Toni Morrison delivered a fine lecture upon her acceptance of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. The lecture is dominated by a central parable: about an elderly African-American woman sage who is questioned by some young people.

This parable is a bit overdone, and I found it less than convincing by the end of the text. But the lecture as a whole is thought provoking and even inspiring. Morrison's language is elegant and powerful, and she shares important insights. Especially important, in my opinion, are her cautionary words about the potential use of language as an oppressive force. Overall, I find Morrison's Nobel Lecture to be a fascinating component of her larger body of work.

Morrison delivers the line that gets drawn in the sand. She asks us to pick a side. A side for language to live with us, or die with us. Some of the most inspirational words i have ever read.

This Nobel acceptance speech is not only a masterful message about language, integrity, courage, and literature, it also happens to be one of the most powerful statements I've encountered about what it means to be a good teacher. Every educator should read this.

This is required reading for anybody interested in understanding the circus around O.J. Simpson's trial, in particular for liberl whites who pretended to have felt betrayed. The essays hardly deal with questions of guilt or innocence (although I got the feeling that most authors did believe in O.J.'s guilt), but with the question of why the response was so violent and bigoted, why white liberals accepted the trial by the media, some even joining in the media lynching. Essays are somewhat uneven, but in general very good and enlightening. Particularly striking were Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw and Ishmael Reed, the former elegant and poised, the latter in cold rage. Disappointing (for me, of course) were Ann duCille with her pre-digested Marxism, and Claudia Brodsky Lacour, who spoke more of Kant than of OJ, with a Baroque and convoluted style, quite appropriate for the Enlightment but hardly for the subject at hand. A question that came to my mind was why white Liberals tend to believe that African Americans should be forever grateful when a White Liberal treats them as equal. And then, they feel betrayed when their white hands are not licked in gratitude. After all, it is not a favor. Mind you, I happen to be what is normally known as white. In summary, excellent collection, to be highly recommended to objective people trying to understand the bitterness of African Americans in today's America

This collection of essays is an accessible, thought-provoking work. If you want to get behind the unarticulated true reasons why Americans were so disturbingly fascinated by the Simpson case, the book gives you much to think about. Yes, racism, sexism, distrust of the legal system, etc. is discussed, in many instances brilliantly. I will be using many of the ideas and concepts presented in this book in the work I do with young high school students and Stanford University students grappling with racism, gender issues and homophobia here in privileged, upscale Palo Alto.

Grossberg, Nelson, and Treichler have compiled a compelling collection of cultural studies essays. The selections in the book examine cultural studies from multiple angles, demonstrating the difficulty in identifying one encompassing definition of cultural studies. The differences do not create dissonance, however; rather they create a thought provoking collection that is worth reading.

The happiest moments of a liberal arts education usually take place late in the evening in a dormitory lounge or in a local bistro over several cups of coffee. They're conversations, often between two similarly minded people, that explore a favorite subject. Browsing through Imagining Characters is like lingering in a seat at the next table.

The works selected are an English major's hit list of mainly nineteenth century women's novels. Byatt and Sodre bring their experience as a fiction writer and a clinical psychologist, respectively, to their understandings and develop complementary insights rather than rigorous debates.

This isn't everyone's cup of java. The reader who enjoys this volume probably relishes at least half of the novels discussed, smiles at being called a feminist, and prefers discussion to formal criticism.

The Library of America is engaged in publishing definitive texts of the best-known writing in the U.S. Including James Baldwin in this series - and having Toni Morrison edit these volumes - has generated considerable critical review. It is remarkable that James Baldwin can still exercise so much hold over us. Both the fiction and the essays have a kind of raw power: it makes us realize how sensitive the nerve of "race relations" still is. "Go Tell It on the Mountain" - one of the early autobiographical stories - has already become an American classic. Baldwin's homosexuality and his ambiguous feelings towards the white establishment makes this a painful coming-of-age novel. There is no easy access to some one so at-odds with himself and his society - and no greater rewards for anyone interested in the literature of self-discovery. These are fine volumes. They are well worth owning and belong on the shelves of anyone interested in American literature. Not all collections are worth having. The Library of America - and these Baldwin volumes - are worth owning, and they are certainly worth reading.

This was a great book. I think it's very impportant for many to read this book at come time. Milkman learned many important life lessons that we all need to learn. I enjoyed her style of writing, she is a great author. She used many excellent writing techniques, such as, the motif of "flying" to create symbolism and imagery.

This is the chosen text for my english 345 at Sonoma State University. I m reading it as soon as I buy it :)

I found the idea behind this book, and the way in which it was presented, to be wonderful. The illustrations are lively and filled with a sort of movement that is accompanied by language which really gives the reader a sense of the "soul" (if one can say that) of each of these amazing kids. I have to say, however, that when I began to read of the first child's condemnation to "the big box", I caught my breath and grabbed my chest and thought, "I can't give this to a child; it would scare them too much." The way in which the sentence is presented leads one to believe that there really is a big box and kids really do get locked away for being themselves. Young children who are just beginning to come into a sense of themselves don't understand the figurative as well as adults do. I agree with the reader who suggested that this book be recommended for adults and not children.

As a twenty-something first grade teacher reading this book, I personally found Morrison's writing to be very thought-provoking and realistic in the actual portrayal of a child's mis-understanding of the purpose of rules which govern their very pre-teen existence. The metaphorical dipictions of how the three "troubled" characters react to the reasoning behind what seem to be unnecessary and consticting regulations draw me deeper into the story as the pages turn. The somber and confused response of each child to the various forms of behavioral intervention (before it may be just too late) by the adults makes me sympathize and reminisce about simlar circumstances of my childhood. I even began to feel somewhat sorry for these characters, and truthfully a bit melancholy. However, for the nine to eleven year old reader, for whom this book is recommended, I find the underlying concepts to be perhaps a little too difficult to grasp. The pictures are wonderful, and the lyrical flow make the story very fluid and easy to read. But, I can not fail to stress the sophistication of the meaning behind the written words. I would definitely recommend The Big Box to a friend who can look beyond the facade of sentences and words used to tell a story. .....Or, maybe some of the disciplinary bodies of my childhood or the cruel, wicked, just plain mean teachers who I call co-workers! - Thomas Michael Welch, Jr., Los Angeles, CA

The first few pages made me uncomfortable (I'm not sure why). Then as I read on, I found myself cheering for the children and their freedom. I began to love the words and the rhyme. It certainly resonated for me..having raised one child (now 30)who epitomizes the concept of allowing children freedom of expression. She has grown into a creative, fearless woman who is living her dreams. Parents should read this book alone,then again with their children, followed by discussion about the meaning of freedom. While I do not believe children should run the show, they do need an environment in which they feel safe enough to express themselves. This would be a wonderful book for the Montessori Schools!

In this book one will find information about Morrison's novels which is universally known. It is a kind of anthology of bit and pieces of reviews and critiques; it is bereft of anything original. What is missing is any attempt by the author to analyze subtextually any of the novels. I found the chapter on "Jazz" woefully inadequate and chatty. If, according to the author's admission, he did not understand "Jazz," why on earth did he assay an attempt to "analyze" it. I think Oprah could have done a better job!!!

It's wonderful to read analyses of Morrison's extremely complicated novels written by a real person, in real language that isn't phony, confusing, or pretentious. Ron David writes as a real person would talk, something that I found extremely enjoyable (although I can see where some would find it annoying). I love that, while he praises Morrison as the finest author of our time, he is not afraid to point out and openly criticize much of her writing, particularly THE BLUEST EYE. I thoroughly enjoyed what he had to say about JAZZ; if anything, he makes you feel better about not understanding all of her writings. David's admittance that he doesn't understand what the hell JAZZ was all about is enough to make us all feel better about not understanding it, either. His style is wonderfully intimate, friendly, and easily readable. This book is highly reccommended to anyone who has struggled with Morrison. It also made me feel proud to discover that many readers are never even able to finish her books--and I've read four.

This is definitely my recommendation for a "one-stop" analysis of Morrison's fiction. I do not agree with all of David's opinions - we all have them. However, like an archeologist excavating a buried treasure, he meticulously unravels the meaning behind the language, the naming of the characters, the technique behind the delivery. He further demonstrates how Morrison makes use of biblical doctrine, musical structure and myth in her work. The analysis of Paradise is by far the most intelligent, well-written critique I've read to date. Toni Morrison Explained provides a range of possible interpretations for the reader to ponder and ultimately integrate with our own experience of the Nobel novelist writings. Kudos to David for doing the work required to experience Morrison's fiction on a whole 'nother level.

This is a harrowing story. A small group with a big dream has taken off to create their own paradise on earth. The original group is a brotherhood of black men and women of near-direct African descent, racially pure, "8-rock" dark. Rejected by whites and even blacks of less pure descent, they found their own, closed community.

But like all racially closed communities, they have their own excellences and their own bigotry. Ultimately, they begin to see their own flaws.

The women that gather at the Convent are a symptom of all the ills of the society the small town tried to escape. Rejected by the town, and leaning on each other, they manage an escape of their own, and perhaps attain a more meaningful paradise - in the real world.

As usual, Morrison's writing is lyrical and laden with emotional imagery. However, characters are never truly developed, the highly symbolic scenes are difficult to string together into a storyline, and events are difficult to decipher. It is a challenging and difficult read, but a gripping story.

I loved this book. Like other Morrison novels Paradise has a good deal to say about misdirected anger, about turning harm inward (like The Bluest Eye) or in an arbitrary outward direction (like Song of Solomon) or upon the ones we most love (like Beloved). But central to this story is the dangerous notion of creating a paradise on earth. Things fall apart, the center will not hold.

The prose is lush and the story not so hard as some might lead you to believe. I found I didn't need to worry about knowing who was doing what when; I merely had to trust the story to hand itself into my heart. Which it does. And there is redemption here, this is not a fatalistic vision to my eyes.

A second read? Yes, of course. Always read the good ones more than once and they will be better. When I read it again, I can come back and rate this novel the 10 it surely deserves.

I have read some amazing books by this woman, but I think Paradise is her best piece of work. It is a mixture of Faulkner, Rushdie and Ms. Morrison's established style of writing. I found myself as equally fascinated as the characters in her book about the phrase "Be the furrow of His brow" or "Beware the furrow of His Brow". The difference in meaning is huge and I think central to the main event of the book - the gunning down of the "outsiders" in the convent. Morrison shows the danger of obsession - be it obsession with a human being, race or religion. There is a thin line between being extremely religious/godly and becoming a self-appointed "God". I think this book demonstrates that well and I would encourage any serious readers of English literature to read this! To those who enjoyed it, may I recommend Salman Rushdie's "Midnight's Children" to you - another excellent piece of literature.