The first volume of Souls Grown Deep is an essential book for any American folk art collector. Many of the great African American folk artists of the 20th century are covered and all have a short write up and some pictures. The only problem is that some artists get short change with a one paragraph write up (really short) and 2 or 3 small images on a single page. Clementine Hunter for example, gets this treatment. And Mose Tolliver gets much more space than Bill Traylor, possibly because most of the artwork shown is from the author's own folk art collection, but apparently the author doesn't have many Bill Traylor artworks compared to Mose T's. But it's such a large book that it will still be required for any folk art library. Beware, the second volume is just as big but seems like an entire book of filler. There are some interesting artists presented, but overall the quality isn't as high as the first volume. Perhaps because the artists in the 1st volume are already "established"' it's easier to see their place in folk art history whereas the artists in volume 2 are still relatively new. Both books have high production values in paper and binding. My recommendation is definitely buy volume 1, but be careful of volume 2.

This book is a marvel in both production quality and content. If ever a set of books deserved the "tome" designation, this set wins big. They opened my eyes to a world I hoped existed but feared did not. I have long appreciated and understood the contributions of African Americans in the arts, but often wondered why the visual arts traditions hadn't reached the heights that the music (blues, jazz, gospel, hip hop, R&B, Rock n' Roll), literary, athletic, fashion, theater, etc.. reached? I have also always been dismayed that many of the great African Americans have had to leave the south, and often this country, to receive recognition at all. It is an old story that is far to common. These books tell a different story. The art work is of the highest caliber, and often created with the humblest of materials?found wood, roots, house paint, discarded materials?yet the artists find ways to make the most glorious objects. It was certainly a revelation to see work that would rival what I see in the many museums in town, made by men and women who don't seem to have any regard, or perhaps knowledge, of these institutions. Work made for themselves, their families, or their communities enjoyment and education. The true meaning of art. It would be impossible for me to say which book I prefer. Both were so eye opening. Now that I have both, I can't imagine not having either. I hope that these volumes will find their way into the libraries and schools across America, for they tell a story that has long been unkown, which is unfortunate. Or, I fear, ignored, which is tragic. Kudos to both, and I hope that there will be a Volume 3. I must add that if you are interested in the "real" American story, history, art (of any kind), then these books are a must read (and look). And as a lover and collector of Twentieth Century art, I realize I have not been, up until now, told the WHOLE truth.

Gorgeous photos and very high quality printing and paper. The artwork is very interesting and continues to offer surprises further and further into the book. I enjoyed the stories and recollections of the artists which added a personal and human side to the visual splendor. The editors' own energy and passion for the subject matter shines through. This is a rare gift I will go back to time and time again.

The Mind's Eye is a great story by Paul Fleischman. In this book, a young girl by the name of Courtney got into a terrible accident and damaged her legs. Because her mother had passed away when she was younger, she lived with her stepfather. Not getting along with him, she was stuck at Home Care while he found a new life with another woman. Although she was lonely at first, she made new friends with Evla, and old woman. Together, they pass their time by imagining about places and things.
This book was introduced to me by Faith, my best friend. After reading it, she described it to me as a very touching story that I would fall in love with. The cover also seemed to look interesting and fun so I went ahead and read it. Even the cover seemed to tell me that this would be a book that I enjoy.
One of my favorite parts were when Elva and Courtney traveled to Italy through their imaginations. As Courtney looked through the map of Italy, they pretended to travel through its museums and wonderful sites. This gave me a feeling of wonder and adventure and I felt as though I was traveling through it, too. I never been to Italy either so I got to experience it through their imagination. It was very exciting and interesting. This is a book that should be read by everyone!

In Paul Fleischman's Mind's Eye, Courtney is a sixteen-year-old girl whose father left her and her mother when she was two. Countney did not get along with her stepfather so when her mother died, it made the situation worse. Courtney had a horse accident which has made her paralyzed. Her stepfather put her in a nursing home. She meets Elva who is eighty-eight years old and almost blind. Courtney and Elva take an imaginary trip to Italy using a 1910 travel guide. Even though the trip is only in the mind's eye, Courtney's need for love makes the journey real. Mind's Eye is a contemporary fiction book written in script.

Written as a play and taking place in a convalescent home, Mind's Eye is a touching story of the bond formed between Courtney a 16-year old who recently became a paraplegic and Elva, her elderly roommate who is bedridden and almost blind. A former English teacher, Elva is an educated and spirited woman. Kept company by the likes of John Greenleaf Whittier, William Blake and Robert Frost, she colors her conversations with quotes from the greats of the literary world. Depressed over her circumstances, Elva is nothing more than an irritant to Courtney. But when Elva tells Courtney a sentimental story about her late husband, Emmett, Courtney reluctantly listens. Elva explains that Emmett had always wanted to go to Europe, but passed away before his dream was realized. Elva tells Courtney that she had made a promise to Emmett that she herself would make the journey, but she became bedridden before that was possible. She encourages Courtney to join her and her husband on an imaginary pleasure trip through Italy using her 1910 Baedeker's Italy as their guide.
With detailed accounts, Fleischman creates a lavish trip through Italy's landmarks and countryside. For Elva, the trip becomes a time filled with fond memories of her late husband. At first, Courtney uses the trip as an opportunity to exude her anger about the new condition in which she finds herself. With little enthusiasm, Courtney reads from the travel guide and butchers the language. She unpacks her bags and ventures through Italy, and at one point takes a bold move and steers the trip in her own direction. Granting herself Medusa like powers, she pretends to ruin some of the world's most prized pieces of art. But, as she begins to heal spiritually and emotionally, she gives herself an imaginary boyfriend.
Fleischman craftily uses the trip to display Courtney's remarkable journey to emotional and spiritual recovery. He fills the reader with hope for Courtney and all others in similar situations as she continues her journey with another roommate after Elva's death. Fleischman's choice to leave out Courtney's emotional reaction to Elva's death is an interesting one, which leaves something special for the reader's own imagination. While the story could be easily understood by very young adults, the references to literary works and the spirit of this story would best be appreciated by sensitive readers. The surreal cover is a perfect complement to this imaginative flight.