A Piece of Cake: A Memoir

Book Description

There are shelves of memoirs about overcoming the death of a parent, childhood abuse, rape, drug addiction, miscarriage, alcoholism, hustling, gangbanging, near-death injuries, drug dealing, prostitution, or homelessness.

Cupcake Brown survived all these things before she’d even turned twenty.

And that’s when things got interesting….

You have in your hands the strange, heart-wrenching, and exhilarating tale of a woman named Cupcake. It begins as the story of a girl orphaned twice over, once by the death of her mother and then again by a child welfare system that separated her from her stepfather and put her into the hands of an epically sadistic foster parent. But there comes a point in her preteen years—maybe it’s the night she first tries to run away and is exposed to drugs, alcohol, and sex all at once—when Cupcake’s story shifts from a tear-jerking tragedy to a dark comic blues opera. As Cupcake’s troubles grow, so do her voice and spirit. Her gut-punch sense of humor and eye for the absurd, along with her outsized will, carry her through a fateful series of events that could easily have left her dead.

Young Cupcake learned to survive by turning tricks, downing hard liquor, partying like a rock star, and ingesting every drug she could find while hitchhiking up and down the California coast. She stumbled into gangbanging, drug dealing, hustling, prostitution, theft, and, eventually, the best scam of all: a series of 9-to-5 jobs. But Cupcake’s unlikely tour through the cubicle world was paralleled by a quickening descent into the nightmare of crack cocaine use, till she eventually found herself living behind a Dumpster.

Astonishingly, she turned it around. With the help of a cobbled together family of eccentric fellow addicts and “angels”—a series of friends and strangers who came to her aid at pivotalmoments—she slowly transformed her life from the inside out.

A Piece of Cake is unlike any memoir you’ll ever read. Moving and almost transgressive in its frankness, it is a relentlessly gripping tale of a resilient spirit who took on the worst of contem-porary urban life and survived it with a furious wit and unyielding determination. Cupcake Brown is a dynamic and utterly original storyteller who will guide you on the most satisfying, startlingly funny, and genuinely affecting tour through hell you’ll ever take.

When it came time for me to talk, I wasn’t sure which parts of my past to tell, which to keep secret, and which to pretend never happened. Uncle Jr. had already seen the welts on my back, so he wasn’t too surprised when I told them about some of the physical abuse I endured at Diane’s. Everyone else hit the roof, except Daddy. He got really quiet and started balling and unballing his fists.

I continued my update. Experience had taught me that adults have trouble accepting the idea of children having sex. I decided that from then on, that part of my life never happened. I picked up the story by telling them about Fly, the Gangstas, and getting shot.

I was dying for a cigarette. So it seemed a good time to announce that I smoked cigarettes—and weed.

After a moment Sam looked at me, smiled, and handed me one of her Marlboros. I preferred menthols, but beggars can’t be choosers. I kicked back, took a long drag, and closed my eyes.

Daddy and Jr. were silent. They seemed a bit shocked and unsure about how to respond.

“Well, Cup,” Jr. said, “it’s a little too late to be trying to raise you now. But those cigarettes will kill you. And weed will only lead you to stronger drugs.”

He didn’t know how right he was. But for me, it was too late to be worrying about stronger drugs—the only worrying I did was whether I could find a connection to get some. So I just smiled, nodded, and took another hit off my cigarette.

The eerie quiet returned.

—from A Piece of Cake

Also available as a Random House AudioBook and eBook.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

A MUST READ.......2007-10-17

This book is a definite must read. It's very inspirational and inspiring; Cupcake Brown is definitely a strong person who has inspired me through this book. I must say this is the only book I've read more than once. It's just that good!

Speechless.......2007-10-10

How can you not cry at the end of this book? It is truely amazing. After I finished it I went to the authors website and wrote her myself. I am glad that Cup made something of herself. Through her story you know that you yourself can do anything!

Fabulous.......2007-10-10

this book was riveting- it held your attention and you felt as if you knew the characters. I read 120 pages the first day I received the book. I would recommend it to everyone!

Seemed fabricated.......2007-10-05

The book started off very interesting, however as I continued to read a lot of the story seemed fabricated. It is obvious by the way the book reads, that the author has made a lot of the details up. If you're looking for a good auto-biography this is not the book for you.

Insightful and rewarding.......2007-09-29

I don't normally read memoir's, but the cover caught my attention first followed by the brief description of the book and the author. The history of Ms. Brown's life was riveting, insightful, and surprisingly inspiring. I feel as if she wrote this so the reader wouldn't feel pity, but rather could really understand what she was living through. I gained so much understanding of drug addiction and I was inspired by her recovery. So much so, I am incorporating some of her 12 step lessons into my own life.

Buy the book, you won't be let down.

Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black

Average customer rating:

i cried so many times...
One of the best books I have ever read
To Read and Talk About
In the flesh, the man is a wonder.
GREAT READING FOR MANKIND

Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black
Gregory Howard Williams
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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DEAR SENATOR: A MEMOIR BY THE DAUGHTER OF STROM THURMOND.

ASIN: 0452275334

Customer Reviews:

i cried so many times..........2007-01-23

this is such an amazing book that really flips the perceived norms of race. so many things happened to this boy as he was growing up that it is a miracle that he was sane enough to write a coherent memoir. there were so many times that literally moved me to tears. i emphatically recommend this book, you won't regret it.

One of the best books I have ever read.......2006-12-27

Life on the Color Line should be required reading for every American, especially anyone who wants to put their life's problems in perspective.

This is the most moving book I have read in a long time and I read a lot! William's account of his childhood truly woke me up to how fortunate I am to have the life I have, despite losing my mother at age 20. No one should have to endure the painful struggles of racism, poverty, rejection, parental neglect and abandonment that Williams did, as well as a dysfunctional family to top it off. Whether Williams dated black girls or white ones, he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't.

Life on the Color Line contains many harrowing scenes. One that stood out for me was when William's white maternal grandmother refuses to pass along her daughter's messages to her children after she has left the family. She calls her own grandchildren "niggers" and refuses to let them live with her in a nice section of Muncie only a few minutes away from the black ghetto where they reside with a family friend Miss Dora.

One question that remains unanswered after reading this book is why William's mother only took her younger children with her when she left her husband. Why did she leave Gregory and Mike with their alcoholic father? It doesn't make sense that she would take some of her children to safety with her, but not all of them. The only explanation I can come up with is that Greg's mother figured her older boys were mature enough to fend for themselves. Towards the end of the book, their mother's inability to understand what kind of life she left her boys to leave left me wanting to throw rocks at her and give that woman a good beating.

I am in awe of the author's maturity, courage, and sheer will power that enabled him to overcome all these obstacles. His experiences put my own life in perspective.

I borrowed this book from the library, and now that I've reached the last page, I will definitely be buying it on Amazon!

To Read and Talk About.......2006-11-01

I learned about this book in an article in the Baton Rouge newspaper. LSU has assigned it as summer reading for many of their students and a group is working to get others in Baton Rouge to read it as well. At our church's partnership group with a local African-American church we decided to read it as a group project, and I'm glad we did. Williams' memoir tells the fascinating story of a young man who is born into the lower-middle class white world of suburban Virginia only to learn when he is about six years old that his father is the son of a mixed-race couple from Muncie, Indiana. Circumstances resulting from this news takes the boy, his father and his brother to Muncie where they live among their African-American (or colored as they were called in the 1950s) family. Billy's (or Greg) father Tony (or Buster) is an alcoholic, which makes life no less difficult as he's scorned by his white classmates and, with his white skin and Caucasian features, standing on shaky ground in his own colored community. A good-hearted woman named Dora raises the two boys as her own, as their birth mother spurns her now-black children. Dora's kindness and Greg's determination to do more than survive are inspiring.

In the flesh, the man is a wonder........2006-10-02

I had the unusual pleasure of hearing him speak at a public function when this book first came out. In fact, that's how I got my free copy. The story of this man's life is simply amazing. That came through in his honest and heart-felt reflection of the hardships he's had to overcome growing up. I've lived in San Francisco most of my life, attending public school with the normal cross section of the city's diverse ethnic crowd. I can say with a degree of certainty that I'm culturally aware of the African American experience. So it is with a bit of sadness that I regret not having met more people with Williams' ambition and determination when I was younger. To be fair, the circumstances in which his life unfolded would probably be hard to duplicate in this day and age, especially in San Francisco. But regardless, I truly believe young blacks of today, regardless of where they may live can draw inspiration from his story. We all still face a huge amount of inequality and injustice in our society today. With such polarization along political and religious lines in our national conscience as I'm writing this, it is critical to remember that race still matters. The other day, the biology department chair at my school presented a slide show of New Orleans where here Alma Mater was severely damaged by Katrina a year ago. She's a parasitologist with a Ph.D from Tulane University. The contrast between the French quarter/downtown and the poorer residential areas are striking. Those who've read Williams book would immediately draw parallels with the stark geographic division along racial lines of Muncie, Indiana - where Williams grew up. How many other cities in America are New Orleans waiting to happen? If something unthinkable should happen in Muncie today, how will the citizens of that city fare today? Will the impoverished blacks of Hunter's point/Bayview in my own city suffer the same fate as those of the lower 9th ward when the "Big One" strikes California? If more of my fellow black San Franciscans can aspire to be like Williams and strive to lift themselves and their community out of poverty and strife, we just might have a chance at doing better. One can hope.

GREAT READING FOR MANKIND.......2006-07-28

GOT TO MAKE THIS A SHORT REVIEW. STILL READING. CAN'T PUT IT DOWN!!!! ALSO READ "COLOR OF WATER" AND IT WAS GREAT READING!!! BACK TO WORK. CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK TO "LIFE ON THE COLOR LINE".
I DON'T READ A BOOK MORE THAN ONCE BUT THESE ARE WORTH READING OVER AGAIN. I THINK THEY WOULD MAKE GREAT MOVIES!!!

Average customer rating:

(RAW Rating: 4.5) - What is happening to black men?
Why Are So Many Black Men In Prison? A Comprehensive Account Of How And Why The Prison Industry Has Become A Predatory Entity In
A Must Read
Why are so many Black Men in Prison?
Why are so many blacks in prison?

Why Are So Many Black Men in Prison?
Demico Boothe
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Penology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1425713971

Customer Reviews:

(RAW Rating: 4.5) - What is happening to black men?.......2007-08-04

Demico Boothe has explored the reasons so many black men are indeed in prison in, WHY ARE SO MANY BLACK MEN IN PRISON? He begins with his own story of a shaky upbringing and his subsequent dabbling in drug dealing. He was caught with a few grams of crack cocaine but because it was the dreaded crack, he was given 10 years in prison. When he left prison after serving his time, he was actually railroaded back into prison by a crooked justice system. He delves deeply into our justice system and the motives behind all the new prisons that are being built. He gives succinct and reasonable views of exactly what is happening now in the United States and how the past has played a role in the present. He uses persuasive statistics regarding the number of black men in prison as compared to the number of white men who are incarcerated.

Demico Boothe has done an excellent job of researching his subject and it is a plus, if unfortunate for him, that he has actually experienced first hand what he's talking about. I knew I was hearing the real story rather than just statistics from an intellectual who had no real idea of what the prison system is really like. I would have liked for Boothe to search a little deeper into the Haiti, Aristide and USA question, maybe even reading Randall Robinson's take on the situation, and then he might see it a bit differently. Otherwise, it is a good book and one every one in America should read. We indeed, have a crisis going on.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Why Are So Many Black Men In Prison? A Comprehensive Account Of How And Why The Prison Industry Has Become A Predatory Entity In.......2007-06-09

The book was very interesting. I learned soooo much about the government and the prison industry. I did some searching independantly to check on the things reported in the book and they are very true. Great Read!! Buy the book.

A Must Read.......2007-05-25

Mr. Demico's book is a must-read for anyone concerned about young African American men. Although I did not agree with every conclusion he reached, Demico's main premises are convincing. As a white woman who teaches mainly students of color, I am always impressed, and often in awe, of those young men who reach college with so much going against them. Demico's books lays bare not only the horrible inequalities of our society, but also the racist attitudes of our political system - - Democrats, Republicans, and most everyone in between.

Why are so many Black Men in Prison?.......2007-05-13

I is a well put together book. He really goes into a lot of detail of how our society is really set up.

Why are so many blacks in prison?.......2007-05-12

I found this book very interesting. As a white devil myself, I had no idea that I was responsible for forcing blacks into committing crimes and then subsequently clogging up the whole "Prison Industrial Complex"(tm). I will try to stop causing this, as I am sure it is creating a LOT of trouble for everyone! Sorry!

It is probably also my fault that young black men dressed in XXXXL clothes overtly threaten me and my family members routinely. Can anyone tell me what I should do to make this not happen?

I imagine it's also my fault that black on white violent crime is WAY higher than white on black violent crime, even though blacks constitute about 12.5% of the population, and whites are about 70%. But since it is impossible for a black to commit a hate crime according to our criminal justice system (since blacks are not under any circumstances racist), statistically, there are more white on black hate crimes. Boothe notes a statistic regarding hate crimes, but he skips the one about interracial violence in general.

In sum, Boothe notes that just about everything blacks do is actually MY fault, because my skin is white. Boothe, I've got a word for you.

Introspection.

The People v. Clarence Darrow: The Bribery Trial of America's Greatest Lawyer

Average customer rating:

Clarence Darrow -
the best book no one has read
A Perfect Book

The People v. Clarence Darrow: The Bribery Trial of America's Greatest Lawyer
Geoffrey Cowan
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Attorney for the Damned: Clarence Darrow in the Courtroom

ASIN: 0812921798
Release Date: 1993-04-13

Customer Reviews:

Clarence Darrow - .......2006-05-21

Unlike the leader of the English Revolution - Oliver Cromwell - Clarence Darrow spent much of his life working hard to build a mythical image of himself to conceal the fairly despicable character that he really was, and would almost certainly never have told a portrait painter to portray him as he really was - "warts and all". So it would certainly have brought him no pleasure or satisfaction to read this book, which goes a long way towards revealing his many failings.

In respect of my description of him as "despicable", for example, this was a man whose wife, Ruby, stood(or more literally sat)by him through the three months of the first bribery trail, supporting and encouraging him when he was at his lowest ebb, and at one point suffering a breakdown herself.
And what did she get in return?
The trial finished on a Saturday when the jury declared Darrow to be "not guilty". Which Darrow celebrated the next day by going for a drive in the country with his mistress - Mary Field - and two of their friends (page 407)!
The author does not tell us what Ruby Darrow did to pass the time that day.

Indeed, the wonder of this book is that it got written at all, given the power of Darrow's self-aggrandisement, even today. Especially given that the author is so obviously still a devoted fan of Darrow, and despite all the facts he has uncovered, still does his best to excuse Darrow's behaviour. Though given that Cowan was co-founder of the Clarence Darrow foundation this piece of cognitive dissonance is maybe not entirely surprising.

Anyone planning to read this book, and I believe it is indeed worth reading, should be aware that it is a BIG book - 445 pages plus extensive note, a bibliography and an index, which take it up to 546 pages in all.
And for a very good reason.

Although the book is subtitled: "The bribery trial of America's greatest [sic] lawyer", Cowan actually reaches back to the earlier trial of "Big" Bill Hayward (1907) as he begins to set the scene. He then goes on to describe the MacNamara case in considerable detail, and Darrow's part in those events, not only to explain how the bribery case came about, but also in order to give a really in-depth picture of how Darrow functioned as a lawyer, frequently excusing his own criminal actions - destroying evidence, bribing witnesses, etc. - on the grounds that the alleged wrongdoings of his opponents, and the rights of his clients to a "fair" trail. In short, in Darrow's mind it seems that the "ends" justified virtually any "means".

The problem any non-commited reader faces, as Alan Dershowitz points out, elsewhere, is that anyone who takes the attitude that Darrow held, and acts upon it, does not benefit or help to improve a corrupt system - they merely compound the corruption, however much they may benefit their own clients.

Part of the Darrow myth is that his concern was always to help the weak and the poor or at least, as in Cowan's quote:

"I have represented the strong and the weak - but never the strong against the weak."
(page 424)

If this had been true it might be a mitigating factor in Darrow's favour. But it was actually nothing more than yet another of Darrow's many lies. Darrow frequently sided with the strong against the weak - and Cowan gives a number of examples, most notably (in this context) the fact that at the very time when he was called upon to act in the MacNamara case, Darrow was in the middle of defending the Kankakee Manufacturing Company against a charge of having [...] many small investors by issuing brochures and letters that were nothing short of [...] in their claims about the company's financial attributes. The case had been brought by an elderly Civil War veteran - Charles Myerhoff - who, like many other, had lost virtually all of his life savings when the guano hit the fan.

And what excuse did Darrow, the alleged "love[r of] his fellow man" (page 445) offer in defense of his [...] clients? Why, that the investors had a legal responsibility to check the veracity of such claims (pages 71-71). Legalistically correct, no doubt, but how on earth does that square with Darrow's sanctimonious claim that he "never [acted for] the strong against the weak"?

No-one really benefits from such wholesale lies as are found in the Darrow myth, and the legal profession in America might benefit greatly if this book was mandatory reading for every Law student in the country - alongside Darrow's own blatantly self-serving, mendacious autobiography "The Story of My Life".

the best book no one has read.......2003-10-08

A friend recommended this book as "the best book no one has ever read," and was he ever right. I have always been fascinated by Clarence Darrow and have come to view him as almost a mythical figure, "the lawyer for the damned." The beauty of this book is that it paints a much more human picture of Darrow, highlighting the bad as well as the good, but without in any way being malicious. My admiration for Darrow was still intact after the book, but my understanding of him is now much fuller and realistic. Cowan's account of the trial of Darrow for trying to bribe jurors is riveting and dramatic. I hope that some potential readers find this review, otherwise the possibility arises of this becoming the most favorable review that was never read.

A Perfect Book.......1998-07-08

This has been one of my favorite books for years.

This work is intensely engaging on any number of levels. It discusses Darrow's trial for jury bribery, but places that trial at the very center of fascinating stories.

_The People v. Clarence Darrow_ works as biography, writing about a pivotal moment in Darrow's career and in his life. It works as history, as this trial was at the center of the early war of capital vs. labor. It works as drama, as Cowan convincingly portrays the dozens of fascinating people involved in this trial in one way or another. And it works as a legal drama. The legal techniques, the arguments, and the absolute importance of this trial to Darrow's life and to the cause of labor generally make this one of the trials of the century, and the story is gripping throughout.

Finally, Cowan just does a great job with the craft of writing. The characters are real, the story unfolds dramatically. I was never bored, and actually looked forward to reading each new chapter. As you can tell, I can't recommend this book enough.

Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary
Average customer rating:

"Reads Like Fiction"

Interesting and Infomative Read

An Illuminating Read about an Imporant Historical Figure

Very tedious, superficial

An incredible account of an amazing life

Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary
Juan Williams
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Enough: The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements, and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America--and What We Can Do About It

Thurgood Marshall: His Speeches, Writings, Arguments, Opinions, and Reminiscences (Library of Black America)

Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965 (African American History (Penguin))

Simple Justice: The History of Brown v. Board of Education and Black America's Struggle for Equality

Becoming Justice Blackmun: Harry Blackmun's Supreme Court Journey

ASIN: 0812932994
Release Date: 2000-02-01

Amazon.com

Washington Post correspondent and TV commentator Juan Williams has produced an illuminating look at a true giant of 20th-century American politics. Williams retells the story of Thurgood Marshall's successful desegregation of public schools in the U.S. with his victory in the case of Brown v. Board of Education, followed by his appointment to the Supreme Court in 1967 for a 24-year term. But he also recounts how W.E.B. Du Bois, then the head of the NAACP, gave a cold shoulder to the younger Marshall (who eventually helped oust Du Bois from the organization), and describes the tug of war between Marshall and FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, as well as the mind games Lyndon Johnson played on Marshall before nominating him for the Supreme Court. Readers also learn about Marshall's relationship with his replacement, Clarence Thomas, which was surprisingly civil given their contrary views on affirmative action. Williams has captured many examples of Thurgood Marshall's heroism and humanity in this comprehensive yet readable biography of a complex, combative, and courageous civil rights figure. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Book Description

This New York Times Notable Book of the Year, 1998, is now in trade paper.

From the bestselling author of Eyes on the Prize, here is the definitive biography of the great lawyer and Supreme Court justice.

Customer Reviews:

"Reads Like Fiction".......2007-04-30

As a review on the back cover states, this book truly "reads like fiction." It gives a fascinating perspective of his life, and although I've read other technical biographies and his opinions, lectures and decisions, I would recommend this as a "first read" for anyone studying Thurgood. You feel as if you know Thurgood after reading this, and knowing his personal background helps you understand his professional background. His role in black freedom is no less than that of Martin Luther King's. (And quite frankly I think he should be revered as such.) The realities of black history nauseate me, and I can't comprehend how people historically treated blacks -- but Thurgood fought, and he fought legally and intelligently. Our children need to learn more about Thurgood and his overcoming adversity and changing the history of our country.

Interesting and Infomative Read.......2005-02-09

As a white man from the deep south, it boggles my mind how a totally free republic could twist the best Constitution ever written to deny a class of people their freedom. Civil right, the Vietnam war, the 1960's in general fascinate me.

Mr. Williams book is particularly good at setting up how Justice Marshall came to his way of thinking. He learned early on how to play the game in the other man's (whites) territory. If you want to know how hard it was to operate during these times, with the threats and bigotry, I suggest this book. I think it is paramount for the younger people in today's society to understand the severity of the risk and opposition that people like Justice Marshall had to deal with. I think it would make them realize that even though progress still needs to be made, these individuals put their lives on the line to advance society to where it is today.

An Illuminating Read about an Imporant Historical Figure.......2005-02-09

Juan Williams' biography of Thurgood Marshall is a worthwhile read. Williams has a great sense of the dramatic story in this man's life and he firmly sets him in the historical context of a nation in turmoil. I went away from this book with a better understanding of Marshall's life, personality and importance in American History. Williams also does a very good job with contrasting Marshall's social and political opinions with those of civil rights leaders in the 60s and 70s, with whom he occasionally butted heads. Williams paints him as the feisty individual that he was but he also does not sugar coat his flaws and mistakes. For me, the most interesting aspects of the autobiography were the accounts of Marshall's trials and travels with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and his inexhaustible energy to confront the laws of the times. If you have any interest in learning about this man and his place both in history and in the Civil Rights Movement, defintely pick up this worthwhile book.

Very tedious, superficial.......2004-03-07

Maybe its unfair that I read this book after reading the spectacular autobiography of John Lewis, Walking in the Wind. However, I found that this book was too detached from the man. I did not come away from this book with a better understanding of this man than I did before hand. Thurgood Marshall is one of the most important people of 20th century America but you don't see why in this book.

The major problem with this book is its writing style which makes reading this book tedious. I found myself bored by page 200. Also, I believe the Brown decision is given 20 pages and his solcitor general appointment is given more.

If you want to learn more about this guy, study the cases of the era. Sweatt v. painter, Brown of course, etc. Marshall's personal life really is irrelevant towards understanding this man's accomplishments. I would not recommend this book.

An incredible account of an amazing life.......2001-08-25

This is one of the most wonderful books I ever read. Thurgood Marshall is one of the most dynamic figures of the Civil Rights Movement. Williams not only gives an excellent and engaging account of Marshall's life, he represents the time in a manner that easily imagined. I was not alive during this period of time, but reading Williams' book made me feel as though I had experienced it. So often, when an author truly likes and admires his subject, the work that results is biased and not well-rounded. You can tell when you are reading something that is one-sided and too tributory to be accurate. Williams' admiration for this great man shines through in his book; however, it is by no means a song to Marshall. Williams' is fair in his dedication to not only Marshall's courage and brilliance, but also his fallibility and humanity. This is what brings the history to life. When you finish reading this book, you will feel as though you know Thurgood Marshall.

Average customer rating:

Kansas
Correction
First Impressions
Sex, Drugs, and Politics
An awareness that should be taught to todays young Chicanos

The Revolt of the Cockroach People
Oscar Zeta Acosta
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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George Washington Gomez: A Mexicotexan Novel
...y no se lo tragó la tierra / ...And the Earth Did Not Devour Him

ASIN: 0679722122
Release Date: 1989-08-28

Book Description

The further adventures of "Dr. Gonzo" as he defends the "cucarachas" -- the Chicanos of East Los Angeles.

Before his mysterious disappearance and probable death in 1971, Oscar Zeta Acosta was famous as a Robin Hood Chicano lawyer and notorious as the real-life model for Hunter S. Thompson's "Dr. Gonzo" a fat, pugnacious attorney with a gargantuan appetite for food, drugs, and life on the edge.

In this exhilarating sequel to The Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo, Acosta takes us behind the front lines of the militant Chicano movement of the late sixties and early seventies, a movement he served both in the courtroom and on the barricades. Here are the brazen games of "chicken" Acosta played against the Anglo legal establishment; battles fought with bombs as well as writs; and a reluctant hero who faces danger not only from the police but from the vatos locos he champions. What emerges is at once an important political document of a genuine popular uprising and a revealing, hilarious, and moving personal saga.

Customer Reviews:

Kansas.......2003-03-01

Re-Saturday Review of Literature
Oscar Acosta disappeared in Mexico in 1974, not 1971 (the year of his trip to Las Vegas with Dr. Thompson).

Correction.......2003-03-01

Re-Saturday Review of Literature
Oscar Acosta disappeared in Mexico in 1974, not 1971 (the year of his trip to Las Vegas with Dr. Thompson).

First Impressions.......2001-12-05

This is the most realistic book I have ever seen about Mexican American hippies in Aztlan, the Chicanos of the 1960's neo-freedom movements. It will surely become a collector's item worth saving in this era of gung-ho Americanism which does not know the kind of objectivity Acosta displays with regard to how we think and why we believe as we do. Hunter S. Thompson described the author better than I can in his introduction to the book, highlighting his uniqueness while lamenting his untimely passing. I will write more after I give the book a more thorough second reading.

Sex, Drugs, and Politics.......1999-06-17

I read this book after finding out that Oscar Zeta Acosta was the fat Samoan lawyer from "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." Acosta's style is similar, with a lot of drugs and sex with minors. The differences are that Acosta isn't tripping the whole time and he has time to incite political rallies. I love when they protest the Catholic church, or when he pleasures himself with some nubile young high schoolers under a blanket during a sit-in.... For those interested in the turbulent times that was the 60s, this is a must-read.

An awareness that should be taught to todays young Chicanos.......1999-04-12

After reading this book, and actually living through those turbulent times of the 60's and 70' s , it was refreshing to read and feel the burning frustration and love that this man was experiencing and the way he expressed his anger against the machine. This type of awareness has been lost , due to us the forefathers of the Chicano Movement, to teach our own and other's children of how important those actions were, so that we may emphasize education, political power and family values. We have implemented a course in Chicano Studies in schools, we now have political representation in our governments, and many more success stories that are due to the work of such people as Cesar Chavez, Ruben Salazar and Corky Gonzales. Oscar Zeta was a man amongst his own that was afraid of nothing and no one.My thanks to him for fighting the powers that be and for creating an example for all of us, regardless of race. You have to stand up for what you believe and Acosta is atrue testament to that.

Average customer rating:

Read this and watch Fear and Loathing in Vegas again
A good story at heart
Overhyped, Formless And Dull
A superb book
Good saga from a good writer

Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo
Oscar Zeta Acosta
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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...y no se lo tragó la tierra / ...And the Earth Did Not Devour Him
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ASIN: 0679722130
Release Date: 1989-07-17

Book Description

Before his mysterious disappearance and probable death in 1971, Oscar Zeta Acosta was famous as a Robin Hood Chicano layer and notorious as the real-life model for Hunter S. Thompson's "Dr. Gonzo," a fat, pugnacious attorney with a gargantuan appetite for food, drugs, and life on the edge.

Written with uninhibited candor and manic energy, this book is Acosta's own account of coming of age as a Chicano in the psychedelic sixties, of taking on impossible cases while breaking all tile rules of courtroom conduct, and of scrambling headlong in search of a personal and cultural identity. It is a landmark of contemporary Hispanic-American literature, at once ribald, surreal, and unmistakably authentic.

Customer Reviews:

Read this and watch Fear and Loathing in Vegas again.......2004-12-18

By reading this book before watching the movie, you will see what Dr. Gonzo's life was like right before he decides to become a lawyer. If you have ever felt alienated by American ideals, regardless of your race, you will relate to this book. Acosta's writing is good and he does a great job of describing what the character is feeling when he encounters life, drugs, and ulcers.

A good story at heart.......2004-04-10

It is easy to dismiss this book. The hallucinations and drug-induced rants become a little exaggerated and tedious. Although, his friend and partner in crime, Hunter S. Thompson, would detail similar bizarre experiences in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, their intent seemed different. Whereas HST played with fantasy in social satire as a form of comic relief, OZA seems to want you to believe it to be fact...or at least for you to trust that he believed it.
With that said, the story is one of the most self-deprecating, odd, and entertaining autobiographies I have ever read. It can easily stand alone as study of a Mexican-American struggle for the American Dream, as well as companion book to Hunter S. Thompson enthusiasts. Regardless of your intent on picking this book up, OZA will amuse, disgust, and surprise you...making this a worthwhile read.

On a sidenote: This book truly makes you wonder, when HST and OZA joined up, who influenced who more.

Overhyped, Formless And Dull.......2004-03-31

Strong writing in places, but Acosta's style is sometimes hard to follow. Overall, I found the book to be meandering, formless, and kind of dull. The "Chicano in search of his identity" stuff is pure marketing hype. "A Chicano in search of beer, chicks and drugs" would be more like it--but there isn't much of that here, either, in case you're looking for a story of epic debauchery by Hunter Thompson's Samoan attorney. Acosta comes off as a fairly conservative character--he was a Christian missionary in Panama at one time--and basically apolitical at this point in his life. He wanders around the country, goes to bars, tries peyote, smokes some weed, drinks a lot of beer, but it's all pretty low key and, personally, I never thought this kind of thing was very interesting to begin with. Still, Acosta is a fairly sympathetic character and he's a better writer than most. This isn't a bad book, but it isn't that great, either--read Hunter Thompson instead

A superb book.......2003-07-09

This book is one of the most memorable I have read in many years. Oscar lived an incredible life, and his ability to render it in this book is consistently amazing. I've read this book about three times, and I reflect on the trajectory of Oscar's life often.

Good saga from a good writer.......2002-12-07

I heard about Oscar'Zeta' Acosta basically from reading Hunter S. Thompson's book but became quickly fascinated by Dr. Gonzo and wanted to know more about him. I was pleased to find out he had also written some books and was even more pleased to find out he was(is?) a very good writer. Truly an inspiration to anyone who has ever felt their identity as an american is something that they have had to come to grips with. Apart from that serious subtext, it also a very entertaining and amusing story that rolls along, introducing some interesting and memorable characters and situations. A passionate human being wrote this book and it is filled with all the honesty and humanity of someone bearing his soul to achieve a greater sense of genuine self which for Oscar Acosta means being "A Brown Buffalo"

Average customer rating:

Convicted in the Womb
The Womb is Sacred
What is next?
Hope and Inspiration

Convicted in the Womb
Carl Upchurch
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0553375202
Release Date: 1997-08-04

Book Description

Once Carl Upchurch was an elementary school dropout fighting for survival on the streets of South Philadelphia, a gang member wedded to a life of violence, a bank robber facing a future in federal penitentiaries. Now he is a respected community organizer and one of the most compelling and visionary leaders of the civil rights movement. Catapulted into the national spotlight following his organization of a summit that brought together the country's most notorious gangs. Carl Upchurch has found himself in direct conflict with other African American civil right leaders. This is his scathing critique of t he established civil rights movement and his bold manifesto for solving the critical problems facing today's urban American. And this is his own unforgettable story-reality of urban crime gang warfare, and racial injustice from one who knows firsthand what it's like to be Convicted in the Womb

Customer Reviews:

Convicted in the Womb.......2007-01-03

I bought this for my son. He feels that this this is a good book. It was very inspirational to him.

The Womb is Sacred.......2001-10-27

"Convicted in the Womb" is a deeply captivating too true autobiography that reads like the first half of the life of an untold number of African-American men in the last half century.
The detailed descriptive analysis of the terms and concepts Niggerization, DeNiggerization, and AntiNiggerization is not only long overdue to the public, but gives voice and creedence to particularly those men who can identify with Carl Upchurch's
LIFE Experiences and Mission.
For someone like myself to live and breath my passion in teaching incarcerated teen boys in a court-mandated program called ACE - Adolescent Counseling Education, copies of "Convicted In The Womb" have now been placed into the hands of all my students. Through this story they can see themselves, each other, and how they place in the history of this country. They also have read and expressed that it's truly the first book they have ever read, and wanted to read!!!! This is a story to be shared and read together and discussed, because IT MEANS BUSINESS. This is a story that must be understood. People must be understood! It teaches how when we look at our personal circumstances, and then have the opportunity to look outside our life,"hood",and prison life, particularly through books, and then we can find our FREEDOM, our HOPE, our POSSIBILITIES, our ANSWERS, our WISDOM, OUR TRUE POWER IN UNITY. My students know that I care about them and demonstrate it by my fierce committment to AntiNiggerization. May the Youth of America read this book! May the people who work with Youth read this book! May the Prison Staff read this book! May our Spiritual Leaders and Activists read this book! May the High Schools and Colleges put this in their adopted book lists for VIOLENCE PREVENTION coursework and THE RESOURCE MANUAL for all students on how to help our youth coming up with the Community Work they can do to CHANGE our World for the better!!! And so May the Politicians read this book! May the Parents [who understandably worry about their childrens' safety and future] read this book. My students all know now that there are people all over this country changing things for the better, people just like them, and they have our support!!! My students are learning that the Womb is Sacred, we all as Equals are Sacred.

What is next?.......2001-06-03

It has been about 4 years now since I read this book. To me it was an excellent autobiography and told a miraculous story. So, Carl, what have you been up to since?

Hope and Inspiration.......2000-12-31

Carl vividly describes his life beginning as a young child. The challenges he faced growing up in this society are dramatically expressed in the first paragraph of the book. This is clearly a story of hope and inspiration as it shows the struggles one endures in making positive changes in one's life. Carl shows how God worked in his life and how the impact of the Holy Spirit in one person's life can impact the world. Many inmates identify with Carl's life experiences and view him as a role model. Carl's story quickly invites the reader into his life and is difficult to put down until the last page is read.

Supreme Discomfort: The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas

Average customer rating:

No Division in Justice Thomas
DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS BOOK
Justice for All
Diificult Man and Difficult Book
I would recommend this book but with reservations.

Supreme Discomfort: The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas
Kevin Merida , and Michael Fletcher
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385510802
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Book Description

SUPREME DISCOMFORT originated from a much-commented-upon profile of Clarence Thomas that appeared in an August 2002 issue of The Washington Post Magazine. In it, Kevin Merida and Michael Fletcher, both Post staffers, both black, crafted a haunting portrait of an isolated and bitter man, savagely reviled by much of the black community, not entirely comfortable in white society, internally wounded by his passage from a broken family and rural poverty in Georgia to elite educational institutions to the pinnacle of judicial power. He has clearly never recovered from the searing experience of his Senate confirmation hearings and the "he said/she said" drama of the accusations of sexual harassment by Anita Hill.

SUPREME DISCOMFORT tracks the personal odyssey of perhaps the least understood man in Washington, from his poor childhood in Pin Point and Savannah, Georgia, to his educational experiences in a Catholic seminary and Holy Cross, to his law school years at Yale during the black power era, to his rise within the Republican political establishment. It offers a window into a man who straddles two different worlds and is uneasy in both—and whose divided personality and conservative political philosophy will deeply influence American life for years to come.

Customer Reviews:

No Division in Justice Thomas.......2007-10-02

This is a difficult book to rate. It's easy reading -- obviously written more to entertain than to inform -- and it's highly biased against the subject yet presented in such a way as to pretend to be balanced. It is character assassination in print.

The subtitle, "The divided soul of Clarence Thomas" is not proven by the discourse. It is obvious that Thomas has a very clear idea of who he is and what the law should be. He is staunch in his beliefs and true to his conscience. There is nothing divided about him.

Justice Thomas seems to have figured out what most of his peers (and definitely the authors)haven't: That affirmative action has proved to be a double-edged sword, as harmful to blacks as it has been useful. It is obvious that Thomas simply considers himself a man, neither black nor white, as he gazes at life and law through clear glasses. To many blacks (and obviously to the authors) this is the Unforgivable Sin.

Thus they portray Justice Thomas as almost manically introspective, weak and flawed. They emphasize the pain he endured over the years from racial slurs and imply that he is almost useless on the court because he can't forget Anita Hill's attacks during his confirmation trial before Congress. I use the word trial intentionally here.

I had wondered why Justice Thomas was publishing a memoir at this time since it would necessarily bring Hill to the forefront again. This book must be the reason. He knew this would be what it is when he refused the authors access to himself and his memorabilia. He was right. The prejudice against him here is almost hysterical.

One of the points the authors belabor again and again is their contention (and yes, it has been said by others) that Thomas is a lackey to or clone of Justice Scalia because they vote the same way. I believe it was Jan Crawford Greenburg (whose new book, "Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the United States," is just published) who said in an interview on Book TV just last weekend that she had gone through all the records specifically to determine whether there was truth in that particular assumption. She says in most cases Thomas voted first and that it might be more accurate to say that it was Scalia who followed in Thomas's footsteps. That research should have been done by these authors.

Since their prejudice against Justice Thomas is so pronounced and their indictments of his character so repetitious I can't help but wonder what material they left out from their massive second-source research. It would not be presumptuous to assume that they were highly selective in order to prove their thesis that Thomas is so flawed that he is ineffective on the Court (something that isn't said but is strongly implied in these pages).

One of the things they object to most about him is the fact that he seldom asks questions during court sessions. They don't seem to realize that when one is talking, s/he isn't learning. Justice Thomas says someone always asks the questions he would, so he just listens until the answer surfaces. That is wisdom.

What they object to most, however, seems to be that Thomas is a Constitutional originalist. That is, he believes in the Constitution as written and is suspicious of re-creating it "to fit" contemporary times. He is less inclined to use stare decisis (respect for precedent) when considering cases and he believes strongly in the rights of states to handle most social issues. That conservatism truly irks the authors and I believe these are the reasons they have chosen to emphasize the negative and present such a biased smear.

Almost every page and certainly every chapter belabors the anger and pain that Justice Thomas presumably harbors from his growing up years (in addition to the Hill episode). He would be have to be insane if he wasn't hurt and the fact that he has risen above the destiny presumed by his birth and has served so honorably at various levels of government, including the highest court in the land, shows the mettle of the man.

Justice Clarence Thomas is a great American and a noble jurist who is doing his best. We can ask no more of anyone.

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS BOOK.......2007-10-02

As a person who has followed Justice Thomas'S career, I can say this book is not worth the paper it is printed on. Merida is trying to make money by slandering a wonderful man and a very honorable Supreme Court Justice. Justice Thomas is a credit to his race and his country. We need more great men like him. Men who do what is right and just in the eyes of God and man. Shame to those like to Merida who would try to destroy him. Don't buy the Merida book. It only tries to impune the integrity of a great person like Justice Thomas. Buy Justice Thomas's book instead, "My Grandfather's Son." Get the true story from Justice Thomas himself.

Justice for All.......2007-08-18

Despite conservative (and liberal) critics' naysaying, Merida and Fletcher's book is a fascinating and mostly even-handed analysis of the court's most controversial justice. The highest compliment I can give the authors is that both sides have lots to complain about. But the authors' extensive research--including first hand run-ins with Thomas--is beyond reproach.

How can the reader not be drawn to the flawed figure of Thomas? His divided soul is so much like that of the United States itself (and like each one of us). For him, and us, a deep strain of ambivalence often blinds us to the less pleasant truths of race in this country. The idea that Thomas is the savior of conservatives because of his skin color is only as offensive as the idea that Thomas must represent all blacks (tow the line on racial issues, so to speak.)

This reader was surprised in two ways: 1) I gained a healthy respect for Thomas' unique journey and 2) Despite my vociferous disagreement with the Constitutional "originalism" supported by Thomas and Scalia, I was able to separate Thomas' ethnicity from his decisions. As Scalia himself suggests, court-watchers would never intimate that he (Scalia)should give preferential treatment to Italian Americans. "Blackness" is not a monolithic state of being, nor should it be. Merida and Fletcher should be thanked for drawing a complex portrait where once only a thumb-nail sketch existed.

If Thomas and Scalia are judicial creeps (at the very least they're stubborn and their decisions are hurting this country) then they're creeps because of their backward and narrow view of the Constitution; their race and ethnicity have little to do with it.

Diificult Man and Difficult Book.......2007-08-15

Clarence Thomas is a difficult man. A black man who is defined by his race in many respects who is striking out on his own. HIs life is full of contradictions. He followed Thurgood Marshall, a leader in the fight for black rights, whose views Thomas seems to reject. On the other hand he treats the black workers at the Court with respect, which apparently Marshall never did. He inspires loyalty from his clerks to a degree which is unusual and yet does not help his nephew when he was in trouble with the law. He seems interested in his legacy and yet refuses to be interviewed by these authors.

The effort by two black reporters sets forth all these contradictions and yet it does not satisfy me in explaining Thomas. Maybe he can not be explained.

The book deals with his life well and yet does not really deal with his judicial output. We learn that he works hard and has friends on the court or at least has a congenial relationship with many. HOwever it appears tha his influence is minor. It is hard to read a long book about a Justice without making at least an effort to deal with his output. It is like writing about Jackie Robinson and leaving out how he played the game. I realize that an analysis of his work was not part of the book but maybe it should have been.

I would recommend this book but with reservations........2007-07-25

Except for a scant recollection of the Hill-Thomas Trial that aired on TV when I was a kid, I did not know anything about Clarence Thomas. My husband recommended this book after listening to a radio interview with the authors.

Firstly, I don't think this is the right book to pick up coming in with little to no knowledge of Thomas. The book is based on an accumulation of interviews, speeches and Thomas' writing and court decisions. It's interesting to note that Thomas declined to be interviewed for this book.

In a nutshell here is what I learned: Thomas is a Conservative. He benefited from affirmative action but he denies that he did, except to bring it up when it suits him, and he refuses to support it. He idolized his Grandfather. He is in the group of justices who believes his job is to interpret the Constitution as the founders would have intended, rather than adjust to the attitudes of the time. He rarely participates in oral arguments. Anita Hill really hurt him emotionally. He's sensitive. If you get on his bad side he'll hold a grudge and you'll be off his list ~ FOREVER. Most black people think he's a sellout. He's really a personable guy who would love to know you - yes YOU, who are of little significance, and once you get to know him, you actually like him! (And what's not to like? He's not off spewing hatred). He's simply a man in power armed with an opinion that goes against the majority minority, which people see is in sharp contrast from his deprived upbringing, which really wasn't that bad actually, only people tend to ignore that fact. All of this is discussed in the book and become points of contentions, and to me reading about it felt like sitting on a fence where the arguments could go either way.

Personally I think there are answers to Thomas' behavior, as sited in the book, which leave little mystery for his actions. But let's just lay it out there: he's a black man sitting on a high court, having replaced Thurgood Marshall who held very different views, and therefore his actions will be judged much harsher.

Perhaps it's because Thomas is seen as an anomaly, or perhaps the book isn't well written, but this book didn't do much for me; I came away feeling neutral about the whole "controversy." I certainly don't believe the book is a liberal attack on a conservative, just a bit jumbled with too much of the same information, and at times not all together accurate (example: the "Twinkie Defense" (312) as described in urban legend form). Some sections didn't seem to carry a point. Some paragraphs had to be picked apart because they were poorly written. A note of one small, but reoccurring annoyance, is the reintroduction of people. Take for example Thomas Sowell, a senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. Noting who he is once (141) is informative and expected. Twice (237), okay, it's later in the book and perhaps I forgot. Three times (291)?! Do the authors really lack that much faith in their reader's retention abilities?

I agree with the previous reviewer who remarked that they didn't think the book reached a greater point. I certainly plan on reading Thomas' autobiography when it comes out in October '07, and have selected other books to read that the authors noted in their book.

Average customer rating:

A Piece of History
A good read, but leaves something out
A peek inside an extraordinary mind.
We need the Unauthorized Biography.
This book should be in every African American's home

Vernon Can Read!: A Memoir
Vernon E. Jordan Jr. , and Annette Gordon-Reed
Manufacturer: Basic Civitas Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography

ASIN: 046503697X

Book Description

From the civil rights revolution to the halls of power, the life story of a truly larger-than-life figure, Vernon E. Jordan, Jr.

A number-one Washington Post bestseller, this memoir is the unforgettable story of a life and its times. As a student in Atlanta, Vernon Jordan had a summer job driving a white banker around town. During the man's afternoon naps, Jordan passed the time reading books, a fact that astounded his boss. "Vernon can read!" the man exclaimed to his relatives. Nearly fifty years later, Vernon Jordan, long-time civil rights leader, adviser and close friend to presidents and business leaders, remembers the sweeping struggles, changes, and dangers of black life during the civil rights revolution.

After attending a predominantly white college in the Midwest and graduating from Howard University Law School, Jordan dedicated himself to the civil rights movement. He led the drive to register black voters in the South and was president of the National Urban League, one of the great civil rights organizations of the era, where he was instrumental in integrating American businesses and providing economic and social support to the expanding black middle class. He survived a white racist's assassination attempt and later became a pillar of America's legal, corporate, and political worlds.

But Jordan's life was shaped in his early years, and this book is also a moving testament to the family whose support and courage provided the framework for his achievements. Vernon Can Read! chronicles a life of courage, pride, sacrifice, style, and accomplishment.

Customer Reviews:

A Piece of History.......2007-03-31

A fantastic book detailing the magnificent journey of a tremendous American! This book is packed with historical facts about the lives of Black people in America. Vernon Jordan was born in 1935 and although he did not live through slavery, he certainly lived through the Jim Crow days. However with a good father and a strong mother, he didn't just survive - he flourished. Yes, Vernon could and did indeed 'read'. The names of people mentioned in this book are dizzying. This man dealt with a wide range of people in his career.
I loved the potent messages that came through with great clarity. Such as "never expect defeat before making an honest effort" pg.2 or pg. 277 his beliefs in concerted efforts..."each person or group using their abilities, contributing what they can to move things forward." I must also mention how happy I was to note Jordan's love for the women in his life; his mother, his invalid wife Shirley - who died at age 48, and his daughter Vickie - the apple of his eye.

A good read, but leaves something out.......2006-08-12

I also never heard of Vernon Jordan before the Lewinsky scandal. I am very glad I read this book. It is a shame that many Americans never heard of his interesting and enlightening story about coming of age in the civil rights era. That seems to me to be the theme of this book, that the civil rights era opened the doors to places of power not dreamed of before, if only one had the ambition and the character to find them.

Like a few other reviewers, I also wish that the author revealed more about the period between when he was in charge of the Urban League. This period is when he made his contacts with very many powerful people in charge of corporations and institutions, received a fellowship at Harvard Business School, and started on his way to become a 'power broker'. I guess if you read between the lines the corporate/foundation contacts made him beholden to the business community, and then retiring from the Urban League to work for a powerful Washington law firm gave him a 'power broker' title. But its not really enough to make the connection, is it? And what about those Bilderberg meetings, Vernon? We would like to know more.

A peek inside an extraordinary mind........2005-06-28

Read this book. Mr. Jordan not only provides insight and anecdotes about many events and individuals in American civil rights history, his words also give us a glimpse of the workings of an incredible mind. His memoirs are filled with stories and recollections proving that desire, determination and accountability to self and others are crucial for success in any of life's endeavors. Simply stated, I'm inspired.

We need the Unauthorized Biography........2003-11-03

This book is an unfortunate piece of near puffery: much form, much superficiality, little substance. But what does one expect from a Power Broker? Truth or Dare?

In keeping with the unwritten Power Broker Creed, Mr.Jordan reveals very little about the inside mechanations that made him who he is (as opposed to who he was). That is to say, the book speaks volumes about those life experiences that made Vernon Jordan the moderate civil rights leader he was years ago, but says exactly nothing about the transition from that leadership role, to the man who had the president's ear (not to mention the man who kept his secrets)and the ear of the REAL powerful people in this global econonmy: the corporate mavens for whom Vernon was (is?) paid handsomely to dish out advice and counsel to.

We never hear in any detail about how Jordan quietly but persistently accumulated the power he achieved and, indeed, what motivated him in this pursuit. And no, I was not interested in any Monica dirt: Monica and the whole presidential thing, was (and is) beside the point when it comes to a rigorous Jordan analysis. That whole episode merely served as a template (and not a particularly good one) for the kind of back scratchery at high level that Jordan has been doing for years.

But then again, what does one expect? People like Jordan (and mind you, I am a big fan of his)live by the aforementioned unspoken creed: power is best accumulated and exercised quietly. Thus, one does not reveal the secrets of the kingdom to just any average reader (by the way Vernon, what really does go on at those Bildeberg confrences?).

We will not get the whole unexpurgated version of Jordan's life until some biographer decides to swim against currents and put one together.

Those of us interested in reading something much more telling than Jordan's superficial telling of the story of his life will have to wait. Just as we similarly anxiously awaited biographical treatments of other quiet power brokers in the Clark Clifford, Tommy "the cork" mode (the wait is soon over for those of us interested in Tommy the cork and, thanks to the same author, was over several years ago for a good analysis of Clifford's life. CLifford's own biography, Counsel to the President, left much to be desired, too).

As a high school to college level autobiographical treatment of the life of an important figure in post-world war II america, Vernon Can Read suffices. As anything deeper, it does not.

Vernon can certainly Read, but what Vernon wrote certainly leaves alot to be desired.

This book should be in every African American's home.......2003-03-07

I listened to the unabridged audio cassette version of Vernon Can Read! This is a wonderful book. It has many dates and events in African American history of which Mr. Jordan contributed to, experienced and/or witnessed. These events are not only significant in the life of Mr. Jordan but also in the history of African Americans. The book is well written and easy to read and/or listen to. I told my five year old son about the experience of young Vernon Jordan and Mr. Maddock. It was inspiring to my son and we often listen to that portion of the tape while driving home from school. Mr. Jordan wanted the book to inspire his children and grandchildren and I suspect that it has. The book has also inspired my son. I highly recommend this book.

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