Black Boy (The Restored Text Established by The Library of America) (Perennial Classics)

Book Description

With an introduction by Jerry W. Ward, Jr.

Black Boy is a classic of American autobiography, a subtly crafted narrative of Richard Wright's journey from innocence to experience in the Jim Crow South. An enduring story of one young man's coming off age during a particular time and place, Black Boy remains a seminal text in our history about what it means to be a man, black, and Southern in America.

"Superb...The Library of America has insured that most of Wright's major texts are now available as he wanted them to be tread...Most important of all is the opportunity we now have to hear a great American writer speak with his own voice about matters that still resonate at the center of our lives."
--Alfred Kazin, New York Time Book Review
"The publication of this new edition is not just an editorial innovation, it is a major event in American literary history."
--Andrew Delbanco, New Republic

Customer Reviews:

wow.......2007-09-29

This is my all time favourite book ever. I'm sure there are literary drawbacks to it somewhere; but overall I think its an amazingly well written book. Poignant, stark, and unfathomable. Reading it made me so hungry, you wouldn't believe.

Not the best edition to have.......2007-09-15

Much as I love and admire this book--a must-read in American literature--this is not the best edition to have. Wright originally wrote the book in two parts: "Southern Night," about his experiences in the South; and "The Horror and the Glory." His original title for the two-part book was AMERICAN HUNGER.

When it was selected as a primary selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club--a great honor at that time, which tripled the sales of the book--he was asked to remove "The Horror and the Glory" and just publish the first section, "Southern Night." That was the book he retitled BLACK BOY. It is a pure memoir of his life as an aspirational but deeply alienated black growing up in the South.

Recent editions of the book have restored "The Horror and the Glory" to the text, and you might think this is a good thing. I don't think it is, in this case. That section purports to continue his memoir with his experiences in Chicago. However, unfortunately--and ironically--the Book of the Month Club editors were right from an artistic standpoint. "The Horror and the Glory" is completely different in tone. It largely recounts Wright's involvement in the Communist Party of the 1930s, and is deeply enmeshed in party politics. It embodies Wright's own feelings of devotion to Communism and Communist ideals even as it recounts his repudiation of the party.

I have nothing against Wright having been a Communist per se; my objections are not political at all but purely artistic. This second part of the book has none of the directness and immediacy of the first part; it is far less entertaining, and much more of a chore to read. Actually, the first part of the book (about two-thirds of its length) does indeed stand alone as a cohesive, coherent narrative. This is how it was issued, and, actually, it's how it should be read. The second part merely dilutes the artistic impact of the first part, rather than adding to it.

"The Horror and the Glory" was published originally in a motley of smaller articles, in the Atlantic Monthly and elsewhere. The issues it raises--internal Communist party politics and their relationships to the John Reed Clubs and their associated writers' groups--are somewhat interesting historically, but dated and ultimately irrelevant. It feels very much like commentary on facts and events you're expected to know about, but don't.

I suggest readers either purchase an edition that is true to the first edition, and contains only what in this edition is called "Southern Night," or else consider just reading the first part and letting the second part go. I think it's a better book the way it was originally issued.

Searching for Humanity.......2007-06-26

Richard Wrights autobiographical book is all the more remarkable in so much that it exists and was written by a man born to fail by society and given every hinderence to his thirst and love for life and reading.

Wrights book never becomes mawkish or pious.It simply tells it how it was;deep south society at the turn of the century and the black peoples place in it. Wright is open about his own failings-taunting jews, his childhood alcoholism-but there was no escape for him no matter how hard he tried to get ahead. A painful scene comes when young Wright thinks he is 'getting ahead' by selling newspapers to have a wiser black head point out he is actually selling ku klux klan literature. His love for books is hampered by the law banning blacks from libraries.

He comes across liberals who try to help him, but there is only so much anyone can do in a society swamped by prejudices.

The sad end is when Wright traveled up to the north; Chicago, where 'Blacks are free' The memoir ends here, but further reading of Wrights work-and that of his admirers and contemporaries such as Ralph Ellison-makes you aware that this was just another myth.Yes,life wasn't as oppressive as the south, but the 'liberals' liked the blacks to stay in the 'black belt'(a favourite term of Wrights) and used all means at disposal should they get 'Uppity'.

Wright inspired Ellison and Baldwin amongst others, but I feel sure he must have inspired MLK as well, as all Wright ever really wanted was human dignity for all mankinds peoples.

Read it for the second time!.......2007-04-25

This book is an early years autobiography of Richard Wright, the famed and accomplished African American author. I read all of Mr. Wright's books when I was in junior high school and wanted to share them with my teenage daughter. In doing so, I picked up "Black Boy" and couldn't put it down until I read it again.

Richard Wright was raised in the South in the 1920's. He experienced the hardships, poverty, and racism of those days and relays these experiences descriptively yet simply in the book. The reader can can see and feel the events without being bored.

"Black Boy" is a quick one- or two-day read, and I recommend it highly. I also highly recommend one of Mr. Wright's fictional novels, "Native Son."

Hearing Wright's Life and Our Own.......2007-04-05

Peter Francis James's performance of Richard Wright's autobiography brings many of its aural qualities our ears, qualities we may not notice in a silent reading of the book. These CDs enable both the visually impaired and the sighted to enjoy Wright's classic and to ponder why after sixty-two years the book still provides insights about American culure.

The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou (Modern Library)

Average customer rating:

Through the eyes of an african american woman
Good experience
maja in detail
My eyes have been opened!!!
Review of Maya Angelou's Collected Biographies

The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou (Modern Library)
Maya Angelou
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Authors | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Entertainers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0679643257
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Book Description

Superbly told, with the poet's gift for language and observation, Angelou's autobiography of her childhood in Arkansas - a world of which most Americans are ignorant.

Customer Reviews:

Through the eyes of an african american woman.......2007-04-19

I am not African American, not African, not American, and this book was such an eye opener. It is so rich in humanity, it is a pleasure to read. Each one of the 6 books is written with a distinctive voice as a person is maturing. Maya has a way of writing that is refreshing, intimate and profound.

Through her eyes we become aware of the distinctive culture and values that her characters share or challenge. We see the need that every person has to live life fully and the questions we all need to answer about who we are and what are we here for.

I particularly liked the "All God's chhildren need traveling shoes" best. this book is a must for people who seek to accept that we can be different, yet valued.

It is a distinctive book because it is written in a way that lifts the spirits and intrigues the intelect. .... "to the determination to be no victim of any kind".

Good experience.......2007-04-19

The book is precisely as described and it was shipped within a reasonable amount of time. Thanks...

maja in detail.......2007-04-10

I happened to hear her speak at a lecture series. She spoke for an hour and I was interested to read more about her life. I am only on page 280 but this woman is amazing and her writing style is so crisp and clear, it is as captivating as she was as a speaker. I enthusiatically recommend this book.

My eyes have been opened!!!.......2006-02-17

Other than Maya's poems, I have never read her autobiographies. WOW barely describes what I read and felt. I always thought of Maya to be just what she is....a poet, an author. To read how her early life was, I see how her life's experiences brought her to where she is today. Not only does she speak honestly, her style of writing makes one feel they are her in the books. The size of the book may seem intimidating, but I could not put it down. I had to schedule myself to study for my class and read this book!

Review of Maya Angelou's Collected Biographies.......2005-09-29

I purchased this book after reading, "I know why the caged bird sings", I found myself captivated by the spellbounding aura of maya angelou and in a thirst for her story purchased this book. I have drank her words readily and my only regret is that like all great things, the pages shall run out and my feast shall come to an end. This is a wonderful gift for any Maya Angelou fan, it branches outside of her poetry and makes the goddess of words appear a little more human.

Victorian Exterior Decoration: How to Paint Your Nineteenth-Century American House Historically

Average customer rating:

very good book
Quite a good reference book for old house lovers (like me!)
Excellent detail, very helpful

Victorian Exterior Decoration: How to Paint Your Nineteenth-Century American House Historically
Roger W. Moss , and Gail Caskey Winkler
Manufacturer: Owl Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

Buildings & Construction | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Home & Garden | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0805023135

Book Description

Victorian Exterior Decoration provides a foolproof system for choosing the colors that will best suit the particular style of any house.

Customer Reviews:

very good book.......2005-10-08

I found this to be a very good book and very educational. I am painting my 19th century house using it as a guide. In the previous review someone wrote:

"Unfortunately, there are precious few old drawings and the ones they do have are done in muted browns and beiges. Now, I know they didn't have color photos back in those days, but I do wish they'd included more color pictures (drawings) of these old houses."

This person has obviously missed the point of the book. Did you read it? Those _are_ color drawings and those "muted browns and beiges" _were_ the colors used back then. People have a stereotype of 19th century colors as supposedly being bright and contrasty; this is due to the colorist movement in San Francisco back in the 70s, but is not appropriate when seeking 19th century accuracy. The crazy row-house colors of San Francisco are modern interpretations; whereas the Victorians preferred earth tones. The authors go at length to explain this with drawings and historic reproductions that are accurate in color.
My only gripe with this book is that there should be more photographs of 19th houses painted historically. I think more photos would give home restorers more ideas to pick from.

Quite a good reference book for old house lovers (like me!).......2000-05-02

This book is over 110 pages and every page has at least one picture, and most have two or three.

Beyond the good information re: color schemes, there is a lot of information in this book about the 101 details (fretwork, finials, porches, etc) of an old house.

Unfortunately, there are precious few old drawings and the ones they do have are done in muted browns and beiges. Now, I know they didn't have color photos back in those days, but I do wish they'd included more color pictures (drawings) of these old houses.

There are also some very interesting old paint ads - such as one that suggests the right house paint is *the* key to health and happiness. The book also contains plenty of written information and history, which is interesting reading.

And the photos/drawings offer a nice blend of the ostentatious Queen Annes and by contrast, the simple and modest "Builder's Style" homes.

I'm an old house purist trying to redo my simple old home as authentically as possible. This book is a good resource for that.

Excellent detail, very helpful.......1999-07-07

I really enjoyed all the details and information so that I can paint my own Victorian home. Good color combinations, great historical information. I do wish there had been a few more photos of correctly painted homes.

Stealing Home: Jackie Robinson: Against the Odds

Average customer rating:

Stealing Home: Jackie Robinson: Against the Odds
Robert Burleigh
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0689862768

Book Description

Man on third. Two outs. The pitcher eyes the base runner, checks for the sign. The fans in the jammed stadium hold their breath. Flapping his outstretched arms like wings, number 42 leads off again. It is September 1955, game one of the World Series, the Yankees versus the Dodgers, and Jackie Robinson is about to do the unbelievable. Attempt to steal home. In a World Series game. To race a baseball thrown from the pitcher's mound and win! Is it possible? Yes, it is -- if you are Jackie Robinson!

Amazon.com

In this first of five volumes of autobiography, poet Maya Angelou recounts a youth filled with disappointment, frustration, tragedy, and finally hard-won independence. Sent at a young age to live with her grandmother in Arkansas, Angelou learned a great deal from this exceptional woman and the tightly knit black community there. These very lessons carried her throughout the hardships she endured later in life, including a tragic occurrence while visiting her mother in St. Louis and her formative years spent in California--where an unwanted pregnancy changed her life forever. Marvelously told, with Angelou's "gift for language and observation," this "remarkable autobiography by an equally remarkable black woman from Arkansas captures, indelibly, a world of which most Americans are shamefully ignorant."

Book Description

In the first volume of an extraordinary autobiographical series, one of the most inspiring authors of our time recalls--with candor, humor, poignancy and grace--how her journey began....

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

I know why the Caged Bird Sings.......2007-09-07

Wonderful overview of who Mya Angelou actually is and what makes her the person she is. Very poignant, sometimes extremly funny and sometimes brings you to tears. A lovely, proud woman; someone you would be thrilled to call your friend, because if she was your friend, she would be true blue. She is sassy, proud, scared, fearless. I laughed when she laughted and felt some of the pain she must have felt when she realized things were not always as they seem to be.

Unforgettable.......2007-07-30

Maya Angelou brings to life an era that cannot and must not be forgotten. It was not that long ago in America that blacks were seen as another, inferior nation that was taught, explicitly and implicitly, to know its place. Anyone who wishes to understand the underpinnings of the civil rights movement of the 20th century, as well as African Americans' continued struggle for equality today, should read this book.

I found it particularly noteworthy that Angelou and her family in the rural South of the 1930s employed a very strong defense mechanism: They concluded that white people were the ones who were awkward, strange, inferior, possibly not even human. This was the only way for them to survive day to day.

This is a must read for adults and teenagers alike.

A canonical work in American literature.......2007-07-24

Maya Angelou's memoir of growing up in the 1930's and 40's offers a cold, hard assessment of the petty indignities, fear and racism (both subtle and overt) African-Americans endured (and continue to live with.) But what makes this wonderful book shine is the way in which Maya (and her family and those around her) face, challenge and overcome these indignities. Added to this is Angelou's writing, which has a rythm, ebb and flow to it - in reading it is clear that she is a poet.

Added to the weight of racism, Angelou wrestles with sexism (making her doubly powerless: a woman and an African-American) and repeated and continuous displacement as she is shuttled from household to household. The transformation she makes from girl to womanhood is as powerful as it is moving. That she learns how to become the "formidible character" that many women of color are is a testament to her (and their) courage and strength. It is clear to me why this is considered such a seminal work in American literature. Easy to read yet powerful and uplifting, I highly recommend it.

Poor Print.......2007-05-28

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, is one of the best books of all time. Unfortunately, Heinemann Publishers did not do this novel justice. The typeset (by CentraCet Limited) is squeezed on a slim page less than five inches. The right margin is less than 3/8 inch and affords only distracting aesthetics. I wanted a hardcopy but only received a binding - I'm sure Maya could not have approved. I was truly disappointed with the printing because I wanted a copy of this novel that I could pass on to my daughters. Disappointed and Let Down!

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.......2007-05-16

The book taught a lot on the time before aparthied. It was a moving story on how fathers connect to their sons and the country being under racial segragation

Average customer rating:

A very moving story
The Color purple

The Color Purple (Cliffs Notes)
Gloria Rose
Manufacturer: Cliffs Notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Notes | Education | Reference | Subjects | Books

Study Guides | Reference | Subjects | Books

Literary Criticism & Collections | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Study Guides | Reference | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Reference | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Cliffs Notes | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Children's Books | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Reference | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0822003082

Book Description

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background.

In CliffsNotes on The Color Purple, you follow the beautiful and difficult story of a shy and abused Southern black woman's struggle to create an identity, a feeling of self-worth, and love.

Covering a series of personal letters that span a 40-year period, this study guide shares a story about growth, endurance, loyalty, solidarity, and joy -- all nurtured by the strength of love. You'll gain comfort with the black folk language main character Celie's uses to express herself as you move through critical commentaries on each of the novel's 89 letters. Other features that help you figure out this important work include

Life and background of the author, Alice Walker
Analyses of a large cast of characters
Introduction to the novel
A review section that tests your knowledge and suggests essay topics
A selected bibliography that leads you to more great resources

Classic literature or modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

Download Description

A beautiful, difficult, and moving story about a shy and abused Southern black woman's struggle to create an identity, a feeling of self-worth, and love.

Customer Reviews:

A very moving story.......2001-12-02

The Color Purple is about a young, shy, balck woman named Celie. At the beginning of the novel she is has no self confidence but at the end she has loads. With the help of other characters in the novel, Celie becomes more aware of her feelings towards other people. I thought this was a very enjoyable book to read and i'm sure there will not be one person who has read this book and didn't enjoy it.

The Color purple.......2000-12-11

I believe that the Color Purple is an amazing novel. I cried the first time I red it and now I can not seem to put it down. The Color Purple is about a black South American girl and her struggle to find her identity and also the constant battle of man verses women. She is faced with many problems but she only has a few solutions and not all her solutions are for the best.

Average customer rating:

Crimson, gold, and lavender

The Color of Home
Mary Hoffman
Manufacturer: Dial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

School | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0803728417

Book Description

This remarkably moving picture book follows first-grader Hassan through his first few days at school. Hassan has only recently arrived in the United States after he and his family were forced to flee Somalia, and he deeply misses the colorful landscape of his former home in Africa. But with the help of his parents, an understanding teacher, and a school art project, Hassan finds that by painting a picture of his old home and sharing his story, his homesickness and the trauma of leaving a war-torn country are lessened. And he finds that there are many things to like about his new home in America. The colorful, impressionistic illustrations are a perfect complement to the wonderful text by Mary Hoffman, author of the highly acclaimed Amazing Grace. Together art and text make this poignant story accessible and affecting for a young audience.

Customer Reviews:

Crimson, gold, and lavender.......2005-01-24

When I lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota I found that the community included a large Somalian population. Intrigued by this I tried to seek out children's books that spoke about the Somalian experience and that would be useful to our library collection. I guess I wasn't too shocked to find that there wasn't an abundance of books on the subject, but I was a bit disappointed. Then, in the course of my work, I heard about Mary Hoffman's, "The Color of Home". A beautiful picture book written by the author of the supremely popular, "Amazing Grace", I was both relieved and delighted to find the story exactly what I was hoping for. Better still, "The Color of Home" speaks to any child that has ever left a violent country and moved to America. Combining the slow acceptance of the new and different with an understanding of how talking about things can be therapeutic, this is one of those rare deeply moving picture books.

Hassan is unhappy. Having left bright colorful warm Somalia for cold colorless unfamiliar America depresses him. Though his teacher and fellow students are nice enough, Hassan has to deal with language differences and his own personal history. One day, his teacher asks him to draw a picture. He does, but fills it with the images of the blood and violence he left behind. Through the intervention of a friendly translator and talking about what he's been through, Hassan starts to feel a little better about his experiences. Slowly, he learns to adjust.

Yeah. It's a tearjerker. Mary Hoffman, aided by illustrator Karin Littlewood, kinda goes for your throat with this one. The moment it really got me was when Hassan talks about having to leave his cat behind. You see him, one moment, crouching under the bed as the boots of a soldier pass by, his hand clasping the cat to his chest in fear. The next he's leaving, reaching for the cat that's standing all alone while the family leaves. But this is not to say that the story panders with cheap emotions. If nothing else, Hoffman is entirely respectful of her subject. It's true that the book ends on a happier note. The family is now filling their house with color and Hassan is learning some new words and feeling better about everything. But it's obviously not a perfect situation. Just a better one.

The illustrations are lovely as well. Using broad watercolors, Littlewood draws realistic characters with bright cheerful colors. She's also rather good at drawing Hassan's personal paintings. They're childlike but also, at times, horrific. Combined with Hoffman's words, this book, as I said before, speaks to all kinds of children. Not just the one's escaping from brutality. It doesn't matter what your child's situation is. "The Color of Home" is one of those books that should be read to them so as to open their eyes to the world around them. It's a book that should be better known.

Sounds Like Home: Growing Up Black and Deaf in the South

Average customer rating:

A Wonderful Book!!
Sounds like home to me
Sounds Like Home: Growing Up Black and Deaf in the South
Dare I say....
Sounds Like Home: Growing up Black and Deaf in the South

Sounds Like Home: Growing Up Black and Deaf in the South
Mary Herring Wright
Manufacturer: Gallaudet University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

South | Regional U.S. | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Special Needs | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Disability | Specialties | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1563680807

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful Book!!.......2007-01-10

I could not put this book down! A well written and extremely discriptive story! I felt every emotion!

Sounds like home to me.......2004-02-28

I really enjoyed this book. The author described every moment in her life with such detail, it felt as if I were there with her. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants inspiration.

Sounds Like Home: Growing Up Black and Deaf in the South.......2002-07-16

This book desperately wanted to be "Having Our Say" by the Delaney Sisters. Perhaps, if it had an editor, it would have been. As it stands, it provides a historical perspective of African American Deaf culture, but its text does not flow very smoothly.

Dare I say...........2002-05-01

that I found this ... well ... boring? I suppose, on the one hand, I should be glad that Ms. Wright had a relatively uneventful and happy life, despite growing up both black and disabled in the mid-20th century rural south; but, frankly, happy and uneventful lives don't make for very interesting reading.

Sounds Like Home: Growing up Black and Deaf in the South.......2000-06-27

I really loved this book.I couldn't put it down.She made a lot ofdeaf friends at the school.She also made some blind friends.I laughed and cryed with her.You should get this book.

Average customer rating:

Tricia Guild Decorating with Color
Tricia Guild
Manufacturer: Conran
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorating | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Tricia Guild | Expert Advice | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1840912642

Book Description

This book is a celebration, a way of sharing my involvement with color and the way it enhances and enriches so many aspects of life. It is the ultimate expression of vitality."--Tricia Guild

Tricia Guild may be the world's greater master in the use of color to decorate. Showcase a glorious palette of hues throughout your home, with her help. She'll guide you through the infinite possibilities and ease any hesitancy about how to go bold with color. Every inspiring photo bursts with aquamarine, sharp lime, cornflower blue, primrose yellow, and other opulent shades. They're present in the flowers, the fabrics' vibrant patterns, the papered or painted walls, the furniture, and the artworks. Take a detailed look at the major color families--white, blue, green, yellow, natural, terracotta, and red--all the while analyzing specific examples. Use the color boards created especially for this book, all with suggestions for combinations and contrasts, and color palettes for easy reference. These tones add warmth and energy to an interior; know the effects of light, scale and proportion; and learn how to introduce a shade into a room through objects and soft furnishings. You'll never want a home without color again!

Finding Martha's Vineyard: African Americans at Home on an Island

Average customer rating:

Beautiful and inspiring
Historical and informative reading!!!
Vinyard Visitors
Finding Martha's Vineyard
heartwarming

Finding Martha's Vineyard: African Americans at Home on an Island
Jill Nelson
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0385505663
Release Date: 2005-05-17

Book Description

In this elegant book of photographs, personal narrative, memories, and fascinating historical detail, bestselling author Jill Nelson conveys the special magic of Martha’s Vineyard and the African Americans who have summered or lived there for generations.

Jill Nelson has been a summer and occasional year-round resident of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard for nearly fifty years. It was where she learned to swim and ride a bike, first kissed a boy, became a writer, and, during twenty-eight summers, raised her own daughter. In Finding Martha’s Vineyard, Nelson offers a lively, intimate portrait of a place that has provided respite and rejuvenation, community and contemplation for generations of African Americans.

Part memoir, part history, Finding Martha’s Vineyard describes the various groups that settled on the Vineyard and in Oak Bluffs; slaves and their descendants; devout Methodists and Baptists; African Americans “in service” who accompanied their white employers to the island and over the years established a haven and a community; the black middle-class families who came each summer to escape the heat, hostility, and racial tension of their hometowns; and generations of African American professionals—doctors, presidential advisors, writers, academics and artists—who visit or live on the Vineyard today. Nelson interviews the Cottagers, the proud owners of Oak Bluffs’ famous Gingerbread cottages; members of the Polar Bear Club, a die-hard group that swims together every summer morning at 7:30 A.M.; and such famous residents as Vernon Jordan, Bebe Moore Campbell, and Stephen Carter.

Finding Martha’s Vineyard is about the power of place in our lives. A rich treasury of reminiscences, excerpts from news articles and documents from the Martha’s Vineyard Historical Society, recipes, and glorious photographs, it brings the sights, sounds, celebrations, and social importance of the island community brilliantly to life.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful and inspiring.......2006-07-31

In my bedroom,located on my white wicker nightstand lies my copy of Finding Martha's Vineyard. This book is beautifully written and the photographs bring back bitter sweet memories of my own childhood beach visits. The author Jill Nelson did a fantastic job of introducing her audience to a different kind of summer for many Black Americans during a time when "we just wanted to be us". Thank you Ms. Nelson for a wonderful book.

Historical and informative reading!!!.......2006-06-19

Travel is an aspect of life which many people enjoy even if it is vicariously. I love to read travel stories and to travel. Jill Nelson has written a wonderful travel history of an island which is enchanting and real. The personal interviews of inhabitants, the pros and cons of those visiting or living on the island, the recipes, and the historical overview of the island make it come to life as one turns each page. The needs and accomplishments of each generation are very interesting. I highly recommend this book for all ages, history buffs, and travelers. A great book to take along on the trip for relaxation and enjoyment is "A Trilogy of Poetry, Prose and Thoughts for the Mind, Body and Soul."

Vinyard Visitors.......2005-10-11

Finding Martha's Vinyard is entertaining. The accounts of the residents were repitious, but it reveals that all were motivated to spend summers there by the same reasons. It is good that the present residents have found their slice of paradise and peace. Although I had heard of the Vinyard, I knew nothing about it. So, this book falls under the heading of pleasant education.

Finding Martha's Vineyard.......2005-09-13

As a white person, who am I to write a review on this book which accurately portrays what Martha's Vineyard has represented to African Americans for generations? However, I read the book because I love the Vineyard and I enjoy reading about experiences of different cultures. From this perspective, the book is written with much respect and reverence and love for what the Vineyard has meant to African Americans for generations. The Vineyard has been a sort of utopia for African Americans where they can bring their kids up and enjoy the beauty of the island in an atmosphere of freedom from the usual society which tends to separate us all. The sense I get is that this island of ours in Massachusetts is a beacon for how things could and should be in the world. A place where people of color can go and not be "on guard" as they must be everywhere outside of the Vineyard. If we could all see one another as richly unique individuals who are all created equal (as the Constitution states) then we could have the sense of the Vineyard everywhere. We wouldn't have the ocean views, the energy of Circuit Ave., the beauty of riding down Middle Road, or the countless other wonderful experiences of the Vineyard, but we would have a better society. But, since that is not going to happen too soon, then, if you want to get a sense of what the Vineyard signifies to many wonderful people of color on the Vineyard, then read this enriching book and step briefly into the lives of many people who you would feel honored and grateful to have in your life.

heartwarming.......2005-09-09

This is a book for all people who love Martha's Vineyard. Tears, smiles, nods of head in recognition and, for non African-Americans, an eye opener to a view of an island we share geographically but not always in other spheres. Thank you, Ms. Nelson.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books