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  I am willing to struggle against all forms of racism until the day I die. The book is compact like a gift book. However, it is filled to the brim with Cornel West's philosophies and experiences. Whenever I would pick up this book, my body would fully relax. I knew the words would take me to the inner side of myself. At times I disagreed with Dr. West. For example, when he spoke of the Blues as a hopeful type of music. I've always thought the Blues sad. However, I have to admit not listening to much Blues. I am anxious to listen to it with the author's thoughts in mind. Perhaps, the Blues is hopeful. From music like Hip Hop and Jazz and other types of music he shares his opinions. One other thought of his amazed me. He believes music is more powerful than literature. However, he quoted from literature more than he did music. He wrote or quoted Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, The Iceman Cometh by Eugene O'Neil, etc. I agree music speaks to every man in a uniq

" I can't wait to help others. Why? Because it's a beautiful thing--and because I know that you can never repay what your mother, father, grandmother, and grandfather did for you. If you're Christian, you will never to able to repay the price that Jesus paid on the cross. All of that blood, all of that love gushing out at the foot of the cross."

This is a wonderful book for young people and adults who would like a beginner's course in the values of Native Americans. Different teachings are chosen for a mixture of Native American tribes. For example, the Dakotas, the Lakota, etc. I rediscovered how much the Native Americans love nature. One tribe adheres to the belief that the land should never be sold. I also discovered how much the Native Americans respect children and the elderly. To the Native American there is beauty at each age in life. No one is a castaway. Many of the teachings felt comfortable to me. Nothing in Children of The Tipi by Michael Oren Fitzgerald made me feel the Native American is an oddity or a savage. I would recommend this book. It's relaxing. It also drives humans away from the man made world back to the sky, clouds, grass, wind and mountains. I think the Native American sees nature as a wonderful medicine for man. Without drinking in of nature there is a small death of our inne

Tavis Smiley has written a very rich nonfiction book. It's fully documented with fine organizations and universities like Howard University which have decided that our young men are " Too Important To Fail." Every page left me wanting to pull back time and reach for my Black sons or other young Black men to make sure they know the importance of their presence on this earth. Without the young black male growing and thriving like a strong tree our society will hasten to failure. All of us must come together and aid the young males who come often come from troubled backgrounds. Their roots, their origins, are not their fault. They were put wherever that place might be whether New York, Chicago, Washington D.C. or a small rural town which no one has heard of in Georgia, Alabama or Mississippi or Indiana to grow to become a person who will make our society better. The Black males not just the White males are meant to become school teachers, scientists, doctor

It's fun to read a novel that makes me want to read all the other novels written by the author. Salley Vickers' The CLEANER of CHARTRES is one of those books. The novel takes place in the town of Chartres where the Chartres cathedral is located. The main character is a lovable young lady named Agnes. Agnes is an orphan who grows up not to be a surgeon, not a famous singer or a famous author. She becomes just an ordinary cleaner who cleans an extraordinary cathedral. She cleans the Chartres Cathedral. Then, she meets other people in the community and cleans for them as well. It's not unusual that one of her clients is mean spirited. This is Madame Beck. She's like Cinderella's stepmother. It is ironic that Agnes' personal experiences are very complex although her life is very ordinary. The irony and symbols are what make this quiet, gentle novel  as exciting as a fast moving detective story. Agnes' life begins as an orphan. She is left at a nunnery w

last.fm/music/Johann+Sebastian+Bach " Then you like Bach.' The grave sounds died away to be replaced by a less measured, more frantic sound.' Ah, this now is Poulenc. By no means the genius that Bach was, but not a bad composer. Not bad at all. He was another who liked the organ."

Victoria Christopher Murray left me with an admonition. In her Christian novel, she said "never say never." In other words it's no way I can know how my mind and body will react to circumstances until those hard situations enter my life. I could very well do the unexpected. This is what happens to Jamal and Miriam in the novel. They hurt the people they really love. If asked before the death of her husband, Chauncey, would she act in such a way? Probably, she would have said, certainly not. Jamal would have also said, never. Each character in Never say Never find themselves not knowing or not having the strength to control their minds and hearts. I will never forget those three tiny words. "Never say Never. This is a tender novel about grief, friendship and forgiveness. Perhaps I'm hardhearted. I think it would have taken me longer to forgive if I had been in Emily's shoes. She's Jamal's wife. I did like the fact that the author, Victoria Chris