For anyone that cares about the journey of African-Americans in the 20th century, this book is a must. Carl Rowan has written a thought-provoking, entertaining memoir that glows with the authority of a brilliant man. From his early days in segregated McMinville, Tenn., through his World War II Navy service, undergraduate years at Oberlin College, the incredible work he did as a courageous and gifted newspaper journalist exposing Southern bigotry in the 1950s, and much more, "Breaking Barriers" is the story of a life that has mattered.

For those who may see Rowan as some sort of racist demagogue, this book should reveal something else. This is a man who was one of the most outspoken critics of Martin Luther King, even as he acknowledged the man's great achievements. He is also critical of Jesse Jackson and other prominent figures in the black community. He is also unafraid to explore both the good and bad sides of Lyndon Johnson.

But quite rightly, his most potent venom is reserved for Ronald Reagan, who, as Rowan explains, single-handedly did more harm to African-Americans than any president since Woodrow Wilson.

A highly recommended work.

As it says on the cover, this is as close as one will get to an autobiography of Thurgood Marshall. The author gives a fascinating insight into Marshall's life and career. Very well worth reading.

The opening lines of Carl Rowen's book state that the United States is "on the rocks spiritually, morally, racially and economically." The author goes on to smash everyone he deems responsible for this and the plight of the black man today.

I found this book very harsh and full of thoughts and ideas that, to me, seem very rash and extreme. Although he does quip that Farrakhan, Sharpton and Jackson are part of the problems blacks now face he reserves his harshest criticism for whites. Whites in power and white men in gerneral. He launches scathing attacks on former President's Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan and Bush. Be blasts Pat Buchannon and Oliver North. He calls G. Gordon Liddy a "troglodyte". He says Newt Gingrich is full of "self righteous hypocrisy". He accuses the federal court system of having "surrendered to racist mob psychology" for rulling against affirmative action in University's.

The author also makes the statement that blacks do commit a disproportionate number of the violent crimes in America. Most of the crimes committed by blacks are committed against blacks. He then goes on to talk about the fact that over 50% of prisoners in the penal system are black and that shows we still live in a racist society. I don't follow the logic. If more blacks are committing violent crimes, wouldn't it follow that more blacks would be in jail? I don't see how that is racist.

He points to Susan Smith who killed her children by drowning them in the car by driving into a lake. Her initial police report said that a black man had hijacked her Mazda and driven off with her two young sons in it. He points to the fact that these incidents add to racial polarization and hatred and are bitter reminders of the stereotyping of all black males as potential kidnappers, rapists and killers and warps the minds of white people. I don't know Susan Smith but obviously she is not a typical well thinking person. And I don't think her statement went toward warping any white folks minds. If you would approach the average person on the street they would probably remember the case. How many of them, do you think, would remember the initial report accusing an unidentified black man? The percentage would be very very small I am sure.

He tries to defend inner city cime in a way. First, when Jesse Jackson stated "There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery, then to look around and see somebody white and feel relieved." While I would not agree with this statement and the author obviously does not I would not say that Jackson surely must have been embarrassed by his statement, as the author did. Maybe Jackson truly feels this way, why would he be embarrassed? And why would the author of this book feel he can speak on another person feelings? The aurthor says that the poor black teenagers do covet the $150 sneakers and the $400 boom box but when they lack any honorable recourse to get it, who's surprised that blacks maim and murder for big bucks? Is the author serious here? Is he defending murdering someone if you can't afford what you want? Is he not adding to the black sterotype himself with statements like these?

With in the pages of this book the author continually tells me that he knows, as a black man, how white men feel. How could he? Just as I'm sure he would agree no white men can truly understand many of the feelings of black men in society. For instance he states on page 104, "I know how painful it is for a white man to get a female supervisor, and how a 'twofer' - a black woman boss - puts a strain on his manhood." What is he talking about? Why is it painful for a white man to have a women boss, of any color? Who is he to speak for me? I have a women boss and it is not a strain on my manhood. Is it different if a black man has a white woman boss? He certainly did not address this situation at all.

In my opinion the author is constantly trashing the white male and defending the black race without looking objectively. I believe that this book serves no purpose except to fan the flames of racism. From all sides. Don't waste your money on this one.

Same old rehash-whitey did me wrong.....the entire book revolves around the central theme that every person in America is bigot, closet racist, or both. This "author" goes on to defend OJ's "obvious" innocence and actually taunts the country to "bring on the race war". ...

Racism is still alive and kicking in this country -witness recent racially motivated drive-by shootings of blacks by white supremacists, the dragging death of a black man in Texas, police assaults on blacks in New York City, and so on - but, unfortunately, this is business as usual in America. What evidence really makes the author believe that racism is so endemic, so volatile an issue, that now there will be a race war? If anything, there seems to be LESS tension than ever before. I disagree with some of the other Amazon reviewers that the author is racist - apparently they believe if anyone suggests that white supremacist views are not uncommon, or even that white supremacy is not a "natural" law, they grow offended. This book may in fact appeal to that segment of the population, especially to that small percentage of the white population, that is actively anti-minority, and they may be its biggest readers because they want confirmation of their wished for race war.