Everyman's Rules for Scientific Living: A Novel

Average customer rating:

About life and Nature and how we can ruin both

Brilliant Debut novel

Stunning analysis of contemporary follies

A story which says nothing

Everyman's Rules for Scientific Living: A Novel
Carrie Tiffany
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Secret River

Special Topics in Calamity Physics

Theft Theft

The Accidental

The Night Watch

ASIN: 0743286375

Book Description

In this sensual, witty, and startlingly original first novel, Jean Finnegan searches for her place in a tumultuous world wracked by the Great Depression and the beginning of World War II. Carrie Tiffany captures the frailty and beauty of the human condition and vividly evokes the hope and disappointment of an era.

Billowing dust and information, the government "Better Farming Train" slides through the wheat fields and small towns of Australia, bringing advice to the people living on the land. The train is staffed by irresistibly eccentric agricultural and domestic experts, from Sister Crock, the prim head of "women's subjects," to Mr. Ohno, the Japanese chicken specialist, to Robert Pettergree, a scientist with an unusual taste for soil. Amid the swaying cars full of cows, pigs, and wheat, a strange and swift seduction occurs between Robert and Jean. In an atmosphere of heady scientific idealism they settle in the impoverished Mallee farmland with the ambition of transforming the land through science.

In luminous prose, Tiffany writes about the challenges of farming, the character of small towns, the stark and terrifying beauty of the Australian landscape, and the fragile relationships among man, science, and nature. Everyman's Rules for Scientific Living is a passionate and heartbreaking novel from an astonishing new writer.

Customer Reviews:

About life and Nature and how we can ruin both.......2006-11-04

This is a wonderful book. Beautifully written, with an interesting plot and complex characters.

I was moved by the story of Jean and Robert's, at times, difficult life and fascinated by the subtle parallel story of how science and progress have their limits. It's always easier to follow rules (be they scientific, religious, cultural...) - living life is more complex than any rules can predict, as Jean and Robert find out.

It was refreshing to read a book that's not melodramatic, not overwritten, not drowning in adjectives or unncessary details, and that doesn't need to hammer in every metaphor or symbol.

Brilliant Debut novel.......2006-08-08

One would think a story revolving around soil and agriculture and high ideas about better farming methods would be incredibly dull. One wonders also how this book could gather such widespread acclaim. I was more than pleasantly surprised however, when I ventured into an Australia that I have never known amid wheat, phosphates, cattle and mice plagues and read about love, despair, friendship and the inability of man to control the harsh landscape he loves.

Narrated by a seamstress Jean we meet the characters of `The Better Farming Train'. The Government has put together a group of experts on everything from cattle to looking after babies in a propaganda exercise to encourage people in small towns to work harder to produce better crops, cattle and healthy members of the population. We may have grown as a nation on the sheep's back but the train had experts on almost everything relevant to farm life including a charming Japanese chicken sexer.

Jean soon leaves the train behind though after she falls for the quiet, unassuming and idealistic scientist, Robert whose expertise lies in soil. His religion is science and he honestly preaches the use of super phosphates to improve crop yield so significantly that not using it would be tantamount to sin. He buys a farm and uses his scientific rules to enhance his crops and convinces other farmers in the Mallee area to do the same. With no farming experience we see the scientist fight against the elements he has never dealt with or considered; a fight which he can only lose.

Jean's commentary is heartbreaking as she talks about her dedication to her husband; a desperate effort to gain his love through pleasing him by helping with his experiments as well as patiently putting up with wheat husks covering the kitchen table.

The relationship is as important to the story as the fight between science and nature. As Robert desperately fights against drought and mice plagues, Jean fights against his and her emotional isolation from each other. They both watch in dismay and shame as year by year the wheat yield becomes less and less and so the relationship, based purely on a physical bond deteriorates as well.

Tiffany brings alive the heat, dirt and isolation that is the Australian bush. It may be the 1930's but the characters fight against what still faces our farmers; drought, plagues and isolation. Throw in the depression and war and it is hard to see how anyone survived in this unforgiving environment.

You do not have to appreciate science or be interested in agriculture to enjoy this book. Tiffany weaves a fabulous tale based on one person's desire to belong.

Tiffany deserves her many nominations, including being short listed for The Miles Franklin Award, for this, her debut novel. I am looking forward to more from this brilliant agricultural journalist become novelist.

Stunning analysis of contemporary follies.......2006-07-04

Carrie Tiffany has written a stunning account of the folly of man's attempt to conquer nature. Well-deserving of its shortlisting for the Orange Prize and the Australian Miles Franklin Award, it is inspired by an actual 'better farming train' that travelled around Victoria in southeastern Australia during the early Depression years teaching farmers how to turn fallow soil green simply by adding phosphates; how to breed good cattle, sheep, goats, even how to make babies fat and happy by giving bottle-feeding them. Told from the point of view of the woman who falls in love with Robert on the train, the story is sensual, sometimes comic, and ultimately tragic. The book has a beautiful symmetry. A major new talent on the international literary scene

A story which says nothing.......2006-06-23

I have just finished this book and it has nothing to say. Descriptively it is good, but there is nothing said.... there is no depth to it. It is not a book that is "of use". It is a quaint story. Perhaps I am a book snob, but read even the first chapter of "The Tree of Man" by Patrick White, which is a truly magnificent book, written about a similar subject and it has more subtext, more depth and more importantly says something about the human condtion. This book does not. It is a good first novel, and descriptively it does well, but it misses the mark.

Customer Reviews:

Another Free Bards Tale.......2001-07-21

The novel is mislabeled as book three in the series. It is actually the fourth book, following "A Cast of Corbies" and making references back to that novel. It is also incorrectly titled (Nightingale should be singular). The Gypsy Free Bard Nightingale is sent from Kingsford to Lyonarie to carry out an investigation of the problems in the kingdom. Hasperus and T'fyrr (from book one, "The Lark and the Wren") are reintroduced. The story switches back and forth between T'fyrr and Nightingale, and eventually brings them together. The love affair between them is well written without being pornographic. Nightingale assumes a dual personality that takes her into both the lower servants' kitchen and the king's private apartment at the palace. She and T'fyrr become involved in court intrigue that places their lives in danger, but they have an assortment of allies. Events reach a climax as the main villain is exposed, but the novel somehow seems to lack an afterword. T'fyrr reappears in "Four and Twenty Blackbirds," but Nightingale seems to fade away after this novel. Some reviewers have placed the following book, "Four and Twenty Blackbirds," in the Free Bard series. While it uses some of the same characters and settings, that book is really not about the Free Bards.

just read it :).......2001-05-10

music, adventure, interspecies romance, politics ... this is it in a nutshell

what I liked most about this book is especially the politics and the understanding Lackey shows that I thought was rather lacking in Valdemar books

the romance is also quite nicely developed, and all the ingredients - an element of danger, soulmates, friends finding love unexpectedly, and interspecies complications as spice :) great read all the way through

Bardic pleasures avian songs.......1999-12-18

Mercedes Lackey continues to develop her parallel universe that she first discribed in The Lark and the Wren. As friction and increasing tensions grow between non-human and humans in the land of Twenty Kingdoms, Nightengale, a gypsy bard, is asked to travel to the court of the High King. She combines forces with T'fyrr a avian of the raptor species. Their task; to find why the High King's abilities are diminishing. Lackey developes a beleivable universe populated with swash buckling adventure with a dash of romance. Reccomended for adolescent readers and adults.

The best of the Bardic Voices.......1999-11-07

Of the five novels in the Bardic Voices series, this is definitly the best (with Four & Twenty Blackbirds being the worst). I would highly recommend this entire series except for the last book. I'm sorry that Mercedes Lackey has stopped writing this series. I truly enjoyed it.

Good Start, Fair Middle, and then Weirdness.......1999-06-03

I was and am turned off by Ms. Lackey's use of unusual and outre' sexual mores. This is especially not appropriate in an author whose early reputation was founded in fiction oriented towards juveniles. Its just too tacky. "Other than that Mrs. Lincoln the play was OK."

Product Description

"CONTENTS: 1. Falling Stars (page 1), 2. The Little Man (page 15), 3. The Astral Rovlry Disk (page 21), 4. Secret Power Z-Lost (page 34), 5. The Search (page 48), 6. The Blue Light (page 59), 7. The Space Ship Earthbound (page 68), 8. The Boy Scout Jamboree (page 76), 9. The Strange Storm (page 88), 10. Message From Martinea (page 103)." [from book]

Average customer rating:

Great Books!
Good fun for kids of all ages - A window into another era
I'll echo the call
Pure Imagination
Wow! This book is EXCELLENT!

The Space Ship Under the Apple Tree
Louis Slobodkin
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0689717415

Customer Reviews:

Great Books!.......2007-06-03

I discovered these books when I was in Elementary School. I loved spending the afternoon reading about the adventures that these two had. I am happy to see that these books are now once again available.

Good fun for kids of all ages - A window into another era .......2006-03-06

In the 1950's, I "discovered" the books in this series at my grammar school library by accident (sorry, no wonderful teacher story here.). A miracle they had a cool book like this since we had so few books in there. The title, pictures and the easy to read prose hooked me. So much so that I read it several times and even found the second book in the series - "The Space Ship Returns..." and read that a couple of times too.

As I grew older, I would tell people about these books - asking them to keep an eye out for me at used book sales. I even searched the Web and eventually found the entire series from a used book seller. I plan on sharing these books with the little ones in my family. And I hope twenty, thirty, forty or as in my case, fifty years from now, they will do the same.

I hope they get reprinted so more people can enjoy these fun books.

I'll echo the call.......2006-02-01

I loved these books as a kid, and as a 40+ year old adult would love to get a new copy. Please reprint these books!!!

Pure Imagination.......2005-09-19

Louis Slobodkin is well known as an illustrator of children's books. He is less known as the author of this 1952 sci-fi masterpiece, the first in a series for ages 9-12, and once a staple in every library worth its salt. It's the gentle, wonder-full story of Eddie, a boy scout who spends summers on his grandma's farm, and his encounter with Marty from Martinea. The two become fast friends and travel the world in Marty's spaceship, disguised as a little green car and powered by secret power ZZZ. Exciting and easy to read, and drenched with Slobodkin's beguiling illustrations, here's a series kids will love to discover.

So why is it out of print? My copy is stamped "DISCARDED," which tells the sad tale of the days when imaginative books were cycled out of libraries in favor of "educational" ones. This was the first book in the series, others being "The Space Ship Returns to the Apple Tree," "Three- Seated Space Ship," "Round Trip Space Ship," "The Space Ship in the Park," and "The Space Ship Returns to the Apple Tree." The first three books were also reprinted as paperbacks and offered as a boxed set as The Amazing Space Ship Adventures Boxed Set in 1981. Until imagination again gets the upper hand and these books are reprinted, find them used at Amazon and discover Eddie's wonderful world.

Wow! This book is EXCELLENT!.......2002-02-27

This is the book that started my love of reading. It is about a space alien named Marty that crash landed on Earth and lost the secret power Z. With the help of his new Earth friend Eddie the search begins. Their funny adventures made it hard to put the book down. I even turned my light back on one night after I was supposed to be sleeping so I could keep reading. I have the first two books in the series and definately want to read the rest.

Average customer rating:

The Space Ship Under the Apple Tree
Louis Slobodkin
Manufacturer: Science Research Assoc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TWVCRY

Average customer rating:

The Space Ship Under the Apple Tree

Manufacturer: Macmillan Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GUTA7I

Average customer rating:

The Space Ship Under the Apple Tree

Manufacturer: Collier Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0020450001

Average customer rating:

The Space Ship Under the Apple Tree
Louis Slobodkin
Manufacturer: The Macmillan Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O00HO0

Average customer rating:

The Space Ship Under the Apple Tree

Manufacturer: Collier Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HUQ2I2

Average customer rating:

The Space Ship Under the Apple Tree
Louis Slobodkin
Manufacturer: Macmillan Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8Z8GY

Average customer rating:

pretty good book

Dressing and Cooking Wild Game

Gift for my husband

One of the best!

deer on the living room table

Dressing & Cooking Wild Game: From Field to Table: Big Game, Small Game, Upland Birds & Waterfowl (The Complete Hunter)
Creative Publishing international
Manufacturer: Creative Publishing international
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Game | Meat, Poultry & Seafood | Cooking by Ingredient | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Meats | Meat, Poultry & Seafood | Cooking by Ingredient | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Reference | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Other Hunting Equipment | Hunting | Categories | Sports & Outdoors
Similar Items:

Preparing Fish & Wild Game: The Complete Photo Guide to Cleaning and Cookikng Your Wild Harvest

Kill It & Grill It: A Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish

Field Dressing and Butchering Upland Birds, Waterfowl, and Wild Turkeys

The L.L. Bean Game and Fish Cookbook

Field Dressing and Butchering Deer: Step-by-Step Instructions, from Field to Table

Product Features:

Note:Image may not fully represent product.

ASIN: 086573108X

Product Description

The most complete step-by-step field-dressing, quartering and skinning information published in one book. Includes preparing game for the freezer. Hardcover, 8-1/2" X 11", 160 pages, 200+photos.

Customer Reviews:

pretty good book.......2007-05-04

it covers a wide varity og game and has some interesting ideas

Dressing and Cooking Wild Game.......2007-02-19

The book contains excellent photography making it most helpful; the problem I found with it however was the example shown for field dressing the deer. In my opinion opening the carcass from chin all the way through the crotch area is absolutely wrong. A much better way is discussed in the book entitled, "Butchering Deer" by John Weiss.
Dressing and cooking wild game is an excellent book in all other aspects and would have rated five stars if this area was correct.

Gift for my husband.......2007-01-16

This book has realy been a great help for my husband. It gives him a quicker technic for cutting wild game meat. The book was received in great shape. Thank you very much.

One of the best!.......2005-09-30

One of the most comprehensive books I've ever owned on the subject. This book covers everything from how to sharpen a knife to skinning and butchering deer, rabbit, squirrel, pheasant, quail, and coon. There are also several recipes in the back for each of these animals. Good pics, good information, good book.

deer on the living room table.......2001-07-22

When I came home there was a dead deer on my living room table (yes I was shocked because it didn't belong there) and my husband was looking at it holding a knife. He didn't look so sure what to do. I got this book from the library which explains in very detailed pictures how to "disect" the animal. It worked so great I bought him the book for xmas and we have used it several times for deer, turkey and the great recipes.

Book Description

CHRISTMAS IS GOOD! Is an irresistible stocking stuffer full of furry tidbits to maximize yuletide fun â€" including caroling with cats (if necessary!), baking tasty sausage-peanut butter Christmas biscuits, and making yourself fluffier for all the holiday parties.

Trixie has plenty of advice for sniffing out the true spirit of Christmas, keeping the holidays stress free, and finding the perfect gift â€" you can never go wrong with hot dogs!

Customer Reviews:

made us all laugh.......2007-10-10

Got this book today and loved it. Was reading it over breakfast to my husband and my Mum. We were all laughing - the perfect was to start a way! Think I'll be getting more to give as presents.

GREAT!!!!! .......2007-04-12

Bought this a couple years ago as a Christmas gift for my father, although I must have read through it myself 20 times. We have a Golden also. This book is exceptionally funny as well as touches on the true meaning of the Christmas holiday. A great "stocking stuffer" for everyone!

Cute, but not a lot of substance.......2007-03-26

This is a Christmas book written by editor Dean Koontz' dog Trixie. Cute, is about the best word to use here with this book. It's a children's book focusing on how a dog perceives Christmas. Some of it's funny, and being a dog lover I could relate. But really, there is not a lot of substance to this book. Koontz has done much better children's books.

You gotta love this dog.......2007-02-22

This book is cute, funny, and so "goldenish", I could swear my own dog (a Golden) wrote it. Trixie is a goddess!

A Christmas treat.......2007-01-10

As the mom of two Golden Retrievers I am biased in favor of Trixie. I received this book as a gift at the same time that I found that my cat of 13 years had terminal cancer. The warm, sweet tone of this book was a great comfort to me; I kept it at my desk and read it when I needed a distraction. I also gave five copies of this book as Christmas gifts, with great feedback.

This book is about Christmas, and does have some Christian overtones, such as a couple of specific mentions of Jesus, which might make it inappropriate for some. With that single caveat, very highly recommended.

Book Description

Since 1978 when Cabbage Patch Kids*r dolls were "born," children have cuddled them and added new members of the clan into their hearts. This book presents the many varieties in 60 specialty lines made by three major U.S. toy companies (Coleco, Hasbro, Mattel) and many foreign companies (including Jesmar, Tsukuda, Tri-Ang Pedigree, Lili Ledy) in the 1980s. Over 750 color photos with descriptions and pricing information make this the most useful book for identifying Cabbage Patch Kids dolls.

Customer Reviews:

Crazed Cabbie Collector!!.......2004-08-29

Although I did enjoy reading the facts about the kids, their orgin, rarities, head mold facts.....and so on.....This book ONLY focused on MIB kids. Even though there are great photos (hundreds of them), several are duplicates and the author consentrated mostly on the beloved #4 head mold. ALOT of the kids talked about were mentioned as *hard to find* and *extreamly hard to find* MIB. I do not believe all head molds and eye/hair color combonations were pictured. I also believe that what one collector views as mint another may not agree upon. For instance, some kids are redressed and out of the box...is that still considered mint in the box?

The first 14 pages are very brief paragraphs of the different headmolds, clothing, eyes and hair colors, boxes and so on. No price guide on any clothing with the exception of animal sleepers, terry sleepers and rompers.

I feel as though in my opinion only, that a Collectors guide for Cabbage Patch kids has alot of potential if more information was given and less of identical photos. This book just didn't give ME the info. that I was so hoping it had.

With that said, this book is a definate read for any collector, but quite pricey.

Wonderful Reference.......2004-06-27

My second wife (a shrew of a woman if ever there were one) blessed me with three little kippers--and each bore a strong resemblence to a cabbage patch kid (Note: the woman had the largest cranium I've seen prior to Shreck). This encyclopedia was invaluable during the difficult child-naming process and has been a nostalgic reference these passing years since the harlot took the kids (and the pudgy judge-awarded palimony) to Kansas in order to follow some religious kook and raise the bigheads in an "upright" environment. I miss them occasionally, and when I do, I shed my tears with this fine book by my side. Thank you Schiffer Design Books.

It is the complete thing.......2004-05-22

This book gives the complete picture of cabbage patch kid collecting. I haven't seen a more overall picture of the dolls anywhere. It is a fantastic guide not only for the new collector, but also for the expert. Thank you.

Tops.......2001-05-09

The cabage patch kids are one of the best books i have read!!. It is easy to read and is full of drame and really keeps you on the endge of your seat the whole time while you are reading it. I cant wait to read it again!!

Not Your Teacher's Encyclopedia.......2000-04-20

This was an awesome book! As an avid collector of Cabbage Patch Kids, it is nice to know that there is some value to my collection. Further, this provided many of my friends and acquaintances with eager cries of "Mine looked like this one!" The research that when into this book is obvious. As one skims over the glossy pages of pictures, they find themselves stopping to read the stories behind the value of "kids." I enjoyed this book thoroughly and often stay up late rereading it.

Average customer rating:

Books by Wendy Simpson

Disappointed and Sad

Beading on Fabric: Techniques for Beadlovers (Conner, Wendy Simpson. Beading Book Series.)
Wendy Simpson Conner
Manufacturer: Interstellar Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Beadwork | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Decorating | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Sewing | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Embeadery

Beading on Fabric: Encyclopedia of Bead Stitch Techniques

Beading Basics: 30 Embellishing Techniques for Quilters

Beaded Embellishment: Techniques & Designs for Embroidering on Cloth (Beadwork How-To series)

Off The Beadin' Path: Discovering Your Own Creative Trail of Bead Embellishment (2nd Edition)

ASIN: 0964595788

Customer Reviews:

Books by Wendy Simpson.......2007-06-02

I have not found ONE book by this author to be of any value. They are all small, short and very simple books a kid could have written. If she can get a bead book published, then ANYONE can.

Disappointed and Sad.......2000-07-26

The book is small plus has a total of 52 pages (includes index). The projects that are pictured are not well done - look like they were done by a beginner. Little to no actual instructions what few instructional pictures there are are doing in a very simple line drawing. Would not recommend this book.

Book Description

Who built the mysterious spiral staircase in the little chapel at Loretto Inn in Santa Fe, New Mexico? Was it a master craftsman or the work of good St. Joseph? Archbishop John B. Lamy had the chapel, patterned after the Sainte-Chapelle of Paris, built for the Sisters of Loretto and the young ladies of the academy. When the school close after more than a century of outstanding service, the site was sold. Old and new owners agreed that the chapel, and the famous staircase, must be preserved for its beauty and peace--and in the future.

Customer Reviews:

Barely About the Bear.......2002-07-19

Well, ja now sure, you betcha, in retrospect the depiction of Native Americans in the Hamm's Beer Commercials is not politically correct. (That "tom-tom" beat on the jingle - c'mon now - you can replay it in your mind:

BMP-bmp-bmp-bm- BMP-bmp-bmp-bm o/~ From the Land of Sky Blue Waters... o/~

was never used in any Native American music.) But darn it, we loved that Bear & his friends! (Not gouche like former ultra-liberal Jane Fonda who shouldda known better- doing the "Tomahawk Chop" at former hubby Ted's baseball team's games!)

So, anyway, back to the Beer (born 1865 in St. Paul, MN) & and the Bear (born 1953 in the Land of Sky Blue Waters.) Author Moira F. Harris says in the Introductions: "This book is not intended ... as a catalogue listing of every sales or advertising item created by and for the brewery not is it a history of the company or its successors. The Focus has been placed on the art of the advertising created for Hamm's Brewery."

That's what she says. But then she slowly ferments on about the Hamm family sold to Heublein sold to the Seven Dwarfs sold to Olympia sold to Pabst traded to Stroh's sold to Kalmanovitz and so on. Through it all, the Bear comes and goes. I was looking for more Bear Bio. I got more Business Administration text - How Not to Run a Brewery - which subject was much better done in Phillip Van Munching's Beer Blast: The Inside Story of the Brewing Industry's Bizarre battles for Your Money.)

When she actually does bear bio, it's worth the price (about a twelve-pack.) And some ads before the Bear are interesting. Here's an ad from the St. Paul Pioneer Press, April 2, 1889: "Two men are shown sitting on the ground in front of a wall. Both are drinking beer and the copy records their dialogue as follows:
1st workman: Hamm's beer is a refreshing drink and helps the stomach digest cold food.
2d workman: Right you are and when the wife is ailing she gets a heap of strength out of it - tonic the doctor calls it."

The glossy front cover of this paperback volume is gorgeous and brings back memories. I wish that there would have been more and better pictures within.

P.S. Happy 50th Birthday, Bear!

Customer Reviews:

Bogle writes from a white's perspective of Blacks!.......2002-07-15

Brown Sugar is the best title he has given to any of his books, the other titles for his books are bigoted and racist. The title is deceiving, he doesn't applaud Black females achievements much.

Here's a long but informative review.
Naturally since Bogle is the only one writing about early Black film stars people believe everything he says. He plays it safe by always talking about the same ole' stars that he talked about in his last books. Never does he introduce the public to unsung talents we never heard of. He spends most of the time talking about how mulatto, how light or how dark such and such is and how such and such couldn't do this or that because of this or that. When whites write on their stars they don't write about how blonde, how brunette or how red head someone was and how Irish or Italian one looked. Which proves how stuck on skin color Blacks really are! Why do Blacks feel they always have to spend time talking about race instead of giving these stars their recognition and due, forgetting how they look and telling of their life and versatile careers, who they really were, where they come from, making one reading feel like they knew the person all their lives, make one feel the happiness and sadness.
Bogle spends more time on what they didn't do then what they did do. Which is sad, the public is missing out on a lot. So again, do for yourself the research and don't' depend on others all the time.

Bogle loves talking about how white Fredi Washington looked instead of writing about her extensive, incredible career, she done more in her life then most of us could dream about it, she didn't let others prejudices hold her back. She was no tragic mulatto, another stupid name, minus well call Stepin Fetchit a tragic ni**er which he wasn't, he was the first black millionaire and no more of a stereotype then Black pimps, gangsters of today who are getting rich off of it like Step got rich off of his stereotype. Fredi will be the first to say she had a great life and career. She wasn't sad or confused but a strong black woman. Bogle is no better than a white writer who puts down a black but thinks its okay to coin a book Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies and Bucks because he's black, I'm sure if a white titled a book that we be yelling racism, don't Black talents deserve a better title?

Bogle also plays it safe by always talking about Lena Horne and Dorothy Dandridge, never telling the stories and never giving recognition to other black actresses like Nina Mae McKinney, Mildred Washington, Theresa Harris, Fredi Washington, Edna Mae Harris, Florence O'Brien, Louise Franklin, Daisy Bufford, Jeni LeGon Evelyn Preer, Suzette Harbin, Hilda Simms, Francine Everett, Shirley Haven and countless of others who had a chance to display their talents on the screen in Hollywood and helped fight discrimination and help in the enhancement and betterment of blacks on screen but he gives all the credit to Horne and Dandridge, who didn't do as much as others if you want to get down to the truth, but I'm glad he don't talk about them in a way because he'll butcher up their life stories, I'll give them their due though. Many aren't remembered because maybe they didn't do as much, who cares about who has done more, were suppose to be remembering them for accomplishments and talents, right? White film historians sure remember all their stars, little or big. Someone like Louise Brooks, considered a early Hollywood icon is highly regarded as a great actress despite she only had a few good films and wasnt a big movie star. The woman is more remembered for one good film and a bobbed hairstyle but white historians will make sure you know her, her achievements and what she DID DO for the film industry. Why can't Bogle be like that instead of criticizing everyone and judging them by white people's standards of what success and beauty is? I guess it's true that you gotta work twice as hard as whites to be someone in this world, whites can be remembered for little things, few successes, Blacks gotta have many successes to get rememberance and recognition even for other Blacks to remember them. Bogle is one of the few black film historians, you would think he would write more positively of blacks in Hollywood but he treats many worse then whites treated them when they were alive. Bogle never mentions Willie Covan and Marie Bryant (and appeared in movies also and was a good friend of Lena Horne's too) who choreograhed many white stars, they were behind the scenes but contributed to Hollywood. He suppose to be giving credit not taking away. Either Bogle is too lazy or likes to show favoritism because he sure won't tell other unsung talents stories. If he does he clutter it up with talking about their looks especially if he doesn't know how to write about them. Bogle knows nothing about the great career of Nina Mae McKinney, the first movie star of Hollywood and Europe, who done more films then any other black actress of her time, the first to appear on many magazines, she had so many achievements, yet he gives her one little page, if you don't know about a person, I rather you not write about them at all then to write lies. He never talks about the Black Cinema independent movie stars or the industry who was apart of American cinema, I guess their too hard for him to research, so he takes the easy path in writing about stars he already wrote about a million times. He never writes about Ethel Moses, Francine Everett, Dorothy Van Engle, Edna Mae Harris, Margaret Whitten, Tomiwitta Moore, Bee Freeman, Lorenzo Tucker, Monte Hawley, Ralph Cooper (created the first black studio in Hollywood), Oscar Micheaux, Spencer Williams and countless other black movie stars who appeared in films for blacks made by blacks in the 30's and 40's, I guess that's too mediocre for him but they done more for the enhancement of Blacks in movies by creating their own images, own roles, own portrayals, playing people from all walks of life unlike ones in Hollywood who were stuck playing the same types of roles and being the same images he always complaining about well I feel give due to ones who at least tried to do for themselves and become what they wanted but see they weren't cross-overs so their looked at as non-important by some which kind of dictated by whites who we should remembered and who's important. It's hard researching Black Cinema stars but boy it's worth it plus studying them, watching them perform gives you a good idea of who they were even if you can't find info on them. I still find the time to give them due and I'm no professional or anything but Bogle is a high class guy who only likes to write about Hollywood and his favorite gals Horne and Dandridge.

Ive done more research on unsung, forgotten stars then he has and it has been pleasurable teaching others on the net about blacks who contributed to stage and screen, stars who were just as important as Dandridge and Horne. I'm glad there are other people who are taking it upon themselves to tell the true stories of many unsung black legends and don't write in the same fashion as Bogle. Anyone who is hung up on skin color and don't want to think outside the box and like to hear the same stories then Bogle is for you but someone like me who researched many early black stars of stage and screen on my own and found out the real deal, found how they really were, found how they were really looked at, and found the true stories wouldn't appreciate Bogle's work much. I've talked with some legendary Blacks of the early years, some of their relatives also and they gave a completely different view then how Bogle describes them which shows he just goes by hearsay and documents and don't do accurate interviewing and researching.

I would think Bogle would spend more time on talking about the beauty of black women from dark to light and their wonderful achievements to the world. Black women are quite unique but instead Bogle tells the story of black women from white people's perspective it seems, he tells how black women were looked at from whites perspective not from a true black person's perspective that has pride for his race, maybe Bogle has a white person's way of thinking who is partial. Because I would commend these women, embrace and make the world embrace their beauty, courage, and talents; their many gifts to the world isn't as nearly written about as their skin tones are.
He loves spending time writing about how light, dark or mulatto someone looks. Again, he makes it seem like such and such suffered because she was mulatto, light or dark, come on man, if she had a tragic life it was her own fault if she suffered. He makes it seem like color and race was the problem for everything which is false, actually many of these women profited from the race sometimes and plus women in general face discrimination, no matter what race or color. Don't you think these women went through enough being judged by skin tone or looks, they wished in their life for being to judge their talent, at least give them that now, Bogle doesn't. Who isn't discriminated against in this world? Bogle makes it look like Black is a curse when these female performers change the world and introduce the world to their greatness and the greatness of the race. He loves talking about whether someone should of passed for white or not like when he's talking about the great Fredi Washington. He misses out on showcasing other great talents like Valaida Snow, Blanche Calloway, Una Mae Carlisle, Eunice Wilson, Adelaide Hall and others but that's okay because they have been written beautifully about by other writers. Well, many are dead so they cant stick up for themselves and Bogle takes advantage of that, he hasn't even interviewed or actually talked to ones who he writes about, he just goes by hearsay. Have your favorites but when you write a book, you can't show favoritism which he does all through which hurts others who has a story to tell but he only give honor to his faves. It seems no black can make him happy, he always has something to criticize. In his words every Black woman is a tragic, confused mulatto and every black man is a coon, or some other stereotype, he wouldn't say that to the young black guys or gals in entertainment today though, he takes advantage of the dead who can't stick up for themselves.

There is a website on unsung black talents of stage and screen, you all will enjoy.
http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/ninamaemckinney/

It must for all..........2001-04-28

I have had this book since I saw the PBS special several years ago. This is an outstanding book filled with wonderful beautiful pictures. Many of the stories are sad, because many black entertainers did not get their just "due" for all of the contributions they made. By reading this book, you can see what music and entertainment was, and what it really needs to be again! Great Book!

A wonderful treasury on Black American women!.......1999-10-25

I purchased this book during the mid-80's, in hardback. I still have the original edition. It remains one of my keepsakes along with my family photo album! Every black woman should have this book. Whenever you think you are having a hard time, this book shows each lady's up and down. The Black woman tries to distinguish herself and positively represent other Black Americans under the evil Hollywood eye of racism in the entertainment industry from the 1920's to present.

This book really enlightened me about early performers such as Ethel Waters, Lena Horne, Moms Mabley, Bessie Smith and many others. Thank you so much Donald Bogle for tackling a tough and inspiring subject with excellent journalism and research.

Average customer rating:
Brown Sugar; Eighty Years of America's Black Female Superstars
Donald BOGLE
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MYGP1M

Average customer rating:
Brown Sugar : Eighty Years of America's Black Female Superstars (Quality Paperbacks Ser.)
Donald Bogle
Manufacturer: Da Capo Press, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KX4GX4

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books