Book Description
His talent was unbounded, a raw force that commanded attention and respect.
His death was tragic -- a violent homage to the power of his voice.
His legacy is indomitable -- remaining vibrant and alive.
Here now, newly discovered, are Tupac's most honest and intimate thoughts conveyed through the pure art of poetry -- a mirror into his enigmatic life and its many contradictions.
Written in his own hand at the age of nineteen, they embrace his spirit, his energy...and his ultimate message of hope.
Customer Reviews:
Alive In More Ways Than One!!!.......2007-10-11
Your Chance to Hear The Last Panther Speak
Through music and acting, Tupac will be with us always. But leaving something behind for remembrance is the reason so many poets capture their thoughts, so that their words will live long after they are gone. That is the case here and something he was able to for see captured in the poem, "In The Event Of My Demise." What I was most struck by is, so many of the poems in this book show a side of Tupac that wasn't his public persona. Making it a must for his true fans. He's philosophical, sensitive, at times angry but what perhaps a lot of us didn't see, loving and caring in a romantic way. I was struck by some of the things he chose to write about. Marilyn Monroe receives a very touching tribute relating to her rise and demise. Nelson Mandela's imprisonment, and later release and one he called, "Sometimes I Cry." Which ends with lines that we should all be able to relate to;
The world moves fast and it would rather pass u by
than 2 stop and c what makes u cry
It's painful and sad and sometimes I cry
and no one cares about why.
I've seen a few negative reviews here that seem to think this wasn't a great book, but I am looking at it perhaps from a different perspective... He wrote all this in a life span of 25 years... (19 years if I understand where these writings came from). And for me not only did I "Get" a lot of the things he was addressing, but it came across in a conversational tone. Not the first time, but the most recent time I read it. Which is another thing about poetry. Read it, walk away, read the same thing again, and you might see something completely different than what you saw initially. Some of his messages are straight forward, some are subtle but it is clear to me, with these earlier writings why he was able to eventually receive such world wide adoration. Some of what he wasn't really showing publicly must have been coming through in ways not readily visible to most initially. But that you will see in this revealing book of who Tupac really was.
A young heart with an old soul (A line from his poem), "In the Depths of Solitude"
He really felt he was two people as he refers to it in the same poem;
"This Duo within me causes
the perfect opportunity
2 learn and live twice as fast
as those who accept simplicity"
Highly recommend, both for content and a deeper glimpse into the man he was and the legend he managed to become.
WOW!!! WOW!!!.......2007-05-31
"The Rose That Grew From Concrete" by Tupac Shakur is simply a superb book. This book of poetry gave an insight to the intelligence and understanding that the late Tupac Shakur possessed. Most people who did not follow his music or know anything about him in general, like myself, would not think that Tupac Shakur would actually sit and write poetry that is meaningful or write about what is included in the world or in the government. But I was so wrong to think that way when I did not even know the man. This just goes to show that people should never under estimate others. "The Rose That Grew From Concrete" had me wanting more each and every time I turned a page. This book covers many subjects that will have an effect on you from the beginning to the end. I strongly recommend this book for others to read, because you will most definitely learn a thing or two from "The Rose That Grew From Concrete" by Tupac Shakur. I would give this book 10 stars* if I could. Again, "The Rose That Grew From Concrete" is magnificent.
Tupac is alive.......2007-05-09
Tupac's book of poems is important in considering his life. My favorite poem is "a rose that grew out of concrete". Why, you may ask? Well, I'll tell you...it has a great metaphor about a rose and the way it is able to grow and flourish even in the worst conditions. The concrete represents Pac's experience in jail and regardless of being in jail he was able to grow as a poet. I highly recommend this book because I think especially young people growing up the way he did will be able to see the life lessons and morals he has to teach.
Beautiful Poetry.......2007-03-19
This book is so inspiring. I bought this book about 3 years ago and I read it at least once a month it's that good! I even got a tattoo that says "The rose that grew from concrete'. Definitely check this one out!!
Great condition.......2007-01-13
I bought this as a gift. It was brand new and my friend loved the book. Would definitely do business with this seller.
Book Description
Carmen Bryan is no stranger to the rap world. Not only did she work at Def Jam and Capitol Records but she shares a daughter with hip-hop superstar Nas -- a relationship made extremely public through Nas's celebrity status, rap lyrics, and the ever-present media. Now, in It's No Secret, a strong, resilient Carmen bares all, telling her side of the story and leaving no detail unturned -- with the true candor and raw emotion of someone who has been there, done that, and survived.
From a clandestine relationship with Nas's biggest rival, Jay-Z, that stirred up the biggest feud in hip-hop history, to seeing her reputation in tatters and a once loving relationship with Nas fall apart, Carmen depicts her trying journey to become the strong woman and mother she is today. After years of turmoil that included drugs, sex, greed, and violence -- and abandoning what she had always prized above all, her freedom -- Carmen took a stand, focusing on herself. After years of pursuit by the media, Carmen sets the record straight in It's No Secret -- and has no regrets.
Customer Reviews:
listen up.......2007-09-14
I think it was a good book. I enjoyed it, the thing was I wanted to know more about NaS and not her, the only reason why I got it was b/c of him. since i'll never marry him I wanted to know what it would be like to be with him. I'll still take him though i know that. I read it in one day. but i do wish her the best. sometimes things dont always work out
not all that intersting.......2007-09-14
could have been better not interesting enough maybe if carmen slept around with more people this would sell more but not all that good so what nas beat her, both were guilty we all know nas was a male ho we know jay z is a male ho too we know kelis is a freak, hdell nas may have slept witrh beyonce before she started fooling with jigga what was her number doing in his pocket in hollywood and the music business everybody sleeps with everybody.
Strong Woman? No........2007-08-25
I sure am glad I got this book at the library and didn't pay any money for it because the time I spent reading it was a waste.
Strong woman? Not even close. Drama queen? Yep.
It is pretty easy to predict she will continue to live her life with the same behavior she describes in her book. Irresponsible.
BETTER THAN U THINK.......2007-08-23
THIS BOOK WOULD BE A FIVE STAR BOOK IF IT HAD COME OUT BEFORE SUPERHEAD'S BOOK.VERY INTERESTING
This Is Her Life Let Her Live.......2007-08-09
I will start off by saying I took along time to read this book. The reason being the reviews well I won't let that effect me again. This book
is a good read. I think the problem people have with it is because they are looking for another tell all like Karrine Steffans and this is not that type. She is telling the story base on her trial and tribulations in her life. Which happen to include some well known people. She is basically saying that her life is no differnt from anybody else she makes bad choices and she has to deal with it. I mean did anybody read her final words in the book where she says there are no victims or villians. Meaning everybody knew how the situations could turn out.
With that being said Everybody Get Over It.
To tell the truth people will probably be up set with Karrine new book if she doesn't drop enough names.
Product Description
Parade Knight hates her complexion. As a result, she considers herself to be unattractive and condones the misuse of her body. Sky Taylor is beautiful, fly and wanted, and loves reminding Parade of her imperfections especially after suspecting that she may be sleeping with her man, Jay Hernandez. Miss Wayne is hilarious and a self-proclaimed girlfriend who enjoys the attention his friends bring. If you let Miss Wayne tell it, he s not a gay, he s just one of the girls. Daffany Stans uses her body for profit and hides a health secret so serious that it could endanger the lives of her friends, considering their sex partners are so closely related. Black and Ugly is a tale of four totally different friends from the same block, whose friendship is tested during a seemingly innocent game of Truth or Dare. When fatal secrets begin to surface, will Parade give up the friend whose shadow she has walked in all her life? And will Miss Wayne and Daphne abandon their friends to save themselves?
Customer Reviews:
BLACK (not )UGLY.......2007-10-02
OMG this book was a very great read... I am so happy that Parade turned out the way she did in the end... I am glad she learned throught it all... can't say the same for Sky... "Miss Wayne" was funny... and Daffany well she is something else...
hottttttttttttttttttttttttttt........2007-09-15
this book was so good i read it in one day no words can say anthing ,about this book but hot.
Dramatic!.......2007-09-10
I thought this book was very interesting, the characters were pretty real and it showed just how close friends can treat each other. Its definitely a great read and it just teaches people to love themselves more.
Powerful.......2007-08-21
This is the first book I read by this author but it won't be the last. So many young, beautiful sisters believe they are ugly because they are dark skin and they are so wrong. My heart went out to Parade and that Sky got exactly what she deserved. This book held my interest and would not let it go. Keep up the good work!!!!!!!
Black and Ugly .......2007-08-09
I give my props to T. Styles this is a good book it is so unpredictable you never will know what will happen next. If you are somebody that like drama this is a book for you. This a shocker series lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Book Description
Since the 19th century, the women of Gee’s Bend in southern Alabama have created stunning, vibrant quilts. Beautifully illustrated with 110 color illustrations, The Quilts of Gee’s Bend includes a historical overview of the two hundred years of extraordinary quilt-making in this African-American community, its people, and their art-making tradition. This book is being·released in conjunction with a national exhibition tour including The Museum of Fine Art, Houston, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Customer Reviews:
exceptional.......2007-03-30
I remember the first time I saw photographs of the quilts of Gee's Bend in a magazine about seven years ago. I couldn't wait to learn about the amazing artists whose vision the quilts portray. This book is more outstanding than I imagined it could be. It is powerful, beautiful, sensitive, and historically accurate. I recommend The Quilts of Gee's Bend to anyone with an eye for artistic genius and a love for discovering a community of women willing to express themselves outside the box of convention. How refreshing and inspiring! Simply Exceptional!!
.........a superb keepsake of a memorable trip. .......2007-03-08
Who is more qualified to help provide us with a book about the quilts of Gee's Bend, but Mr. Bill Arnett who has championed the makers of these quilts and their works since 'discovering' them years ago in the tiny community of Gee's Bend about thirty miles southwest of Selma, Alabama?
The quilts first went on tour in 2002 and have been touring ever since. I learned of the ladies of Gee's Bend and their quilts from a PBS documentary first aired in 2003 and have anxiously hoped they would one day come to my part of the country. When, earlier this year, I found the quilts would indeed be coming to the Orlando Museum of Art, I purchased, The Quilts of Gee's Bend: Masterpieces from a Lost Place, documenting the quilts, and the lives of their various makers, with beautiful, full-color illustrations of the quilts.
In February, 2007, when I was finally able to enjoy the quilts in person, I was happy to discover the book had accurately depicted the quilts, and their makers, paralleling an exhibition that should be seen and appreciated by all.
I purchased a copy of The Quilts of Gee's Bend: Masterpieces from a Lost Place, for the art teacher of my children's school. This beautiful book encouraged her to take her middle and high school art students to the exhibition. The book helped the students to first see and read about what they were going to view and then became a superb keepsake of a most memorable trip.
The Quilts of Gee's Bend.......2007-03-08
This is a beautiful book about both the women and the quilts of Gee's Bend. The photos make me feel as if I am back at the Gee's Bend Quilt Show.
Memories which must be kept 'real'.......2007-03-08
This book is already a treasure and one I can love and then bequeath to another art and tradition and people lover...
At the end of October in 2003, I was in Milwaukee to see this Quilt exhibition. Friends of Art from Indiana University drove to Chicago and then on to the marvelous museum in Milwaukee to experience the Quilts. What an awakening! That day I bought a Video. Since that time I have purchased the DVD and (when I found it online) the hardback book The Quilts of Gee's Bend! What a treasure! I am overjoyed to have this book and to have had the viewing experience! [I also use the USPS stamps and the book of postcards!] --Sarah K. Robinson
The Heart and Souls...........2007-01-27
The heart and souls of women are exposed in this poignant book of quilts, along with their "stories" past and present---of slavery on through the civil rights era, and now, life as it is in rural Alabama. The quilts, made out of necessity for their warmth, have become acclaimed Objects d' Art throughout the Art World. Having seen the documentary on television and the Quilt exhibit in San Francisco, I was compelled to purchase this beautiful book containing a compilation of these quilts and self-expressed comments from the community of women who have kept their quilt-making alive. I have purchased this book for myself and several others as gifts.
Product Description
Based out of Bladensburg, Maryland, 31-year-old Janet Stayley spent her life looking for a hustler. She never knew she would find one in her 15-year-old son, Kelsi. Surrounded by violence, drugs and lies, Kelsi murders in self-defense. Suddenly Kelsi becomes charged with the new-found feeling he associates with becoming a man, and feels he can take on anything, including his mothers cheating lover. The heat of murder ensues and Janet feels its time to make a permanent move out of Maryland. Before doing so, she plans one last murder which, if goes as planned, could ultimately be worth millions. To top it all off, Janet has not revealed to her son the biggest secret yet.
Customer Reviews:
Keep It Up.......2007-09-18
I must say I have to give it up to triple crown book they sure know how to pick them I read this in one day I was on vacation and picked it up at the mall right before boarding the plane and finish the next day. I couldn't even start my vacation until I finished it!!! Go get it page turner!
New York For Real?!!.......2007-09-15
This book was filled with suspense!!! I picked it up at a public library and almost didnt return it. Kelsi is off the chain and things went from chill to bad in a matter of days!!! I was thrown off by the name A Hustler's Son because I thought his father was it!! When I found out it was his mother my mouth dropped!!! Excellent book!!
Started out as a promising novel!!.......2007-09-15
This started out as a great book but as the story goes on I find it pointless to tell. The Mom is not a very great parent and the lessons she teaches her son is just ridiculous.
Could of been better..........2007-08-29
This book had a great story line- but it was too fictional for me... I mean the son was only 14 or 15 yrs old- and the book made him seem like he was about 25-30 and had been in the streets for years.. On top of that the story takes place in about three days and the author seem like he was rushing to finish- and so he did just that... (Rushed the ending)...
A Hustler's Son.......2007-08-14
This book was never received. I had it mailed to a friend in a correctional facility and he said it was returned. No credit has been returned to me.
Amazon.com
Bakari Kitwana, a former editor at The Source, identifies blacks born between 1965 and 1984 as belonging to the "hip-hop generation" a term he uses interchangeably with black youth culture ("Generation X" applies mainly to whites, he says). He calls hip-hop "arguably the single most significant achievement of our generation," yet blames it for causing much damage to black youth by perpetuating negative stereotypes and providing poor role models. But this book is about much more than just rap music; it takes a broad look at the state of post-civil-rights black America and the crises that have come about in the past three decades, including high rates of homicide, suicide, and imprisonment and a rise in single-parent homes, police brutality, unemployment, and blacks' use of popular culture (through pop music and movies) to celebrate "anti-intellectualism, ignorance, irresponsible parenthood, and criminal lifestyles." Serious problems indeed, but Kitwana acknowledges that members of this generation have more opportunities than their parents had, and he believes there is still time to make positive and lasting changes.
He looks closely at this generation's worldview, politics, activism, and its high profile in the entertainment world, which has made it "central in American culture, transcending geographic, social, and economic boundaries." Emphasizing that "rap music's ability to influence social change should not be taken lightly," he calls for a more responsible and constructive use of this unprecedented power. Kitwana is concerned about the legacy of his generation, and he wants his book to "jump-start the dialogue necessary to change our current course." The Hip Hop Generation deserves to be read both for its aim and its execution. --Shawn Carkonen
Book Description
The Hip Hop Generation is an eloquent testament for black youth culture at the turn of the century. The only in-depth study of the first generation to grow up in post-segregation America, it combines culture and politics into a pivotal work in American studies. Bakari Kitwana, one of black America's sharpest young critics, offers a sobering look at this generation's disproportionate social and political troubles, and celebrates the activism and politics that may herald the beginning of a new phase of African-American empowerment.
Customer Reviews:
I highly recommend this book.......2007-02-24
I highly recommend this book in order to understand the post civil-rights black african american situation. Because of the interesting topic and writing style this book was a pretty quick read. Kitwana clarified so many issues: the unemployment crisis, the prison industry, mandatory minimum jail sentences, the drug war as a means to target black men, the gender war between black men and black women, making hip hop into a political agenda, the power of rap music, etc. It is a MUST READ for those who were born into this generation (born between 1965 and 1984) or who do not understand what is going on right now especially in regards to black men (it's written from a black male perspective).
I believe that society is in an awkward transitioning phase between the old pre-civil rights U.S.A. and the new post-civil rights U.S.A. I think once the baby boomers have passed away things will catch up. The hip hop generation (the black counterpart to the mainstream's Generation X) will eventually lead the black community so that issues relevant to the younger generation will finally be addressed... But will it be too little, too late?
The existing one that implements his opinion.......2006-02-21
I like the crisis in african american culture and the hip hop generation because it allows me to know what is going on in the world. Reading that book taught me how to give back to my community if I ever had fortune and fame. It talks about how people should stick together like flies to feces rather than be against each other. It talks about how the military should give money to the community rather than spend money to send people to Iraq and have their lives taken. It talks about how the military should fight for democracy. Those are some of the things that I've benefited from the book. I think the book is interesting. I would recommend the book to anyone who is into stuff like the crisis that african american have.
Add to "What You Should Read" List.......2005-09-28
This is one of the best books for the Hip Hop generation out in circulation. His nononsense views are understandable and shed light on many current issues in society. I think everyone, parent, teacher, community leader, and political assosciate should read this book.
Everything you need to know about US.......2005-08-23
This one is good for the parents of teens and especially for the white parents to know whats up with there children and why they want to be like us. This is the only hip hop book you will ever need. This book was on hit!
A strong foundation for continued change.......2005-02-06
I appreciated Kitwana's presentation of the current issues facing today's hip hop generation. Interesting and insightfuul was the comparisions of the generation and that of the Civil Rights/Black Power generation. This book stands strong is providing a foundation on which to further examine these issues and to use the strong influential power within this generation to finally begin to resolve them.
Book Description
View the
Table of Contents. Read the
Prologue.
”Sharpley-Whiting's book does not suffer from the sort of cowardice one too often hears from black academics who genuflect to hip hop in order to stay current with the tastes of the students who provide them with whatever power they have on college campuses. Sharpley-Whiting calls them as she sees them and wisely quotes the offensive material when necessary. Her book is high level in its research and its thought, and those looking for adult ideas about the subject should look it up.”
—Stanley Crouch, New York Daily News
”Sharpley-Whiting gets at the heart of the paradox . . . and puts the discussion on the turntable.”
—Washington Post
”Sharpley-WhittingÂ's uncommon perspective is one that deserves to be examined more often.”
—Bitch
”For B-girls who embrace both the brashness of LilÂ' Kim and the pro-feminism of Lauryn Hill,
Pimps Up, HoÂ's Down is an intellectual look at the intricate, diverse attitudes of young black women within the hip hop community. Sharpley-Whiting combines thought-provoking text with interviews that range from the Â`richÂ' (see Trina) to the Â`regularÂ' (everyday women), giving a voice to todayÂ's complex and contradictory females within hip hop.”
—The Source Magazine
”Through provocatively titled chapters such as Â`Sex, Power, and PunannyÂ' and Â`Strip Tails: Booty ClappinÂ', P-poppinÂ', Shake Dancing,Â' Sharpley-Whiting provides a sobering analysis of womenÂ's participation in the hyper-sexualized black American, urban youth culture known as hip hop. . . . This book delivers a riveting portrayal of hip hop, from the thumping rap music that serves as a soundtrack for AmericaÂ's strip clubs to the predatory groupies who relentlessly pursue rap stars.”
—Ms. Magazine
”Probing. . . . A canny study. . . . Sharpley-Whiting brings both street smarts and sophisticated cultural analysis to her subject.”
—Philadelphia Inquirer
”Clear and well written. . . . It serves as a decent jumping-off point to discussions of young black women in our current society. . . . Sharpley-Whiting has opened up the dialog, offering a source for research in a burgeoning area of study.”
—Library Journal
”Sharpley-Whiting provides interesting anecdotes about the ways in which women are portrayed (and often used) within hip hop. . . . [Her] insightful analyses [include] a particularly interesting discussion of the intersections of race, class, and capitalism in strip clubs.”
—Bust Magazine
Pimps Up, HoÂ's Down is an in-depth look at hip hopÂ's effect on young black women. Sharpley-Whiting discusses topics such as light-skinned black (or ethnically ambiguous) females getting more love in hip hop videos, unreported sexual abuse within black communities — even the fact that most hip hop groupies do not consider themselves groupies. She successfully ties these trends into the mainstream hip hop culture of today.
Pimps Up, HoÂ's Down provides an intellectual look at how hip hop views and affects the young black women of this generation, most who are oblivious to what is actually going on. Sharpley-WhitingÂ's uncommon perspective is one that deserves to be examined more often.”
—URB
“Offers a bracing, brilliant, and provocative take on how hip hop has affected young black women. Sharpley-Whiting manages the difficult task of being critical of destructive elements of hip hop culture without being dismissive of its edifying dimensions. This lucidly penned manifesto in defense of the intellectual spaces between hip hop and feminism will undoubtedly inspire heated debate and fruitful conversation about gender, black identity, and conflict between the generations."
—Michael Eric Dyson, author of Know What I Mean?
“In
Pimps Up, HoÂ's Down, Sharpley-WhitingÂ's razor-sharp analysis turns an illuminating spotlight on the dark, complicated intersection where feminism and hip hop meet.”
—Joan Morgan, author of When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost
"
Pimps Up, Ho's Down provides a vital critical assessment of the sexual exploitation of women and girls all too prevalent in hip hop culture and in our larger society. This intelligent and sensitively written study is mandatory reading for those of us who must stop the violence."
—Darlene Clark Hine, co-author of A Shining Thread of Hope: The History of Black Women in America
“In this bold critique of popular cultureÂ's stereotypical representations of hip hop, Tracy Sharpley-Whiting never wavers from her end goal of empowering the hip hop generation.
Pimps Up, HoÂ's Down takes this discussion beyond the ivory tower and into the lives of everyday people.”
—Bakari Kitwana, author of The Hip-Hop Generation
"This compelling, well-researched-and alarming-account of how hip hop culture has impacted the lives and shaped the identities of young black women should be read by women and men of every generation."
—Paula Giddings, author of When and Where I Enter: The Impact of Black Women on Race and Sex in America
“Tracy Sharpley-WhitingÂ's groundbreaking book makes central the harsh sexist and racist realities that hip hop generation Black women face on a daily basis.”
—Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Producer/Director of NO! (The Rape Documentary)
Pimps Up, Ho's Down pulls at the threads of the intricately knotted issues surrounding young black women and hip hop culture. What unravels for Tracy D. Sharpley-Whiting is a new, and problematic, politics of gender. In this fascinating and forceful book, Sharpley-Whiting, a feminist writer who is a member of the hip hop generation, interrogates the complexities of young black women's engagement with a culture that is masculinist, misogynistic, and frequently mystifying.
Beyond their portrayal in rap lyrics, the display of black women in music videos, television, film, fashion, and on the Internet is indispensable to the mass media engineered appeal of hip hop culture, the author argues. And the commercial trafficking in the images and behaviors associated with hip hop has made them appear normal, acceptable, and entertaining-both in the U.S. and around the world.
Sharpley-Whiting questions the impacts of hip hop's increasing alliance with the sex industry, the rise of groupie culture in the hip hop world, the impact of hip hop's compulsory heterosexual culture on young black women, and the permeation of the hip hop ethos into young black women's conceptions of love and romance.
The author knows her subject from the inside. Coming of age in the midst of hip hop's evolution in the late 1980s, she mixed her graduate studies with work as a runway and print model in the 1990s. Her book features interviews with exotic dancers, black hip hop groupies, and hip hop generation members Jacklyn "Diva" Bush, rapper Trina, and filmmaker Aishah Simmons, along with the voices of many "everyday" young women.
Pimps Up, Ho's Down turns down the volume and amplifies the substance of discussions about hip hop culture and to provide a space for young black women to be heard.
Customer Reviews:
insightful, well-written take on misogyny in popular culture.......2007-05-08
Sharpley-Whiting's accessible prose style and unique insight make this a must for anyone interested in popular culture, hip hop and rap, women's issues, Black popular culture, and youth. In all my years researching the topics of rap music, hip hop culture, gender and violence, I have never encountered such a unique and much needed approach. While much has been said about the sexist and homophobic nature of rap lyrics, very little has been done to understand how our sexually repressive, yet permissive, society including rap music has negatively affected Black girls and women. Sharpley-Whiting tackles this issue from a variety of angles demonstrating how the misogyny and sexual obsession in rap music impacts girls' and women's sense of self, how sex and rendering women as sexual objects in rap music affects Black women erotic dancers, video dancers, and groupies, and related topics.
Dr. Sharpley-Whiting broke it down! .......2007-03-23
Dr. Sharpley-Whiting has contributed a necessary and extremely timely analysis to the surface-level discussions surrounding hip hop and its impact on young black women. The exploration of complex contradictions within hip hop music and culture is both scholarly and sincere. This book is a necessary read, as it departs from the easy criticism of lyrics to the difficult and largely un-had conversations regarding sexual abuse, constructions of beauty, and the relationship between hip hop and the flourishing sex tourism industry. I learned about the prophetic warnings and relevance of Franz Fanon, I laughed about the similar and stark realities I share with the writer, and I learned, once again, that I love and am hip hop--contradictions and all!
Book Description
Jazz is the most colorful and varied art form in the world and it was born in one of the most colorful and varied cities, New Orleans. From the seed first planted by slave dances held in Congo Square and nurtured by early ensembles led by Buddy Belden and Joe "King" Oliver, jazz began its long winding odyssey across America and around the world, giving flower to a thousand different forms--swing, bebop, cool jazz, jazz-rock fusion--and a thousand great musicians. Now, in The History of Jazz, Ted Gioia tells the story of this music as it has never been told before, in a book that brilliantly portrays the legendary jazz players, the breakthrough styles, and the world in which it evolved. Here are the giants of jazz and the great moments of jazz history--Jelly Roll Morton ("the world's greatest hot tune writer"), Louis Armstrong (whose O-keh recordings of the mid-1920s still stand as the most significant body of work that jazz has produced), Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club, cool jazz greats such as Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, and Lester Young, Charlie Parker's surgical precision of attack, Miles Davis's 1955 performance at the Newport Jazz Festival, Ornette Coleman's experiments with atonality, Pat Metheny's visionary extension of jazz-rock fusion, the contemporary sounds of Wynton Marsalis, and the post-modernists of the Knitting Factory. Gioia provides the reader with lively portraits of these and many other great musicians, intertwined with vibrant commentary on the music they created. Gioia also evokes the many worlds of jazz, taking the reader to the swamp lands of the Mississippi Delta, the bawdy houses of New Orleans, the rent parties of Harlem, the speakeasies of Chicago during the Jazz Age, the after hours spots of corrupt Kansas city, the Cotton Club, the Savoy, and the other locales where the history of jazz was made. And as he traces the spread of this protean form, Gioia provides much insight into the social context in which the music was born. He shows for instance how the development of technology helped promote the growth of jazz--how ragtime blossomed hand-in-hand with the spread of parlor and player pianos, and how jazz rode the growing popularity of the record industry in the 1920s. We also discover how bebop grew out of the racial unrest of the 1940s and '50s, when black players, no longer content with being "entertainers," wanted to be recognized as practitioners of a serious musical form. Jazz is a chameleon art, delighting us with the ease and rapidity with which it changes colors. Now, in Ted Gioia's The History of Jazz, we have at last a book that captures all these colors on one glorious palate. Knowledgeable, vibrant, and comprehensive, it is among the small group of books that can truly be called classics of jazz literature.
Customer Reviews:
Can't put it down.......2007-05-18
This is a fascinating book. Gioia has done what appears to me to be a thorough, detailed, highly readable documentation of a form of music that has dominated American culture for the last near-100 years. I come at it as a newbie, even though I've lived through more than half of it. I just wasn't aware. This has been a valuable learning experience for me.
A History for the intermediate listener........2006-10-09
The back cover of this Oxford paperback claims that the book is suitable as an introduction to jazz or as an authoritative reference. I must admit that I am neither a jazz officianado nor a complete novice to the world of swing, bebop and fusion, making me incapable of confirming the cover's claims. However, for me, this book filled in the gaps quite nicely.
Most of my knowledge of jazz has come from the radio. The big names keep popping up but lesser known lights get little air time and I am at the whim of the dj's tastes. "The History of Jazz" covers them all, starting at the very beginning - drum circle dances in pre-abolition New Orleans. It then discusses the roots of early dixie land jazz (ragtime, Joplin, and the blues) and then describes the movement of jazz from New Orleans to Chicago and New York. It intersperses lively anecdotes about the fathers of jazz -Jelly Roll Morton was a procurer (pimp?) early on- with music theory and analysis. Buddy Bolden, Louis Armstrong and Morton all have a section devoted to them. A chapter on the jazz age pays special attention to Armstrong's Hot Five and subsequent career. Bix Beiderbecke's biography is given in detail along with notes on many other famous players of his day. A chapter is devoted to Harlem, stride piano, Waller, Ellington and the advent of the big bands, ending with a description of society and music at the Cotton Club. The Swing era gets a chapter to itself with even more in-depth treatment of big bands and those who led them (Goodman, the Dorsey's etc.). Kansas City style jazz, and european jazz traditions (Django Reinhardt) are also covered. The details of Billie Holiday's life, although well known, make for a sad story.
The second half of the book, which covers modern jazz, the fragmentation of jazz styles and recent jazz developments, is much less coherent than the first. The section on bebop with its lengthy discussion of the life and influence of Bird and Gillespie continues to be readable and thorough. However, as the author approaches the present day, the writing, like the jazz, seems to fragment. This is not to say that it isn't enjoyable reading, just that the sheer number of names and styles begins to pull the book in too many directions. California jazz, trad jazz, cool jazz, hard bop, post-bop and soul, free jazz, post-modern jazz and the various fusion forms leave the reader gasping for air. It seems clear to me that I will need to go out and listen to a lot of things to round out my education. Fortunately the book is well supplied with notes, further readings and, best of all a recommended listening list.
While I might not have understood everything the author had to say about the subtleties of the music, this book has made me a much keener fan of jazz. It has created in me the desire to seek out new and different forms of the music and to listen more carefully to the old stuff. For this, I gladly give it five stars.
2nd edition suggestions ???.......2006-07-21
This is a great book and deserves 5 stars.
Something I didn't see mentioned is how recording technology affected Jazz.
It seems to me that it affected Jazz a great deal. When electrical recordings becames available instead of acoustical recordings, the bass replaced the tuba among other changes as far as I know. Also, vinyl records went from 78 to 45 to 33 rpm. This had a great impact as well. Sure, Bean was overpowering with his 3 minute solos in the 30's but then Coltrane went on with much longer solos that wouldn't have fit on 1 side of a 45 rpm. Does anybody else but I think that maybe hard bop for example wouldn't have taken off if the longer solos couldn't have been recorded?
This is my only suggestion for the 2nd edition! Aside from that, this book is quite remarkable. I can't think of how the author stitched all the pieces together (unless he wrote it in 1 stride!). It seemed quite seamless.
interesting narrative of America's music.......2004-08-21
Ted Gioia has put together an emminently readable and informative history of America's distinctive music. He consider some of the 'what-if' scenarios (Charlie Christian had lived longer...) and addresses some of the worn criticisms in a new light (that Art Tatum was nothing but a pyrotechnician with no real depth) While he doesn't exonerate Tatum entirely, he tells you why Tatum was more than simply a virtuostic curiosity. His insights into why Duke Ellington was so successful are illuminating. Good read.
BOOORING!!!.......2004-05-19
I don't question that this book covers complete history of jazz. I don't question that author is competent, actually super-competent. I don't question that this book is great. But reading this book is as much fun as reading Webster's Collegiate Dictionary or telephone directory. It is BORING, actually, super-boring. I gave up after 20 pages...
If you are looking for scientific dissertation about history of jazz, this is The One. If you are looking for a book for someone that knows nothing about jazz and wants some fun, go elsewhere.
Book Description
"The path the slave took to 'citizenship' is what I want to look at. And I make my analogy through the slave citizen's music -- through the music that is most closely associated with him: blues and a later, but parallel development, jazz... [If] the Negro represents, or is symbolic of, something in and about the nature of American culture, this certainly should be revealed by his characteristic music."
So says Amiri Baraka in the Introduction to Blues People, his classic work on the place of jazz and blues in American social, musical, economic, and cultural history. From the music of African slaves in the United States through the music scene of the 1960's, Baraka traces the influence of what he calls "negro music" on white America -- not only in the context of music and pop culture but also in terms of the values and perspectives passed on through the music. In tracing the music, he brilliantly illuminates the influence of African Americans on American culture and history.
Customer Reviews:
An American Treasure.......2007-06-29
This is one of the most important books on America and American history, culture and citizenship. It would benefit the world if it were incorporated into public education. Someone said that nations are judged by their art and this book examines that subject superlatively. This study of the blues examines the evolving cosmology of the Africans and their journey and creation: the blues, one of the singular most powerful beauties of America. He shows how from the blues came all and embraced all other peoples and cultures. Baraka's ability to live the thoughts of the originators enables us to understand the profoundity of their sorrow and sublimity of their joy.
gone where the Southern cross the yella dog.......2007-02-22
The other day a friend rashly claimed that art and music were equally hard to describe in words. I asked him to tell me about a certain painting of Picasso's. He did, but claimed it wasn't accurate. "OK," I said, "you're right, but now tell me about Mozart's Jupiter Symphony." He opened his mouth, closed it, looked at me, and said, "Yeah, I see what you mean." Writing a book about the blues would be equally hard, it seems to me. So, LeRoi Jones did what he could, back in 1963, to tie the indescribable to the more concrete. He wrote a social history of African-Americans in the USA through the prism of music or---maybe on the principle of red and yellow tile floors (are they red with yellow designs or yellow with red designs ?)---he wrote a book on African-American music through the prism of social history. It is one of the most important books on American music (and American society) that you can find. It has stood the test of time. He begins from the Africans who came to North America as slaves bearing very different cultures, confronted by an absolutely different view of the world emanating from their new masters. Here he tries to show how African music became transformed into African-AMERICAN music and then American. He continues then up through the generations of slavery, to Emancipation, migration to the cities, World War I, the Depression, World War II and the bebop age of the Fifties. The book is pre-Civil Rights movement, pre-Martin Luther King. Jones may have looked down on the NAACP and its allies as "white liberal supported organizations", I'm not sure, but they don't appear. The times are symbolized by the use of "Negro" throughout. I agree, the tome is dated, but don't reject it, don't pooh-pooh the man. This is a very intelligent, very worthwhile book. Anyone, particularly from outside the USA, who wants to know the history of African-American music within its social environment ought still to read BLUES PEOPLE. He writes, "If Negro music can be seen to be the result of certain attitudes, certain specific ways of thinking about the world (and only ultimately about the ways in which music can be made), then the basic hypothesis of this book is understood." [p.153] Jones goes to great lengths to get to the bottom of those attitudes and thoughts.
My main criticism, apart from the fact that history dictates that we must be left a half century behind contemporary realities, is that though Jones obviously knew and loved the blues and jazz and all the various styles ( if not swing), his approach is coldly academic, highly dispassionate. He may criticize people who tried to make money, he may downplay all those who "abandoned" their roots, but my disappointment is that there is nothing of himself in the work barring a few mentions of his family. He does not share his enthusiasm. Music is beauty after all. I am sure he wanted the book to be taken as a serious essay, which it is. But in keeping himself removed from the discussion, being so analytic and professional in the style of the day, he has robbed us "readers of the future" of many insights.
African-American experience in the USA expressed itself most particularly in the blues, only later did that musical mode become part of the general American culture, often watered down, sometimes imitated by those who didn't wish to fit in or who wished to cash in. When conditions have changed, when the black middle class has entered mainstream America, and the urban underclass is wrapped up in hip-hop, gangsta rap culture, which is relentlessly commercialized by the powerful media, talking about the blues may seem a matter for historians or ethnomusicologists. Still, BLUES PEOPLE resonates strongly if we try to understand where we have been. As for where we are going---that old line sums it up---we're goin where the Southern cross the yella dog.
Blues People.......2005-09-22
This is a really interesting look at the evolution of black culture through the lense of music. Some of the author's opinions about later music (50's-60's) may seem out of touch to today's readers, but overall it is well worth reading.
The Best Starting Point.......2005-08-24
I actually purchased the first paperback edition this book a long time ago, and I learned that it had been out of print for quite some time. It was a time when I was a casual listener of blues and jazz, and didn't think about the roots of the music I was listening to. The book was interesting enough, but it didn't have information about more contemporary stuff, as it was printed in 1963.
Recently, I found this book in the upper shelves of my library, having completely forgotten about it in spite of my infatuation with the blues for the better part of the last two decades. It was a most welcome surprise for me, as it contained a compact but comprehensive introduction to the time period from the first Africans came to America to the 1920s when their music was first recorded, and laid the groundwork to how this music evolved in a sociological context. The rural lifestyle, the reflections of the exodus from the south on the music and subsequent refined, urban sound are discussed in this framework.
Although it would not really appeal to the casual reader and listener, "Blues People" is invaluable for the serious blues and jazz fan for setting the music into the general context of social life and external effects that made this music what it is today.
Very honest&breaks all chains.......2003-01-16
this book not only puts the music into perspective but also the struggle that still goes on too this day.very upfront&honest about problems that still linger.it traces the journey&challenges it's reader too better understand the reason for the whys??one of the best Books that I have ever read from start too finish.
Book Description
"If You Don't Know Me By Now," "The Love I Lost," "The Soul Train Theme," "Then Came You," "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now"--the distinctive music that became known as Philly Soul dominated the pop music charts in the 1970s. In A House on Fire, John A. Jackson takes us inside the musical empire created by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell, the three men who put Philadelphia Soul on the map. Here is the eye-opening story of three of the most influential and successful music producers of the seventies. Jackson shows how Gamble, Huff, and Bell developed a black recording empire second only to Berry Gordy's Motown, pumping out a string of chart-toppers from Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, the Spinners, the O'Jays, the Stylistics, and many others. The author underscores the endemic racism of the music business at that time, revealing how the three men were blocked from the major record companies and outlets in Philadelphia because they were black, forcing them to create their own label, sign their own artists, and create their own sound. The sound they created--a sophisticated and glossy form of rhythm and blues, characterized by crisp, melodious harmonies backed by lush, string-laden orchestration and a hard-driving rhythm section--was a glorious success, producing at least twenty-eight gold or platinum albums and thirty-one gold or platinum singles. But after their meteoric rise and years of unstoppable success, their production company finally failed, brought down by payola, competition, a tough economy, and changing popular tastes. Funky, groovy, soulful--Philly Soul was the classic seventies sound. A House on Fire tells the inside story of this remarkable musical phenomenon.
Customer Reviews:
An Outstanding Book - Thoroughly Researched.......2007-03-31
What impressed me most about Mr. Jackson's book is the research he did. I can't imagine a more meticulously detailed and thoroughly researched subject. This book should be required reading for potential writers, to learn how it should be done. Because this is not mainstream material - this book would never be a best seller since the subject matter is of interest only to a small segment of the reading public, Mr. Jackson probably could have taken a few shortcuts here and there; who would have known? But he obviously didn't.
My interest lied with whether there was a connection between Cameo-Parkway, a label whose music I treasured as a teen (and still do) and Philadelphia International, all of whose music I was equally as impressed with. I wanted to see if there was any connection between the companies since they were both based in Philadelphia. I certainly found my answers and then some, thanks to this book. Highly recommended!
The rise and fall of Philadelphia International Records........2007-03-26
Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff's legendary Philadelphia International label was the most important and influential R&B imprint of the 1970s and this long-overdue chronicle of its rise, glory days and fall is indispensable for anyone who loves the music PIR released. Although the author was unable to interview either Gamble or Huff he does interview Thom Bell and other key players of the PIR camp. Thoroughly researched and a well-done job indeed. Whereas books on the Motown, Stax and Atlantic labels have been previously available this is (surprisingly)O the first-ever in depth one published about PIR and is much-welcome on all counts.
Major Disappointment.......2007-03-20
For me, this book is a major disappointment. The biggest gaping hole in the book is the fact that the author was not able to interview either Gamble or Huff. It also reads like a college textbook - dull writing style. This was hot R&B music of the 1970's and the writing should have reflected the excitement in the music.
I wish it could have gone on forever.......2007-01-20
The book AND the era in music, that is. Being a huge fan of both pop music history and early-70s soul, I savored this read like a fine meal. My only complaint is that it had to end. So much detail, such loving care applied by the author...this is one great read. I'd give it six stars if I could. It's that good!
Didn't I blow your mind....this time!.......2006-01-21
I thought I knew a lot about Philly Soul. This book turned on so many lights for me regarding Philly Soul. MFSB, Bell, Huff, Gamble and many others are covered in this book. I would like to sit down and talk to Thom Bell. Out of all the people in this book (and a lot are covered,) the music and genius of Thom Bell really blew my mind.
Books:
- The Secret (Unabridged, 4-CD Set)
- The Simple Home: The Luxury of Enough (American Institute Architects)
- The Social Styles Handbook: Find Your Comfort Zone and Make People Feel Comfortable with You
- The United Arab Emirates: A Study In Survival (Middle East in the International System)
- Tile Your World: John Bridge's New Tile Setting Book
- Versailles
- VoiceXML 2.0 Developer's Guide : Building Professional Voice-enabled Applications with JSP, ASP & Coldfusion
- William Morris: Decor and Design
- Woodshop Dust Control: A Complete Guide to Setting Up Your Own System: Completely Revised and Updated
- Xeriscape Handbook: A How-To Guide to Natural, Resource-Wise Gardening
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Information Dashboard Design: The Effective Visual Communication of Data
- Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times
- String Quartets, Opp. 20 and 33, Complete
- The Lean Design Guidebook: Everything Your Product Development Team Needs to Slash Manufacturing Cos
- Welcome to Oz: A Cinematic Approach to Digital Still Photography with Photoshop
- Back to the Bedroom
- A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar
- Principles of Taxation: Advanced Strategies, 2002 Edition
- The Control Revolution: Technological and Economic Origins of the Information Society
- How to Connect With Our Living Earth: Telepathic Love from the Dolphins
Rap
| Musical Genres
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Inside A Thug's Heart
Hip-Hop Poetry and The Classics
Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems and Lyrics
Tupac: Resurrection
You Hear Me?: Poems and Writing by Teenage Boys (Betsy Franco Yas)
