Average customer rating:
- This lady is NOT BLACK, she could pass for white!!
- TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS ARE ONE
- it takes all kinds
- A different perspective
- Response to Review
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Love in Black and White: A Memoir of Race, Religion, and Romance
William S. Cohen
Manufacturer: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0742558215 |
Book Description
Most Americans regard the World War II period as belonging to the greatest generation, but it was also a time when religious intolerance and racial violence flourished. It is within this world that this compelling memoir is set. Against impossible odds, Bill would be elected to serve his country as a U.S. Congressman and Senator, and Janet would become a prominent television personality, activist, and highly respected businesswoman and author. This powerful book is one of inspiration, hope and ultimately the redemption of America's soul.
Customer Reviews:
This lady is NOT BLACK, she could pass for white!!.......2007-05-27
I find it really amusing that these people with caucasion features who have a pretty easy time being accepted in the "white world", some how think they are the authority on race relations or interracial relationships. I have friends who married very dark skinned African Americans who lived in working class neighborhoods. Their love survived more pain, hardship, and strife then that half-breed Mrs. Cohen could ever imagine. I seriously doubt that Mr. Cohen would have it as bad a dark skinned male, with a white woman on his arm.
Get a clue!
TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS ARE ONE.......2007-03-19
This is a love story. The journey of two people arriving at the same place in time, finally. They share their respective experiences with sharp incisive candor. Readers are given a "no holds barred" look into their world.
Quite frankly, they are right. It is the time for a book of this quality to be written. Two little children born and raised in America, each having individual, separate horrendous struggles, - yet surviving, maturing, achieving success. Through their eyes, we experience life in the political, journalist, entertainment,social, personal, civil rights, and sports arena of action. Through them We meet a young Muhammad Ali, Quincey Jones, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Hilary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Sidney Poiter, Richard Nixon, Herbert Hoover, the FBI, Deepak Chopra, Bruce Gordon, Mahalia Jackson, John Johnson, Andrew Young, soldiers in Bosnia and many many more. Beautiful glossy photographs capture memorable moments. Thank you Bill and Janet. Your respective journeys were often jarring, but seldom boring. The book contains enlightening perspectives and is a wake-up call to the sometimes harsh yet mostly beautiful realities of life here on planet earth. And much like the lyrics of that sweet old poignant song, " We will show them as we walk together in the sun, that our two different worlds are one," -- you have indeed done just that.
I have never met William Cohen and Janet Langhart Cohen, but I have observed Janet's steady progress and achievements, over the years, from the cover of Jet Magazine to the Ebony Fashion Fair, and her television show. I have always been inspired by her courage, intelligence and professionalism. I am an African-American woman. This book is excellent and informative. Its final chapter features Janet's masterfully crafted play, a dialogue between murdered Emmitt Till and the Holocaust's Anne Frank.
My next read will be Janet's book, "From Rage to Reason."
it takes all kinds.......2007-03-01
I found the book to be an enjoyable and interesting read and I share some of the other readers comments about the book. One of the great things about the internet is that anyone is free to go online, write a review, and show how foolish they are. I sometimes wonder of some people deliberately write nasty or very poor reviews just to "stir the pot". Anyway, the world is slowly but steadily blending itself together. First products & stores, now language, and within a couple of hundred years or so, the majority of humans will be blended, too. "That's life", as Frankie sang.
A different perspective.......2007-02-22
I found the book of interest and enjoyed many segments of it. In particularly, I liked the focus on how to overcome the adversity of one's surroundings and the misperceptions around oneself. The book also is a barometer of how America has changed and for the better too.
Like the authors, I also am married to someone outside my 'race". I came to the US as an immigrant from the Netherlands,earned a PhD in the physical Sciences from an Ivy League University and taught in three major research universities, including an ivy league university and a Big 10 unviersity. Now I run a consulting business. I'm Protestant. My wife is an immigrant from Korea, was educated there as a nurse, and is Buddhist. We met in New York CIty.
If I have learned anything from our multicultiural and multiracial amrriage it is this. The key to keeping it going is mutual respect for each other, mutual respect for the cultures from which we came, a willingness to try new things considered foreign by some, a willingess to accomodate to the partner's wishes even if one doesn't understand the cultural context, and a willingness to try new things. Bill Cohen and Janet Langhart portray these critical components very well.
I realize a review is not the place to advertise but for those interested, the novel "Dissensions" has an interesting subplot and about an inter-racial and multi-cultural marriage. The book can be orderved via:
[...].
Response to Review.......2007-02-22
This is to Alesha Bryant, How dare you say Janet Langhart Coehn is not black. Both her parents are fair skinned black folks. There is something wrong with Black people who have issues about their own skin color complaining that another person is not black. FYI most African Americans are mixed no thanks to slavery. I have a Black Father and an Italian mother and I am Ms. Langhart's complexion, and i am BLACK, so please do not say such idiotic things again, without knowing the facts. If that is your opinion, if you "think she looks Italian" your entitled to your opinion but you sound ignorant. Ms. Coehn is a Beautiful and Accomplished African American woman, so STOP hating on her COLOR, its not about COLOR its about culture. Are you really black, because your name is spelled the ghetto way???
Book Description
"A well researched, thought provoking and ultimately convincing narrative that explores why hip-hop has had such a lasting impact on youth culture."(Time Out New York)
"Bakari Kitwana has provided a myth-busting, stereotype-shattering, paradigm-shifting examination of the complex relationship between white youth and black popular culture. Eschewing tired clichŽs, refusing racial pieties, and resisting old habits of thought, Kitwana clears a brilliant path to fresh insight." (Michael Eric Dyson, author of Is Bill Cosby Right?)
Our national conversation about race is ludicrously out of date. Hip hop is the key to understanding how things are changing. In a provocative book that will appeal to hip-hoppers both black and white and their parents, Bakari Kitwana deftly teases apart the culture of hip hop to illuminate how race is being lived by young Americans. Why White Kids Love Hip Hop addresses uncomfortable truths about America's level of comfort with black people, challenging preconceived notions of race. With this brave tour de force, Bakari Kitwana takes his place alongside the greatest African-American intellectuals of the past decades.
Book Description
When Alice Jones, a former nanny, married Leonard Rhinelander in 1924, she became the first black woman to be listed in the Social Register as a member of one of New York's wealthiest families. Once news of the marriage became public, a scandal of race, class, and sex gripped the nation—and forced the couple into an annulment trial.
Customer Reviews:
Truth that reads much like fiction.......2006-08-26
I came across a review of this book when scanning a genealogical magazine. The author of the review stated that this work of non-fiction reads much like fiction, and I concur. Most of the book is well-written and engaging, though it leaves the contemporary reader scratching his head in wonderment that these events happened less than a century ago. Ultimately, there are no heroes in this book, however. It still seems incredible to me that there was virtually no discussion of race or ancestry, either within the Jones family or with Kip Rhinelander. Rhinelander really comes off as quite the cad. He appears to have genuinely loved Alice Jones (as she did in return), but he was so spineless in being "forced" into pursuing an annulment of his marriage. It is also sad that Alice never remarried or had children. Both her life and Rhinelander's appear to have been largely wasted. That is the real tragedy of the tale.
Excellent and thought-provoking.......2004-03-17
Hmm, I don't know if everyone reads the book carefully, but very clearly, one of the main arguments of this book is how american culture tried to portray something ambiguous (race) as something precise and scientific, and was caught in its own lie.
The book is human and interesting, but it lets that human interest come from the story. Many books of this nature are ruined by authors who want to make more of a novel, injecting dialogues and thoughts that the author has invented to flesh out the facts as they are known. We don't know exactly what the young couple were thinking or how their feelings might have changed over time, but the author doesn't pretend to know, either, and that makes the events more compelling and the book more truthful.
I like this book because it has been written with a soft touch, presenting facts, and allowing them to make the story.
We are not given a romantic, overdone cartoon of the case, but merely invited to see how absurd a love affair is when it is divorced from its personal nature, and how equally absurd the scientific classification of "race" is when it cannot even be measured with scientific precision.
Author's comment--not a review.......2004-01-30
I'm glad to see ongoing interest in this book (which is available in paperback now.) I'm even happier to see ongoing discussion of the issues it raises. That was one of the reasons we wrote the book. I'd just like to briefly correct a few misreadings in A.D. Powell's review. I am certainly not a proponent of one-drop racialism. While it is true that for much of American history, both blacks and whites assumed people of mixed ancestry to have more in common with their black peers than their white, much of my work actually highlights situations where this was not the case. People might certainly have black ancestry they are unaware of, but in the present context I don't advocate that they must identify themselves as black. However, in the 1920s, in some states, if a seeming white person were to be discovered to have a black grandparent or even great grandparent, that person's legal status would shift to black. Virginia was particularly well known for pursuing family trees and make such changes, although they allowed for some Native ancestry in a legally white person. One drop racialism was one of the primary ways white Americans defined race at the turn of the century. It was never the only way, and it was a system full of illogic and contradictions, which we state several times in the book. In fact we talk extensively about the ambiguity of Alice's identity and ancestry, and how that ambiguity challenged American efforts to eliminate an intermediary category between blacks and whites. It is that ambiguity that made the story compelling to us as historians and writers. We don't really know what her father's ethnicity was, and we say so quite clearly. But we do analyze the trial and the news coverage of it primarily in the context of "black and white" as the title suggests. This is because, while Alice and her family never identified themselves as black, the newspaper editors, journalists, and commentators who spun the story for public consumption routinely did. That is, Alice was treated in the press and (we argue) in the courtroom as if she were black.
Elsewhere Ms. Powell has suggested that I should be careful lest my own Italian ancestry lead me to be labelled a mulatto myself. I'm not sure why that would be something I should fear. In the book we discuss the racial ambiguity of the new immigrants, including Italians, Asians, Indians (who are determined to be Caucasian but not white by the Supreme Court in 1924 which may have impacted Alice's legal strategy), Southern Europeans, Slavs, and Mexicans. The mutability, inconsistency, and ambiguity of race in the 20th century reveals race to be essentially a political and cultural system, not one based in biology or logic.
NOTE TO AMAZON: I am the author of this book and would prefer not to have to rate it to have my comments posted. Thank you.
Author's Comment.......2004-01-30
I'm glad to see ongoing interest in this book (which is available in paperback now.) I'm even happier to see ongoing discussion of the issues it raises. That was one of the reasons we wrote the book. I'd just like to briefly correct a few misreadings in A.D. Powell's review. I am certainly not a proponent of one-drop racialism. While it is true that for much of American history, both blacks and whites assumed people of mixed ancestry to have more in common with their black peers than their white, much of my work actually highlights situations where this was not the case. People might certainly have black ancestry they are unaware of, but in the present context I don't advocate that they must identify themselves as black. However, in the 1920s, in some states, if a seeming white person were to be discovered to have a black grandparent or even great grandparent, that person's legal status would shift to black. Virginia was particularly well known for pursuing family trees and make such changes, although they allowed for some Native ancestry in a legally white person. One drop racialism was one of the primary ways white Americans defined race at the turn of the century. It was never the only way, and it was a system full of illogic and contradictions, which we state several times in the book. In fact we talk extensively about the ambiguity of Alice's identity and ancestry, and how that ambiguity challenged American efforts to eliminate an intermediary category between blacks and whites. It is that ambiguity that made the story compelling to us as historians and writers. We don't really know what her father's ethnicity was, and we say so quite clearly. But we do analyze the trial and the news coverage of it primarily in the context of "black and white" as the title suggests. This is because, while Alice and her family never identified themselves as black, the newspaper editors, journalists, and commentators who spun the story for public consumption routinely did. That is, Alice was treated in the press and (we argue) in the courtroom as if she were black.
Elsewhere Ms. Powell has suggested that I should be careful lest my own Italian ancestry lead me to be labelled a mulatto myself. I'm not sure why that would be something I should fear. In the book we discuss the racial ambiguity of the new immigrants, including Italians, Asians, Indians (who are determined to be Caucasian but not white by the Supreme Court in 1924 which may have impacted Alice's legal strategy), Southern Europeans, Slavs, and Mexicans. The mutability, inconsistency, and ambiguity of race in the 20th century reveals race to be essentially a political and cultural system, not one based in biology or logic.
btw: Target's website wouldn't let me post this without entering a rating so I went for 3 stars to try not to affect the overall rating. If there is a person editting this, I'd prefer not to be rating my own book--that just seems wrong!
A family that was mixed but not "black".......2003-11-25
This book is a history of the infamous 1920's "Rhinelander" case, in which a high society poor excuse for a man named Leonard Rhnelander tried to get his marriage to quadroon Alice Jones annulled because she allegedly "lied" about her "race."
Authors Lewis and Ardizzone are advocates of the idea that anyone who even might have a "drop" of the dreaded "black blood" is instantly a member of the "black race" and "African American" ethnic group. They want people to believe that you can be "black" without even knowing it. Non-black phenotypes and cultures are dismissed as unimportant. Note again that, through silence, they pay tribute to the greatest "passers" of all, the Latinos and Arab-Americans, by being careful not to mention their embarrassing relationship to the "race" they claim to champion.
In Love on Trial, Lewis and Ardizzone use their editorial perogative to continually describe Alice Jones as "black" and "African American" as if these were objective facts. Yet, Alice was the daughter of immigrants from England. She had no ancestors among American "Negroes" or even mulattoes. Her mother was described as "pure white" and her father's ancestry was actually unknown. He was the son of a working class white Englishwoman and a father who was presumed to be from one of the colonies of the British empire. To this day, Alice's paternal grandfather has not been identified -- racially or otherwise. Her father, George Jones, was darker than "white" but otherwise had no Negroid characteristics. Culturally, the Jones family (including two other daughters) did not consider themselves "black" or "Negro" and did not participate in "Negro" organizations. Like many mixed families, they varied their answers when completing the "race" question on official documents. Sometimes they were "colored" and sometimes "white." The authors admit that "colored" was not synonymous with "black" or "Negro," and the Jones family did not consider an admission of "colored blood" to be synonymous with accepting membership in the "Negro race."
The irony, again, is that the actual facts of the case show the ambiguity of mixed-race status. If Alice had been "black," she would not have defeated Rhinelander's suit. She would not have acquired massive sympathy from working class "whites" as a poor working class girl mistreated by a cowardly, high society cad who professed his undying love and them submitted to the authority of his aristocratic father. Also, contrary to the "passing" myth (upon which the "lying" about "race" accusation rested), Leonard was well acquainted with Alice's parents, her sisters, and even a really "black" brother-in-law. He often visited their home while he was courting Alice. The jury realized that Alice's husband didn't care about her ancestry until his father put the screws to him.
Book Description
She didn't want to worry, but found, like usual, she couldn't help it. She tried to tell herself it didn't matter anyway. This relationship was only supposed to be temporary, nothing more. She was black; he wasn't. It was an experiment they were both going to learn from and move on. That's how it was supposed to be. That's all it could be. This encounter would only prove their relationship was impossible. But then, somewhere, she'd forgotten the unspoken agreement. Somewhere, she'd started to believe there was nothing wrong with them being together—that there was the possibility they should be together. She'd listened, learned, liked, and finally loved, though she was still reluctant to admit the latter, even to herself. It was too risky. Nevertheless, her feelings were real. Now, they were walking into possibly the greatest threat to their relationship, the looming test of doom behind door number three—her family. She found herself hoping for the leap of faith that would allow them both to survive; that wouldn't allow something as superficial as the color of his skin to both deny and destroy them.
Customer Reviews:
Sly, Insightful, Cleaver, but NOT A ROMANCE NOVEL.......2006-03-07
If you're looking for your typical romance novel where the action comes on fast and strong and is 100% escapist logic, then this is not the book for you.
However, if you want a book that contains some interesting and thoughtful insight into the social politics of America, both between whites and blacks, and especially between blacks and each other, then this book will prove to be a worthwhile read. It's a BW/WM relationship, but it starts off with a BW/BM relationship that is every bit as engrossing as the end story.
The initial action in the story occurs in the late 1970s just as more Americans were becoming aware of Apartheid in South Africa, and just as the social demonstrations for racial and gender related justice in the U.S. were coming to an end. In short, this is a Book Club type of novel. There is a lot to discuss here especially about how American blacks see themselves and others.
I think that this story is an introspective examination on the part of the author that envelops the reader and makes one think about one's own experiences and feelings. In many ways this book reminded me of the film Crash directed by Paul Haggis. Just as with that movie, you may not like everything that is being said, but it still tends to be true none the less.
As for the $24.95 price tag, I'm sure that this is because the author and publisher want to make money even if only a few copies are sold. I went with the significantly cheaper $6.00 E-book offer and I thoroughly enjoyed my read. An added bonus, no matter which option one selects, is that the book is a decent length - 445 pages - so I really felt that I got my money's worth.
This book is truly excellent and I hope that it makes on to Oprah's Book club list. It's just that good!!!
Book Description
This memoir describes the social aspects of a young boy and his family growing up in an America where the shade of your skin can determine your fate and where the one-drop rule of Black blood you may hold within your lineage has far-reaching ramifications
Customer Reviews:
Honest Account of Mulatto Elite Culture.......2007-09-21
Passing for Who You Really Are
John Martin has written an honest description of "Mulatto Elite" culture within his family. "Mulatto Elite" describes the mixed-race caste that traditonally (and still) accepted government-imposed forced hypodescent and considered themselves "superior" members of the Negro/colored/black "race." Within this caste white middle-class culture and a European phenotype are highly valued (which is their right and makes them similar to many American ethnicities), but the worship of whiteness is combined with a fear of the word "white" (as opposed to the indirect and vague "light-skinned") and an often fanatical hatred of those who reject the myth of being a "superior" variety of "black" for the reality of being an ordinary "white."
An example of the above is Martin's description of how his grandmother lectured her daughters on how they should be "proud" to be "Negroes" while disdaining the true Negroes as their cultural and moral inferiors. This is not surprising given the fact that Mulatto Elites have a culture that is not really different from their "white" counterparts. They are often just as uncomfortable around the real "blacks" as other "whites." The main difference between Mulatto Elites and "whites" is the inferiority complex of the former regarding "black blood." Mulatto Elites often mistrust anyone who is white-identified and reserve their greatest venom for their physically whitest members who decide to stop living a "black" lie and identify as white. This is why Martin's grandmother told his mother to reject a marriage proposal from an Italian-American. His "color" was not the problem, since many of the family members looked just as white or more so. The problem was his white racial identification and their fear of crossing the caste line between "Negro" and "white."
I had to laugh at the stories told by Martin's white-skinned female relatives about revealing themselves as "Negroes" to "white" strangers and thereby upsetting (or even converting) the supposed bigots who made disparaging remarks about Negroes. Such stories are omnipresent in Mulatto Elite culture but are usually apocryphal.
Martin tells us how his mother became an alcoholic. If she had crossed the caste line and claimed her white identity (i.e., "passed for white" is the racist terminology), you would find plenty of authors who would be happy to tell us that it was the stress of "passing" and denying the "black race." Since she didn't do that, we can guess that she became an alcoholic because of the stress of denying her white race and pretending to be black.
Brilliant chronicle of a multi-cultural family.......2007-08-15
A fascinating and most unusual biography exposing the cruelty, indignity and ignorance of so many Americans during most of our country's history. Despite the anguish suffered by the author, the story is told in a warm, touching way, with humor permeating it and making for a most enjoyable as well as informative and memorable read.
When White is Black, by John A. Martin, Jr........2007-05-22
Covering more than two centuries, this book traces the challenges, disappointments, joys and experiences of a mixed race family in America. It is well written and I believe, will be enjoyed by many people who have a general interest in the history and ethnic makeup of this country. Additionally, it is also one that could be a valuable educational text in schools.
The book relates the experiences of a family whose lineage was not solely African, but includes, English, French and Native American. With such a racial mix, John Martin tells a touching and sensitive story of life that has, I believe, not been fully addressed in most general histories of the United States--that of the Mulatto/mixed races. He discusses family, many of whom, due to the lightness of their skin, lived naturally as white. Yet, due to the archiac "one drop rule," which deems any person with a trace of sub-Saharan ancestry, when officialdom steps in, is automatically categorized as "Negro."
Following a call from the Coroner's Office in his home town in California telling the sad news of his mother's death in an accident, and the subsequent official labeling of her as "Negro," even though she was 65% white, John Martin was prompted to look back at his Mulatto heritage. In this enjoyable book he takes the reader on a personal journey through two centurues of family experiences.
I enjoyed reading When White is Black. This book gave me a clearer understanding of American cultural history, particularly as it relates to people of mixed race.
Family, Race, Identity and the Curse of the One-Drop Rule .......2007-03-30
Family, genealogy, and racial categorization is explored in this family history and sociological look at race in When White is Black by John A. Martin Jr. In 1969, Martin, a former social service agency director, received a call in the early morning hours at his home in Berkeley, California, informing him that his mother, Eulalie, was killed in an accident. Just before the Alameda County coroner ended the conversation with Martin, he asked him what race is your mother? For though, she appeared to be white, the coroner questioned her living in a black neighborhood. Martin attempted to explain his mother's racial make-up as predominately white with Negro and Indian but accepted reluctantly that as a result of the one-drop rule, she would be classified as a Negro in death, as she was in life.
Thus began Martin's contemplation regarding the racial ambiguities of his mother's family that had plagued him most of his life. Martin methodically details the genealogy of both sides of his maternal lines of mixed-race people, beginning with his mother's paternal white ancestors who were from France and England. Martin's roots stemmed from Houston and Galveston by way of New Orleans. His family tree lists his ancestors with designations of mulatto, quadroon, octoroon, black, Choctaw and Seminole Indian. Beginning with the 1850 U.S. Census and through 1920, the government attempted to identify thousands of mixed-blood peoples with the term of mulatto. For one census year, 1890, the terms, quadroon and octoroon were added in an attempt to identify the percentages of African blood that existed in those who were not "white." Those designations were abandoned because of the unreliability of these labels and the census resorted back to using mulatto for all mixed black and white people until 1920.
Mama Peachey's family (Martin's mother's mother) passed for white until she was almost an adult. She told her children that they were different from darker-skinned Negroes and taught them to disdain, loud, ignorant, foul acting colored people. She told all five of her girls to be proud of their exotic good looks and to seek colored men who were educated and from other mulatto families as they would have better opportunities. In California, where Martin moved as a toddler, his mother and grandmother would regale the family with stories of being mistaken for white on the bus and putting those who made disparaging remarks about blacks in their place. After Eulalie's death, Martin and his brother would reminiscence about the times people would stare at them on the street when they were with their beautiful mulatto mother and how the teachers were always surprised when this white-looking woman showed up to claim her children, letting those teachers know her children were not the average Negroes and they were to be treated with respect.
Martin details the pain of living with a tortured mother who became an alcoholic. He left diverse Berkeley to go live with his father in Houston for a year during high school where he found the segregation of the 1950s Jim Crow Texas stifling, despite the black middle- class lifestyle his father's status afforded him. Though Martin never verbalized that his mother's alcoholism was attributed to her racial persona, he inferred that living in a nation where race is a prominent factor was a constant source of frustration. Martin also muses how ironic that his mother broke off an interracial affair with an Italian American man because of race, given the gradation of whiteness in her own family.
In the final analysis, Martin advocates for the abolishment of the one-drop rule and embracing a multiracial nation. It is his belief that white parents of mixed-children children should lobby the government for broader racial categorizations. Additionally he contends African Americans are opposed to a multiracial identification because it decreases their numbers. He thinks that although many blacks have mixed-blood they acquiesce to the black label out of a sense of loyalty that is misguided.
It was a walk down memory lane as Martin described landmarks of the Bay Area, particularly establishments in 1940s and 50s San Francisco, Berkeley and Downtown Oakland. This was a good look at identity and race with well-documented sources. I would recommend to those who research genealogy and have an interest in family history in a social construct.
Reviewed by Dera R. Williams
APOOO BookClub
History and memoir all at once.......2007-01-06
John Martin has written an evocative and personal history chronicling the strange and illogical approach white Americans have had toward "mixed race" Americans. This book makes the absurdity of the "one drop rule" so clear, and raises questions regarding our approach to black and white and everything in-between - today. The writing is clear and honest and accessible. I also really enjoyed hearing about Berkeley and it's neighborhoods, from the 30's onwards.
Book Description
In this bold bombshell of a book, Bakari Kitwana argues that hip hop has broken down more racial barriers than any other social development of the past three decades.
Our national conversation about race is ludicrously out of date. Hip hop is the key to understanding how things are changing. In a provocative book that will appeal to hip hoppers both black and white and their parents, Bakari Kitwana deftly teases apart the culture of hip hop to illuminate how race is being lived by young Americans. This topic is ripe, but untried, and there is a plethora of questions that he is the first to articulate.
* Does hip hop belong to black kids?
* What in hip hop appeals to white youth?
* Is hip hop different from rhythm, blues, jazz, and even rock 'n' roll for previous generations?
* How have mass media and consumer culture made hip hop a unique phenomenon?
* What does class have to do with it?
* Can a culture belong to a race in the first place?
How do young Americans think about race, and how has hip hop influenced their perspective?
* Are young Americans achieving Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream through hip hop?
Kitwana addresses uncomfortable truths about America's level of comfort with black people, challenging preconceived notions of race. With this brave tour de force, Bakari Kitwana takes his place alongside the greatest African American intellectuals of the past decades.
Customer Reviews:
response to lack of culture.......2006-08-13
You're an idiot. It would literally take me 3 days to write about how wrong you are. So instead I'll paraphrase for your simple, narrow mind.
To say that hip hop is all about blaming whitey over a congo beat might be the most ignorant thing I have ever heard. HIP HOP is a culture, RAP is a genre of music. You are referring to RAP, not hip hop. But even then, not all RAP is what you are describing. Also, if it was, what is wrong with blaming Whitey? You mean to tell me that artists shouldn't use music as a medium to spread a message? Was N.W.A wrong for telling the world about the aubsive LAPD in the late 80's/early 90's? Any way, I doubt you actually read the book, and if you did, your mind obviously is incapable of accepting black people outside of some bubble you have put them in. Grow up, wise up and get a clue.
You're an idiot.
Lack of Culture.......2006-07-05
Why do some white kids like hip hop? probably the same reasons why children have tried to shock their parents for ages. Hip hop (what a name)is the product of cultural nihilism, a direct result of the black underclass which seeks to return to the "good old days" of blaming whitey. After all it's whitey who told us are BAD-so Bad we will act.
So there you have it, instead of Black Americans working hard to become successful, many prefer to follow a congo beat while fondling their fake bling-bling while watching underclothed women gyrate their rotund bodies.
Those writers who claim that hip-hop is another culture whites want to steal are delusional at best. When I'm stopped at a stoplight and the car next to me is shaking with a loud bass, all I can think of is: "thank God I lack their culture"!
But let's think about this! Remember the days when the world "culture" actually meant something. If one studies the culture of the Greeks or Romans we see a the long history of a particular society. A history built on art, language, law, philosophy, religion,music, architecture and myth. Hilarious enough, the so-called hiphop culture began with a myth:"the myth that poor latinos and blacks created hiphop out of nothing: (this was a direct quote from a misguided latina at an education conference at UNC.
And the myth continues, according to another site, the author claims that hiphop is instrumental in making social/cultural changes in the larger society.
A recent hiphop conference (pretending to be a political entity) presented the (world),or at least their "hood" with a list of demands, including full reparations for blacks, free education, free health care, all in a beligerant and hostile "gimme" tone.
The angry person who referred to me as an idiot may need to remember the words of the rapper Tony Yayo who raps:" I'm in that brand new range:when I pull up, kid, I turn your brains into red concrete stains." I ask you-and others-is this a culture-or is it verbal poison?
An Original Look at Hip-Hop and Whiteness.......2005-10-13
Why White Kids Love Hip Hop by Bakari Kitwana is a very well-written book which discusses why white kids, even upper-middle class and upper-class ones, love hip hop, specifically its musical component. I believe Bakari Kitwana puts a completely new spin on this question due to his clear enjoyment and understanding of hip-hop. He is able to look at hip-hop with less prejudice than many authors who have attempted to tackle this question. Kitwana uses convincing reasoning, such as whites' decreasing sense of racial privilege, and strong opinions to advance his arguments on why white kids love hip-hop.
I recommend this eloquent book to any hip-hop enthusiasts especially those interested in the question "why do white kids love hip-hop?" Not to say that this book is by any means perfect, Kitwana has his own unique set of prejudices like anyone and he has a tendency to belittle the work of some less hardcore hip-hop fans. Overall it is a wonderful book, a true must-read in my opinion. This is an adult book but it is not terribly long or difficult to read and while it does feature some necessary racial epithets it doesn't uselessly throw around foul language. A great book for the avid hip-hop listener or anyone who has ever wondered just why white kids love hip-hop.
Why Authors Need Copyeditors.......2005-09-30
I think that the issue Kitwana attempts to explore in Why White Kids Love Hip-Hop is interesting. But his approach to taking on this topic was both sloppy and simplistic. It starts in the preface, where he says that the hip-hop generation (which in reality covers two generations) is the first one to grow up without experiencing de facto segregation. I'm sure that White suburbanites in Scarsdale and Orange County would be interested in knowing that there are phantom people of color floating around their communities.
Kitwana also overemphasizes the impact of hip-hop on the emergence of African Americans in popular culture and their impact on young Whites during the 1980s and 1990s. He concentrates so much on Michael Jordan and his first Nike ads with Spike Lee that he forgets about Dr. J, Mean Joe Green, and a host of others that paved the road for Jordan in the first place.
But Kitwana's biggest error is in glossing over the distance between Whites embracing hip-hop culture and Whites living anti-racist, social justice oriented lives. Like John Tuturro's character in Do the Right Thing, there are at least as many Whites who are hip-hop lovers but have as stereotypical an opinion of Blacks and other people of color as Whites who listen to honky-tonk. I don't that everything Kitwana says in Why White Kids Love Hip Hop is incorrect -- his book is just selectively incomplete.
No substance, No evidence, Not much fun.......2005-09-24
*sigh*... I'm always on the lookout for books about hip-hop (as a music form, culture, and generation) as it relates to American culture. More specifically, I'm interested in the social ramifications of the culture as a whole. Thus, when I was given this book by a friend, I was hoping for a good social science read. Unfortunately, I was highly dismayed, finding this particular selection to be a sloppily written manuscript with virtually no empirical evidence anywhere.
For much of this book, the author makes vague statements which are supposed to be evidence (I.E. - "First and foremost among the reasons white kids love hip-hop is the growing sense of alienation from mainstream American life they experienced in the 1980s") but then makes little or no effort to show proof of such theories. This is discouraging.
What makes matters worse is that the author later goes on to dismiss the limited evidence that does exist showing whites are the dominant purchasers of hip-hop albums, and instead of inserting evidence which shows otherwise, he launches into page upon page of bizarre hypothesis' for potential ways blacks might still be the majority purchasers (ironically mentioning bootleg CDs). Ultimately I grew tired of reading his writing which became increasingly less academic.
His "expert" sources are also questionable - while at times he does move towards legitmate figures in the hip-hop community - I felt he vastly stretched for some of the opinions gathered for this book. For instance, I seriously wonder whether it was wise to include a very long section on a 19 year-old white female for who "hip-hop has been mainstream culture" for her entire life. Her priciple credits for being mentioned appear to be that she once dated a black guy, doesn't mind the b-word, and got hooked on hip-hop when she heard "Hypnotize" while developing film. I was not impressed.
If you are looking for an actual intelligent and informed book on hip-hop, please look elsewhere. Reading this, you'll mainly come away with disjointed personal theories of the author, as well as numerous plugs for THE SOURCE magazine.
1/5 Stars
Book Description
"Once upon a Time" Is Timeless
When Rose's mother dies, her only comfort is the exquisite rose garden her
mother left behind. The purple blossoms serve as an assurance of her
mother's love. But Rose is dealt a second blow when her father dies and his
greedy widow, Ombrine, and her daughter, Desirée, move in and take over
the manor in true Cinderella fashion.
Fate has been cruel to Ombrine and Desirée, too. So despite their harsh
ways, Rose has compassion. But these feelings are bitterly tested when, in a
rage, Ombrine tears out the garden. Rose nearly gives up all hope -- until a
chance meeting with the king. Happiness might be within her reach, but first
she must prevail over Ombrine. And then she must determine if she has the
courage to love.
Customer Reviews:
Are you loved? -- Bookwyrm Chrysalis Review.......2007-08-14
Rose's mother, Celestine, grew a glorious rose garden behind their chateau, and central to that garden was the statue of Artemis. Celestine was faithful to her goddess, and on the eve of her daughter's thirteenth birthday, she asked the goddess to give Rose the gift of always knowing that she is loved. Thus began Celestine's death, the growth of the purple roses, and Rose's journey to discovering what love really is.
The elements of love, grief, and dealing with death are central to this book, and I found that it covered all these emotions in a rather realistic way. Rose is told throughout the book, by whispers from the purple roses (which sprouted up after her mother's death), that she is loved, but she can't believe it. How can she be loved when her parents are gone, she has a wicked stepmother, and she has been turned into a deer? Still, she manages to find love in many places, from that of her goddess, her mother's everlasting love, and even the love of friendship and long-lost family.
One thing that rather bothered me about the book was how they worshiped the Greek gods so devoutly, yet spoke French all the time. The use of French was confusing in itself because it was portrayed that they spoke French at all times, yet there would simply be random phrases in the book in French. Kind of like in comic books or on TV shows where they have to remind you that the character is from another country by having them randomly say "yes" and "no" in their own language when they were just discussing nuclear physics in perfect English. Also despite the use of the Greek gods there was also a very definite introduction of the devil as the enemy and witchcraft in use by the stepmother. There was a lot of mish mashing of religions and cultures that just didn't quite fit for me as the reader and kept me questioning the society/culture/religion of the book's characters.
For a relatively fluffy book, it did manage to challenge the notion of love at first sight, and I admired that the main character resolved by the end to only accept true love - not simply a man who would care for her, but one who loved her as well. And even as the king showers her with gifts, it's not until he really forgets about her and looks at himself that he is able to present himself as someone who can love her. These are aspects of love and fairytales that aren't always examined.
Holder Writes Another Winner.......2007-07-03
Let's face it, you can't really go wrong with anything Nancy Holder writes -- she couldn't do a bad book if she tried, and with "The Rose Bride," Holder's one-upon-a-time story is simply a pure delight.
I do this for a living, and it's such a joy to see somebody who can do it so much better than I.
There's a lot to like in this one. Check it out and see for yourself.
A fantastic summer read for HARRY POTTER fans!.......2007-07-03
I had been greatly looking forward Nancy Holder's contribution to the ONCE UPON A TIME series, and was not disappointed! I've followed Ms. Holder's work for years, first becoming a fan of her BUFFY books, which I imagine may be true of many of her readers even now. THE WHITE BRIDE AND THE BLACK BRIDE as an existing, old fashioned fairy tale was competely new to me, and therefore the whole story was a welcome refreshing surprise through and through! Reminded me of an episode of JIM HENSON'S STORYTELLER, a show I loved as a kid for many of the same reasons! That sort of rich, dark, historical-feeling, European-flavored, "fairy tale" without an ounce of light and fluffy, cutesy, predictable-ending Disneyification. You know the kind I mean. And not one of your run-of-the-mill, done-to-death fairy tale stories that everybody already knows going in. So, if you enjoy that same kind of European tone--like the HARRY POTTER stories have--and discovering a "new" old fairy tale for yourself, then you'll love THE ROSE BRIDE as much as I did!
FIVE STARS
Disappointed.......2007-07-01
On Rose's 13th birthday her mother makes a wish to the goddess Artemis that her daughter always know that she is loved, for that is the greatest gift of all. The goddess challenges her, asking whether safety and security aren't more important. Mother holds her position, and so she dies, leaving behind a rose bush that whispers to Rose that she is loved. What follows is the typical Cinderella story wherein Rose loses everything important to her, until she's discovered to be the spitting image of the former queen who died in childbirth and for whom the king still bitterly mourns.
In a move either to protect Rose from her evil step-family or to teach her a lesson, or perhaps both, Artemis changes her into a doe. Rose watches from afar as her step-family moves to ensnare the king. True love, it is felt, just might save the day.
I have for the most part greatly enjoyed the "Once Upon a Time" series, and anticipated this book before its release. I am a bit let down. Ms. Holder has some worthy things to say about the nature and value of love, but rather than trusting her story to carry her message, or perhaps her readers to understand it, she frequently spells it out in an effort to drive it home. At the end of the book I had been told how the characters felt and had evolved, but I had not made the journey with them. I wasn't feelin' it.
Early in the story it is hinted at several times that perhaps buried beneath pain and disappointment there are some real people in Rose's step-mother and -sister, but these hints go unfulfilled. The story is prone to abrupt changes of course. I was left feeling like I was chasing after a child with ADD.
I hate giving a bad review, because I know it's incredibly difficult to write a good story. I guess this book is worth reading because after all, it's a fairy tale, but it's not something that captured my imagination, and that's the magic that I hope for every time I read a new book.
Customer Reviews:
The Best Love Story I have EVER Read!.......2007-03-31
I loved this book! I found it because I am doing a research paper for Sociology on interracial relationships. I am in an interracial realtionship myself so I am interested in finding out more inormation about experiences I may have to go through. I am Mexican and my boyfriend is black. Although Gail is white I still feel that I can strongly relate to her because I don't know if my father will accept my relationship. It felt really good to have someone who knew exactly how I felt and what I was thinking. THere were a few times where I had tears and where I was overjoyed for Gail and Mark. I recommend it to anyone who is in an interracial relationship.
A very good read........2002-12-08
I just so happen to pick this gem up at a library book sale. I never heard of the book, nor the author but it's title alone intrigued me, since I myself has been involved in an interracial relationship for the past 5 years (and counting :-)
This was a very moving as well as an enlightening book. I definitely recommend this for anyone pursuing an interracial relationship or even considering one. Actually I recommend this book to everyone, after all we are all of one race, and that race is called humanity.
LOVE IS COLOR BLIND.......2002-04-17
This is one of my favorite books. I actually met the authors during their promotion of this book and I have a signed copy. This story is so moving, only those of us in interracial relationships and marriages truly understand the struggles and obstacles this couple faced and how they triumphed. This book helped make me strong and face all of those obstacles that I was afraid of. My marriage is a strong one, it has lasted 12 years! Gail wrote a very touching statement in her signing of my copy of this book: "Celebrate the love you share". I have never forgotten to do exactly that!
Beautiful Story.......2000-07-31
The story of a white lady who marries a black South African immigrant, this story is a very genuine, heartfelt account of two people from two different cultures who cross the race line and despite all the odds against them, have a very loving and successful marriage. Everyday trials are emphasised as well as the cultural problems, "going public", reactions from black women, and so on. Each chapter has two parts: Gail's point of view and Mark's point of view. It is a very interesting book not only for mixed-ethnicity marriages, but for everyone else as well. Highly recommended.
Wonderful book--a must read!.......2000-06-09
This book was simply outstanding. I waited nearly a month for it and it was worth it. It answered every single question I've ever had about interracial relationships and it helped me find ways to approach others' fears and misinformation in regards to interracial relationships. I came away much more knowledgeable--not just about how human beings interact with one another, but also about the spirit of human beings.
The best part about this book is the way it reads--the story moves fast, the writing is smooth, and many times I found myself almost forgetting that this was actually non-fiction...it was almost as good as a romance novel. And wonderfully, it's all true! I highly recommend this book.
Amazon.com
Readers seeking something out of the ordinary need look no further than Margaret Johnson-Hodge's interracial romance, The Real Deal. Personnel manager Samone Lewis is still reeling from the break-up of a long-term relationship with Max Scutter--the love of her life. When she interviews Jon Everette, a typical California boy, she has no idea that their alliance will soon progress beyond simple co-worker status. Samone fights even meeting Jon for lunch--after all, what could they possibly have in common? But Jon persists and Samone is soon won over by his kindness, charm, and quick wit.
The road to love is rarely smooth, and Jon and Samone's journey is no exception--it's probably even a bit bumpier than most. As much as she enjoys Jon's company she's reluctant to give her heart to him, fearing further emotional involvement and her family's reaction to her dating a white man. But when Jon mentions he is seeing someone else Samone realizes how much she really wants him in her life no matter what anyone else thinks. Sexy, funny, and frank, The Real Deal explores not only the intricacies of an interracial relationship but also details the struggle of a sensitive, vulnerable woman desperately seeking love. All women, regardless of color, will identify with Samone's struggle to recover from her difficult breakup with Max and her reluctance to give her heart yet again. Johnson-Hodge has written a profound first novel, creating characters that ring with authenticity and interest. This is a very literate, compelling read and highly recommended. --Maudeen Wachsmith
Book Description
One man was everything that she wanted. And he was black.To Samone Lewis, the only problem with her lover Max was his fear of marriage. He was dark as tree bark after a heavy rain, handsome, hard-working....but would rather say good-bye than "I do." At thirty-plus, suddenly still single and a Harlem sista with attitude, Samone was on the rebound.Another was everything she needed. But he was white.Then Jon Everette, fresh from California, walked into Samone's office at a New York TV network. From day one, Jon was funny, caring and crazy about her, even though Samone still wanted Max, no ifs, ands or buts. Max understood blackness-the pride and anger, dreams and pain. Samone didn't date white boys. She sure didn't fall in love with them. If she did, she might have to fight the world, her family, and most of all, herself....In the tradition of The Color of Love, the fresh, funny voice of Margaret Johnson-Hodge tells a completely contemporary story, rich with wisecracks and wisdom about interracial relationships and about the crisis every woman knows, falling in love....
Customer Reviews:
REALLY real.......2007-07-31
Just finished this book and at first it dragged and I hated it, but once Jonathan and Samone met each other I could not put it doen, Samone is an independent woman who is in love with a 'tall drink of water' named Max, but he is not ready for a commitment. After a life changing act, Samone and Max relutantly agree that they are not the ones for each other. Samone who is on the rebound meets Jonathan and they start a causal friendsip that turns into something more. THis syory is beautifully written and told. I enjoyed the intimacy with Samone and Jonathan, but the hearbrokenness of Max and Samone tie the two stories together.
A/A and interracial relationship. Some language and erotic situations.
Pitiful.......2006-06-03
This was among the least romantic books I have ever read. The heroine - Samone never really told the hero, Jon that she loved him. Samone treated Jon as someone to spend time with until a black man comes along. It is just as well there was no mention of marriage, because one got the sense that this relationship will not last. There was no real love or passion. If like me you like your love scenes to be passionate if not steamy, this book is a complete let down - the love scenes are treated as an afterthought. For example, this is a bulid up to a love scene, " Jon turned off the lights and turned up the music." The next paragraph begins with "Morning. Samone woke in a panic." If I could have given less than one star I would. Do not waste your money!
convoluted.......2005-09-27
If you jast have to read something, you won't feel like you've lost any brain cells on this book. If you have something else to read, read it. Most of the the negative comments on the book are dead on. samone is selfish, Max is selfish, Jon is a sucker.
When was this story set? I figured because it was published in 1998, it was set then or at least around the mid to late 90's. If that's the case, a lot of things don't add up. Reminiscing about Samone's youth didn't made her appear older than what she should have been.
I, also, found it unbelievable that she would be with a white man. The idea that she wanted Jon the take responsibility for Yusef Hawkins death and racism was assinine. I believe most men, black or white, would have walked away from her due her all-around bad attitude and her hot and cold mood swings.
Without giving away too much of the story, I would say it's not worth buying. New or used.
The Real Deal is Real Rushed..........2005-09-16
"The Real Deal" is(a)n IR novel about an black HR Director stuggling to trying to come to grips with the fact that she is black, female, and successful and that this may all be due to the fact that she filled two quotas and not one, that she is a "token."
The book starts of well and the antagonist, Samone Lewis, finds herself in the same situation many successful women do...late twenties/earlier thirties, dumped and suddenly single. The chemistry that the author bulids between the IR couple, Samone and Jonathan, and Samone and her ex-lover, is good. However,all three are plagued by personal problems that overwhelm the plot and put a damper on any of the romance, which dosen't leave the reader in the mood for love.
WARNING: If you are looking for hot and steamy sex/love/coupling...THIS IS NOT THE BOOK FOR YOU! Samone has sex twice in the book, once with each of the male leads and there is no description. The sentence before is something like..."She decided to iave into him," and the nest sentence is..."The next morining Samone felt..."
What's most disappointing is that ultimately, there's is no ending to the novel. None of the characters seem to have grown or the growth is not described. Nor, does it explaing how the author's relationships works out with the man she chooses. It really felt like the author was rushed.
I would not reccommend this book, instead try "No Commitment Required."
Mediocre.......2003-09-17
It's been a month since I read this book, and reading the other reviews inspired me to write one myself. The book, at best, was fair. Hodge tells a story, I'll give her that, but the writing style is uninteresting. The style reminded of someone who writes the way they speak around their friends, etc. In some fiction it works, but not in this one.
The only likable character I'm afraid was Jon. I found Samone and Max to be annoying. It's a typical story where the character gives this guise of the "Independent Black Woman," but desperately clings on to the dream of marrying an equally if not more sucessful Black man who doesn't have the same feelings, regardless of how long they've been together, then has to pull some kind of plot or scheme that leaves everyone emotionally hurt in the long run just to keep him. Thinking back on this I wonder if she really loved him, or why she loved him? Because he's a successful Black man, financially secure, good looks; well dressed? It seems as if this is turning into the cliche of the genre of Black writing that 's sometimes known as "girlfriend" or "go girl" stories. Maybe it's me, but female characters of this ilk, though they appear to have it together, display a lot of pettiness for their age. Samone may be in her mid-thirties, but she might as well be 19. You can throw a rock at a roomful of books of this genre and find a Samone-like character. Where are the the intelligent, honest and mature characters with good heads on their shoulders?
Some reviewers complained about how Samone treated Jon. True, it was shameful at times, but not surprising. Given Samone's upbringing and past, it's natural for her to act this way. Who knows if she ever even had a white friend let alone a significant other before then? If Hodge wrote the character as a person who wasn't hung up on race, the treatment would definitely be different. I felt sorry for Jon at times, but I had to sigh in disappointment also because he just kept coming back for more.
I stopped reading this book for a few weeks because all of the components caused me to put it down. I finished it later for finishing sake. If you like this kind of genre, buy a used copy.
Customer Reviews:
Lame.......2006-10-22
I'm not sure if this book promotes interracial coupling or not, but this needs to go. When we marry those of another race, we forget about who we really and where we came from. It's giving a middle-finger to our culture, roots, and our past. I'm not racist, my best friend is an African-American, but this needs to go. Blacks and whites don't mix. The majority of these relationships consist of one-toothed whores staying with their lazy, psuedo-gangster significant other because he "has a big penis" anyway, and that's not a healthy relationship. Ever heard the term "white trash". Individuality needs to be paired with purity, and nothing is more pure than loving that which is closest to yourself. In reality, opposites do not attract, and nothing is more opposite than that of a black male's love for a white woman, or vice-versa.
sURPRISE.......2006-09-24
Unlikely Ill ever read this book, but the title caught my eye when looking for a book of some same keywords in search. From the reviews, its a misleading title, isnt about what one might imagine.
Sounds like another "blame whitey" Al Sharpton Jessie Jackson cry and jerk, actually.
Bout time by now blacks western-world-wide realized or rather admitted that they are subject to far more positive affirmative action breaks than negative discrimination based on race.
Any real discrimination you suffer is actually far far more likely to be based on Social class etc than your colour, in other words, the white underclass get the same discrimination as the black UNDERCLASS may get...but guess what?
No affirmative-action breaks,
No effectively race-reserved government jobs ( where many blacks become intolerable unproductive small-minded unobliging obstructive bureaucrats)
No warn-out excuses
and
ongoing scorn from EVERYONE better-placed on the educational and career strata, whether they're white or otherwise.
One way out for frustrated disaffected blacks?
Write a poor-little-me- book about being a frustrated disaffected black, and sell it to the brother/sister hood and white -guilt do-gooders.
A catchy misleading title wont hurt any.
Sick and Tired.......2006-09-17
I read the excerpt from this book and cried. Persuad used true facts from the past that the people of today need to acknowledege (know about). I am tired of hearing people say things like, let it go, it was in the past. It is hard to let go of the past when the African American race is still reaping the affects of the slavery or oppression. I think Persuad's anger is justified! However, instead of dwelling on the negative, he should also write about how the world is slowly, changing and the positive outcome of interracial dating.
I have read everyone's reviews. I think the people that disagree with him are the ones who do not understand his point of view. Just because you may be in an interracial relationship it does not mean that you neccessarily understand what the ancestors of African American's have experienced.
I am wondering do any of you think it is harsh what President Bush is doing to our society as a whole?
Do you blame Hip-Hop music for the majority of the crime that occurs daily in the United States?
I am sick and tired of all of the stereotypes, assumptions and accusations! We never talk about the struggle other races are going through! We are dwelling on TWO RACES! WE ARE BLAMING ONE MUSIC GENRE FOR ALL OF THE PROBLEMS! WHEN ROCK MUSIC AND A COUPLE OF OTHERS I WILL NOT MENTION PRESENT NEGATIVE MESSAGES! As far as the way things are today you do no see a lot of African American's in a position of power like presidency. We can not blame that totally on race and stereotypes either. In every race there are people that just settle for less, make excuses, and blame others for their outcome. Unfortunately, our world is still filled with racism and sexism, but it is changing and we will not continue to progress if we do not LEARN FROM THE PAST! I think you can find love in anyone regardless of race etc...
I think the problem we need to really address is the problems that are within the races. For example Black on Black, White on White etc.....Everyone that is still looking at the world with a shield over there eyes needs to remove it! Yes I have had tramatic experiences in my life that made me question race from time to time, but thinking about everything and everyone as color was causing more turmoil in my life. You can find a friend in anyone from whatever cultural background, there are deceitful people in every race! Yes there is some truth to the connotations or opinions people have stated about stereotypes out there, but let's stop using them as excuses to continue on this negative path of destruction. Lets find out where the root of the problem started and come up with a positive solution together. Racism, Sexism and all other types of crime are ripping our world apart.
We are all reaping the affects of a past that lacked open-mindedness, compassion, understanding, and equality. Now we have a chance to change and make our present better. African Americans have to stop downing eachother and blaming other races for their problems. Yes the culture is reaping the affects of what happened in the past, but in the present their are so many more opportunities that the past is only something to learn from and grow! Our world will never be perfect and if it was would you want to live in it? I wouldn't, I could not live in a world where I did not have anything to believe in day to day, without goals to achieve. Would you really want to be segregated from all of your friends that you've met outside of your race? I wouldn't, because I would not be the open-minded individual that I am today! I would not know about anything else that is happening around me...I would not be intoduced to different environments and people to enjoy from day to day. So people please, if you see an interracial couple together maybe they REALLY LOVE EACHOTHER AND HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING and they aren't dating for any other reason.
Just Plain Sad.......2006-07-11
I was impressed with the author's writing style, his obvious intelligence.......but his total lack of the human need for love without regard for skin color exposed a venomous nature. He is an angry, vindictive man and I hope his vengeful spirit is only expressed in the written word.
Very Offensive. .......2006-03-12
I bought this book with an open mind as I wanted to hear what the author had to say about a subject undeniably topical and of social importance, yet its pages tell a different story. It reveals little about why black men love white women. Most of it is merely a grievance about white men and the white race. This is extremely disappointing since it's time to live our lives and greet others with the hand of friendship. Resentment serves no one especially since there are no living slaves or slaveholders in America (only in Africa does slavery continue). To justify a paranoid view of whites, the author makes use of Frantz Fanon's jaded Marxist attack on the west and another source, but fails to mention that they both are over 40 years old!
Slavery was a great evil and Jim Crow laws were also a great evil, but they both are in the distant past and there is no one alive to blame for them. To present the past as present is merely to deceive. This country has made incredible progress in race relations since the sixties and we should all be proud. Of course, the United States is not perfect but there's no freer place to live on earth. Today, most blacks are middle class or better and black women financially outperform white women and black men. White Americans are perhaps the least racist people on the planet. We tolerate practically everything, and whites seem to have no racial solidarity whatsoever. The descriptions of whites offered here in way correlates with reality. We are not cocky, we do not walk around with a swagger, and we oppress no one. I think more time spent with his fellow citizens would cure the author of these inaccurate opinions. We don't keep anyone down either. If someone wants a job then what they must do is apply for one. Casting allegations about how you'll be discriminated against is counter-productive. If you want a political position then you must run for office. Taking the initiative, more than anything else, is what's needed.
With love, if two people cherish one another then they should be together; that is what's essential. Worrying about skin pigmentation is so 1861. We're beyond that now, most of us that is. Nothing good comes from obsessing over race. That I am more likely, as a white man, to get skin cancer than the author says nothing about how I should be perceived as a person. I think the most productive way of handling books like this is to point out that we should avoid prejudice in our interactions with others. We should give the people we meet a chance and recognize that they are not theoretical constructs but living, breathing, and unique.
Books:
- Magic Tree House CD Edition Books 17-24 (Magic Tree House Collection)
- Mali: Land of Gold and Glory
- Matisse: From Color to Architecture
- Metro Boston, Eastern Massachusetts, Street Atlas (Metro Boston Eastern Masschusetts Street Atlas)(7th Edition)
- Murder on the Ile Saint-Louis (Aimee Leduc Investigation)
- My French Whore
- My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands
- My Life So Far
- My New Baby (New Baby Series)
- Nixon and Mao: The Week That Changed the World
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Recommended Books
- On Call In Hell: A Doctor's Iraq War Story
- Cartoon History of the Universe 2: Volumes 8-13
- The Greatest Spiritual Secret of the Century
- The Nanotech War
- Wedding Photography, 2nd Edition: Art, Business & Style
- Conformational Analysis of Molecules in Excited States
- A Time for Trumpets: The Untold Story of the Battle of the Bulge
- Search for the Real Hans Hofmann and Other Essays: A Monograph Based on an Exhibition, Covering a Ha
- The Devil in the Junior League
- L-Plates for Money
