Growing up as a Caucasian American I was always attracted to the disenfranchised, disempowered and misrepresented peoples of the world. My sense of justice was offended by the philosophy of European superiority, the philosophy that is based upon the idea that a person is basically born into an ethnic caste system of which Europeans where the lords. I started to befriend African Americans very early on, and I became deeply fascinated by their culture. One day an older African-American woman asked me about this, noticing me shying away from playing with white kids. At the time I didn't know how to respond so she scolded me. She told me that I was not 'black' and that I had no business pretending I was. She went on to tell me that I could never identify with what 'black' people experience, because like it or not, I was white. I would always have opportunities that 'blacks' wouldn't. She did have a point, or at least I thought. I went through a serious bout with my identity after that and decided to educate myself on what actually happened to these people. I started with this title, and it led me onto a serious engagement with our country's brutal fascination with chattel slavery.
Frederick Douglass was a slave on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, not too far from Baltimore where I live. His accounts of the treatment of slaves is indeed frightening. It is very important to note that when Frederick was young he was sent to live in Fells Point Maryland as a house slave. The wife of his owner thought it good to teach Frederick the alphabet. After Frederick learned the alphabet the woman showed her husband. He was furious with his wife, and told her that it you teach these 'niggers' to read they will want to know how to write. If they know how to wright, they might start thinking they are equal with white folks. He then ordered her to stop teaching Frederick anything 'that could interfere with his chores'. Unfortunately the damage was already done. Frederick became obsessed with reading and taught himself to read by studying newspapers in the streets and paying white kids to teach him. Slowly we see Frederick, through his own religion convictions, developing a liberation philosophy through education. Knowledge was his key to freedom, and it eventually led to his escape to the North.
One of the key points of this narration is that the slave owners used methods of controlling slaves which are very similar to the tactics employed by the propaganda machine. For instance, Frederick noticed that the slave masters made the slaves drink on holidays and observed them strictly to make certain that all of them spent their 'free' time drunk. They were always on the look-out for slaves that exhibited critical thinking attempting to hold conversations with their fellow slaves about their condition. Reminiscent of the fabled or not Willie Lynch manual on how to make and break a slave, these slave masters certainly knew what they were doing. The institution of slavery was highly developed, almost a science unto itself. Escaping this was the main theme in the first half of Frederick Douglass's autobiography. The second part deals with his efforts to bring slavery to an end all together by raising peoples consciousness to the inhumanities of the practice. I am indebted to Frederick Douglass for bringing me closer to the reality which African Americans live through day in and day out not only in this country, but also in apartheid South Africa. While I believe that the scolding I got was somewhat well deserved, I do believe that consensual integration is part of a God's work. Overall one finds it very difficult to account for all of valuable contributions this work can bring to the human heart. This is one of those books which makes you want to cry, then laugh, then explore new methods of pluralism and equality. Ironically I married an African American sister who teaches at Frederick Douglass Middle School in Baltimore City. She often tells me how the text books are over fifteen years old, and the computer lab even older. Most of the students see no benefit in the public indoctrination system anyway, but when they do go they are met with ancient resources and apathetic teachers. Another clear indication that we have a lot of work to do on this 'American' notion of equality.

This book, written in Douglass' later years, not only lifted my spirits but did a great deal to reestablish my faith in humanity. This was a man who had every opportunity, and reason, to be bitter and/or vengeful. He, instead, chose to fight, with his intellect and his golden tongue, for what he, and others chained in slavery and social subservience, rightfully disserved as a member of our human race. He was a man of conviction and inner strength who taught himself to write with an elegance that I have never seen equaled. I strongly recommend this book.

What happens when cousin KC comes over and forgets his bear? Grady treis to make KC feel better and loans him his bear but just to hold. KC drags the bear around and leaves him looking his worst. Grady insists on his old bear and nothing else. Can grandpa save the day and fix Grady's Bear?

This book is such a realistic story. We all want what is ours and don't like sharing very much, especially with our little cousins. I liked this childrens story a lot because of how I can relate to it. If you are teaching your kids about sharing, try this book.

Please write more short stories for us

"Good as new" is what grandpa promises after Grady's teddy bear is smeared with peanut butter, sprayed with a hose, and buried in the sand by his young cousin. When grandpa begins cutting the stitches and pulling out the stuffing, Grady isn't so sure that grandpa knows what he's doing. However, Grandpa ends up a hero and the bear turns out better than new. This delightful story has a familiar childhood problem with a satisfying ending. Large, attractive illustrations are perfect for sharing with one child or a group.

Delinsky has mystery,intrigue,and romance all in one. She makes you wish you could be a juror to watch the sexual tension and buddding romance blossom.

I bought this guide for a one week road/dive trip from Monterey to Santa Barbara. The book proves itself almost useless...maps and descriptions were too general to actually facilitate the trip. I couldn't find other publications about the area, the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary Diver's Chart (bought at a dive shop in Monterey), was a lot more useful on the area between Monterey and Big Sur. A compilation of local information from divers and the web proved a lot more useful.