Reviews (3)

Outstanding biography of an outstanding American leader
Washington Post reporter Karen DeYoung clearly finds the mark in her most auspicious biography of, in my opinion, America's finest leader in recent memory.Colin Powell truly is a great American and merits such a treatment of his life's story.I had the good fortune of speaking with him at some length one time on the telephone and found him to be a leader among leaders, in charge without being dictatorial, and utterly "cool."I trust that he will continue to inspire budding leaders of like integrity and ability to step forward and serve.
AMERICAN HERO: THE MEASURE OF A GREAT SOLDIER!!
Five MAXIMIZED Stars !! This biography by Karen DeYoung, associate editor of the Washington Post, is a monumental work of excellence, detailing the life and times of Colin Powell from his humble beginnings through his tenure as Secretary of State under President George H. W. Bush to his current endeavors. While the 1996 Colin Powell autobiography, "My American Journey", was excellent in examining his life and "his good stories", it misses the tumultous and controversial decade that followed. DeYoung's book paints on a larger canvas from an outsider's viewpoint with a huge number of sources. At times she juxtaposes activities at different points on the globe between Gen Powell and his wife Alma. Many other times she sculpts Powell in bold relief in some of the major events of US and world history, among an almost unbelievable cast of characters that can only be described as 'awe-inspiring'.All of this is captured in stunning prose and laid out in impressive detail, with ultimately an investigative flair that rivals any of the current 'political tell-all' books, although that is not the objective here. A totally absorbing read of over 600 pages!
Good book and read, just wish there was something more.
I bought this book to fill in the gap from his previous book, My American Journey.A good chunk of Soldier deals with the Iraq war and perhaps rightly so, as his UN presentation continues to haunt him.While I can appreciate all he had to go through, it's still hard to swallow some of his reasoning for doing that presentation as well as the defense of the Bush administration afterwards.I was hoping he would apologize candidly to the American people for misleading them.He adamantly refuses to do so and I wonder if he realizes this refusal puts him on par with the Bush administration refusing to acknowledge how bad things have become in Iraq, as well the false justification for this war.
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Subjects:  1. African American generals    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Blacks In The Military    7. Generals    8. People of Color    9. Political    10. Statesmen    11. U.S. Federal Executive Bodies    12. United States    13. Biography & Autobiography / Political   

Editorial Review

Barack Obama's first book, Read more

Reviews (8)

Obama Wraps His Personal Journey Around His Political Beliefs With Refreshing Authenticity
As the acknowledged rising star of the Democratic Party, Barack Obama has done an admirable job in maintaining the precarious balance between being a media lightning rod and a largely unproven senator out to establish his record. While it may speak to the current vacuity in the party's leadership, Hillary Clinton aside, Obama certainly cannot be underestimated for the political acumen he has displayed during key high-attention moments like his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. He wrote an insightful personal memoir over a decade ago before entering politics, "Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance", which I read a couple of years back and thought was quite lucidly written if rather guarded in exploring his racial dichotomy.
A prelude to the White House

STRAIGHT TALK, IMPRESSIVE IDEAS FROM A MAN POISED FOR THE FUTURE!
Five SAGACIOUS Stars!! Senator Barack Obama shows in this highly personal reflection that he is a man of great IDEALS and iDEAS. Indeed, he appears to be more 'statesman' than 'politician'. The book is almost conversational in tone, making it easy to read. Senator Obama's own written words anoint him as a man possibly poised on the edge of greatness, when we all want new political 'heroes', Republican as well as Democrat (and Independents like myself). He is a relatively young Democratic Senator from the great state of Illinois with the name recognition of a much older politician, nationally and internationally.In Africa and in the US, he hasalmost 'rock star' status among certain groups.
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Subjects:  1. African American legislators    2. Biography    3. Essays    4. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    5. Government - Legislative Branch    6. Legislators    7. National characteristics, American    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. U.S. - Political And Civil Rights Of Blacks    12. U.S. Senate    13. United States    14. Current Events / Political   

Reviews (3)

Inspiring Must Read!!!!
What I Know for Sure is that Tavis Smiley's testimony and transparency through this book was a refreshing read.He is a prolific speaker and a voice for this generation. I applaud him for allowing us to share intimately into his life. I was deeply moved by his honesty in retelling the experiences that shaped the man we now see today. The candidness expressed in each chapter allowed us to witness the forces that birth his purpose and propelled his drive, ambition, and advocacy. His love for people was greatly evident. This book is a must read not just for African-Americans but for anyone who has faced adversity, challenges and trying circumstances in life.Greatly inspiring!

A Must Read!
Who is Tavis Smiley?Initially Tavis' prominence in the media led me to think this guy was just a 'talking-head' - a person simply trying to find a means to move up in this world.However, years have shown me I was wrong.
Brother Tavis Smiley is the Truth
I've always dug&Respected Tavis Smiley big time. I've always respected his Vast Knowledge&Ability to communicate&be direct&just do his thing. this Book takes you back to his upbringing. this Book pulls no punches about what he dealt with as a Young Black Man growing up in a Household of a Large family,also dealing with getting whippings(this was the Pre-Pre Time-Out Era which back in the day only applied to Sports Games)and dealing with his own self in the Process. everybody sees&Hears the Success,but not many people are aware of the struggle this Man had to endure&the many lasting images&things he had to deal with Mentally.I applad Brother Tavis Smiley for not being afraid to settting the Record Straight.this Book will hit you in so many ways&depending on your own upbringing it might be close to your own story. I can relate to it big time.Tavis doesn't back down to BET or NPR Either.Tavis without a doubt is one of the most Important Voices out here.he keeps it real&this Book is very direct&real. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Discrimination & Racism    4. People of Color    5. Personal Memoirs    6. Radio personalities    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Television personalities    10. United States    11. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (56)

Our First Black President
Magnificent! Extremely magnificent! Flawless! Intellectual! Glamorous is He! Mrs. Obama is the luckiest woman in the world! Obama is THE FIRST since Dr. King. Blacks are now depending on YOU. You are the reality of Dr. King's dream! You Go Man!
Moving
This was a wonderful unsentimental, honest consideration of race and inheritance. Obama is a really good writer and the book reads like a novel. I loved the stories about learning about his family in Africa the most. It was very powerful.

Inspirational Story of Self-Discovery
This true story is well written with vivid descriptions of people and places in the USA and Kenya.It reads like a polished novel.It is an open and honest account, originally published in 1995, long before Obama was a prominent politician.It is not a political book at all.
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Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    7. Obama, Barack    8. People of Color    9. Personal Memoirs    10. Racially mixed people    11. Racism    12. United States    13. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (1)

Positively Brilliant.
Professor Wangari Maathai is truly one of the most important voices of our time. This dynamic and indefatigable Kikuyu woman of Kenya has illuminated rays of light through the dark clouds of Kenya, and so Africa. Standing in the face of oppression and unbearable adversity she faced when Kenya was not a land of freedom, but a state of oppression and discord, it was Wangari's resilient voice, her never-ending effort to stand strong in the winds of injustice, and her ceaseless love of mankind that has in many ways begun the great changes toward democracy and freedom for all individuals not just in Kenya, but in Africa. As the Cold War has, as Professor Maathai clearly and carefully points out, changed the dynamics of government in Africa, the reader becomes aware, in a different way than what is typically presented in the press, of the many issues involved with the challenges that the world faces through the daily experiences of those who seek `Freedom'. Clearly, as the world becomes closer and more connected, the issues that continue in Africa are critical issues that we, as a progressive society, must not simply acknowledge, but do something about. Acting on what is right . . . standing up for your beliefs . . . standing down oppression and hatred . . . and nurturing Mother Earth as she continues to nurture and provide for all, are themes this visionary African woman - who is the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize - shares with the world in her brilliantly written life story. Readers across the world - men and women of all colors and creeds and beliefs will tap into the determination of this extraordinary activist who has taught so many about how love of each other can grow through respecting and nurturing the land we live on. But there is so much more to `Unbowed': Uhuru Park - Freedom Park - is more than a rolling green field in the middle of busy Nairobi, it is more than a starting point for this wonderful woman's love affair with the world, and it is so much more than a gathering point where the notion of planting trees . . . the seeds of The Green Belt Movement occurred. As Professor Maathai has shown through her own life, `Uhuru' is not Free! `Unbowed' is the story of a magnificent and courageous leader who stood up for the oppressed, including the woman of Kenya, and provided hope for better tomorrows by demonstrating that if a person possesses a will to make change, change can and will occur. `Unbowed' is a most remarkable memoir . . . and Professor Wangari Maathai is an ingenious woman of dignity the world continues to learn from. Listen: no matter where you are from, this book will positively change your life.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Conservation Of Natural Resources (General)    6. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    7. Forest Conservation    8. Kenya    9. People of Color    10. Personal Memoirs    11. Tree planters (Persons)    12. Trees & Forests - General    13. Women    14. Women conservationists    15. Women politicians    16. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (1)

Best Baseball Book & Best Law Book I've Read In Years
Brad Snyder has done it again. Following on the heels of his much-acclaimed Beyond The Shadow of the Senators, Snyder returns to the pinnacle of his profession with A Well-Paid Slave, a gripping account of Curt Flood's fight for free agency in professional sports. In my opinion, Snyder's latest work is at once the best baseball book and the best law book that I've read in years. It is a gem that shows off Snyder's talents as a writer, researcher, and legal analyst.
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Subjects:  1. African American baseball players    2. Baseball    3. Baseball - History    4. Baseball players    5. Biography    6. Free agents (Sports)    7. Sports    8. Sports & Recreation    9. United States    10. Sports & Recreation / Baseball / History   

Reviews (10)

From Slavery to the Senate- an incredible history
Mr. Otis Graham spins an engrossing tale about the rise of a former slave to become a millionaire and U.S. Senator, and the descent of his intended "dynasty" into destitution and petty crime. As equally fascinating as the family's personal story, is the national backdrop against which the drama is played out. This is the story of an entire black elite which could not relate to, and even disdained poorer and darker blacks but which could not gain the full acceptance it so desperately sought from upper class whites. It is the story of a time when black people had to try to navigate their way in a truly foreign America where race meant absolutely everything.
Please don't tell the whole story in your reviews!!!!
I usually find the reviews extremely helpful, but several of the reviews go into so much detail that essentially it ruins the reading experience for everyone else. It's obnoxious and unneccessary to tell the whole story in the process of reviewing a book. Providing a critique does not require giving away the story. I honestly feel I've been cheated by the previousreviews and I don't need to buy the book!!
Intriguing look into early black America
First of all you should know that The Senator and the Socialite reads like a novel as opposed to a history book. Those of you who would not normally venture into the non-fictional history section at your local library will enjoy this book as much as those who would.
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Subjects:  1. African American legislators    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Blacks In The U.S.    7. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    8. General    9. Historical - U.S.    10. Legislator's spouses    11. Legislators    12. People of Color    13. Political    14. U.S. Senate    15. United States    16. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Editorial Review

Malcolm X's searing memoir belongs on the small shelf of great autobiographies. The reasons are many: the blistering honesty with which he recounts his transformation from a bitter, self-destructive petty criminal into an articulate political activist, the continued relevance of his militant analysis of white racism, and his emphasis on self-respect and self-help for African Americans. And there's the vividness with which he depicts black popular culture--try as he might to criticize those lindy hops at Boston's Roseland dance hall from the perspective of his Muslim faith, he can't help but make them sound pretty wonderful. These are but a few examples. Read more

Reviews (265)

eye opener
Mike Young obviously did not read the book.I read it 3 times and it changed my life forever.The book clearly states that it is the autobiography of Malcolm X AS TOLD to Alex Haley and if you had read the book yourself you would realize that Malcolm was simply telling the story to Alex Haley.He was too busy to sit down and write the book himself and predicted his own murder in the last pages.Maybe you, Mike Young, should take on the challenge of being a thinking human being and read it on your own with an objective mind and then come back and tell us your real thoughts.

People Can Change!
Simply, one of the most amazing stories of change ever told in the English language - and still one of the most mis-understood men in the 20th century.

A tribute to Black Manhood
Some books can change your perception, but only a few can wipe out age-old assumptions, and force you to rethink everything you thought you knew. The question of RACE is at the heart of the American society, and in this book, not only African-Americans, but Americans of all colors, black, white, red and yellow, will find themselves reassessing what racism entails, for Malcolm X life, is a poignant testimony of the black man's struggle against both individual and institutional racism.
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Subjects:  1. Afro-Americans    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Black Muslims    7. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    8. Islam - General    9. People of Color    10. Political    11. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    12. Biography & Autobiography / People of Color    13. Biography: political    14. Black studies    15. USA   

Reviews (73)

Disappointed
In the beginning of this book I found it a bit disturbing; however, I pressed on and I was glad. I soon came to be highly disappointed by this book though because it seemed so cliche` in the fact that almost every drugged out junkie seems to find a god and heal themselves; then discuss it for 15 chapters. Aside from that fact, almost 3/4 of the book was about doing various drugs, I felt it was drug out too long and could have been summed up in fewer chapters. It got to be monotonous and tiresome reading about the authors junkie habits over and over again. Although the book had great potential and could have been one of the greats; I felt it became monotonous.

Cupcake, you are an amazing and inspirational woman who needs a better editor and copywriter
Cupcake Brown is, without question, an amazing woman who has risen from the ashes by her bootstraps to become a highly respected, influential lawyer and professional speaker.She has many important life memories to share with her readers; however, her memoir, as a whole, is a poorly edited, slightly-rambling account of a troubled youth and early adulthood.I'm not begrudging the author her success, or her well-deserved acclaim, but as a book, her memoir is sub-par.
There is a God!
If you do not believe in God or a higher power, you will after reading this book. This book is not a religious book but a testement to having a purpose in life, even when you dont believe or know you have a purpose. She does not through God in your face but from the troulbe teenage years you know that something greater than herself and propelled her to the point where she is now. This is an amazing book that lets you know that no bad thing last forever and that you can overcome ANYTHING. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African American families    2. African American women    3. African Americans    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography    6. Biography / Autobiography    7. Biography And Autobiography    8. Biography/Autobiography    9. California    10. General    11. Lawyers & Judges    12. People of Color    13. Personal Memoirs    14. San Diego    15. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Editorial Review

As teenagers from a rough part of Newark, New Jersey, Sampson Davis, Rameck Hunt, and George Jenkins had nothing special going for them except loving mothers (one of whom was a drug user) and above-average intelligence. Their first stroke of luck was testing into University High, one of Newark's three magnet high schools, and their second was finding each other. They were busy staying out of trouble (most of the time), and discovering the usual ways to skip class and do as little schoolwork as possible, when a recruitment presentation on Seton Hall University reignited George's childhood dream of becoming a dentist. The college was offering a tempting assistance package for minorities in its Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Plus Program. George convinced his two friends to go to college with him. They would help each other through. None of them would be allowed to drop out and be reabsorbed by the Newark streets.Read more

Reviews (46)

The Pact... Packs some good information for young people and their parents
The Pact was a book that I was interested in reading for some time. My son (9 yrs old), and I decided that the best time to read the book would be before his bedtime. We would alternate reading different chapters. The Pact was an inspiring story that I believe anyone could relate too. It's about community support, friendship and perserverance. This generation needs to hear stories about what is possible, and this book delivers on that message. I strongly recommend it for youth groups everywhere. We need to teach our kids how to choose friends, and that friends can support and nurture each others dreams. Dream BIG!
I will put this on my recommended list for students
One of my biggest challenges as an educator is building literacy. I know that the most successful students read outside of class, but I have a hard time finding books that manageable and interesting enough to grab the interest of the students that I work with in DC. I will recommend this book to my students because it helps make the choices of black students real in clear language. How do you successfully defer gratification for years and years to build a career? This book doesn't have definite answers but it does give an example that students can look up to. More programs like the Seton Hall program that helped bridge the transition to college are necessary for first-generation high school students. I also dug the fact that these three black men did not seem to be supermen in the way that Cedric Jennings was portrayed in "The Hope In the Unseen". Books like "The Pact" show that the best dreams are birthed by students in the presence of consistent mentoring. I hope that all urban mentors and educators will consider this book for motivational fuel.
Great read...
I read about these three in some magazine (Essence?) while I was in a bookstore cafe. I went upstairs to browse the book and ended up buying it. I'm so glad that I went to that bookstore just to browse around or I would have never known anything about it.I'd heard of these three from another magazine I subscribe to but never really knew what their deal was.It was very interesting to read about three young men who grew up in the inner city projects of Newark, two of them exposed themselves to crime, all of their manhood was tested, and two went to jail/juvenile hall. But with all those pitfalls, each one of them had a personality that would not let each other fall down.One was an activist, the next was a serious hard worker, and the third an optimistic motivator who stayed out of trouble.These guys were so good for each other. It was interesting to read about their sides of the story in a conversational tone that showcases their down-to-Earth personalities, their mild secrets that the other two will enjoy reading, and even a couple love interests would probably be flattered too.
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Subjects:  1. African American physicians    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    7. Medical - General    8. Medical - Physicians    9. People of Color    10. Practice Of Medicine    11. Sociology Of Medicine    12. Biography: general    13. Family & Relationships / Child Care    14. Medicine    15. Reading Group Guide   

Reviews (61)

Rubin Cartert, the true story - it's not enough to see the movie
If you have seen "The Hurricane" motion picture, starring Denzel Washington (an amazing peformance), surely you'd think that you know everything there is to know about Rubin Carter. Unfortunately, that's incorrect. Furthermore, it's not even close.
A True Account
I bought this book my sophomore year of high school and that was over 7 years ago.It has literally been my bible to life.Rubin and his book have changed my life more than anything else I have ever encountered.Too often than not we find false heroes in this world.People like Paris Hilton who some look up to as a hero or a role model, but the true heroes in this life are often over looked or never seen at all.Rubin Carter is a true hero, I have never even heard of such a troubled life an to come out on top both a champion of his sport and one in life.A wise man told me once that it is now how we live this life but what we do during it.If your looking for a uplifting book of a true hero an a book that will give you strength when all doubt you, this is the one.

Brilliant and Touching
Obviously no one can write his story better than Rubin himself.This story is both and inspiring story of a man who has never stopped fighting and a terrifying reality check into the American judicial system.This book is filled with an anger that is only kept in check by the author's own love and compassion.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Boxing    5. Criminals & Outlaws    6. People of Color    7. Personal Memoirs    8. Prison Life    9. Sports    10. Sports - General    11. Biography & Autobiography / People of Color   

Editorial Review

In this first of five volumes of autobiography, poet Maya Angelou recounts a youth filled with disappointment, frustration, tragedy, and finally hard-won independence. Sent at a young age to live with her grandmother in Arkansas, Angelou learned a great deal from this exceptional woman and the tightly knit black community there. These very lessons carried her throughout the hardships she endured later in life, including a tragic occurrence while visiting her mother in St. Louis and her formative years spent in California--where an unwanted pregnancy changed her life forever. Marvelously told, with Angelou's "gift for language and observation," this "remarkable autobiography by an equally remarkable black woman from Arkansas captures, indelibly, a world of which most Americans are shamefully ignorant." ... Read more

Reviews (285)

Intersectionality as described by Maya Angelou
In her autobiographical novel, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou recounts her life story as a young, keenly intelligent but insecure black girl in the South during the 1930s and California during the 1940s. The book conveys the difficulties associated with the mixture of racial and gender discrimination endured by a southern black girl, though, and this is perhaps the most fundamental theme explored in her autobiography. The intersectionality of race and gender is a pivotal thread of Angelou's theme, where more than one type of subjugation results in a multiple burden for the victim. Overall, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is a powerful, stirring account of the intersectionality of race and gender regarding black women. Though segregation had been officially declared null and void, many of the Southern states were steeped in racist tendencies that further multiplied the gender inequality that exposed black women to a multi-faceted oppression. Peiss, Hine, Terborg-Penn, Bederman, et. al. all examine threads of this intersectionality, and in discussing these threads, one can draw a distinct comparison between anti-black, anti-black women sentiment and Angelou's personal experiences. As a girl, Angelou believed her gender to be a limiting factor. She considered herself to be unheroic, and incapable of achieving spectacular feats like the boys in her comic books. In the narrative, being female for Angelou is just as trying as being black, and she struggled with the double burden, rather than embracing it. However, as more and more black women slowly overcame their troubles as a result of the overwhelming intersectionality of the time, so did Angelou. The novel ended with hope because she bucks the stereotype to become the first black female streetcar conductor. Angelou's spike in confidence and belief in her ability reflects the gradual evolution of black women's race and gender after decades of imprisonment, and foreshadows a future of activism, struggle for respect and eventual victory in those regards.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
The Essence of Dreams...The Creativeness of Silence...The Fortitude of Love...
If only this scale had negatives...
Never before has such a poorly written book received such acclaim. Maya Angelou wrote this story not with candor and grace but with a bias rarely allowed to sit on shelves let alone the top of a best-seller list. She was not humorous but had a heinousness of character and action that places her beyond the limits of human pity. This "inspiring author" did not demonstrate poignancy and depth but the crude rudiments of writing skill below that found in the essays of a primary school student.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Afro-American women authors    3. Authors, American    4. Biography    5. Biography & Autobiography    6. Biography / Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Discrimination & Racism    9. Literary    10. People of Color    11. Women    12. Biography & Autobiography / People of Color    13. Reading Group Guide   

Editorial Review

The beauty of former Negro League star Buck O'Neil's autobiography is its tone: it's filled with thankfulness for the life he's had. Born into an era of racial segregation, O'Neil--truly aninspirational presence in the Ken Burns documentary Read more

Reviews (19)

Charming and Informative
This easy-going autobiography combines sunny optimism, seriousness, and rich baseball history. John J. "Buck" O'Neil was a first baseman in the Negro Leagues during the 1930-1940's, and he then spent another half decade in baseball, both in the Negro Leagues and in the majors.Here he recounts his upbringing in Florida during segregation (where he was denied entry to high school) and his long career in baseball.O'Neil details life in the Negro leagues, including barnstorming and low pay, playing for the famed Kansas City Monarchs and his friendship with stars like Satchel Paige and Hilton Smith.He also describes managing in the Negro Leagues, coaching for the Chicago Cubs (the first black coach in the majors) and spending decades as a baseball scout.O'Neil is an intelligent man gifted with great charm, and he's often described as the "ambassador to baseball."That charm shines in the prose of co-writers Steve Wolf and David Conrads, and lets O'Neil attack injustice without losing effectiveness via stridency.
A fun read about a forgotten era.
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Lou Dials at a Baseball card convention.He was there with a small table, some cards, and some baseballs.I didn't know who he was and he kind of looked out of place.My curiosity made me ask."ok so what are you doing here and I am sorry to ask who are you?"He smiled and asked "Have you ever heard of the Negro leagues?"To which I replied of course and named the common known names such as Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, and of course Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays.He smiled and said he played with them and spoke of others such as Buck O'Neil.