Book Description
It seems to be a common-sense argument that, if teachers know how to teach reading, or math, or any other subject, and if schools emphasize the importance of these tasks and permit no distractions, children should be able to learn regardless of their family income or skin color. But this perspective is misleading and dangerous. It ignores how social class characteristics in a stratified society like ours influence learning in school. For nearly half a century, the association between social and economic disadvantage and the student achievement gap has been well known to economists, sociologists, and educators. Most, however, have avoided the obvious implication of this understanding, that raising the achievement of lower-class children requires that public policy address the social and economic conditions of these children's lives, not just school reform.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting View of Achievement Gap.......2007-03-09
This book really takes a look at the different "reasons" behind the Black-White Achievement Gap, because let's face it there still is one and when we talk about "poorer" familes, they tend to make up much of the black population. The book takes into account the very reasons why it is difficult for those who end up in the low achievement bracket, to make their way up the ladder. Quick, easy read and great for those who have an interest in education.
An online review by Courtney and Jenny.......2006-05-02
This book has opened our eyes to many issues we did not think about or explore prior to reading this book. Richard Rothstein does an excellent job pointing out the many contributing factors to the "Black-White Achievement Gap" in America. Even though some of Rothstein's ideas are expressed in other articles and books, these important issues and topics he reiterates only emphasizes the attention that this issues needs. Rothstein addresses that, as a society, we need to do more for students than just a good job of addressing issues and raising questions. The last chapter of his book deals with different ways teachers, educators, parents, and health officials can step in and intervene into children's lives in order to work on closing the achievement gap between lower- and middle-class families.
Well researched defense of public education.......2005-07-10
I looked to Rothstein's book for a thoroughly documented defense of public education in light of its inability to resolve fundamental inequalities. I was not disappointed but those who seek feasible proposals to remedy the problem will not find it here. The basic solution seems to be to extend the public education system into early childhood. I see a number of problems: 1. if we cannot afford the employment of highly paid teaching professionals in K-12, how will we do it for early childhood professionals paid at comparible salaries. 2. If the stress on on cognitive skills is problematic, why would such professional status be required anyways. He points out the importance of behavioral/character training but rules out the use of less educated adults in these communities to impart that training. I believe that they will be most effective in training and disciplining the children than a middle class college grad. Moreover, they will provide the intensive coverage needed at the lowest cost. Have the high priced professionals train the aides from the area and then send them to the day-care and other preschool programs to do the early childhood education. In conclusion, the non-sequitars involved in the proposed soluctions do not invalidate the objective summaries of the research and the entirely valid objections to standardized testing as enshrined in the NCLB. I would certainly recommend it for a critical understanding of the issue. Then go to Valerie Lee and Ted Sizer for better solutions.
ASK A SILLY QUESTION ..........2005-03-04
Richard Rothstein is no more qualified to advise on education than the new governor of California (who is a body-builder). The objective of education is economic self-sufficiency. Getting ahead in life requires connections, not "knowledge." American blacks are denied connections. We all know why and how. The black-white gap which Rothstein writes about is not information but access.
Valuable knowledge is learned on the job, not in school. Teachers do not control access, employers do. Blacks who are told otherwise are being cheated.
Centuries ago schools were for the elite, whose privileged positiion in life was predestined. This was not changed by free public schools. America's political leaders never learned this fundamental lesson. US Grant - who in fact liberated blacks - imagined blacks would quickly join mainstream America. KKK put an end to that dream. Just saying again and again that there is a gap does not acknowledge the reality. Ask a bona fide teacher.
When black youth knows schooling will be rewarded, education will command respect.
Wallace F. Smith, Walnut Creek, CA
Must reading on the topic of the black-white achievement gap.......2004-09-01
"Class and Schools" is a perceptive study of what we can - and cannot - expect public schools to do on their own to narrow the black-white achievement gap. Rothstein is particularly astute in his descriptions of the subtle cognigitive and psychological skills that middle class students bring to school and how these skills serve them well, particularly in the upper grades. He also offers a critique of the "outlier" literature that draws overly broad conclusions from the fact that some schools serving disadvantaged students are effective. Many, if not most, readers will take issue with Rothstein over his policy recommendations, but anyone thinking seriously about the achievement gap will have to confront the major points that he makes and the evidence behind them.
Amazon.com
In Dani Shapiro's captivating new novel, a mother struggles to protect her young daughter from the dark secrets of her past. Haunting and insightful, Black & White explores the notions of family and motherhood, inspiration and obligation, and is sure to appeal to fans of Jodi Picoult and Anita Shreve. Find out more about Shapiro's artistic practices and influences below. --Daphne Durham
10 Second Interview: A Few Words with Dani Shapiro
Q: What is your writing process like? Has it changed from book to book?
A: As I was doing my usual flailing around before I began to write Black & White, I found that I had some questions in mind that I hoped to explore, if not answer--and those questions very much came out of my preoccupations as a writer and as a mother of a young child: is it possible to be as fully absorbed as one needs to be to produce good, strong art--and be equally fully absorbed in the raising of small children? What happens when that delicate balancing act teeters? And also, as someone who has written quite a bit of personal non-fiction, I wondered: where is the line--or perhaps it's less of a line and more of a murky gray area--when it comes to writing about the personal stuff when there's this little person who's involved, a person who will grow up and read it some day? These ideas began to really preoccupy me, and finally the novel started to form itself around them. When I begin the first draft of a book, I write longhand. I've become quite attached to these particular spiral-bound notebooks that can only be purchased in my in-laws' hometown, and so whenever they come to visit I ask them to bring me a pile. I think most writers indulge in magical thinking when it comes to the process, and many of us require talismans; mine are these notebooks. I used to only write on the computer, but I've found, in the last number of years, that I feel much freer to have no idea where I'm going when I'm writing by hand. There's something very neat--perhaps too neat--about the blank computer screen, and the ease of cutting and pasting, moving whole blocks of text around. For me, it's infinitely more satisfying to scribble and cross things out and make big sweeping arrows and asterisks as I'm working on drafts. It looks messy and complicated--it looks like what it is. On those early pages I feel like I can see a map, or a diagram, of my process.
Q: What author/s have inspired you?
A: In the big, enduring ways, as a literary backbone: Tolstoy, George Eliot, Virginia Woolf, Philip Roth, Joan Didion, Saul Bellow, Grace Paley. And while I was writing Black & White, Alice Munro's stories in Runaway and Ian McEwan's novel Saturday were immensely important in my grappling with understanding how to create a close third person narrative without losing the periphery.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I'm trying to start a new novel. Viriginia Woolf wrote this great passage in her diary, after she finished The Waves: "I must hastily provide my mind with something else, or it will again become pecking and wretched." I'm a much nicer person when I'm working on a book. When I begin I have so little to go on--a feeling, a sense, an image or two. It's like coaxing shadows out of the corners.
Book Description
From the author of Family History (“Poised, absorbing . . . a bona fide page turner”—The New York Times Book Review) and the best-selling memoir Slow Motion, a spellbinding novel about art, fame, ambition, and family that explores a provocative question: Is it possible for a mother to be true to herself and true to her children at the same time?
Clara Brodeur has spent her entire adult life pulling herself away from her famous mother, the renowned and controversial photographer Ruth Dunne, whose towering reputation rests on the unsettling nude portraits she took of her young daughter from the ages of three to fourteen. The Clara Series, which graced the walls of museums around the world as well as the pages of New York City tabloids that labeled the work pornographic, cast a long and inescapable shadow over its subject. At eighteen, when Clara might have entered university and begun to shape an identity beyond her sensationalized, unsought role in the New York art world, she fled to the quiet obscurity of small-town Maine, where she married and had a child, a daughter whom she has tried to shield from the central facts of her early life and her damaging role as her mother’s muse.
Fourteen years later, Ruth Dunne is dying, and Clara is summoned to her bedside. Despite her anguish and ambivalence about confronting a family life she has repressed and denied for more than a decade, Clara returns. She finds Ruth surrounded, even in her illness, by worshipful interns, protective assistants, and her conniving art dealer.
Once again, she is Clara Dunne, the object of curiosity, the girl in the photos. Except this time she has her own daughter to think about—a girl who at nine looks strikingly like the girl in Ruth’s photos—and she yearns to protect her, to insulate her from the exposure that will inevitably result when her two worlds, New York and Maine, collide.
As Clara charts a path connecting her childhood with her adult life, Shapiro’s novel weaves together past and present in images as stark and intense as the photographs that tore the Dunnes apart. A brilliant examination of motherhood—a novel that pits artistic inspiration against maternal obligation and asks whether the two can ever be fully reconciled—Black & White explores the limits and duties of family loyalties, and even of love. Gripping, haunting, psychologically complex, this is Shapiro at her captivating best.
Customer Reviews:
Very similar to another book...........2007-09-11
First things first, I have not read this book.
I was at the library today and picked it up. While reading the inside cover, I was overcome with a "haven't-I-read-this-before type feeling." The premise of the book is alarmingly similar to Miranda Beverly-Whitmore's "The Effects of Light"...down to the famous photographer's first name. Too many similarities for my liking.
Characters Hard to Believe.......2007-08-19
The main character is not developed enough to generate any real sympathy for her. The plot is superficial; there is no great depth or substance to it.
Relationships are Never Black and White.......2007-07-15
I loved this book. Other reviewers have sufficiently explained the story line, so I will stick with what more of a thematic review. The overarching principle of the book is that there is no such thing as simple black and white (right/wrong, love/hate) in relationships. Life is nuanced, as are our decisions and motivations. It would be simple to write off Ruth as a horrible selfish mother who didn't love her daughter, but SHapiro avoided the easy, cliche characterizations and offered us a family that had love despite the tensions that tore them apart.
Shapiro wrote vivid, accessible characters -- they are not simply good or bad either. For instance, Peony (Ruth's assistant) drove me crazy but I could also understand that she acted out of loyalty to Ruth. Clara's hurt and anger towards her mother was understandable, but there were still times when I wanted her to just get OVER herself. Every character, with perhaps the exception of Clara's father, had a carefully balanced character. (as a side note, Clara's husband and father are perhaps the most idealized characters. This is very much a book about mothers, daughters and sisters, more so than about the men who love them.)
The one weakness I found in the book was that the dates are not accurate. Clara is in 4th grade in 1982 (two years after John Lennon was killed) but then is in September of 7th grade when the iconic Vogue cover featuring the Lacroix jacket and faded jeans comes out. THat issue was actually Anna Wintour's first issue as EIC and came out in November 1988 -- Clara would have been in 11th grade in 1988.
Emotions Run High in this Family Drama.......2007-07-06
I thought "Black & White" was a very excellent book. The characters were well developed and Shapiro's descriptions of the various scenes, especially the photo shoots, were exceptional. I could easily imagine the characters and the scenes in my mind. There are many reviews on this book so I won't clutter up the page with more detail except to reveal that the story focuses on the relationship between the mother, Ruth Dunne, a noted photographer and her daughter Clara. And then there is the conflict between Clara and her sister, Robin. Clara runs away from home vowing never to return; starts a new life, gets married and becomes a mother, herself. Later in the novel the mother becomes very ill and Alone, Clara makes the difficult trip to New York to see Ruth. There is an attempt for reconciliation and forgiveness and toward the end of the book emotions run high in this family. I found this part very intense. Overall I enjoyed the novel very much and I thought Dani Shapiro created an excellent story.
Another great Women's Fiction novel I believe you would enjoy is Gathering of Cans by Robert L. Saunders. Don't Miss this One! The story is unbelievable (all 530 pgs) when you consider it revolves around 47 year old Zoie Baker gathering aluminum cans to raise money for a swimming pool. The author is an excellent storyteller, and worthy of your attention.
Great story potential, not fully achieved.......2007-06-25
Great storyline, but I expected more from the writing/writer (maybe that is the problem with being a big fan of one of the writer's previous books,Family History: A Novel, also a novel about mother/daughter relationship). I gave it three stars because of the great characterization of Ruth Dunne and for the story line. Couldn't give more because I couldn't stand the number of question marks in each page: everything Clara thinks/does is preceded by a question the character puts to herself (you could just remove all these questions and still have the same feeling about the doubts/questions in Clara's mind).
Book Description
A major influence on civil rights, anti-colonial, and black consciousness movements around the world, Black Skin, White Masks is the unsurpassed study of the black psyche in a white world. Hailed for its scientific analysis and poetic grace when it was first published in 1952, the book remains a vital force today. “[Fanon] demonstrates how insidiously the problem of race, of color, connects with a whole range of words and images.” — Robert Coles, The New York Times Book Review
Customer Reviews:
Race Theory.......2007-02-18
If you want to understand racial identity, you should read Fanon's approach. The most influential author on ethnicity and colonization in the twentieth century.
From a teacher's perspective.......2006-03-20
Frantz Fanon was a contemporary writer of the 1950's. Born in Martinique, he studied psychiatry and medicine in France as a young man after volunteering his services in World War II. He had an educational background in post colonial studies including racism and colonization. At the age of 27 he published "Black Skin, White Masks" which played a vital role in civil rights and Black consciousness movements throughout its time. Fanon's analysis of the Black psyche, "Black Skin, White Masks", was amazingly interesting and educational. It gave me a fresh perspective to what it means to live as the minority, as a person of color in a White world. This is a wonderful review of how the French of different backgrounds interacted with each other. There are also a few downfalls in understanding "Black Skin, White Masks". This book is hard to follow because it jumps around quite a bit, making various points throughout the same train of thought. There are many topics covered, one of the most thoroughly explored being romantic love between interracial couples. It also explores the use of language and the importance of knowing one's familial, racial, and cultural history.
One of the topics Fanon concentrates on is the Black man and his goals in life. To understand what Black men go through, one has to first understand the history of the particular Black man he is talking about which is born in an island off of France then moves to France and faces the culture shock of entering a country where the language and customs are different. Here the Black man goes from being comfortable and part of a larger entity to being the minority. At this stage the Black man feels he is worthless because of the history of the relationship of Blacks and Whites, where the Black man has led a forced life of servitude and abuse which has caused him to believe that he is inferior to the White man. The White man's racism has created the White man's feeling of superiority which correlates with the Black man's feeling of inferiority. Because of this inferiority complex the Black man has an overpowering need to prove himself equal to the White man. Fanon goes on to argue that the Black man's goal is to prove to Whites, Blacks and himself that he is an intelligent, good, and worthy of pursuing happiness individual. One of the most detailed examples was how the Black man attempts to get closer to being White by having any relationship, be it friendship or romantic (preferably sexual), with a White person other than a master/slave association. As an example Fanon tells a story of a young mulatto woman who marries a White man and in a split second goes from being the slave to being the master. Yet there are other cases when the Black man succeeds and he is not only rejected by Whites, he is repudiated by Blacks.
Another theme was that of language and what happens to a Black person when he arrives to France. The Black man has to learn how to speak French as it is spoken in France in order to become "whiter", for example, an educated Black man is no longer seen as Black because Blacks are savages while the intellectual is civilized. Yet there have been many cases where despite the success of the Black man, Whites refuse to accept them as equals and show it by speaking to them in pidgin or as children. There is also the struggle of remaining part of the Black community after assimilating into the White world. After learning to speak French, he returns home as white in the eyes of other Black people. The Black man must be able to code change in order to survive in both worlds.
Antillean education is looked at carefully in this book. Fanon compares the children of France with those of Martinique. As French children learn about their culture and their ancestors, Martinique children learn of the ancestors of others. Fanon proposes that the Black Martinique children should learn about Black history as a separate section in order to build self esteem and confidence. Children need to learn that there have been others in similar situations that have pulled through and made it despite discrimination and hate. If the educational system increases the Martinique children's knowledge and understanding of their own heritage and history, they will be able to make connections with their own ancestors and their amazing accomplishments. This would thus curb ideas of inferiority.
There was a contrast between Blacks and Whites that kept the world as it was. In order for there to be white, there has to be black. In order for there to be a slave there has to be a master. In order for one group of peoples to be superior another group has to be inferior, and this is the case with Whites and Blacks. As a result, whatever one group is the other is the opposite. Here arise a series of stereotypes that support how people think of these two groups. Whites are intelligent, progressive, civil people while Blacks are primitive savages in need of taming. Since Blacks are savages they cannot control their emotional and sexual needs hence in contrast Whites are not sexual and have the ability to suppress their emotions. From this Fanon argues that a subtle jealousy was born; the White man envied the Black man's sexual freedom.
As I read this book I could not help but think of my students and how they embody many of the same believes as Black men in the 1950's. The children I teach Mathematics to are people of color, either Latino or Black. I spend much of my day listening to them speak among themselves about various topics and have picked up on certain ideas that reflect that of past colonized populations. Although there is this total rejection of anything and everything that is White, there is also an underlining want to be White (perhaps mainstream is a better word). For example, I have heard my students discuss accents and the implication that those who have one are in some way less intelligent than those who speak like Americans. Students have also expressed in happiness that they do not speak their parent's native tongue, typically Spanish, which is an indication that they are closer to being white than those who's first language is not English. Another disturbing behavior I have noticed is the animosity towards Whites. It seems my students have been programmed to be hostile towards White people, especially peers. They constantly refer to Whites in derogatory terms; for example, when one of my mentors (an older White woman) spend a period in my classroom the students were flustered and after she left referred to her as "the white b*$^%" as opposed to "the lady who was just here". At the same time they insult each other by using terms that are associated with being Black such as insulting the wideness of their nose and/or thickness of their lips. I find this to be an interesting contradiction and would like to explore it further in hopes of understanding the contemporary adolescent.
As a teacher I found this book to be very helpful in understanding why our children of color behave the way they do and why they consistently fail in a system designed for children who are not exposed to the gruesome situations the students in the South Bronx (where I teach) go through on a daily basis. These children could very well have an inferiority complex which they will have to overcome before being able to succeed in this White man's world.
Language and Colonization.......2006-03-14
Fanon really draws you in with this book. One feels involved with Fanon's fight not just against racism and colonization, but also his own self evaluation and struggle within himself to accept himself for who he is.
Among other things, what struck me the most was the way Fanon showed that minorities do not feel inferior because they were thrust in the midst of a majority. Considering that South Africa has minority white population and yet the black population there took on the brunt of racism and that had nothing to do with the minority subjugation.
Another line of thought that Fanon brings about is the domination of the colonized language. In Martinique, the average middle class family would insist children to speak French like the French would and not the commonly spoken Creole. The Martinican returning from France was expected to uphold that standard and speak proper French. If he reverted to his old ways of speaking, it was looked down upon. Fanon shows that the black man of Martinique maintains locked in his own cultural impositions and unless that is shed it would make it difficult for him to rise out of it.
Fanon brings about how the psychological impact of colonization through language, culture and history plays on the black man. Fanon delves into studies done by others and compares or rejects ideas put forth by them either with by presenting his own experiences or a generalistic view of the colonized Martinique land.
Fanon digresses frequently from topics of discussion and jumps around wildly in some of the chapters. But overall the book is well written and makes you think and begs you to put your own experience and thought into it.
Black Skin White Masks.......2006-02-05
Frantz Fanon was a black man born in the French colony and island of Martinique. He trained as a doctor specialising in psychiatry. He was deeply concerned about the impact of colonialism on the people of colour, particularly how it humiliated them, destroyed their culture, values and dignity. This led him to get involved in the Algerian war of independence in the 1950s.
The book "Black Skin, White Masks" was written almost fifty years ago. This was during the time when decolonisation of the African continent and elsewhere was gathering momentum.
To adequately capture and assimilate Fanon's thinking of the question of colonialism and racism and their impact on the coloured people, one also needs to read Fanon's other great works: "The Wretched of the Earth" and "Dying Colonialism". Here one can see his anger and the background to his conclusion that it was only through violence that people of colour could liberate themselves from colonialism, particularly from mental bondage and inferiority complex that accompanied colonial subjugation.
In "Black Skin, White Masks", Fanon develops his thesis about the impact of inferiority complex of subjugated peoples and the alienation of some of them from their kind resulting in their wish to identified with the colonialists or imitate the European. There are a number of celebrated and classic cases of coloured people who have tried various formulas to change the colour of their skins, the tone of their voices or their names so that they sound more civilised (European).
Fanon's ideas about how the coloured people can liberate themselves (physically and mentally) influenced many leaders of revolutionary movements that were fighting colonialism. Some organisations in the USA, such as the Nation of Islam, appear to embrace a lot of Fanon's ideas and thinking.
The book is recommended reading for those who wish to understand the impact of colonialism on the colonised around the world and their different reactions to this menace.
Peau noire masques blancs (Black Skin, White Masks).......2005-09-20
I own the original French version of this book: "Peau noire masques blancs"! Franz Fanon addressed very well the racial issues encounted by previously colonized civilizations like the French island of Martinique. But Martinique is just an example. The truth is raw, but it's the truth, and there is still a long way for the freedom of the mind.
Book Description
This easy-to-use, inexpensive book introduces beginning picture takers and makers to the fundamentals of photography and suggests ways in which they might create photographs that have meaning.
Oriented toward traditional black and white photography, the book also explores digital techniques and web photography resources, equipment, cameras and camera accessories, the exposure and development of film, and the making and finishing of prints. All aspects of the process are explained and illustrated clearly in two-page spreads, each of which addresses a self-contained topic.
For people who don't know anything about photography and would like to learn, and for those who want to make better pictures than they already do.
Customer Reviews:
Good book, could use more focus.......2007-07-27
A fine intro primer on photographer, but I felt always on the edges of getting good information. Much better at technical stuff, skimps on the art of photography.
Very well done.......2007-06-02
I've found this book to be the most helpful both for novices and learning to take the more professional shots.
Detailed information, definitions and technical terms are not so overwhelming that it would dissuade the average novice, but at the same time, they are explained well enough to carry on a conversation at your local camera store.
Now I just have to sit down and read the whole thing and I will be truly enlightened, or at least exposed at the proper F-stop.
Average customer rating:
- This lady is NOT BLACK, she could pass for white!!
- TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS ARE ONE
- it takes all kinds
- A different perspective
- Response to Review
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Love in Black and White: A Memoir of Race, Religion, and Romance
William S. Cohen
Manufacturer: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
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ASIN: 0742558215 |
Book Description
Most Americans regard the World War II period as belonging to the greatest generation, but it was also a time when religious intolerance and racial violence flourished. It is within this world that this compelling memoir is set. Against impossible odds, Bill would be elected to serve his country as a U.S. Congressman and Senator, and Janet would become a prominent television personality, activist, and highly respected businesswoman and author. This powerful book is one of inspiration, hope and ultimately the redemption of America's soul.
Customer Reviews:
This lady is NOT BLACK, she could pass for white!!.......2007-05-27
I find it really amusing that these people with caucasion features who have a pretty easy time being accepted in the "white world", some how think they are the authority on race relations or interracial relationships. I have friends who married very dark skinned African Americans who lived in working class neighborhoods. Their love survived more pain, hardship, and strife then that half-breed Mrs. Cohen could ever imagine. I seriously doubt that Mr. Cohen would have it as bad a dark skinned male, with a white woman on his arm.
Get a clue!
TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS ARE ONE.......2007-03-19
This is a love story. The journey of two people arriving at the same place in time, finally. They share their respective experiences with sharp incisive candor. Readers are given a "no holds barred" look into their world.
Quite frankly, they are right. It is the time for a book of this quality to be written. Two little children born and raised in America, each having individual, separate horrendous struggles, - yet surviving, maturing, achieving success. Through their eyes, we experience life in the political, journalist, entertainment,social, personal, civil rights, and sports arena of action. Through them We meet a young Muhammad Ali, Quincey Jones, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Hilary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Sidney Poiter, Richard Nixon, Herbert Hoover, the FBI, Deepak Chopra, Bruce Gordon, Mahalia Jackson, John Johnson, Andrew Young, soldiers in Bosnia and many many more. Beautiful glossy photographs capture memorable moments. Thank you Bill and Janet. Your respective journeys were often jarring, but seldom boring. The book contains enlightening perspectives and is a wake-up call to the sometimes harsh yet mostly beautiful realities of life here on planet earth. And much like the lyrics of that sweet old poignant song, " We will show them as we walk together in the sun, that our two different worlds are one," -- you have indeed done just that.
I have never met William Cohen and Janet Langhart Cohen, but I have observed Janet's steady progress and achievements, over the years, from the cover of Jet Magazine to the Ebony Fashion Fair, and her television show. I have always been inspired by her courage, intelligence and professionalism. I am an African-American woman. This book is excellent and informative. Its final chapter features Janet's masterfully crafted play, a dialogue between murdered Emmitt Till and the Holocaust's Anne Frank.
My next read will be Janet's book, "From Rage to Reason."
it takes all kinds.......2007-03-01
I found the book to be an enjoyable and interesting read and I share some of the other readers comments about the book. One of the great things about the internet is that anyone is free to go online, write a review, and show how foolish they are. I sometimes wonder of some people deliberately write nasty or very poor reviews just to "stir the pot". Anyway, the world is slowly but steadily blending itself together. First products & stores, now language, and within a couple of hundred years or so, the majority of humans will be blended, too. "That's life", as Frankie sang.
A different perspective.......2007-02-22
I found the book of interest and enjoyed many segments of it. In particularly, I liked the focus on how to overcome the adversity of one's surroundings and the misperceptions around oneself. The book also is a barometer of how America has changed and for the better too.
Like the authors, I also am married to someone outside my 'race". I came to the US as an immigrant from the Netherlands,earned a PhD in the physical Sciences from an Ivy League University and taught in three major research universities, including an ivy league university and a Big 10 unviersity. Now I run a consulting business. I'm Protestant. My wife is an immigrant from Korea, was educated there as a nurse, and is Buddhist. We met in New York CIty.
If I have learned anything from our multicultiural and multiracial amrriage it is this. The key to keeping it going is mutual respect for each other, mutual respect for the cultures from which we came, a willingness to try new things considered foreign by some, a willingess to accomodate to the partner's wishes even if one doesn't understand the cultural context, and a willingness to try new things. Bill Cohen and Janet Langhart portray these critical components very well.
I realize a review is not the place to advertise but for those interested, the novel "Dissensions" has an interesting subplot and about an inter-racial and multi-cultural marriage. The book can be orderved via:
[...].
Response to Review.......2007-02-22
This is to Alesha Bryant, How dare you say Janet Langhart Coehn is not black. Both her parents are fair skinned black folks. There is something wrong with Black people who have issues about their own skin color complaining that another person is not black. FYI most African Americans are mixed no thanks to slavery. I have a Black Father and an Italian mother and I am Ms. Langhart's complexion, and i am BLACK, so please do not say such idiotic things again, without knowing the facts. If that is your opinion, if you "think she looks Italian" your entitled to your opinion but you sound ignorant. Ms. Coehn is a Beautiful and Accomplished African American woman, so STOP hating on her COLOR, its not about COLOR its about culture. Are you really black, because your name is spelled the ghetto way???
Product Description
An up-to-date manual for modern film development techniques. Companion volume to the bestselling The Darkroom Cookbook, this book concentrates on films, their characteristics and the developers and other chemicals each requires for maximum control of the resulting image. It specifically addresses the difficult subject of T-grain film development and includes rarely found information on film development and the nature of film developers. The authors also tackle many of the widely accepted myths of film development. They reject the trend toward scientific evaluation of films and developers in favor of the photographer s development of a personal aesthetic, without relying exclusively on densitometry or H&D curves. 192 pp., fully illus., 7 x 10 , Spiralbound.
Customer Reviews:
Chemistry.......2006-08-04
Things you never knew about the developing process are in this. I was quite impressed, and am enthusiastic about re-reading it.
ny review of this excellent book.......2005-09-30
very useful, it goes deep in the film developing as expected. It's a good starting point to make the own recipe and to learn *how works this kind of developer*. And many many more useful storic and pratic informations. Simply I love it. Dedicated to everyone feels to be an hero in this digital war against the true, pure, black and white...
A bit disappointing.......2003-07-21
I bought this book as the other books I have are now a bit dated. As the understanding of film development is always evolving, I thought this book would give me the latest ideas and knowledge.
It does to some extent, but I could not help feeling the authors did not take the time to fully research and comprehend the details. Where they have quoted chemists / researchers the details are clear. However where they have tried to interpret or discuss aspects in some places it appears they do not clearly understand what they are trying to explain. The result is that they contradict themselves, fail to make things clear, or just plain get things wrong. They also only seem to address research by Kodak and a few independent researchers. The book thus misses out on research done by Fuji, Agfa, Ilford, etc. which is a significant omission in my opinion.
So is the book worth it ? I think that I would still buy it as there are very few sources of up to date information available. And to be fair, they seem to have taken care in reproducing the formula. However, I would be sure to read some of the older books on developers, and cross check the information before relying on it.
Another great advanced user book from Anchell........2003-02-12
I bought and read every page of all three of Steve Anchell's black and white photo information books: The Variable Contrast Printing Manual, The Film Developing Cookbook, and The Darkroom Cookbook. Why? Because he gives a mix of an historical view plus tells what to pick of the best current chemistries. He does this without bogging down in the actual complexities of a college chemistry course keeping it at a usable technicians level. Since he also tells you why you are using various chemicals or paper his books do not dumb down but instead give you fascinating useful information. Anyone serious about darkroom work will appreciate his insights and commentary about chemistry use. He lists so many historical and current B&W chemical formulas and their use that any B&W experimenter will find the books useful. Beginners may get information overload but anyone who has already done B&W developing will appreciate the vast amount of information. These books could use an overall rewrite to make them a bit simpler to understand, in spite of this they are one of the few sources to accumulate this B&W information and are well worth owning as a reference and explanation.
Great for history and formulas, NOT for beginners..........2002-02-15
I bought this book under the assumption and recommendation that it would teach me how to begin developing my own film... Unfortunately, this is NOT the book for that! This book has great historical value in describing the different formulas, their strengths and weaknesses, and contains charts that are probably valuable to those who ALREADY process their own film. This book is NOT for beginners looking into how one goes about processing their own film!
Average customer rating:
- The little guys took the fall.
- ocho men out.
- Required Reading
- Great Book for the Baseball Fan - Everything you wanted to know about The Black Sox Scandal.
- Time to Bury the Black Sox
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Eight Men Out: The Black Sox and the 1919 World Series
Eliot Asinof
Manufacturer: Owl Books
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Eight Men Out
ASIN: 0805065377 |
Book Description
The headlines proclaimed the 1919 fix of the World Series and attempted cover-up as "the most gigantic sporting swindle in the history of America!" First published in 1963, Eight Men Out has become a timeless classic. Eliot Asinof has reconstructed the entire scene-by-scene story of the fantastic scandal in which eight Chicago White Sox players arranged with the nation's leading gamblers to throw the Series in Cincinnati. Mr. Asinof vividly describes the tense meetings, the hitches in the conniving, the actual plays in which the Series was thrown, the Grand Jury indictment, and the famous 1921 trial. Moving behind the scenes, he perceptively examines the motives and backgrounds of the players and the conditions that made the improbable fix all too possible. Here, too, is a graphic picture of the American underworld that managed the fix, the deeply shocked newspapermen who uncovered the story, and the war-exhausted nation that turned with relief and pride to the Series, only to be rocked by the scandal. Far more than a superbly told baseball story, this is a compelling slice of American history in the aftermath of World War I and at the cusp of the Roaring Twenties.
Customer Reviews:
The little guys took the fall........2007-05-24
I saw the movie, but the book explains in more detail the tragedy of the 1919 World Series White Sox (or Black Sox). This book details that the gamblers such as the Little Champ were the real villians in this fiasco. Commisky was also a cheap skate who payed his talented players peanuts and then expected them to win pennants. The victims were the ball players who all expected were rich (they were not) and got duped by a bunch of fast talking gamblers. Shoeless Joe Jackson comes across as a decent man trying to make a go of it in life. These talented people were out matched by more brilliant eastern money men.
This is a great read about the All American pastime. I came away with true respect for the ball players, although not the baseball clubs. This is a tragic story of eight talented players being out hustled by gamblers.
ocho men out........2006-03-13
Eliot Asinof does a very good job at retelling this famous world series game. This book grabs you and you stay hooked from the first word to the last, hearing about the day that the White Sox fixed the 1919 World Series. I highly recommend this great capture of the White Sox scandal game, especially for all of the baseball fans, and anyone who is not interested in baseball. It is a great read. This fixation of baseball came to be known "The Black Sox Scandal".
Chick Gandil a tough 31 year old man started this scandal and brought in other baseball team members including; Claude "Lefty" Williams, Fred McMullin, Charles "Swede" Riseberg, "Shoeless Joe Jackson, Oscar "Happy" Felsch, George "Buck" Weaver, and Eddie Cicotte. These 8 baseball players made history in the name of baseball, when getting involved with gamblers. With money on the line all of these baseball players are willing to try anything. The pressure and the pain of this baseball game is very interesting. Did they really think they could get away with this? What were they thinking? Well in this story Asinof tells all that and more. By explaining each intense moment to the next you stay hooked.
Required Reading.......2006-03-09
I teach a course to high school seniors called Baseball in American Society. (2nd semester). We use Eight Men Out as one of the required readings. Comparing controversies that have happened in baseball over the years is part of the syllabus and the 1919 Black Sox scandal fits right in.
Great Book for the Baseball Fan - Everything you wanted to know about The Black Sox Scandal........2005-12-24
I just completed "Eight Men Out" and I thought that the book was very interesting because of its vivid description of the "Black Sox Scandal." Instead of dealing with the use of steroids, early 20th century baseball battled constant corruption through the influence of gambling. "Eight Men Out" describes how gamblers, not the ball players were the most important figures in professional baseball, and how difficult it was for the typical fan to realize their fixes and for professional baseball to eliminate their influence. Today's baseball fans should definitely skim through the book. If you are looking for a sports book to read, and you are particularly interested in baseball, you should try this book because it is a phenomenal story of one of the most important eras in baseball history. Overall, it's a quick read and very informative. I would also suggest "Boys of Summer," and "Ball Four" if you are interested in reading about baseball.
Time to Bury the Black Sox.......2005-10-28
Now White Sox is World Series Champions again, it's time to bury the eight men forever from our memories.
Amazon.com
Anyone who's been to a high school or college has noted how students of the same race seem to stick together. Beverly Daniel Tatum has noticed it too, and she doesn't think it's so bad. As she explains in this provocative, though not-altogether-convincing book, these students are in the process of establishing and affirming their racial identity. As Tatum sees it, blacks must secure a racial identity free of negative stereotypes. The challenge to whites, on which she expounds, is to give up the privilege that their skin color affords and to work actively to combat injustice in society.
Customer Reviews:
Read it now. If you've read it, read it again........2007-10-02
I swear, this woman must have visited my High School cafeteria, because everything she writes hits home. I haven't read this in a few years, but it still rings home to me. Whenever I see it, I give the same reaction that I would get when other people who read it saw me with the book- "Oh, you're reading that!" It's not just about the black kids sitting into the cafeteria, it goes well beyond that. The stories shared are excellent. I recommend this book to everyone and anyone.
Good insights, but a little histrionic.......2007-09-06
I am really glad I read this book, because it gave me a different perspective on some things. However, I think she was very biased: she never really considered any alternate viewpoints besides her own, and never gave a White viewpoint on racism any credit whatsoever (the most she did was agree that here is a problem). Some of the racist remarks she quoted I thought had more to do with cultural differences than racism, but I know that those assumptions are still annoying as I am part of a group that has a subculture and dislike it when people assume that I am part of that subculture as well. Some of those remarks, though, were just completely ridiculous as she went so far to complain about being washed "whiter than snow" in church. She completely and totally missed the point of that phrase which comes from the verse "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be washed whiter than snow." NOTHING to do with race whatsoever. It is a METAPHOR. Examples such as these are why I put "histrionic" in my title.
There are also other issues I wish she would have addressed/covered more thoroughly (ie, over-education about prejudice, reverse prejudice, perceived prejudice, etc). I felt like she was saying "WE are always right. White people are always wrong." And yes, I will agree that we are mostly in the wrong, but any psychologist worth anything knows it takes more than 1 to maintain a system. ie, Who are those actors in the media perpetuating those stereotypes? Not White people in makeup! So MAYBE it's not JUST evil White people forcing these stereotypes on everyone. I just wish she would have been a little more BALANCED.
Most of the studies she quoted were at least 10 years old. I checked one that I thought was very interesting, only to discover it was 25 years old. In the topic of racism, you have to stay up to date as things change so rapidly, hence the three stars. At times, I wanted to quit as it was occasionally tedious, querelous, and inconsequential. As I said, though, I am glad I read it as I did gain new insight. I REALLY liked how she handled the topic of racism with her kids, and I would like to do the same. She made some EXCELLENT points and had some good ideas. It is very thought provoking, even if you ultimately wind up not agreeing with her 100%. Surely, though, there must be a better book out there on racism. If not, someone should write one as this book is terrible for educating Whites on the problems of being Black (or another race). Of course, I am sure I will now be labeled as a "racist" for not agreeing with a PC book. Oh, wait, I am White, therefore, I am ALREADY a racist. Why bother trying? If you are White, according to Tatum, you can never win no matter what you do or how hard you try to stop the cycle.
Tatem's thought provoking book is a must read!!.......2007-08-24
I was required to read this book before entering my freshman year of college. At first, I felt overwhelmed by the importance of every word written,feeling as if I would never finish the two hundred and twenty pages required. However, as I began to understand more of Tatem's philosophies, the book gradually became easier to get through. This is definitely not a quick, light read. Tatem's topics spark ideas which you immediately want to discuss with someone, obviously causing each chapter to take more time to read. I thoroughly enjoyed the book though. Being brought up relatively race conscious I was surprised at how much I really didn't know. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is ready to further his/her racial awareness.
Very Good.......2007-07-25
This book arrived in time for school and I was very pleased with its condition.
Provocative perspective.......2007-06-27
I found really good thinking in this book that helped me rethink my own position on race issues. the impact was, for me, breakthrough in some respects. The book is well worth the effort for anyone who seeks to be truly thoughtful about issues of race and diversity.
Book Description
Hailed as "compelling" by The Washington Post and "stunningly honest" by The San Francisco Chronicle, this memoir has hit bestseller lists and earned critical praise from coast to coast. Rebecca Walker was born in 1969 to author Alice Walker and lawyer Mel Leventhal, who met and married in the heyday of the Civil Rights movement. But after their divorce, Rebecca was a lonely only child ferrying between two worlds-and trying to figure out where she fit in.
"Masterfully illuminates differences between black and white America...a heartbreaking tale of self-creation." (People )
"Walker skillfully depicts her tangled upbringing, full of disappointment and privilege." (Time)
"Compelling." (The Dallas Morning News)
"A poignant, spare memoir." (Chicago Sun-Times)
"Powerful." (Danzy Senna, author of Caucasia)
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Memoir.......2007-05-30
I discovered how much I like Rebecca Walker's writing, voice and style after reading a forward she wrote for an anthology of mixed race writings. Then I heard her speak and I read "Black, White and Jewish" the next day. I didn't want to put the book down and I was sorry when her memoir ended because I wanted to keep on reading.
And no, at that point it had not yet occurred to me that she was Alice Walker's daughter. Besides, that would not have made any difference to me anyway. Both Alice and Rebecca are excellent authors, but the fact that they are related is not important to me. What matters is that Rebecca has written an excellent memoir.
Thank you Rebecca.
A story to share...........2007-05-07
What caught my eye at first was her last name...Walker. So I said to myself she must have inherited her Mom's way of putting into words her thoughts. Once I started to read the story, I could not put it down. The pain was felt through each chapter, each change of home every two years. What a way to grow up. But grow up she did into a very complex woman who can share her childhood with others who may also have the identity crisis of having not only parents from different racial backgrounds, but also of having the constant shift of "home". The book helped me understand what my daughters have gone through with their Mom being white, their Dad being African American and a military family with the moving every couple of years. Once I was done, I gave the book to my now 24 year old daughter, a mother now of half Honduran and the rest of her children. Thanks for opening her up to others being out there who may share her pain and to open our conversation up more than it already was.
Quick read, Had some insights........2007-02-26
ALthough I enjoyed the writing style and some of the portrayals of her family and multi-racial experiences, I expected this book to be more about the later and her coming of age rather than the attention given to her sexual experiences. This did not seem as important to the book as the themes on racism, black/Jewish relations, etc. I would have liked more of that. It seemed like she had a lot of rebellion against her dad and his wife, but they seemed more there for her than her mom. I found this book very interesting and I would like to read more by this author and on this topic.
Rebecca Walker is a Schlemiel and a Putz........2007-01-26
What do Lenny Kravitz, Craig David, Derek Jeter, Hale Berry, Barak Obama, Rain Pryor, Keanu Reeves, and The Rock all have in common? They're successfull bi-racial Americans of politics, arts, and athletics. Unfortunately, Rebecca Walker Leventhal doesn't measure up. She feels sorry for herself because she's half-white, and she's angry at her father for making her half-Jewish. Poor thing.
Leventhal's life is nowhere near as bad as she wants us to believe. Her father cared about her very much, and her stepmom sounds okay to me, but she writes about her father like he was neglectful. She's angry at him for moving the family to a suburb, but was that such a bad thing? What's wrong with wanting to live in a good area with great schools? She felt alienated from her white Jewish friends, but that was self-imposed. All these Jewish people WANTED to be her friend, but the suburbs just weren't good enough for her.
Her next complaint is her teen years. She acts like it was all pain and guilt, but from what I read, she had a great time. She had lots of interesting boyfriends, and spent a summer on the set of "The Color Purple." She graduated from high school, went to an Ivy League college, and that doesn't sound bad.
Walker's problem is her MOTHER. Alice Walker was a terrible parent. What kind of mother refuses to take her daugher to meet her principal? What kind of mother refuses to be involved in her daughter's life. I think the reason she complains so much is that she's realy angry at her mother, but seems guilty accusing her. After all, Alice Walker is black, and she can't accuse her black mother of anything. Her Jewish father is an easier target.
Leventhal (or Walker, whatever she calls herself) should stop thinking of herself as a victim and a mutant, and start thinking of herself as the product of two wonderful things. Lenny Kravitz was another Black Jewish American, and he had his lumps, including his parents' divorce. But being Black and Jewish didn't hold him back, it kept him going. Rain Pryor was a Black jew, and her dad was a cokehead, but she writes about her life with strength and humor.
At first I didn't think Rebecca had the wisdom commonly associated with American Jews. But then I realized she's one of us. How do I know? Her whining! Read "Born to Kvetch" and you'll learn why Jews are stereotyped as whiners. We're very vocal about things, including our problems. It's one of the ways that we avoid stress and anger, which in other cultures leads to drunkness, temper flashes and wife-beating. But we do other things besides complain, and that's all she does. Complain.
Thank You Rebecca !.......2006-11-30
While I believe you were more privileged than I was, thank you for telling the Jewish community what it needed to hear as opposed to what it wanted to hear.
As a fellow multiracial Jew, your assertions about the Jewish community were unfortunately more accurate than many would like to admit. Rebecca distanced herself from a community that didn't accept her. While I still express my Judaism at home and attend synagogue on the HHD, I don't attend schul due to racism myself. I got tired of being mistaken for the janitor, maid, or nanny. I deserve more respect than that, I'm a human being. She's getting a lot of criticism from people who want to believe in the "Jews never have race problems" crowd. Sorry guys, but its an issue.
The intercallary style of the book may annoy certain readers, but I felt they were a welcome literary device to evoke her deepest emotions. I believe she may be a bit self-indulgent at times, but I think she does display how many mixed people (and mixed Jews for that matter) feel about their communities. However, Rebecca's downward spiral into self destructive behaviors is more of a symptom of bad parenting than a community that rejects her.
I honestly don't think Rebecca is ashamed of her Jewish heritage. What Rebecca IS ashamed of how she was treated by her family and others. How would you feel about a community that doesn't consider you Jewish enough? Even worse, the same people tell you that you're not taking enough pride in your heritage, although it rejects you.
Guess what guys, the problem is mostly you, not Rebecca.
Average customer rating:
- Best gift for a newborn
- Great first book for a 1 month old and beyond
- Perfect for my little one
- Get the brain going!
- Good Book for kids
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White on Black
Manufacturer: Greenwillow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book
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ASIN: 0688119190 |
Amazon.com
It's never too early to start kids reading. Even in infancy, young eyes can begin to make connections between images on a page and the real thing. White on Black is an ideal first book, and one that will continue to fascinate the very youngest readers as they grow. Exquisitely simple, solid white pictures of everyday objects--a banana, a duck, a bottle--against a black background provide high contrast for developing eyes. This wordless picture book encourages caregivers to engage the child as they "read" together: "Oh look, a boat, that looks like your bath toy, doesn't it?"
With White on Black's companion book, Black on White, Tana Hoban has created a striking pair of visual tools to increase the youngest readers' burgeoning powers of perception. In this complex world, it's a joy to find a book that sees the world in the simplest of terms. (Baby to Preschool) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
Share these familiar shapes with your baby. It is never too early to look and talk together!
Customer Reviews:
Best gift for a newborn.......2007-05-29
This book is wonderful, as long as you know that it is meant for a newborn. It is unlikely to interest an older baby.
But it is, in my opinion, a must have. This was one of the few things that our son really enjoyed during the first few months of his life.
We would either hold the book up or prop it up next to him and he would just stare at it for the longest time. You could see his eyes scanning the page. One page, of some buttons, was his favorite. His eyes would light up and he would get excited when you turned it to the buttons page.
I would recommend that you buy two of these books - one for the diaper bag and one for home. I bought four contrast books, which was more than necessary.
Of the four, this was his favorite.
This isn't a particularly interactive book. You can name the objects on the page, of course, but the point is that it's interesting to newborns because of their baby vision and the fact that they can see the contrasting figures with ease. When our son was in a fussy mood, I could prop up a book in his play yard and take a ten minute shower. He was highly entertained by these for a couple of months.
He is now one and books are his favorite things. He "reads" to himself several times a day, book after book, flipping through the pages, pointing at things, and babbling to himself. I have no idea if this has anything to do with the fact that he's been exposed to books since he was about a week old. Maybe all babies love books this much, or maybe he would have loved them anyway.
Great first book for a 1 month old and beyond.......2007-03-27
This was the first book my son looked at. I would prop it up in the crib, and it completely held his attention, even at 1 month. The images are great for little eyes to focus on, since they are so high contrast. My son is now three and now has fun identifying the shapes.
Perfect for my little one.......2007-01-30
Such a wonderful book ... great quality and design. Little Heiny LOVES the images. Would recommend to anyone with a newborn. He's almost a year and still like this book!
Get the brain going!.......2007-01-21
My son loved this book. He would concentrate on these pictures for a long time. The black and white contrast really grabbed his attention. We had to buy the companion book Black on white.
Good Book for kids.......2007-01-12
This book was bought for my nephew. It did help him out
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