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.
Read more

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   

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.
Read more

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.
Read more

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 (2)

for all fans of great non-fiction
I picked up this book because I have admired Jeffrey Goldberg's writing on a number of topics.This book is more a memoir than a political history (although I learned quite a bit of that in the course of reading this book -- the middle east is not a topic about which I know that much). If you are a fan of well-written non-fiction, then you will enjoy reading this book.Mr. Goldberg's writing is lively, largely cliche-free, often moving, and engrossing.As I write this, I realize that Prisoners is also a travel narrative of ancient and modern Israel...All in all, a lot of bang for one book.Highly recommended.

Highly Recommended
"Prisoners: A Jew and a Muslim Across the Middle East Divide" is a memoir as much as it is a commentary on the Jewish-Palestinian conflict in Israel. Goldberg, a long time journalist for the New Yorker and Middle East correspondent was also very much of his generation -- a Jewish-American growing up in New York City, who (having reading Leon Uris' Exodus) longed for strong Jewish heroes of the John Wayne sort. That longing took him to Israel where he served in the IDF as a guard at Ketziot, a bleak desert prison that houses thousands of Palestinians arrested during the first Intifada. His interviews and accounts of Jews and Palestinians ring true and I think that's partly due to his respect for journalism done well and because he is a Zionist with a hopeful heart who longs for peace. It's that hopeful heart of his that takes a beating, as did my own, as I read this book. He writes an entertaining and informative account and this is not a book that one will read and forget. Rather, it's one to be discussed and considered. If I could only recommend one book this year, I think it would have to be this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arab-Israeli conflict    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography And Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Contemporary Politics - Middle East    8. Ethnic Cultures - General    9. Jewish journalists    10. Middle East - Israel    11. Palestinian Arabs    12. Political    13. United Arab Emirates    14. United States    15. Current Events / International   

Editorial Review

Ron Suskind won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing in 1995 for his stories on Cedric Jennings, a talented black teenager struggling to succeed in one of the worst public high schools in Washington, D.C. Suskind has expanded those features into a full-length nonfiction narrative, following Jennings beyond his high-school graduation to Brown University, and in the tradition of Leon Dash's Read more

Reviews (110)

A poignant and insightful story
What does it take to overcome great obstacles and find the best in oneself? The author found a young man named Cedric Jennings to explore this question. The author observes Cedric's life in a uniquely honest way. We are able to experience first-hand the often painful and complicated emotions of young people who grow up in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods and broken homes. The day to day experiences of these young people often necessitate the need to focus on emotional and financial survival, rather than intellectual pursuits or personal aspirations.
A tale of a boy who made it out...
This book would typically not be on my list of interesting reading; but the book was for college so I thought I would read it.To my great suprise, the book actually made emotions run through my body when I read it.It wasn't that these experiences were personal for me; but I recognized the struggle I had seen so often and how I seemed to be a part of the "majority" who didn't know any better.This seemed to bother me the most, I kept asking myself, "Am I really that ignorant?".The answer unfortunetly was yes, I really had become just another example of something the minority had to struggle so hard against to succeed.The idea that my suburban schools were far ahead of all the inner city schools seemed almost ludicrous.The more I looked into it, the more I realized that this struggle has been going on longer than I have lived, and that even though I feel bad for the minority; I still continue to live my life casually without sticking my neck out for others.
Grasping for the Gold Ring
"A Hope in the Unseen" provides insight into an ambitious, Africian American highschooler's mind as he pursues good grades and a life of integrity. Cedric, a Ballou High School student from Washington, DC, shares his journey with us as he, not only plans to graduate from high school as an honor student, but also heads into an Ivy League college and steps into his career with dignity.Great read for any one desiring to take responsibility of their own life and go for the "gold". ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Afro-American college students    2. Afro-American teenage boys    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Discrimination & Racism    6. Education    7. Frank W. Ballou Senior High School (Washington, D.C.)    8. People of Color    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Sociology - Urban    12. Specific Groups - General    13. Students    14. Washington (D.C.)    15. Modern fiction    16. Social Science / Sociology / Urban    17. Reading Group Guide   

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.
Read more

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

An inspired blend of memoir and literary criticism, Read more

Reviews (287)

A book of books.
Nafisi's memoir, "Reading Lolita in Tehran", takes its readers deep into the life of a woman living under the ever increasing repression of the Iranian regime.She is an academic whose love of books drives her to use them as lenses through which to view the horrifying events that surround her. Each of the book's four sections takes the works of a different author and uses them to illuminate aspects of the oppressive Islamic regime under which she lives. The book presents a startlingly vivid picture of day to day life in Iran as suffered by a woman who, though very intelligent, is unsure of whether her allegiances lie with her government or with the west. Though Nafisi explains the political events surrounding the Iranian revolution and the Iran-Iraq war, she does so not from the view of the history that's been written, but from the view of a citizen living in the times, providing an essential shift in perspective.
A Stunning Reality
Although many people might question whether everything in this novel is true or not, it states on the front that it is a memoir, therefore that is how I thought of it while reading.As far as I am concerned, everything but the names and some situations ("to protect individuals") is the truth, and since I have not been to Tehran, I would not know any different.I found this book captivating in most every way from the detailed descriptions of the "girls" in the book club to the references to other novels such as The Great Gatsby.Although I have not read all of the books Nafisi referenced in her memoir, I still understood her story and appreciated her sharing the private (or public) moments with her readers.I was shocked when I read about some of the laws that women (and men) must obide by in Iran, and this book sparked my interest regarding the stunning ways of the country enough from the very beginning to encourage me to look even further into the culture.Being a secondary education English major, I would suggest this book to anyone from the age of 13 on, with hopes that he or she would read it, appreciate it, and try to gain some knowledge on a very different culture than our own while recognizing the everyday freedoms we take for granted on a daily basis.

A Vision of a Fundamentalist's Dream
If anyone wants to know what living in post-revolution Iran is like for a woman, this is the book.Great detail is given to how the messages of western literature apply to life in the theocratic totalitarian state. The scariest thing, for me, is how closely the vision of Iran held by muslim extremists conforms to the stated vision of the U.S. held by christian extremists.This touched me with reality the way The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood touched me with fictional possibility.
Read more

Subjects:  1. American literature    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Books & Reading    7. Books And Reading    8. English literature    9. English teachers    10. Ethnic Cultures - General    11. Iran    12. Regional, Ethnic, Genre, Specific Subject    13. Study and teaching    14. Women    15. Women In Islam    16. Women's Studies - General    17. Biography & Autobiography / Women    18. Reading Group Guide   

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.
Read more

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 (166)

Ten kids, No work-ethic
A gritty memoir of life in the white ghetto where tribal loyalty struggles with justice. A portrait of the struggle for personal responsibility a primer and how to use and abuse the system.

Accurate. From someone who didn't live in "Southie" but in "Old Colony" at that time!
You'll see some people chime in here about this book, from "Southie". But Southie and Old Colony don't equal the same thing. You can be from the point and not be anything like someone growing up in Old Colony. Old Colony wasn't the same as D street or Old Harbor.Secondly, my aunt is mentioned in the book as skoochie(sp?). I'm not particularly fond of being from Old Colony or having my aunt in this book, but it's who i am. Lastly, i was good friends with Tommy Veins before he got out of cotrol and died. It's a sad story overall, if tommysdad is here, i'd like to say that my condolences, but this portrayal is not far from fact at all. I was there and grew up where these things happened. And let me tell you, the book is pretty accurate. Slight details here and there might be slightly off, but for the overall idea, Accurate. Everyone knew his mom... she was an outcast for sure and he mentions this several times. I personally couldn't put my own mom out there, but kudos for him for trying to be accurate.
Sad but true
Growing up in Southie and now living in Florida it was good to look back. The book broke my wifes heart who is not from Southie but it was everyday life fo us. Good read! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Boston    6. Ethnic Cultures - General    7. General    8. Irish American families    9. Irish Americans    10. Massachusetts    11. Personal Memoirs    12. Regional Subjects - New England    13. Biography & Autobiography / General    14. Reading Group Guide   

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.
Read more

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.
Read more

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   

Reviews (20)

REVISIONIST HISTORY
I would like to remind the readers, who are crying over the fate of the poor victimized Palestinians, that every inch of the State of Israel was bought from these so-called victims, not only with blood, but with hard cash. Try to remember the little blue box marked "Keren HaKayemet," where even school children donated part of their allowances so more land could be purchased.
The Lemon Tree will open your eyes
After years of seeing the Israel-Arab conflict through the eyes of an agenda driven media,I was pleasantly surprised to learn that behind the bombs and gunfire live very real human beings.Tolan's presentation is heartbreaking and very touching.For the first time I realised that there is two sides to this story and none of the parties can hope to get everything they want unless a compromise is reached.