Book Description
Jerry Rice has been called the best pro football player ever. In spite of Rice’s legendary gridiron skills, or even his ability to transform himself into an instant ballroom-dance prodigy on ABC’s hit TV series Dancing with the Stars, the surprising fact is, a guy like Jerry Rice is made and not just born. In Go Long! Rice shares the inspirational lessons and empowering practices that have helped him attain success, both on the football field and off. Through the ups and downs of Rice’s life and incomparable career, we discover how self-motivation, determination, and humility are the keys to achievement and true fulfillment.
It’s been a long journey for Jerry Rice, from his childhood in Starkville, Mississippi, to a certain berth in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As a kid, he was always working toward something, even if he wasn’t sure what it was. Rice honed his hand-eye coordination by catching airborne bricks tossed by his siblings while on the job with their bricklayer father, and he ran–everywhere. From these humble beginnings, Rice blazed a path to greatness in college and the NFL–a trip that was fueled by tireless effort and belief in a few simple principles, among them that achievement is a voyage, not a destination; that modesty and perseverance, not talent, are what determine how far you will go; and that everyone should strive to be a role model. Rice even demonstrates these rules in action, breaking down the greatest games from his stellar career.
Go Long! is an inspiring book by a living sports legend. More than that, however, it is the story of how Jerry Rice awakened the champion within, illustration how we can unlock the greatness within ourselves.
Customer Reviews:
thumbs up.......2007-07-09
A quick read. Nothing too heavy. I'm a huge Niners fan and it was good to hear Rice talk about his career. The drive he had while playing and training is inspiring.
OK Typical Sports Bio.......2007-06-30
I enjoyed the book, but do not expect great writing or insights. This is one of those obligatory autobios that sports figures feel they have to write for their fans. I'd have liked to read more about Rice's growing up in MS. His coments on various fellow sprts stars was fun to reqd. ( He doesn't believe Barry Bonds either ). Quick read. Solid three stars.
Great book!.......2007-05-12
this was a great book, i rarly read but when i found out Jerry wrote a book I knew i'd have to have it. It was a very quick read, took me only 2 weeks to finish. It's also opened my eyes to the NFL and the way it works. One of the best books ive read
Good Story for the Non-Football Fan.......2007-04-01
Not every football memoir/autbio will be like Jerry Kramer's DISTANT REPLAY or have a subject as complex as Jim Brown. It was painful to hear Rice read his book (Audio CD) because he's not a natural reader mor speaker, but one can appreciate the path he laid for future players to emulate. I think this book is more geared towards the non-fan as opposed to the historian, NFL fan or Jerry Rice fan. I do think Jerry could've improved his reading skills for the CD edition or have someone else read the book, but it's a good story. As long as the book served its purpose, I can't complain.
- This review is for the Unabridged CD edition.
Go Long is a winner, all about life!.......2007-03-30
Excellent book, easy read. Very frank and honest dialogue produces a very refreshing look at the character and
makeup of NFL great Jerry Rice. He possesses "old school" values, rare for todays athletes and his humble
approach and its origins are clearly defined in his upbringing. Would highly recommend it for parents and players
of any sport as well as non-players as it explores more than the world of athletics and promotes a great
work ethic.
K.F.
Book Description
Consisting of eight stencil-like disks that can be placed over ltten's color wheel to compare cool and warm values, complementary colors, and different hues and intensities, this useful and innovative tool helps designers explore a myriad of harmonious color.
Customer Reviews:
This is for assistance only.......2007-03-29
I purchased this with university money - and along with $100 of other Itten books. This has no literature, just the color wheel. Don't expect anything more.
If I were using my personal money for this...forget it, not worth it - google image and print at Kinko's if you just have to have it.
important tool for artists & designers, read his book first.......2002-08-02
Johannes Ittens is unarguably recognized as the master of color from the Bauhaus school of art. The color star is a valuable asset to any artist or designer that wants to become better with making color choices. However, as any good tool goes the color star by itself won't be much use to you unless you've studied the material presented in one of his books.
Just a set of wheels.......2002-04-10
Very disappointed by the "book", which actually consists of a set of wheels,
with a 4-page booklet which does not explain much. I returned the book.
The color star.......2001-06-29
The black cut outs aren't cut acurately. I'd like to return this item to you and exchange it. A group of us purchased it for a class and I DON'T KNOW the account number. So how do i get it back into the mail and maybe get one that has been cut acurately? Thank you
Study Itten Till You Drop.......2001-02-20
If you came to me for a job in graphic design and you told me you hadn't studied Itten, I wouldn't hire you. But I'm picky. Please understand who this man is, and understand his philosophy of color. His work is significant.
Book Description
The Kansas City Monarchs. The Chicago American Giants. The St. Louis Stars. The Newark Eagles. The Birmingham Black Barons. The Homestead Grays. The Cuban X Giants. For over 50 years, they were the Yankees, Cardinals, and Red Sox of black baseball in America. And for over a decade beginning in the mid-1940s, umpire Bob Motley called balls and strikes for their games, earning the opportunity to work with such legends as Satchel Paige, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, and Willie Mays. Today, Motley is the only living Negro League arbiter, and Ruling Over Monarchs, Giants & Stars is his revealing, humorous memoir.
Customer Reviews:
Ruling Over Monarchs, Giants & Stars: Umpiring in the Negro Leagues & Beyond.......2007-03-27
A must have book on baseball history, and what the Negro Leagues went through.
It's an amazing life that unfolds as you turn the pages. Hard to put down as
each chapter will leave you wanting more.
A must read!.......2007-03-26
It's great to focus on some great moments in history. Bob Motley has lived an incredible life. Well worth reading and admiring!
Memories From Behind The Plate.......2007-03-14
With a triple-play of anecdotes, humor and history, former Negro Leagues Baseball umpire Bob Motley and co-author/son Byron Motley present a unique perspective of the game from behind the plate and calling balls & strikes.
Motley, the last living umpire from NLB, worked games for more than ten years, starting in the mid-1940s. He had a flamboyant style which is captured in the photographs.
There are sections on established stars like the legendary Satchel Paige, young players who ultimately reached iconic status in Major League Baseball like Ernie Banks, Willie Mays and Henry Aaron, and trail-blazing females Connie Morgan, Toni Stone and Peanut Johnson.
"Nothing compares to the sound of an oncoming Satchel (Paige) fastball," recalls Bob Motley.
There are diamond gems like NLB players were the first to wear batting helmets. Willie Wells wore an old coal miner's hat to the plate because he was tired of getting hit in the head with errant - or aimed - pitches.
As enjoyable as Ron Luciano's The Umpire Strikes Back, the Motleys show that one of the game's most famous arbiters also oversaw a wealth of great memories that makes for a great read.
Ruling over Monarchs, etc........2007-03-09
I absolutely love this book. I happen to know the author, and that makes it even more special to me.
Book Description
Meet the black inventors who lived their dreamsâfrom the early years to modern times
Benjamin Banneker
Andrew Jackson Beard
George E. Carruthers, Ph.D.
George Washington Carver
Michael Croslin, Ph.D.
David Nelson Crosthwait Jr.
Charles Richard Drew, M.D.
Meredith Gourdine, Ph.D.
Claude Harvard
Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D.
Frederick McKinley Jones
Percy Lavon Julian, Ph.D.
Ernest Everett Just, Ph.D.
Lewis Howard Latimer
Jan Earnst Matzeliger
Elijah McCoy
Benjamin Montgomery
John P. Moon
Garrett Augustus Morgan
Norbert Rillieux
Earl D. Shaw, Ph.D.
Madame C. J. Walker
Daniel Hale Williams, M.D.
Granville T. Woods
Jane Cooke Wright, M.D.
For more than three centuries, African American inventors have been coming up with ingenious ideas. In fact, it is impossible to really know American history without also learning about the contributions of black discoverers. This collection brings their stories to life.
In every era, black inventors have made people's lives safer, more comfortable, more convenient, and more profitable. This inspiring, comprehensive collection shines history's spotlight on these courageous inventors and discoverers. One by one, they persevered, despite prejudice and obstacles to education and training. These stories show you how:
- Benjamin Montgomery, born a slave, invented a propeller that improved steamboat navigation.
- Jan Earnst Matzeliger, the son of a Dutch engineer, invented a machine that revolutionized the shoe manufacturing industry.
- Madame C. J. Walker, born two years after the Civil War emancipated her parents, invented a product that helped make her a millionaire.
- Dr. George E. Carruthers, an astrophysicist, invented the lunar surface ultraviolet camera/spectrograph for Apollo 16.
- Dr. Jane Cooke Wright, a third-generation physician and pioneer in the field of cancer research discovered a method for testing which drugs to use to fight specific cancers. Dr. Wright became the first woman elected president of the New York Cancer Society and the first African American woman to serve as dean of a medical college.
This outstanding collection brings to light these and dozens of other exciting and surprising tales of inventors and discoverers who lived their dreams.
Customer Reviews:
African American Inventors (Black Stars Series).......2000-09-23
African American Inventors (Black Stars Series)
What a great book! I highly recommend this book if you have ever wondered where can I find information about African American Inventors. I found that the information was very insightful and informative to both myself and to my son. The content is easy to read and allows the reader to see (if you will) first hand just how difficult it was (is) for minorities to overcome ignorance in order to enhance the betterment of mankind through technology!
In a nutshell this book is excellent resource for all students of all races and creeds. African American Inventors is also a great book for young inventors who may need a little encouragement and hope in a pseudo biased world.
Finally, as a parent I give this book two thumbs up!
African American Inventors.......2000-09-21
African American Inventors (Black Stars Series)
What a great book! I highly recommend this book if you have ever wondered where one may find information about African American Inventors. I found that the information contained within this book was very insightful and informative. The content is easy to read and allows the reader to see (if you will) first hand just how difficult it was (is) for minorities to overcome ignorance in order to contribute and enhance the betterment of all mankind through technology!
In a nutshell this book is excellent resource for all students of all races and creeds. African American Inventors is also a great book for young inventors who may need a little encouragement and hope in seeing their dreams become reality.
Finally, as a parent I give this book two thumbs up!
Customer Reviews:
Writing History with Needle and Thread.......2000-05-29
Although a small book, its' historical content is indeed large and informative. This book has been rated at an appropiate reading level for 9-12, however I enjoy it as an adult. Impoverished and denied the written word, Harriet Powers needs to be added to our ever-growing list of "Sheroes". A former slave, she was able to recreate Biblical events in cloth, without ever having seen many of the creatures she dipicted;ie. the whale, in Jonah and the Whale, or the animals on the Ark. One has only to compare her applique work to that of the Dahomey story cloths, to see a definite link to our stolen history. I referrenced this book ,along with others, as a critical part of a term paper of the same name as my above title. I reccomend this book to anyone interested in history, as well as quilts. I thank Mary E. Lyons for giving us this prized possesion.
Customer Reviews:
Please Save Us From This Non-Sense!.......2007-06-19
I am so tired of "Christians" in the media wrongly defining Christianity. New flash, Ms. Parker: Christ was about compassion, not judgement. How does a born-again Christian possibly support so many conservative views? Is she kidding? I'm an African-American born-again Christian who is a liberal. How can that be? Well, I believe that people should be hired and advance on their jobs based upon their education and experience, so I support Affirmative Action programs that ensure fair hiring practices. I don't like the idea of abortions and I do believe that life begins at the stage on conception, but I would never stand outside of an abortion clinic and judge the women who choose to exercise their constitutional right because I don't know what their story is and what brought them to the clinic that day. I pray for their social and mental healing instead. I believe, as Christ expressed when He was here on earth, that salvation is possible for anyone, even murderers. Therefore, I do not support the death penalty. In fact, I'm not sure how any Christian can settle injecting another person with a lethal combination of drugs. Didn't the Lord say, "Vengence is mine"?
Ms. Parker has a right to her opinions and to write all the books she wants, but let's not confuse her views with that of Christian beliefs. Christ is about love, grace and forgiveness. So, Ms. Parker, with your foreward by of all people, Rush Limbaugh, please stop dragging Christ into you mess!
Terrific Read.......2007-05-26
Hahahaha I wonder how many "Christian Women" reviewing this book are welfare cheats, ho's and drug users as well as chronic gamblers playing lotto and the illegal church run numbers rackets. She is exposing you and your phony christianity and you hate her for it. You cant sleep with a new preacher or drug dealer every night then jump into your church outfit and play god on the weekend to make amends with your conscience. This has been the game for too long and it has led you to more drinking and carousing as well as thousands of unwanted children.
Be responsible for yourself.......2006-08-01
Star Parker began life as an Air Force brat. She hung with a bad crowd and ended up on welfare. With the moral support of friends she got out of all that and made something of her life. Star Parker is proof that welfare is not for generations to live on, but with a little personal ambition and responsibility for one's self you can be someone.
A Christian woman let this be the title of her book.......2005-12-12
All i can say is that how can a christian woman have this as a title to a book
Brilliant!.......2005-05-02
Ms. Parker's story is a true eye-opener, exposing the tragic consequences of misplaced American compassion whereby people are given fish rather than taught to fish, creating hopeless dependency rather than joyful self-suffiency. This should be required reading.
Book Description
In The Story of Oklahoma, Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves appears as one of “eight notable Oklahomans,” the “most feared U.S. marshal in the Indian country.” That Reeves was also an African American who had spent his early life as a slave in Arkansas and Texas made his accomplishments all the more remarkable. Black Gun, Silver Star tells Bass Reeves's story for the first time, sifting through fact and legend to discover the truth about one of the most outstanding peace officers in late-nineteenth-century America—and perhaps the greatest lawman of the Wild West era.
Bucking the odds (“I’m sorry, we didn’t keep black people’s history,” a clerk at one of Oklahoma’s local historical societies answered to a query), Art T. Burton traces Reeves from his days of slavery to his soldiering in the Civil War battles of the Trans-Mississippi Theater to his career as a deputy U.S. marshal out of Fort Smith, Arkansas, beginning in 1875 when he worked under “Hanging Judge” Isaac C. Parker. Fluent in Creek and other southern Native languages, physically powerful, skilled with firearms, and a master of disguise, Reeves was exceptionally adept at apprehending fugitives and outlaws and his exploits were legendary in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Black Gun, Silver Star restores this remarkable figure to his rightful place in the history of the American West.
Customer Reviews:
Afro American Heritage Review.......2007-04-03
A reviewer, curator of AfroAmericanHeritage.com, 03/13/2007
Highly recommended!
Brief though the period of the Wild West was, the exploits of its villains and lawmen have fascinated people around the world, and been disproportionately represented in pop culture. But the multicultural nature of the Wild West has rarely been evidenced in the plethora of films, books and television shows. Which probably explains why the arrival of Sheriff Black Bart in Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" (1974) elicited such a stunned response from the townspeople, and a riot of laughter from the audience. Imagine: a black lawman in the Old West! Imagine no more. Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, a former slave, served for nearly 30 years in the Oklahoma and Indian Territories, the most deadly location for U.S. marshals. And according to glowing accounts of his bravery, skill and steadfast devotion to duty (found in white newspapers of the time, mind you) nobody was laughing when he rode into to town, especially not the bad guys. As this book amply illustrates, Reeves is remarkable not merely for being a black marshal (there were others) but for being one of the greatest U.S. Marshals, period. But Reeves' story - with the exception of references published here and there - has been largely ignored by western historians. Though widely known and respected during his lifetime, he was illiterate and left behind no diaries or letters, so what little has come down has been in the form of oral history and legends. Art T. Burton has spent the better part of 20 years reclaiming the heritage of African Americans in the American West, and has scoured through a wide range of primary sources - including Reeves' federal criminal court cases available in the National Archives, and account books at Fort Smith Historic Site - to separate legend from fact and painstakingly piece together the story of this American hero. The book is not a biography in the traditional sense, but as the subtitle states, a reader. It reproduces many of the court documents and contemporary newspaper articles with just enough narrative to put them into context. Not being a Wild West buff myself, I felt the author did an excellent job providing background to help me make sense of it all. As the author recounts, one of the first responses he received from a local town historical society in Oklahoma when inquiring about Reeves was "I am sorry, we didn't keep black people's history." This book is the perfect example of the wealth of information which can be gleaned by a creative, dedicated historian who looks beyond the usual sources in order to root out the hidden history of multicultural America. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Western history and culture, law enforcement, American or African American Studies. And I hope this book inspires someone to finally bring the life and times of Bass Reeves to the big screen.
Bass Reeves - Frontier Marshal!.......2007-03-28
This is a very intereting book about a black marshal that rode for Judge Parker. I was amazed at the amount of money he made as a "non-paid" marshal. His influence on the court and the city of Fort Smith at the time was also interesting. An interesting twist to see a marshal on trial, and obviously, motivated by hatred.
Highly recommended!.......2007-03-13
Brief though the period of the Wild West was, the exploits of its villains and lawmen have fascinated people around the world, and been disproportionately represented in pop culture. But the multicultural nature of the Wild West has rarely been evidenced in the plethora of films, books and television shows. Which probably explains why the arrival of Sheriff Black Bart in Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" (1974) elicited such a stunned response from the townspeople, and a riot of laughter from the audience. Imagine: a black lawman in the Old West!
Imagine no more. Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, a former slave, served for nearly 30 years in the Oklahoma and Indian Territories, the most deadly location for U.S. marshals. And according to glowing accounts of his bravery, skill and steadfast devotion to duty (found in white newspapers of the time, mind you) nobody was laughing when he rode into to town, especially not the bad guys. As this book amply illustrates, Reeves is remarkable not merely for being a black marshal (there were others) but for being one of the greatest U.S. Marshals, period.
But Reeves' story - with the exception of references published here and there - has been largely ignored by western historians. Though widely known and respected during his lifetime, he was illiterate and left behind no diaries or letters, so what little has come down has been in the form of oral history and legends. Art T. Burton has spent the better part of 20 years reclaiming the heritage of African Americans in the American West, and has scoured through a wide range of primary sources - including Reeves' federal criminal court cases available in the National Archives, and account books at Fort Smith Historic Site - to separate legend from fact and painstakingly piece together the story of this American hero.
The book is not a biography in the traditional sense, but as the subtitle states, a reader. It reproduces many of the court documents and contemporary newspaper articles with just enough narrative to put them into context. Not being a Wild West buff myself, I felt the author did an excellent job providing background to help me make sense of it all.
As the author recounts, one of the first responses he received from a local town historical society in Oklahoma when inquiring about Reeves was "I am sorry, we didn't keep black people's history." This book is the perfect example of the wealth of information which can be gleaned by a creative, dedicated historian who looks beyond the usual sources in order to root out the hidden history of multicultural America. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Western history and culture, law enforcement, American or African American Studies.
And I hope this book inspires someone to finally bring the life and times of Bass Reeves to the big screen.
An Excellent Biography.......2006-05-20
Professor Burton's book about Bass Reeves combines thorough, meticulous scholarship on the details of Reeves' long career as a lawman with a most impressive general knowledge of the times in which he lived. The result is a biography unlikely to be surpassed.
A question that has long interested me, and is asked by this book, concerns the criteria of historical remembrance. Why, for example, is Wyatt Earp (to pick just one example) remembered and even celebrated to this day, when--at the very least--equally deserving historical figures, such as Reeves, languish in relative obscurity? Were history fair (and of course it is not) the reverse should be the case, as by any objective measure Reeves was the superior lawman. One is cynically tempted to conclude that too often subsequent historical recognition is far more a result of puffery than of merit.
Burton does an admirable job of reconstructing what can now be known about Reeves' remarkable life, and adeptly separates myth from fact along the way. This was a difficult task, as Reeves was illiterate, meaning that the record of his life is only indirectly available primarily through court transcripts, oral histories by others, and sketchy accounts in contemporary newspapers not often disposed to celebrate the accomplishment of a black man.
In addition, Burton is able to present new and significant information. I, for one, had not known that, toward the end of his career, Reeves was prominently involved in a spectacular shootout (every bit as dramatic as the OK Corral) in Muskogee with a deadly gang of religious fanatics. Until now, lawman Bud Ledbetter (the "Fourth Guardsman") got most of the credit for confronting these dangerous criminals.
Professor Burton notes that he's been working on this project, intermittently, for some twenty years--the result is worth the wait.
Average customer rating:
- Space Between the Stars: My Journey to an Open Heart
- Thanks Deborah
- Sublime Joy
- Substitute for Love
- not what you think
|
Space Between the Stars: My Journey to an Open Heart
Deborah Santana
Manufacturer: One World/Ballantine
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
Women
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Memoirs
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
All That I Am
-
Carlos Santana: Back on Top
-
Blues for Salvador
-
Shaman
-
LA Doctora
ASIN: 0345471261
Release Date: 2006-04-11 |
Book Description
Deborah Santana is best known for her marriage to music icon Carlos Santana–a thirty-year bond that endures to this day. But as a girl growing up in San Francisco in the 1960s, daughter of a white mother and a black father–the legendary blues guitarist Saunders King–her life was charged with its own drama long before she married.
In this beautiful, haunting memoir, Deborah Santana shares for the first time her early experiences with racial intolerance, her romantic involvement with musician Sly Stone and the suffering she endured in that relationship, and her adventures in the freewheeling 1960s. Yet it is her spiritual awakening that is the core of this story. The civil rights movement was the foundation of her growth, the Woodstock era the backdrop of her love with Carlos. The couple was drawn indelibly together by a search for truth and spirituality, but while yearning to be filled with God’s light, they were pulled dangerously toward a manipulative cult. They eventually disengage themselves from the guru and reclaim control of their lives, putting their love for each other before the cult’s increasingly strenuous demands.
Space Between the Stars is a moving account of self-discovery, rendered in raw, beautiful prose, by a woman whose heart has remained pure even in times of despair. As Deborah Santana talks frankly about her lifelong fight against racial injustice and her deep-seated loyalty to her family, ultimately it is the struggle to remain a spiritual and artistic force in her own right, in the shadow of one of the world’s most revered musicians, that shines through as her most indomitable pursuit.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Space Between the Stars: My Journey to an Open Heart.......2007-09-19
I was so impressed with the book I bought copies for all my sisters and mother. We all loved the book and my 81 year old mother reads reads regency romance novels exclusively. A miracle ocurred and she read this book and didn't want to put it down! We all loved it. The book gave us courage and opened our hearts. THANKS Deborah.
Sincerely,
Karen Gravina Hull, Massachusetts
Thanks Deborah.......2007-07-15
Deborah Santana opens her heart and life in this book much the same way a musician such as her father or husband does on stage. Truly a great writer Deborah chronicles a period of Rock and Roll as an insider. We are lucky to have an account from this period of two famous bands to which she was connected. But Space Between the Stars isn't just about Rock and Roll. It is a story of a strong woman who has survived that era and come out stronger. The Music on The Cds is incredible. Her son Salvador is likely to be a force in the music world, admired and respected as were his father and grandfather.
Sublime Joy.......2007-03-07
This is an amazing book full of truth and wisdom. "You house the truth of God's essence inside yourselves, to be heard in the wisper of silence". "Really, all brokenness is a lack of oneness with one's own spirit and light". For those unfamiliar with Carlos's wealth of music and message, we learn; "every note is chosen with the hope that in the listener it will sing a story, spark a journey to goodness and mercy". I laughed, I cried, I loved it! I am a middle aged white guy who honestly thinks Carlos Santana is a Prophet, chosen and inspired by God. Just listen to his music (all of it!). Deborah Santana is a gifted writer, who tells her story in a magical and compelling narative. The message is truley inspirational. Thank you.
Substitute for Love.......2007-01-08
For the first two-thirds of Deborah Santana's autobiography, I was very worried. Sisterly concern radiated from me like a constantly buzzing red light of warning. I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her. Be careful! That man, that guru, that drug, that situation is not right. Keep away! Stop! Reboot! What are you thinking, you foolish naive little girl?
Well obviously all of Deborah's experiences are in the past, and she successfully navigated them to her present apparently self-realized state. And of course my cautionary voice came from... where? Oh yes, the voice of experience. Is this a generational thing? Or a Women-Coming-of-Age-in-the-USA thing?
Those of us born in the 1950's and before were, at least subliminally, instructed to put aside our own personalities in order to grace the life of a man or a god. Yet we came of age during a time in the US when women as a gender were carving out new roles and civil rights. This clash of philosophies led many of us to what we gently refer to as "adventures" or " interesting circumstances". At least this happened to those of us who sought to embrace the greater world and the myriad of opportunities it presented. After all, we had freedoms never or rarely afforded women before - but little in the way of experience or wise grannies to temper us.
Still - how could someone raised in what appears to have been a loving open-minded family tilt so headlong into such tawdry difficulties? It all comes down to naiveté and the desire for love, and so many of us have been there. Deborah abandons her own ego to that of the abusive and drug addicted Sly Stone. Then abandons it again to guru Sri Chinmoy, and yet again to Carlos Santana. She finally seems to begin to get her identity together when she has children and realizes that even if her beloved husband has a roving eye, she still has worth and purpose. But it none-the-less remains based on glomming her personality onto that of another: Sly, Chinmoy, Santana, babies. Even the book title describes her as a void between brilliant bodies of light. Primordial ooze aside, methinks there is still self-realization to be achieved here. And I believe she is currently doing this through the Milagro Foundation, her family's philanthropic outreach.
What is ultimately so marvelous about this book is that Deborah articulates eloquently the struggle so many of us in our generation have had to reconcile purpose and identity in a material society. Although she writes of racism, I see her story as more of a cautionary tale of sexism, the gullibility of young sheltered women, and, above all, the need for love that is so strong it can blind the seeker to all logic and reason. For this reason, the book is a fantastic book club read. Less inspiration than commiseration, it serves as a wonderful stimulus to discussion of our role as women, how this is evolving, and where it needs to go.
not what you think.......2006-12-28
I thought this would be a book about a woman's growth. It ended up being full of excuses for what she didn't accomplish but had stated she wanted to accomplish. It seems "god" always had other plans for her that kept her in an easier position. I found Deborah to be easily susceptible to persuasion with no critical thinking and greatly influenced by the men in her life and their dreams despite what she believes about herself to be the opposite. She seems to base her self worth on how much worth she bestows on the men who "chose" her. I would have my daughters read this book only as a cautionary tale - not one of personal growth. If she were not Deborah Santana I can't imagine that any publisher would have found this to be worth publishing or enlightening to women in any way.
Book Description
Meet African american women of science and invention from the early years to modern Times
Patricia Bath, M.D.
Miriam E. Benjamin
Ursula Burns
Alexa Canady, M.D.
Jewel Plummer Cobb, Ph.D.
Ellen F. Eglin
Angela D. Ferguson, M.D.
Sara E. Goode
Evelyn Boyd Granville, Ph.D.
Dannellia Gladden Green, Ph.D.
Bessie Blount Griffin
Betty Wright Harris, Ph.D.
Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D.
Aprille Joy Ericsson Jackson, Ph.D.
Mae Jemison, M.D.
Marjorie Stewart Joyner, Ph.D.
Mary Kenner
Reatha Clark King, Ph.D.
Annie Turnbo Malone
Mildred Austin Smith
Valerie Thomas
Madame C. J. Walker
Jane Cooke Wright, M.D.
Roger Arliner Young, Ph.D.
Chavonda J. Jacobs Young, Ph.D.
Customer Reviews:
Great for school work!.......2006-03-18
My 8 year old daughter had a project on African American Women who have contributed in science; however, the Internet did not provided anything on Dr. Green who I truly admire. After we purchased this book which came righ on time (it took 3 days!!!!) we read it from end to end and found more information on Dr. Green then anywhere else. This book really helped us.
Jose
An intimate book.......2002-01-21
This is a wonderful book. Not only is it packed with interesting facts, but the interviews and writing style are so personal and intimate that one feels as if, for example, Mae Jemison is right in the room sharing her life story. The women are candid about the obstacles they met and overcame. I think a young adult of any race will find this book very inspiring...I know if it had been around when I was a kid, science and math would have been much more relevent to me!
A must for young readers.......2001-11-24
So little is known about African American women pioneers in the sciences. Otha Sullivan has written an illuminating book for young readers that will fill in the gaps. Every parent concerned with teaching their children more about pioneering women in American history should purchase this book. It is also a good resource for science, social studies, and history teachers.
A must for young readers.......2001-11-24
So little is known about African American women pioneers in the sciences. Otha Sullivan has written an illuminating book for young readers that will fill in the gaps. Every parent concerned with teaching their children more about pioneering women in American history should purchase this book. It is also a good resource for science, social studies, and history teachers.
Black Stars:African American Women Scientist.......2001-11-12
This book is about African American women scientists and inventors, a rarity indeed.Reportedly African Americans in general comprise 4.5% of all science and engineering professionals today.So to read about the significant contributions of these pioneering women is both revealing and uplifting.Some of those profiled are somewhat well known;such as Madame C. J. Walker.She is known for her million dollar hair care business. Others are not so well known, such as Dr. Angela Furguson who joined with Dr. Ronald Scott in researching sickle cell anemia at Howard University.
Unfortunately the African American women scientists and inventors have been left out of mainstream history even as some African American men scientists have been included. Most of us are familiar with the contributions of George Washington Carver, who is credited with discovering 100 uses for the sweet potato and more than 300 uses for the common peanut in his lab at Tuskegee Institute. Also we are equally aware of Benjamin Banneker, who is widely hailed as inventing the first clock and assisting in the laying out of the design for the Nation's Capital, Washington, DC with Charles L'Enfant.
The author makes a laudable contribution for filling in existing historical omissions regarding African American women scientists. He brings to our attention warm inspiring stories along with factual historical information.
Teachers, other educators, parents and anyone else involved in the unending search to supplement traditional textbooks in order to ensure broader inclusion, will welcome this book. In doing so they too will expand their own knowledge and understanding of the subject. One does not need to be in the fields of science, engineering nor medicine to appreciate the message in African American Women Inventors. For the message transcends traditional borders or disciplines of study. The biographical descriptions of the featured women are of tremendous courage, high intellect and a lot of hard work. The stories in this book are exciting and geared to fostering a sense of empowerment to studenta and adults alike who read it. Students at all grade levels, genders and ethnic groups can readily relate to thses stories of personal triumph and achievement. However the author has written it to target ages 9 through 12 year olds.
Books:
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
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