Blood Done Sign My Name: A True Story

Amazon.com

When he was but 10 years old, Tim Tyson heard one of his boyhood friends in Oxford, N.C. excitedly blurt the words that were to forever change his life: "Daddy and Roger and 'em shot 'em a nigger!" The cold-blooded street murder of young Henry Marrow by an ambitious, hot-tempered local businessman and his kin in the Spring of 1970 would quickly fan the long-flickering flames of racial discord in the proud, insular tobacco town into explosions of rage and street violence. It would also turn the white Tyson down a long, troubled reconciliation with his Southern roots that eventually led to a professorship in African-American studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison--and this profoundly moving, if deeply troubling personal meditation on the true costs of America's historical racial divide. Taking its title from a traditional African-American spiritual, Tyson skillfully interweaves insightful autobiography (his father was the town's anti-segregationist Methodist minister, and a man whose conscience and human decency greatly informs the son) with a painstakingly nuanced historical analysis that underscores how little really changed in the years and decades after the Civil Rights Act of 1965 supposedly ended racial segregation. The details are often chilling: Oxford simply closed its public recreation facilities rather than integrate them; Marrow's accused murderers were publicly condemned, yet acquitted; the very town's newspaper records of the events--and indeed the author's later account for his graduate thesis--mysteriously removed from local public records. But Tyson's own impassioned personal history lessons here won't be denied; they're painful, yet necessary reminders of a poisonous American racial legacy that's so often been casually rewritten--and too easily carried forward into yet another century by politicians eagerly employing the cynical, so-called "Southern Strategy." --Jerry McCulley

Book Description

“Daddy and Roger and ’em shot ’em a nigger.” Those words, whispered to ten-year-old Tim Tyson by a playmate, heralded a ?restorm that would forever transform the tobacco market town of Oxford, North Carolina.

On May 11, 1970, Henry Marrow, a twenty-three-year-old black veteran, walked into a crossroads store owned by Robert Teel and came out running. Teel and two of his sons chased and beat Marrow, then killed him in public as he pleaded for his life.

Like many small Southern towns, Oxford had barely been touched by the civil rights movement. But in the wake of the killing, young African Americans took to the streets. While lawyers battled in the courthouse, the Klan raged in the shadows and black Vietnam veterans torched the town’s tobacco warehouses. Tyson’s father, the pastor of Oxford’s all-white Methodist church, urged the town to come to terms with its bloody racial history. In the end, however, the Tyson family was forced to move away.

Tim Tyson’s riveting narrative of that fiery summer brings gritty blues truth, soaring gospel vision, and down-home humor to a shocking episode of our history. Like To Kill a Mockingbird, Blood Done Sign My Name is a classic portrait of an unforgettable time and place.

Customer Reviews:

Grippingly Written, Moving, and Historically Powerful.......2007-08-16

I finally got around to reading this memoir this summer and was in awe of the author's narrative gifts. This story reads like a novel and is full of plain human wisdom, an emotional openness combining humility and pride, wry humor, sharp political analysis, and a can't-put-it-down story line that comes to terms with America's number one cultural problem: racism. This is a book of local history that gets at the human condition, and a work of history that reads like great literature. I'm telling everyone I can to read it, and that includes whoever reads this. Don't pay attention to any of the so-called "corrections" made by some other reviewers here. This is a must-read historical work that shows an astute and perceptive ability to understand its widely varying participants' points of view and experiences, while not shrinking from the moral and historical obligation to draw judgments. There is only one word to use: *brilliant.* (I'm not one to use that lightly when talking about either autobiography or
history.)

Disclaimer: The writer of this review is a professional historian with a Ph.D., but one who has never met Timothy Tyson.

Evangelical Pastor - 63 years old.......2007-07-29

Few books are as challenging for me as this one. I lived through the years of this story and consistently refused to believe that our racism was as extensive or deeply rooted as it was. Take away: the challenge to see it in our present day and to do something about it.

A mixture of polemic, interesting recollections, and accounts of questionable credibility.......2007-07-18

I was born and grew up in Oxford, North Carolina as a white boy, and graduated from the
University of North Carolina in 1949. I have lived in a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland for many
years.

Tyson deserves credit for deploring the murder and acquittal of the murderer in the book.
However, he tends to be polemic: all black people in it are noble; all but a few white people are
some combination of racist, ignorant, or narrow-minded. (It is similar in that respect to Leon
Uris's novel "Exodus", in which all Jews are noble and bigger than life, while all others are hateful
or, at best, not very bright.)

He often uses a down-home style of writing, calling his parents "Daddy" and "Mama" and being
addressed as "Little Buck" by his father, which he apparently feels makes him and his family seem
to be folksy, good plain people.

However, the book is not without its shortcomings.

Accounts of questionable credibility:

¶¶He states that tear gas was used by Oxford police in 1944 to dispel a crowd of black people
who were protesting the arrest of two men. I witnessed the event and remember no tear gas--had
there been, I think I would never have forgotten it.

¶¶An account of the torching of buildings in Oxford on May 25, 1970 by angry black people
following the killing of Marrow describes two tobacco warehouses which were among
them:"Inside these warehouses were eight hundred thousand pounds of golden cured tobacco, a
known flammable substance, with a total value of more than a million dollars." I find it hard to
believe that any tobacco would have been in those warehouses in May.

Tobacco was brought by the farmers to Oxford warehouses from mid-September through
mid-November, where it was sold at auction and immediately taken by the buyers to their Oxford
processing plants, and then shipped off to the cigarette manufacturers. By some time in late
November, all of the warehouses became empty.

Although the whole procedure I describe above could have changed somewhat by 1970, I still
find it hard to believe that there would have been tobacco in the warehouses in May, by which
time it would have probably become dry and crumbly.

¶¶The following exchange supposedly took place during the 1930's between Major T.G. stem (a
prominent white man in Oxford) and a man described in the book as "a local white bootlegger."
Having occurred long before Tyson was born, it was recounted to him by Thad Stem, the Major's
son and a close friend of the Tyson family.

"Major Stem was leaving Hall's drugstore with his son (Thad) and they passed Mrs. G. C. Shaw,
the wife of the principal at Mary Potter High, the local Negro high school.

'Good afternoon, Mrs. Shaw,' the Major said, tipping his hat.

A local white bootlegger, idling under the store awning, accosted Major Stem. 'Why'd you call
that [...] woman Mrs. Shaw'?" he demanded.

'Well, Mrs. Shaw's older than I am,' he began softly. 'She's better educated than I am,and she has
more money.' Then, thrusting the bootlegger away from him, the major exploded: 'But more to
the point, what I call Mrs. Shaw is none of your goddamned business, you low-life taxidermist,
you two-for-a-nickel jackal, you knee-crawling [...], net.' These were the days when
people really knew how to cuss. Back then, the appendage 'net' meant a real [...]...on the
way home (Thad) asked his father why on earth he had called the bootlegger a 'taxidermist.' The
major said quietly that a taxidermist is a man who mounts animals."

If not a total fabrication, the story seems to me to have been mostly made up.

In those earlier times, I never heard any white person in Oxford address or refer to a black person
as Mr./Mrs./Ms. (However, by some strange logic, a black doctor was referred to as Dr. X by
white people. Dr. Ellis Toney was a black practitioner there for many years and was so referred
to. The same was the case for some black ministers, who were referred to as Pastor or Reverend
such-and-such.)

¶¶In writing about the slave trade, Tyson speaks of "the dark Atlantic, where the bones of
somewhere around ten million Africans settled into the sand, thrown overboard by the slave ships
that plied those waters in the early days of the republic (the USA)."

Where did this 10 million figure come from? Tyson provides no source. One reference, "Slavery:
A World History", by Milton Meltzer, says that about 2.2 million died that way.

Degrading most of Oxford's black people by stereotyping them as uncultured:

The most puzzling aspect of the book is: On the one hand, Tyson makes the legitimate point that
black residents of Oxford and Granville County, after long having been subjected to a segregated,
inferior status in society, deserved to be recognized as having equal rights with white citizens.
Yet, at the same time, he consistently shows these same black people as being crude and unable to
say anything without massacring English grammar.

"I knowed him right good, and I liked him all right. He didn't hurt nobody." "Yeah, we was
listening to TV, that's how we got involved in the first sit-ins in Oxford, because we saw on TV
they was doing it up in Greensboro." "Me and a guy named Ronald Jordan, me and him climbed
up on the Confederate soldier..." And there are many more.

I know from personal experience that many black people in Oxford, then and now, are much more
cultured than Tyson portrays them. I also know from my volunteer work at the Helping Up
Mission in Baltimore, where I tutor men who are recovering from drug and alcohol addiction in
the 3R's (all of whom to date have been black), that most black people, like anyone anywhere, will
grasp an opportunity to become more cultured.

Heartbreaking and Revelatory.......2007-05-18

An essential history and memoir of a time whose facts are often forgotten and even actively repressed. The present doesn't make sense without honestly examining the past, and this book does that with humility and emotional power. Even if you think you know this history (as I did) you very well may not.

essential.......2007-03-15

For those of us who think we understand by reading about racial prejudice and thinking about what it must be like, should read this book. We still won't really understand, but we will be a much closer than we were before.

In My Blood: Six Generations of Madness and Desire in an American Family

Average customer rating:

ONE pic of Edie?
a very interesting book by a very engaging author
Written Too Soon
Starts out strong...
Sedgwickiness

In My Blood: Six Generations of Madness and Desire in an American Family
John Sedgwick
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Release Date: 2007-01-09

Book Description

John Sedgwick's acclaimed first two novels, THE DARK HOUSE and THE EDUCATION OF MRS. BEMIS, introduced readers to the rarified, monied enclave of Brahmin Boston, in which privilege and elitism, handed down from one generation to the next, comes at a price. John Sedgwick discovered for himself just how great that price can be when, while writing his second novel, he spiralled into a depression so profound that it nearly resulted in suicide.

This crisis provoked for John an analysis of the source of his malaise, and the realization that, to understand himself, he had to understand where he came from. The Sedgwicks are one of America's oldest families, dating back to 1635. Theodore Sedgwick, a close friend to George Washington and John Adams, played a crucial role in drafting the Bill of Rights; John Sedgwick was among the best–loved of the Union Generals; Catherine Maria Sedgwick was America's first bestselling female novelist; Ellery Sedgwick owned and edited The Atlantic Monthly magazine for thirty years; Edie Sedgwick, who died of a drug overdose in 1971, was a famous protégé of Andy Warhol; and Kyra Sedgwick is a well–respected Hollywood actress with her own hit series, The Closer.

In IN MY BLOOD: SIX GENERATIONS OF MADNESS AND DESIRE, John Sedgwick undertakes what is both a very personal journey of self–discovery, and a broader retracing of his family's evolution, the trail of which conveys a unique portrait of our own national character.

Customer Reviews:

ONE pic of Edie?.......2007-08-24
Since interest in Edie Sedgwick is no doubt what will attract most readers to this study of mental illness in the author's family, I'm more than a little surprised on how quickly John Sedgwick glosses over the one short chapter on his famous cousin. Granted, he never knew her and has little or no firsthand memory of what she was like in person. But still, one expects some new piece of trivia or information, some clue or tidbit that only an insider could know. Instead, we get the most perfunctory outline of her general downward trajectory, all of which grabs its content from the Jean Stein book on Edie. The picture section is only a few pages long, with most of the illustrations having already been published previously, while some intriguing characters from that tome are absent in this one. I was hoping on more of beautiful actress Rosamond Pinchot--a forshadowing of Edie from an earlier generation of Sedgwicks. Nothing on Rosamond and only one picture of Edie!

Having gotten to "know" them in the Stein book, I was also looking forward to hearing more from Suky and Saucie Sedgwick--Edie's sisters--, but as this is not a history of Edie's family exclusively, but a study of mental disorders, I suppose their inclusion might have been extranneous. Still, from atleast a commercial standpoint, I'm surprised that they're not even a blip on the radar in the photo section. "In My Blood" may be of help to people for whom depression is a family trait, but anyone expecting much on Edie or her immediate kin may be in for a disappointment.
a very interesting book by a very engaging author.......2007-05-14
"In My Blood" reminded me of how few generations it takes to get from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War to present times. John Sedgwick is a very engaging narrator of his family history. After experiencing an emotional breakdown and going into therapy, Mr. Sedgwick decides to delve into a treasure trove of family documents going back to Revolutionary times to examine the interplay of mental illness and success and creativity in his family. The house built by Theodore Sedgwick is still in the family, held in trust, full of old pictures, letters, and diaries. More documents from important members of the family are in library collections. This book could be stuffy and self-important, but John Sedgwick somehow manages to bring out the admirable, the deplorable, and the tragic in these generations in a loving, easygoing way that made me feel like I had sat down for a very interesting talk with a very nice person.
Written Too Soon.......2007-05-14
It was difficult to get through this book. While no fault of the prose, it just seemed too soon for this writer to tackle the subject from a biographical standpoint.The insights and personal revelations therefore had a more superficial, anecdotal feel rather than the wisdom and depth that I had expected. I wish he had waited until he himself was further along; just as that fellow who wrote "A Million Little Pieces" could have waited, and we would have been spared all that flap about authenticity.
Starts out strong... .......2007-03-10
I was very excited about this book, and the first half of the book lived up to my expectations.

The second half, the book fizzles and becomes quite boring, and feels as though the author is struggling to flesh out his book.

Nice read, not great though.
Sedgwickiness.......2007-03-01
...That's the word that the author invents to describe the existential mood among his family members, a strange mix of Brahman pride and manic-depressive despair. What's so brilliant about this multi-generational memoir is that by the end of the book you know exactly what the author means by "Sedgwickiness" and the word lingers in your mind long after you close the pages. Nowadays, I catch myself thinking, "Well, that's a very Sedgwicky person," or "Oh what a Sedgwicky thought I just had." When an author changes the way you see the world, even by one or two clicks, he has achieved greatness.

Average customer rating:

Should be required reading...

Interesting polemic

Very Informative

Prison Praxis and Radical Political Philosophy

A touching look into the struggle of 70s revolutionaries.

Blood in My Eye
George L. Jackson
Manufacturer: Black Classic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0933121237

Book Description
Blood In My Eye captures the spirit of Geogre Jackson's legendary resistance to unbridled oppression and racism. His unique and incisively critical perpective becomes the unifying thread that ties this collection of letters and essays in which he presents his analysis of armed struggle, class war, facism, communism and a wide array of topics.
Customer Reviews:

Should be required reading..........2007-07-20
This monumental work encompassing politics, economics, history, military strategy, psycology, self-defense and critical analysis is one of the most important works written by an author of African descent. There are a select few books which I would honestly call timeless classics but this along with Carter G. Woodson's "The Mis-Education of the Negro," are two which should be required reading for every New-Afrikan male. There are so many key points and observations made which are prevalent in todays society that it becomes clear as to the reason why the author was viewed as a threat to American society at large.

This is George Jackson at his finest. Thirty years before the Bush era inspired fears of American fascism, this literary master-piece warned of the impending danger. George warned that "no facist regime "in power" would "advocate the abolition of any form of private ownership." Over the past 7 years we've seen blatant examples of this come to life in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Venenzuela, Liberia, Zimbabwe and countless other hotspots around the world. Viewing the mistakes of history Jackson from the confines of his cell was able to offer up such historically accurate assessments as "war taken to the point of diminishing return weakens rather than strengthens the participants."

In the tradition of Malik El Hajj Shabazz, David Walker, Denmark Veasey, Nat Turner and countless others, the call for a unified, fearless resistance to oppression earned George L. Jackson a death sentence. How much of a threat was he, consider this. On December 12, 2005, Stanley "Tookie" Williams was denied clemency from the Govenor of California who pointed to his sighting of George Jackson as a hero of his, as evidence that Williams believed in armed rebellion and was thus a unworthy of clemency inspite of his work against gang violence.

In facing the use of the title of Blood in My Eye by a quisling like Jahrule, my anger and disappointment was pacified only by the words found in this text in relation to "the black running dog." "Your main source of opposition is the black running dog...but it is unfair to automatically condemn a black person for not understanding economic and political subtleties...some are simply confused in an honest way.
Interesting polemic.......2003-12-20
I have not read this book yet, but it seems to be an interesting propaganda piece (in the original sense of the word) by somebody serving an unjust sentence.
Nowadays, with Three Srikes and you're Out in CA, this is being repeated no doubt.
My objection to this book (why it's not 5 stars) is that it appears to be a derivative work by somebody who studied the original leftist agitators.
Also, this book is likely to be admired by prison radicals who actually do not mind being labeled evil. By that I mean prison gang diciples. This is the modern 21st century trend--in other words, people who do not care for a reconcilation with their oppressors, but relish the opportunity to make trouble.
Very Informative.......2003-10-26
Now I figured out where Ja Rule got the title for his new album from. Upon reading this book, it addressed the racial, sociatal, politcal, and emotional abuse that was going on in his life and towards blacks. I think it was not fair that he got one year to life in prison just for stealing $70.00 from a store. I think he should've served some prison time and community service. But being gave life in prison for a misdemeanor is definately wrong!. If he were white he would probly get 2 years in prison & probation. But they did not allow that for blacks back during that time. I thought the collection of essays & letters expressed his feelings or inner most thoughts. So I can see why Ja Rule named his album after this book's title
Prison Praxis and Radical Political Philosophy.......2003-04-24
The life praxis of assassinated prison intellectual and revolutionary George Jackson embodies much of the radical possibility embodied by the work of radical prisoners. Incarcerated in 1960 at the age of eighteen for a $70 gas station robbery, Jackson was given an indeterminate sentence of one year to life. His staunch disobedience to prison rules and officials, along with his principled and visceral hatred of confinement, spurred Jackson's political and intellectual transformation within the prison. As his political stature among California inmates grew, Jackson became a liability to state authority through his profound effectiveness as an organizer and educator of fellow prisoners-in fact, one can still find many (formerly) imprisoned and free people who testify to Jackson's mentorship as integral to their political formation. This praxis essentially guaranteed that Jackson would never again see the light of the outside, and his brutal, open execution on the concrete ground of San Quentin prison emblazoned the logic of state repression in spectacular fashion. It is an ironic, perhaps fitting testament to Jackson's lasting political legacy that a wall in the San Quentin prison "museum" contains a mounted trophy case of the high-powered rifle that killed him on August 21, 1971, along with a bronze plaque enshrining the name of the guard who pulled the trigger.
George Jackson was, in many ways, the personification of Frantz Fanon's paradigmatic "native intellectual." In Fanon's terms, Jackson's widely read Soledad Brother and Blood In My Eye became "literatures of combat," serving dual capacities as theoretical texts and mobilizing tools. Close analysis of Jackson's knowledge production reveals a general congruence with the third, revolutionary "phase" of Fanon's developmental conception of the revolutionary native intellectual:
"Finally in the third phase, which is called the fighting phase, the native, after having tried to lose himself in the people and with the people, will on the contrary shake the people. Instead of according the people's lethargy an honored place in his esteem, he turns himself into an awakener of the people; hence comes a fighting literature, a revolutionary literature, and a national literature. During this phase a great many men and women who up till then would never have thought of producing a literary work, now that they find themselves in exceptional circumstances-in prison, with the Maquis, or on the eve of their execution-feel the need to speak to their nation, to compose the sentence which expresses the heart of the people, and to become the mouthpiece of a new reality in action."
As Jackson found political agency in abrogating the image of the depersonalized, silent, debased prisoner, he recognized his own incarceration as the logical outcome of a collective plight. The destiny of human expendables, the surplus people left to languish under the advance of white supremacist capital, was death, addiction, unemployment, and mass warehousing. Jackson consistently articulated the tortured severity of his relation to the world in these terms, stating and re-stating the essential dialectic of capital that rendered antagonism, deviance, and disobedience the most generalized mode of existence for people like himself:
"...that's the principal contradiction of monopoly capital's oppressive contract. The system produces outlaws. It also breeds contempt for the oppressed. Accrual of contempt is its fundamental survival technique. This leads to the excesses and destroys any hope of peace eventually being worked out between the two antagonistic classes, the haves and the have-nots. Coexistence is impossible, contempt breeds resistance, and resistance breeds brutality, the whole growing in spirals that must either end in the uneconomic destruction of the oppressed or the termination of oppression."
This epistemology of resistance and antagonism structured Jackson's political praxis. It was precisely his refusal of an idealized, hopeful "peace" (along with a pedagogical willingness to articulate the grounds of his refusal) that may have made his political assassination virtually inevitable. Jackson believed that the structural inevitability of state repression formed a condition of resistance for prisoners and free people alike. Yet, embracing this condition could produce an existential suicide-the necessary condition for declaring war on power.
"This monster-the monster they've engendered in me will return to torment its maker, from the grave, the pit, the profoundest pit. Hurl me into the next existence, the descent into hell won't turn me. I'll crawl back to dog his trail forever. They won't defeat my revenge, never, never. I'm part of a righteous people who anger slowly, but rage undamned. ...I'm going to charge them reparations in blood. ...This is one nigger who is positively displeased. I'll never forgive, I'll never forget, and if I'm guilty of anything at all it's of not leaning on them hard enough. War without terms."
For George Jackson, the historic possibility of forging a utopic "new reality" could only emerge from the corporeal ashes of those who dared challenge the corporate state's programmatic killing of oppressed people in and outside the U.S. It was this imagination of a righteous political death, a glorified descent into hell mandated by a social formation that fed on the bodies of disobedients and disposables, that allowed for the creative rearticulation of the imminent, violent consequence of repression.
A touching look into the struggle of 70s revolutionaries........1998-07-27
This book offers an excellent, honest portrayal of the day to day reality of 70s black revolutionairies and it can be promised that once you begin reading, you will rush to the end.
This book takes you to the heart of the Black Power movement and is so intriguing because it is written by someone who lived, and died for a cause in which he believed.
So often books or studies that focus on this specific facet of the civil rights era dillute the reality of the moment, because they are writing from a mere spectator's point of view, rather than from the perspective of actual participants.
For this reason, this book should be a must read for anyone studying the Black Panther Party--if they want to know the principles, beliefs and hopes of the people.

Average customer rating:

EXCELLENT BOOK

Did He Do It? - Review of Blood Brother

Summary of the book: He Acted Strange...that's all folks!

Cashing in on an obsure Mommy Dearest

I loved it..

Blood Brother: 33 Reasons My Brother Scott Peterson Is Guilty
Anne Bird
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description
What happens if, after being given up for adoption in childhood, you reestablish contact with your biological family -- only to discover that your newfound brother is a killer?
Anne Bird, the sister of Scott Peterson, knows firsthand.
Soon after her birth in 1965, Anne was given up for adoption by her mother, Jackie Latham. Welcomed into the well-adjusted Grady family, she lived a happy life. Then, in the late 1990s, she came back into contact with her mother, now Jackie Peterson, and her family -- including Jackie's son Scott Peterson and his wife, Laci. Anne was welcomed into the family, and over the next several years she grew close to Scott and especially Laci. Together they shared holidays, family reunions, and even a trip to Disneyland. Anne and Laci became pregnant at roughly the same time, and the two became confidantes.
Then, on Christmas Eve 2002, Laci Peterson went missing -- and the happy façade of the Peterson family slowly began to crumble. Anne rushed to the family's aid, helping in the search for Laci, even allowing Scott to stay in her home while police tried to find his wife. Yet Scott's behavior grew increasingly bizarre during the search, and Anne grew suspicious that her brother knew more than he was telling. Finally she began keeping a list of his disturbing behavior. And by the time Laci's body -- and that of her unborn son, Conner -- were found, Anne was becoming convinced: Her brother Scott Peterson had murdered his wife and unborn child in cold blood.
Filled with news-making revelations and intimate glimpses of Scott and Laci, the Peterson family, and the investigation that followed the murder, Blood Brother is a provocative account of how long-dormant family ties dragged one woman into one of the most notorious crimes of our time.
Download Description
"

What happens if, after being given up for adoption in childhood, you reestablish contact with your biological family -- only to discover that your newfound brother is a killer?

Anne Bird, the sister of Scott Peterson, knows firsthand.

Soon after her birth in 1965, Anne was given up for adoption by her mother, Jackie Latham. Welcomed into the well-adjusted Grady family, she lived a happy life. Then, in the late 1990s, she came back into contact with her mother, now Jackie Peterson, and her family -- including Jackie's son Scott Peterson and his wife, Laci. Anne was welcomed into the family, and over the next several years she grew close to Scott and especially Laci. Together they shared holidays, family reunions, and even a trip to Disneyland. Anne and Laci became pregnant at roughly the same time, and the two became confidantes.

Then, on Christmas Eve 2002, Laci Peterson went missing -- and the happy façade of the Peterson family slowly began to crumble. Anne rushed to the family's aid, helping in the search for Laci, even allowing Scott to stay in her home while police tried to find his wife. Yet Scott's behavior grew increasingly bizarre during the search, and Anne grew suspicious that her brother knew more than he was telling. Finally she began keeping a list of his disturbing behavior. And by the time Laci's body -- and that of her unborn son, Conner -- were found, Anne was becoming convinced: Her brother Scott Peterson had murdered his wife and unborn child in cold blood.

Filled with news-making revelations and intimate glimpses of Scott and Laci, the Peterson family, and the investigation that followed the murder, Blood Brother is a provocative account of how long-dormant family ties dragged one woman into one of the most notorious crimes of our time.
"
Customer Reviews:

EXCELLENT BOOK.......2007-10-05
This book really explained everything from the author's growing up to the sentencing in prison for the rest of his lfe. I couldn't put it down since it was an exciting story and I wanted to know what happened - every step. I would recommend this book to anyone.
Did He Do It? - Review of Blood Brother.......2007-09-17
By the authors own admission she hardly knew her half-brother Scott Peterson since she had been given up for adoption as a baby. However, Scott did live with Ann (the author) during much of the time the entire country was searching for a very pregnant Lacy Peterson. I felt the authors pain at being overjoyed to have connected with her roots while at the same time struggling with her gut instinct knowing she will lose her family again. Ann Baird shows us inside the world of Scott Peterson as only a family member could see. I highly recommend the book to any true crime reader.
Summary of the book: He Acted Strange...that's all folks!.......2007-08-22
So she's related to him, big deal. I read the book like most people to get an insight to what happened and get a few more details. I find it sad that she was so quick to make a buck based on her "hunches". She's a mother of 2 young kids, why is most of the book about her drinking too much with Scott at her home? At one point she says she drives a few hours to spend time with her adoptive parents, only to leave her 2 kids there for the weekend so her and Scott can go drinking. What is the point of this?

So he acted bizarre (we could see that just watching him on TV). It's one thing to feel caught up in it, but I think you should have a little dignity and respect for yourself and not run around with many heresay stories. That's all this book is. I'm sure Jackie (her birth mom) is sorry she ever found her long lost daughter. Maybe this book is PAYBACK for Scott being a child that was chosen, not put up for adoption like herself.

To see her on Oprah and Good Morning America and Dateline, etc etc etc. just to discuss what she thought about him...give me a break. You didn't write this book to deal with it yourself - that's what journals are for - it's all about the $$. And to call Laci a close friend when she only saw her 4 times tops...How bad do you need to stick yourself in this story? Scott is paying for this crime already. But thanks for the extra kicks when I'm down, Sis.

Cashing in on an obsure Mommy Dearest.......2007-05-11
When a case like the Laci Peterson murder makes national news, people come out of the woodwork claiming their earth shattering revelations and connections. Anne Bird was one of those people who wrote her book for the purpose of excersising her demons and connection to the Peterson family.

Anne Bird was one of two children that Scott's mother, Jackie Peterson, gave up for adoption. While Anne enjoyed a happy childhood with her adopted family, like many adopted children I have met in my lifetime, she always wondered what if about her birth family. She eventually reunites with Jackie in 1997 and builds a relationship with her.

Anne reveals a few details we otherwise hear about in other accounts, including the tales told by Sharon Roche. What Sharon only hinted at, Anne was able to offer more insight into. Jackie was a smothering, egocentric Mommy Dearest who loved and adored Scott as her golden child. I've met women like her before. A former friend of my Mom's always compaired her two children to me and my sister, and saw us as the model of success. Her two children could do no wrong, were never disciplined, and were taught that it's ok to lie, cheat and steel because as long as they came out looking good and getting the things they wanted it was alright. They grew up to be foul mouthed, violent, and criminal. Over the years her jealous antics got to be too much, but somehow Mom valued their friendship and hung on. She refused to believe what was in front of her eyes until the very end. When the end came, Mom was sadder than I have ever seen her, but the truth came out. Just like it did for Scott.

Scott is a lying, cheating, meniacal brute who cared for little except boozing it up and having fun. He had a variety of discipline problems (being expelled from schools, fired from jobs for stealing, etc.) He clearly did not want a child, as it would have taken the focus off of himself. Somehow he decided that rather than leaving the marriage he should murder Laci and their unborn child; and, after they were out of the picture he could go on and reinvent himself.

Why not 5 stars? Anne had an obtuse connection to the Peterson family, if that. She admits that she did not have much contact with Laci, and they would only meet in the flesh four times. Laci seems like a nice enough gal, but how much could you know by only meeting someone four times? It's also hard for me to believe (even though Anne was not a reliable source in this department, but, I never cease to be amazed by the antics of people) that Laci and Scott did not have discussions about children before they married. Anne wouldn't know anything about this being in role in the family. Plus, she wrote her book as therapy for her being an adopted child who had a connection to the Peterson family. Enjoy it for some insights into Scott and his family, apples don't fall far from the tree.
I loved it.........2007-03-29
This book enlighten me.... I loved it.... It filled in alot of the blanks..

Average customer rating:

great book

Maddeningly Addictive, Well Crafted

Poetry for insomniacs

Wash This Blood Clean from My Hand
Fred Vargas
Manufacturer: Harvill Secker
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1843432730

Book Description
A #1 bestselling author in France, Fred Vargas repeatedly captivates her many admirers across the globe with suspenseful mysteries featuring Commissaire Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg, “a Gallic cousin to Ruth Rendell's Chief Inspector Wexford” (The Washington Post). In the same way that Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti and Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano have won countless fans on this side of the Atlantic due to Penguin's robust commitment to the best international mystery writing, Vargas's Commissaire Adamsberg is poised to conquer America in a series of novels that are “truly original . . . like nothing else in contemporary fiction” (The Sunday Times, London), beginning with Wash This Blood Clean from My Hand.
Customer Reviews:

great book.......2007-09-18
interesting to find out what makes Adamsberg tick. Sometimes a bit unrealistic but then all Fred Vargas books are a bit unrealistic, that's what explains their charm.
Maddeningly Addictive, Well Crafted.......2007-04-30
Vargas yet again proves why she is probably the #1 mystery writer in the world with this book, the 3rd of the Commissaire Adamsberg series.

The book takes place in France and in Canada, but much of it explores the genius of a methodical killer who's mind clearly outmatches the protagonist Adamsberg - in fact, in many ways, that's the true brilliance of the book. How many mysteries can you recall where the main investigator was aware of how he simply could not get ahead of the killer no matter what he tried? Where each time the killer struck, the investigator was a day late and a dollar short? Where the clues began to add up, but were completely open to multiple interpretations?

And, as the story goes on, you begin to even distrust some of the Commissaire's colleagues, wondering what's going on - you feel true empathy with Adamsberg, the protagonist. And that is the result of a master writer at work.

Hopefully, as Vargas becomes more recognized in the US, her books will become easier to obtain. For now, the wait is more than worth it.

J. Avellanet, Co-Founder of Cerulean Associates LLC
Poetry for insomniacs.......2007-03-26
Fred Vargas is in a league of her own when it comes to crafting a book of Continental crime. As attested by my manic list elsewhere, the wealth of crime fiction translated from Europe over the past few years is American readers' good fortune. These books from Scandinavia,Italy, France, Germany have a bracing tone of their own. They are poetry for insomniacs, exercising the mind, bracing the spirit at the end of the day -- with an egg-flip of humor lacing each page. Vargas populates her plots with a cabinet of curiosities, most a bit broken and peculiar but with powerful heart and mind: and her evil villains are so much like her good guys, she keeps you tantalized throughout.

What floats her books far above the rest, however, is that they're saturated with the rich brown jus of historical humanism--so satisfying!-- like a meaty cassoulet that's been simmering all week. Taste and see! These are great books for readers bored by the pulpy gruel of American mysteries, serial killers and mawkish macho detectives.

(And if you haven't read her yet, I'd suggest starting with "Seeking Whom He May Devour" or "The Three Evangelists." It's amusing to watch the characters develop. This book is the 4th translated into English. I hope we don't need to wait another whole year for the next one.)

Average customer rating:

I give this book three stars knowing it is a fraud

One Fraud Too Many

The Joke

A shameful fraud

plagiarist, Navajo wannabe, fake

The Blood Runs Like a River Through My Dreams
Nasdijj , and Nasdijj
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Native American | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0618154485

Amazon.com
The language and form of this searing book are as powerful as the life experience that inspired them. In a series of essays that cohere into a spiritual autobiography, the author writes prose that's deceptively simple yet rich in metaphor. An wild horse living in the parking lot of a Navajo school becomes a symbol for living creatures' intrinsic wildness, tamed only at a terrible cost. "We are all runaway horses" is one constant refrain, as is the reminder "you are your history." The author's history is painful: born in 1950 the son of an alcoholic Native American woman and a white cowboy father who "would sell my mom to other migrant men for five dollars," Nasdijj grew up a "mongrel" and an outcast, contending with his violent father's demons while his mother beguiled them with Indian stories. Living on a reservation, never fully accepted because of his white skin, he adopted a baby boy with fetal alcohol syndrome who died at age 6. The book's most beautiful passages meditate on Tommy Nothing Fancy's short life and express his father's love. Nasdijj has been homeless, he has taught Indian children on a reservation, he has retraced with a historian friend the dreadful forced march to Bosque Redondo, where the Navajo and their culture were nearly exterminated. These and many other ordeals are related in the agonizingly lucid words of someone who has turned to writing as a lifeline. This remarkable memoir has its share of bitterness and anger, but Nasdijj transcends both in his acceptance of the world that made him and in the knowledge that "the reservation runs like blood through a river of my dreams." --Wendy Smith
Book Description
A searing book as powerful as the life experience that inspired it, THE BLOOD RUNS LIKE A RIVER THROUGH MY DREAMS transports readers to the majestic landscapes and hard Native American lives of the desert Southwest. Born to a storytelling Native mother and a roughneck, song-singing father, Nasdijj has always lived at the jagged-edged margins of society, yet hardship and isolation have only brought him greater clarity -- a gift for language and a voice of searching honesty. "In a prose style that could almost be chanted" (New York Magazine), Nasdijj writes of his adopted son, Tommy Nothing Fancy, and of his own chaotic childhood; of his struggles between two cultures and his pursuit of the writing life -- as a lifeline. A powerful, unforgettable memoir, THE BLOOD RUNS LIKE A RIVER THROUGH MY DREAMS will "wash over readers and often take them by surprise" (Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
Customer Reviews:

I give this book three stars knowing it is a fraud.......2006-04-24
This book has to be the worst and most sickening case of cultural apropriation in the history of the US. The fact that it was writen by a white man is further proof of the emperialist and colonialist mentality that still exists in this nation twords the Native American Community. However when I forst read this book Nasdijj was still a navajo within the eyes of the public. At the time the book mooved me deaply. Nasdijj's use if diction and the storytelling nature of his narative was beutifle. It made me want to learn more about the status and problems facing the Plains Indian community and work bring about change. That meens somthing to me and despite what I know now that initial responce when I first read this book stays with me to this day. I urge those who are going to critisize this book to read it first if you have not, and when you read it, do so with eyes un clouded by the trouth.
One Fraud Too Many.......2006-03-16
It's a shame that because of works like this, not to mention the Forrest Carter (Education of Little Tree) scandal a few years back, many unknown and undiscovered--but authentic--Native American writers will probably have to struggle that much harder to become published. Well-established American Indian authors are already naturally suspect of any newcomers on the scene; the sad fact is that for some reason Native American culture and identity is misappropriated by more misguided white writers--whatever their individual agendas might be--than any other race or ethnic group. The sad truth is that, for every Forrest Carter and Timothy Barris who manage to secure a publishing contract, there are dozens of truly deserving Native voices that are going unheard.And thanks to these imposters making the buying public- as well as agents and editors- increasingly suspicious of anyone claiming to be Native American-their chances to be read and heard are only going to diminish.
The Joke.......2006-02-16
To hold the power to move people with words regardless of the validity of those words is a very impressive art. With the exception of one specific actor, no one in history has made a powerful film about his or her own life. There is no reason to believe that written works shoud be treated differently from movies in this respect. Obviously this writer has realized that human deception is an important method of eliciting an emotional response from an audience. By reading the responses from readers prior to the false exposure of the true writer, it is clear that this man or woman is light years ahead of current authors when it comes to manipulating the human brain into believing a story, factual or not. With the increasing pace of desensitization of the mind in recent years, obviously new techniques must be made available to entertain an insatiable public. To say that this author's amazing work is only confined within the pages of the book is downwright ludicrous. Everything, including the monikor and real identity of "Timothy Barris" is part of a larger piece of fiction that may be even further exposed as time passes. After this "identity" was unearthed, opposite and even stronger emotional responses were elicited from readers, demonstrated in print on these very pages of Amazon.com. Is it not true that disgust and outrage are also emotions that sub-par authors struggle to touch in their works? "The Blood Runs Like a River Through My Dreams" is such an example of a work of writing and deception that is capable of plucking each string of human emotion in such a way that has never been attempted before. There is a larger picture.

-AK
A shameful fraud.......2006-01-28
I read this book last year, and was moved by it, though I often found it rather fuzzy on certain details, and the chronology seemed to jump around. Now, I learn this guy is a total FRAUD: He's not Indian and Tommy didn't exist. He's apparently lazy, too: I've read that his descriptions of Navajo culture don't fit with reality, either. This is disgraceful, both his lying about his heritage, and inventing this sick child, as well as the other people he made up. What a waste of time.
So many literary frauds have been exposed this month (Jan 06). Now, I'm wondering about a few other memoirs that have been popular the last few years. I'm rather disinclined to buy any memoirs these days; and I bet I'm not the only one who feels this way. I bet these scandals hurt sales of this book genre.
plagiarist, Navajo wannabe, fake.......2006-01-28
I haven't read any of "Nasdijj"'s writings, and I don't expect to do so, but as a REAL Amerind (Cherokee), I am disturbed and indignant at Navajos being used as a publicity hook by a white sado-masochist. Don't take my word for it. Read an exhaustive exposé at
http://www.laweekly.com/index.php option=com_lawcontent&task=view&id=12468&Itemid=47

Average customer rating:

Very Comprehensive

The New Glucose Revolution What Makes My Blood Glucose Go Up . . . and Down?: 101 Frequently Asked Questions About Your Blood Glucose Levels (Glucose Revolution)
Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller , Kaye Foster-Powell , and David Mendosa
Manufacturer: Marlowe & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Weight Loss | Diets | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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The New Glucose Revolution Low GI Guide to Diabetes: The Only Authoritative Guide to Managing Diabetes Using the Glycemic Index (Marlowe Diabetes Library)

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The New Glucose Revolution: The Authoritative Guide to the Glycemic Index - the Dietary Solution for Lifelong Health (Glucose Revolution)

The Low GI Diet Cookbook: 100 Simple, Delicious Smart-Carb Recipes-The Proven Way to Lose Weight and Eat for Lifelong Health (Glucose Revolution)

The New Glucose Revolution: Low GI Eating Made Easy

ASIN: 1569243026

Book Description

Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller and Kaye Foster-Powell — authors of the New York Times best-seller The New Glucose Revolution,— and David Mendosa, a leading diabetes journalist, answer the most frequently asked questions about blood glucose levels. They address a wide range of concerns, correct common misconceptions, and educate how best to monitor and control glucose levels. Among the questions addressed are:

• What is a normal blood glucose level?
• What can I do to bring down my blood glucose levels when they’re high?
• Can being stressed really have something to do with my high blood glucose?
• Which carbohydrates will raise my blood glucose the least?
• What is the glycemic index?
• When I crave something sweet, what should I have?

This book is for everyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, those who experience blood sugar lows (or highs) during the course of a day, people clinically diagnosed with hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, those with the metabolic syndrome or Syndrome X, and everyone interested in taking preventative measures to preserve good health. An indispensable guide, this book is for those who want clear, scientifically-based information about the connection between food, exercise, weight, and blood glucose levels.

Customer Reviews:

Very Comprehensive.......2007-05-12
The information in the book was very helpful to me. I am 61 years old and have pre-diabetes. I need information on carbohydrates and foods that have a high glycemic index. This book is all I need to point me in the right direction for healthy eating.

Average customer rating:

Great GI book

great book

Blood Glucose and 101 frequently asked questions..

Million Stars for this book

Very Useful

What Makes My Blood Glucose Go Up...And Down? And 101 Other Frequently Asked Questions About Your Blood Glucose Levels
Jennie Brand-Miller , Kaye Foster-Powell , and Rick Mendosa
Manufacturer: Marlowe & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1569245746

Book Description
Finally, all in one place, here are answers to the questions millions of people have about the fluctuations in their blood glucose—or blood sugar—levels
In this accessible, informative new book, Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller and Kaye Foster-Powell—authors of the New York Times bestseller The New Glucose Revolution, the authoritative guide to the glycemic index—along with leading diabetes journalist Rick Mendosa, answer the most frequently asked questions about your blood glucose levels. They address a wide range of concerns, correct common misconceptions, and set out to educate how best to monitor and control glucose levels to maintain optimum health. Among the questions they address are:
• What is a normal blood glucose level?
• What can I do to bring down my blood glucose levels when they're high?
• Can being stressed out really have something to do with my high blood glucose?
• Which carbohydrates will raise my blood glucose the least?
• What is the glycemic index?
• There are times when I crave something sweet. What should I have?
Also included is a handy A to Z table of glycemic index values for hundreds of foods and beverages. This is an indispensable guide for everyone seeking clear, scientifically-based information about the links between food, exercise, weight, and blood glucose levels.
Customer Reviews:

Great GI book.......2007-05-28
This book is very helpful and is a straight forward approach to better understanding the GI and how it affects your body. I previoulsly read the Glycemic Revolution and was deeply disappointed by the info, and the lack of everyday application.

I do like that there is a glossary of the questions in the front so you immediately know where to skip.
From questions about prickly pear cactus and more, this book covers a lot of corners, and it explains things very well- breaking down the GI book stigma.
great book.......2007-05-21
this book is a must for the diabetic. it helps you literally with what to and not to eat and WHY! it explains the GI and GL system. this is a easy to read and understand book. get this book and it will help lower the (tryg) numbers.
Blood Glucose and 101 frequently asked questions.........2007-02-19
This was a great book for my mom who thumbs through the book and finds excellent information about her diabetes. If you have to take your blood readings on a daily basis, this book is a must have.
Million Stars for this book.......2005-09-28
Read it in 2 hours. I have got more than 25 books on Diabetes, but this book is THE BEST. It is the best investment. Please buy this book, if you have diabetes, you will not need any information after that.

Eat lots of green peppers and cucumbers.
Very Useful.......2003-09-19
I'm diabetic and struggling to get my blood sugar under control so I was thrilled to see this book with its handy list of 750 foods. The list shows the GI and GL [Glucose Level] counts plus the carb count for a given quantity of each food. In trade paperback, it is light and easy to carry around. My only complaint is that the explanations can be a little hard to understand [okay, I don't understand some of them at all]. I like the idea of moderate levels of carbohydrate in my diet and that's what this book recommends. I've done the low carb route and lost weight but can't stick to it forever. For one thing, it just doesn't feel healthy to me.

Average customer rating:

Great Sportswriting

WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!

There's More to Sports than Sports

My Turf: Horses, Boxers, Blood Money, and the Sporting Life
William Nack
Manufacturer: Da Capo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

20th Century | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0306812002
Release Date: 2003-01-07

Book Description
Collected for the first time, the remarkable profiles and investigative stories of William Nack, esteemed Sports Illustrated writer and author of Secretariat: The Making of a Champion.
William Nack is widely acknowledged as one of the finest sports writers of the past half-century. He has won the prestigious Eclipse Award, given annually for the best magazine piece on horseracing, an unprecedented six times. Laura Hillenbrand, best-selling author of Seabiscuit, recently called his acclaimed biography Secretariat the "gold standard" of horse books. But Nack's "turf" goes far beyond the racetrack.
In this, his first collection, Nack's finest horse racing journalism is coupled with his legendary, one-of-a-kind profiles of athletes from Sonny Liston to Formula One driver Alex Zanardi, Rocky Marciano to Rick Pitino, and Keith Hernandez to Willie Shoemaker. And that is not all. From his compelling history of Yankee Stadium, to his inspiring account of Bob Kalsu, the only professional American athlete to die in Vietnam, to his poignant portrait of Cincinnati Reds catcher Willard Hershberger, who, at fifteen, discovered his father dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and later committed suicide himself, Nack serves up riveting stories of people and places. He also uncovers some of the dirtiest secrets in sports from the shady world of hit men and greedy owners who hire them to kill their horses for insurance payoffs to weightlifting muscle men, who, while stoked up on steroids, have gone on murderous rampages.
Whether writing about famous athletes--human and equine--or weighing in on some of the most controversial events and personalities in sports, William Nack has few equals.
Customer Reviews:

Great Sportswriting.......2003-10-29
I've always enjoyed William Nack on ESPN's Sports Century programs, and I'd read some of these selections in Sports Illustrated. It's great to have a collection of such eloquent sportswriting. The characters he writes about come to life. Even non sports fans would enjoy the features on Secretariat, Bobby Fishcher, and Bob Kalzu. In a nutshell, this is a treasure. Next how about a book of Gary Smith's SI stories?
WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!.......2003-06-10
I thought this book would be for sports enthusiasts only. Instead, it is actually a compilation of beautiful human interest stories that capture and inspire the hearts and minds of its readers. I highly recommend this book for boys and girls, young and old.
There's More to Sports than Sports.......2003-02-28
Bill Nack reports the "back stories" of human and equine athletes better than anyone around and this collection of some of his best work kept me turning the pages for more. From Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston to Secretariat, interesting and important figures from the world of sports are shown as human (or animal) beings, not simply athletic commodities. Nack's writing is elegant without being flowery, and often ironic. This book is a terrific read. The best quote in the collection is attributed to Liston and the meanest person was Rocky Marciano.

Average customer rating:

Simply, the Bible of the inner Italian

Dated Pseudo-Ethnic Fluff

A Must Read for ALL Second, Third and Fourth Generation

An accurate look into the Italian-American experience.

Gambino's book rings true, even after 25 years

Blood of My Blood (Picas Series No.7) (Picas Series)
Richard Gambino
Manufacturer: Guernica Editions Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1550711016

Book Description

Richard Gambino, PhD, is the author of Vendetta. He lives in New York.

Customer Reviews:

Simply, the Bible of the inner Italian.......2007-05-09
If you are looking for a book that doesn't merely describe Italians, but gets to the inner soul of how they think and behave, this is for you. Whether you are first, second, third, or fourth generation you will be able to identify and recognize yourself and family members in the contents. This is by far the best book I have read. This author's description of events is supurb.
Dated Pseudo-Ethnic Fluff.......2002-03-21
Blood of My Blood is an unfortunately dated piece of pseudo-ethnic fluff. Readers who consider this text an historical document should take note of a number of things: first, it was written during the 1970s (a time of ethnic revival with a strong underlying political agenda, often reactionary and racist); second, the book has no footnotes, no bibliography, nothing to point one deeper; finally, consider again that it was written over 25 years ago and that much has changed for Italian Americans and everyone else. Gambino is well known among students of Italian American history, especially for his well-researched work Vendetta. Unfortunately, much of his work is, in a word, reactionary, riddled with stereotypes---in some cases nothing more than thinly veiled racism---and largely under-documented and poorly researched. If there is any worth to Blood of My Blood, it is the author's own anecdotes about his childhood and about his family and neighborhood. In the end, however, anecdotes are nothing more than anecdotes, and the larger Italian American experience---in all its complexity---is left untouched. This book, thus, reads like a mere handbook of someone's prejudices about what it means to be Italian American or how one should behave and think (or not think) in order to be an Italian American. Readers interested in serious studies of Italian American history that contain much more depth and represent actual scholarship are better advised to look at more recent work/more researched work by folks like Rudy Vecoli, Philip Cannistraro, Donna Gabaccia, Gary Mormino, George Pozzetta, Virginia Yans-McLoughlin, Robert Orsi, and the list goes on...These scholars bring a "love" of their subject, as well as genuine reserach, something sorely lacking in Blood of My Blood. Those who feel that Italian American history and ethnicity amounts to nothing more than food, "la via vecchia," and political antipathy should continue to read Gambino, thereby reinforcing those preconceived prejudices.
A Must Read for ALL Second, Third and Fourth Generation.......2001-12-05
This book is something that all 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation Italian-Americans should read. It brings an understanding of the first generation of Italian Americans to those of us who were not born or not old enough to understand the circumstances of the first generation. I am a third generation Italian American with behavior patterns and emotions I could not understand until I read this book. The book has also given me a new appreciation for my second generation parents and some of the barriers between us as I grew up.
I promise that every page of this book will either make you laugh out loud, or bring you to tears.
In short, buy it, read it, lend it to others!
An accurate look into the Italian-American experience........2000-09-21
Both my parents are from a small town in Calabria. I distinctively remember growing up with the feeling that I was not 100% American or Italian. In the home, I had a traditional southern Italian upbringing that did not exist in the homes of my friends, most of whom had Italian backgrounds. Richard Gambino's mention of this condition was the first time I have ever read about it it any text. Needless to say, I identified with the many accounts of the Italian-American experience explained by Mr. Gambino.
I would recommend this book to people of any background, Italian or not. The struggles of the southern Italians, both in their own country and in their new one, is a story that many will find intriguing and inspiring.
Gambino's book rings true, even after 25 years.......2000-06-26
I first read Richard Gambino's "Blood of My Blood" in the late 1970's. Reading this book became a voyage of discovery. The book retains its strength and mission over twenty-five years later. Being Italian-American in 21st century America is still perplexing. Gambino gives many clues and insight into the Italian-American experience.
As part of one of the largest ethnic minorities in the USA it is unsettling to have so little information about who we are. Gambino's blending of historical facts with personal stories paints a vivid picture of the Italian-American experience.
Mainstream America revels in the ethnocentricity of many ethnic groups, while Italians are still discouraged for being Italian-like. The Italian-American experience, even today, is only a footnote clouded with the mass media's laughable or fearsome images.
Though originally publishes in 1974 this books still is a beacon for those struggling to understand what it is to be Italian-American.
This is a must read for anyone interested in he Italian American experience.
Books:

Bridge to Terabithia

Brother Odd (Odd Thomas Novels)

Brother Odd (Odd Thomas Novels)

Can I Keep My Jersey?: 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond

Ceremony in Death (In Death)

Charlotte's Web (Trophy Newbery)

Circle of Stones: Woman's Journey to Herself

Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers (Jossey Bass Higher and Adult Education Series)

Coffin: The Art Of Vampire Hunter D

Courage After Fire: Coping Strategies for Troops Returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and Their Families

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