Book Description
Abby Shaw has returned to her hometown of Paradise, Colorado--leaving behind a career in corporate law and a cheating husband--to take over her aunt's candy shop, Divinity. But her sweet new life quickly turns sour when a fellow merchant dies in a fire. With all clues pointing to arson--and Abby's brother as the number one suspect--she must sink her teeth into finding the killer.
Customer Reviews:
Sweet Cozy Mystery.......2007-07-10
Recently divorced Abby Shaw returns to Paradise, Colorado to run the Divinity Candy Shop, which she inherited from her Aunt Grace. Though some of the people living in Paradise are a bit cool towards Abby until she proves herself; men's clothing storeowner Brandon Mills seems attracted to her. Since he has quite the reputation as a ladies man, Abby's not sure about his true feelings but never has a chance to find out when he is murdered. Brandon's death is a shock for Abby in many ways - she discovers that Brandon was not who she thought he was and was in fact disliked by many people in town. While that means there are many suspects in his murder, the police are focusing on Abby's brother, Wyatt. Wyatt certainly has a motive - he suspects his wife had an affair with Brandon - but he insists he didn't do it and Abby believes him. Now she has to convince hunky Police Officer Tawarski of Wyatt's innocence while trying to find the killer herself to clear his name.
"Candy Apple Dead" is a nice cozy mystery. Abby is a well-written, well-rounded character. Her struggles to prove herself capable of running the candy store and convince the town people of the same are very believable. Her struggle to reconcile the Brandon she knew with the person others said he was is heartbreaking. Her relationship with her brother is also very believable - anxious to clear his name, Abby realizes he is hiding something from her and her fear and frustration is well written. The candy store setting is a nice one and I loved the small details about candy making and how Abby decorated the store for the holidays. In fact, I wish there was more of that in the book. I liked the fact that Abby had a legitimate reason for investigating the murder - clearing her brother's name - instead of a manufactured one that happens so often in cozy mysteries. The mystery itself is well plotted, although only the most astute readers will note an important clue to the murderer.
"Candy Apple Dead" is a sweet read.
Cozy Candy Shop Mystery.......2007-06-04
A town named Paradise, a candy shop named Divinity: This Candy Shop Mystery set in a quaint little town in Beautiful Colorado certainly has a cozy atmosphere. The candy is exquisite and divine; Abby (the candy shop owner) is likeable; Max (the dog) is a very important and vital character; and the plot is intriguing.
The season is Autumn; Halloween is right around the corner. You can almost feel and smell the fresh, clean air. You can almost see the mountains. Abby makes Halloween lollipops and other candy. Climate and altitude have a lot to do with candy-making, so she has to hurry and make lots of candy in order to have enough inventory on stock before it is too late.
There are several quaint little shops in this breathtakingly beautiful town. One of the owners of a shop is dead, and at first the police aren't sure if it is an accident or murder. But if murder, Abby's brother Wyatt is the prime suspect. Abby is determined to find out who the real murderer is.
I look forward to the next Candy Shop Mystery.
Diane Mott Davidson light.......2007-04-04
For those enjoy the foodie-mystery genre, this book is fairly entertaining. Although the "strictly candy" references and recipes aren't as tempting as Diane Mott Davidson's wonderful Goldie series, it is a good story - well-written with lots of twists and turns. If you have a craving and are awaiting the next Goldie mystery (as I am!), this series will hold you.
Great read.......2006-11-03
This was a great read by a new author to me. I enjoyed both of her books and would recommend them for anyone who wants a funny whodunit!
what candy apple? .......2006-11-02
I read a lot of culinary mysteries and I cannot figure out what relation "Candy Apple" has to the death of Brandon Mills except that Abby was making them when he came into her store. This is an OK read but she needs to tie in her culinary attributes to the murder and posssibly put in more action.
Average customer rating:
- A great read, not your typical plot
- A very good book of revenge and sorcery
- Unusually, a fantasy world with politics I can believe.
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The Princess of Flames
Ru Emerson
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Emerson, Ru | ( E ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
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To the Haunted Mountains (The First Tale of Nadao)
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Spell Bound
ASIN: 0441679196 |
Customer Reviews:
A great read, not your typical plot .......2005-06-15
I like this book a great deal. It doesn't follow the typical plot lines you'd expect for a story of revenge. It has an excellent twist towards the end and it just makes me want to reread it to pick up all the details I missed the first time.
A very good book of revenge and sorcery.......1999-05-04
Just when you think you've got it figured out all hell breaks loose. A book of long awaited revenge involving magic, deciet, cunning and plenty of suprises. I liked the suspense and intrigue. Nothing in the story is average, it's a new land, people magic and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Unusually, a fantasy world with politics I can believe........1997-12-08
This book combines the complexities of Tarot reading with land wars, civil insurgencies and a magic talent restricted to Royal blood and the clergy. This is a very restricted summary and does no tribute to the depth of characters and intersting plotline. What can I say? I liked it.
Average customer rating:
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Princess White Flame,
Gertrude Crownfield
Manufacturer: Dutton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
Fairy Tales | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00089VPT8 |
Book Description
The all-new team-up trilogy.
Spiderman: Marvel's most popular hero
X-Men: Marvel's most popular super-team
Customer Reviews:
Mostly for the series.......2002-12-02
I don't really remember enough about the books individually but I loved the series. I'm a BIG Gambit/Rogue fan, and there was one section in the third book I LOVED. But mostly I liked meeting some of the characters I rarely read about. The guy who's searching through time to find one where his wife lives. Or Spiderman and Bishop bonding (Now there's something odd!) I really liked the series, it said a lot about the not-so-common characters and their connection with the main characters.
A must read.......2002-10-02
I really liked the way this book is written. its a real page tuner.
sweet.......2002-06-08
I very much enjoyed the teaming of the Web Slinger and the Uncanny Xmen
Fair.......2001-07-01
When you actually read the book, it's not as good as you think it'll be. Half the book is trying to understand a machine that if one has seen the 'toon or the comics they already understand. Could have been better.
One actual good thing, IMO was the cliff-hanger in the end. I won't say what it was so as not to spoil it for others.
Well balanced adventure.......2001-01-31
This first part of the trilogy has a good balance of story, characters and cameos. Yes, it is a story involving time travel and thus all the classic time travel elements are in the story. Some might see it as cliched - but I see it as consistent. The pairings of the heroes as well as the characters they encounter in the various time periods are well done.
One of the better novels involving super-heroes that I have read.
Average customer rating:
- The Healthy Hedonist: My favourite cookbook!
- A wonderful sequel to The Voluptuous Vegan
- The Healthy Hedonist is delicious for vegans or non-vegans, alike!
- Not just for foodie vegetarians! A must-have for the home cook...
- A little disappointing
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The Healthy Hedonist: More Than 200 Delectable Flexitarian Recipes for Relaxed Daily Feasts
Myra Kornfeld , and
Sheila Hamanaka
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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The Voluptuous Vegan: More Than 200 Sinfully Delicious Recipes for Meatless, Eggless, and Dairy-Free Meals
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The Flexitarian Table: Inspired, Flexible Meals for Vegetarians, Meat Lovers, and Everyone inBetween
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Modern Vegetarian Kitchen, The
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Real Food Daily Cookbook: Really Fresh, Really Good, Really Vegetarian
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Cafe Flora Cookbook
ASIN: 0743255704 |
Customer Reviews:
The Healthy Hedonist: My favourite cookbook!.......2007-04-09
If I could keep only one cookbook, this would be it! I love this book and have given it to friends and family.
The recipes are healthy, easy to follow, clear and delicious! I enjoy experimenting and I know the result will be great! Practical information on natural ingredients, techniques and diagrams facilitate and are educational and the resource section is very useful. In addition, many of the recipes can be made in advance!
I particularly like the Roast Chicken with Maple Glaze, Laquered Carrots with Coriander, Glazed Brussel Sprouts, Braised Cabbage with Cranberries, Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Shallots and Sage, Triple Gingerbread, Chocolate Coconut Pudding ... I could go on!
A must have for those who enjoy good, healthy eating.
A wonderful sequel to The Voluptuous Vegan.......2007-03-17
I highly recommend The Healthy Hedonist, by Myra Kornfeld, to beginner cooks and accomplished chefs, alike. For the beginners, Myra has a knack for clearly explaining key cooking techniques and tips on what to look for when buying certain ingredients. For the accomplished chefs, the flavor and texture combinations in Myra's recipes will help you expand your repertoire of unusual and interesting dishes even further. As a personal chef, I have made appetizers, salads, and entrees from this book that clients request over and over again. As a cooking instructor, I must say that the most requested recipe for my fish class is the seared sesame-crusted tuna, from The Healthy Hedonist. Congratulations to Myra Kornfeld for assembling such a great book of healthful, delicious, and interesting recipes. We're looking forward to your next book! (By the way, I also use many, many recipes from The Voluptuous Vegan, by Myra Kornfeld, and recommend that you check out that book, as well!)
The Healthy Hedonist is delicious for vegans or non-vegans, alike!.......2007-03-09
No longer will I need to put my poor Vegan friends through an evening of dull side dishes that I formerly used to merely accompany my beef or poultry entree! The recipes in this book are varied in their difficulty or ease, and offer so many delicious options for ingredients to make them pop in flavor and presentation! I have become such a fan, I find myself eating 'vegan meals' without even thinking about the chicken or fish or beef I use to have to have, to call it a 'meal.' There are so many reasons to give this book a try if you were once a die-hard 'meat and potatoes' person: you want more tantalizing, flavorful side dishes, you have dietary restrictions, you have vegan friends. Any of these reasons are good enough to start your journey, but you may find yourself appropriating more and more of these dishes as your entrees! (The only thing that kept me from rating it 5 Stars were the absence of pictures.)
Not just for foodie vegetarians! A must-have for the home cook..........2007-03-01
This cookbook has become my staple in the kitchen! Just enough meat and fish to keep me interested (I love the term "flexitarian"; it really applies to the way I live), and the focus on fresh ingredients without denying the inner hedonist (judicious use of fats when called for, etc.) has pleased everyone I cook for. As to the pizza dough recipe, it really does work in 45 seconds! I had a "make-your-own pizza" party for my last birthday using the recipes from this book, pizza for 35 people, and they were as delicious as the dough was easy. And I now keep a stock of Kornfeld's frozen wonton raviolis in my freezer of all different fillings for last minute dinner parties. And her chocolate mousse using coconut milk is worth the price alone!
A little disappointing.......2007-02-26
I bought the voluptuous vegan and I love it. I have no problem with the recipes being time-consuming. I am not a vegan, but I wanted to learn more about cutting out certain products from the everday diet. When I saw that this book was available, I figured it'd be even better since it would have healthy recipes for the omnivore. Well, a lot of the recipes are healthy, but a whole lot of them aren't. The desserts are the most obvious place I can point to. I do agree with the author about how key it is to concern ourselves with natural foods, but that still doesn't mean that we can then afford to consume such high quantities of indulgent desserts.
Also, I think she paid attention to people who complained that TVV was complicated, because she includes recipes for pizza dough made in a food processor, which I don't find realistic since pizza dough should be kneaded so as to develop proper gluten. Then there are the wonton ravioli; yes, they sound delicious and are very convenietn, but are by no means healthy.
I'm still giving it 4 stars based on it just containing delicious recipes and some of the most creative dishes I've seen in any of the cookbooks I have.
Book Description
Every dog lover who picks up this handsome and informative book will want to take it home. It's an attractively laid-out illustrated encyclopedia that covers 140 canine breeds. They are presented alphabetically, with full-color photos, capsule descriptions, and sidebar charts that list physical traits and general excercise and space needs. A few of the breeds shown and described are relatively unknown in North America, but common to Europe, with potential for great popularity in America in the near future. This book will prove to be a favorite among dog owners and breeders, as well as non-experts who plan to purchase a dog. More than 150 full-color photos in all.
Customer Reviews:
Great specific information.......2007-08-16
This is the best dog breed book I have ever read in that it gives specific information about each breed. Most breed books on Weimaraners say they need a lot of exercise. What does this mean? This book is very specific and says that a Weimaraner needs a 2 1/2 hr walk per day. This is so true. Also, even though Weimaraners are wonderful, wonderful dogs, I have had to pay a trainer to help me tone down my dog's aggression. This book says that hiring a trainer may be necessary. I have never seen this information in any other sourcebook, even though I have searched for it raising my Weimey dog. If you've got an acre of land, and want a brilliant, beautiful, elegant, athletic, nonshedding, protective dog, you can't beat a Weimaraner. Or if you get up at dawn in the city and run for an hour, you couldn't find a better dog. Otherwise, think twice.
More research needed ..........2003-12-29
Pretty book, but sadly coloured by personal beliefs which are out of place here, and badly researched in at least one area - the one I always turn to first: my favourite breed.
There is gross misrepresentation in the Greyhound section, which would put many people off owning one of these lovely dogs. Having kept greyhounds for ten years, I can tell you these dogs are NOT long distance runners - they're bred for sprinting. Running beside a bike/horse would be quite inappropriate for most greyhounds, particularly ex-racers who may have old racing injuries. They are sensitive to both heat and cold, too, which may cause further distress on long runs. My dogs get a long walk of between one and one-and-a-half miles a day plus a short 15 minute lead walk and they are pretty tired after that. Most greyhound rescues/adoption agencies recommend two twenty minute walks a day.
Also, it is misleading to say their coat requires no attention. All dog coats require attention and the greyhound is no exception. And far from being unsuitable for city living, the greyhound is one large breed that can be a good apartment dog because of its 'couch potato' character.
To find such inaccuracy in one section rather puts me off using this book as a reliable guide in other areas.
PRETTY PICTURES-- HORRIBLE MISINFORMATION.......2003-03-03
I have worked for many years in greyhound rescue so I naturally turned to the greyhound entry of this book first. I was absolutely struck dumb to find the book claiming that retired racers need frequent 13 MILE runs next to a horse or bike! This is total insanity. In truth, there is not a racer alive who is able or who desires to walk more than 1 or 2 miles a couple of times a week at most. These guys are SPRINTERS NOT MARATHONERS. Where on earth did the authors get this information? A quick check into any greyhound book or a call to any adoption agency would have set them straight instantly regarding greyhounds' very low exercise requirements-- they are truly couch potatoes. What is most upsetting is that these "facts" could scare off potential adopters. If the rest of the entires are as accurate as this one then this entire book is worse than useless.
VERY COLORFUL PICS.......2002-12-07
The pictures are nice, and the quality of the dogs presented there is great, AND THERE IS MY FAVORITE BREED IN IT!!! If you read my other reviews, you know what my favorite breed is... COCKER SPANIEL!!! Cockers are great, and it's true a million times the stuff written about them there. And I also find other breeds interesting. But there are some important breeds missing, like, the Sussex Spaniel, Brittany, Welsh Springer Spaniel, American Water Spaniel, and Tibetan Mastiff. But it's still great.
Excellent Dog Book, Though Incomplete for U.S. Readers.......2002-12-07
Very useful book for learning about the personality traits of different dogs. Includes easy to use tables showing grooming needs, exercise requirements, and suitability for apartment life. Also notes whether the breed is suitable for first time owners or is better for experienced owners.
Prospective buyers should be aware that the book is a translation of a text originally published in Germany. Many of the breeds profiled are German breeds, presumably popular in their country of origin, but little known in the U.S. (And because so many German breeds are covered, many AKC breeds are omitted.)
Book Description
For the conservator this book is an invaluable tool when examining the options available for treatment of lacquer. Not only does it cover the technology and methods of treatment for both types of lacquer, but it assesses current practices enabling the conservator to make more informed decisions.
Controversial issues are also debated, such as whether Asian lacquer should be restored in the Asian manner, using non-reversible materials, or using western methods that are theoretically reversible. As the book describes production technology and decorative techniques it will also be a useful aid for both art historians and collectors alike in identifying and dating lacquerware.
For the conservator this book is an invaluable tool when examining the options available for treatment. Not only does it cover the technology and methods of treatment for both types of lacquer, but it assesses current practices enabling the conservator to make more informed decisions. Controversial issues are discussed such as whether Asian lacquer should be restored in the Asian manner, using non-reversible materials, or using western methods that are theoretically reversible. As the book describes production technology and decorative techniques it will also prove to be a useful aid for both art historians and collectors alike in identifying and dating lacquerware.
Lacquer has long been misunderstood, particularly because the word itself has been used to characterize many different materials. For centuries the term has been used to refer to the Asian and the European materials. At present it is used to describe any glossy coating, from cellulose nitrate to modern plastic finishes.
* Assesses current practices, enabling conservators to make informed decisions
* Includes new information on appearance of stress cracking and effect of light degradation
* Covers both Asian and European lacquer for a comprehensive overview
Book Description
It's easy to transform family treasures into wonderful, memory-filled gifts and home accessories. More than 30 projects show splendid ideas for turning ordinary objects -- children's artwork, grandmothers' buttons, family photographs, and antique linens -- into contemporary keepsakes. This guide also teaches collectors and crafters how to build 13 special boxes to store favored mementos, such as cherished postcards, letters, jewelry, photographs, and more. Over 250 photographs and illustrations are included.
Customer Reviews:
What a scam! Don't waste your money!.......2006-01-11
Every stinking project is copied word for word from her Treasures Forever book - but it doesn't acknowledge being merely excerpts, just as Memory Keepsakes doesn't acknowledge blindly copying all the projects. Amazon is selling this garbage for $22, and it is merely a partial copy. What a scam! (I don't mean Amazon; I mean the author and publisher, since it is very dishonest and unethical to sell them as separate books without acknowledging that everything in Treasures Forever is repeated word for word and picture for picture in Memory Keepsakes
Fantastic artistic craft book.......2004-03-16
This book is packed full of fantastic and fresh projects designed to incorporate your memories into pieces of useful and/or decorative art. While the projects are fantastic, I don't think all of them are for beginners. They are, however, extremely inspiring and beautifully made.
The book is very heavy on box-making (duplicate info in Barbara Mauriello's book "Making Memory Boxes"), but has many other diverse ideas for making neat keepsakes. This isn't your typical memory/scrapbooking book -- not only is it full of new ideas, but it is heavy on the artistic, which makes it a welcome crafty read.
Average customer rating:
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Where the Heart Is: A Celebration of Home
Julienne Bennett
Manufacturer: Wildcat Canyon Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Interior Design
| Architecture
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| Home & Garden
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ASIN: 1885171005 |
Amazon.com
Like pentimento, when time begins to reveal an old painting that's been covered by a new one, Where the Heart Is rubs away at our surface notions of home, until we begin to see the more interesting vision beneath. Writing from his death row cell in San Quentin, Jarvis Masters describes his battle with filth and cockroaches as he determinedly makes a concrete box a sanctuary. A housecleaner reveals the gossip that only a home's mess can tell. Ram Dass tells his secret for making a Holiday Inn a home. These poems, essays, and rituals speak to home as a state-of-mind that we can build and return to throughout our lives.
Book Description
The 50th anniversary of the long entanglement between the United States and NATO is an appropriate occasion to reflect. One of the few NATO studies to concentrate on the history of the alliance, particularly the relationship between its senior partner and its European allies, this study examines critical issues in depth, to uncover the ability of the allies to surmount their internal divisions and to confront their Soviet adversary. While NATO archives are still not fully open, the use of declassified documents from the National Archives and the presidential libraries are of invaluable assistance in considering the historical role of America in the alliance, and the continuing relevance of the organization in U.S. foreign policy. The 12 chapters of this book, provide analyses of important issues in the organization's history, and are connected by brief contexual narratives. The resulting picture depicts a 50-year history in which the difficulties in arriving at a consensus among the 15 allies, each understandably concerned with its own national interests, rival those of the alliance in dealing with the Communist threat. The implosion of the Soviet empire in the early 1990s left the organization in search of new reasons for its own existence. While centrifugal forces are arguably greater today than they were during the Cold War, none of the allies seek to terminate this long entanglement.
Average customer rating:
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A History of NATO--The First Fifty Years: Three-Volume Set
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Strategy
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ASIN: 033396277X |
Book Description
A History of NATO--The First Fifty Years is the first comprehensive study of the institution's activities and development over the past five decades. Written by a team of international scholars, it analyzes the factors which have made NATO the most successful politico-military alliance in history. It also addresses the perennial problems of transatlantic relationships and the problems that the Alliance grapples with today. A wide-ranging and masterful survey, this book will be an indispensable reference work and an accessible guide for students. The three volumes contain the work of over 60 contributors including articles from Lawrence S. Kaplan, Michael J. Brenner, Christopher Coker, John English, J. L. Granatstein, Bruce Kuniholm, Olav Riste, Kori Schaker, Klaus Schwabe, and Rolf Tamnes.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Canadian Journal of History, published by University of Saskatchewan on August 1, 2000. The length of the article is 1710 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: The Long Entanglement: NATO's First Fifty Years.(Review) (book review)
Author: Francine McKenzie
Publication:
Canadian Journal of History (Refereed)
Date: August 1, 2000
Publisher: University of Saskatchewan
Volume: 35
Issue: 2
Page: 357
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
The first volume of Louis R. Harlan's biography of Booker T. Washington was published to wide acclaim and won the 1973 Bancroft Prize. This, the second volume, completes one of the most significant biographies of this generation. Booker T. Washington was the most powerful black American of his time, and here he is captured at his zenith. Harlan reveals Washington's complex personality--in sharp contrast to his public demeanor, he was a ruthless power borker whose nod or frown could determine the careers of blacks in politics, education, and business. Harlan chronicles the challenge Washington faced from W.E.B. Du Bois and other blacks, and shows how growing opposition forced him to change his methods of leadership just before his death in 1915. Also available: Volume 1, $10.95k, 501915-6, 394 pp., plates
Customer Reviews:
deliverer with human traits.......2004-01-26
_I think you will make a mistake if you will let your mind dwell too much upon American prejudice, or any other racial prejudice. The thing is for one to get above such things. If one gets in the habit of continually thinking and talking about race prejudice, he soon gets gets to the point where he is fit for little that is worth doing. In the northern part of the United States, there are a number of colored people who make their lives miserable, because all their talk is about race prejudice_ Booker T. Washington in a letter to his daughter Portia then living and studying in Europe.(117)
I am greatly impressed with this text, BOOKER T. WASINGTON, The Wizard of Tuskegee, 1901-1915. Professor Louis R. Harlan earned the 1984 Pulitzer Prize for History with this biography along with the Bancroft Prize and the Beveridge Award of the American Historical Association. The principle source is the Booker T Washington Papers in the Division of Manuscripts of the LIbrary of Congress, a rich, expanding collection of approximately a million letters, speeches, reports, newspaper clippings, and other documents. Professor Harlan is the editor of the published source that extends, currently, to 14 volumes. This material is available on-line in an Open-Book format at the site maintained by the University of Illinois Press (www.historycooperative.org/btw).
This book begins in 1901, when Booker T. Washington at the age of forty-five was approaching the zenith of his fame and influence, and ends with his death in 1915. It is a biographical study in the sense that its focus is on the complex, enigmatic figure of Washington, the most powerful black minority-group boss of his time. It also recounts the inner life and struggles of the small black middle class in that generation once removed from slavery, as a coterie of college-bred black men and women challenged Washington's powerful coalition of northern, white philanthropists, southern white paternalists, black businessmen, and such members of the black professional class as he could attract to his side.
Washington's wizardry - his skill of maneuver and ability to make the most of bad circumstances - was his strong point as a leader. His greatest failing was his inability to reverse the hard times for blacks during what whites called the Progressive Era. The same era which the historian Rayford Whittingham Logan (1897-1981) called the nadir of Afro-American history. As Washington's influence declined in his last years, W.E.B DuBois, a strong critic of Washington, and the founders at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) sought relief through the court system.
It was this legal strategy of the NAACP in the 20th Century that culminated in the successful Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, and it is Washington's work-ethic, self-help, self-improvement and particularly, style of accomomdation that have been forgotten or discredited. This text helps us remember what Washington accomplished, however, more importantly, Professor Harlan's meticulous investigations reveal that the character of Washington is difficult to articulate succintly.
Washington's correspondence with the large donors to Tuskegee does not reveal a conspiracy, either large or small, to prepare Tuskegee's students to become wage-workers in the corporate structure. The typical donor sent his check rather than his advice.,...Washington's efforts at Tuskegee Institute were to train students to become independent small businessmen, farmers, and teachers rather than wage-earners or servants of white employers. At the same time, it is clear that Washington flattered and cajoled the very rich and never challenged the appropriateness of their status at the peak of the American success pyramid.
Tuskegee became a mecca for not only Africans but West Indians and Asians. As his writings were translated into many foreign languages, he became the most famous black man in the world, and his fame drew foreigners to him like a magnet. All manner of men, American missionaries, European colonialists, Afican nationalists, Buddhist reformers, and Japanese modernizers sought to enlist his aid. On the one hand were whites who sought to aid in introducing plantation agriculture into colonial areas. On the other hand Africans and Asians hoped to find in Tuskegee industrial education and Washington's philosophy of self-help a source of strength to resist the political and cultural impreialism of the Europeans. Washington sought to accomodate all of these contradictory propositions.
While intrepid research has uncovered new material that lends fresh insight, rather than illuminating Washington for compassion to his motives, the added light only casts more shadows. Utterly at variance with the Sunday-school morality he publicly professed, there was also a more feral, more power-hungry Washington, inordinately involved in politics, and particularly the poitics of patronage. Few people, even those affected, such as W.E.B DuBois and Mary White Ovington, knew the extent to which Washington refused to meet our preconceived notions of how a great leader should behave.
Inexplicable human fraility, aside, as a guide for the black community, Washington had a concrete program of industrial education and the promotion of small business as the avenue of black advancement "up from slavery" and into the middle class. This program may have been anachronistic preparation for the age of mass production, urbanization, and corporate gigantism then coming into being; but it had considerable social realism for a black population which was, until long after Washington's death, predominantly rural and southern. It gave purpose and dignity to black working-class lives of toil and struggle, and also was well attuned to the growth and changing character of black business in Washington's day. He championed the emerging black business class as the leaders of black communities, and they in turn, through the National Negro Business League, became the backbone of Washington's following.
Washington's followers found hope in his message that fortified them in hopeless situations. During his time, he was exalted as a type of Moses who would lead his people to the promised land as welcome participants in the mainstream of society. For many in the US and around the world, his teachings were a type of deliverance from their oppressive circumstances. Moses had quite a few faults, as all deliverers do, and one of these faults prevented him from entering the promised land of Canaan. Even with all of his great abilities to accommodate the ruling class majority, his ability to conquer overwhelming obstacles, Booker T. Washington's inability to accomodate the strategies of the NAACP, who were themselves uncompromising, weakened his effectiveness.
After reading this remarkable text, I see Booker T. Washington as a man with great accomplishments and failings perhaps as great. Even with his shortcomings, he was exceptional as he provided his followers hope and lifted their spirit. Professor Harlan has brought to life a man of enormous complexity, who will never be completely understood or known which makes Booker T. Washington much like the people of which I claim familiarity.
PEACE
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