Open the Unusual Door: True Life Stories of Challenge, Adventure, and Success by Black Americans |
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You Are Here: Home > History Books > Black Plague > Item 208
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Open the Unusual Door: True Life Stories of Challenge, Adventure, and Success by Black Americans
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by Barbara Summers
Sales Rank: 362301
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List Price: $7.99
$7.99
At Amazon
on 8-5-2008.
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Features
Cover Type: Paperback with 224 pages
Published by: Graphia November 28, 2005
Written in: English
ISBN 10 Number: 0618585311
ISBN 13 Number: 978-0618585311
Book Dimensions:
6.8 x 4.9 x 0.7 inches
Weighs: 6.4 ounces
From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up–A wonderful cross section of excerpts from published autobiographies. The 16 stories tell of challenges met and opportunities recognized and realized. Colin Powell's recollection of his introduction to the military life at City College in New York City stands alongside Russell Simmons's retelling of the turning point in his life when, at 16 years of age, he shot at and missed a fellow drug dealer. Peter Westbrook, the world-champion fencer, talks about his Japanese-immigrant mother bribing him to take fencing lessons to keep him off the Newark streets. Whoopi Goldberg discusses being on welfare and using that experience as a stepping-stone to bigger and better things. Each selection deals with that point in the life of the subject when the opportunity to make a life change offered itself. This little gem of a book should be a first purchase for public and school libraries.–Carol Jones Collins, Columbia High School, Maplewood, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Gr. 8-11. Summers offers profiles written by 16 prominent African Americans who made choices that changed the paths of their lives for the better. The subjects include athletes (Derek Jeter, Peter Westbrook, and Chamique Holdsclaw), entertainers (Whoopie Goldberg, Queen Latifa, and Russell Simmons), writers (Susan Fales-Hill, Antwone Fisher, E. Lynn Harris, Lynne Duke, Michael Cottman, and bell hooks), community activists (Sister Souljah and Derek Scott King), a scientist (Neil de Grasse Tyson), and a statesman (Colin Powell). The writing styles and the themes vary greatly, reflecting each author's life experiences and personality. Several individuals dealt with coaches or mentors who pushed them almost beyond the limits of physical and mental endurance; others came to terms with difficult issues of sexuality; still others recount how discovering their life's passion, whether astrophysics or the military, focused their lives and gave them direction. These thoughtful essays will make great discussion starters, whether the goal is career guidance, inspiration, or knowledge of contemporary African Americans. Kay Weisman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Reader Reviews
Every day, each of us is presented with choices. They can be very simple ones (getting up on time, paying attention in class, volunteering to do something for the boss) or complex ones (being true to ourselves, helping someone out in a life or death situation, even to kill or not to kill someone). Our choices are what make us who we are. In Open the Unusual Door: True Life Stories of Challenge, Adventure, and Success by Black Americans Barbara Summers has collected a series of essays that explore the choices (and the consequences thereof) of some of today's leading African Americans. These are the people that you read about every day (like Whoopi Goldberg and Colin Powell) and the ones that you would only hear about if you were involved in a certain field (like Neil de Grasse Tyson, the director of a planetarium in New York or Peter Westbrook, one of the world's best fencers). The things that they have in common with each other and with all of us are the extraordinary choices they have made and the doors they have opened for themselves. Each excerpt is a unique and interesting glimpse into their lives. I, for one, was very inspired by the great determination that they all show - from Chamique Holsclaw and Derek Jeter's dedication in sports to the intense love and devotion artists like Queen Latifah and Sister Souljah show in their chosen professions. Whether you are black or not, young or old, interested in sports, the arts, politics...whatever - you will find a story in this book that will touch you. For me, it was the essay by E. Lynn Harris, a writer. His words really meant something to me (though I'm neither black nor gay). His truth came through his work and, as a writer, I know that feeling well and I try to capture it every time I write. I highly recommend this book for readers of all ages, but especially for young African Americans. Read to find out that you are not alone. Read to find out that you do have choices, even if they aren't obvious ones. Read to find out where you come from (and that goes for all of us). [...]
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Open the Unusual Door: True Life Stories of Challenge, Adventure, and Success by Black Americans
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Price: $7.99
Updated on 8-5-2008.
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