've never been to before, I buy a popout map before embarking. Can't say enough about them, just a darn good map! And as if that wasn't enough, Rand Mcnally goes on step further by offering a popout map with a compass and pen on the Deluxe Version.

Night Flying Woman is a marvelous little book that captures the essence of the Ojibway way of life. The story speaks about reverence of all - the earth, the animals, the trees, and our fellow women and men. We are all intertwined in a reality that encompasses all. Although this is a major lesson in the Judeo-Christian heritage as well, we Christians have forgotten this lesson from the story of creation. Night Flying Woman helps to reconnect with this web of life of which we are all a part.

In addition to the wonderful story, the book contains evocative and moving artwork. It also contains something that is missing from too many books - a glossary of words that are unfamiliar to the average reader. This was a GREAT help.

It was a great read. The more I read about the Ojibway the more I wish I had been born sooner so that I could have lived with my ancestors the way we were meant to. I cried when I was done reading it. I would recommend this book to anyone whether you care about the people or not!

In "Night Flying Woman, An Ojibway Narrative," Ignatia Broker tells the story of the forest people, the Ojibway. She shows how the white man's ways desecrated the rituals, laws and beliefs of the Native People, all but erasing their long culture. Classed as caricatures in a land that once honored them, Broker shows how the Native People "faced bias, prejudice and active discrimination." The Ojibway philosophy for living, that of keeping in balance the purity of man and nature, is revived through Broker's telling of Oona's story, the story of many as seen through the "eyes cast down" of one. An insightful story that continues the Ojibway circle and gives us all the hope of the past for the future.

I sat and read this in one sitting. It was that good. An excellent lesson in not needing all the gadgetry this world offers in order to be happy. A great reminder for all of us that we need to care for each other in order we all can survive.

In "Night Flying Woman, An Ojibway Narrative," Ignatia Broker tells the story of the forest people, the Ojibway. She shows how the white man's ways desecrated the rituals, laws and beliefs of the Native People, all but erasing their long culture. Classed as caricatures in a land that once honord them, Brokers shows how the Native People "faced bias, prejudice and active discrimination." The Ojibway philosophy for living, that of keeping in balance the purity of man and nature, is revived through Broker's telling of Oona's story, the story of many as seen through the "eyes cast down" of one. An insightful story that continues the Ojibway circle and gives us all the hope of the past for the future.

Paulette Jiles, the author, an American from Missouri, went to Toronto with a draft dodger in the 1970s. When the boyfriend dumped her, she stayed on in Canada and got a job in Northern Ontario running a community radio station for the Ojibway Indians. She lived in a log cabin, learned their language, and learned how to survive during the long cold northern winters. Later, she became a reporter on the Indian language newspaper, writing about forest fires, crimes of passion, and serious bush plane accidents.

Throughout, her love and respect for the Indian peoples shine through her writing as she brings legends and traditions to the printed page. Her quirky personality as well as the world around becomes very real, as does her own inner journey.

She is a reporter and describes what she sees. Perhaps that is why not every character she comes into contact with is fully developed. But there are some Indian elders whose stories she captured in just a few short pages.

And her descriptions of the danger and excitement of being dependent on tiny bush planes made me feel her anxieties.

I thank Ms. Jiles for bringing her experiences to the pages of this book and introducing me to these northern native peoples.

best read ever! an adveture story as well as profound reflections, there's not another book like it.

In addition to the other comments made by earlier reviewers, with which I agree, this book provides an essential and extremely thoughtful look at the varied roles played by language and communication media in culture. During the brief narrative Jiles engages with film, theater, radio, television, newspapers, and several modern (English, French) and native (Cree, Ojibway) languages. She also transitions between "native" and modern technologies and living styles. Her extremely canny and wry observations on these phenomena provide more than they seem on first glance. This book is a deep meditation on the very nature of modernity, media and the social nature of language.

In North Spirit, Paulette Jiles has this amazing non-patronizing voice, which at the same time is conscious that she is a white person writing about Indian people who are letting her-this often goofy white person-see herself as a white person watching Indian people and being watched by them. You get the picture. The book is never sentimental or dismissive; the book never stumbles. I love the fact that she can poke fun at herself learning to be a white Indian, as seen through the eyes of her Ojibway and Cree friends and co-workers who help her to help herself in the new environment. I recommend this highly.

Paulette Jiles cast a wonderful spell over me with North Spirit, and when I awoke, I wanted to return to the world of the Cree and Ojibway: a world of simplicity, honesty, humour, community, connectedness, blessed silence. A world that perhaps never was in the white person's world. North Spirit comes at a time when I am shedding as much material wealth as possible. A time when I seek spirit within. A time when I would like to return to elders telling stories of the past, a time of magic. A time I would like to dwell in the northern woods. Paulette Jiles is magic, and she lyrically, poignantly shares her wondrous sojourn amongst the Cree and Obijway with eloquence, humour, compassion, elegance, care. A beautiful read. A keeper. I will visit North Spirit and Paulette again and again. It connects me with what feels right, real, and true.

When Pap Blossom goes into town that's when it all started. Breaking into jail, jumping off the roof, missing mom and lost dog are some of the interesting things that happen to the Blossom family. If I could I would give it a hundred stars. I think this book is a 4th, 5th, and 6th grade book. Now you know what it is about so go get the book NOW!!

This book is a very good book for a third or fourth grader. It tells about all of the family and where they are and then it brings them together with various means. this is a great book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Watch out below!" Thats the sound of the little boy named Junor Blossom about to jump off the top of the barn. This little boy has a lot of problems with his family, he has a big sister named Maggie. Her problem in the family is she has to take care of the family and run things but, she can't go shopping.(her favorite thing to do is shopping) Junior also has a big brother named Vern, a grandpa named Pap, and a dog named Mud. They have a mother too but, she's out on a rodeo circuit. His granpa and his big brother are in jail for disturbing the peace and their dog Mud has ran away. See...this family has a lot of problems. There's just one question to ask you? Do you think that the Blossoms will solve their problems? Now if you read this book I don't know if you wil like it or not but, to tell you I sure did. This book was put on my favorite book list after I got done reading it. The book is realistic fiction so if you don't like realistic books I wouldn't read this book. The author is Besty Byars. She has wrote a lot of books most of them are mystery and romance but, hey she is a really good writer. So are you going to read this book?

Go into the world of funny things with Betsy Byars and The NotJust- Anybody Family. It's filled with trouble, mischief, and fun! The trouble begins when Pap goes into town. Somebody falls of the roof, someone goes to jail, someone breaks into jail, and people go to trial. Also, there is a runaway dog. All these funny and exciting things plus a teaspoon of sadness fit into this book. I hope I got your attention! P.S READ THIS BOOK!!!

The Not-Just-Anybody Family is a book my whole classroom enjoyed. It has action, humor, a missing dog, an out-of-town mom, and a grandpa in jail. The children in the book are very real and my students could relate to their feelings and difficulties. The settings change from chapter to chapter and Betsy Byars writes just enough about each situation to keep you wanting more. This book helped my students learn the meaning of "suspense" and almost all of them gave the book a rating of nine or ten on a one to ten scale. I plan on ordering the audio version for some of my students next year.

Having borrowed this book from our public library I wanted a copy of my own to use as a resource for children's programming at our local historical society. It gives so much information and the illustrations are wonderful.

There are times when history books written for the younger set are wonderful sources of information that most 'adult' (or mature) history books do not touch upon. And "A Pioneer Sampler" is one of those books.
It is written in storyform about the daily lives of the Robertson family, pioneers living on a backwoods farm in the 1840's. Throughout this 237 page book we learn, in a fun and interesting way, how this family dealt with the everyday living that a typical family of the time might have lived: their chores, crafts, eating habits, their spare time. Tools used, how to milk a cow, making maple sugar, harvest time, visiting a general store, building a house...so much interesting historical living written in a very simplistic manner.
Interspersed throughout are sidelines of information pertaining to the subject being written. For instance, there is a chapter about a peddler's visit to the family and the families reaction to this traveling salesman. But, at the end of the chapter, there are a few pages thrown in speaking of individual peddler's trades and how they do their crafts.
Most of the chapters are set up in this way, which adds greatly to understanding more fully the chapters.
I would love to see more books in this form for other era's in American history, as this style or history writing can entertain and teach all - kids as well as adults - who have an interest.
Highly recommended.

The Pioneer Sampler

The Pioneer Sampler is a fun and fascinating book. It tells about a pioneer family. Can Nekeek and Willy catch fish by hand? You'll find out. This is a fun book.
I'd give this book a five *...

I loved this book. I read it before I gave it to my daughter. It is a fictional family, but all the information is true to life. Interspersed with the story of the Robertsons, you can learn how to make your own cheese, dip a candle, or learn to tell the time from the sun.
This book will add to your library, and is a nice complement to Laura Ingalls Wilders books. Homeschooling familys will enjoy it, I know we did.

Barbara Greenwood has written a wonderful book that is as much fun for adults to read to children as it is for the children to read themselves. She doesn't just 'tell' about the Robertson's, she 'shows', drawing the reader into their lives...a pleasant place to be. I especially love Granny's story about how she came to America,on a ship, from Scotland.

The book is beautifully illustrated...all the way through...by Heather Collins. The pictures are so well done that, even as an adult, I would like to step into the scene!

There are instructions for simple, fun activities such as growing a potato plant, dyeing fabric using an onion, or making a cardboard jumping jack; pioneer games that will even entertain today's children for hours such as shadow shapes or knucklebones; and recipes that are easy for children.

Reading this book to a child is a great 'stress releaver'...it's like a little escape from the treadmill of life!!!

Wonderful retelling of Cherokee story handed down through the oral retelling of old stories by the grandmothers of the tribe.

I am a former fifth grade instructor, a National Board Certified Teacher, and a college professor in Teacher Preparation. I highly recommend the Grandmother Stories series to elementary and early childhood instructors and parents who are homeschooling their children. The books have appropriate vocabulary and tell stories that explain nature in a creative manner. I learned several things I did not know about nature and its interactions from these books. Children love to have the books read to them and to read them to themselves. Duvall and Jacobs are a wonderful creative force as they merge their talents to produce books that will be enjoyed for generations to come.

This review appeared in Roundup Magazine, Oct. 2004. A children's picture book that recounts Cherokee historian and storyteller Duvall's latest rabbit tale. Volume 4 of the University's "Grandmother Stories," Rabbit and the Bears tells the story of Rabbit accompanying his friend, Yona the Bear, to the Mulberry Place in the Smoky Mountains where Yona participates in the bears' ceremonial dances every autumn. Rabbit sees a bear with an arrow in his shoulder running from a hunter. Yona and Rabbit follow the wounded bear to the Magic Lake, Ata-Gahi, where the injured bear is healed. Rabbit wishes to know more about bear medicine, but Yona teaches him many other things...a wonderful story suited for the very young as well as elementary school children.

The Grandmother Stories are eloquent, beautifully illustrated tales that recapture the imagination of Native America. Deborah Duvall and Murv Jacob have done a brilliant job of revisiting the mythic world of Rabbit, Bear and Otter and introducing them to a contemporary audience. These characters are timeless, as are their stories, and readers of all ages will delight in their antics and unique insights. (...)

Takes the reader into a magical world where real problems are solved in the ancient way by teaching examples of timeless characters, such as Rabbit and Bear. Based on Cherokee legend and tradition, the prose and the artwork are subtle and refined enough for adults but also intriguing to children. I'm sending all four of the books now available to all of my grandchildren, knowing that not only will the kids enjoy them but their parents as well. It's a pleasure to be able to recommend something new in the world of children's books that is so fun and worthwhile.

I thought this book was great. I respect and love Dyson as a thinker and leader. There were a few things in the book that I dont necessarily agree with Dyson on, but who cares, thats life. The only person I need to agree with 100% is God. Overall his thoughts are deep, logical and thought provoking. Dyson is my favorite writer and Black Leader.

There is absolutely no doubt that this is a great book. The author, as is evident from the book, is a keen thinker and is as intelligent as he is funny. This book was a great reading experience for me, especially because I am neither black nor white. I loved the first part where Mr. Dyson talks about the O.J Simpson trial and how that has changed the playing field. He very deftly, avoids passing judgment on O.J, the man. Even though the author cannot be accused of justifying O.J's actions, he most certainly can be credited for trying to paint a picture in which O.J's actions can at least be objectively understood. This, to me, was extremely interesting. As far O.J. Simpson is concerned, Mr. Dyson has been successful in evoking a response of "Why not?" as opposed to "Why?" The book covers important topics like the failures and successes of the black church and the deficiencies in the present black leadership. One thought, which runs throughout the course of the book, is the author's consistent support for women's causes. A self-described feminist, the author has been very effective in talking about women's issues, specially the state of black women and the inequalities they have had to face due to not only their race but also their gender. Mr. Dyson gathers enough courage to criticize black men for the treatment they have meted out to the women folk. However, at times, Mr. Dyson sounds like he is desperately trying to gain support from black women as their only true sympathizer. I had the feeling that the author was sacrificing sincerity to gain a little goodwill. Mr. Dyson has taken a middle path solution to the question of racial equality. He agrees with both the integrationist ideals of Colin Powell and the separatist beliefs of Louis Farrakhan, but denounces both as being the only road to racial salvation. He tries to be politically correct so as not sound as either a rebel or a wimp. The author's discussion of the popular culture can be counted as another plus of this book. I specially liked his treatment of the subject dealing with the politics of nostalgia and how the elders blame the black youth for all the ills and reminisce about the 'good old days in the hood'. Probably the author's support for hip-hop and rap endeared this book more to me. As a great fan of rap music, I couldn't agree more with the author. However, I was disappointed at the fact that the author never mentioned Tupac Shakur, who I think has been one of the most important players in the history of rap music. Throughout the course of the book, I got the impression that the author was trying to prove to the world that he does not shy away from calling a spade, a spade. But whatever his real intentions, Michael Eric Dyson has been very effective in painting a true picture of the realities of race in this country and how it still dominates our life, more than we want or imagine.

I met Michael Eric Dyson at UNC. I did a book report on the African American Church last year and got a lot of my information from Race Rules. He has a lot of ideas to strengthen the black culture and in his book he shares some great views on why black churches fail and why some don't. There was a part in the book about black leadership, but I was dissapointed that he didn't talk about Tupac becasue he was a leader in rap music and he was a voice for black people.

Dr. Dyson is amazing as he explains race in America. At first when Dr. Dyson started talking about OJ Simpson I started saying to myself "oh no, not again." However, that touchy subject was not too bad and I did not get as angry as in past conversations, books or reports. There were comparisons and constrasts between Farrahkan and Colin Powell pertaining to the million man march that seemed very insightful. Such as Colin Powell thought the million man march was a good conceptual ideal, but due to the fact that Farrahkan was the march's organizer he boycotted the million man march. This book actually makes you think about things in life and it is not one of those books that you just read and then put down and don't think about anymore. Race Rules has me now reading "I may not get there with you" and I am already so into that book. Dr Dyson keep up the good work.

Heard the taped version of RACE RULES, written and read by
Michael Eric Dyson . . . it is a collection of essays that deal with
the problem of racial division in America, as well as with divisions
within the black community.

Dyson, a former welfare father and now an ordained Baptist
minister and professor of Communications Studies at the University
of North Carolina, starts by talking about O.J. Simpson . . . I recall
initially thinking, "not this subject again," yet was pleasantly
surprised by how he got me to realize that there was more--a lot
more--to the subject than the media presented . . . another essay
dealt with the sate of black women and the inequities they have had
to face due to not only their race but also their gender . . . lastly,
I found it fascinating how Dyson agreed with both the integrationist
ideas of Colin Powell and the separationist beliefs of Louis Farrakhan--and
then denounced them both as being only road to racial salvation.

Dyson made me think about subject matter that ordinarily isn't on my
radar screen . . . for that, I'm grateful.