Book Description

"This is a book of stories," writes Henry Louis Gates, "and all might be described as 'narratives of ascent.'" As some remarkable men talk about their lives, many perspectives on race and gender emerge. For the notion of the unitary black man, Gates argues, is as imaginary as the creature that the poet Wallace Stevens conjured in his poem "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird."

James Baldwin, Colin Powell, Harry Belafonte, Bill T. Jones, Louis Farrakhan, Anatole Broyard, Albert Murray -- all these men came from modest circumstances and all achieved preeminence. They are people, Gates writes, "who have shaped the world as much as they were shaped by it, who gave as good as they got." Three are writers -- James Baldwin, who was once regarded as the intellectual spokesman for the black community; Anatole Broyard, who chose to hide his black heritage so as to be seen as a writer on his own terms; and Albert Murray, who rose to the pinnacle of literary criticism. There is the general-turned-political-figure Colin Powell, who discusses his interactions with three United States presidents; there is Harry Belafonte, the entertainer whose career has been distinct from his fervent activism; there is Bill T. Jones, dancer and choreographer, whose fierce courage and creativity have continued in the shadow of AIDS; and there is Louis Farrakhan, the controversial religious leader.

These men and others speak of their lives with candor and intimacy, and what emerges from this portfolio of influential men is a strikingly varied and profound set of ideas about what it means to be a black man in America today. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A Fine Collection of Profiles
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. masterfully profiles eight black men in this collection of his New Yorker essays. He writes in a bluesy, artistic style and has the ability to get quotes from these men that any other journalist would fail to do. The men intimately discuss the tragedies and successes of their lives. The stories of these men details their ascent and depicts the world around them. Gates daringly portrays O.J. Simpson and the infamous trial and Louis Farrakhan, the outspoken leader of the nation of Islam. The other men profiled are James Baldwin, Albert Murray, Bill T. Jones, Colin Powell, Harry Belafonte, and Anatole Broyard. Each of their lives have distinct differences, but it is also interesting to find the areas where they overlap.

The portraits of Powell and Farrakhan stand out the most to me as Gates sheds light on the stories behind the men that we rarely see. I recommend this book for its intriguing stories, dynamic language, and true concepts of what it means to be a black man in America.

Couldn't put this one down, wonderful
Henry Louis Gates must have some magical ability to transcribe someone's personality onto the printed page. I was amazed at the variety of personalities Gates wrote about and how accurately Gates seemed to portray them. My favorites were Anatole Broyard and Colin Powell, but every essay is compelling. Perhaps what I enjoyed most is that Gates had the bravery to write about controversial subjects (like Louis Farrakhan and O.J. Simpson, though an entire essay was not dedicated to the latter). I recommend this book highly. Fans of this book would also enjoy Cornel West's Race Matters.

Gates should have excluded Anatole Broyard from this book.
Gates should have excluded the late Anatole Broyard from this book. Broyard was certainly not a "black" man. He looked white, identified as such, and his choice should be respected. Broyard's memory should not be subjected to "ethnic rape."

Great Book
I really enjoyed this book. Gates is a great writer and has a great ability to capture personalities on paper. I recommend this for anyone who thinks there is one type of black man.

The Ultimate Rejoinder
One of Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s stated goals is to expose the constant hovering shadow of racial identity that, unbidden and unspoken, lives beside us. In that venture he succeeds and, I suspect, most poignantly for Negroes. Yet as illuminating and cathartic as this book might be for the black psyche, it may be more so its white counterpart.

Daily news and live encounters too often remind us, or me anyway, of the unsavory and resistant pathologies that blight our black communities, so that the actual potential of an entire people can seem in doubt. (Is it too much to ask that reality matches our desperately hopeful cant?) But Gates's talent alone refutes this notion; his prose flows so smoothly and cuts so deftly that I'd do the shopping and pay the bill, just to read his grocery list. And if Gates alone doesn't accomplish that, then the seven complex lives he splays on his pages certainly do.

This happens not because of some strained attempt to rehabilitate an image. Rather, because he examines his subjects like the diamonds that they are, and unflinchingly rotates them to reveal both superb facets and fatal flaws wherever they arise. In doing so, any nagging questions of ability seem ridiculous, leaving cultural impediments as the villain in a national tragedy. Black excellence is the ultimate rejoinder.

I grabbed this collection in a rush at the bookstore, and only later did I realize that I had read two of the chapters in The New Yorker. Most (all?) of them were first published there. Still, I don't regret it. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Should be on Everyones Must Read List
This book should be read by everyone. It is informative, well written, and provides information one one of the true heros in the history of mankind. If you read "Shindlers Ark" (or saw the movie) you'll really enjoy this book.

History that is more exciting than the best-selling fiction
As a parent, I know how hard it is to find excellent, high-quality nonfiction books for older children who are at an in-between stage - not quite ready for adult books but too old for "juvenile" books. This true account of Raoul Wallenberg, a man who saved more than 100,000 Jewish men, women and children from extinction during the Holocaust, is gripping and well-written. My kids could NOT put it down and one of them is a reluctant reader, so that says a lot right there. Watching my reluctant reader with his eyes glued to the page compelled me to pick up the book myself and I was glad I did. The author has used actual archival materals and even interviewed Wallenberg's family and friends. There are also photographs included, a special touch that brings a sense of immediacy to the past. Perhaps most importantly, the author has not "talked down" to the older children who are most likely to read this book (although it could be read aloud to younger ones). Adults, too, would find this one fascinating to read. A strong recommendation for this one!

If I could rate this higher than 5 stars I would!
Raoul Wallenberg was just one Swede, and that one Swede saved over 100,000 Jewish people from certain death at the merciless hands of Adolf Eichmann. To this day no one knows what the fate of Wallenberg is. This book was wonderfully written and didn't even seem as though it was non-fiction! I loved this book and I recommend this book to anyone.

This book is one of the best Holocaust books I have read.
This book tell's about Raoul Wallenberg's life, and how he saved the Jewish People during the Jewish people. Raoul was born in 1912. When Raoul grew up his grandfather wanted him to be a banker like himself, but Raoul failed to let his grandfathers dream come true when his grandfather died. Instead Rauol whanted to be an artist. But while he was in Hungary he heard that the Jewish people are being killed by two people. As a sith grader this book needs to incude a biography of the other main characters.

Truth more exciting than fiction
Although this book is based on carefully researched facts, it holds your interest like a spy novel. Schindler saved 1,000. (That's great.) Wallenberg saved 100,000 lives. That's spectacular! Read how he emptied trains headed for death camps, had face to face confrontations with German leaders, and dared to do what no one else would. The gripping story of one of the few real heroes of our day. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Finding the right words at a time of loss can understandably cause a eulogist much angst and apprehension. How does one commemorate and honor a person whose life feels like a miracle and whose passing still feels incomprehensible? Fortunately, this book of eulogies can offer guidance as well as inspiration for the bereaved. For example, Wallace Stegner writes a specific yet universal memory to his mother Hilda: "I have a clear mental image of your pursed lips and your crinkling eyes, and I know that nothing I can say will persuade you that I was ever less than you thought me."

Included here are the wrenchingly beautiful eulogies to great loves, including Lillian Hellman's final words to the love of her life, Dashiell Hammett, and Henry Miller's tribute to his legendary lover, Anaïs Nin. And it must have been with bottomless sorrow that Edward Kennedy mustered his tender and deeply personal tribute to his second slain brother, Robert Kennedy. These are all heartfelt and eloquent words, certain to comfort and aid the eulogist. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (7)

This book is amazing! Everyone should read it!
This is a great book. Everyone who is dealing with or has delt with the loss of someone should read this book! It will help them.

this book is amazing!!! everyone should read it!
this book was great..this book should be read by everyone who has delt or is dealing with death

Fantastic, a must for everyone who has loved and lost!
Ms. Harris shows uncommon sensitivity in her choice of authors. I was moved to tears of joy and sorrow on several occasions. Without a doubt Ms Harris's work will rank as one of the most thoughful and provocative volumes of how we, as human beings, deal with grief and ultimately move on.

Strongly recommended
This book consists of a very wisely chosen selection of interesting writings on human loss. The over 100 writers and subjects include Mark Twain, Abigail Adams, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, William Wordsworth, Abe Lincoln, Charles Dickens, Virginia Wolf, Martin Luther King and W.H. Auden. The tone and attitudes of each piece vary greatly; all are well written, and each is touching in a slightly different way - from the expressions of profound pain and grief at loss, to the joy and inspiration of rememberance, to the celebration of the continuance of the human spirit. Am I getting carried away? Perhaps, but with justification. The bottom line is I really like this book, and strongly recommend it to all readers.

A collection of moving tributes that transcend time
I can't remember another book that had such a profound impact on me. The tributes are written with the utmost sincerity and affection and weaved together with delicate care. "Remembrances and Celebrations" is a book that I will give to everyone I care about and will keep with me always. ... Read more

Book Description

Background information on the author's interviews with Susan Sontag, Joseph Brodsky, Beverly Sills, Paule Marshall, Bernard Malamud, Jessica Mitford, Leonard Michaels, Bertrand Bard, and Isaac Bashevis Singer.

Book Description

Reviews (4)

Too near the bone
As of this writing, "The Visual Documentary," written about legendary British band the Smiths, is tragically out of print. What a castastrophe! I loved reading about Morrissey's semi-pitiful longing for attention, Johnny Marr's guitar influences and the incessant arguments between the band's two visionaries. Author Johnny Rogan is not well-liked by lead singer Morrissey, but Rogan uses that angst to further illustrate his wonderfully poignant portrait of the band. The Smiths and their fans are well-served by this amazing paperback. Read it soon, if you can ever find it!

The Smiths: The God Sent Documentary
I loved this book and when I say "loved", I mean LOVED! This book was my first true love affair and a very immoral one, I might add. One can almost experience The Smiths era through the portal of this book and what an era it was. Morrissey is a gorgeous genious. Johnny Marr is simply a wizard. Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce's stories move along well and add to simply marvelous group. Johnny Rogan has done his homework and even though Morrissey insists that he is insane, Mr. Rogan succeeds. I recommend this book to anyone with passion and intelligence. I mean, is there anything otherwise?

Uma banda sensacional !
O livro foi muito bem escrito e produzido com muito bom gosto, fazendo com que qualquer fã dos caras, ficassem super preso ao livro, bem vou indo ... pegar umas ondas na prainha !! VALEU BROTHERS. Jonh Jr.

Read it and become a Smiths fan
Written by Johnny Rogan, the same author of "Morrissey and Marr: The Severed Alliance", but even better than it, "The Smiths: The Visual Documentary" is the ultimate biography of the eighties' rock icons. From Morrissey's Irish roots to the band's world stardom, the book covers all the important, and not so important, moments of The Smiths. Fully illustrated, it features even a copy of Morrissey's family tree and a picture of his birth certificate. Very informative for beginners, essential for die-hard fans: a must. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

More for D. S. Freeman's effort than anything else!
His decades of efforts for the multi-volume biography is a gift to all fans of American History. Even though it drags in a few spots, this edited version is one of the best one volume biographies of the "Father of Our Country"

More out of appreciation for D. S. Freeman
His decades of efforts for the multivolume biography on Washington is a gift to all fans of American history. While this summary drags in a few places, it is the best one volume biography of the "Father or Our Country" available. Particularly pleasing is the concise chronological arrangement of the materials.

Notable attempt at capturing salient points from larger work
Harwell does a good job of pulling together and redacting DS Freeman's epic VII Volume (actually VI - he died before publishing the 7th) account of George Washington's life. I often find myself wishing he would annotate, at least on a chapter basis, which volumes of the larger work he is pulling his info from.

A basic understanding of the extreme hardships early Americans (Colonists) went through can be gathered through this book, and this understanding should be required basic knowledge in all schools. The birth of this nation, was founded on some of the most remarkable physically, financially, emotionally and seemingly impossible acheivements by a few who had the courage to see the delivery through. Freeman captured these trials and victories in marvelous detail.

Recommended...
Multiple reviewers of other Washington biographies recommended this abridgement over the book they were reviewing. I am a reader, as claimed above, but I have NOT read ANY Washington biography. I still thought the above information might be helpful to other seekers.

Informative, but disappointing
As a biography of one of our most famous and respected Presidents, I had high expectations for this book. Given that the author had devoted 30 years of his life to studying Washington and that this was a one-volume abridgment of his original 7-volume biography, I expected more excitement.

Though I learned quite a bit about George Washington the man, Freeman spends too much of the book with weekly and monthly accounts of the lengthy revolutionary war, most of which Washington and his meager army spent waiting for the British to make a move. Too little actually happened to warrant devoting so much of the book to this period.

However, the description of Washington's youth and Presidential years are very well done. Overall, a decent (although dry) account of Washington's life. ... Read more

Book Description

In an effort to reconcile the patriotic feelings stirred by 9/11 with the alienation of her expatriate upbringing, Martha Boone Mattia embarked on an odyssey—to learn about her country by looking at it through others’ eyes. Mattia set out to probe the character of George Bush, average American, the guy who can't seem to get a pizza delivered because he shares a name with the leader of the free world.

Her remarkable narrative account of those interviews provides a singular opportunity to listen to the voices of America at the dawn of the twenty-first century. From the nineteen-year-old college student in Missouri to the fifty-six-year-old bipolar housewife in Maryland to the eighty-nine-year-old WWII veteran in Virginia, Conversations with George Bush contains the cross-section of lives and the candid observations that characterize our vibrant and often contentious society.

Woven through these accounts is the beautifully rendered chronicle of Mattia’s own journey of discovery. She sought to answer lifelong questions about her country and her countrymen: Who are we? What matters to us? And what does it mean to be an American? ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Wonderful Slice Of Life In America
Martha Boone Mattia has an astonishing ability as an interviewer! People give her the most intimate and fascinating details of their lives in America. She captures their courage, humor, and charm, making each person jump off the page. I did not want the book to end! G,T, Barnhart

An American journey we all need to take.
The only thing that's remotely deficient about Mattia's text is the potentially misleading title.I was on a crowded beach, totally absorbed, when a passerby remarked "a conversation with George Bush...is that even possible?""Conversations" should be on a required reading list for all Americans, especially those who think they know their country.Together, the author and her subjects paint a picture of the real America, not the distorted, media-blasted version that inundates us every day.Mattia says, "...I believe that I stumbled upon some truths along the back roads of the United States."Agreed.

Regardless what your political views are...
... you will love this book. Extremely well-written, insightful, bittersweet, patriotic, pointed -- one to pass on to friends and family.

Absorbing and thought-provoking
I don't read non-fiction as a general rule, because it doesn't hold my interest. This book grabbed me on the first page and didn't let go until the end. The lives of the Georges are so interesting that I quickly forgot they share a name with a President I don't particularly like. These are, as author Mattia concludes, quiet heroes whose inspiration is in not just in surviving life's trials and tribulations, but in triumphing over them. Mattia has a remarkable ability to step back from both herself and her subjects to allow the stories to command our attention without judgment or apology. The author's own internal journey as she travels from coast to coast is every bit as compelling as nearly 100 years of history told by the people who lived it. This is story-telling at its finest. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume features substantive biographical essays on 59 women from around the world who have made significant contributions to mathematics from antiquity to the present. Designed for secondary school students and the general public, each profile describes major life events, obstacles faced and overcome, educational and career milestones--including a discussion of mathematical research in non-technical terms--and interests outside of mathematics. Although the collection includes historical women, the emphasis is on contemporary mathematicians, many of whom have not been profiled in any previous work. Also included are the contributions of minority women, including 10 African-American, Latina, and Asian mathematicians. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Well worth reading!
This is a very good book, not only informative, but it kept me interestedwhere so many other books on the subjects of math or women mathematicianscould be real yawners.It includes lots of information, the biographiesare short and don't drag on, and books like this could be veryinspirational to young women interested in pursuing careers in math.Thebook introduces all sorts of women in math, most of whom I was not familiarwith before reading it.I highly recommend this book to anyone who wantsto know more about math-related careers, the growing importance of women inthe field, or is just looking for some good non-fiction to read.It'sworth it! ... Read more

Book Description

The Lives of the Caesars include the biographies of Julius Caesar and the eleven subsequent emperors: Augustus, Tiberius, Gaius Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitelius, Vespasian, Titus, Domitian. It was Robert Graves's primary reference source when he was writing I, Claudius. Suetonius composed his material from a variety of sources, without much concern for their reliability. His biographies consist the ancestry and career of each emperor in turn;however, his interest is not so much analytical or historical, but anecdotal and salaciouswhich gives rise to a lively and provocative succession of portraits. The account of Julius Caesar does not simply mention his crossing of the Rubicon and his assassination, but draws attention to his dark piercing eyes and attempts to conceal his baldness. The life of Caligula presents a vivid picture of the emperor's grotesque appearance, his waywardness, and his insane cruelties.

The format and style of Suetonius' Lives of the Caesars was to set the tone for biography throughout western literature - his work remains thoroughly readable and full of interest.Indeed, it was Robert Graves's primary reference source when he was writing I, Claudius, and those who have read his book will enjoy the original accounts as set down here. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

On Ancient Gossip
When you need a break from memorizing the dates of the Punic Wars, are bored speculating over what kind of salt the Romans used to sow Carthaginian fields, have given up on finding Philippi on any modern map, and can't quite recall the names of the dramatis personae during the year of the three emperors, this book will re-stimulate your interest in history by gratifying the natural human desire to learn more about crime in high places.

Imagine, all the gravitas reeking Romans were up to treason, homicide, intrigue, incest, bestiality, gifting poison mushrooms and assorted produce, adultery, simple theft, complex theft, tax cheating, forgery, perjury, matricide, patricide, fratricide, suicide, sistercide, and murdering or marrying thier neices, and all sorts of stuff not normal entertainment at church family picnics nor encouraged at the office.

A question does arise - was Suetonius accurate or fair? I think not; he is a delightful scandalmonger who makes no pretense at being fair and his sources undoubtedly included talk show hosts from the Forum's late night hour. Tiberius is for example portrayed as a monster; but he seemed to be a talented administrator himself or had the sense to hire those who were. Claudius while making very poor choices in wives and prone to some silly enthusiasms was very prudent in his foreign policy, by-and-large avoiding killling foreign folks who didn't enlist for suicide.

Overall a great book; just take it with a pinch of Roman salt. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"I am a journalist," says John G. Morris, "but not a reporter and not a photographer." He is a picture editor--the person who selects which photos get used in a newspaper or magazine--and he's worked for some of the top names in the industry: at Life under Henry Luce, for Katherine Graham and Ben Bradlee at the Washington Post, and for Abe Rosenthal at the New York Times, where his bold page-one use of a photograph by Eddie Adams of the execution of a Vietcong suspect by Nyugen Ngoc Loan became one of the Vietnam War's most enduring images.

Morris, who also served as the first executive editor for the Magnum photojournalist press agency, looks back at his career in this lively memoir. Among the colleagues who turn up in anecdotes are Alfred Eisenstaedt, Lee Miller, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Robert Capa; the book leads with a grainy Capa photograph of the D-day landing, 1 of only 11 shots that survived a freak accident in the London photo labs of Life as Morris and his team raced against the clock to get images to America in time for the next issue. There are over 100 other powerful photographs, taken at the Japanese-American internment camp at Manzanar, the Nazi concentration camp at Majdanek, and the front lines of the Vietnam and Gulf Wars, and other locales. In addition to being a dynamic storyteller, Morris is also steadfast in his determination that photojournalists should be given the freedom--both in resources and lack of censorship--to provoke us into a new awareness of what is happening in the world. --Ron Hogan ... Read more

Reviews (3)

more than a history of photojournalism, and sometimes, less
One imagines John G. Morris as the sort of grandfather with a thousand amazing stories, whom everyone in the family has asked to write a book for years and who finally sets about the task.

As a sequence of compelling snapshots, Morris selects and arranges his tales into a layout that explores unresolved questions, ambivalences, regrets, hopes, thrills, and humor.

For anyone interested in photojournalism, as a profession, its personalities - the lives, loves, and losses of those standing on the other side of the camera while celebrities splash across the pages - this book is an excellent starting place.His 'editor's eye' view of the profession turns the camera back upon the photographers, telling tales behind pictures generally left untold.By disclosing the various photographic negatives, he discloses a positively fascinating image of the origins of modern imagemaking.

Getting the Picture
This is a well-written rolicking ride through the last century and the history of photojournalism in the American media. It has an index that reads like the Who's Who of the century with anecdotes and insights galore on the movers and shakers of photojournalism and history. I enjoyed every word and I recommend it highly.

A fantastic novel through the eyes of a great man
I just finished reading this novel and I must admitt it is one of the best novels I have read this year.It really is an exciting travel through the 20th century, through the eyes of a man who's carreer made him involved with major political and social events.I would say this is a must to anyone interested in photography and journalism, and a recommended for anyone with a heartbeat.I really loved this book. ... Read more