I tracked this down after reading George Pelecanos describe it as his favorite crime novel. It is a dark, brooding tale of a thief and his cohorts in early 1950s Philadelphia & Atlantic City. It reminded me a lot of Jim Thompson's work from the same period. Not a fast-moving story, but at the same time it's hard to break away from. A good look at the psychological costs of a life of crime.

Ed Gorman in "The Big Book of Noir" said of David Goodis "he didn't write novels, he wrote suicide notes". This was enough to peak my interest and The Burglar(1953) was the first Goodis book I could get my hands on-it didn't disappoint-if you are into this sort of thing. A little perverse, a lot of morose, a good story, a lingering sadness. Goodis is reputed to be an acquired taste-not necessarily for everyone but if you like him chances are you'll like him alot-so far so good. Highly recommended.

This is a great book to get get a background on the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950's and 60's. I read it when I began trying to learn about the CRM and some of the key players.

I think that this book is a valued companion to Taylor Branch's epic work "Parting the Waters". Together, they make an unbeatable pair of study aids for one of America's most turbulent periods.

While P.T.W. is a more dispassionate third person chronicle, E.O.T.P. is more personally driven. It brings to life individuals like Bayard Rustin, Stokley Carmichael, John Lewis and other giants (known and obscure) of the movement. Events from the Till lynching to the Attica riots as seen through the eyes of those on the scene (sometimes, those making the scene).

Fascinating reading.

I enjoyed this book greatly and learned a lot about this complex man.

Growing up in Brooklyn, I heard many stories about Jackie Robinson. All of them praised his courage and admired what he went through. But nobody ever thought of him as a saint, he was a complex character with many rough edges.

Most of what has been written about him has deified him incorrectly. The author makes it very clear early in the book that he wanted to show Robinson as "warts and all". And he succeeds, Robinson comes across as a complex human being.

Two things to note regarding the research done on this book. The author refers often to other biographies, especially when they disagree on various points. He then gives his account of the given point, a very good procedure.

The author also notes that he was not given any access to the "official" Jackie Robinson archives and that Jackie's widow and her minions refused to cooperate in any way shape or form with this book as well as trying to discourage others. All I can say about that is how petty those actions are.

I especially liked the depth in which the author discussed Robinson's post-baseball life, especially in the political arena. Robinson supported several prominent Republican politicians, such as Rockefeller and Nixon and took a lot of heat for his views. The author did a wonderful job in this area.

Great job by the author is separating man and myth.

I'm a big Jackie Robinson fan and this book taught me things I never understood or knew! Great reading. Great insights into the life of a true pioneer! BUY IT!

Far too often, the thoughts of Black youth are presented to us through well meaning, but biased sociologists or historians. It's refreshing to catch a glimpse of childhood memories from memoirs and autobiographies, rather than from the pages of yet another treatise on the plight of Black America. One section incudes the memoirs of William Holtzclaw, founder of the Utica Normal and Industrial Institute. It includes a description of an arrangement between Holtzclaw's uneducated father and the landowner for whom they all sharecropped. The father had an agreement to keep one quarter of the crops the family grew, but at the end of each season the landowner would calmly explain that Holtzclaw's family "ate" their share of the cotton harvest during the year. This young child's introduction to political powerlessness, interest rates and creative bookkeeping has far more impact than anything that you're likely to find in every financial self-help book ever published. The book also contains the childhood memories of Malcolm X., Angela Davis, Booker T. Washington, Maya Angelou and more. But it is merely a series of excerpts and it lacks the editorial voice that could connect these stories. That's either good or bad, depending upon what you're looking for. If you're looking for a comprehennsive understanding of Black youth, this isn't it. But if you're looking to connect with the stories of a culture that you already know, this book is a must have.

Of all of the so-called minority groups in the United States, African Americans occupy a special place. They were brought over to America as slaves and attempts were made to deny their humanity, strip them of their culture and rob them of their souls. It didn't work. Not only did the Africans survive but they thrived and gifted America with its own unique culture.

Growing Up Black is the story of the childhoods of those African progeny who survived the sordid racial hatred of America. Unlike other books in this series, this text is exclusively non-fiction and culls the works from the authors' autobiographical memoirs. The young people represented (now old) are a diverse group from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Learn about what it feels like to be called a "nigger" as a child and going home to get an explanation from your parents. Walk through a mob to attempt to integrate a school which would deny you your education. Experience being a light skin Black who can melt into the white majority culture. These are the varied experiences of these young people who show courage, great tenacity and creativity in growing up in a land which would deny them their humanity. Read about these young people for they point to hope for our future.

This is a great book for someone interested in learning about the Harlem Renaissance. The author presents vital information in an accessible way, and illustrates the diversity and complexity that is American Art.

This is a very nice looking book that not only provides context about the Harlem Renaissance and the proliferation of Black artists during the 20's and 30's, but it also includes many reproductions of some of the period's most representative works. From the cover photo which is a copy William Johnson's "Boy in a Vest," to the James VanDerZee's striking black and white photography, to the sculptures of Meta Warwick, the reader is treated to many examples of the visual arts. There are also essays and poems by the Countee Cullen and other writers of the time. This is a good introduction to the period and is suitable for children and young adults. And old adults too for that matter!

New Testament Textual Criticism: A Concise Guide, written by David Alan Black, is indeed what the title details. Written compactly and with little frivolous information, David Black gives not only the experienced, but also the novice greek student a solid foundation upon which to base a practice of textual criticism. A unique feature in this remarkably short work, the material given is contained as much in appendixed form and bibliographical information as in traditional text. A wonderful guide for further scholarship, the author entices the reader to further explore the original text of the New Testament.

What is textual criticism? Why is it necessary? How should it be done? At eighty pages (of large type), Black's introduction to New Testament textual criticism can be read in a single sitting and provides answers to these questions.

Black introduces the reader (any reader) to the various manuscripts underlying the New Testament and presents the different perspectives on textual criticism. As stated in the preface, "this volume attempts to make the findings of scholarship accessible to a wide readership. Nothing in this book is taken for granted. Every term, every problem, is explained clearly, concisely, and 'from scratch'." I certainly found this to be true. The first two chapters discuss the need for textual criticism and the different approaches to the task. The final chapter provides a few examples to help the reader understand some of the issues faced by textual critics as they try to determine the original Greek text behind the New Testament. The bibliography gives you a number of additional reading suggestions to move beyond "A Concise Guide".

If you are simply a lay person as I am, reading this book will allow you to have a better understanding of why some Bibles occassionally offer footnotes containing alternate translations. Black's book will also give you a better understanding of the history behind the New Testament scriptures and how they have been preserved from the apostles' time to our own. If there is a drawback to the book, it would probably be that you may find the price to be a bit high for such a short book.

If you don't want to go any further than an introductory understanding of textual criticism, then this is probably a great book for you. (The author also suggests that it could be useful as a "refresher" for those already familiar with textual criticism.) If you are looking to get involved in a more thorough understanding of the debated approaches to textual criticism, there are likely other books out there that would better satisfy that desire - though they are probably not concise introductions.

This book is the conceptual if not the chronological follow-up to 'How to Make Love to a Negro', and shares many of the same traits: it's oddly written, occasionally infuriating, and defiantly un-PC. Basically a series of loosely connected vignettes about America, success, race, and sex, it doesn't sound very unique but the writing puts it ahead of the pack - great, weird journalism, in the tradition of Hunter S. Thompson. It's not essential by any means, but it is worthwhile and it certainly shouldn't be out of print.

There is more substance in a single paragraph of this book than in ten thousand pages of Grisham or King. Reading this book will change how you think about America, fame, blondes, books, sex and popular culture. Every sentence is to be relished.

I feel that this book truly portrays the life of an African-American superstar in the 60's and 70's. He is a bit egotistical at times, but is always truthful (except for the part about all the women). All through his career, he is called a loser because of what his team is accomplishing and not him. In his first several years, his teams consistently played the Celtics in the playoffs, and instead of the Warriors vs. the Celtics, it became Bill Russel vs. Wilt Chamberlain. Wilt would consistently beat out Russel in every category, yet his team would still lose. When this happened, Wilt was called the loser. He was told that Russel schooled him time and time again, when really, it was the other way around.
This book accurately portrays what it would be like to face the "Loser" label your whole life. It wasn't fair at all, but Wilt successfully had a good season after another. I definately reccomend this book to anyone who likes success stories or if you like sports biographies. In fact, I recommend it to anybody

Over twenty-five years ago, Wilt Chamberlain took the belief that professional athletes are dumb and flushed it like a loose stool. In this book, he shares truths about his groundbreaking NBA salaries, his views on dating, and other famous basketball personalities. His sense of humor entertains his readers, while his intelligence, clearly evidenced by his vocabulary, constantly enlightens. For everyone old enough to vote, this book will be a wonderful experience.

I saw David Horowitz on a television program decided to get the book. Well, I got the book and it's a stunning expose of the forces that are deliberately tearing our country apart and imparting a message of hate toward not only fellow Americans, but toward the very core ideas and principles of our country. In some ways, this book should be called "Hating America". It's writers like the author who continue the color blind and equal society envisioned by Martin Luther King, Jr. I suspect the author will be demonized in the same way as the early civil rights workers, but I hope he can endure and keep telling the truth.

This is a sophisticated and shrewd analysis of the hypocrisy of contemporary civil rights leaders and of the American Left in general. If the totalitarianism of the politically correct Liberal culture can be defeated, it will be done because of brilliant works such as this. This collection of essays will undoubtedly serve as the staging ground for the culture war debate of the 21st century. Horowitz is at his best when he demythologizes the pompous and deceptive lies of the Liberal establishment. He reveals, in the most profound manner, how something has gone perniciously wrong in the way that social discourse, especially on the issue of race, is now conducted in the American political arena. The author achieves this in a provocative and original manner. As always, of course, Horowitz will have his detractors. But calling Horowitz names and engaging in character assassination -- as the criticisms of his work always do - will unfortunately only scratch the surface of the complexity of history. And it is that complexity that Horowitz approaches with a cunning and astute scholarly disposition. He crystallizes for us the reverse racism that is molded by many Black civil rights leaders and demonstrates how this ideology betrays the color-blind society envisioned by Martin Luther King. Horowitz goes on to do much more, as the essays in this volume reach far and wide. One particularly valuable piece is long overdue: Horowitz slices apart the specious nonsense of "cultural theorist" Bell Hooks, whose work has distinguished itself as the most supercilious asininity that has ever posed as intellectual "deconstruction" of democratic-capitalist society. By so successfully exposing the self-hatred that masquerades as social criticism in Hook's work, Horowitz isolates the root of the pathology in the Leftwing mindset: the ultimate alienation from, and hatred of, life and self. Overall, this volume of essays blends into a wonderful masterpiece. David Horowitz deserves much praise for this priceless and important work, as well as for the intellectual clarity, personal integrity, and intestinal fortitude that it took to write it.

Racism, in all its forms, by all its many practitioners, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Indian and a myriad other ethnic groups, be they majorities or minorities, is a barbarous threat to civilized society. It represents the very worst and most destructive elements of human nature. If we are to succeed as a society, we must grow up and get beyond it. We must. David Horowitz has done a tremendous service in stripping this ugly and dangerous socio-cultural cancer of its pseudo-academic and deceptive trappings. He has laid bare the utter hypocrisy of the self-acclaimed black leadership today and insightfully revealed the extent to which their so-called "leadership" sociologically and economically cripples the black community, turning the focus on hatred, violence and destruction rather than getting on with the task of taking personal responsibility for life, success and progress. He has performed a tremendous service in stripping away the illusion of "righteousness" on the part of the sanctimonious left in perpetrating a "politically correct" doctrine of universal destruction underwritten by the rubber check of victimization. This book is a "must read" for all high-school students, and all Americans.

I must admit that this book has taken me aback. I was hoping for more reading but the book is very thin (the size, plus big alphabets)... The story line is really similar to the movie although in the book, there are a few twists. I also get more insights into the characters, especially Riddick...Sadly, after reading this book, I don't find Riddick that...intriguing or mysterious anymore...it's a tad bit disappointing. However, this is a well-written book, I truly enjoyed reading it... But if it boils down to watch the movie or read the book, do please save the money to watch the movie... thanks...=)

I was highly anticipating the release of Pitch Black the movie. I decided to read the book based on the movie first to see if it would meet any of my expectations. All I have to say is that the book is great! Heck, the action/suspense sequences will probably play out better visually so the movie might be even better.

Frank Lauria wrote this adaptation and he did a fine job. The plot is about an interstellar space craft that crash lands onto a desert planet that's surrounded by three suns. Because of this the planet never turns dark except every 22 years during a solar eclipse. The only problem with this is the fact that underneath the ground lay thousands of alien creatures and they're hungry. There are 11 survivors of the ship crash, led by the pilot Caroline Fry. The group's only hope of survival is to move the fuel cells from their damaged spacecraft to another ship in an outpost. The only way they can do that is if they can rely on Richard Riddick, a serial killer who has been captured by a mercenary named Lawrence Johns.

I was surprised by how much character development there was in the book. Fry makes a very complex character as she is conflicted by her emotions. Riddick is perhaps the most interesting. There are two pages in the book that give a summary of his past. It's all very interesting. Apparently, Riddick worked for a company and helped clean out planets of aliens called Smokers. He eventually saw how evil this company actually was and gathered evidence against them. However, the company took away the evidence and put him in a prison. He escaped and stole a space freighter, now becoming an outlaw. It seems all of his kills are actually assassins and mercenaries who want him for the reward they can get. So, it seems Riddick isn't at all an evil person as the tagline might suggest.

The action/suspense scenes are very well written and it makes the book into a true page turner. The ending even slightly surprised and saddened me with a great character's unexpected death. By the way, I don't think Riddick killed this character as some readers of the book seem to think or wonder.

Because of how much I immensely enjoyed reading the book, I look forward to watching the movie. It looks like science fiction is making a come back this year after the atrocious Supernova. Now, what movie (possibly Frequency) will it be to take the bad taste from Mission to Mars out of our mouths?

Hello Readers. When I saw the movie Pitch Black I was like "WHAO! ". It's a intresting story with plenty of suspence and scary thrills. However the book is a little different. It gives a bit more details on the characters. I love that! Here you will find more background info on Fry, Paris and the unnerving anti hereo of the story, Richard B. Riddick, the felon with the ability to see in the dark due to his surgically altered eyes. It is becuase of this ability that the small group of suvivors from the crashed ship, the Hunter-Gratzner, follow him in hope of escape from the nightmarish monsters that inhabbit the planet they crashed on. A GREAT READ! I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL IT COMES OUT ON DVD!