History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Thoughtful and fast paced.
Everyone should read this one
An imaginitive social commentary and a captivating read
Good Introduction to Science Fiction
Could not put it down

Kindred (Black Women Writers Series)
Octavia E. Butler
Manufacturer: Beacon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0807083054

Book Description

Dana, a modern black woman, is celebrating her twenty-sixth birthday with her new husband when she is snatched abruptly from her home in California and transported to the antebellum South. With more than 100,000 copies in print, Kindred is a classic timetravel novel by an acclaimed African-American science fictionwriter.

Customer Reviews:

Thoughtful and fast paced........2007-09-08

I love time travel books! What I don't love is long-winded, implausible explanations of how time travel is possible. This book skips the crazy explanations and goes right to the good part--what happens. The hero is repeatedly sucked back to the time of slavery and must cope with living as a slave until she gets sucked back to the present. It makes you examine modern day prejudice with absolutely no preaching, yet reminds us all of how lucky we are to be living in modern times. I read this book cover to cover in one or two days.

Everyone should read this one.......2007-08-20

Like watching Hotel Rwanda, this book is hard to take--and for that reason, everyone should read it. Butler brings us right into the sheer terror of the experience.

An imaginitive social commentary and a captivating read.......2007-07-29

Octavia Butler cleverly answers the question "how can one become a slave" in her quasi sci-fi novel _Kindred_. Along the way, the complexities of gender, class, and racial relations are explored both in the ninteenth century as well as in the present.

The protagonist, Dana, is called back to the early 19th century to save a distant ancestor and slave owner. The conundrum she faces is, if he dies, she will not exist. As she is repeatedly pulled back in time, Dana begins to understand not only how a slave is made, but struggles with her own identity and concept of "home." The slave owner, as brutal as he is, is her kin.

Butler does not sugar coat the institution of slavery, but her characters (black and white) are neither all good or all bad, doing both good and evil as circumstances (and position) permit. Butler seems to suggest that both slaves and owners are products of their time, therefore demanding a more nuanced view of the antebellum south.

The story itself is fantastic. I am not a fan of science fiction, but the characters, story and the masterful way Butler unfolds events so utterly consumed me I read it in almost a single sitting. A recommended read.

Good Introduction to Science Fiction.......2007-07-11

I am usually not a fan of Sci-Fi novels. But, this book is an excellent choice for someone like me who is new to the genre. I consider it quasi science fiction and not hard core sci-fi. It is definitely a page turner that will keep you mesmerized for hours.

Sonya Armfield

Could not put it down.......2007-06-27

Dana, a 20th-century black woman, is suddenly and inexplicably sucked into the past, to a Maryland plantation in the early 1800s, in order to save the life of a young white child who would eventually live to be one of her forebears. Over and over, she returns to the future for barely enough time to reorient herself before she is transported into the past to rescue him yet again. Between each of her visits, several years have passed in the past, and the child grown older. Her visits become not only lengthier, but, especially for a black woman in the 19-century South, more and more dangerous.

As Kindred opens with a bang, the reader can't help but become immediately absorbed, getting a glimpse of how the book ends before even learning how it begins. Though the detailed depictions of this era of slavery are hard to swallow, they bring the period to life and add an in-your-face sense of realism. I couldn't put it down.

Quicksand and Passing (American Women Writers Series)

Average customer rating:

Eh...
Amazing Narrative and Multi-Faceted Topics
2 nicely paired novellas
Only read Quicksand--wonderful book
Remarkable

Quicksand and Passing (American Women Writers Series)
Nella Larsen
Manufacturer: Rutgers University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0813511704

Customer Reviews:

Eh..........2007-08-25

I think 3 is generous. I absolutely hated Quicksand, although I did appreciate the fact that Larsen's main character wasn't exactly likable, I think that was a different unusual approach, she's not exactly the ideal protagonist which is awesome. But as far as the story goes, its so reminiscent of the tragic mulatto to me and I'm pretty sick of that stereotype. Passing was better, but that too remained true to the tragic mulatto frame. It was no masterpiece.

Amazing Narrative and Multi-Faceted Topics.......2005-12-01

Passing is an amazing narrative. A key to the success of the narrative in Nella Larsen's Passing is the use of a limited third-person narrator, because it allows the villain to hide. Through the voice of Irene Redfield, characterizations get meted out as she sees fit, and only by Irene's portraits of others can we arrive at her own characteristics and motivations. As Irene describes and interacts with others, she unwittingly betrays her shrewd plans. Whether done subconsciously or not, her subtle actions and inactions tattle on her, yet she keeps the narrative vague enough that she comes off as a victim of Clare. Irene paints herself as a sheep and Clare as a wolf, when in fact the opposite is true. The affair that presumably takes place between Clare and Brian seems to catch Irene off-guard.

Keep an eye on Irene.

Amazing narrative on several levels. The crossing of domains in this novella is outstanding. Because Irene has control of the narrative, the childhood events and characterizations indict Clare as untrustworthy instead of as a misfortunate child who overcomes great obstacles. This distrust raises questions later on when Clare all but moves into Irene's house, and Irene doesn't protest for an "obscure reason."

2 nicely paired novellas.......2005-07-30

Quicksand is one of my favorite fictional stories. In truth, the word "fiction" can not adequately touch upon the essence of this novel. Helga Green's biographical information is nearly identical to that of Nella Larson, and in Helga we, the readers, see a reflection of Ms. Larsen.

Helga is a heroine, tragic not because of her fate, but of her resignation to her fate and inability to rise above it. Larsen realizes the bonds of racism and sexism that held steadfastedly in place, whether it's in Harlem or Copenhagen. A reader may either sympathesize with Helga's plight or sneer at her stupidity. But perhaps that's what Larson wants to portray. Sometimes one is irrational when it comes to the matters of the heart or the lack of. Even the most intelligent of us. We would gasp in surprise if the same fate fell upon others but would seem resigned when we are in the same situation.

Passing is considered by many critics as Larsen's "lesser novella." True, it is not as riveting as Quicksand, but it explores deeper issues of gender and the color barrier. While in Quicksand the relationship between Helga and Anne is at best lightly touched upon, the one between Clare and Irene is more complex and poignant.

Throughout the novel(la), there is a tinge of homoeroticism, if you read between the lines. This is a story, not so much of the tragic mulatta (even though tragedy tends to overshadow all else in Larsen's work), nor merely of the phenomenon of passing for white, but of two women's exploration of their own gender, sexual, and racial roles in the tumulous society of upper middle-class Harlem.

Both stories written in the early 1930s period, this book features Larsen at her best. Even though the endings to both are quite anti-climatic, one should find in her stories enough food for thought and a quite thorough insight into female African American conflicts and culture during the Renaissance era.

Only read Quicksand--wonderful book.......2004-11-27

I read this book years ago, in college. It made me much more sympathetic to the struggles of biracial (black and white) women, of the past and today -- I am an Asian-American female. The book is a beautifully written, but painful story of how the protagonist moves through her life in societies where she is kept down on many levels (socially, economically, psychologically, physically) -- basically her journey through the "quicksand" of classism, racism, and sexism. The book deserves a wide audience.

Remarkable.......2001-10-01

Quicksand was an overlooked treasure during Renaissance. Pay close attention to the detail, the surroundings, and the inner thoughts of the main character.... simply marvelous.

Black Rain: A Novel (Japan's Modern Writers)

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When subtlety means reservation and what people had for dinner
The Rest of the Story
Relentless
A masterpiece of all times
A Must Read

Black Rain: A Novel (Japan's Modern Writers)
Masuji Ibuse
Manufacturer: Kodansha International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 087011364X

Book Description

|Black Rain is centered around the story of a young woman who was caught in the radioactive "black rain" that fell after the bombing of Hiroshima. lbuse bases his tale on real-life diaries and interviews with victims of the holocaust; the result is a book that is free from sentimentality yet
manages to reveal the magnitude of the human suffering caused by the atom bomb. The life of Yasuko, on whom the black rain fell, is changed forever by periodic bouts of radiation sickness and the suspicion that her future children, too, may be affected.

lbuse tempers the horror of his subject with the gentle humor for which he is famous. His sensitivity to the complex web of emotions in a traditional community torn asunder by this historical event has made Black Rain one of the most acclaimed treatments of the Hiroshima story.

Customer Reviews:

When subtlety means reservation and what people had for dinner.......2007-07-25

The beauty in this kinds of books comes from the unfathomable suffering of very normal people, but the traditional Japanese culture is just so shy and reserved about itself that it's hard to see any normal people behind it. Sure, this goes as a cultural study and there's a lot of subtlety involved too, but for me it didn't present anything new about traditional Japan or made me appreciate the way of life in any more than I did before it. The way of experiencing an atomic bombing is very universal after all. The real, interesting culture lays in social relationships, not in terror.

I know I should rate it higher because of the horrors of war and how it's totally offensive not to appreciate a book like this, but... The whole genre is a bit too sacred in my opinion. People always give books like this five stars yet they read something completely different most of the time. These aren't their actual favorites. They just feel like they should be appreciated, must be appreciated, so they have to rate them highly.

But my two stars is directed for the reading experience, this is not a review of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The Rest of the Story.......2007-07-24

Having read The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes some years ago, I found my self wishing I had known about "Black Rain" at that time. "Black Rain" would have been the ideal book to read immediately after finishing Rhodes' book.

Although this is historical fiction and not a strictly historical account, the impact of this book clearly comes from Mr. Ibuse's primary research and interviewing of bomb survivors. The image that I will never forget was that of the toddler attempting to suckle from her dead mother; but other scenes in the book hold power as well.

Not only does "Black Rain" examine the impact of "Little Boy" on people of Hiroshima, but it also provides glimpses of the day-to-day hardships (such as starvation rations) and mistreatment that Japanese militarism brought its own civilians leading up to the bombing to the uncertainty that the survivors would have to carry with them for the rest of their lives regarding the long term health effects of their exposure.

At times, it reads as a very matter-of-fact account; but, at others, it provides a window on the thoughts, and emotions of the ordinary people of Hiroshima. Included are the feelings of resentments towards the Japanese Imperial Military (especially those that dared not be spoken during the war) to the understandable pondering of those effected by the bomb who wonder why it had to happen.

I can't say that there are not other books that would add to one's understanding of the history of this event, but The Making of the Atomic Bomb paired with "Black Rain" provide as clear an understanding as any two books could, at least for someone born over 20 years after the End of World War II.

Relentless.......2007-05-06

Masuji Ibuse's "Black Rain" is rightly considered a classic in Japanese literature, and perhaps "the" classic of literature about the atomic bombs dropped on Japan.

Shigematsu and his wife, Shigeko, arranged for a relative, Yasuko, to move to Hiroshima in order to avoid the draft for the war effort. Shigematsu worked for the government and could arrange things. After the bombing, persistent rumours about Yasuko suffering from radiation sickness made it impossible to find her a suitor for marriage. This problem prompted Shigematsu to write his own account of August the 6th, 1945, to show that Yasuko was exceptionally healthy. His logic was that he had been exposed to much more and his own life was relatively normal. He is a man of pride and dignity, as well as one with a keen sense of his own obligations to others around him.

Shigematsu's account is a catalogue of a plethora of horrors that people suffered during and immediately after the bombing. The injuries, the sights and Shigematsu's descriptions of them left this reader feeling less than pleasant. Shigematsu does not hold back on the details, nor does he attempt to overwell the reader with cheap shock tactics.

Shigematsu neither asks for nor expects the reader's sympathy. It is almost as if the bomb has to fit within his life and everyday routine. In the midst of the horror, for example, Shigematsu has business to attend to, and sees that he has done it to the extent possible. He comes across as a forthright and straight up person with a deep sense of trying to maintain some air of normality in the midst of terrible circumstances.

Ibuse based his novel on accounts written by survivors who were there and saw what happened. Ibuse neither justifies the bombing nor blames anyone for it, but focuses on the tragedy itself from a very human viewpoint. His relentless journey through the aftermath of the bomb is indeed a statement for life and dignity. Shigematsu and those around him somehow maintain a deep sense of value and dignity for human life and experience, which especially shine through in the days after the bombing itself.

This is not a pleasant book to read, but it is a great book and should be counted with the greats of literature from around the world. This book is a touching and penetrating journey into a Japanese family's experiences of the Hiroshima bombing. I absolutely recommend it to all.

A masterpiece of all times.......2007-05-01

Ibuse is one of the few masters of historical novels in the world. This is considered by many the summit of his career. Be as it may, having been written after many other historical works (by the time he wote this he had been 40 years at the metier), it is technically very well accomplished.

In this book, Ibuse controls very ably the flow of time and events, going back and forth betweena bitter present from which the disenchanted narrator sees the absurdity of the events which led to the atrocity of the bomb and the mad times where the facts took place. This construction does in fact add perspective and depth to the book. More important, it is performed flawlessly, so that the reader follows along with interest and doesn't loose track.

Lastly, the vividness and proximity with which it conveys an incredible extent of human suffering is just unbelievable. If only for this, this book is a must read for anyone interested in literature.

But of course, there is more to this book than just literature. It offers a cold and neutral stare on the madness of totalitarian goverments, on the stupidity of human beings when acting collectively and a subjective point of view on what probably is the worst war crime of all times. More people might have died at consecutive incendiary raids in different Japanes cities during the war, but the brutality of the tool used here is something to behold.

A Must Read.......2006-04-18

I waited six months to get my hands on a copy of this book, eager to read it because it is supposed to be one of the best in the genre. The anticipation made me a little hesitant when beginning it, putting it off for another few weeks because I had high hopes- hopes that were fulfilled.
Ibuse bases his story on interviews and diaries of survivors, using real many authentic incidents. But this is also the partially fictional tale of Yasuko and her family as they struggle with life and acceptance following the bombing of Hiroshima. Though not in the direct line of the bomb and suffering no noticeable injury or illness but having been caught in the `black rain' that fell after, Yasuko has to worry about the future of not only herself but any children that she may have. This is one of the reasons that though of marrying age she has as of yet succeeded in securing a husband and the cause for both her and her Uncle Shizuma to begin copying their diaries from the day of the bombing and the days following. The novel goes backwards and forwards in time, giving the reader a sense of what it is like for the people who lived through the atrocity, as well as horror that was the bombing itself and the aftermath.
It's all matter of fact, never shying away from the gory detail to appease the reader, never adding drama where it isn't needed but still manages to convey the suffering.
As an Australian reading this some fifty years plus after Hiroshima you could assume that it would be difficult to understand many of the emotions and customs that come up in the book (as I did with On The Beach, feeling as though the characters were cold and lacking certain emotions or attachments, but realizing that this was because of the generational gap), but Ibuse still managed to convey an image that crosses generations and cultures.
You become involved with Shizuma's and any other's plight, the predicament that Yasuko finds herself and the desperate fight for survival during wartime. You want it to turn out to the best for them, knowing full well the horror that is nuclear warfare. It's impossible not to see how indiscriminate it is and wonder why anyone would ever use such horrific force then, and especially now when we know how awful the truth is.
It is such a superb book that should be on anyone's must read list (and sent to every leader who has nuclear capabilities).

Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man: A Casebook (Casebooks in Criticism)

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Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man: A Casebook (Casebooks in Criticism)

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195145364

Book Description

This casebook features ten distinctive and provocative essays in addition to a generous sampling of Ellison's comments on the novel. A number of the latter are from letters never before published; also published here for the first time is Part II of Ellison's "Working Notes on Invisible Man," an undated exposition of his authorial intentions, probably written in 1946 or 1947. The ten essays are a selection of the most perceptive and comprehensive essays written on Invisible Man during the last thirty-five years, including an essay by Kenneth Burke, which began as a letter to Ellison about the novel, written before its publication in 1952. Also among the essays is Larry Neal's "Ellison's Zoot Suit," in which he finds the novel an exemplary enactment in fiction of the "black aesthetic." The essays explore topics of narrative form, classical and vernacular points of reference, and the relationship between the themes of love and politics. Taken together with Ellison's "Working Notes" and later commentary on the novel, these essays account for the continuing appeal of Invisible Man more than fifty years after its publication. An editor's introduction and a full bibliography accompany the essays, selections from Ellison's writings, and informal statements on his novel. The volume offers a rich variety of interpretations of Invisible Man for students and scholars of Ellison.

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You're Kidding Me!
Not Too Bad But Not Too Good
Where is the story I paid to read?
Great.
Captivating

I'm Telling : A Novel
Karen E. Quinones Miller
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743214358

Book Description

Eleven-year-old Faith Freeman has a secret: She saw her stepfather molesting her twin sister, Hope. This unspoken truth clouds family relations for almost twenty years, until Faith decides she's had enough heavy weather. As if juggling her career as a New York literary agent, a loving relationship with her boyfriend, Henry, and the care of her aging (and agitated) mother weren't enough, Faith takes on the burden of her twin's wounded psyche. So damaged was Hope at the hands of incestuous "Papa" that the crackhouses of Harlem and prostitution on the boulevards of Queens beckon as an escape from an all-too-painful reality.

Just when Hope seems on the verge of turning herself around, she enacts a betrayal so unforgivable that the sisterly bond she so desperately -- yet secretly -- desires may be severed forever. With her whole family watching, Faith must call upon her gifts of language, compassion, and understanding to save her sister and herself.

For anyone who has ever chosen between speaking up and backing down, I'm Telling is the story of one family's darkest hour that lights the way toward love and redemption.

Customer Reviews:

You're Kidding Me!.......2007-05-09

For the author to pass this off as a novel is just beyond sad. The story was ok, but there was no character development, no real backstory, no plot development, nothing. It felt like the author just threw something together to meet a deadline. I think the author missed a real opportunity to explore the topic of incest and how it affects the victim and the victimizer. I will say that there was one steamy scene that's worth mentioning. I predicted what "happened" with Hope and Henry, although my outcome was wrong. I also predicted the ending and was on point. This is a lightweight, easy to read short story. Something to take to the beach or the park. Not worth a purchase at all. Oh, and by the by, y'all is spelled y'all!

Not Too Bad But Not Too Good.......2007-02-04

This was a so-so read for me. It starts off a little slow then pics up quickly in the middle....then...just when it's got your full attention..............You start predicting whats gonna happen next and the ending is rushed leaving un answered questions about things that should of had more details. Read it at your own risk.

Where is the story I paid to read?.......2006-05-31

RATING: 2.5

In "I'm Telling", Karen E. Quinones Miller writes a story of a family who deals with the aftermath of incest (or shall I say semi-incest). Miller is a clever writer. BUT here, she is not able to deliver and execute the STORY, behind the STORY; the issue of incest and betrayal in a family. The book is more about Faith's (the wholesome twin sister) relationship with her boyfriend, about her job, and about her cooking meals for her momma--and those situations are clever, slightly interesting and all BUT; "I thought I was reading a book about something else".

The issues of betrayal, a dysfunctional family, incest, a mother's decision to choose her man over her kid are not thoroughly addressed. Miller scratches the surface of these topics and then moves along... quickly. You get to the end of the story and you are left feeling empty. The book's jacket description of the book is far more interesting than the book itself.

Mrs. Miller also left me feeling like this with her other book Satin Doll; "Nice writing but where is the story I thought I was going to be reading about?"

If you want to read about a woman's relationship with her "perfect" boyfriend and about a woman's career as a literary agent and about a woman who can cook well, then "I'm Telling" is the book for you....But if you want a juicy story that the jacket of the book describes then, I advise you to pass on this.

And P.S- I think it was unnecessary for her to mention that tidbit about Terry McMillan being sued (or whatever happened) for her book Disappearing Acts. Karen was just plain ole hating there, if you ask me.

Great........2006-03-31

This book was really good. i loved hope's character.I gave it 5 stars and I think everyone should read it.

Captivating.......2005-04-12

I read this book a few years ago and was amazed at how the author was able to bring in so much drama while not letting it get out of hand. This was a well-written, well paced novel. Enough drama to keep the pages turning and not too much to make you gasp. I was captivated from beginning to end.

Toni Morrison: Critical and Theoretical Approaches (A Modern Fiction Studies Book)

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Toni Morrison: Critical and Theoretical Approaches (A Modern Fiction Studies Book)

Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0801857023

Book Description

The 1993 Nobel Laureate in Literature, Toni Morrison is well established as one of the leading voices in American letters. Even so, her novels are often read narrowly rather than expansively, read as literary artifacts rather than as dynamic cultural texts.

Without ignoring the literary and artistic achievements of Morrison's writing, Toni Morrison: Critical and Theoretical Approaches calls attention to the cultural and political dimensions of her work. Drawing on a diverse range of approaches and theories -- from W. E. B. DuBois to deconstruction and postmodernism, from black feminist criticism to reader response -- these essays investigate such timely issues as debates about canonization, about race and gender divisions in America, about the founding assumptions of African American identity.

Contributors: Barbara T. Christian, Marianne DeKoven, Dwight A. McBride, Patricia McKee, Richard C. Moreland, Toni Morrison, Rafael Perez-Torres, Nancy J. Peterson, James Phelan, Eusebio L. Rodrigues, Judylyn S. Ryan, Caroline M. Woidat

"These essays exemplify the kinds of issues being addressed in the nineties by scholars of Morrison and by the profession more broadly. The topics of the individual essays vary, but read together, they offer valuable insights into why Morrison has become a much celebrated, widely taught author." -- from the Introduction

Discrepant Engagement: Dissonance, Cross-Culturality, and Experimental Writing (Modern & Contemporary Poetics)

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Discrepant Engagement: Dissonance, Cross-Culturality, and Experimental Writing (Modern & Contemporary Poetics)
Nathaniel Mackey
Manufacturer: University Alabama Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0817310320

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Discrepant Engagement addresses work by a number of authors not normally grouped under a common rubric--black writers from the United States and the Caribbean and the so-called Black Mountain poets. Nathaniel Mackey examines the ways in which the experimental aspects of their work advance a critique of the assumptions underlying conventional perceptions and practice. Arguing that the work of these writers engages the discrepancy between presumed norms and qualities of experience such norms fail to accommodate, Mackey highlights their valorization of dissonance, divergence and formal disruption. He advances a cross-cultural mix that is uncommon in studies of experimental writing, frequently bringing the works and ideas of the authors it addresses into dialogue and juxtaposition with one another, insisting that parallels, counterpoint and relevance to one another exist among writers otherwise separated by ethnic and regional boundaries.

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A Wonderful Overview of a Great Writer's Work
The Premier Spokesman for a People

The Langston Hughes Reader
Langston Hughes
Manufacturer: George Braziller
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0807600571

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful Overview of a Great Writer's Work.......2002-03-21

This is a great for every reader. It's a book you can and will read from again AND AGAIN. Hughes' diverse body of work is well represented here. The works, like his career, span decades and reflect the passage of time.

The book is full of terrific Hughes pieces. Humor, political commentary, current events. There's something for everybody. Hughes' work is always engaging and always interesting. He deals with questions that remain vibrant today. Even when addressing serious or dark topics, Hughes' intellect, curiosity, and wit bring light to the reader. Buy it now!

The Premier Spokesman for a People.......2000-05-07

No other writer in America has been as "on-the-mark" with the pulse of Black America than Langston Hughes. Sometimes humerous, often touching, but, most often, hard-hitting and reflective, Hughes wrote from his experience as well as the experiences of what it is to be black in America. All of his significant works are here: the "Simple stories," the epic "Montage to a Dream Deferred," poems designed chiefly for children, plus articles and speeches made in his later years.

The book is a must for those who appreciate well-crafted prose and poetry.

Book Description

The unforgettable crew of characters that made RM Johnson's debut novel The Harris Men a bestseller return in this riveting story of love, loss, and second chances.

Life hasn't been easy for Julius Harris since he walked out on his wife and three sons twenty-five years ago. He may be blessed with the love of a wonderful new woman and a beautiful home in California, but not a moment passes that he isn't filled with regret for the fateful choice he made so many years ago. What's worse, he's now fighting for his life against an illness that leaves him with little hope of ever rebuilding the family lost to him. Julius has learned the hard way that there's nothing more precious than family -- and nothing more painful than being estranged from those you love.

But suddenly Julius receives news that gives him fresh hope of making his family whole again: his cancer has gone into remission. Overjoyed, Julius is grateful for this miracle and the time it affords him to make up for his past mistakes. Fulfilling his dream won't be easy, however.

Across the country in Chicago, life isn't exactly simple for his three grown sons -- now in their thirties and busy with families and romantic entanglements of their own. The oldest son, Austin, a handsome and successful attorney, struggles to be a good father to his two children despite his ex-wife's determination to turn them against him. Marcus, the middle son, a self-employed graphic designer, wrestles with a fear of commitment that leads him to drive away the woman he loves. And Caleb, the youngest, just released from prison for armed robbery, tries desperately to rebuild his life and win back the wife and son lost to him as a result of his past mistakes. Between the struggles of romance and career, these three brothers have a difficult enough time being there for one another -- let alone a father they haven't seen in so many years. Nor are they so sure they're ready to let him back into their lives.

Filled with intrigue, romance, and shocking twists, The Harris Family is a deliciously gripping story of contemporary black relationships and, ultimately, a moving testament to the power of family, love, and forgiveness.

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The unforgettable crew of characters that made RM Johnson's debut novel The Harris Men a bestseller return in this riveting story of love, loss, and second chances. Life hasn't been easy for Julius Harris since he walked out on his wife and three sons twenty-five years ago. He may be blessed with the love of a wonderful new woman and a beautiful home in California, but not a moment passes that he isn't filled with regret for the fateful choice he made so many years ago. What's worse, he's now fighting for his life against an illness that leaves him with little hope of ever rebuilding the family lost to him. Julius has learned the hard way that there's nothing more precious than family -- and nothing more painful than being estranged from those you love. But suddenly Julius receives news that gives him fresh hope of making his family whole again: his cancer has gone into remission. Overjoyed, Julius is grateful for this miracle and the time it affords him to make up for his past mistakes. Fulfilling his dream won't be easy, however. Across the country in Chicago, life isn't exactly simple for his three grown sons -- now in their thirties and busy with families and romantic entanglements of their own. The oldest son, Austin, a handsome and successful attorney, struggles to be a good father to his two children despite his ex-wife's determination to turn them against him. Marcus, the middle son, a self-employed graphic designer, wrestles with a fear of commitment that leads him to drive away the woman he loves. And Caleb, the youngest, just released from prison for armed robbery, tries desperately to rebuild his life and win back the wife and son lost to him as a result of his past mistakes. Between the struggles of romance and career, these three brothers have a difficult enough time being there for one another -- let alone a father they haven't seen in so many years. Nor are they so sure they're ready to let him back into their lives.

Customer Reviews:

The Harris Family.......2007-01-16

I was hooked from page 1. This is an excellent book; fiction, but with a serious subject matter.

Family that prays together stays together.......2006-10-27

I read this author's book Father Found and didn't really like it. I just couldn't get into it. That happens sometimes. But just because I didn't like doesn't mean the next person won't. However, this one I found to be engaging. The author exposes the inside life of one family--namely the Harris family. There is turmoil, drama, protection and caring in this clan. The author's writing has really escalated from his previous novel. I look forward to reading the Harris Men.

I understood the themes, but storylines/plotting were obvious.......2005-07-16

I didn't finish the first novel that introduced these characters, but I did finish this one. It was a bit of work to get through this book and when I was finished, I didn't learn anything new or insighful about men who grow up without a positive male figure in their lives. What I did experience were a bunch of intelligent men who made silly choices for the sake of telling a story. All of the main characters were lacking in any "real" personalities; all manufactured to tell a tale lacking in drama or surprise. You don't have to be a rocket science to see some of the (obvious) plot lines coming a mile away. I laughed out loud in a number of places where characters said and did outrageously stupid things.

As for the writing: Mr. Johnson is not a bad writer. In fact, some of the passages were very good. However, his use of metaphors, quite often, did not work. And the constant flashbacks were annoying or, more precisely, were inappropriate in certain places. One last thing: For a book to about emotions, the writing is stilted in this regard and one doesn't really feel anything about the story or the characters. The book often reads like a screenplay - static, unmoving, and devoid of anything emotional. Perhaps if Mr. Johnson had focused on one or two characters and tightened up the plotting (or more inventive with the plotting), it might have been a better book.

Outstanding.......2004-02-14

I bought one RM Johnson book, and I've been hooked ever since. Every single one of his stories has great characterization, a smooth plot, and adult scenes without being vulgar and drawn out. I wish every fiction writer would master this craft! Anyway, this book is about three brothers, one an ex-con with a big heart and a hard head, one who would make a mule jealous because he is so stubborn about EVERYTHING including accepting his not-so-dead-beat-anymore Dad, and the third just can't make up his mind what he wants his future to be like--he wants a relationship, then he doesn't, he wants to have his kids around, then he doesn't want kids anymore. They're all trying to reach growing up goals but have a habit of being SUPER immature at times. Marcus reminds me a lot of me so it was funny watching him cause he was dead wrong most of the time.

waiting for the movie!!!!! and i want one!!!!.......2003-09-11

this book was the best. every man that is having these problems of not forgiving their abandoned fathers or fathers who have abandoned their childern should read this. ok the characters...ok the part of julius should be played by morgan freeman or ossie davis or charles dutton. the part of austin should be played by lawence fishburn or maybe denzel washington. the part of marcus should be played by eddie murphy. why? because he is a very good actor and he needs a good dramatic role and this character would be perfect for him. the part of caleb? there are many outstanding young black actors that can play him. will smith (i think he can play this role to the hilt!) taye diggs, lorenze tate, mikai Fifer. the part of cathy? if ossie davis plays the role of julis then ruby dee should play the part of cathy. trace could be played by vanessa williams. and the part of recie can be played by vivica fox. sonya? humm...maybe jada pinkett smith. but this is a wonderful book it is destined to be a movie!

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