Book Description

Pennsylvania and Kentucky are two American states settled primarily at opposite ends of the 18th century by Ulster-Scots Presbyterians.In this fourth of the popular chronicles on this hardy, pioneering breed of people, Billy Kennedy vividly details the stories behind the early settlements and the enduring personalities who came to the fore during a fascinating period of history.

William Penn and his Quaker community encouraged the European settlers to move in large numbers to the colonial lands in Pennsylvania from the beginning of the 18th century and the Scots-Irish were among the earliest families to set up homes in Philadelphia, Lancaster, Elizabethtown, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh.

President James Buchanan was a Scots-Irish son of Pennsylvania, one of thirteen Presidents with Ulster family links, and many other illustrious citizens of the Keystone State trace their roots to immigrants who crossed the Atlantic from the North of Ireland.

Kentucky, established as a state in 1792, was pioneered two decades earlier by renowned frontiersmen Daniel Boone and a few Ulster-Scots families, such as the WArnocks, the McAfees, the Logans, and the McGarys.Those were dark and dangerous days west of the Appalachian Mountains and through the Cumberland Gap and the bloody conflict between the settlers and the Indian tribes terribly stained the landscape of the Bluegrass State.

Gradually, civilized society emerged in Kentucky by the beginning of the 19th century and it was Scots-Irish soldiers, hunters, politicians, lawyers, and plain ordinary farmers who were in the vanguard of bringing this about.

This book records for posterity the outstanding contribution of the Scots-Irish in Pennsylvania and Kentucky, and, as with the immigrant settlers in Tennessee, the Shenandoah Valley, and the Carolinas, it is a story well worth telling. ... Read more

Book Description

Now in its 7th printing - inludes more gangsters!
Newly footnoted and expanded bibliography!
New FBI documents!
More detailed information about the alleged plot to assassinate Adolph Hitler!

While doing research for this book, Prof. Robert Rockaway interviewed old-time Jewish mobsters and their families. He never knew what his subjects would say or do, so he came prepared for any eventuality. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

great book and a fun reading
this book is a great academic book mixed with fun storytelling.

Jewish criminals objectively presented by a Jew
The book is a reasonably objective record of the fact that even though the word "mafia" is Italian, not all gangsters were (or are) Italian (and thus Catholic)... many were Jews or WASPs for that matter. US Gangsterism was (and is) a USA product, partly because of the ethnic heterogeneity produced by immigration and to a great extent by prohibition. There is of course gangsterism in other countries but backgrounds differ.
The author catalogued the major Jewish gangsters, their family history, their social setting and their "activities". Being Jewish myself I was glad to discover: a) unlike Italian gangsters the Jewish ones tended to keep their families out of their "business", and b) Jewish economic emancipation after WW II practically eliminated Jews from the "business". An enlightening read though rather dry in the firss half of the book.

Big Tsuris
A seldom-covered aspect of true crime history and Jewish history, "But He was Good to His Mother" is a fine read for anyone interested in either. It delves into the histories of several gangsters, their misdeeds, relationships to the Jewish community and anecdotes that shed some light on what these crimelords were really like. Plenty of photos are included.

Rockaway does a fairly good job of striking a balance in tackling a delicate subject. He points out the occasional admirable deeds of the gangsters (protecting American Jews from anti-semites, for example) while making it quite clear that these were very bad men. He fesses up that these killers and lawbreakers were admired by some in the community, but by no means all.

Occasionally, books about influential Jews get a little hokey when they gush over how the values of the Jewish community produced so many great people. (As though, without centuries of respect for learning by the Jews, Einstein might never have come up with relativity; whatever.) As a Jew myself, I think it feels more honest and refreshing to see it acknowledged that these same values and shared history produced some no-goodniks along the way, too. And ones who broke the stereotypes about Jews at that.

If anything, I'd have liked more information, more stories about the gangsters in the book. Especially nice would have been more on their role in the general public's perception and pop culture. The book doesn't tell you that the purple gang was infamous enough to be mentioned in Elvis Presley's JailHouse Rock, no opinion on who did a better job of playing Dutch Schultz (Tim Roth in "Hoodlum" or James Remar in "The Cotton Club"?), no word on whether Mickey Cohen was really as daft as James Ellroy portrays him, no mention of "Bugsy" or "The Godfather, part 2".

Still, I liked the book. I wouldn't label it an offer you can't refuse, but it's an offer it wouldn't kill you to accept.

Better Than Ever
I love authors who revise their work instead of just recycling it. The first edition of But He Was Good to His Mother was good but marred by one embarrassing error: it repeated as fact the fictional murder of Moe Dalitz from the late William Roemer's novel War of the Godfathers. Rockaway was not the first author to make this mistake--Roemer and his publisher should have made it clearer their book was fiction--but the Dalitz murder is rightfully deleted from this edition and there is expanded, factual, and accurate information throughout on Jewish gangsters, including such legendary figures as Meyer Lansky (whom Rockaway interviewed), Bugsy Siegel, Lepke and Gurrah, Kid Cann, Dutch Schultz, Waxey Gordon, Longy Zwillman, Big Jack Zelig, Boo Boo Hoff (who introduced the tommy gun to Philadelphia's Prohibition underworld), Mickey Cohen, the Purple Gang and others. The rise and fall of the Jewish gangsters, their relationships to the Jewish community (roles in "upward mobility" and even as sometime defenders of their people); to the Italian mob; and to 20th Century urban America are explored wonderfully and insightfully. Rounding out the book are ample source notes and an excellent bibliography. This book is a labor of love by an author who likes to get his facts straight.

Fantastic!
This is absolutely the best book on Jewish gangsters that I have read. I just received the copy of this newly published version of But-He Was Good To His Mother and I found it to be fast paced, very enjoyable as well as factual and well researched. I found the authors interviews with old-time Jewish mobsters especially fascinating. ... Read more

Book Description

Millions have seen him on his nationwide TV show, dispensing justice in his own charismatic style. But Judge Greg Mathis’s own rise to success has been a trial by fire. In this truly candid memoir, his harrowing life on both sides of the law is revealed for the first time.

It starts in Detroit—but far from the court where Greg would one day preside. Raised in the hell of the Herman Garden Projects, he grows to become a “bad-ass, cool-dressing, do-anything gangsta.” His father gone, his mother juggling two jobs, he falls in with the Errol Flynns—“funkified English gentlemen” in three-piece suits and Borsalino hats, urban Robin Hoods who are truly stylish as they steal from everyone and give to themselves.

Considered bright but incorrigible, Greg is sent to stay in his middle-class cousin’s mixed neighborhood, where he enlists the local white youth in wrongdoing. Even jail can’t keep him from going bad again once he gets out. Then a threat to his beloved mother causes a shaken Greg to make a promise in a prayer to God: save my mother and I will straighten up.

To his and everyone else’s surprise, he keeps his side of the bargain. Inspired by The Autobiography of Malcolm X, working at McDonald’s by day and attending classes by night, Greg pulls himself through high school and college and then law school, using in positive ways the innate intelligence that made him a master at crime. Soon he becomes the youngest judge in Michigan history, a District Court judge and, at last, undaunted by the odds and propelled by his personal story, a sought-after and highly paid TV star.

In its blunt, bold, and sometimes hair-raising honesty, Inner City Miracle is both a cautionary and an inspiring story, one sure to stun all those who come to Judge Mathis’s TV courtroom every day. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

i like judge mathis
I THINK JUDGE IS A POSITIVE PERSON ,AND HIS STORY SPEAKS FOR IT SELF, IT IS UPTO YOU TO MAKE A DIFFERENT IN YOUR LIFE. YOU CAN DO IF YOU WANT IT BAD ENOUGH. AND I FEEL IT IS ALL WANT YOU WANT OUT OF LIFE. WITH PRAY, AND WITH GOOD PEOPLE BEHIND YOU WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENT. AND IT GOES TO SHOW AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT JUDGE MATHIS DIDWITH GODS HELP. BECAUSE HE HAD TO HAVE GOD IN HIS LIFE IN OTHER TO GET AS FAR AS HE GOTTEN. I LOVE THE MAN, HE MAKES MY DAY. AND MAY GOD CON'T TO BLESS HIM AND HIS FAMILY. AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ SO FAR I LOVE THE BOOK. HE IS A ROLL MODEL I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO MEET HIM . ONE DAY
AND I LOVE HIS SHOW KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.BECAUSE HE IS A COMDEIAN ALSO HE COULD BE ONE

Inner City Debacle
Judge Mathis is an ass! His book was even worse than his show, which I didn't think was possible. He's a disgrace to his profession, and I hope nobody takes any of the advice in this work of fiction. This guy is either a liar or a hypocrite....pick one. Hey "The Honorable" Greg......get your own house together before you lecture others, you jackass.

Inspiration for People from All Walks of Life
The courage Greg Mathis exhibited in turning his life around is phenomenal! This book not only serves as inspiration for inner-city young people but anyone who has taken a wrong turn in life. This wrong turn could be criminal in nature or it could be a mistake in choosing a mate or career. Whatever the mistake or wrong turn, Greg Mathis' life proves you can "turn it around." I know Greg on a personal basis and met him through my friendship with his aunt Eva and her son, Walter. I can truly say Greg is a compassionate and down to earth man who freely shares his blessings with family and friends.

Miracles Do Happen In The Innercity
I was originally drawn to this book about Greg Mathis because while in an airport traveling from Chicago back to LA, I happened to catch his tv show. I was impressed by his style in the courtroom so when I heard that he had written a book about his story, I thought let me pick it up. I had no idea about his background so at first I was physically afraid of this young Greg Mathis in which his book went on to described. I continued to read because I kept thinking when is the miracle going to happen. I was not sure that he would ever become anything more than what he was at the time, a thug and a criminal. Finally, more than half way through the book, the miracle happened and I found myself rooting for the young man, Greg Mathis. In short, his story touched my heart in a different way. Although I'm an african american women and grew up in Chicago during the 1960s and 1970s. The life that Judge Mathis described in his book was foreign to me. But I was so impressed with his determination, preseverance, hard work and his ability to never give up. While I don't have a lot of street smarts I found myself thinking perhaps I had been more judgmental in my past about the young boys who grew up in the project because I totally saw the change in Judge Mathis in this book. I'm glad that I read it and have been sharing with others that it is definitely a must read for all ages. The bottom line is anybody can be anything they want to be if they work at it and become discipline. Kudos to Judge Mathis and other african american males who have decided to allow the miracle to happen in their lives.

You can succeed despite the odds
The person who we see on television, and recognize as a no nonsense type of character, Judge Greg Mathis has lead an interesting life. If you watch his program, her very often alludes to his childhood but to get a deeper understanding, you have to read Inner City Miracle. Sure he's brash, but he's real. The youngest of 4 children, Greg was an oxymoron- a contradiction between what his mother wanted him to be and what he wanted to be. A student who excelled in class work, but arguably was the meanest bully in school. Teachers struggled with him' great grades but a horrible attitude. His idols were gangsters, pimps, drug dealers- the malcontents of society who always had money and loved to flash it. Growing up poor, naturally the lure of money was enticing. His older brothers weren't role models for they too aspired to greatness with little regard to the law. Greg and his siblings were lucky that they didn't meet their maker at a young age. His mother was the family backbone. She ruled with tough love, often kicking out her older sons until they could prove they were worthy of returning to the fold. Back to contradictions, he always strived to please her. His good grades, his weekly attendance in church services, his participation in church activities, his innate need to care for his mother made his other side so unbelievable. Mother wanted all of her children to succeed but there came a point when she even had to call the police on Greg. This was the turning point in a troubled young man's life.

As Judge Mathis has publicly said on many occasions, the system that sentences so many youth to prison is the same system that helped him become the person that he is today. Defining change came when he was incarcerated and had visiting time with his mother. She told him that she was dying and that he needed to do something else with his life. He began from that point forward, a lifestyle that would make his mother proud. The judge sentenced him to get a GED and get a job or he would be back in jail. He did just that. He didn't stop there, he went on to college, he worked in city government, he managed election campaigns for Jesse Jackson, he married, he went to law school, and sued for the right to practice law in spite of his criminal background. His mother saw none of this but he believes that she's with him and still motivating him today.

Inner City Miracle is an inspirational story, one that should be read by all of the seemingly hopeless youths of today. This should be required reading for those in juvenile detention. There is hope, in spite of present circumstances if you feel motivated. Judge Greg Mathis, and countless others, are proof. Out of ashes can rise a phoenix. Just because things look a certain way doesn't automatically define the future. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (35)

Great!
Intended to convince northerners -- particularly women -- of the rankness of Slavery, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl presents a powerful autobiography and convincing writing that reads like a gripping novel but is organized and argued like an essay.

Incidents follows the "true story" (its authenticity is doubted in some places) of Linda [Jacobs uses a pseudonym] who is born into the shackles of slavery and yearns for freedom. She lives with a depraved slave master who dehumanizes her, and a mistress who mistreats her. As the novel progresses, Linda becomes increasingly starved of freedom and resolves to escape, but Linda finds that even escaping presents its problems.

But Incidents is more than just a gripping narration of one woman's crusade for freedom, and is rather an organized attack on Slavery, intended to convince even the most apathetic of northerners. And in this too, Incidents succeeds. The writing is clear, and Jacobs' use of rhetorical strategy to preserve integrity is astonishing.

Well written, convincing, entertaining, Incidents is an amazing book.

This Story Must Be Told Often!
Incidents in the Life Of A Slave Girl is a harrowing, personal experience of a AA female born and raised during the tumultuous, infamous and tragic era of slavery in America's history. Harriett Jacobs, aka Linda Brent, tells in her own voice-one that is explicit and easy to understand-the story of a young woman born into the brutal, horrendous slavery era who later escapes to freedom in the North. Incidents is emotional and the feelings are raw as you experience the tale of a slave who desired freedom so badly that she hid for SEVEN YEARS in a narrow, cramped quarter without much freedom of movement. The story is riveting and moving and shows what an individual is able to accomplish in spite of sex, race and slavery. Incidents is a story of bravery in light of insurmountable circumstances and ones belief that they can succeed in spite of unmeasurable difficulties.

Incidents is an excellent reading selection for a bookgroup and a book that I highly recommend to everyone. Remember the story and share the story so that history doesn't repeat itself.

So many things said already...
I have read a lot of the past reviews and I consider this story as part of the American narrative that can't be dismissed. Yes, it sounds unbelivable when we look at the lives that we lead today but this was reality to so many people in the past. It takes the life of a black woman living in slavery and presents in interesting story that reads a lot like fiction. It is so easy to foget that it was real. Traditionaly women have been left out of history, especially black women, slave women... This is an unseen element of history that has to start being seen. I don't think that I could recomend a better book to read.

a bit unbelievable
But..... a fairly easy read with a simplistic viewpoint.

A priceless legacy...
Born in 1813, "Linda Brent" (as Harriet Jacobs renames herself) lived to play the role of nurse - as a free woman - during the Civil War. The long journey that took her there began on the day she realized, as a six-year-old who had just become motherless, that she was a slave.

The first mistress she served treated little Linda kindly. When the girl was 12 years old, and her mistress died, Linda and her family hoped the will might leave her free. Instead, it bequeathed her to the dead mistress's 5-year-old niece. This placed Linda under the control of Dr. Flint, her new little mistress's father, and his selfish, cruel wife. The slaves of the Flint household were always hungry, often beaten; and, if female and attractive, quite likely to bear Dr. Flint's offspring.

Linda Brent refused to submit to her master's advances. Instead she bore two children to another white man, in hopes her lover might buy and free her - which couldn't happen unless Dr. Flint, on behalf of his daughter, proved willing to sell. But Dr. Flint was anything else but willing to part with his uncooperative property. So began a long battle of wits and wills, one that for Linda had the highest stakes imaginable.

This well documented true story of a woman's life as property had trouble finding a publisher in its own era. Even today it's not easy reading. Unflinchingly honest even when she's recounting her own errors and weaknesses, Harriet Jacobs leaves the world a priceless legacy in these memoirs of her battle for freedom.

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of ROUGH RIDER ... Read more

Reviews (112)

The best Holocaust book I have read for a long time.
The Holocaust was a horrible time for everyone. The Holocaust began when the Germans were losing World War II. Hitler, a German dictator, wanted to feel powerful, even when his country was almost defeated. Since the Americans were too strong to be hurt, Hitler began to believe that all Jews were different and did not deserve to be treated equally. By abusing and killing them, he could get his sense of power and make another complication for the Americans. He began sending the Jews in small countries, like Hungary, to concentration camps. There they were forced to work long hours of labor with little food. In these camps there were rooms, called gas ovens, where Jews were killed if they were too weak or there wasn't enough room in the camps. Sometimes hundreds were killed at a time. Very few Jews during the Holocaust survived, but those that did can tell us how they were mistreated just because of their beliefs. Livia Bitton-Jackson is one of those survivors and in her book, "I Have Lived a Thousand Years" she retells her history of growing up in the Holocaust filled with suffering and pain.
In a small town called Somorja, a thirteen year old girl named Ellike lived with her mother, father, and her brother named Bubi. This was before Hitler invaded her town and Elli was happy. She went to school, attended her synagogue, and wrote poetry. She studied very hard in school because she wanted to enroll in a nice school in Budapest where Bubi went. Budapest was on a very nice side of town with big buildings and paved streets. On Somorja there were no fancy schools, buildings, and the only paved street was the main road and Elli dreamed of seeing it. But her dreams were shattered when the Germans invaded Budapest during the night. Luckily Elli's brother dodged the Germans and got on a train back to Somorja before they had a chance to close the train station. Most of Bubi's classmates were caught and shipped to concentration camps. Next, Hitler started to pass laws. The Jewish schools were closed. They were forced to surrender all of their jewelry and most valued possessions. They had to wear a yellow start to show they were Jews. They could not talk to Christians. Finally, they were moved to the ghetto, a small cramped area where twenty Jewish families were forced to live in the same small yard. Sometimes, there were eight different families living in the same house. A few days before the relocation of that specific ghetto, German soldiers came. They demanded that everyone bring any books, scrolls, or even pictures to them for safe keeping while the Jews were moved. They were hesitant but they had no choice, so they carried all of their books into the front yard. The Germans later burned the pile that had so many religious scrolls and bibles in it. Three days after that, they were put in cattle cars where 85 of them stayed for four days with out food or water. They were being transported to Auschwitz, the concentration camp. After the long cattle car ride and arriving in Auschwitz, all the children younger than 16 and over 50 were sent one way and the other girls were sent the other. Elli was 13 and the officer that was supervising the sorting should have sent her in the proper group. However, he saw that she had blond hair and let her go with her mother. The Germans prized long blond hair and blue eyes. If the officer had made Elli go with the younger children she would have been killed in a gas oven like Elli's aunt was. Then, the people that survived the "sorting" were shaved bald, put in showers, and given a gray dress and a pair of shoes. They weren't really anyone anymore. They were just Auschwitz workers.
This story about the Holocaust seems to sad to be true. I don't see how anyone could be that evil to another human. Hitler killed hundreds of children and adults just to feel powerful. After Elli was freed, a german woman came up to her and thought that she was 62 years old because of how weak and bruised she was. This story is really sad but it is also a warning about how much racism can hurt others. I would suggest he book "I Have Lived a Thousand Years" by Livia Bitton-Jackson to anyone who wants to learn about the Holocaust.

I Have Lived A Thousand Years - An Amazing Story
I Have Lived a Thousand Years by Livia Bitton-Jackson is beyond an amazing story. It tells the life of thirteen-year-old Ellie Freidmann during the Holocaust. Ellie is a Jewish girl who is forced from her home, along with her family, to the ghetto and then to many different concentration camps, including the worst, Auschwitz. Her father is taken away from them very early in the book, which is then followed by other losses. The book is almost guaranteed to make you cry, as it is not only filled with grief and loss, but also with an almost unreal amount of determination and love. Ellie and her mother's strength is almost unimaginable. I highly recommend this book to everyone. It really opens your eyes up to what hate and prejudice can lead to. Even though it contains large amounts of sadness, reading the book gives you a very encouraging feeling, to know that evil didn't and can't prevail.

awsome!
Well I think that it was very cool that everyone gave it 5 stars. It definitley deserves it too. Its an awsome book! I love it and think Livia Bitton Jackson is an amazing person!

Experience
"Jew girl, Jew girl." This phrase was laid upon Elli Freidmann as the uprising of Hitler was proclaimed. She was only at the age of thirteen when she, her brother, and mother where token away to a concentration camp called Auschwitz. Elli was to be one of the few that were selected to transported to what was soon too pronounced as hell on earth. She was facing the world in new view, full of unexpected and unfortunate events.

The thing that I really liked about this is that it shows what the people of the holocaust went through. As opposed to telling. This way it gave me more of an insight as to just what was echoing in the fog. I liked that throughout Elli's experience she was still able to keep a brave and faithful spirit. I feel that especially in times as those it's best to believe and hold onto something, so that you may hold tight to your life in return.

I really enjoyed it due to the fact that it is indeed a true story. She did a very well job in allowing readers of all kind to experience what others hopefully will never have to endure. The only thing is that I don't think I would read anymore books as this one, only because it makes me sad to think and actually know what this corrupt world has allowed to happen. Other than that I have no regrets as to reading this book, in many ways it has opened my heart and mind.

I Have Lived A Thousand Years: Book Review
When I read this book for the first time, I first thought, "WOW!" This book is about a 13 year old Jewish girl who gets sent to different concentration/labor camps throughout Hungary, Germany, and Poland. Although many life-threatening and traumatizing things happened to her, she still had hope, and she did not give up. The things in this book that I valued most were the fact that there was great detail, and it was powerful/moving. I liked the fact that there was so much detail, because nothing was non-descriptive. When I read the author's words, a very clear picture popped up in my mind, and if it wasn't that detailed, then I wouldn't have been able to understand the book as well as I did. An example of this is when the reader sees Bubi standing on the other side of the fence, and having been abused and worked almost to death. I also liked the fact that it made me cry. When books make someone cry, they are usually very powerful or moving. The part in this book that made me cry, was the part where the Germans trick the women into getting their soup, and then attacking them. The idea of this horrified me. This book made me see that the Holocaust only happened some 70 years ago, and that the world was obviously a very different place than it is now. Having discriminations against someone because of their race or religion is no way to live life; you have to embrace things. When I first got assigned to this book, I was worried that I would not like it, but once I got into it, it was easy to lose track of time and read the night away. I Have Lived A Thousand Years is an amazing book, and I highly suggest reading it during your free time. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (50)

HAVING OUR SAY BOOK REVIEW
HAVING OUR SAY by Sarah L. Delany and Elizabeth Delany with AmyHill Hearth is a great book that describes an american black familythat lived in the l9 and 20 centuries.It is about the problems they found, their fights, their life.Finally this book shows us the history at racism between black and white people in those centuries.Also this book brings to us an important history of american culture. This book talks about two sisters, sadie and Bessie who lived in Raleigh, North Corolina,on the campus of St. Augustine's college with their parents. I liked to read this book and I recommend it to everybody who wants to know about American Black History. END

American History at its best
Having Our Say is a remarkable book written by Sadie and Bessie Delany that details their lives over a hundred year period.

Bessie and Sadie grew up in a large family on the campus of Saint Augustine's school in Raleigh, North Carolina during the 90s. They led sheltered lives; Sadie was quiet and well mannered whereas Bessie was very quick to anger and opinionated. They were also very intelligent women who were taught early on to aim high. In a time when most people did not go to school beyond high school, Bessie and Sadie received college degrees. Bessie became the second black woman to practice dentistry in New York.
Sadie became the first black home economics teacher in a New York high school. The Delany sisters spoke their minds, and what they give the reader is a story of pure American history.

This autobiography is filled with stories about racism and how it affected their lives. Sadie and Bessie lived together for over a hundred years. Although the sisters are deceased, their story and words of wisdom live on in the hearts and minds of readers.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in American History. This book is the best history book I've read and the pictures in the book make the story come alive.

Reviewed by Dorothy Cooperwood

An Amazing Story, it touched my heart!
All I can say is wow! This book was truly an inspiration for me. I learned a piece of my history that I don't often get to hear about from the point of view of people who actually lived it. These women went out there and made a positive contribution to the world and stayed true and honorable to themselves at a time when being black in America was a crime. To know that amid all the turmoil and opression it didn't stop them from getting their degrees and becomming prominant and just plain old good American citizens. My heart is proud...The Delany sisters are truly the ultimate representation of Black America. I suggest anyone interested in American, Women, and Black history (which all coincides anyway)to pick up this book and read it. You'll find pride and strengh in these sister's story.

Not dull if your old
Having Our Say is basically a recollection by two sisters, Sadie and Bessie Delaney (aged 102 and 104) of their lives. They began their tale way back with their great grandfather and great grandmother who were slaves and progress onward with their family history from there. Their lives seem to be full of great adventures and accomplishments as they recall them back to you, for example Bessie becoming the second black woman licensed to practice dentistry in New York. Many historical events are chronicled through this moving historical record such as the Golden Age of Harlem and the Post Reconstructive South. The sisters go through many things such as Sadie almost getting lynched but they never allow them to bring them down. Even at age 102 and 104, which is the age they began to write the book they are still full of joy and encouragement for life.

The one thing I liked about the book was learning about some of our nation's lesser-known history from a different perspective. Since, it's a true story a lot of historical events were mentioned and I found out how it really was for black people during their younger years. One particular event that sticks out is when Sadie gets dared to drink from the whites only fountain and does it, though her father catches her. Its hard to believe that America was really like that in the past. This book was really a learning experience and I found out about things I wouldn't have otherwise.

The thing I disliked this book was its lack of action. It sometimes got very boring because it seemed to be relaying things no one cared about. Points in the book were often focused on to long until it lost your attention. For example, five pages would be used to describe the detail of some very minor thing. I wouldn't recommend it to people who love a book with mystery or suspense because this book has none. Its almost like your going to know what happens before it does.

Well worth a read
The short length and simple format belie the wisdom and inspiration contained in this book. Vignettes from the lives of two remarkable sisters, 102 and 104 years old, span the end of slavery and follow the continuum of American and black history to the present. Their lives, stories, and attitudes are admirable and this is a book well worth reading. ... Read more

Book Description

"An Italian ROOTS."The Washington Post Book World

At long last, Gay Talese, one of America's greatest living authors, employs his prodigious storytelling gifts to tell the saga of his own family's emigration to America from Italy in the years preceding World War II.Ultimately it is the story of all immigrant families and the hope and sacrifice that took them from the familiarity of the old world into the mysteries and challenges of the new.

... Read more

Reviews (7)

Nonfiction, or facts based on perspective?
Like most everyone who lives in the United States, our ancestral heritage may contain an assortment of interesting stories of people, places and events that make us who we are today. The heritage of Gay Talese is yet another of those interesting stories. Talese chronicles his family's past . The majority of the tale discusses the effects of World War I and II on both his and his extended family in his former home of southern Italy.

Dear reader must be prepared for two major overbearing characteristics of this book. First, the paperback novel is more than six hundred pages of small print. Second, this book is published under the auspices of being questionably "non-fiction." One may find much of the book required a large degree of imagination to recreate actual conversations and events. Like any other person who is affected by world events, we may only surmise how history has influenced our own individual positions. Although the book is in some ways informative, it is as much an opinionated characterization of facts. Sadly, the ending doesn't so much as conclude, as it just runs out of steam. Even with all of these downfalls, it remains an informative and interesting read.

Unto the Sons
As an Italian reader I found this book very involving and enjoyable.

It's a passionate, well written story of emigration, and it's a story about roots and identity.

In my opinion the only fault of this book is that it isn't the story of the whole family, but only of half of it.

The Talese saga depicts a world crowded with very interesting and well-portrayed male characters. It's the story of their dreams and their disappointments, of their failures and their achievements and of the risks they dared to take in the struggle for a better life in the old and in the new world throughout a century. It's a story about the troubles of a double loyalty and, to some extent, it's a journey home.

And I must say I found very interesting to look at a piece of italian history through the eyes of a second generation Italian-American.

In sharp contrast, the female characters are pale ghosts, barely sketched shadows wandering in the narrow space of an old house, of a narrow Southern Italian village, of an American store. Even Ippolita, the grand-grandmother, the only non-conventional woman of the family, remains hidden to us. And I happened to wonder whether Talese is not able to find anything really worthy of attention in these women and in their lives,portrayed as just spent in the shadow of their men (fathers, husbands, sons), or if they live in a world of their own, completely impenetrable to him. Whatever the answer, Talese seems to be aware of this imbalance: the title of the book is "Unto the Sons" and the sons are the male children.

An epic tale
This is a sweeping epic about an Italian family. Gay Talese has a rich family history and he tell's their story (in a way it is his story) with the voice of a novelist.

There are many characters who might appear uniteresting if we were to "meet them on the street," but Talese's ability to get under their skin, as it were, gives them individuality, personality and humanity. And this is the story of the characters: it is not contrived by the author--though, of course, he tailers their stories to fit HIS book.

This is not a romanticized tale. Sometimes it is dark, with stern, superstitious ancestors and bleak events. Yet when it was over I felt a warmth for most of the characters in it.

This is the epic of many Americans. My own ancestors had many similar experiences. My ancestors are fairly recent German and Swedish immigrants, but much of their story is the story of the Talese family. It is the story of our own individuality striving against our heritage and either coming to terms with it or rejecting it.

Gay Talese has helped my understand myself in terms of my own heritage through this excellent book.

Revealing background to immigration to the USA
This magnificently written portrait of the extraordinary spirit of the Italian people, and the decision of some of them to leave Southern Italy, skillfully portrays the life and customs of small towns in pre war Calabria and New Jersey.

It introduces us to many fascinating and industrious people, and their struggle in the two world wars.

It also shows us to what it felt like to be an immigrant in the United States before the last war, and what it meant to see your children grow up as citizens of a country that was actively allied against your beloved homeland.

It is a superb account of the role Italian people have played in the development of this country, the richness of their culture and the expertise they have brought with them.

A definate "Must Read" for anyone interested in Italy and the dynamics of the USA.

Historical Perspectives/Politcal Messages
Gay Talese's work on his family's journey from Italy to America is an involved tale that delves into a difficult historical period for both the United States and Italy. Revolution, social upheaval, racism, and war color Talese's story from start to finish. These themes give the tale a characteristically depressing bent which tends to ramble in certain places. In addition, there is a decided social message which the author appears to be trying to put forth during the entire story. These perspectives, and those on Italian history, should be viewed in the context of interpretations of an Italian American writer and not be taken as those of traditional native Italian scholars. Still, the book is in a bold attempt at telling the story of one family's struggle, on both sides of the Atlantic, during the social upheaval of the twentieth century. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A strong memoir, a weak ending
A strong memior, lots of touching and interesting detail about his life growing up, his constant struggle to overcome adversity. I totally empathized with his hustling and lying at points to get ahead in a world so poised against him. the main thing I liked about the book was his VERY HUMAN side, his compassion for himself, his pain he suffered at being poor, mostly fatherless, black, dirty, hungry, uneducated. I loved it that he could cry, he could keep his humanity despite the world's cruelty...and not just keep it and feel it, but write about it later.

Weak point: the ending petered out. It went from being a man's internal struggle to "make it" in the world - the place in which I found the book's power lay - to being just another typical civil rights journal. And although I think the civil rights movement has its place, and Dick Gregory his place within it, I think I would have found the book far more satisfying it ended by its author turning further inward and exploring his own motives on his own purely personal journey, rather than outward to the struggle of society. Perhaps he wasn't ready to write on this level when he published his memoir, as he was only 30 or 31 when he wrote it, but to me his lack of wisdom still doesn't let the book off the hook.

Dick Gregory is an american hero.
This book should be required reading. Dick Gregory tells the story of one black man's life from poverty to world-class entertainer and comedian. Most biographies would end here, but Mr. Gregory is not content with his incredibly successful career, but details his desire to make the world a better place for all of the disadvantaged children that will not be as fortunate to be as talented as Mr. Gregory. I found this book at a used bookstore and I am so pleased to see that it is still in print.

Just Buy It -- You Won't Be Sorry
Dick Gregory does four things in "Nigger" that make the book outstanding. First, he is beyond-brutally honest. Secondly, he makes himself vulnerable. Thirdly, even when Gregory tells of his childhood and the tragedies in his life, he does so with humor. (Perhaps he could NOT do so without humor. Gregory seems to be one of those people who is funny, regardless of the situation.) Finally, he asks for no pity.

I highly recommend this book. WARNING: If you do purchase it, you won't be able to put it down.

Book Review on "Nigger" by Dick Gregory
Nigger is a 209 page autobiography by Dick Gregory. It was published by Pocket Books in 1964. This novel was an elaboration of the things Gregory wanted to tell Momma, Lucille Gregory, his deceased mother, but did not have the chance to.

I enjoyed this autobiography. It captured the individual African American's perspective of life as a black in the times of segregation and racism instead of the usual collective view of all African Americans. I admire the way how the narrator, Richard is brutally honest. He portrays his feelings in a way that helps the reader to actually be inside his mind and completely sense what he is feeling. I especially respected how Gregory admitted he cried when he did, not many men would confess to that.

Regarding the story line, I liked the constant change in events. In most novels, the events almost never change, which later gets tedious. Although in this one, the events frequently change from the Christmas that Big Pres came home to Richard Gregory's 31th birthday. One might notice how Gregory's career changed from a record-breaking runner to a talented comedian to an African American activist. These three events are all related to each other.

Although later in the novel, Gregory acquired his own comedy club called the Apex Club. It, for a long period of time, had few customers because of horrid weather. It seemed amazing to me that the people who helped Gregory create this club did not seriously get on him about money until a year later. This seemed quite extraordinary.

In addition, he afterward married a shy woman named Lucille (whom he met in the Esquire Show Lounge, where he first got his actual comedic break). I cannot help but notice that she never complained or became angry when Gregory quickly asked her to marry him, just after finding out she was pregnant with his baby. Also, he was never around to support her and their children. He always was off in Chicago at the Apex club and could not even bring any significant amount of money to her. That does not seem very typical of a woman.

So in conclusion, Nigger is an autobiography describing major aspects of Gregory's life. It is a delight to people who enjoy an individual's perception of the world and everything around him.

:)
this was a good book. i read it during my afro american unit in english class and i am very glad this was my pick. it is a story of a black man persuing his dreams of being a comedian, how he starts out being very very poor and he later becomes quite well off. it intrigued me and i couldnt put it down.. ... Read more

Book Description

From the remarkable woman who spoke to our nation in her inaugural poem, here is a beautifully rendered series of inspirational reflections.

Maya Angelou speaks from the soul with the wisdom of a lifetime. In a voice that vibrates with strength and pierces with honesty, she serves up the essence of her thoughts about how spirit and spirituality move and shape her life; about service and grace and giving; about how she celebrates the spirit of her people and the earthy sensuality of the sisterhood. She talks about family, discusses how people have gone astray, and how they can move to regain the way. These are her lessons in living -- lessons from which we all can learn. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

The first book I ever read in one day
WOULDN'T TAKE NOTHING FOR MY JOURNEY NOW is conversational in tone and format. It is the first book I ever read in one day because, well, I couldn't put it down. I like Maya Angelou's perspective and refusal to compromise. I enjoyed learning about her multi-leveled life (this was the first book by Angelou that I have ever read, so it was my introduction to her life).

The passage I found most interesting in this book is where Maya says that she always takes a day off at least once a year to forget who she is. She said that she lets everyone know which day it is, and not to call her on that day. She takes a trip by bus or train, and if she runs into those she knows, she will avoid interacting with them. Maya recommends that everyone do something like this once a year, take a day just for themselves.

I love Maya
This is my favorite of the books I've read in which Maya Angelou sits around contemplating life, though it's perhaps not the most representative of her work. For the moment she sets aside her intellectual self, her history, her issues -- anything by which you might identify her as anything but a fellow member of the human race. In this book you're left with the essential Maya -- the wise woman with the great heart and the steady mind who speaks out from timeless space. It's an easy read, and life feels better when you're done. And if you're at the end left in doubt whether she's also a world-wise and savvy intellect, then anything else she has written will put your doubts to rest.
I love Maya Angelou.

A wonderful book for a woman
This is the best book that I have ever read. Every book she has wrote was great but this one is different. It is more unique and interesting. This book is about a black girl who was called a woman instead of something else. I really enjoyed learning about her multi-leveled life as I read this book. Maya Angelou is a wise woman that has a great talent and a beautiful heart. I recommend this book to any woman...

Wouldn't take nothing for my journey now
When I picked out this book I knew it will be a very good book.The book was about a black girl who was glad to be called a women instead of a girl or something else. The author is one of my best writers ever MaYA Angelou. She was talking about how it feels to be called a women. I recommend this book 5 stars because i think it have been the best book i ever read.

A guide book for life
This book is like food to my soul. Maya Angelou is poetic in her writting and her spirit flows from each page. I love this book! I have read and reread this book many times. It is a very easy read and a must for every woman. Her advise comes from a woman who knows pain, passion, and love. This is an advise book for living and offers strength to those in search of spiritual uplifting. When I read Maya's wise words it is like having a deep conversation with my great grandmother. I love this book! ... Read more

Book Description

In At the Entrance to the Garden of Eden, Yossi Klein HalevÍ describes his unprecedented and extraordinary spiritual journey to discover, as a religious Israeli Jew, a common spiritual language with his Christian and Muslim neighbors in the Holy Land.

Could religion be a source of unity? wondered Halevi. To find the answer, he began a two-year exploration of the devotional life of Christianity and Islam. He followed their holiday cycles, befriended Christian monastics and Islamic mystics, and joined them in prayer in monasteries and mosques -- searching for wisdom and holiness in places that are usually off-limits to outsiders of other faiths.

With a new introduction relating to Sept. 11th, Halevi chronicles the difficulty of overcoming obstacles -- theological, political, historical, and psychological -- that separate believers of the three monotheistic faiths. And he introduces a dynamic range of fascinating individuals attempting to reconcile the dichotomous heart of this sacred place -- a struggle central to Israel, but which resonates for us all.

Reviews (12)

This is a book for RIGHT NOW.
I work on promoting Mideast peace at an organization called Israel Policy Forum in Washington, DC. So I see all the literature. And I'm not easily impressed.
But this book approaches perfection. And I'm not just talking about the writing, which is superb.
I am talking about a book which miraculously appeared at a time we most need it. Following the 911 attack, an atack committed in the name of Islam, we have Yossi Klein Halevi, writing from Jerusalem, who explains, who shows, Islam's other face. This author, a devout Jew, demonstrates that Judaism/Christianity and Islam, at their best, are the same and that to fill one's heart with the true message of one, is to know and be all three.
(The corollary, of course, is that the fanatics in all three faiths are the same as well. Isn't it amusing how a Jewish extremist, clothed in black, disdaining women and all who represent the "other" does not recognize his twin in the other faiths, and vice versa. If the extremists would meet each other, they would realize that they are one and the same. Maybe we can get to peace that way!)
This book shows that there is a way out of the current horrors by reaching out and finding those aspects of each faith community that are common to all three. It understands that, in the Mideast, the seculars cannot make peace without the people of faith. Halevi shows the way. This book is a gift to us all.

A Message for Today's World
An extraordinary book. Yossi Klein Halevy is a deeply religious American-born Jewish journalist and Israeli citizen who has lived in Israel for almost twenty years. This book is written as a personal spiritual journey, in which Halevy attempts to experience and understand Islam and Christianity by joining in their rituals of worship. Despite the personal nature of the subject, his historical, political and social commentary are invaluable for those who wish to understand the Middle East conflict today. In a world where hatred is running rampant, he sends a message that solutions can only come through understanding, not violence.

A sincere seeker on a challenging quest
This is a deeply thought-provoking book. I ordered it because I have personally been involved in Jewish-Muslim-Christian dialogues (trialogues?) in the USA, and I resonated with the reviews I had read. What surprised (and saddened) me was the extreme difficulty that Yossi had in even finding people willing to dialogue in the Middle East. I had been told that Israel was a segregated society (not officially, but socially) but I did not realize how deeply the mistrust runs. Villages and monasteries that are within visual sight of each other might as well be on different planets.
To cross the cultural divide can literally mean taking your life inot your hands.

Author Yossi Klein takes that risk. With the help of various unconventional guides, he meets with Sufi shaykhs, Armenian priests, Catholic nuns and many others, hoping to communicate on the level of the soul rather than politics. Sometimes he succeeds, sometimes not. On so many occasions, history intrudes with its memories of past brutalities -- Crusades, Inquisitions, the Holocaust. This is not a sugar-coated utopian view of peace, but a scathingly honest chronicle of one seeker's search for common ground in a troubled land. With each new encounter, Yossi struggles with his own anger, distrust, and fear -- as did I when I read the book. Definitely a must-read for everyone who is or wants to be involved in interfaith dialogue.

A beautiful book
This is the story of a Jew who tries to discover if religion can be a source of unity in the Holy Land. He thus begins a two-year exploration of Christianity and Islam. He befriends Christian and Muslim mystics, joins them in prayer in monasteries and mosques searching for wisdom and for peace.

And he succeeds. That is the heartbreak and the triumph of this book. Yossi Halevi succeeds until "the madness comes;" until, as his brother Sheykh Ibrahim is forced into anonymity by the Palestinian Authrity.

Yossi Klein Halevi succeeded but, as Sheykh Ibrahim tells him (in English; using Hebrew is too dangerous for a man whom Arafat warned not to fraternize with Jews) "This is the time of the fanatics... I am crying every night."

Let us all cry.

A Scrap of Hope for Hard Times
I just finished reading At the Entrance to the Garden of Eden by Yossi Klein Halevi. I couldn't put it down. In his search for Muslims and Christians who would let him share in their spiritual lives, Halevi tries to find a way to connect with his erstwhile enemies outside of politics. He takes us along on his journey and what an astounding array of people we meet: Sufi sheikhs and French nuns and Armenian monks.

And most of all, we get to know Halevi, an American-born Israeli, sensitive and conflicted , who wants to participate in the rebirth of the Jewish people in its own land without harming other peoples, and understanding the tragedy that these two desires are in conflict.

It's a sad book because it ends with the resumption of armed conflict that began in 2000. But it's also a hopeful book because of all of the people Halevi meets who are willing to clasp hands across the divide. In one beautiful scene, Halevi attends a Moslem Sufi zikr, a session of mystical dancing which allows the participants to connect with each other and with God. Despite initial hostility, the experience brings home Halevy and his hosts together in mutual understanding and respect. It's a scrap of hope we can all use in these difficult times. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The author of a terrific Irving Berlin biography (As Thousands Cheer), Laurence Bergreen produces a similarly astute character analysis of the renowned trumpet player, too often viewed as a musical genius but an Uncle Tom in race relations. On the contrary, Bergreen shows, Louis Armstrong (1901-71) was that rarest of human beings, someone who could respond to injustice with a determination to overcome that never included bitterness. Slightly stronger on milieu than music, Bergreen conveys such zest for the material and such obvious fondness for Armstrong that his book is a delight to read. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

The best biography on Louis Armstrong, by far
I believe I've read them all and nothing ever written about Louis Armstrong is as detailed as this book.Moreso than the "tired old stories" you see repeated in version after version of other tales of Armstrong, this one actually delves into the personal life as well as the persona of the man.Every Armstong fan needs to read this book - it's an awakening!

WOW!!
This book was amazingly well written! It wonderfuly portrays the life of a very talented and amzing man. Please, for your own sake, read this book!

Encore for Louis!
This was one of the best biographies I have ever read.By far the best one of the life of Louis Armstrong.It took me only 2 days to read this book, I could hardly put it down.Not being much of a fan of Dixieland, New Orleans Jazz, etc...after reading this book I was hooked.I wanted to listen to every Louis recording available.Bergreen paints Armstrong as such an amazing character which he completely was.Even if you aren't a jazz fan this is just a great book about a great man.

This is the one
I've read them all (Louis Armstrong Bio's).Mr. Bergreen got it right.The up's the down's, the trials and tribulations, the known and unknown quirks...the beautiful life of Louis Armstrong.He lived through a tough period in American history.Yet he managed to always remain upbeat, polite and (naturally) highly innovative.This quintessential entertainer of the 20th century was the backbone of what we, today call Jazz. Mr. Louis Armstrong had a few bedeviling idiosyncrasies, but don't we all.His were relatively benign compared to some of his contemporaries.A wonderful read. I can't give it a proper review... you're just going to have to read it!

An Excellent Biography
This biography does an excellent job of painting a portrait of a man who changed 20th Century music, not only in America, but across the globe.Learning the details of Louis' life and struggles only enhances my appreciation of his music.

The impact of Louis Armstrong is still felt on several levels in our society.While Armstrong did not have a hand in inventing jazz, he was instrumental in pushing it artistically. With a minimum of formal instruction, he revolutionized the trumpet as well as singing in Jazz and popular music. He was also instrumental as one of the early African-American celebrities, in breaking down racial barriers.
Laurence Begreen does a fine job of illustrating the joys and struggles that Armstrong encountered.The devatating poverty and harsh socail environment of Louis youth are keenly detailed. He shows how these obstacles are overcome by Armstong's love of music and of life.He also shows the prejudice and mob intimidation that Louis had to endure on his road to stardom.

All in all, this book is an inspiring work and testimonial to the life and music of one of the greatest trumpet players and entertainers to grace this planet.I would seriously recommend this to anyone with an interest in music, especially jazz. ... Read more

Book Description

Life After Life is the haunting and gloriously redemptive tale of Evans D. Hopkins's many lives, a sweeping journey from promising middle-class youth to civil rights militant, from criminal and convict to celebrated writer and enlightened man.

Evans D. Hopkins was born during the Jim Crow era in a second-rate, segregated hospital, and educated in segregated primary schools in Danville, Virginia, a town that proudly proclaimed itself the "Last Capital of the Confederacy." With parents who stressed the value of education, as a teenager he was in the forefront of desegregation and the Civil Rights Movement. At the same time, he fell in love with the traditionally white man's game of tennis, modeling himself after his idol, the legendary Arthur Ashe, only to be swept off the courts by the Black Panther Party at the age of sixteen.

Just out of high school, Hopkins moved to Panther headquarters in Oakland, California, where he spent two years writing for the Party newspaper, covering the trial of the San Quentin Six, working with Party founders Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, and taking part in their move into politics when Seale ran for mayor of Oakland. He became historian for the group, documenting the years when altercations with authorities resulted in the deaths of numerous Panthers. And he was witness to the internal strife within the Party that led to the group's decline and his own decision to leave in the fall of 1974.

When he returned to Danville, Hopkins was a different man, disillusioned and filled with rage and a legacy of militancy. He was, in his own words, "the quintessential angry young black man." Convicted of armed robbery and given a life sentence, Hopkins would spend twenty of the next twenty-two years in the prisons of Virginia.

Inside, fighting despair and isolation and dreaming of escape, Hopkins sought salvation in the written word, writing in his cell in the early morning hours to escape the noise of the prison. Focusing on issues of social and criminal injustice, Hopkins would begin reaching a national audience when his inside account of an execution, "Who's Afraid of Virginia's Chair," was published in The Washington Post.

Paroled in 1997, Hopkins returned home, a free man at last, but facing the overwhelming challenges of caring for his aging parents and daily life in a world that was new after so many years of incarceration.

In this stunning look back at a man's struggle with himself and the world around him, Life After Life is also about the influences that sustained Hopkins's development despite overwhelming odds, influences that allowed him to emerge from two decades of imprisonment an uncorrupted man, still able to give to his family and community. Finally, Life After Life is a searingly honest view of events in America in the second half of the 20th century as seen through the eyes of a child, a militant, a prisoner, and, most important, a writer. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

READ THIS NOW!
An excellent read for young people, when searching for real meaning in their lives, make life-altering mistakes, and still have the faith and courage to right those mistakes. Evans D. Hopkins' "righting of his mistakes" by writing his way out of a life sentence in prison is nothing short ofHerculean. This is also fabulous reading for the serious reader who fully appreciates skillful articulation in spite of having to write in an environment, a prison cell that could crush one's will to live, more soothe literary mind. Unquestionably a must read.

Life After Life: A story of Rage and Redemption.
"Life After Life is a thought-provoking book with a powerful message that explores the inner struggles of growing up in the South in the seventies. Evans, a brillant young man, from a well established Middle Class family, made some poor choices, during his teenager years and later that led to trouble with the law.
With the love and support of parents, family, and others, plus through his writing he was able to find a new path in life.. This book should serve as an inspiration to others in like situation. A Must Read!!! Alice T. Bigelow- Danville, Virginia

RADICAL READING!!!
Poignant, emotionally sad...yet very satisfying. A bitter sweet account depicting the author's rage and struggle to find spiritually and redemption...Brilliantly written...A MUST READ!!!

Life After Life: A Story of Rage and Redemption
"Life After Life" is an extremely powerful book; it is a must read! Evans has done a superb job in citing compelling examples of African-Americans experiences while growing up in the South.His book further illustrates how resilent African-Americans were, in spite of the obstacles they faced almost on a a daily basis.

A vivid and stirring account of salvation
Life After Life is a vivid and stirring account of salvation that comes to a brilliant young man whose early years in a middle class southern family were marred by his criminal actsbrought on by his deep yearning to correct racial injustice in his Virginia hometown.

Reading Life After Life gives a chilling view of prison existence that both alerts and alarms. The author's eloquent description of his family's devoted care and many years of sacrifices during his years of inprisonment is a major highlight of this appealing narrative. This is a compelling story that makes for real reading pleasure. ... Read more

Book Description

In the middle of the twentieth century, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, four countries with a total population no larger than New York City, impacted the world of design to a degree never before seen and unlikely to be repeated. Scandinavian Modern design already had a solid domestic audience, and the Post-World War II American consumer was ready for the distinctive style and the fine quality it offered. With a focus on more than 60 designers, this extensively researched book presents the furniture and household objectsespecially those of wood and metal. of the Scandinavian Modern style, beginning in the 1930s and culminating in the 1970s. Hundreds of photographs and a comprehensive introduction, historical timeline, and appendices of furniture makers and designers, distributors, and sources are included. Detailed captions with current prices, a large bibliography, and an index make this book a valuable reference and a must for all collectors, dealers, and researchers of Scandinavian design. ... Read more

Book Description

In this remarkable book, 103-year-old George Dawson, a slave's grandson who learned to read at age 98, reflects on his life and offers valuable lessons in living as well as a fresh, firsthand view of America during the twentieth century.