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Books (312)

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- Singsation (1)
- By Jacquelin Thomas
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- Clotel: Or, the President's Daughter (5)
- By William Wells Brown
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- Desiree's Baby (5)
- By Kate Chopin
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Desiree's Baby

*** This comment contains spoilers! ***

"Desiree's Baby" was the first of many short stories I've enjoyed by Kate Chopin, a forerunner of the feminist authors of the 20th Century. In this poignant read, main character Armand Aubigny, a wealthy Louisiana plantation owner, assumes it is his wife's (Desiree) fault that their young son has Ne ... (continue)

"Desiree's Baby" was the first of many short stories I've enjoyed by Kate Chopin, a forerunner of the feminist authors of the 20th Century. In this poignant read, main character Armand Aubigny, a wealthy Louisiana plantation owner, assumes it is his wife's (Desiree) fault that their young son has Negroid features. He assumes this because when he first met and fell in love with her, Desiree had no real knowledge about who her parents were, or where she came from. Though the wealthy family that adopted and lovingly raised her expressed their concern about her bloodline, Armand did not care. He was "head-over-heels" in love with her and determined to make her his wife. Now ashame of what everyone in his wealthy inner circle will think, Armand forces Desiree and his son away from his home and life forever.
But by the end of this story, Armand stumbles upon a family secret that makes him, not Desiree, solely responsible for the Negroid features of his son. This bit of irony at the end is brillantly done by Kate Chopin and forces readers to consider the impact race had on society in the late 1800s and how it still impacts us today in 2010. I tell you, I cannot help but wonder if Kate Chopin wasn't pointing out to us that maybe, just maybe, the only difference that truly exist between black and white, is in the imagination of a society that exclusively decides its own racial purity!

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— Mar 30, 2010 | Add your feedback
- Silent suspicion (1)
- a Lincoln Keller mystery
- By Lee E. Meadows
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Silent suspicion

*** This comment contains spoilers! ***

Once again author Lee Meadows takes mystery fans on another action-packed ride through the streets of Detroit with the hard-hitting yet caring detective, Lincoln Keller. His assignment this time is to bring closure to the unsolved murder case of Deborah Norris, the sister-in-law of the outspoken Cir ... (continue)

Once again author Lee Meadows takes mystery fans on another action-packed ride through the streets of Detroit with the hard-hitting yet caring detective, Lincoln Keller. His assignment this time is to bring closure to the unsolved murder case of Deborah Norris, the sister-in-law of the outspoken Circuit Court Judge "War Zone" Henderson.
In the beginning Lincoln has a lot of mixed feelings about this case because he was not sure that he was going to successfully find the answers the judge was looking for. After all, eight years had passed since her murder took place. Even the local police department's investigation did not reveal anything . . . other than it was a random robbery & homicide. But once Lincoln begins to delve into the personal and professional life of Deborah, he soon realizes that she was a gifted writer whose life had been cut short. Her life was not cut short because of a random act of violence, but because she was asking way too many questions about something that was going on in a close friend's life.
So who really killed Deborah Norris? That classic "whodunit" question is revealed gradually as Lee Meadows presents us with intriguing characters whose lives are immersed in complicated lies and secrets which makes them all perfect suspects. In addition to the new characters in this tale, we are reacquainted with computer whiz Julie at Info-Search, Lincoln's love interest, detective Candy Malone, the annoying and overbearing Lieutenant Knackton, and the notorious Keller brothers -- characters which made Meadows debut novel, SILENT CONSPIRACY, a success! I enjoyed this mystery very much. I congratulate Meadows on his ability to not only tell a mystery story filled with present day humor, passion and violence, but to tell a story that keeps readers actively involved with solving the mystery to the very end.

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— Mar 29, 2010 | Add your feedback
- Silent conspiracy (1)
- By Lee E. Meadows
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Silent conspiracy

When author Lee Meadows asked our online book club to consider, SILENT CONSPIRACY, I welcomed the idea immediately since we had no mystery novel on our reading list. As I previewed the book, I hoped that it was filled with all the deception, intrigue, murder, and passion that makes mystery novels ex ... (continue)

When author Lee Meadows asked our online book club to consider, SILENT CONSPIRACY, I welcomed the idea immediately since we had no mystery novel on our reading list. As I previewed the book, I hoped that it was filled with all the deception, intrigue, murder, and passion that makes mystery novels exhilarating to read. Well, I'm proud to say that he didn't let me down. In fact, his novel provided me with all the above ingredients and more!
This was an interactive novel for me from start to finish. The sights and sounds of Detroit were so vivid that I felt as though I was right there riding 'shot-gun' in the front seat of detective Lincoln Keller's 1987 Chevy Nova. The inclusion of historical events like McCarthyism and the senseless killing of Emmett Till was nicely done because it gave me a better understanding of the social injustices & problems that served as a backdrop to the 40 year old missing persons case Lincoln Keller was trying to solve. Each lead or clue that he uncovered had my brain working overtime to the point that I was looking ahead for the answers. Lee Meadows debut novel is simply -- a great mystery!

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— Mar 29, 2010 | Add your feedback

- Bound for Canaan (3)
- The Epic Story of the Underground Railroad, America's First Integrated Civil Rights Movement
- By Fergus M. Bordewich
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Bound for Canaan

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Prior to reading this book, my knowledge of the Underground Railroad came mainly from a few slave narratives, snippets of it mentioned in history books, and from a few biographies that captured the essences of those who gave their lives for the cause. Never have I read a book that was so richly rese ... (continue)

Prior to reading this book, my knowledge of the Underground Railroad came mainly from a few slave narratives, snippets of it mentioned in history books, and from a few biographies that captured the essences of those who gave their lives for the cause. Never have I read a book that was so richly researched on the Underground Railroad the way Fergus M. Bordewich has done in BOUND FOR CANAAN. Without a doubt, this book puts in perspective how the Underground, a racially integrated network shrouded in secrecy, sets the stage for America's first civil rights movement towards social change. This book is an extraordinary achievement and brings enlightenment to a little known topic in American History.

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— Mar 29, 2010 | Add your feedback
- The Executioner's Game (1)
- By Gary Hardwick
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The Executioner's Game

Gary Hardwick fans won't be disappointed with, "The Executioner's Game." Using select rules from his main character's E-1 Operations Missions Manual, Hardwick sets a riveting stage for readers to be fully immersed into a well written spy-thriller that not only entertains, but stimulates thoughts abo ... (continue)

Gary Hardwick fans won't be disappointed with, "The Executioner's Game." Using select rules from his main character's E-1 Operations Missions Manual, Hardwick sets a riveting stage for readers to be fully immersed into a well written spy-thriller that not only entertains, but stimulates thoughts about race and crime of the inner city and how the two are perceived by law enforcement. This novel clearly establishes Hardwick as a daring storyteller with the kind of verve and energy that will keep old fans wanting more and new fans seeking out his other works.

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— Mar 29, 2010 | Add your feedback
- Their Eyes Were Watching God (187)
- (G. K. Hall Large Print Perennial Bestseller Collection)
- By Zora Neale Hurston
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- The Remedy (1)
- The Five-Week Power Plan to Detox Your System, Combat the Fat, and Rebuild Your Mind and Body
- By Supa Nova Slom
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- Foxy (4)
- My Life in Three Acts
- By Pam Grier
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