Book Description
When I Was White is the mesmerizing story of a black woman born to white parents during the most unforgiving years of official racism in South Africa. Sandra Laing was officially registered and raised as a white child. But when she was sent to a conservative boarding school, she was mercilessly persecuted because of her dark skin and frizzy hair-the results, her parents said, of a genetic throwback. In 1966, when Sandra was ten, the police removed her from school and she was reclassified as 'colored.' In a bitter court battle followed closely by the press, Sandra's parents fought, and lost. Then, as a teenager, Sandra eloped with a black man, and her parents disowned her. She struggled with poverty, illness, and the injustice of race laws. With the end of apartheid in 1994, Sandra vowed to find her mother. Her long, troubling search and their ultimate reunion forms the book's surprising and deeply moving conclusion. Drawing on a wealth of research, including extensive interviews with Sandra Laing, her family and friends, as well as access to previously sealed government files, Judith Stone has written a close-up, compelling account of a remarkable woman whose life stands as a tribute to the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit.
Customer Reviews:
A Translated Life.......2007-09-24
I want to commend Judith Stone for the phenomenal work she has done in discussing a number of difficult subjects: Sandra Laing herself, the history of South Africa, and the nature of memory, family, and the examined life. Clearly, Sandra's lack (repression) of memory, and her inability to articulate her feelings, left Stone with an enormous challenge. She works through this brilliantly by marshaling the journalistic reports from the time and later, interviewing people who know Sandra, and sensitively explaining and exploring Apartheid's tortured history. Stone uses her knowledge of studies of PTSD, false-memory syndrome, and other relevant fields in psychology to examine Sandra's individual and South Africa's collective forgetfulness/refusal to admit reality. All in all, Stone has done a stunningly professional and sensitive job in illuminating one person's life, the cruel and terrible absurdities of Apartheid South Africa, and, more broadly still, what it means to live in a world where an ideological rigidity based on lies and hypocrisy sucks the life out of everyone--oppressor or oppressed.
An emotionally charged, highly recommended pick........2007-08-04
When Sandra Laing was born in 1955 to a pro-apartheid Afrikaner couple in South Africa she was registered as a white child - but upon entering a white boarding school, was persecuted by students and teachers because of her brown skin. Her parents believed an interracial union back in their family history was to blame, but neighbors thought Mrs. Laing had committed adultery with a black man and the entire family was shunned. She was reclassified as 'coloured', her parents fought the South African courts to reverse the determination, then as a teen Sandra eloped - with a black man - and her parents disowned her. WHEN SHE WAS WHITE: THE TRUE STORY OF A FAMILY DIVIDED BY RACE crosses back and forth along discrimination lines and is riveting. Impossible to put down, it will enhance any general-interest lending library and is an emotionally charged, highly recommended pick.
History Is So Interesting.......2007-08-01
Histry is so interesting. It is the tie to learning about how things use to be. This book is full of history and tells us how the African people were treated long ago. The sad thing is that even today these people are still treated very different. My nieces who are black and white are beautiful, but experience racism everyday. The book can be difficult reading in some parts because it is history. So be patient and enjoy it. I experienced many feelings while reading it. Makes me want to go talk to my 95 year old grandma and just listen to all her stories.
Sisters speak.......2007-06-04
With great anticipation, i began to read a riviting life story. However, i couldn't get through the first two chapters because of the dry manner in which the book was written. It was an extremely difficult read. I never finished the book. I was very disappointed.
A story of a mixed-race girl in Apartheid South Africa.......2007-05-30
Sandra Laing was born in the wrong place at the wrong time. South Africa was in the midst of apartheid, and the little girl didn't fit in to the country's strict classifications of white, black and Coloured. Instead she baffled family and neighbors in Eastern Transvaal by sprouting kinky hair that shaped her dark complexion, much to the dismay of her ethnically Dutch, Afrikaner parents. Judith Stone writes the history of this troubled girl, from her first encounters with racism all the way to her middle-aged life in the present day.
Sandra's parents tried to turn a blind eye to their daughter's physical differences, but the white boarding school she attended would do no such thing. Parents and faculty were outraged that an obviously non-white student was being admitted to their school and mingling with their fair-skinned children. Apartheid was about separation and segregation, and Sandra was getting in the way of their long-established system. Her mother was accused of sleeping with a black man, and her father had to constantly defend his paternity. Admitting to some "color-mixing" in their ancestry was not acceptable in such a polarized climate, even though this had gone on unspoken in South Africa for decades.
When Sandra was finally escorted off the grounds of her school, she had no idea what she did wrong. Her father was launching his own private campaign to keep her white; Sandra didn't see things in color yet, and her mom and dad were determined to keep it that way. But she did see that her parents treated her differently from her brothers, and she did notice the disgustful looks of those who had been in charge of her care. She knew that something about her was just not right. At the hands of government officials, Sandra's official race changed from white to Coloured to white again. She realized that she must take her fate into her own hands, creating an identity for herself that no one would be able to take away from her.
WHEN SHE WAS WHITE isn't a traditional biography. It chronicles not only the life of the protagonist but also the struggle of those who tried to bring her life into the public eye. In this way, the book is both a story and a study in psychoanalysis, in sociology and in consumer culture. Sandra was a willing but confused eyewitness to her own history, and half the struggle of chronicling it has been in getting the story straight. Sandra doesn't see herself as a hero or a representation of the ills of apartheid. All she sees is the pain that she feels she caused her family, and her only wish is for their forgiveness --- not recognizing that they are the ones who have a lot to be forgiven for.
This book does much to present the contradictions of apartheid to those outside of South Africa. It also paints a strong picture of the landscape and individuals who made the country what it was. The expanse of the Transvaal countryside sharply contrasts with the polarized societies who lived there, and it is as if it were a beautiful cake on top of a precarious tower that was threatening to come crashing down at any second. Sandra represented some of the flaws of that cake, and she was therefore shunned by those who wanted to keep things as they were.
WHEN SHE WAS WHITE is the print edition of the movie "Skin," which is scheduled to appear in 2008. It is a story in its own right, though, and shouldn't be left on the shelf in anticipation of the film. Judith Stone speaks of both the cruelty and the perceived justification of apartheid, and no one is presented as a simple-minded individual. Bigotry runs deep in South Africa's history, but the focus of this book is in healing the wounds from the past and embracing this new, free country, where government-regulated racial caste systems no longer exist.
--- Reviewed by Shannon Luders-Manuel
Book Description
After his father's heart attack in 1984, Peter Godwin began a series of pilgrimages back to Zimbabwe, the land of his birth, from Manhattan, where he now lives. On these frequent visits to check on his elderly parents, he bore witness to Zimbabwe's dramatic spiral downwards into thejaws of violent chaos, presided over by an increasingly enraged dictator. And yet long after their comfortable lifestyle had been shattered and millions were fleeing, his parents refuse to leave, steadfast in their allegiance to the failed state that has been their adopted home for 50 years.Then Godwin discovered a shocking family secret that helped explain their loyalty. Africa was his father's sanctuary from another identity, another world.WHEN A CROCODILE EATS THE SUN is a stirring memoir of the disintegration of a family set against the collapse of a country. But it is also a vivid portrait of the profound strength of the human spirit and the enduring power of love.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful!.......2007-09-11
This was a wonderful memoir. Oh Africa! The complexities, the beauty, the paradox's. The writing made one feel as if we were hearing the night sounds, feeling the heat, smelling the aromas of this complex country. A hard-to-put-down memoir which made me hungry for more. Unforgetable.
When a crocodile eats the sun: a memoir of Africa.......2007-09-10
It is not news that the world has forgotten Africa. However, reading this wonderful book clarified the issues and struggles on a very personal level. How a country that fed half of Africa is now facing a humantarian crisis is a tragedy. What people forget is the fact that "white" farmers continued to feed and employ Africans for over 20 years after independence. However, in the past 7 years of a stupid brutal and unnecessary policy, a country has been allowed to die. It is only now that there is a crisis the world takes notice. Well written and poetic.
Read it!!.......2007-09-03
This book is probably the most objective, non-political account of the effect events in Zimbabwe have on ordinary people, with nary a nod to self-pity even though there is ample reason for it, that is available in the shops today. In South Africa we read about these events in newpapers, heard live reports on radio (very little on TV) but most profoundly, heard the stories from the mouths of the victims - both white and black - who have fled south. But those people were homeless, abused, stripped of possessions, often leaving murdered family behind, and their words were understandably filled with anger, fear, despair, hopelessness, and yes, hate.
The author's background as a journalist enables him to report the atrocities calmly without the emotional distress he most certainly felt, and therefore, this book is so untouchably credible. The fact that he has chosen to interwove the story with the discovery of his surprising heritage, the honest and painful rendering of watching his parents grow old, and the unsuccessful struggle to break through to his father's emotions, strengthens the book in so many ways. This is a real story, about real people, with real suffering and the irony is, these things are still happening, only more terribly.
Drive down the main street of Harare (Salisbury) and you will see affluence - new 4x4's (SUV's), Mercedes's, young men in business suits and silk shirts hurrying from one glasscovered skyrise to the next, leather briefcase swinging in his hand. Drive up into the hills and you will see the mansions, even by American standards, with the impeccable lawns, the palms, the blood red Erythrina trees. Hard to believe that the events of this book did not bring about prosperity. Do yourself a favour. Drive into the country. Take the dirt roads and look. Of course you won't be able to get fuel, so perhaps come to Johannesburg, and talk to the Zimbabweans streaming through the river east and west of Mussina. Then ask yourself some questions about basic human rights, international diplomacy, and parallels to South Africa........
If you don't read any other book about Africa, read this one.
A personal account of a difficult journey with aging parents in Africa.......2007-09-02
A complex book, beautifully written, of a journey for children dealing with aging parents, compounded with all the problems of the parents living in a country that is daily spiralling downwards into chaos and poverty. Peter Godwin uses his own story to illustrate accurately what the country Zimbabwe was like and the tortured route it has been taken down. Those who have not lived in Zimbabwe should read his first book "Mukiwa" before this to get a better insight into the country's difficulties prior to independence. Peter Godwin gives a fair and balanced view of the country and its people who have been treated with contempt by the leaders. It is compelling reading but sad and I would recommend it to anyone interested in Zimbabwe and the people that live there.
Ghosts Return.......2007-08-23
A well written book with a good depth and detail.I have lived in Rhodesia and Zimbabwe and the detailed text brought back a lot of memories.Provides an eye opening view to life in present day Zimbabwe.
Average customer rating:
- A lovely , beautifully written fantasy
- You missed a couple, Elizabeth Goudge!
- great fantasy- a must read
- My Childhood Escape - The Little White Horse
- An enchanting story, up there with the best fairytales
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The Little White Horse
Elizabeth Goudge
Manufacturer: Puffin
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ASIN: 0142300276 |
Book Description
When orphan Maria arrives at Moonacre Manor, she feels as if she's come home. Her new guardian is kind and funny, and everyone there is like an old friend. But beneath the beauty and comfort lies a tragedy. Maria is determined to find out about it, change it, and give her own life story a happy ending. This new-fashioned story is just as satisfying and memorable as your favorite fairy tale.
"The theme is as old as the fairy tales, and it is written with a haunting beauty of wording and atmosphere . . . A book to cherish, to read again and again and again." (The Saturday Review )
Customer Reviews:
A lovely , beautifully written fantasy.......2007-09-25
If you are cynical, negative, and have a stunted imagination, you won't like this story. However, if you enjoy upbeat, beautifully written fantasy tales, it's likely that you, like me, will adore it. Granted, there are heart-wrenching, frightening moments and a sneering villian, but all comes right in the end and nothing truly horrific or disgusting happens. What a relief from most modern writing! The descriptive writing is exquisite; I felt that I was right there seeing, hearing and feeling everything. There are some interesting mysteries which are neatly solved to the satisfaction of all. The mood of the book is enchantment from beginning to end.
You missed a couple, Elizabeth Goudge!.......2007-08-25
The Little White Horse is about Maria Merryweather, the newest Moon Princess at Moonacre Manor, and her quest to bring perfect happiness to the village of Silverydew by saving it from the wicked, wicked ways of the Men from the Dark Woods. Along the way she reunites estranged lovers, returns a monastery to the Lord and discovers her One True Love - all fresh from orphanhood at the age of 13, and only with the help of pluck, curiosity, magical animals, a host of early-risers and the reader's hyperactive suspension of disbelief.
Perhaps in 1946 (or in 1842, the setting of the story) poachers and cattle rustlers were thwarted by sashaying into their castle, partaking of their dinner of fish and stolen beef and then suddenly piping, "You should trade with the village people." These days we know that it takes a gun and a call to the sheriff.
But Monsieur Cocq de Noir, arch-eyebrowed arch-villain of this piece, should not only trade with The Village People, he should also befriend them, carouse with them and exchange fashion tips with them. Here is a man who has adopted The Black Cock as his emblem and lives in a castle with "the men of dungeon and wall" who love waving their cudgels and swords around. He is one who requires the correct accessory for every occasion, even the examination of conscience. To Maria he says, "Give me those pearls, and I might seriously consider the mending of my ways."
Elizabeth Goudge wrote fairy-tale-perfect endings for several couples and yet missed an opportunity to develop a friendship between Monsieur Cocq de Noir and one who could have introduced him to more gustatory delights than just roasted beef and broiled fish.
Tell me if Sir Benjamin's cook isn't the perfect one to whip the leader of the Men of the Dark Woods and his castle dungeons into shape:
'Marmaduke Scarlet is scarcely a man, Miss Heliotrope', comforted Sir Benjamin. '... his revealing himself to you is an enormous compliment, for as a general rule, his dislike of the female sex causes him to avoid all women...'
'So now I know,' said Miss Heliotrope. 'And I could not have believed that so small... a gentleman... could have been so expert a housewife!'
Why M. Scarlet's revelation of his small... self to Miss Heliotrope was a compliment could only be guessed by this reader, but there you go: he's the perfect housewife.
This reader would even suggest the perfect binding ceremony gift for Monsieur Cocq de Noir and M. Scarlet: something to hold M. Scarlet's kitchen knife. Under a tree Maria found a "sheath... beautifully made in the shape of a cock."
This book is for girls who still believe in kind lions and shining unicorns, boys who love baking and interior decorating, adults who were children in the 1940s and people who snigger at unintentional double entendres.
great fantasy- a must read.......2007-03-29
I bought this book many years ago when my family was going on vacation. I just loved it and have read it numerous times since then.....most recently to my daughter who also loved it. Feminists (which we are) should take some of the concepts with a grain of salt but the tale is beautifully crafted and satisfying.
My Childhood Escape - The Little White Horse.......2007-03-29
My mother first read me this great book when I was six or seven. Then, at eight I decided to read it myself. At first I didn't believe it was the same book but in time I realised, it wasn't your average book. This book contained a million elements - Romance, Action, Tension, Drama, Jealousy, Religion, and undoubtedly more that I cannot yet name. This book was my escape and even now, at twelve I love it. Everytime I read the book, I find it exciting. No matter how many times I have gazed upon its pages, there is always something that feels new and captivates my interest immediately. A story of an unlikely heroine and a little white horse. Moon Princesses, real imaginary boys, Black Men, pearls, love, Little White Horses and extraordinary animals. What more do you want in a book?
An enchanting story, up there with the best fairytales.......2007-03-20
In 2002 I bought the little white horse, and in 2007 I read it for the first time. It was a marvolous "little" story telling of a thirteen year old girl named Maria Merryweather who's father is killed in war. She must go off with her little dog Wiggin's and her Governess Ms.Heliotrope to Moonacre Manor,which is owned by her reliable Uncle Sir Benjamin,who is her only livig relative. She is also destined to save Moonacre Manor, if you were wondering. from the Men from the Dark Hills. She will befriend the most extrodianry characteres,and find her destiny to be the Moon Maiden. She will discover secrets, solve mysteries,discover what it means to be a Merryweather, and make amends between old lovers. But how in the world could one girl and her animal friends defeat hundreds of wicked men?
This story held me spellbound, and the sweet innocence and fairytale like setting will stay in your memory for years to come. To put it plainly, it was flat out wonderful.
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.
Book Description
The White Rose tells the story of Hans Scholl and Sophie Scholl, who in 1942 led a small underground organization of German students and professors to oppose the atrocities committed by Hitler and the Nazi Party. They named their group the White Rose, and they distributed leaflets denouncing the Nazi regime. Sophie, Hans, and a third student were caught and executed.
Written by Inge Scholl (Han's and Sophie's sister), The White Rose features letters, diary excerpts, photographs of Hans and Sophie, transcriptions of the leaflets, and accounts of the trial and execution. This is a gripping account of courage and morality.
CONTRIBUTORS: Dorthe Solle.
Customer Reviews:
An amazing story, not the best account.......2006-03-12
I bought this book wanting some background on the White Rose before going to see the German film on Sophie Scholl, and it was informative, if rather short - the actual story is less than 100 pages, as half the book represents documents. On the plus side, it is by the sister of Hans and Sophie Scholl, so though it isn't a great read, presumably it is an accurate account. However, I have since read some negative comments that the author used this book to place herself more centre stage, which put me off a bit as I like to think the books I read - at least those on historical events - are well-researched and unbiased.
For a more gripping account with a fast-paced narrative, I would recommend Dumbach and Newborn's Sophie Scholl and the White Rose, which I've just finished. It has some rave reviews, is a much more vivid account, and as well as all the photographs of the students also includes all the leaflets including the seventh, previously unpublished, leaflet of the White Rose group that was discovered in the Gestapo archives after the fall of the Berlin Wall. So if you want both a good read and some very interesting historical documents, this is by far the better book.
It gives me hope.......2004-08-05
For those unfamiliar with the story of The White Rose, it is a testament to the power and courage of those who are willing to stand up for freedom and independence in a world gone mad. Once again I find this book paticularly compelling today, for obvious reasons. The pamphlets the White Rose students distributed (that they subsequently paid the ultimate price for) are reprinted in their entirety in the book. They are well written, beautiful in spirit, and as compelling today as they were then.
The story is told with honor and reverence by the sister of Hans Scholl and Sophie Scholl, siblings and two of the students in Germany who brainstormed the pamphlets and were executed swiftly and denounced publicly for their trouble. In spite of that, or because of it, their efforts caused a ripple of resistance in the German republic that caused its fair share of trouble for the Nazi regime.
Calling for a policy of passive resistance -- the ability for each one, individually, to sabotage any efforts of the fascist regime in power -- was a brilliant move on their part. No fundraising, no unending meetings, no need for mailing lists or computer databases. Sabotage rallies, sabotage in all areas of science and scolarship which further the continuation of the war, sabotage in all branches of the arts, and a refusal to give a penny to any government organized charity...such was the call of these noble individuals who had no great army, but who understood the power of the individual.
I only learned of the White Rose within the past couple of years myself. Everyone should learn and understand what they did and why. It gives me hope.
In All My Life.......2003-06-13
In all my life I don't think I have read a book about such courageous people as Hans and Sophie Scholl. They are involved in an anti-fascist resistance movement and know they can be killed at any hour of the day. They are in constant fear of the people around them, wondering if they are Nazi spies, and yet they keep going.
This inspiring book, so full of tears, fearfulness, joy, anxiety, and love should be read by every young person.
Janice Wipf
In All My Life.......2003-06-13
In all my life I don't think I have read a book about such courageous people as Hans and Sophie Scholl. They are involved in an anti-fascist resistance movement and know they can be killed at any hour of the day. They are in constant fear of the people around them, wondering if they are Nazi spies, and yet they keep going. This inspiring book, so full of tears, fearfulness, joy, anxiety, and love should be read by every young person. Janice Wipf, ninth grade.
You Could Die if You Knew!.......2003-05-28
Would you be willing to join a cause, knowing that you could be killed for even associating with members of that cause? Would you be ready to leave family and friends for something that is almost impossible to achieve? The young people of the White Rose movement did just that.
Sophie and Hans Scholl lived in Germany during the reign of the cruel dictator Adolph Hitler. They and several other young people and their teacher stood up to Hitler's brutal rulership and tried to bring about peace and justice in a country devoid of almost everything but propaganda, hate, and bloodshed.
Exactly what steps these young people took is not as important as the great Idea they stood for, the vision of peace, love, and justice. Writing such things as "Freedom"and "Down with Hitler" on walls and streets took courage that only the most devout and focused person could have. These people, who were killed for their beliefs, should have more than just a book about them with the name of their group, The White Rose. They should be known and honored world-wide for their nonviolent stand against the most wicked and horrible dictatorship in modern history!
Please get this great little book, read it, and pass it on!
Kenneth Zimmerman
Amazon.com
Order this book ... and please don't be put off by its pallid subtitle, A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother, which doesn't begin to do justice to the utterly unique and moving story contained within. The Color of Water tells the remarkable story of Ruth McBride Jordan, the two good men she married, and the 12 good children she raised. Jordan, born Rachel Shilsky, a Polish Jew, immigrated to America soon after birth; as an adult she moved to New York City, leaving her family and faith behind in Virginia. Jordan met and married a black man, making her isolation even more profound. The book is a success story, a testament to one woman's true heart, solid values, and indomitable will. Ruth Jordan battled not only racism but also poverty to raise her children and, despite being sorely tested, never wavered. In telling her story--along with her son's--The Color of Water addresses racial identity with compassion, insight, and realism. It is, in a word, inspiring, and you will finish it with unalloyed admiration for a flawed but remarkable individual. And, perhaps, a little more faith in us all.
Book Description
This is a book that will "make you proud to be a member of the human race," says Mirabella, and countless readers have already discovered its power. Written in remembrance of his Polish-born, Southern-raised Jewish mother-who married a black man and raised twelve children, all of whom completed college-The Color of Water is a classic of the memoir genre, a testament to love, and a truly American story.
Customer Reviews:
If you like stereotypes..........2007-09-27
If you like reinforcing stereotypes, then James McBride's book is for you. Jews have big noses, they only care about money, and of course, his converted mother only finds love through Jesus. But let's move past that. A great mother? Perhaps her children would not have had to eat sugar as a meal or wake up at 3 am (when she came home from work with free food from her employer) to eat-- else they went hungry if she had the number of children that she and her could support. Perhaps living in a house where the dog's feces is kicked under the radiator is not an indication of a strong mother. How about when she pays one fare for the subway and puts herself and the twelve children through on that one fare. These are not virtues. The writing was weak; the message was weaker.
A Jewish Mother.......2007-09-24
Legal History of the Color Line: The Rise And Triumph of the One-drop Rule
A better title for this book would be: A Dark Mulatto's Tribute to His Jewish Mother. The word "black" denies the European Jewish ancestry of the author and his siblings and the word "white" denies his mother's ethnic heritage. Mrs. McBride's Jewish ethnic values were far more important to her children's success than being "white."
Parenthood Pride -- A Mother Must Whimper.......2007-08-13
"Times were different then." Something espoused by the author's mother -- a Polish Jew who grew up in the Jim Crow south before World War II, and then raced away from her self-described purgatory to New York -- where she embraced mixed union, poverty and Jesus Christ.
How people of mixed races could live without constant clamour and request for surrender is not known to the 21st century people -- I grew up with bussing and other issues, but never saw a segregated movie theater, water fountain, or seating area. We really don't know how far we have come. And, we don't know how hard the struggle of others has been.
And, to help us understand that path, we have James McBride's autobiography/biography -- in pica print is his tale and in italic (every other chapter) is his mother's biography written by her son or her autobiography as transcribed from her taped sittings with her son.
Some things which she lived with will astound you -- I refer not to the biracial issues, but to the classic violations of Judeo-Christian ethics by the author's grandfather. As a rabbi and devout conservative Jew, the author's grandfather, we learn, abused his spouse emotionally (if not physically), abused his daughter sexually, and abused the black man in the south for personal financial gain. Interestingly, all had the same achilles heel -- each was a weakened victim. The wife a victim of polio and contract marriage, the daughter a victim of youth, and the black people victims of unadulterated 1930's racism.
Emerging from this broiling escapade by the father came the flight of a young woman to New York (the author's mother) who raised 12 bi-racial children whose faces and hair told most strangers they were anything other than children of a conservative Jew who emigrated from Poland.
In the even-numbered paragraphs (those autobiographical passages of the author), I had laugh-out-loud episodes when he recited events of his naive youth when he asked questions about his race, about his mother's race and more. Like Frank McCourt, he delivers the lines in such accurate manner that you feel as though you are sitting back and watching kids in action doing their thing which we, as adults, can not well remember nor well imitate.
This was solid fun reading based upon an extremely unique factual content.
Very disappointing..........2007-07-18
I was very disappointed with this book, especially given so many positive reviews. Though I certainly admired McBride and his siblings' ability to achieve so much given so little, I was appalled and even morally offended by the sheer stupidity and negligence of his mother as she is described (apparently in her own words) throughout the book.
I think we the readers are so overwhelmed with empathy and admiration for 12 children rising out of poverty despite obstacles of racism, poor education, no support from extended family, etc., that we forget to ask the obvious question: why would any person raise 12 children in poverty in the first place?? How is this a good decision? A mother has no job and no discernable skills, and is married to what seems like a great man - wouldn't she think after the 4th kid that "maybe I should make sure I can provide for my first 4 children before I have a 5th..or a 12th?"! To me, this is morally reprehensible! And if that's not enough, the book is littered with negligent decision making while raising her 12 kids. For example, when she drives a car without a license, she seriously risks jail time (and bankrupcy/legal problems if she hits something/someone). What would happen to her kids then? I guarantee if this same woman with no license and 12 children ran into your car, you'd be thinking much different thoughts, the nicest being "what a complete moron"! She obviously must have been a good, strong, moral woman, but she was also lucky. For every 12 child family success story, there are probably 100 other abject failures.
If I went into the woods with no water and no food and no sense of direction, and I made it out alive after 10 days of on-the-verge-of-death adventure, you might be inspired by the luck/perseverence/moral fortitude...or you might just think "why did that moron go into the woods with no water, food, or sense of direction"? That's the way I felt about this book.
A Unique Perspective.......2007-07-14
I loved this man's view of his mother and her passions and struggles. He saw her imperfections but chose to focus elsewhere. In a world where so many are looking to blame others for their stations or place in this world, this son took the good that his mother offered and channeled it. I have always believed that one can either focus on the empty cup and rationalize why the cup cannot be filled, or go into the world and seek the fullness lacking. I love that God is the color of water since that is what I have always believed. My God is so colorless and my love of mankind is also based on a true belief that we're to focus outside ourselves and the world will be a better place. Naive one might say?? I say that it is only the truly brave that reach and expect the world to be a better place.
Average customer rating:
- touching
- A beautifully touching story about the relationship between brothers and between father and son
- It's your misfortune, ain't none of my own
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A Small White Scar
K. A. Nuzum
Manufacturer: Joanna Cotler
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 006075639X
Release Date: 2006-08-01 |
Book Description
I had decided I would have a future.
Will can see his future stretch out before him. It's as clear as the plains that lead to La Junta and the first-place prize at the rodeo. He will become a man, a cowboy with a life of his own. But his twin brother, Denny, follows, bringing with him the memory of that small white scar. Ahead lies adventure; behind, responsibility. And on the road between, Will and Denny will travel together -- brothers united by blood.
Customer Reviews:
touching.......2007-07-02
Will and Denny are twin brothers and alike in many ways. They share the same birthday but Denny is developmentally delayed. They live and work on a ranch. Their mother died when the boys were young. It seems to Will that his father expects him to just look after Denny and never allows him to do really work on the ranch. Will decides to run off and join the rodeo. A twist of events happens when Denny follows Will.
A beautifully touching story about the relationship between brothers and between father and son.......2007-01-05
The summer of 1940 promises to be a dry one as a drought drags through Colorado. The lakes quickly shrink down to mud holes and the grass grows scarcer everyday, a definite danger to the Bennon cattle ranch. Fifteen-year-old Will Bennon could be a big help to his father; he has the skills and talents of an adult ranch hand. But his father insists on holding him back, hindering Will by forcing him to keep a constant eye on his twin brother, Denny.
Even though Will and Denny are twins, sharing a birthday is one of the few things they have in common. Denny has Down's syndrome; he can't read, can barely put on his shoes correctly, and needs almost constant supervision. Despite these obstacles, Denny can do many things. He collects the eggs from the hen house everyday, counting them as he goes. He can ride his horse, Scooty, though he often falls when dismounting. And he is always ready with a big smile to share.
But ever since they were born, and even more so after their mother accidentally drowned, Will has been weighed down with his brother's care. Will rather would be out helping his father with the ranch, using his riding and roping skills that he has practiced so diligently to be considered the man he wants to become. But his dad refuses to listen.
Believing his father will never allow him to be a man, Will takes his dreams a step further on his own. He must leave the Bennon Ranch. First, he will prove his ranching skills by entering La Junta Rodeo. There is big money to be made in the calf-roping and bull-riding events, more than Will could make in a whole year. Then he'd sign on with one of the other ranches, whichever one offers to pay the most after witnessing his talents at the rodeo. That would tide him over until the following rodeo season. Of course he wouldn't forget his family; he'd send money home to help out and eventually come back for a visit. But this was something he had to do, to get out from under his brother and start his own life.
A few days before the rodeo, Will sneaks away from the ranch riding his good friend and trusty horse, Deep. However, he doesn't get very far before he finds Denny following him. And it seems nothing will deter Denny --- not a rattlesnake bite, not the sudden thunderstorms, not the dangerously swollen river crossing. Fighting anger and resentment, Will finally allows Denny to ride along; somehow he will figure a way to get his brother home after the rodeo. What Will doesn't think about is how truly important his brother is to him.
K. A. Nuzum has written a beautifully touching story about the love and animosity between brothers, and between father and son. Set in the ranching wild west, A SMALL WHITE SCAR will especially touch horse lovers and rodeo fans, with in-depth and heartfelt descriptions of galloping through fragrant fields of sagebrush and desperately clinging to the back of a bucking bull. And most can sympathize with the anguish of loving someone who drives you a bit nuts.
--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author of FINDING MY LIGHT and THE BLACK POND.
It's your misfortune, ain't none of my own.......2006-10-10
Cowboys are cool. They always have been and they always will be. It's just a fact of life, really. Like pirates, they capture the childish imagination (though we've yet to host an International Talk Like a Cowboy Day as of yet). Who wouldn't want to be able to say they could rope a buck, tame a steer, or ride a bull? It's kind of funny, then, that there aren't that many cowboy books out there for kids. You get the regular smattering of picture books, of course, and there's usually at least one non-fiction title published every year for the true fans. Chapter books, however, are less common than you might think. Thanks goodness for "A Small White Scar", then, eh? Part cowboy drama, part tale of brotherly love and hate, first-time novelist (and east Colorado native) K.A. Nazum gives this book her all. It's a nice voice and a nice book and I think that that's all there is to say about that.
1940. Colorado. The Bennon Cattle Company. Mesa de Maya. It's the only place Will Bennon has ever called his home and if he doesn't get out of there as fast as humanly possible he's going to burst into two. For fifteen years Will has grown up alongside his twin brother Denny and for the last seven he's had to "play nursemaid". Denny was born, as they say on the farm, "simple", but his devotion to Will knows no bounds. It shouldn't come as a surprise then that when Will lits out to rope some fame and fortune at a rodeo in La Junta, Denny follows with inescapable tenacity. Will's fighting his desire to escape Denny at whatever the cost and to help his brother as he's done all his life. To his mind it comes down to this: If he stays on the ranch he'll go stir-crazy and never make a name for himself. But does that mean hurting the person who loves him best in the whole wide world? Is it worth it in the end?
To Will, his father's admonishment to "Take care of your brother. Look after him", is the worst thing that could ever happen to him. "It took me a while to figure it out, but by the time I was twelve or so, I knew the only way I could ever escape the trap of those words was to chew my leg off just like a coyote would in order to free himself." So it's just bad luck that that leg happens to be Denny. The authorial choice of making Denny Will's twin rather than his younger brother interested me particularly. There's a reoccurring motif in the book where Will dreams that he and Denny have switched bodies and now he's the one with problems and Denny is in his own skin. Right from the start Nuzum is challenging the reader. She's throwing a great big There But For the Grace of God Go I in your face and I'm darned if it doesn't make the reader stop and think a while. I mean, it could have easily have been Will rather than Denny born with what I suspect might be (though it's never named) Down Syndrome. Which might be fairly impressive in and of itself, except that she manages to do it by page FIVE. Nicely played, Ms. Nuzum.
Nuzum also gets the flavor of the West down pat. You understand the lure of such a life and the desire that drives Will to be a part of it. The story of whether or not he can escape his job as his brother's keeper is completely understandable too. Will feels that his father ignores his other talents and sees him entirely as a babysitter rather than a cowhand. Fortunately his dad gets a say at the end of the book that shows a different point of view and, more importantly, he apologises.
So will kids read this book? I think so. Sometimes a book is only as good as its first chapter. We've all gone into bookstores and perused the first few lines of a story in an attempt to determine how exciting the book to come will be. Well this book has rattlers, killer coyotes, a near-death injury, bull-riding, a treacherous river, and a fight, alongside a good story and some fine writing. If that's not enough for a child reader you know, hand `em some fantasy and be done with `em. If, on the other hand, they're interested in some historical fiction with a bit of bite and a Western taste, "A Small White Scar" has their number. A smart debut.
Book Description
THE MOST IMPORTANT GUIDE TO EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT EVER WRITTEN
First published in 1975, The First Three Years of Life became an instant classic. Based on Burton White's thirty-seven years of observation and research, this detailed guide to the month-by-month mental, physical, social, and emotional development of infants and toddlers has supported and guided hundreds of thousands of parents. Now completely revised and updated, it contains the most accurate information and advice available on raising and nurturing the very young child. White gives parents real-world-tested advice on:
* Creating a stimulating environment for your infant and toddler
* Using effective, age-appropriate discipline techniques
* How to handle sleep problems
* What toys you should (and should not) buy
* How to encourage healthy social development
* How and when to toilet-train
No parent who cares about a child's well-being can afford to be without this book.
Customer Reviews:
Practical and program-free!.......2007-05-25
This is a great book based mainly around real life observation of real kids and families. There's no parenting program that's being forced down your throat and White allows for many different parenting styles. Baby's life is broken down in stages and the chapters about those stages are superbly organized beginning with a description of the developments baby will experience, a description of what activities you can engage in to encourage healthy development, and suggestions of toys and other items that will stimulate baby. The best thing about the book is that it gives you so many options, and doesn't make you feel like a complete failure for not playing 24-7 Mozart while carrying your baby around in a sling and tending that organic garden full of healthy veggies.
Not Yet Received.......2007-02-26
You wrote that the latest date of delivery will be Feb.21, now is 24 of Feb.
Outstanding read for parents of children 0 - 4 even 5.......2007-01-15
This book focuses on the critical development of the first years of a child's life. Mr. White discusses child rearing, nurturing, even tasks that require little effort by the parent on helping their child's mind, vision, and learning grow.
I highly recommend this book for parents who are expecting or who have just had a child and consider what is presented are developmental improvements that will help your child forever!
Great Book!.......2006-06-15
White does repeat that all babies are different and it's perfectly ok if your baby doesn't have all checkpoints met at the time he says they will. I have found this to be true for my daughter. She is so advanced in some areas whereas some of her new abilities are in a future chapter, but the ones she hasn't mastered, within a week of getting past the section she was just in, she starts doing the things he said she would. Now, my baby is still just 3 1/2 months, but this book has been extremely helpful, because I am a mom who really wants to know what my child will be up to. I want to look out for all her milestones. White's timeframe may not be right on the money for a lot of people, but he knows what he's talking about, that's for sure.
Another Excellent Book by White.......2006-02-18
This is another must-have' book for parents from Burton White. It examines the first three years in stages and helps you figure out the best strategies needed to help your child develop into a wonderful kid. From birth to age three, you are dealing with extremely high levels of stress and change that will never occur again. It is well worth the money to purchase this book which can serve to help you understand what is happening with your child and give you concrete information on how to best facilitate proper development and - most importantly - to keep your sanity. I highly recommend this book to any mother who is about to have a child and to all families who currently have a child under 3 years old.
Book Description
From sitcoms and soap operas to talk shows and movies, Americans are in love with the idea of a white wedding. The happy bride and groom smile from the covers of fashion and entertainment magazines, and appear in TV commercials to sell everything from life insurance to antacid. Fascinated by this national obsession, Chrys Ingraham peers behind the veil to question the meaning of weddings in American popular culture.
What she finds is nothing less than a wedding industrial complex. The wedding industry does a thriving business with annual revenues in excess of 30 billion dollars. The average cost of a wedding is over $19,000, with 2.4 million couples getting married each year. White Weddings is the first book to investigate the underside of this recession-proof industry, exposing how weddings are used to sell a heterosexual fairy tale.
Ingraham draws on popular media, such as bridal magazines, children's toys, feature films, television, and advertising to reveal how they regulate gender, sexuality, race, and class. Weddings mean more than just flowers and flatware, but are part of a belief system that relies on romantic and sacred notions of heterosexuality to maintain the illusion of normalcy. This entertaining and insightful book will make you think twice about ever wanting to catch the bouquet.
Customer Reviews:
Highly Recommended!.......2007-04-26
Chrys Ingraham, in her book, White Weddings, shows a behind-the-scenes look on the wedding industry. She effectively presents to the reader the ugly truths about the diamond industry, racism in wedding catalogs, homosexuality, and what happens after marriage. This excellent book opened up my eyes to what goes on behind such a supposedly "beautiful" occurrence in females' lives. This book not only opened up my eyes to the wedding industry, but to other matters as well, such as child labor, animal abuse, and sex trafficking. White Weddings was an inspiration to me to go out and see what I can do to help change the world in order to make it a better place. Fortunately, there are people like Chrys Ingraham, who want to make the world a peaceful and just place for everyone to live in. I also highly recommend her other books as well!
From: a very inspired student
Ranting instead of argument.......2005-10-13
I began this book expecting to agree with much of it but was very disappointed. The author is ranting instead of calmly stating a realistic argument. If I understood correctly, she believes that the Wedding Industrial Complex (with some vague notions of society and government) CAUSES women to desire marriage, view themselves as princesses and then spend as much money as possible on the wedding.
Although her argument is far-reaching her facts are extremely narrow- (she spends a chunk of the book repeating herself with magazine advertising statistics).
If her point was to let us know that many business owners within the wedding industry do not operate out of good will but are in fact out to make as much money as possible, point taken. But I knew that before I read the book.
A vitally important work... .......2004-10-05
In writing this book Chrys takes great risk in exposing "Weddings", especially "White Weddings" as an unneccessary rite of passage -- She brings to light in vivid raw detail why our society 'views' them as normal.
This is not a 'nice' book, a 'feel good' book, one that at the end you say 'oh how wonderful' -- instead it is an important piece that everyone needs to read.
"Writing this book has been a wrenching experience." In having the privilege of being one of Chrys's students, I've had the opportunity to see first hand -- what a process writing 'white weddings' was. There is heart in this book, sometimes one of steal, but nevertheless one with enduring spirit. In Ingraham's epilogue she writes, "What allows us to imagine possibilities? To continue to live shrouded in romance is to participate in and benefit from such atrocities. Confronting the reasons for which we need romance is to see what it conceals. Critiquing the heterosexual imaginary is one step in that direction."
I've never looked at the wedding industry the same since reading this monumentally significant text. Never before has Ingraham's work been as important as now.
Read this before the walk down the altar.......2004-08-22
This book blows the lid off of marriage. What is suppose to be the most important day in couples life has turn into a frenzy of consumer glutteny. I was astonshed at how diamonds an american symbol of love is a an oppresive force for the people who mine them. This book will make you cry.
Ingraham's critic is too narrow.......2004-05-17
I read this book while studying both contemporary North American and cross-cultural weddings and marriages. Ingrahms book describes the "white wedding" a white upperclass affair as discriminatory and exclusive. She focuses on the institution of marriage being perpetuated by old white folk and major corporations. Unfortunatley she does not expand into the universality of marriage. I do not recomend this book. It is narrow and inconclusive.
Customer Reviews:
a feast for the eyes.......2000-03-15
Truly thorough text and photographic record of the work of the acknowledged source of the most beautiful fashion embroidery in history. Lesage has long been known for its opulent designs but some of us spring chickens have a surprise in store, and when you open this book your jaw will truly drop. Sample pieces, appliques, closeups of detail work, fringed trims, whole garments, movie stills, accessories, and designer sketches, and all of it pure inspiration for we creative types who make fashion. For sheer invention and brilliancy of design, flip through the photos and allow them to breathe color and texture into your work. If you're a fashion junkie or student, settle into a comfy chair and read the text for an in-depth look at the history of the premier embroidery firm in the world. Despite the industrial revolution and now the information age, it's all still done by hand with simple tools, and some of the examples have numbers representing the hours of work required, which will shock the faint of heart. But if you're contemplating using feathers, beads, sequins, silk ribbon, cording, floss, bullion, fine metallic threads, jewels or rhinestomes in a new and inventive way and just need a jump-start, it's in this book. The price is well worth the images (as many as 6 on a page) and it would make a nifty coffee table book as well. The perfect use, in my eyes, would be as a gift to a young girl showing a strong interest in fashion. Let her learn from the very best. For the rest of us, it will be a flight into the same world Clara discovered in the Nutcracker: pure fantasy come true. Here we can shed ratty blue jeans as well as the stifling little navy suit, and imagine ourselves covered in dazzling ornamentation. It's enough to make one want to plan a fancy dress ball for an excuse to get dressed up!
The most beautiful book I have ever seen........1999-04-06
This is the most beautiful book I own and have ever seen, and I have many of the best in the fields of fashion and textile arts. This book covers them both. If you love couture and embroidery this is the book for you. The text is interesting and the photos are first rate. A wonderful insite into the most famous embroidery house in the world! Take note, this is not a how-to book. It is about the most creative facet of couture history - embellishment. A must have for any fashion and/or embroidery enthusiast.
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- After the Affair: Healing the Pain and Rebuilding Trust When a Partner Has Been Unfaithful
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