A nice collection of photos by Mapplethorpe. However, the book is tiny and I find it hard to study the photos when they are so small. "Miniature edition" is what the back says, and though it's better than not having any photos at all I'd just be aware that the reason this book isn't expensive is because of its size. The quality is good. I just wish it was a bit larger so I could see some more detail in the prints.

Mapplethorpe, with his great photographic potenial produced a riviting book that dignifies the male, black body to the next zenith. He was able to capture the very essence of what it is to be a male and to be viewed as "God's" art or creation and not a male "pig." This book demonstrates the power of the camera when the beholder knows what he/she is doing. The images in this book do not apal me, afend me nor do they disgust me. I enjoyed reading and flipping through this book as a ligitimate art reviewer and as a academic scholar.

I grew up in Pennsylvania, in the coal country. When a friend told me about Black Days, I thought I would give it a try. I'm glad I did. I have heard and read much of the way of life in 20th century Appalachia, but never had it tied together in a single book. If you are curious about life in the beginning of the last century; about the workings of the coal industry or simply want an insight into "How things used to be in West Virginia" try Black Days. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

One of the joys of life is the opportunity to have a conversation with someone whose life experiences are vastly different from our own. My curiosity about the real-world work life of an underground coal miner, ... plus a chance web search, led me to Black Days, Black Dust. What a gem!

In reading this book it almost seemed like I was having a 'personal conversation' while sitting on the miner's front porch. It is a true account of 40 years of working underground in the coal fields. Very interesting account of every day life in a coal town (both above and below ground). It is a world apart from today's high-rise city office worker, ...yet curiously in other ways, there are many similarities!

Easy to read & very informative.

This, reader, is an unvarnished narrative of one doomed by the laws of the Southern States to be a slave. It tells not only its own story of grief, but speaks of a thousand wrongs and woes beside, which never see the light; all the more bitter and dreadful, because no help can relieve, no sympathy can mitigate, and no hope can cheer. -William Wells Brown, Clotel, or The President's Daughter

Clotel would have historic interest simply by virtue of the fact that William Wells Brown appears to have been the first African American to write a novel. But it's not merely a literary curiosity; it is also an eminently readable and emotionally powerful, if forgivably melodramatic, portrait of the dehumanizing horrors of slave life in the Ante-bellum South. Brown, himself an escaped slave, tells the story of the slave Currer and her daughters, Clotel and Althesa, and of their attempts to escape from slavery. The central conceit of the story is that the unacknowledged father of the girls is Thomas Jefferson himself.

There is an immediacy to the stories here--of slave auctions, of families being torn apart, of card games where humans are wagered and lost, of sickly slaves being purchased for the express purpose of resale for medical experimentation upon their imminent deaths, of suicides and of many more indignities and brutalities--which no textbook can adequately convey. Though the characters tend too much to the archetypal, Brown does put a human face on this most repellent of American tragedies. He also makes extensive use (so extensive that he has been accused, it seems unfairly, of plagiarism) of actual sermons, lectures, political pamphlets, newspaper advertisements, and the like, to give the book something of a docudrama effect.

The Bedford Cultural Edition of the book, edited by Robert S. Levine, has extensive footnotes and a number of helpful essays on Brown and on the sources, even reproducing some of them verbatim. Overall, it gives the novel the kind of serious presentation and treatment which it deserves, but for obvious reasons has not received in the past. Brown's style is naturally a little bit dated and his passions are too distant for us to feel them immediately, but as you read the horrifying scenes of blacks being treated like chattel, you quickly come to share his moral outrage at this most shameful chapter in our history.

GRADE : B

This is a exemplary novel that also deals with the harsh realities of slavery. This novel distinctly tells a true story, which is relevant to ALL Americans (believe it or not. This is a must reader for ALL.

Robert Barnard is an Englishman who has been a professor both in Australia and Norway (and both locales have turned up in his books). Since sometime in the '70s he has been publishing mystery novels. The novels are characterized mostly by their dryly satiric tone. They are very funny, and very biting. For the most part, he seems to have eschewed the continuing series format, although he has published several books featuring Scotland Yard's Perry Trethowan, and a couple more featuring a character first introduced in the Trethowan books, Charlie Peace (who has a small role in Death and the Chaste Apprentice). Given that the non-series books feature one-off detectives, he is more free than usual to turn his sights on the foolishness and incompetence of the crime-fighters, as well as that of the criminals, and in several of his books a main object of satire is the police.

Death and the Chaste Apprentice is not his best book, but it's a solid book, and also a bit less savage than some of his works. The Chaste Apprentice of the title is also the title character of a fictional Jacobean comedy which is being staged at an arts festival near London. The arts festival is held in part in an old inn, and we are introduced to the cast of the play, staying at the Inn, a couple of classical singers who are also performing at the festival, and the manager of the Inn, a rather odious, snoopy, Australian (Barnard really seems to have it in for Australia). Barnard spends some time setting up the complex dynamics of the characters: a young actor who seems to be falling for the Russian singer, an alcoholic actress, the leading couple of the play, who are married to each other but engage in very public adultery, the incredibly self-centred Indian singer and his manager, the tyrannical conductor of the opera, the eccentric director of the play, and of course the Inn's manager, who alienates everyone with his snooping and his know-it-all attitude. Then, as the play opens, a murder occurs, and the police have to investigate. Naturally, the investigation reveals a variety of unpleasant secrets which don't have anything to do with the murder, before finally ending with a slight twist and a nicely logical solution. (Actually one of Barnard's stronger mystery plots: many of his books, while still thoroughly entertaining, have very strained solutions.)

The true pleasure of this book, as with all Barnard, is the sly sarcastic asides which pepper the descriptions of the characters and events. At the same time, the characters are mostly rather sympathetic, even when somewhat flawed: this is not always true with Barnard, as I have read books of his which feature literally no likable characters. This book is also interesting for the snippets of information about Jacobean drama as well as 19th century opera.

Robert Barnard is usually a treat to read. And "Death and the Chaste Apprentice" is no exception. Bernard is quite prolific in his writing/subject matter and often chooses literary characters or subjects about which to write. In this work, we find the London suburb of Ketterick presenting its annual fine arts festival, "The Chaste Apprentice" being the theatrical entry (an "easily forgotten" Elizabethan drama!). Des Capper, the obnoxious Aussie host of The Saracen's Head Hotel, where the play is being presented and where the actors themselves are residing, is found stabbed in the back--a rather symbolic gesture, as it were, due to Capper's zeal to "unearth the hidden" from the cast and company. It appears that all the cast members have their own alibies--as he certainly died during the performance! Or so we think. Barnard is always quite clever with his story line--and plethora of literary allusions and references. He also introduces young Charlie Peace, who is to be featured in later Barnard stories. This book is fraught with clever theatrical references and idioms and moves along at a fast pace. Barnard's wit and expertise show through readily. Not a "deep" book, but certainly a worthwhile one, especially if you like British mysteries with a twist of wry! (Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

Good hiking reference if you're new to the BH and hiking in general. I've found the ratings to be more for beginners or folks without a lot of hiking skill (ie. a moderate trail listed as strenuous). Good to get you oriented to the area.

I live in the Black Hills and use this guide extensively. Itis well written and trails are accurately described. If you purchaseone hiking book for SD....make sure it is this one!...

I am a product of Atlanta, Georgia, and I have had my experiences on many issues as they relate to the soci-psychological and economic issues of African Americans. However, my reading of the The Insane Nigger brought my mind to focus more closely on the issues. I was more able to debunk some of our problems after reading these intense chapters: "The Making of Black Insanity", "The Pimping White Man", "The Black Man and White Woman", and "Niggers Are Easy To For Get". I feel that most African Americans and other Americans should read this important book (70 plus pages to the Point). Even if you don't agree with what you read, it helps you to understand better the position of the African American in America.

This book is a must reading for black and white Americans. The Insane Nigger is brief (70 pages) and to the point. It is most clear in its presentation from a socio-psychological perspective as it discusses sensitive issues on black and white issues in America,e.g., interracial marriages, slavery,etc. It tells you exactly what you do not want to hear about America,"the beautiful", but once you understand that denial is the first sign of insanity, you begin the healing process by better understanding the covert and overt racism that still exist in America today.

This excellent book details the aftermath of the Port Chicago ammunition ship explosions during WW2, with particular emphasis on the "mutiny" of Black sailors detailed to handle the loading of ammunition ships. Those familiar with Port Chicago will find the book brings back details of the operations there, which had changed substantially in the years leading up to the Vietnam Era, and will provide interesting insights to the way Black sailors were treated. Their tragic end and the sacrifices of those who organized and participated in their work-stoppage made ammunition handling
safer for those who came after them, and as an ammunition ship sailor once assigned to Port Chicago, I'm included. A movie was made which closely follows this book's story.

No don't burn this book-buy it and read it and become aware ofone of yet another sickening US military action. This time the framingof black sailors who wouldn't work the day after hundred of their buddies were blown to smitherines because of unsafe loading of a munitions ship.

The US Navy behavior was despicable.

It's a little dry, to remain aloof. But dry paper catches fire easy.

After reading dozens of scholarly books, and writing published articles related to the Civil War myself, this book was a refreshing read. It is a reminder of the enormity of the task faced by the bureaucrats and businessmen behind the Confederate armies. Yes, the tide did turn at Gettysburg.

But for those who like to play "What if?" and speculate on the fortunes of war, this book is a bleak testimony to the long odds the south confronted. The Confederate States were almost completely unequipped to fight a modern, industrial war.

One shortcoming of this book, and it is a minor one, is that the story is told primarily through the eyes of railroad tycoons, and ignores to a great extent the perspective of well-known military personalities. This stems in part from the fact that Black relies heavily on the railroads themselves (their annual reports) for his source material. More research from military source material would round the picture out.

On the whole, however, Mr. Black must be commended. As I said, "fascinating."

This was a fascinating book as it put the Civil War into a slightly different context. It spotlighted the fact that many of the the major battles were fought over areas which were strategic rail centers - the best example being Atlanta.

It also clearly pointed out that the South was severely hampered by three different track gauges limiting the ready ability to carry freight long distances. In addition, even though the track gauges of a connecting railroad might have been the same, many of them were state owned. And some states would not permit rolling stock to cross state lines. This meant offloading and reloading freight at the state border.

And the Southern railroads never came under a unified control until very late in the War - in contrast to the North. And the South only had about a third of the track miles that the North had.

I highly recommend this book to any serious student of Civil War history. You don't even have to be a rail fan to enjoy it.

I have continued to keep the 2nd edition close by at work. The authors have put maximum in minimum of words, concise and truly useful from a trainee's point. The articles are brife, and yet complete and pictures are highly illustrative. With extensive new information added to the field of nephrology every day, a new edition of this masterpiece is sorely needed. I will wait for the new edition to hit the bookshelves. Do the authors have any such plans?

I am familiar with both first edition (spiral series) and 2nd edition (Rose and Black's) of this book. This is indeed a masterpiece in nephrology. It is good for both residents and renal fellows, as well as for all nephrologists in private practice and in academia. I highly recommend it. The only current problem is that 1996 is the last edition. I hope that the authors publish their next edition not later than early 2001.

In my opinion I personally think that Cook had valid and explanational points, but they were bios and somewhat more of someone else's thinking than of his own.

Excellent reference for advanced high school or college level courses.