Average customer rating:
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Blue Skies, Black Wings: African American Pioneers of Aviation
Samuel L. Broadnax
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Aviation | Military | History | Subjects | Books
Aviation | Transportation | World | History | Subjects | Books
History | African Americans | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0275991954 |
Book Description
At the age of 17, Samuel L. Broadnax--enamored with flying--enlisted and trained as a pilot at the Tuskegee Army Air Base. Although he left the Air Corps at the end of the Second World War, his experiences inspired him to talk with other pilots and black pioneers of aviation. Blue Skies, Black Wings recounts the history of African Americans in the skies from the very beginnings of manned flight. From Charles Wesley Peters, who flew his own plane in 1911, and Eugene Bullard, a black American ace with the French in World War I, to the 1945 Freeman Field mutiny against segregationist policies in the Air Corps, Broadnax paints a vivid picture of the people who fought oppression to make the skies their own.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful read.......2007-06-08
At times moving and other times funny, this book gives it all, as well as being historical. It should be a must read in schools.
Amazon.com
Baseball aficionados know John B. Holway as author of books about the Negro Leagues that rescued from obscurity many of the great black players who could not play in the segregated ranks of major league baseball. Here, Holway sets his sights on another group of heroes: the men of the "Tuskegee experiment"--the effort to train black pilots during World War II. Many white officers believed the experiment would be a failure because blacks did not have the skills necessary to become pilots. But the Tuskegee Airmen proved them wrong, and black pilots--in particular those of the 332nd Squadron (the Red Tails of the title)--established stellar records in combat. Holway quotes copiously from his interviews with black airmen, and the result is a stunning record of the heroism of black men in all but impossible circumstances.
Book Description
They simultaneously fought two wars--and won both. In 1942, as the United States entered World War II, Hitler ruled the skies in Europe and Jim Crow ruled the skies in the United States.
The cream of black youth poured into Tuskegee, Alabama in the early 1940s when the Army Air Force reluctantly opened pilot training to blacks. They became the "Tuskegee Experiment;" an experiment that was supposed to fail.
It didn't. Because of their desire to fly and the determination of a few white officers who believed in them, they disproved the myths about blacks' ability to fly. Overcoming the obstacles raised by white officers vehemently opposed to the experiment, they succeeded.
The first squadron, the 99th, under the leadership of LTC B.O. Davis, Jr. arrived in North Africa after months of languishing in the United States awaiting assignment. In spite of the menial tasks they were given, they proved themselves in combat.
As more pilots arrived, they formed their own group, the 332nd, and became a part of the newly created 15th AAF. Fate now favored them. With the decision to begin daylight bombing over Central Europe, the men of the 332nd--the 'Red Tails'--were assigned escort duty for the B-17s and B-24s undertaking those bomb runs. Shepherding their 'babies' on those long, perilous journeys from Italy to Central Europe and back, they earned the reputation of never losing to enemy aircraft a bomber they escorted.
Thus began the 'Red Tail' legend.
Customer Reviews:
Red Tails Black Wings.......2003-03-27
In "Red Tails Black Wings," John B Holway details the development and service of the first group of black aviators who eventually made up the 332nd fighter group. This distinguished group of flyers fought with the 15th Air Force in North Africa and Italy during World War II. During their service they destroyed 409 aircraft and earned a Presidential Unit Citation. The 332nd took most pride in the fact that they never lost a bomber they escorted to enemy fighters. What makes the history of the 332nd so interesting is that throughout their development and deployment they were opposed by those who felt that blacks were incapable of the high skill level, courage and discipline required to be fighter pilots. Red Tails Black Wings is an excellent book about two battles, the battle against racism and the battle against Fascism.
This book is a history of the first black aviators in the U.S. Army Air Corps. There have been several books written on the Tuskegee airmen prior to this one, as well as autobiographies of the aviators that cover this era. John Holway draws on these secondary sources and personal interviews to bring a unique perspective to these pioneers of black aviation. His extensive use of oral history really brings to life all aspects of this exciting time. The secondary sources provide the background and facts of this time, while the personal stories of the men who lived it bring it to life. These personal stories told by the men who were involved, shed light on all aspects of the development, training and combat of the Tuskegee Airmen. In addition they give the reader insight into segregation, prejudice and other difficulties the flyers had to be overcome.
These oral histories provide a colorful first person account into the every day lives of these fine pilots. A reader may know that segregation was in place at this time, but it becomes real when a personal experience of racism is told by one who encountered it. The book contains gripping combat narrative and is loaded with drama. Dogfights, emergencies, and accidents all come alive when told by those who were there. It also contains personal stories, humor and portraits of the pilots. The book ultimately transcends all issues of race and shows hard work, bravery, fairness and patriotism that speaks to everyone regardless of race or color. Besides its hard to go wrong when writing about P-51s and their pilots.
Great History of the Red Tails.......2001-02-17
This book really got to me. Full of first person quotes, you can really hear the pilots talking to you. I enjoyed their humor, felt pain when they lost fellow pilots and anger on how they were treated by fellow Americans. Yet it is full of hope, with 'white' officers who treated them with fairness and Europeans who also treated them as heros. They helped us take one more step towards what the ideal America should be and one day may be.
Red Tails Black Wings.......2000-04-19
I found this book an experience to read. As an aviation enthusiast living in the Uk I found what the airmen had to put up with disgusting. Their record speaks for itself especially no bombers lost. In war everyone starts on a level playing field but sadly in these cases its different. The author lets the achievements speak for themselves and they do, sadly the individual awards are lacking. An excellent read on a topic that should enspire rather than shame. The Black Airmen rise above the predjudice and print their own chapter in aviation history.
Average customer rating:
- Amazing Book at Amazon.com
- Excellent Book for All
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Stretch Your Wings: Famous Black Quotations for Teens
Janet Cheatham Bell , and
Lucille Usher Freeman
Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
People of Color | Biographies | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Abuse | Social Issues | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Multilingual | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | United States | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Teens | Subjects | Books
Inspirational | Religion & Spirituality | Teens | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
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Famous Black Quotations
ASIN: 0316038253 |
Customer Reviews:
Amazing Book at Amazon.com.......1999-12-14
This book is one in which is encourageing to all. It contains quotes from people of our time. These people are representations of "us," and are meant to be heard. In this book, we hear the voices of people of our time. These voices become a part of us. This book captures the motivations, thoughts, and lives of famous and real people.
Excellent Book for All.......1999-12-14
In my opinion, this is the book of the new Millennium. It contains very valueable information for people of all ages. This book will be talked about by many, because it contains quotes from people we consider to be todays "role models." The people in this book represent who we are and what we've become. This book represents a voice of us which speaks of hope, inspiration, and encouragement to all.
Book Description
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Augustus Sharps, Jr., of the Sabre Ranch in Arizona, makes his way to Tuskegee, Alabama, where for the first time in history, black men are being trained as combat pilots to fight the war in Europe and the Pacific.Augustus's family has been fighting America's wars since his grandfather rode with Buffalo Soldiers against the Apaches, and since his father fought in Cuba 1898 and in the trenches of the Western Front in World War I, and he is determined to follow their footsteps.Wings of Honor is the poignant and exciting story of a young man battling the odds to fly with the "Red-Tail Angels," the 99th U.S. Pursuit Squadron, and how he added to his family's honor in battles over North Africa, Sicily, and France, in the fury of the Second World War.
Customer Reviews:
"OUTSTANDING STORY, JUST OUSTANDING.......1999-10-31
I read the first book, "BUFFALO SOLIDER" by TOM Willard. It is a shame this author does not get better credit for his work. The book stores fail to given him top billing. I guess this book is NOT YET ready for main stream AMERICA. I suggest people take a chance at reading this book. You will not regret it. All of them are great.The Best reading of fiction on this subject in a long time. MR. Willard if you read these reviews, I suggest you get these books into film. People, These Books Are Good. " DON'T PASS THIS ONE BY IN YOUR BOOKSTORES"
One man's story of becoming a Tuskeegee Airman.......1999-03-10
The Black Sabre Chronicles follows the lives of four generations of a military African-American family. Wings of Honor, third in the chronicle, is the story of Samuel Sharpe, grandson of one of the original Buffalo Soldiers, and soon to be a Tuskegee Airman. When World War II breaks out, Samuel Sharpe knows he has to fight for his country. His grandfather and father did it, and he wasn't about to break tradition. Little did he realize the actual horrors that war would bring. After being accepted at Tuskegee and receiving his wings, Samuel experiences the very real horror of war. His squadron is sent to North Africa and Europe to escort the bombers during their raids over Europe. During one of these escorts, Samuel's plane is shot down. Finding himself behind the enemy lines, Samuel puts his Arizona tracking and sharpshooting skills to good use and carries on the proud name of Sharpe in the military.
Tom Willard has done an outstanding job of presenting the story of the Tuskegee Airmen in a fictitious setting. He keeps the historical facts straight while keeping the reader totally absorbed in the thrilling story of Samuel Sharpe. For all those young adults who think history is dry and dull, I heartily recommend Black Sabre Chronicles for a history lesson at its finest.
Great.......1999-01-21
The Sharps family saga continues with Sgt Major's grandson who goes to fight the Germans despite the fact it's his fellow countrymen are a greater threat to him
Customer Reviews:
AN EXCELLENT READ.......2007-01-11
The Black Wing a book I read back in HS. Once you open to this world you can never let it go. I never wanted to stop reading. Filled with so much action and the description are phenomenol. I hope you take the cance in reading this book. Trust me you will love it
good book.......2006-06-29
This book happened to be my introduction to the Dragonlance setting.
I've always enjoyed a story that takes the 'bad guy' point of view and Khisanth is easilly one of my favorite characters in all of Krynn's history; right alongside Heart, Aurora, Kang, and Fizban (to name just a few, in no particular order).
Kirchoff writes an intriguing story that is truly worthy of being part of Weis and Hickman's world.
It's an inspirational piece of work and must read for any Dragonlance fan.
Patience is a Virtue.......2003-07-22
I began reading this book and it dragged on and on. I have read the core books, the first chronicles applying mainly to Black Wing. The book doesn't enter the deep pits of a black's dragon emotion, it doesn't display horrific scenes of the dragon destroying village after village. No, she gets to play with nyphids (pixies, sorta). As I continued reading, there was some typical dragon behavior that I crave, but more nyphids and the learning of a Taoist style of thinking, qhen.
The book is very slow moving up until around page 80, after that the pace promptly quickens and holds that speed throughtout the rest of the book. Get through the beginning of Part 1 and don't look back for the rest. This isn't my favorite dragonlance book by any means, but it does provide what all of us crave, destruction, dragons, and love.
From a different perspective indeed!.......2001-10-04
Its too bad this couldn't have been written before the Chronicles. This book made Khisanth out to be a much worthier opponent for the Companions than the Chronicles did.
As it is, this was still a great book. Once again, the Dragonlance saga proves its ok to like the bad guys.
The Best.......2000-01-06
This was one of the first Dragonlance books that I read and, ultimately, my favorite. By far, Khisanth is the most memorable "evil" character and, quite honestly, the most interesting. The only thing that bothers me is her ultimate (and unfortunate) fate at the hands of the heroes in the Dragon Series. I think it's rather unsportsmanlike to make us like a character in one book, only to dispose of her in another. It's too bad there can't be more adventures with Khisanth the dragon.
Book Description
As a black conservative, Ron Christie takes the road less traveled and often takes heat for it from the liberal black establishment. His insider accounts of his time working for both President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney offers a view into the world of policymaking at this White House at the highest levels. It also provides a refreshingly candid and positive portrayal of these two men who are so often vilified by partisan opponents and the media. A must-read for those who want to go inside George W. Bush's West Wing.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome perspective.......2007-09-21
"Pulling into the lot behind the Transition Headquarters, I was startled to see several black SUVs parked with their motors running and earnest looking men peering out the open windows - my introduction to the United States Secret Service. My first glimpse of the Secret Service agents drove home the point that I was about to embark on a journey that, if successful, would put me in close proximity to some of the most powerful and important people in the world. Great, I thought, no pressure at all."
Thus began Ron Christie's interview process for a position as a Deputy Assistant for domestic policy to Vice President-Elect Cheney. Throughout his page-turning book, Black in the White House, he weaves stories together from his three and one half year tenure in the White House that make it read more like a novel than a narrative. He provides a unique view of the Vice President, President and their respective staffs that is seldom, if ever, reported by the media. This book paints a portrait that reveals the true personalities of the leaders of the United States and the tremendous responsibilities they have.
Although sometimes sophomoric, maudlin and perhaps even pandering, Christie tells his stories as if he were a child marveling in awe at the world's leaders for whom he was asked to work instead of as a trained attorney who had important work to do. As a Deputy Policy Advisor to Senator George Allen (son of Redskin's coach Allen) for eight years, he was asked by the Republican Committee in December of 2000 to be an observer of the Presidential recount vote in Jacksonville, Florida. Shortly after flying to Florida, the Supreme Court ruled in George Bush's favor, George Bush became Presidential-Elect Bush and Ron Christie was asked to interview as a Deputy Assistant for domestic policy for Vice President-Elect Cheney.
During the waiting process after his interview, Christie candidly reveals his feelings of nervousness and uncertainty regarding his appointment. Waiting for the phone to ring, not sleeping at night, unable to think lucidly, he is no more than an average person waiting to hear the decision about their interview. Throughout the book he demonstrates his role as a normal person who is honored to serve the Vice President, President and his country by easily blending his responsibilities with his humbleness. He also makes it clear that the principals of President Bush's transition team (who would later become the cabinet and advisors after the inauguration) are extremely intelligent individuals who espouse a tremendous work ethnic in serving the Vice-President and President. Concurrently he also divulges their human and compassionate sides that few are privileged to see.
Christie worked intimately with Vice President Cheney's staff including Chief of Staff Scooter Libby, Dan McGrath, Mary Matalin and even Vice President Cheney himself. He tells tales of their dedication, character and wit. In one instance Christie was asked to attend a meeting with Vice President Cheney and noted historian Stephen Ambrose, who
was attempting to restore the Missouri River to resemble its appearance in time to celebrate the bicentennial of Lewis and Clark's expedition. Ambrose indicated that his plan to dam the river was supported in Missouri and in several states downstream. Christie knew that Ambrose's assertion was erroneous and the Vice President, always with razor sharp perception, realized that Christie was uncomfortable and asked him if he had any questions. Christie questioned Ambrose why the Missouri House of Representatives voted 138-0 to denounce the plans and why Governor Bob Holden joined several other governors to write a letter to President Bush voicing their opposition. Not accustomed to being questioned, Ambrose probably expected VP Cheney to chastise Christie. Instead, Cheney asked Christie to draft a letter to Ambrose in which the VP would "express his inability to advocate Ambrose' plan to President Bush".
September 11, 2001 was a day that most Americans will never forget. For Christie and the White House staff it was a day of horror. Not only was the horror expressed for the victims in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon but it also extended to the White House staff that was literally in the direct line of fire. After it was clear that the crashes were an attack and not an accident, the White House staff was immediately escorted out of the building by the Secret Service and told to leave. Unfortunately most of them could not return to their homes since Washington was in pandemonium and all roads were completely blocked; many stayed at friends within the city. Two days later when it was safe to enter the White House the horror was repeated when they again had to be evacuated, this time due to a bomb scare. In essence, the security and comfort that was indicative of the White House had been indelibly shattered. Although terrified to return to the White House, the staff was reminded by Andy Card that they represented the President and now was the time to fight back by going about their business and not being intimidated by fear. Indeed, the urgency at hand changed the course of President Bush's presidency. Christie relates how difficult it was for all the members of the White House to continue to run the country.
In early 2002 Christie was asked to be the Special Assistant to the President to help run the USA Freedom Corps. Although honored to work directly for the President, Christie was torn by the thought of accepting the offer due to his loyalty to Vice President Cheney and also to his aversion of governmental programs, particularly those initiated by former President Clinton. However, after numerous discussions with the staffs of both the Vice President and the President, he learned that the President was a genuine supporter of the volunteerism movement in America after 9/11 and wanted to capitalize on the spirit running through the country during that time. He therefore accepted the commission. Thus began his association with the President of the United States. From Christie's vantage point, in opposition to the media, he saw the President as the leader of staff meetings who utilized the expertise of his cabinet, including the Vice President, for advice. The bottom line was that President Bush was the man in charge of the White House, not Vice President Cheney or anyone else. Period.
Christie did not turn his back on his black heritage and in fact almost resigned due to an incident by Mississippi Senator Trent Lott during Thanksgiving in 2002. While Christie was at his brother's home, Senator Lott was featured on CNN at Senator Strom Thurmond's one-hundredth birthday party. Lott was recalling Thurmond's unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 1948 and lamented that Mississippi, which was opposed to integration, was only one of four states that supported him. Lott went on to say, "We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years, either". Christie and his family were stunned. During the next few days in which the White House said nothing, Christie's parents asked him how could he work at the White House for a man who had refused to repudiate Lott's statement. Christie, wrestling with his admiration for President Bush and his agenda, could not sit by silently. Knowing it could cost him his job, he wrote a note to Andy Card expressing his dismay that the comment was not rebuked by the White House. Card, the Chief of Staff to President Bush and known in the White House for both his intense intelligence and hilarious practical jokes, invited Christie to a private meeting to discuss the relationship between blacks and the Republican Party. When asked to present his thoughts, Christie proposed that Republicans "should not be traveling to black neighborhoods and talking about crime, welfare reform and drugs" but should talk about "tax reform, school choice and home ownership". Rather that "bringing in the gospel choir to sing and sway in the East Wing during Black History month can't we do more than pander to those folks who then start criticizing us the second they leave the building"? Christie suggested that the President "should visit with small business leaders, doctors and investors who support his vision and happen to be black". Andy Card, displaying his honesty and sincerity, became an active participant and devoted significant amounts of his time to find ways in which the President's agenda could resonate with those who were skeptical about his policies.
Black in the White House made me feel that I was actually observing the leaders of the country on a personal level without the critical remonstrations of the media promoting their anti-Bush rhetoric. I was able to see, through Christie's eyes, the leaders in President Bush's cabinet as thoughtful, intelligent and sincere individuals who are honored to spend a few years of their lives dedicated to the President and the country. Although not intended to be an historical document, the book represents a view of the White House and the Presidency that is seldom revealed. It was refreshing to observe the White House from the perspective of someone who loves to be there rather than from someone who is there to condemn it.
Loved this book!.......2007-08-29
This book is one of my favorites. Ron Christie's persective of the White House workings kept my attention from cover to cover. I have to tell you...his thoughts on some things made me laugh out loud and others made me cry. Thank you for the book Mr. Christie--and you are definitely not a "wart on history's nose". :-)
Where did they find this guy?!.......2006-08-19
I suppose that if you are a guileless, hard-core reactionary, then you'll really love Ron Christie's no-fault treatise on everything good about W's Whitehouse.
While I am an AA (African-American) with moderate political views, there is something simultaneously self-satisfied and self-hating about Mr. Christie's over-the-top conservative tome in which he anecdotes countless situations in which he is the only person of color in the room (one would not count Conde Rice). Here he finds few faults with the Bush administration while describing his Horatio Algers' climb to middle management in the Republican Guard.
He breathlessly reports of his adventures in becoming one of the youngest African Americans to navigate his way into the echelons of republican politics, without any self-acknowledgment that he may, in fact, just be a "token".
I'd say it was an interesting read if you want to understand how the Republican Party simultaneously manages to find no real value in diversity, while exploiting - in a nominal way - the value of having a symbolic representative.
This is a smug account of his interactions with politicos in the West Wing and it reads like a report on "What I Did Over my Summer Vacation".
Thoroughly unsatisfying for the political junkie.......2006-04-12
If you are looking for the proverbial "fly on the wall" perspective of the White House, this might fit the bill nicely. Christie gives a very...accessible account of what it's like to work for the President. Unfortunately, Christie's experiences (as he presents them anyway) come across as though he had about as much impact on meaningful policy as a real fly on the wall. Certain passages made me cringe as the author described being nearly paralyzed with awe every time he met high profile people for the first time.
I surely hope this was an editing error that slipped through but on page 233 Christie describes Karl Rove as being "thought by many to be the most powerful man in the White House other than the VP". If that was supposed to be a dig at Bush it's pretty unbecoming considering the way Christie fawns over W through the rest of the book. I STRONGLY suspect a junior proof-reader at publisher Nelson Current let her political views enter into her work and introduced the error as a prank. Pretty funny.
I wouldn't recommend this for those learning about politics, government and the executive branch either. It is too lean on how various departments and individuals work together to implement policy. Also lacking is any insight on how one gets to such a position.
Disappointing.......2006-04-09
I read Ron Christie's new book as I was looking to find some insight into how the Bush White House works. Having seen the author on a number of tv programs he comes across as earnest, forthright and dedicated to the conservative cause. Unfortunately, he hasn't been in the top echelon of decision-making to warrant a good book. It's too low-level.
I wish Mr. Christie well.....there's nothing more in his book that we already know, would care to know or will find out sooner or later.
Average customer rating:
- sapphire does it again - unfortunately
- Sapphire Does It Again
- void of quality
- Compelling, vivid poetry born of the Black experience.
- a sapphire may be a jewel but this book ain't
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Black Wings & Blind Angels: Poems
Sapphire
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
20th Century | Poetry | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
African American | Poetry | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Poetry | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
United States | Single Authors | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Sapphire | ( S ) | Poets, A-Z | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Sapphire | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
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American Dreams
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Push: A Novel
ASIN: 0679767312
Release Date: 2000-09-12 |
Book Description
With fierce candor and an unflinching eye, the highly praised author of
Push journeys through the harsh realities of African American existence to find the "door to the possibility of now." The heroes that emerge from these forty-seven vigorous poems confront the agony of betrayal as they strive in their quest for self-transformation and redemption.
From the city streets to the rich landscape of dreams, each of these poems holds out the "black wings of expectation" offering the chance to emerge from the pain of the past and arrive at "the day you have been waiting for/when you would finally begin to live." At turns alarming and inspiring, the raw lyrics and piercing wisdom of
Black Wings & Blind Angels remind us of Sapphire's place as a unique and fearless voice.
Customer Reviews:
sapphire does it again - unfortunately.......2000-04-01
degrading stereotypes of black folks to make a buck, flat writing, self-promoting "bad girl" posturing, all just like the ultra-lame Push novel, yep, she sure does do it again, much to the dismay of most black people I hang with. please, Sapphire, spare us any more of your "art".
Sapphire Does It Again.......2000-03-11
Sapphire's poetry remains independent. Very few writers can tackle such issues with the vigilance, craft, and honesty that Sapphire possesses. Sapphire's writings, once again, nudge our comfort levels and gives us an opportunity to confront our own thoughts and values. This book is just as valuable as its predecessors, American Dreams and Push. Sapphire is clearly growing. Her new work reflects this growth toward enlightenment, recovery, and acceptance. Black Wings and Blind Angels shares with us the depths of the human emotions and experiences.
void of quality.......2000-02-24
it's hard to write good poetry, as the form of poetry lends itself to self-indulgence and excess. this dreadful collection is a perfect example of that and to call it an expression of the black experience is an insult to all my sisters and brothers.
Compelling, vivid poetry born of the Black experience........2000-02-04
Sapphire's Black Wings & Blind Angels provides the poetry of black writer Sapphire, which examines the black experience in America and the effects of racism and urban violence. A compelling account packed with vivid free verse images.
a sapphire may be a jewel but this book ain't.......2000-02-01
i was disappointed by this book of poetry because the imagery is kind of heavyhanded and the topics really dreary. poetry is hard to like anyway because people get so self-indulgent saying any old thing. this is another example of that.
Book Description
Chaze's long-lost classic, a legend among noir buffs, is back in print for the first time in nearly half a century.
The one book Black Lizard never published, it's the dream-like tale of a man after a jailbreak, who meets up with the woman of his dreams... and his nightmares. Phenomenal work of the period, ranking with the best efforts of Thompson, Woolrich, Goodis et al.
Customer Reviews:
Five-star pulp classic; one-star reprint job.......2006-08-01
This is a great mid-century "pulp" novel that, like James Cain's "Postman Always Rings Twice," has been celebrated for it's skillful writing (the 1934 "Postman" was much earlier, however, than this 1953 work). In addition to the action, which is deftly conveyed, Chaze makes the surroundings come alive as well. The suburbs of Denver, the abandoned gold mines nearby, the American road just before the Eisenhower freeway system, the smells of the South, the lack of smells in the West...it's rich, but not in purple or overstuffed prose. The writing wasn't groundbreaking, it wasn't Hemingway, but it was quite good, certainly for a pulp.
The narrator is an interesting mix of hard guy, college boy who didn't make good, and amoral alcoholic depressive. His "angel" is more two-dimensional, as she's perfectly formed physically and has a perfectly icy heart ("made of dollar bills" as the cover says). There's a wonderful back and forth between them, as their trust in each other and desire for each other shifts from day to day. Here's an example (the two are swimming in a quarry pool):
"....She was wonderful in the water, almost professionally good, and the water was clear because its bottom was solid rock and there was nothing to stir up and cloud it. It must have been about nine feet deep and cold, achingly cold. It felt so fine to my head I'd take a deep breath and go limp and sink down to the bottom and squat there. From below the surface was a sheet of mercury and then I'd see it break roughly as she kicked against it coming down to me. It was like watching her through a sheet of clean green cellophane. She came and curved around me and slid along my back and shoulders. A futuristic kind of love. Love with all the heat taken out of it.... (p.39)"
When they get out of the pool, you don't know if they'll be making love or trying to run each other over with the Packard next. Probably, they'll do both.
"Black Wings" has also been one of the rarest pulps of note, and 52 years after it's last publication, it's finally back on the market.
I second everything "Baron Von Cool" wrote earlier about this particular edition. While there may have been typos in the original Gold Medal version (which any decent publisher would silently correct), there are clearly plenty of new ones introduced here. Some errors in this reprint seem the result of Optical Character Recognition (OCR), used to digitize paper texts. For example: the lower case "l" starts a sentence where the pronoun "I" is clearly intended (p.19). Or this beauty: "In the South the roses explode out of the weeds in the yards o&.pound; the poorest shanties." (p. 21). Somehow the html coding for "£" got printed instead of the British pound symbol, which was how the publisher's stupid OCR software read the letter "f" on the original page. The sentence must have originally read "...in the yards of the poorest shanties." But you'd never guess that without typing the raw text into a web brower and then publishing it on Amazon, whereupon the "£" sign magically appears and you figure out what the **** all that garbage in your novel was.
Unfortunately, there are more than a few typos. They leave you scratching your head and wondering "what letter, if I changed it, would make this sentence make sense?" Then, for instance, you'll realize that the characters "ni" are in the place of what is supposed to be an "m", and the meaning becomes clear. Meanwhile, you've been thrown out of the reality that Chaze has skillfully created for you.
And then there's the page and chapter layout that looks like a seventh grader did all the book design in Microsoft Word, with no special templates or section formatting ("amateur hour," like the Baron says). The title page is numbered at the top, the story begins on page 4, the sections and chapters are crammed together with no white space, and so on. All these little things really do distract the reader, bringing things to a grinding halt on occasion.
Of course, a crummy version of a lost classic is better than no version at all or paying an outrageous sum for an original copy. I am greatful that someone out there bothered with a book that probably isn't going to bring in much of a financial return. Buy the book while it's around--it's not beyond redemption in this form.
Edit: Turns out Blackmask publishers is/was run by David Moynihan, a Don Quixote-esque guy battling The Man for the public's right to publish works that should properly be in the public domain. He's published hundreds of public domain texts on his website, so he's certainly due his props. It doens't change the sloppy presentation of "Black Wings...", but I suppose it's a mitigating factor. Good luck, David. May your mission continue.
Great novel, bad presentation from Blackmask.com.......2006-02-22
This was a great, Jim Thompson-esque noir novel I highly recommend. But my enjoyment of the text was marred by the poor presentation by publisher Blackmask.com. Inside, and on the back cover, there are a fair number of distracting typos. Chapters are crammed together when they should be spaced out. Despite the substandard presentation, I loved the novel itself, so I bought Seven Slayers from Blackmask.com, thinking that there was no way the publisher could screw up like that again; it had to be a fluke, right? Wrong! Seven Slayers is put together a hundred times worse. The cramming together of freaking paragraphs (where scenes and characters have abruptly changed) makes Seven Slayers virtually incomprehensible. Unlike the reasonably crisp, oversized reproduction of the original 1950s paperback cover on Black Wings Has My Angel, the cover of Seven Slayers is an embarassingly bad, tiny pixellated .jpg of the 1950s paperback cover (obviously taken off the internet).
My advice is to go ahead and buy Black Wings Has My Angel (knowing it has a fair number of typos), but to avoid buying anything else from Blackmask.com if you can obtain a reasonably-priced copy elsewhere. Unfortunately, that may be hard, considering their rarity. Note that Blackmask.com offers FREE electronic downloads of many pulp fiction stories and noir novels; check their site for free downloads before you buy hardcopies or downloads.
I really wish Blackmask, whose heart is in the right place in rereleasing these lost classics, would clean up its act and actually put some effort into their presentation/packaging so the books looked good and read easier. As it is, their releases look like no budget, amateur hour junk. These novels deserve better! I'm proud to display my old Black Lizard reprints, but the Blackmask books? Forget it!
Great Noir for fans of Thompson, Cain, Willeford...........2005-11-28
If you like hard-as-nails pulp fiction from the forties and fifties, tough guys with evil minds who lose their reason over beautiful women, this is a great book. It ranks right up there with the best of Charles Willeford, Jim Thompson, David Goodis, WR Burnett, and James M. Cain. Our protagonist fights it hard, but falls for a dame who's up to no good. Planning a big crime takes all your attention, but when your mind's on other things....
Note: This book is available in its entirety online.
Customer Reviews:
"Episode 2" promises much but explains less.......2000-05-07
If Charles Grant dies soon I'm going to kill him! Words cannot explain just how addictive this series of books is going to become for me. Its like watching the X-files back when its was going from good to great. There is a lot more than meets the eye in the mystery of this small town, someone (or THING? ) is playing with Ethan Proctor, does it have to do with the murder in Atlantic City? Or the disappearance of that girl so many years ago? One thing is for certain, we are going to have to wait a little while longer to find out. So when is the next one, I cannot wait!
Black Oak #2 fun, if not a bit confusing.......1999-10-17
Charles Grant is the best writer you never heard of. Black Oak #2, although it is a bit perplexing at times, has its moments. Grant uses his classic Oxrun Station charm to give the novel some muscel. Dark-winged women stalk from the sky in exhilirating suspense. Only question I have is where did the entities come from?
"This week, on Black Oak . . .".......1999-04-12
With Black Oak, award-winning author Charles Grant is clearly creating something that works better as a series than a bunch of individual novels. While not a serialized novel like King's Green Mile, readers will get more out of The Hush of Dark Wings if they've read the previous volume (and presumably still more when the next installment comes out). It should come as no surprise that the reader is coming in on an ongoing story; the book is clearly labeled #2 on the cover and spine, and "Episode Two" inside. Having said that, while The Hush of Dark Wings does pick up on elements from Genesis, and parts of this book appear to carry over into the next installment, the main story does begin and end in this volume. Additionally, the story opens with a "Previously in Black Oak" recap of the important events from Genesis (a lesson more series should learn), and ends with a "Next, in Black Oak" teaser, letting us know that the author knows he didn't explain everything, and that's by choice, not sloppiness.
While The Hush of Dark Wings has the same overall tone as the first book, the plot is considerably less complex. At one point, the characters even realize how little time has passed over the course of the story. The book serves primarily as an introduction for (presumably) new regular Vivian Chambers. We also learn more about how the mysterious Ethan Proctor works and how he thinks, if not much more about his background. The paranormal mystery is weird and creepy, with some particularly vivid and graphic scenes. Graphic, that is, in the Charles Grant sense, where he gives the reader just enough information that you imagine something truly gruesome, without being spoon-fed all the gory details.
It's easy to make comparisons to X-Files, and I'm sure this series, like Chet Williamson's Searchers trilogy, owes its existence to that TV series' popularity. What makes Black Oak distinct is its varied cast of characters. Grant manages to create vivid personalities who come to life in front of the reader. I find myself looking forward to the next installment, not only to find out what happens next, but also to spend more time with these people and learn more about them. The Black Oak books may be quick reads, but they're a lot of fun, and may be one of the best TV series in print.
Supernatural or mundane-read it and find out.......1998-12-06
Black Oak Security, owned and operated by Ethan Proctor, is recognized as one of the top investigative corporations in the country. Proctor has his fill of mundane cases, but occasionally deals with an eerie investigation that hints at the supernatural. To his credit, Proctor does not rule out the seemingly impossible.
He wonders if something otherworldly is the cause behind a case in Hart Junction, Kansas, a town that was used at one time in many movies. Residents seem to vanish without a trace. The few remaining citizens hear footsteps, but no one is ever seen. Even more frightening to the few remaining townsfolk is the flying sounds that are heard by all just before someone dies. All these nocturnal events began when the Morning Star Cult moved into the vicinity about four years ago. Proctor predominately looks at the cult without ruling out other culprits in an effort to save a town that is near death.
Charles Grant has the uncanny ability to make readers doubt their conclusions while perusing one of his brilliant novels. The titillating wonder of not knowing whether Proctor battles the natural or supernatural world propels BLACK OAK #2: THE HUSH OF WINGS into a one sitting experience in order to obtain some answers. This engrossing and impossible to predict novel leaves the audience impatiently clamoring for book # 3 and searching for book #1.
Harriet Klausner
Books:
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8, Issue 1
- Chosen by God
- Creative Whack Pack
- Dark at the Roots: A Memoir
- Dead Air
- Death in Winter (Star Trek: the Next Generation)
- Depression: A Stubborn Darkness--Light for the Path (VantagePoint Books)
- Distant Shores: A Tenth-Anniversary Celebration (Star Trek: Voyager)
- Dragon's Keep
- Dragonfly in Amber
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