Voodoo River

Book Description

Hired to uncover the past of Jodi Taylor, an actress in a hit TV show, Elvis leaves his native Los Angeles to head for Louisiana in search of Jodi's biological parents.But before he can tackle the mystery of the actress's background, he is up against a whole host of eccentrics, including a crazed Raid-spraying housewife, a Cajun thug who looks like he's been made out of spare parts, and a menacing hundred-year-old river turtle named Luther.As Elvis learns about the enigmatic actress's origins, he also discovers the real reason he's been sent to Louisiana ...

Customer Reviews:

I Like Elvis.......2007-03-05

Voodoo River is an easy and relatively fast paced novel. Elvis Cole is hired by a television actress (who was adopted) to investigate her biological parents' health histories. (So she says). Elvis does get to the heart of the mystery. All the pieces comes together. Elvis meets his future love Lucy in this novel. Elvis is a kind , compassionate person. I was not bored. (A-).

Terrific.......2007-02-20

I love all the Elvis Cole books that Robert Crais has written. He is one great guy. Mystery is always in the mix and he solves them very well. I'd like to have read them in sequence, but didn't get that order until after I'd read about 5 of his books.

Love his books.

Elvis Cole at the top of his game.......2006-07-10

Robert Crais' Elvis Cole is everything you want in a private eye. He wisecracks, he wears his heart on his sleeve, and he can set-em-up and knock-em-down. Plus, there's always Joe Pike for when things get really nasty. Voodoo River is a sensational book, and Crais has never been better.

Oh Well, At Least I Learned What Boudin Is...........2006-04-16

Other than being introduced to that Cajun delicacy, this book was pretty much a waste of time. The plot started off okay but just kept getting weaker and weaker and then totally bombed at the end. The ending was just too contrived. The characters, mostly, didn't seem real. The romance seemed unrealistic. Even the setting -- not far from James Lee Burke bayou country -- lacked Burke's superior narration and authentic feel. Crais should have ceded Lousiana to Burke and stayed home in L.A. Crais' books seem to be very good or, well, not so good. Sadly, this one falls into the latter category. He's a much better writer than this.

Worst Elvis Cole Novel.......2005-10-28

As someone who enjoyed the first four Elvis Cole novels by Robert Crais, this one was a flat-out disappointment. The plot of the book is weak and stitched together; in the beginning, Elvis is hired to find the biological parents of a movie star who found out she was adopted. This takes up half the book, then the plot somehow switches to a rivalry between Cajun gangsters which seems to have nothing to do with the first storyline.

I found myself skimming large portions of this book, something I rarely ever do. The pace was like taking a very slow bus ride to a place that you don't even want to go in the first place. Crais spent a lot of time explaining Cajun cuisine as if no one in America had ever heard of it before. He also wasted many pages on a romance for Elvis Cole that in the end didn't go anywhere. His partner Joe Pike, normally one of the highlights of any Elvis Cole book, didn't even show up until two-thirds of the way into the book. The finale was predictably bland; if you've read one Elvis Cole book, you saw it coming from miles away.

All in all I would recommend skipping this one, even if you're reading the entire series. This was a painfully bad book from an otherwise talented writer.

Robert Crais CD Collection 3: Voodoo River, Sunset Express, Indigo Slam (Elvis Cole)

Average customer rating:

Robert Crais CD Collection 3: Voodoo River, Sunset Express, Indigo Slam (Elvis Cole)
Robert Crais
Manufacturer: Brilliance Audio on CD
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Mystery & Thrillers | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
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ASIN: 1423323203
Release Date: 2007-07-25

Book Description

Voodoo River: L.A. private eye Elvis Cole is hired by popular television star Jodie Taylor to delve into her past and identify the biological parents who gave her up for adoption thirty-six years before. But when Cole gets to Louisiana and begins his search, he finds out there's something much darker going on. Other people are also looking for Taylor's parents, and some are ending up dead.

Sunset Express: Elvis Cole, wisecracking private eye, finds himself embroiled in a controversial L.A. murder case. A wealthy WASP entrepreneur appears to have murdered his wife. A hot-shot defense attorney takes the case and hires Elvis to find proof that the L.A. detective - rumored to be dirty - fooled around with the evidence. But as Elvis investigates, he becomes more suspicious of the media-loving lawyer than the cops.

Indigo Slam: When a 15-year-old girl shows up to plead with Elvis to find her errant father, his first impulse is to hand the case over to Social Services. But he sees how hard the kid is working to keep her two siblings together and afloat. As Elvis investigates, he finds the dad seems to be a mover in the criminal underworld who is on the verge of a grand scheme. Events are set in motion that will pit Elvis and Joe Pike against a scary group of counterfeiters - and the even scarier U.S. Marshals.

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Going Down River: Kids One
John Wiskus
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Historical Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1553697448
Release Date: 2006-07-06

Book Description

An adventure story, with Witches, Indians, Ghosts, Rustlers, and robbers, etc. which takes place during the 1850\'s on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, for kids and adults of all ages.

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VOODOO RIVER
ROBERT CRAIS
Manufacturer: HYPERION PRESS***
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000KV86BY

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Voodoo River
Robert Crais
Manufacturer: Chivers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: B000PWT0VI

Product Description

Unabridged on 8 cassettes

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Voodoo River
Robert Crais
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IVNE5E

Three Great Novels Featuring Elvis Cole: Free Fall, Voodoo River, Sunset Express (SIGNED)

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Three Great Novels Featuring Elvis Cole: Free Fall, Voodoo River, Sunset Express (SIGNED)
Robert Crais
Manufacturer: Orion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GTSX4K

5 Titles By Crais - Hostage - Two Minute Rule - (3 Titles in Elvis Cole Series): Free Fall - Lullaby Town - Voodoo River

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5 Titles By Crais - Hostage - Two Minute Rule - (3 Titles in Elvis Cole Series): Free Fall - Lullaby Town - Voodoo River
Robert Crais
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000QGZF2G

Product Description

Multiple books shipped as one item. Save on Shipping/Handling charges.

Elvis Cole Series: The Monkey's Raincoat, Stalking the Angel, Lullaby Town, Free Fall, Voodoo River, Sunset Express, Indigo Slam, L. A. Requiem, The Last Detective, The Forgotten Man (Complete Set 1 - 10)

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Elvis Cole Series: The Monkey's Raincoat, Stalking the Angel, Lullaby Town, Free Fall, Voodoo River, Sunset Express, Indigo Slam, L. A. Requiem, The Last Detective, The Forgotten Man (Complete Set 1 - 10)
Robert Crais
Manufacturer: Ballantine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Voodoo River
Robert Crais
Manufacturer: Chivers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: B000PWUCTM

Product Description

Unabridged - 8 cassettes

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Even better than the first Book of Arna

A compelling view of another world...

awsome awsome book im 13 and I love it!

waiting for the third book

THe first good enough for a second
The Shasht War: The Second Book of Arna (Arna (NAL))
Christopher Rowley
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Rowley, Christopher | ( R ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Series | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Doom's Break:: The Third Book of Arna (Doom's Break, 3)

Ancient Enemy: The First Book of Arna

Battledragon (Bazil Broketail)

The Dragons of Argonath (Bazil Broketail)

A Dragon at Worlds' End (Bazil Broketail)

ASIN: 0451458176
Release Date: 2001-02-06

Customer Reviews:

Even better than the first Book of Arna.......2004-01-25

Christopher Rowley is a true modern master of fantasy. The Ancient Enemy: The First Book of Arna was a simply fantastic read, and The Shasht War: The Second Book of Arna is even more engaging, exciting, and poignant than its predecessor. This book plumbs ever deeper into the hearts of men by holding up the cruel men of Shasht as representatives of the darkness that seemingly haunts our own human society. The Ancient Enemy introduced us to a wonderful land of plenty wherein live mots, mors, brilbies, and kobs - monkey-like creatures of high intelligence and spirituality. Long ago, as the stories tell, Man the Cruel once reigned over the world, but his own self-destructive tendencies destroyed the natural order of life and led to Man's ultimate demise. The mots and mors of Arna cared for the land, celebrated the Spirit that inhabited all living things, and knew nothing of the arts of war. Then Man the Cruel returned, destroying villages, slaughtering and feeding upon thousands of Arna's citizens, and bringing unforeseeable war to the peaceful land. Thru Gillo, who only wants to hone his weaving skills and enjoy the love of the mor Nuza, steps into the role of hero, fighting valiantly to defend his people. On the other side of the conflict, Simona of Gsekk, a young noblewoman forced to endure the hardship of sailing across the world in order to help colonize a new land, comes to know, respect, and love the "animals" her people are trying to exterminate. The moving stories of Thru and Simona are vastly expanded in The Shasht War.

As the book opens, spring has arrived and the armies of Man the Cruel have returned, determined not to be defeated by a race of animals the priests of the culture declare unintelligent abominations. There is actually less war here than in the first book, but Rowley's vivid description of the horrors of armed conflict take you right into the heat of battle. For the first time, Man achieves a victory over the mots, and Thru Gillo is among the fighters captured and taken back across the sea to the land of Shasht. Simona herself also wins the right to sail back home to Shasht, where she seizes the opportunity to speak openly with the emperor about the colonial war destroying the noble beings of Arna. The emperor's powers are limited, though, as the mysterious Old One and his blood-thirsty priests exert a power over Shasht that none can easily challenge. For Thru and his fellow captives, death seems imminent and unavoidable, but in Thru there beats the heart of a true hero. His time in Shasht will take him outside the pyramid of ritual sacrifice and into the interior of the strange land, where he must fight to survive. He learns much during this time, as do we, as do a number of men of Shasht. Thru finds friends who are willing to help him despite the great risks in doing so, but his best and only hope of survival lies in the person of Simona. For her part, Simona truly comes of age as a human being and as a woman, rebelling openly from the society that seeks to annihilate her peaceful friends in Arna and seeks to keep her and all women hopelessly repressed. For everyone involved, the time spent in Shasht is one of self-discovery and illumination. Rowley begins bridging the gap between men and mots in a number of ways, turning despair into a great hope that closes out this second Book of Arna and sets the stage for a most promising continuation in Doom's Break: The Third Book of Arna.

Rowley is just an amazing writer. On both sides of the conflict, Rowley illuminates the very souls of all of his main characters, both human and mot. His descriptions of warfare are incredibly visual, but it is his powerful ability to reveal the hearts and souls of his characters that really makes The Shasht War such a remarkable read. Exciting, poignant, beautiful, and increasingly philosophical, The Shasht War surpasses every other work of fantasy I have read since Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

A compelling view of another world..........2002-04-06

This book outlines the world of mots, mors and chooks that takes you deeper into the way the author thinks. I have been a fan of Chris Rowley for some time now, such to the point were I'd like to find out how to send him fan mail. ;)

If you are sick of the ink-and-paper doggerel being spewed out of popular printing presses, you will probably enjoy Christopher Rowley's unique books...

awsome awsome book im 13 and I love it!.......2001-12-22

This book takes place in the wonderful place of arna with deer and food aplenty but the humans have none of this and will kill to get it. This is a wonderful book even with the young reader I cant wait tell chris writes the third book hey rowley if your reading this PLEASE HURRY WITH THE NEXT BOOK DUDE! You have this readers concent to WRITE ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

waiting for the third book.......2001-09-24

I really like this book not because of the battle descriptions but because of the worlds that are created. The descriptions of man's world and of the Mots, Mors and others are so real that you can see them in your head. The story is interesting and keeps your attention. I was always wondering what was going to happen next. I get so tired of books that have so much detail on the wars and battles but leave the lives of the people involved in question, Christopher Rowley doesn't do that. Bravo Chris!

THe first good enough for a second.......2001-02-09

The first Rowley book I read was "The Ancient Enemey" The first book of Arna, which I started as detention reading freshman year. I found the first to be a rather passing read with interesting points that caught me just at the right time before I tossed the book away. I never finished it. The Shasht War, I found to be even better than the first, mainly because of the whole war time atmosphere. I find the world of Arna to be amazingly intriguing if only it could've veered from the "far future de-evolved into medieval" formula. The formula isn't really smacked in your face so it never gets in the way except at the Questioner meetings. I recommend this book as an enjoyable read with gritty combat scenes and wonderful troop movement descriptions. The only thing really lacking in this book is the level of detail and description, failing in some respects, but succeeding in others. I cannot help but comment once again on the wonderfully bad-@$$ world that Mr. Rowley has created, complete with jaw dropping fantasy societies and those weird little Chook birds.

Customer Reviews:

Very enjoyable book.......2005-05-01

This was the first book i picked up of many mechwarrior books i have read to this day.
I really enjoyed this one and read it more than once, i really enjoyed the dark, gritty chaos that happens in this book... i need to look and see if they have a sequel to what happens to the character in this book
all in all its a good book out of the battle tech series, and is a good book to start off on if you want to start to series

A book to read.......2005-01-20

Charrette, Robert N. Initiation To War. New York, New York: New American Library 2001.279 pages.
Robert Charrette's Initiation To War is a Si-fi action thriller based in the year,3061, in witch many planets have been colonized. Human mow wage war against each other in two or more story tall war machines called Mechs. The main character of this story is Tybalt Kelly. Tybalt faces many unique challenges on his way to save his country, the Country Shu. The neighboring country is ready for war on the planet of Epsilon E. Kelly (is what he is like to be called) becomes a Mech pilot.
The fight for the countries very survival has began. Kelly will learn that begin that war costs mare then just a leg.

31st Century? Yeah right..........2004-06-21

The main concepts of war are completelt outdated, with the author's most modern ideas belonging to the 2nd WW, at best, and at worst to the middle ages. Plus you don't feel like you are in the 31st century at all. You'll rather feel somewhere in the 20'th century. It is clear that the autor hasn't got the slightest clue as how the future will look like, so he just "converted" some ideias (battlemechs=tanks, Mechwarrior=knights, planets=countries, etc). The result is...well, just not convincing.
Some parts of the story makes me doubt if the autor knows the first thig about human nature: Kelly has a harder time dealing with the memory of a man he killed acidentally (apparently it was no-one's fault - wow!) than the death of two of his best friends. Furthermore the ease with witch he sleeps with another woman while his loved one is MIA baffled me.
That said, this book is a nice, distracting, sometimes (not often) gripping read. Altough i didn't like it too much, the fact is it is not all that easy to put down. The descriptions of the fights were interesting and well described and the fact that the main character leads a (very) light lance of mechs, makes each encounter a tough one.
Overall, barely worth it.

A straight action drama.......2003-01-31

I am not a person who reads books alot, but when I started the Mechwarrior Series, I was enjoying every word. This book is no exception. The storyline is straight and to the point. The romance is, as always, a twisting relevance to the plot line. The best parts, are of course, the drama of leading up to the fights, and the fights themselves.

Currently on Chapter 26, of a 39 chapter book. I am up late, having to work in the morning, but can not put it down!
If you want to look into the mechwarrior series, start with this!

A good book!.......2003-01-15

This book is a nice read for those who are looking for nasty mech fights. This isn't all about war and death though, it also tells about how a man loses his love and gains her back again, only to have her nearly taken from him again. I wont spoil any more though, just get the book!

Book Description

The millions of fans who read Patricia Cornwell's bestsellers know that her popular character, Kay Scarpetta, loves to unwind in the kitchen. Book after book finds her tapping into her Italian heritage to create delicious meals for herself and her friends.

Brimming with full-color photographs and inspired by dozens of food scenes in Kay's kitchen and favorite restaurants, Food to Die For is a cookbook tailor-made for Scarpetta fans. Among the criminally good recipes:

€ Miami-Style Chili with Beer (All That Remains)
€ Grilled Grouper with Butter and Key Lime Juice (Cruel and Unusual)
€ Jack Daniel's Chocolate Pecan Pie (The Body Farm)
€ Lasagna with Marinara Sauce and Porcini Mushrooms (Cause of Death)
€ Bev's Lump Crab Cakes (Unnatural Exposure)
€ Kay's Grilled Pizza with Sausage, Pepperoni, and Three Cheeses (Black Notice)

Customer Reviews:

Scarpetta fans rejoice.......2007-01-10

This cookbook is great for the Kay Scarpetta fan or even your everyday Italian foodie. Beautiful pictures and amazing receipes.

Simply Delicious!.......2007-01-10

Havving read all the Patricia Cornwell 'Scarpetta' novels, I was intrigued to find a related cook book. I was delighted to be able to find a copy at Amazon, and with the usual prompt service, it wasn't long before my book arrived.
I must admit, the food sounded very tempting even though the cases involved in the novels are horrendous!
The recipes are relatively simple, the only drawback being that in England,some ingredients are unavailable. Improvisation doesn't spoil the end results though and my husband and son are thoroughly enjoying the new menus!
If you enjoy having fun cooking, I recommend Food To Die For.
By the way, the Jack Daniels Chocolate Pecan Pie nearly started a riot on New Years Eve...I had to bake two more!

Excellence.......2004-07-25

Anything Patricia Cornwell writes is excellent. I have tried most of the recipes in this book and all are fantastic.

Incredible Cookbook!.......2003-09-21

I checked the book out from the library because I am a huge Dr. Scarpetta fan. I was hesitant to make the recipies due to the lengthy list of ingredients in most of them, but the 4 recipies I have tried were amazing! I just made one of them tonight and I am still drooling over it. The fresh pasta is the BEST recipie I have tried (and I have tried a lot), and it makes a HUGE difference! The stew was soooo good, granted, it took a while, but it was worth it!!! I love this book, I plan to buy it. Worth the investment for the cook who loves great recipies!

I am dying already.......2003-05-19

This is a great cook book and really does make my mouth water just thinking about it. I really enjoyed the Crab cakes and would recommend them to anyone. Most of her recipies are pretty simple and they are all delicious. I say... Dive in!

Food to Die For: Secrets from Kay Scarpetta's Kitchen

Average customer rating:

Food to Die For: Secrets from Kay Scarpetta's Kitchen
Patricia Cornwell
Manufacturer: Little Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J313AO

Book Description

When kept properly, red-eared sliders will delight their owners with their beauty, intelligence fascinating behaviors, and a lifespan of up to 25 years or longer. Learn how to simulate aspects of a pond or lake in your home vivarium, how to determine the sex of your turtle, how to breed red-eared sliders along with proven techniques for feeding, heating, filtering the water and the use of plants. You'll be amazed by what you didn't know! Color photos of different morphs and other popular freshwater turtles. 47p. color.

Customer Reviews:

Accurate info but not much of it.......2006-09-05

The information in this book is all accurate. The author clearly knows what he is talking about. Unfortunatley there isn't much detail about certain aspects of owning a red-eared slider such as how much to feed it, issues of egg binding, behavior, how they process sensory input (vision and smell)etc. I was actually able to find more information on certain websites after doing a Google search. Not worth the money.

Great Resource.......2005-02-28

I have used this book for a couple of years now sort of as my "Bible" on raising my slider turtles, thanks to it I was able to sucessfully raise a hatchling & make upgrades to my setup to meet the needs of 3 growing turtles. It covers a broad spectrum of just about everything you need to know from housing to feeding to breeding. This is just a great book!!

RES in a nutshell.......2003-05-26

All you ever wanted to know about this particular yet popular pet. Easy to read, all topics covered, small, cheap, get it.

Red-Eared Sliders.......2001-11-24

I like this book because it easy reading.

Good, basic information.......2001-08-28

This is a good basic book about red-eared sliders. You will learn details about sex identification and varieties, environmental needs, diseases, feeding, and even breeding. The author does a good job of describing the types and sizes of enclosures needed, water filtration, basking and light needs, and temperature. The need to have an easy system of water cleaning is emphasized. There is some discussion about recognizing symtoms of sickness and how to solve the problem usually either through changes in the environment or diet. Even with a book such as this, caring for turtles would definitely be somewhat of a learn as you go endeavor. This book can get one started but careful observation and fine tuning is required.

Book Description

How to select a $10,000 rare coin portfolio full of growth potential. By an award-winning author who has followed the rare coin market for more than 30 years, this book is indispensable if you want to use rare coins to help plan a successful retirement.

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Ribbon Embroidery Alphabets with Iron On Transfers

Manufacturer: Asn Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Embroidery | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Learn to Do Ribbon Embroidery in Just One Day

Beginner's Guide to Silk Ribbon Embroidery (Beginner's Guide to Needlecrafts)

ASIN: 0881957062

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Table Settings: Special Touches for Easy Entertaining
Mary Forsell
Manufacturer: Hearst
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Tablesetting | Special Occasions | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Bouquets: A Year of Flowers and Settings for the Table

Tabletops: Easy, Practical, Beautiful Ways to Decorate the Table

Victoria The Pleasures of Tea: Recipes and Rituals

Victoria Romantic Touches: Charming Handmade Projects for Every Room ("Victoria")

Victoria Intimate Home: Creating a Private World (Victoria Magazine)

ASIN: 1588160521

Book Description

Just one look at these beautiful color photographs will inspire you to rediscover the hidden bounty in your cupboards and drawers, and to go out and search for treasures in shops and flea markets. Design settings with china or ironstone, damask or homespun, candles or lanterns, and other attractive details. “In this colorful book are dozens of tablesetting ideas.”—Country.

Average customer rating:

What else is new?

Inspirational, Entertaining and Captivating

Well-written reflections!

Journalist Jill Nelson tells all in new book!!

Tell it, Jill!

Straight, No Chaser: How I Became a Grown-Up Black Woman
Jill Nelson
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Journalists | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Media Studies | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Volunteer Slavery: My Authentic Negro Experience

Finding Martha's Vineyard: African Americans at Home on an Island

Sexual Healing: A Novel

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Longing to Tell: Black Women Talk About Sexuality and Intimacy

ASIN: 0140277242

Amazon.com

Jill Nelson's first book, Volunteer Slavery, was an account of her time as a writer at the Washington Post, a sojourn that ended with her resignation and a near-nervous breakdown. In this new collection of essays, Nelson issues a call to arms to black women. As she sees it, black women are at the center of the black community as parents, workers, churchgoers, nurturers, and caregivers, yet are excluded from discussions about the future of that community. In this stirring, sure-to-be-talked-about book, Nelson challenges black women to "speak up and out, to speak the truth about what is really happening in ourselves, our communities, and the larger culture."

Book Description

The face of journalism was forever changed after Jill Nelson came along. Volunteer Slavery, the memoir and explosive expose of her experiences in the white, male-dominated world of The Washington Post, served as a wake-up call to all Americans and placed Nelson at the forefront of the African American political arena.

Now, the bestselling author is back with Straight, No Chaser, a call to arms written in an effort to "look at the sum of [black women's] lives beyond the how-to-snag-a-man, am-I-pretty-enough and how's-my-hair concerns that dominate [their] daily existence." Nelson encourages black women--especially young girls--to develop a positive identity in the face of adversity and to look critically at their role models, many of whom she believes send mixed messages to the African American community. From Barbie to bra burning, Mike Tyson to the Million Man March, Nelson takes a personal and thoughtful approach to the empowerment of the black female.

Customer Reviews:

What else is new?.......2005-04-15

Jill Nelson is just another angry, bitter, whiny black woman with an axe to grind. This book is filled with the same old whining and cliches which have grown really old and tired. Almost everything she touches on is so predictable whether it's accusing black men who date outside the race as being sellouts (while saying nothing of black women who do the same thing of course), demonizing the Million Man March, whining about the light skin/dark skin thing and basically ranting about how the black woman is a pathetic victim. If it were a black man writing this foolishness, he'd be written off as an angry old coot in a minute. Well that's exactly what Jill Nelson is as far as I'm concerned.

Inspirational, Entertaining and Captivating.......2001-04-17

Jill Nelson has a unique stlye that captivates readers. I have been inspired by her unique expression towards our community, so called leaders and BLACK WOMEN!! Although, it has been some time sense I have read her books; I am often reminded of her experiences towards self-empowerment.

Any woman that is seeking external and internal fulfillment with a sassy approach; This is the book for you!!

Jill Nelson you are a strong Black Woman!! Keep up the good work!!

Well-written reflections!.......1999-10-18

Go Jill! I recently saw you on BET with Tavis Smiley and 3 or 4 Black female ministers.

Nearly every feeling you expressed in your book was something I felt in the past or in some way still do today. What hit home was something significant that most Black people miss, especially the younger ones. As we approach the 21st century, American history is being rewritten to exclude the civil rights movement! And yes, you put it succintly, Black women are becoming invisible, erased!

Why I didn't give this book five stars -- the book ended with no recommendations to resolve the anger and bitterness issues expressed throughout the book. Also, too many open-ended inuendos about other Black leaders such as Al Sharpton, Maya Angelou, etc.

Still, Jill, keep writing.

Journalist Jill Nelson tells all in new book!!.......1999-08-15

I LOVE JILL NELSON!!! I have been a loyal fan and devoted follower of her writings since her days as a writer for ESSENCE magazine and the Village Voice. I even remember reading some of her articles when she was a writer for the Washington Post. Her latest literary effort, "Straight, No Chaser," is written in the same, no-nonsense, subtle yet direct, with just a twinge of sarcasm writing style that made her first book, "Volunteer Slavery," a bestseller and became a Bible of sorts to just about every African-American journalist in America..myself included! In her new book, I was especially touched by Nelson's periodic reference to the Deletha Word tragedy that occurred on a dark bridge in Detroit 4 years ago this month. Nelson writes about the awful event and describes how a minor incident escalated into a terrible tragedy and the loss of a life. I also enjoyed the chapter about violence toward women and how her ex-husband once "slapped me upside my head with his open palm so hard I see red, white and blue stars and my ear rings for twenty-four hours." I also enjoyed how she accurately points out that many of the so-called "black leaders," of today are usually loud-mouthed ministers who ALWAYS want to put race at the forefront of everything and blame all of African-Americans problems on the white man. Finally, while her latest book is very good, "Volunteer Slavery ," is better and still remains one of my all-time favorite books. Few writers are able to reveal so much about others yet, still be able to put themselves and their own faults and foibles on public display as skillfully and as well as Nelson does in each book. Keep up the good work Jill!! You have a legion of fans out here who love you and your work!!!!

Tell it, Jill!.......1999-06-01

Ms. Nelson writes compellingly about many issues facing the Black woman. I found the book illuminating, enlightening and difficult to put down as each sentence demanded my attention. It validated some of my own personal concerns and illuminated other issues I need to be concerned about.

Straight, No Chaser: How I Became a Grown-up Black Woman

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Straight, No Chaser: How I Became a Grown-up Black Woman
Jill Nelson
Manufacturer: Putnam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0965835995

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