Average customer rating:
- Pretty lame
- Great book about disillusionment!
- What a waste!
- "This is the game that moves as you play."
- For a first novel, not bad
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Less Than Zero
Bret Easton Ellis
Manufacturer: Vintage
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Binding: Paperback
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American Psycho
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ASIN: 0679781498
Release Date: 1998-06-30 |
Book Description
Set in Los Angeles in the early 1980's, this coolly mesmerizing novel is a raw, powerful portrait
of a lost generation who have experienced sex, drugs, and disaffection at too early an age, in a
world shaped by casual nihilism, passivity, and too much money a place devoid of feeling or
hope.
Clay comes home for Christmas vacation from his Eastern college and re-enters a landscape of
limitless privilege and absolute moral entropy, where everyone drives Porches, dines at Spago,
and snorts mountains of cocaine. He tries to renew feelings for his girlfriend, Blair, and for his
best friend from high school, Julian, who is careering into hustling and heroin. Clay's holiday
turns into a dizzying spiral of desperation that takes him through the relentless parties in glitzy
mansions, seedy bars, and underground rock clubs and also into the seamy world of L.A. after dark.
Customer Reviews:
Pretty lame.......2007-10-18
I'm a huge fan of literary fiction, but I was bored throughout 3/4 of this. I read on because it felt as though it was just about to get interesting...it never did.
Great book about disillusionment!.......2007-10-12
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Definitely captures the essence of young adults' disillusionment. I felt the book was written honestly -- the indifference the protagonist feels for himself, his friends, his lifestyle and culture is laid out for the reader to see and experience.
This book is a quick read - so even if you don't agree with everything written in the book or with the author, you're not going to waste a lot of your time. On the other hand, I viewed the book and the author as a (personal) study of a narrow scope of society and found this a worthwhile read.
What a waste!.......2007-07-24
This book has no defined climax or conclusion. Has good detail but not a real good story line.
"This is the game that moves as you play.".......2007-07-04
If you have the Vintage edition of 'Less Than Zero', your first and only warning is the first thing you see, the cover. The muted skyline of Los Angeles choking in a sea of white with sprawl unfolding towards it.
This is a book where you have to follow the anxiety ladened drumbeat to a concert you don't want to go to but that has already passed. A claustrophobic, tense fog will enter the environment you are reading this book in. It doesn't go away until you get rid of or finish the book.
'Less Than Zero' isn't verbose, it isn't even intelligent. It's startlingly simple in the way it tells its story, but there's nothing bare here. It's like a slow moving train through a forlorn metropolis, the passengers watching hills of bodies move pass with the foundations of skyscrapers being freshly constructed upon them. Here it is: 'Less Than Zero', verbose (no), intelligent (no), but fascinating (yes).
Everything that 1950s America tried to bury in the middle of the Earth can be found here plus some more. Want to know the thing that would tickle their bones? There's a constellation of characters complicit in it all. It's screw and kill or get killed and screwed right in front of the Televangelist hallway monitors.
If you threw this book out your window, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't hear it land. I often wondered what the characters could hear. I imagined it was a metallic-like scratch as Blair talked to Clay or when Rip talked to Julian. Or maybe it was just a big empty nothing.
If you choose to read this book to fulfill any self-satisfying purpose, it will elicit one and one only black hole of a response from me, and it is that;
You will go nowhere.
For a first novel, not bad.......2007-06-17
Ellis' best novel is American Psycho. But in Less Than Zero one can see the direction Ellis was heading in: first-person monologue narration, disillusioned, vapid characters and scenes of disturbing violence. This novel is very good, especially when considered in the context of being a first novel. It's one I will re-read and continue to study. Some have compared this work to Catcher in the Rye, but it's more aptly linked to The Great Gatsby with its hyper-realism and trouble in paradise themes. However, in Less Than Zero Clay never finds out what he wants, never pursues it, and learns nothing. And in that regard, Ellis outdoes Fitzgerald. Ellis has the art of the tight sentence down, but Fitzgerald is more moving and beautiful. But Ellis' intention is to shock, which he does very well. Unless you've already read American Psycho, and then Less Than Zero might slightly underwhelm you.
Book Description
Raising thriving, emotionally healthy sons does not require a man around the house! That's the conclusion of a groundbreaking research study that will open eyes, stir debate, and reassure nearly 10 million single mothers. As the number of single-mom and two-mom households has grown, so have concerns about the possible damage to boys caused by the lack of a male role model in the house. Peggy F. Drexler, Ph.D., listened to all the dire warnings; but her training as a research psychologist told her she had to see the evidence. So she embarked on a long-term study comparing boys raised in female-headed families with those whose fathers were present throughout their childhood. What Dr. Drexler discovered is as heartening as it is startling:
Customer Reviews:
Utter claptrap.......2007-10-01
This schlock was recommended by an acquaintance and I'm stunned. It's simplistic and often silly without really saying much of anything. It is a book of assumptions and common sense and the only people who would need to read it are those so out of the mainstream, such as a rich professor of psychology, and not those that are actually raising children without a partner. There are few if any citations to speak of, and essentially I found this book to be a complete waste of time.
Reader beware, you have been warned.
Hogwash.......2007-09-16
Absolute hogwash and drivel. The author projects her own unresolved issues with her father on to every case study and creates fantastic conclusions based on shoddy and inaccurate science
could we have a balanced review?.......2007-02-16
I'm more stunned by the reviews than by the book. I think the book has interesting information and a valid perspective that isn't heard often.
But to understand that, one needs to actually read the book and also to understand sociological methods of study - studying human experience is not like studying cause and effect in a lab. One also needs to hear and grasp the difference between studies on boys with fathers who have abandoned them - the studies most often cited and associated with stats about the negative effects of not having a father - and this study which is on boys who do not have a father in the picture and never have. In this way, this is new research.
The book doesn't, to me, say that men are not necessary to boys - in fact the author spends a great deal of the book talking about how boys who do not have fathers get access to (and are encouraged by their "maverick moms" to get access to) men and male role models. She finds this to be of benefit for the boys.
She does also say that, based on this research, she sees boys being raised in this specific circumstance (boys without fathers who have abandoned them and who are being raised by a mom or moms) doing very well and developing in a very balanced and healthy manner.
My issue with the book is two-fold. I'd like to see more research and a follow-up with the subjects of her research - I think that would lend itself to a stronger work.
I also just found the writing to be generally unorganized and a bit repetitive. This was very distracting to me as I read.
So interesting information - would like more research and more data - writing itself only so-so.
Shoddy research.......2007-01-15
Drexler seems to forget that anecdotal evidence cannot be used to justify the type of claims she's making in this book, which is riddled with biased sample and hasty generalization fallacies. Drexler makes sweeping statements about the efficacy of single mother parenting without even attempting to clearly define her definition, let alone establish a double blind study or make any other attempt whatsoever to compensate for her bias. Instead, she relies on anecdotal evidence supplied by individuals who were clearly selected based on whether or not their stories support her conclusions.
An Excellent and Much-Needed Book.......2006-11-17
It is inarguable that basic types of families in this country have changed drastically in the last few decades. Whether your politics are from the left or the right, whether you accept these new varieties of family with liberal openness, or reject them with conservative parsimony, you cannot dispute that they exist. As Peggy Drexler informs us in her book Raising Boys Without Men, "The U.S. Census Bureau recently reported that only 23.5 percent of households in the United States now contain...the Father Knows Best kind [of families], with a married mom and dad and their children."
For those of you who are math challenged, that means less than a quarter of all homes have what we used to think of as a normal (i.e. the classic nuclear) family. Drexler also mentions that half of all marriages will end in divorce, and forty percent of babies are born out of wedlock (an interesting word which has nothing to do with padlocks, but rather comes from the Old English wedd for pledge and lâc, a suffix expressing activity). "The number of families headed by single mothers increased 25 percent between 1990 and 2000, to more than 7.5 million households."
Plainly speaking, families are way more diverse than they used to be. Because advances in medicine and technology (artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization) have allowed for the role reduction of previously-thought-to-be-essential partners in reproduction (i.e. men), and because increasing numbers of women are either having children in lesbian couples; remaining as divorced and single parents; having children without getting married in the first place; adopting; or otherwise finding ways to have and raise children without men, an increasing number of families simply contain no male parent. Dr. Drexler refers to all of these kinds of mothers-without-men by the term "maverick moms."
The book is explicitly intended to challenge the "tide of opinion and the research arguing that boys need fathers in order to grow to manliness." It is a laudable goal, and mostly Dr. Drexler succeeds. Apparently there are lots of folks out there who believe that without men around, the sons of maverick moms will become warped, perverted, sissified, or (any contradiction here?) "violent, drug-using hellions...boys who present no positive maleness, all due to the combination of Mom's presence and Dad's absence." The idea that "two women could raise a boy to a man without warping his manhood...challenges the preconceptions of social scientists, health care professionals, judges, politicians, pundits, and parents."
One of my quibbles with the book is that too often, instead of citing actual and specific sources, Dr. Drexler cites vague things like "the tide of opinion," or "recent studies," or unnamed "researchers," which to my mind is too much like saying "people say that..." (or, only marginally better: "scientists say that"). I believe she does her thesis and her political position a disservice by being so fuzzy and nebulous with both supporting and opposing statements and data. It would have done this book great benefit had Dr. Drexler actually shown us some of these folks she is arguing with in absentia and told us what they actually said. Otherwise, they seem like straw men.
The mother is supposed to be responsible for everything her son is and will become. It's as if she holds all the cards. If she's a good mother, her son will turn out okay. If she's a bad mother, she winds up with a bad son. And, curiously enough, the father plays a minor role in taking the blame for the problems the children may have. It's a double bind for moms because fathers seem to carry much less responsibility for the problems their sons may have, but in the popular culture of today, they are considered absolutely essential to raising good sons.
Dr. Drexler is quite up front about her intentions and political viewpoint. She believes there is no reason boys cannot grow up to be terrific, balanced, successful (by any standard you might imagine) men, even in households that lack a paternal male presence. She points out that what is of basic and paramount importance is good parenting, and not the gender of the parent(s). She asserts that "The number of times you eat dinner with your kids is a better guide to how well they'll turn out than the number or gender of the parents at the dinner table." And further that parental socioeconomic status will be a stronger predictor of how well kids will do than "almost any other index of child welfare." Which leaves me wondering about that "almost." What is a stronger predictor?
In addition to doing extensive research of the literature on maverick mom childrearing--her doctoral dissertation was on whether and how sons of lesbian mothers developed moral character "without the presence of a moralizing father figure"--Dr. Drexler also did what anthropologists call "participant observation" and what Anna Freud called "direct observation" of children and their maverick moms. She spent several years observing, interviewing, spending time with a great many of these mothers and their sons. Her interactions and conversations with the boys are sprinkled throughout the book, and sometimes seem cute, funny, illustrative and true, but sometimes seem a bit forced and too much like filler, as though she needed to water down the more academic-y material in order to make this a more popularly palatable work.
One of her findings that should come as no surprise to anyone but the most sightless and bigoted of reactionary fundamentalists, is that children of maverick moms are overwhelmingly planned for in comparison with the general population of children with both a mother and a father. Their children "are thought about and brought into the world with care and preparation." Parents who make these kinds of conscious and deliberate decisions tend to be older than couples who merely become pregnant without forethought and planning. This in turn means that "lesbian mothers tended to be better educated and more financially secure than average moms." (Recall the paragraph above regarding the socioeconomic status of parents.)
What might come as a surprise to many is that not only do boys in such (no-longer-so) unorthodox families tend to do well, they actually seem to do significantly better than the average boys from so-called "normal" families! Let me state that again for those of you who missed it. Boys raised by maverick moms tend to do better, on average, than boys from so-called "normal" families. Really.
One of the contributing factors to the relative success of these boys is another counterintuitive fact: boys in fatherless families, tend to have a greater number of male role models than boys who actually have a male parent in the house. This is because both the boys themselves and their maverick mothers tend to look for other kinds of males to sit in for the missing fathers. The boys and/or their mothers tend to grab onto coaches, male teachers, neighbors, fathers of their friends, and so on. But the effect of this is that the boys seem to actually spend more time, and more quality time with the men they select as father figures than so-called-normal boys do with their actual fathers. "It has been reported that the typical American father spends, on average, only 11 minutes each day with his children." (See what I mean? Reported where?)
One of the things Dr. Drexler finds is that there is pretty much the same dynamic between children and their mom-mom dyads as between children and their mother-father dyad. The illustrative stories sprinkled throughout the book sound like regular kids and regular parents. I believe this may be her point. She is asserting that the gender of various members of a household is not nearly as significant to a child's successful upbringing, socialization and well-being, as the care, love, and attention the child gets, irregardless of the shape of the genitals possessed by the parent. And (not to take away from the book here) that seems pretty obvious.
Why then is it necessary for a book such as this? Mostly, it would seem, because there are so many people who believe otherwise. If you imagine that fathers are an essential sine qua non in order for boys to become normal, healthy, flourishing, adults, then this book will open your eyes. Apparently that is truly not so. Good parenting can come in all sorts of sizes and shapes. As Dr. Drexler says, "Gender is simply not a tidy way of organizing what we know about human beings." Nor what we are.
Book Description
2002 Gold Medallion Award winner!
With so much confusion about the role of men in our society, it's no wonder so many parents and teachers are at a loss about how to bring up boys. Our culture has vilified masculinity and, as a result, boys are suffering. Parents, teachers, and others involved in shaping the character of boys have many questions. In Bringing Up Boys, Dr. James Dobson, America's most trusted authority on family issues, tackles these questions and offers advice and encouragement based on a firm foundation of biblical principles. Bringing Up Boys--a must-read book for parents, teachers, social workers, youth leaders, counselors--anyone involved in the challenge of turning boys into good men.
The audio book is read by Wayne Shepard and punctuated by original music.
Customer Reviews:
Every mother should read.......2007-10-16
What knowledge and insight Dr. Dobson shares with us through this book. All moms should read it whether they have been blessed with girls, boys or both!
A must read for parents, grandparents, and childcare providers!.......2007-10-13
This is one of the top books ever on raising children! The solid advice, backed up by credible references makes it on of the most inspirational books to read and re-read as a parent. If everyone in the USA read this book it would be a much more solid, strong nation.
Horrid, hateful, christian right propaganda.......2007-09-26
This is the most hateful, senseless and just plain silly book I've had the displeasure to skim.
If you are a member of the christian right, agree with anything republican, regularly beat some sense into your kids. Then maybe you'll like this book. Most of it makes baseless senseless statements without a shred of evidence. Its really Dodson's opinion spouted as fact. And most of that is very much in line with the republican, conservative political propaganda.
I'm scared of the people I know who like this book and what they regularly do to their boys.
Unfortunately only the "conservatives" get away with this type of abusive behavior. Look at the priest scandal, Mark Foley, Senator Craig, Ted Haggard.
Must Read!.......2007-08-27
Dobson does a great job at explaining the inherent differences between boys and girls. I expect the book will be especially helpful for moms who grew up with all sisters and haven't been around little boys at all. The book additionally goes a long way toward dispelling so many PC myths in society about boys and masculinity.
Very disappointed.......2007-08-09
I am about to adopt 2 boys and a neighbor said that I just HAD to read this book. I have been reading a number of books that have given clear and positive advice and opinions, this book was not one of those books. I sat down with my highlighter ready to mark interesting passages and quickly realized that there were none. I feel that this book is more about the author's views on the state of the "traditional" family, feminism and homosexuality than the unique challenges of raising a boy.
Book Description
A practical, informative guide for mothers on raising secure, healthy sons.
Customer Reviews:
Strong Mothers, Strong Sons: Raising the Next Generation of Men.......2007-09-10
Ann Caron is a great writer, with great information. Wish I had had this knowledge when my sons were entering puberty. Must reading for parents of sons and daughters.
Helped me raise a super son!.......2007-06-14
I read this book when it was new over 10 years ago. My son is now 24 years old.
I raised him alone because his father was an absent parent (aka - an alcoholic). To top off our disadvantage, I was a teen parent. But, I was a strong mother and indeed raised a strong son. He has excelled both in college (graduated summa cum laude from a top west coast university) and is now very successful as an IT manager/consultant. And, he is an extremely caring yet mature young man. He respects females in the work place as well as all people in general. He isn't afraid to take on tough business challenges and see through these challenges to the end.
I am blessed to have a son that is someone to be very proud of. I am very fortunate that he still comes to me for support and openly communicates to me about his life. This book helped provide me with simply the "guts" to be a strong mother when it was most needed during his teen years and into his college years.
I advise all moms toughing it out alone to read this book and find the bravery to be the best you can be for your son. Let him experience life, but guide him with an open and loving, but firm hand. It will pay off!
A useful book for raising a teenage son........2006-02-09
I found this book to be useful in understanding why my son was already entering teenage rebellion at the age of 12. The advice to give more independence while staying in charge on things that REALLY matter was invaluable. I convinced my husband to participate in this process which was not easy. The result was excellent and within one year he was in control of his own behavior without constant supervision. He is now 18 and we never had any major difficulties during his teenage. I do not know why a male reviewer was so negative about the book but I totally disagree. The book is based on research and confirmed by information in other books that were published somewhat later (written by men such as Michael Gurian's "The Wonder of Boys")
Stick to girls!.......2001-08-05
In attempting to better understand my son after divorce, I read this, as one of perhaps a dozen books that were recommended. In a short summary, and as a divorced dad, I believe this author should stick to what she understands, girls and their mothers. There are much better books if you are interested in understanding how boys grow, and how to help them mature.
Strong Mothers, Strong Sons.......2000-02-02
This book was a lifesaver in my dealing with my 13-year old son who seemed determined to take out all his frustrations and anger at his parents' divorce on me. Understanding why he is the way he is and what is normal and not normal has helped me enjoy being around him more. This book gave me the strength to stand my ground with my son who is constantly pushing the limits to the max. I wish my ex-husband would read the book because I think Caron's insight into boys is invaluable, regardless of whether you are a mom or dad.
Book Description
Why spend tons of money on humdrum designer duds when it's possible to revamp a piece you already own to create a guaranteed original that looks, fits, and feels just the way it should?
Rip It! shows how simple and fun it can be to transform a tired wardrobe into hip, one-of-a-kind new looks without spending a dime. Elissa Meyrich, owner and teacher at the popular New York sewing boutique Sew Fast Sew Easy, has been passing her sewing secrets and style tips on to students for years. Now she shows beginners and experienced sewers everywhere how to customize pieces found at cheap chain stores, thrift shops, or the far reaches of a closet and create fabulous new designs. Rip It! includes everything you need -- basic sewing and alteration information; quick sewing methods; where to find supplies; advice on which fabrics to use; important cutting rules; plus illustrated layouts, drawings, and instructions that show you how to:
- Jazz up old t-shirts with stretch lace and zippers
- Turn faded, falling-apart jeans into a hot new denim skirt
- Change a pullover into a cute cardigan
- Make a thrift-store dress into a hipster skirt
- Create an instant poncho
Cool, crafty, and brimming with creative ideas, Rip It! is a hands-on handbook that will show you how to give your clothes sass, sparkle, and your own signature style.
Customer Reviews:
Doesn't address fit problems.......2007-10-18
This book would be great for young people but it doesn't address the "fit" problems that I encounter. Being short 4'10", thick waisted. Things are way too huge in rear and legs if I buy to fit waist. Also being older (66)needed ways to alter places we droop.
Way better than the others.......2007-10-15
This book has really impressed me. It has way better content than the Generation T book and the 99 ways book. This book can be helpful for beginner sewing as well. It runs through how to sew as well as some tailoring tips and how to use different notions and cut fabric. It's great! Much more bang for your buck! I checked out there website and got a really nice sewing machine.
www.sewfastseweasy.com
I know what I'm giving this year!.......2007-10-15
I found this book through the Generation T book and saw that this book has so much more information other than reconstructing a T-Shirt. A group of my friends and I get together and create new outfits that we go clubing in. It's so much more fun going out in something that you've made and that is original. The price of this book is super affordable so I'm giving it as holiday gifts to my girls. We'll be the bombest chicks in the spot!
Who needs anything else?.......2007-10-15
I am in love with these books. I've found a new way of releasing stress by sewing. I'm making all sorts of clothes and saving some major money doing so. This book is great becasue it taught me to hem my own pants. I was paying Nordstroms $20 a pair of pants to hem them. They look professional and my husband is so impressed he has me doing his pants as well.
If you WANT to learn to sew and get creative, get this book!.......2007-10-11
This book has been wonderful for my 14 yr. old daughter. She learned to sew with the Sew Fast Sew Easy book and moved into this book. Now she's reconstructing all sorts of crazy stuff. It's a fun and creative outlet for my kid. I'm happy she has picked up a positive hobby.
Book Description
So many people dream of creating their own style, doing some simple repairs, or making a few accessories. This book is for all of these people, and teaches everyone how easy sewing can be.Sew Fast Sew Easy includes: Patterns and instructions for a simple envelope pillow, a fashionable skirt, and a hip tote bag Tips on creating your sewing survival kitwhich tools are needed and why Hints on how to buy and use a commercial pattern Understanding fabric personalitybuying the right fabric for a project Complete glossary of terms How to overcome fear of sewing machines Rules of cutting and hand-finishing.
Customer Reviews:
Holiday's are right around the corner!.......2007-10-15
I have the Rip It! book and love it. I just got this book for my niece for christmas. She wants to learn how to sew and I know this is the best book out there for her. It's very easy to understand and comes with patterns for her to learn with. I'm also getting her a sewing machine from www.sewfastseweasy.com
I love giving! She is going to be so thrilled!
Perfect!.......2007-10-12
I got this book and learned how to sew in elastic. I'm now making my own bathing suits. Living in Southern California I go through a lot of bathing suits and they're not cheap! I'm extremly happy with my amazon purchase.
If you WANT to learn to sew, get this book!.......2007-10-11
This is one of the best sewing books that I've come across. I bought it for my 14 year old daughter who wants to learn to sew. Going over the projects and the information in this book, it covers everything you'll need to know to start sewing. My daughter loves it and is having fun with sewing. I'm getting her the Rip It! book as well. And nice job on the news video below!
Sew Fast Sew Easy's sewing class bring worldwide attention to the craft community.......2007-10-10
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3MDFIJ3C3O7W9 Rip It!: How to Deconstruct and Reconstruct the Clothes of Your Dreams
A company that knows their stuff. www.sewfastseweasy.com.......2007-10-09
So I bought this book for my girlfriend who wanted to learn to sew after becoming obsessed with project runway. After receiving the book I did a little research on the company. They offer sewing classes to the public in New York City and have been for the past 15 years. I found that they had online video classes and my girlfriend took the men's underwear video. She wont stop making me briefs and I love it. She also made some lacy tanga panties for herself from another one of their videos. Thank you Sew fast Sew easy!!
Book Description
Two smart Black women break the Tyrone code — with affection, with respect, but with no illusions.
Black men as fathers, sons, teachers, lovers, rap stars, professionals, fantasy objects, and cultural constructs — a multifaceted picture of American Black men today.
You know Tyrone. Smooth-talking, irresistible Tyrone — the swagger in his step, the sexy drawl, the poetry and rhythm in his essence — the militant revolutionary of the 1960s evolved into the pimp/thug of the hip-hop era. Tyrone is the Black man seen through the media lens, through stereotype, through the eyes of Black women. He’s "Talk Show Tyrone," all muscle and defiance, “an archetype converted to a hit single.”
In Deconstructing Tyrone, the authors, journalists Natalie Y. Moore and Natalie Hopkinson, examine Black masculinity from a variety of perspectives, looking not for consensus but for insight. With chapters on Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, on the complicated relationship between women and hip-hop, on babydaddies, on gay Black men on and off the down low, on strippers and their fathers, on Black men in the office, at school, and in jail, Deconstructing Tyrone presents a multifaceted picture of American Black men now.
Customer Reviews:
Interseting Perspective.......2007-05-23
Very interesting insight. Made me review my perspective on Black Masculinity. I enjoyed it.
Deconstructing Tyrone.......2007-05-22
Its about time that some one came out with a book like this. It was an interesting read. In the book, it dealt with issues that ALL men deal with; it deals with the black male; how we can overcome some of the issues that we are dealing with.
Who is Tyrone?.......2007-02-11
When Erykah Badu sang the song Tyrone, it was a defining statement of a black man and what he does or does not do. DECONSTRUCTING TYRONE by Natalie Hopkinson and Natalie Y. Moore examines the dichotomy of black men and their masculinity from different perspectives. They look at how the media portrays black men and how people view them in the hip-hop generation.
The chapter "Boy Born Saturday" talks about Michigan's "Hip-Hop Mayor", Kwame Kilpatrick and his role as mayor of Detroit and how he is perceived in and outside of Michigan. The chapter named "Thomas, 36" is about Washington Wizards forward Etan Thomas, a basketball player who has a voice outside of the basketball arena, who is not afraid to pronounce his dissent to the Iraq war and is not afraid to write poetry as well. The chapter "Hip-Hop" further explores the role of hip-hop on black men and how their masculinity is seen. And one of the most interesting chapters was "Boy Born Friday" about Kofi "Debo" Ajabu, a young man schooled and trained in the Black Panther Militia, college student and a gang member. His life takes a turn for the worse and even with all his knowledge and his belief the establishment has been a suppressor, his own actions caused him the biggest trouble. The other chapters in the book are just as informative and insightful.
DECONSTRUCTING TYRONE: A New Look at Black Masculinity in the Hip-Hop Generation is not a negative portrayal of black men, but the truth as seen from different viewpoints. Hopkinson and Moore used a variety of sources, even their own personal views to explore black masculinity. Although some of the observations are not new, they are still meaningful. Hopkinson and Moore are not offering definitive solutions for a better perception of black men, just views on how they are perceived and ways to hopefully open dialogue for change.
Reviewed by Cashana Seals
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
Regarding (Post?)Modern Black Males.......2007-01-10
Two African-American, female journalists, the Natalies, discuss current topics related to African-American males. Oftentimes, I think journalists don't make quality booklength works. I am glad these writers overcame that trend. They cover a wide range of topics from boys' education, strippers, gay men, entrepreneurialism, inter alia. Because of the East Coast-West Coast rap rivalry, many Americans, across racial identities, forget that many Blacks live in the Midwest. Black Chicagoans made house music and Black Detroiters made techno, for example. This book is heavily Midwest-focused, and I appreciated that novelty, especially as a Black person from the region.
This book is much stronger than Cose's "Envy of the World" or Dawsey's "Living to Tell About It." You may want to read it alongside strong works such as Neal's "New Black Man." This was published by Cleis Press. I am impressed how that press is including more than Susie Bright fans recently.
I learned some interesting things from this book. For example, the Natalies say that upper-class Black men marry as rarely as poor Black males. I love that the authors call out Jawanza Kunjufu on his homophobic writings. Still, the journalists come to no conclusion and this may frustrate many. For example, do they think Detroit's Mayor Kilpatrick is a bad or good politician? Do they think strippers are victims of abuse or women with much agency and business skills? Also, some chapters felt too internal, as if they were talking to themselves, rather than about topics that others would find interesting.
Two chapters, one on strippers and one on adolescent girls, troubled the ideas of Black masculinity. On the one hand, these chapters can be seen as anti-essentialist. As women's studies departments become gender studies departments, space is being made to discuss males and this book reflects that. This may prove, again, how much males and females need each other. On the other hand, some may say the writers are going off-topic. These female-dominant chapters may suggest the writers were running out of topics or had to go to women in order to discuss Black males.
The authors spoke in Chicago in November of last year and I regret not hearing their talk deeply. I recommend this book for many readers, across age and gender categories.
Book Description
From the co-author of Lakota Woman, which has sold more than 150,000 paperback copies, comes a compelling account detailing the unique experiences and spiritual knowledge accumulated by four generations of powerful medicine men.
Customer Reviews:
Non Fiction.......2007-09-03
The story of the Sioux leader Crow Dog. It also talks about his family and previous generations, as well as children. He has a co-writer to get all this down. This isn't too bad, and a reasonably interesting account if you are interested in that sort of history and such books as Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee.
CROW DOG THE GREATNESS OF THE COYOTE.......2005-11-21
THE FIRST PART OF THE BOOK IS INCREDIBLE ENLIGHTNING GUIDANCE THROUGH THE RITES, CULTURE AND LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. THEN WE MOVE INTO RECENT HISTORY WITH THE CREATION OF AIM ITS STRUGGLE AND AMAZING VICTORIES; TO MOVE ON WITH PROSECUTION PERSECUTION TORTURE OF THE PEOPLE WHO FOUGHT AND DIE FOR THEIR CULTURE AND ARE STILL FIGHTING TODAY FOR THE RIGHT TO BE WHO THEY ARE. (RESPECT!)
WHEN CROW DOG DESCRIBE HIS JAIL TIME IT IS SO REALISTIC AND SENSITIVE YOU FEEL YOU ARE THERE INSIDE HIM AND THE WALLS, BUT WHEN YOU SHARE HIS FINAL FEAR: YOU ARE BREATHLESS ABOUT TO CHOKE!
ALL THIS HAD TO END UP IN A SUN DANCE.
A WONDERFUL BOOK WHICH SHOULD BE INTO EVERY LIBRARY, BOOKSTORES AND MOST DEFINETELY ON YOUR BOOK SHELVES.
1 HEART!
C
Crow Dog Review.......2005-07-19
Interesting contemporary information (i.e. 1950s on). Tells of Indian's on-going plight in poverty, alcoholism, disease and lack of employment and the feelings this engenders in them. Valuable history of past Holy Men (and women) and their values.
Since I am very interested in Indian studies, both past and present, I enjoyed this book.
A rich book (17 year olds review).......2005-03-25
Crow Dog is one of the best Native American books I've ever read. It is culturally rich and speaks clearly on the injustices done to the Native Americans. It talks not only about the injustices of the past but also the future, like the siege of Wounded Knee. Also this is one of the richest stories which covers the legacy of the Crow Dogs.
One of the reasons this book is so affluent is its personal feel. The author, Leonard Crow Dog, can't write and so he spoke the entire book to an interpreter. This gives the entire book a slow but fluent feel which shadows the way many Native Americans talk, and so the book feels, sometimes, like a story. It makes you feel you are there in every event, and you are connected with the book in an uncanny way.
This book goes in-depth in the religious aspects of Native Americans. The Crow Dog family has always been in the root of Lakota medicine men, and they are responsible for the continued practice of, and the creation of some, Native American rituals. Leonard Crow Dog, the author, was the first to bring back the banded Ghost Dance since the death of his Great-Grand Father. It happened at one of the most important sites in Native American history, Wounded Knee. However, this wouldn't be the last time Leonard Crow Dog would become history at Wounded Knee.
The siege of Wounded Knee, which lasted seventy-two days, is one of the most intense events of the book. In that short time a band of Native Americans, from a rainbow of tribes, raised an independent nation, defended that nation, and fell to an enemy whom had, or maybe more has, no sense of a kept word. The siege of Wounded Knee wasn't actually a siege because the land was a part of a treaty which said it'd be Native American land, but naturally the white man didn't keep their word. It's been more than a decade since the last battle at Wounded Knee and it has been erased from most people's memory.
Crow Dog seems to be more than just a book about the legacy of the Crow Dog family. It seems to be a story about the prevailing struggle that Native American have every day to keep hold of their identity, and to keep hold of their sanity as they are encircled everyday by people how've stolen their home. The important part of the book is not the continued signing and break of agreements with Native Americans, but their spirit to stand resolved and stand with the divine father.
History in the real meaning.......2001-10-19
Leonard Crow Dog tells his family history and the history of his nation with a love and power which can almost overpowers the reader.
Average customer rating:
- Graphic SF Reader
- Strong, intelligent understated storytelling
- Better than I expected
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Decimation: X-Men - Generation M (House of M)
Paul Jenkins , and
Ramon F. Bachs
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Decimation: X-Men - Son of M (House of M)
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Decimation: X-Men - The Day After (House of M)
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House of M: World of M, Featuring Wolverine
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House of M: Fantastic Four/Iron Man
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House of M: Uncanny X-Men
ASIN: 0785119582 |
Book Description
House of M has changed the world forever. Now, from the ashes of this cataclysmic event comes a new generation... Generation M. Find out exactly how things have changed as a group of mutants brought together by this common tragedy must fight together for a better tomorrow. Collects Generation M #1-5.
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
A story about the aftermath of House of M, as seen through the eyes of a reporter with a lot of problems. Washed up, becomes an alcoholic after her daughter dies of mutant complications. However, with a previous book on mutants, she becomes a go to writer for the current problem, and is somewhat trusted by the mutant community.
Unfortunately for her, a serial killer also takes an interest, so she must play a dangerous game trying to uncover him.
A sometimes moving look at an underclass, in the same way that Jokertown in Wild Cards was sometimes depicted.
Strong, intelligent understated storytelling.......2006-11-13
For a book spinning out of a complex comic event, Mr. Jenkins serves up a refined dish of mutant fun. The books only fun was the dragon thing at the very beginning. Now why would nature, or evolution choose that power for a homo superior? Sorta dumb!
But from there this books becomes a very intelligent murder mystery that introduces some characters that Jenkins truly gives life in Civil War Frontline (comic soon to TPB!) This book has the best characteriztion of Jubilee since the characters inception and an awesome shock involving Angel. Most of all it's the complexity of the consequences to the characters that make this book a profundly enjoyable read. Jenkins breathes life into these charatcers and gives a human face to the usual Marvel Mayhem.
Better than I expected.......2006-09-12
(This is a direct sequal to House of M. If you haven't read House of M, there will be spoilers. You have been warned.)
Stop me if you've heard this one: A reporter with a troubled past finds herself at the bottom of the barrel at work, and at the bottom of a bottle at home. She says she doesn't care about anything anymore, but the truth she hides, even from herself, is that she cares too much. And in a troubled world it's hard to know what the right thing to do is, and it's even harder to do it.
Sound cliched? It is! Our main character Sally Floyd is a modern day Humphrey Bogart, smarmy quips and all.
After the M-Day event most of the world's mutant population are now no longer mutants. And our intrepid reporter finds herself needing to tell the stories of those left behind. Her quest is overshadowed however by a serial killer, killing mutants and former mutants, each time leaving a note "Not enough died."
This story is really an excuse to meet a few mutants who lost their power. We see what has become of Chamber, Jubilee, Beak, the Blob, and a significant number of Morlocks, among others.
Despite an obvious and cliched format, Paul Jenkins manages to write a decent story. Sally Floyd is a well written and sympathetic character. We understand why she needs to undertake this quest of telling the public about what's happening to the mutants. The descriptions of mutants losing their power in midflight are as graphic and heart wrenching as events documented in a real newspaper. We understand why she and the police don't immediately go public about the serial killer. And when she tells the story of her own troubled past, we understand why she is who she is.
The artwork by the team of penciller Ramon Bachs and inker John Lucas was pretty strong. The visual of Chamber on lifesupport missing his jaw and most of his chest is one that's going to stay with me for quite awhile. There's a good sense of staging and composition. The characters are visually distinct, and they look and move like real people, and best of all, backgrounds! There are backgrounds in almost every panel! It makes the story seem that much more accessible, that much more real.
There are some weak points though. Besides the aforementioned cliches, there's also the fact that the few new mutant characters we are introduced to are less than spectacular. There's a scene in a prison where there used to be a number of mutant prisoners and now the few remaining mutants are at the top of the food chain. Problems being that (a) every superpowered prisoner has been wearing a power dampener for as long as there have been superpowered criminals in comics so why aren't they wearing them now, and (b) some of they're powers are so low level that a normal human could beat them up anyway.
I have a few problems with the Decimation story in general. In "The Day After" it's established that mutants' powers aren't just shut off, the x-gene is gone so it's like they were never mutants at all. But if that's true, then why do some mutants retain their physical appearance. If they were always human, shouldn't they look human. The other thing is, if so many mutants lost their power, why isn't humanity celebrating? Why do they consider this a bad thing?
Oh, and the revelation of who the serial killer is is kinda lame.
But overall, I'd say this is a solid story, and it definately achieves it's purpose: showing us what the world is like after M-Day.
Average customer rating:
- Witty and evocative writing on an improbable plot (even for chick lit)
- Not Great
- Literary cotton candy
- better books out there
- A Delightful read.....
|
Imaginary Men
Anjali Banerjee
Manufacturer: Downtown Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Invisible Lives
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Salaam, Paris
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Mistress: A Novel
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The Hindi-Bindi Club
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Serving Crazy with Curry
ASIN: 1416509437 |
Book Description
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Lina Ray has a knack for pairing up perfect couples as a professional matchmaker in San Francisco, but her well-meaning, highly traditional Indian family wants her to get married. When her Auntie Kiki introduces Lina to the bachelor from hell at her sister's wedding in India, Lina panics and blurts out, "I'm engaged!" Because what's the harm in a little lie?
Who's sari now?
Lina scrambles to find a real fiancé because Auntie Kiki will be coming to America soon to approve the match. But date after disastrous date gets her no closer to her prince -- until an actual prince arrives on her doorstep. Lina hasn't been able to stop fantasizing about traditional but dashing Raja Prasad since she met him in India. In fact, her imaginary fiancé has begun to resemble him! Now Raja is in San Francisco and wants Lina to find a suitable bride for his brother. Though they live oceans apart, Lina longs to bridge the gap. But when her fantastic fib catches up with her, life is suddenly like a Bollywood flick gone horribly wrong. Lina may have an over-developed fantasy life, but she certainly never imagined things would turn out like this!
Customer Reviews:
Witty and evocative writing on an improbable plot (even for chick lit).......2007-08-26
Anjali Banerji's writing is funny and her descriptions of events are so evocative that you can almost see the colors smell the aromas and taste the food. Her descriptions of people also vividly conjure up three dimensional individuals. However, the plot and characters need to be fleshed out more - even when it's a frothy read.
Not Great.......2007-07-14
Having liked the author's other novel, Invisible Lives, I thought I would try this one out as well. However, it was somewhat dissapointing. The storyline closely resembles my favorite South Asian chick-lit book, For Matrimonial Purposes by Kavita Daswani, which is a much better read. The characters were under developed, the story line superficial and lacking in sufficient detail. The cover design is cute though, so don't be fooled!
Literary cotton candy.......2007-06-03
I enjoy the occasional indulgence in chick lit and finding quality stuff can sometimes be a challenge. This one attracted me because of my budding interest in Indian culture. While it was a fairly cute novel, it was sheer fluff. Some of it was a fun read but, overall, it was all calories and no nutritional value.
better books out there.......2007-03-10
Yes it is a quick and easy read, but such a predictible soap opera/Bollywood story with very little development that you can really do without it. This genre is booming and there are some great books out there, I would advocate trying to find another title to buy
A Delightful read............2006-06-08
Imaginary Men is one of those books you'll read from cover to cover without putting it down! A fun, whimsical and enchanting story. I look forward, with much anticipation, to Anjali's subsequent books!
Books:
- Liberators: Latin America's Struggle for Independence
- Lucifer, Book 11: Evensong
- Magic Tree House Boxed Set 1, Books 1-4: Dinosaurs Before Dark, The Knight at Dawn, Mummies in the Morning, and Pirates Past Noon
- Man's Search for Meaning
- Mexican Muralists: Orozco, Rivera, Siqueiros
- Mexican Muralists: Orozco, Rivera, Siqueiros
- My Father, My President: A Personal Account of the Life of George H. W. Bush
- Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
- Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
- Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
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