| Author | Message | ||
     Troy AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Troy Post Number: 1987 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
 Mo'Nique Interview http://reviews.aalbc.com/monique.htm Lee Daniels Interview Prodcer of Precious, screen adaptation of Sapphire's novel, "Push" http://reviews.aalbc.com/lee_daniels.htm Precious - Film Review http://reviews.aalbc.com/precious.htm | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 8259 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: |
It's a really downer of a story playing up to white folks lust for Black pathological projection--they have more incest than anybody and always trying to accuse somebody else. ANYWAYS after Denzel in Training DAy and Halle in Monster's Ball it will be a shoe in-- | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 8260 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
I wonder if Negroes would be all atwitter if a Negro got an Oscar for acting like Steppin Fetchit? | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 8266 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
The book upon which it is based, which tanked the first time out, is now #1 on the Best selling Trade Fiction list of the NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/books/bestseller/bestpapertradefiction.html?_r =1&ref=bestseller | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 14261 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Oprah and Tyler Perry have baptized this movie with the tears of their abusive childhoods and that's the ultimate recommendation. McKenzie Phillips, eat your heart out. | ||
| Ntfs_encryption "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Ntfs_encryption Post Number: 3712 Registered: 10-2005 Rating: N/A |
”It's a really downer of a story playing up to white folks lust for Black pathological projection-“ White people don’t have a damn thing to do with this movie or the ugly reality it portrays of every day life for many blacks. You need stop drinking those 40 ounces of the white peoples is tryin’ to kill and degrade us malt liquor….. ”-they have more incest than anybody and always trying to accuse somebody else.” Once again, your continuous crippling intoxication has blurred your senses. The movie has nothing to do with pandering to whites perceptions or beliefs. It is a very realistic story of a young black woman’s chaotic and tragic life. And yes, white folks indulge in incest just as every other ethnic and race does. No group is exempt….PERIOD! Its pernicious Negroes like yourself who in denial about this race neutral behavioral pathology. | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2363 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
I look forward to seeing it. | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2364 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
Hey Troy, I read an article in The Wall Street Journal ( 6 November 2009). It was by your boy, Juan Williams. Title: 'Precious' Little of Value in Ghetto Lit The article covered half a page. Could you do me a favor? Punch up one of your fab 5 and get his ass in here. | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 8271 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: |
White people don’t have a damn thing to do with this movie or the ugly reality it portrays of every day life for many blacks. You need stop drinking those 40 ounces of the white peoples is tryin’ to kill and degrade us malt liquor….. (Well here's Buttboy showed up to give me my excercise. Anybody who would sit up and say white folks don't have nothing to do with this movie getting made, financed, promoted and nominated for an Oscar is too stupid to live) Its pernicious Negroes like yourself who in denial about this race neutral behavioral pathology. (I stand by my statement. They are the incest and bestiality kings and queens. But it looks like we are trying to catch up) | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 8272 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
I look forward to seeing it. (you must didn't get enough after "The Color Purple") | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 14271 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
"Precious" is above all a story about the triumph of the human spirit. Black people exemplify this better than white folks. Whites love to feel sorry for poor, non-threatening Negroes and they embrace movies like this. That said, the director of the film is black, the characters are black, and weren't Oprah and Tyler Perry its financial backers?? Appropriately enough, Whites are in control of its distribution, however. | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2368 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
I loved the Color Purple! Have watched it 10 times. they got robbed for the Osacr. What's your favorite movies? What?... Gone With The Wind? It appears Precious will have great acting. | ||
| Troy AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Troy Post Number: 1990 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Carey While Juan says nothing new the article was well written. More importantly it does not have the vitriol against the writers themselves; as say Nick's now classic "Their eyes were reading smut" article did: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703740004574514260044271666.html The problem I have with ALL of this complaining is that no one has attempted to explain the readers desire for these types of books. Trust if people did not read this stuff no one would be making any money in the genre. The issue is illustrated in a quote from Juan's article:
Why are middle class educated Black women reading this stuff? I noticed this trend years ago here on AALBC.com my bestseller's list is dominated by urban lit and erotica, and my demographic has always been educated, middle aged, Black women. Can someone please explain the appeal and why it is even a problem? Chrishayden: "...here's Buttboy showed up to give me my excercise..." You crack me up sometimes! "...after Denzel in Training DAy and Halle in Monster's Ball it will be a shoe in..." I would have agreed completely with this, prior to Foxx's win for Ray and Hudson's win for Dreamgirls. | ||
| Ntfs_encryption "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Ntfs_encryption Post Number: 3715 Registered: 10-2005 Rating: N/A |
"Anybody who would sit up and say white folks don't have nothing to do with this movie getting made, financed, promoted and nominated for an Oscar is too stupid to live". Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Silly Negro….Not one person said whites do not finance or nominate movies for Oscars. Whoever could not see this does not deserve to live either. But your deep rooted incurable paranoiac psychotic fear of white people robs you of the ability to make such discernments. It is a black movie about black people, directed towards a black audience and written and directed by blacks (adaptation of story written by a black woman) and financed by blacks. But your unrelenting simple minded race baiting and uncontrollable tourette syndrome out bursts deny you the reality of facts and the obvious. ”I stand by my statement. They are the incest and bestiality kings and queens. But it looks like we are trying to catch up.” Well, you’re probably right. But since Negroes have the highest rate of STD’s, AIDS and illegitimacy of any other group, I guess they could make a case also…… | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2369 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
"Why are middle class educated Black women reading this stuff?" Troy, I'll try to give my opinion on this subject. It's somewhat of a professional opinion. Also, I think it was kitty(?) that voiced a similar opinion. Aside from the violence and drug involvement that permeates street lit, Tyler Perry movies involve us emotional, much like street lit. The words "middle class" does not speak to our emotions. It generally relates to our financial status. Many of Tyler Perry movies are not deep, Yet, they play to our ability to relate to the chaacters. That's an emotional involvement. There's a similar emotional connection to street lit. It's safe to say that many in our culture have witnessed violence in our neighborhoods and in our families. Again, this has little or nothing to do with our financial (middle class) status. At the core of everything we do, there's an emotion that propels us. We emote, we are moved by our feelings. In reference to street lit, it's always been a human nature to gawk and gander at the ill's and foolish ways of others. Crowds gather to watch a man get hung or get his head chopped off. There's also the thrill of reading about lives that are totally different from our own. Regardless of how well the story is written it's still a story with a beginning, middle and end. In short, "middle class" is not an emotion, it's a classification that frequently fools individuals into believing they and others should act a certain way. The answer to your question lies in the core of the indiviaul and has nothing to do with status... Imo. Why do some people like porn or erotica? They are moved emotionally. Voyuerism? Why do some individuals love Tyler Perry films? They are moved emotionally. Why do some people buy street lit? They get involved with the characters. That relationship can come from past interactioned with a loved one or a neighbor or from past experiences of their own. As a culture, we've experienced and seen pain. Hence, what leaves the heart of one, will find a similar heart. That's not middle class, that's addressing emotions. | ||
| Ntfs_encryption "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Ntfs_encryption Post Number: 3721 Registered: 10-2005 Rating: N/A |
Hmmmmm...Nice post..... | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2371 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
Hey Ntfs, I recently wrote a post called "Frankenstein". I thoungt about the qualities of individuals that I admired and then created Blogenstein. There are people that I've met, that I don't always agree with but they have qualities that I would die for. You, my man, are one of them. In my Frankenstein, I wanted to include those that pocessed qualities that I wanted to emulate. Of course, since my Frankenstein would be a blogger, I had to give him writng skills. A choose a fellow blogger for that role. Everyone would love to be young again, so I gave that position to a female blogger that's very loud and brass. One blogger writes about her search for love, and the mistakes she's made along the way. She does so with such honesty. Frequently she does this through her poems. She was his heart. I have 2 friends that just can not get along with each other. One is driven by money and the other is a social watchdog kind of fellow. Yet, they have great debating skills. 1 day I gave them the whole day to just go at it. The two of them were my frankensteins debating skills. As I mentioned, I was looking for individuals that had skills that I did not possess, but I had to included myself. Well, in all honesty, I only had a laugh. Not that I make others laugh -- nope -- I have a loud ol'school laugh. I even have a follower from Afica. He was included as a link to the motherland and his views from that perspective. The list went on, but here's what I'd like to ask you. I've been known to use the words of others as a jumping off place in my posts. Troy's question, that I tried to answer, has inspired a post that needs further discussion. If a person does not believe anything I've said in my above comment, I would ask them to look at why they DO NOT like a certain kind of book, movie or person. I would bet my last dollar it has something to do with an emotion. For instance, when I try to watch a Tyler Perry movie, I get frustrated and mad. When I read some street lit, I get irritated and confused because some of them have poor sentence structure and I have a hard time finding the plot. There are other reason Iwhy I do not enjoy Perry's movies but they too are rooted in an emotion that doesn't feel good. So Ntsf, if you will, would you give a small opinion on the question "why are middle class educated women reading this stuff" I plan on using your words to jump off my post. I might lead in with a few words from Juan Williams. This is what I know. You'll make me proud to call you a friend. If I could "do over" my blogenstein, you would be my voice of reason, that could voice his opinion in a concise and understandable way. See, I can not always do that. I don't need a page, but do what you do best... | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 14279 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
far back as the turn of the 20th century, black Sociologists like E. Franklin Frazier, have always characterized the black bougeoise as "fatuous". They were an upper tier of the population concerned with a false facade of culture - superficial things like skin color, proper decorum, professional degrees, and status symbols that attested to their affluence. They have never been a group preoccupied with intellectual pursuits. Yes, there has always been a small core of academics and crusaders among them but, as a whole, this class was more interested in accumulating possessions than acquiring higher knowledge. Yet people like Juan Williams, continue to puzzle over why those who are more concerned with designer labels than Pulitzer prizes don't embrace good literature. Books and movies are forms of escapism. That's what the reading masses prefer and when it comes to this, members of the black middle class are no different. They prefer diversion, not stimulation. | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2372 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
That's good Cynique, I might use some of that. Thank you very much :-) If you had a blog I would link back to you. Eat your heart out (you know who). That's an inside joke yawl. | ||
| Troy AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Troy Post Number: 1993 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Carey, that was well explained. If you can get this point across to Nick Childs and Juan Wiiliams then we could move on from this so called controversy and get back to enjoying books for the diversions they are. The other issue I don't understand is why these folks feel "great literature" is not being published or that book stores are not carrying it. As if street lit is crowding out all the "good" stuff, or can not coexist. I remember, as recently as the start of AALBC.com, books by Black authors being much harder to find... | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2374 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
"The other issue I don't understand is why these folks feel "great literature" is not being published or that book stores are not carrying it. As if street lit is crowding out all the "good" stuff, or can not coexist" I can only assume that these individuals are not looking for "great literature". Because if they did -- and found it -- they would be out of a segment of their jobs. More so, maybe it's in the ego of these folks. As long as "they" believe there is not great literature being published, they stratify themselves above the masses. The other day I looked up the word "fool". One of the characteristics of a fool is a person that resists wisdom & knowledge. The aforemnentioned folks will remain foolish because they will seldom look in the mirror. "I remember, as recently as the start of AALBC.com, books by Black authors being much harder to find..." Yep, I agree. There's gold in them there hills but you have to be looking for it to find it. "get back to enjoying books for the diversions they are" I think I have a place for that quote. Thanks Troy | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 8277 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
It is a black movie about black people, directed towards a black audience and written and directed by blacks (adaptation of story written by a black woman) and financed by blacks (Are the festivals at which the movie has been garnering raves given by blacks? Are the Oscars awarded or voted on by a majority of blacks? I just read a rave review of the movie in Entertainment Magazine--is this black? Was the reviewer black? Are the movie houses in which it is being shown owned by blacks? Actually black people rejected the book when it first came out and they ain't gonna be too crazy about this movie--least of all bourgeious middle class blacks who hate and fear the black underclass 500 years in this country and Negroes don't know how it works. White folks, I apologize. I have thought you were hard on Negroes. Now I can see you are not nearly hard enough.) But your deep rooted incurable paranoiac psychotic fear of white people robs you of the ability to make such discernments. (I deal with more white people in a day than you see in a week. I don't hate white folks. I love them. I think they are being ill served by Negroes continuing to lie and wear the mask...) | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 8278 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
I loved the Color Purple! (You do know that Alice Walker does not. You do know that Spielberg massacred her book. You know that, don't you?) What's your favorite movies? (I got too many to list--"Eraserhead" is high up there, though) | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 8279 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
Precious" is above all a story about the triumph of the human spirit (You ain't even seen it yet. By the way, the clown who directed this directed "Monsters Ball") | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 14285 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
It's a testament to your insanity, Chrishayden, that you can defend and hate white people in the same breath, and express your contempt for black people even as you express your contempt for other blacks who express their contempt for black people.  Ridicule is your weapon of choice, and it figures since you, yourself, are ridiculous.  | ||
| Yvettep AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Yvettep Post Number: 3723 Registered: 01-2005 Rating: N/A |
I haven't seen it, nor have I read the book. I don't know if I will or not do either. Probably my curiosity will get the best of me and I'll check both out. I have heard some people comparing the film to "Slumdog Millionaire" in both their critiques and praise. I wonder if that means the film will follow "Slumdog's" example and win the Oscar? | ||
| Yvettep AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Yvettep Post Number: 3724 Registered: 01-2005 Rating: N/A |
Chris, I think the director also did "Shadowboxer." | ||
| Ntfs_encryption "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Ntfs_encryption Post Number: 3727 Registered: 10-2005 Rating: N/A |
"It's a testament to your insanity, Chrishayden, that you can defend and hate white people in the same breath, and express your contempt for black people even as you express your contempt for other blacks who express their contempt for black people."  ........... | ||
| Ntfs_encryption "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Ntfs_encryption Post Number: 3728 Registered: 10-2005 Rating: N/A |
"So Ntsf, if you will, would you give a small opinion on the question "why are middle class educated women reading this stuff"" Hmmmm....Gimme a minute and let me think about it. I'm somewhat leaning towards Ms. Cyniques comment. Good question though..... | ||
| Ntfs_encryption "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Ntfs_encryption Post Number: 3729 Registered: 10-2005 Rating: N/A |
Juan Williams article was post at a conservative website and these were the posted comments to his article: Readers comments posted at: http://www.amren.com/mtnews/archives/2009/11/precious_little.php 1 - Question Diversity wrote at 6:39 PM on November 6: All that I think is happening here is that the long time trend of ghetto movies are making their way to literature. The problem is, once you've read one, you've read them all. Going through one of these has to be dull enough, but to read a lot of these is a symbol of having a simple mentality. 2 - Robert wrote at 6:44 PM on November 6: from the article - Last year Pew released a poll showing that substantial numbers of black people now believe that there are two kinds of black people in America: those with an education, jobs and stable families and those being left behind. This "being left behind" belief implies, as usual, that someone else is to blame for their lot in life. Who is responsible for leaving them behind? The answer is that they leave themselves behind by the choices they make like dropping out of school, getting involved in criminal activity, having babies with no concern for the financial consequences and on and on. 3 - ice wrote at 6:52 PM on November 6: "Black best sellers are "poorly written, poorly edited and celebrate the worst of black life." And as bad as they are I'm willing to bet they had considerable help for every one of them. Blacks can't even do sub-standard work without assistance. 4 - Bandmo wrote at 7:02 PM on November 6: Blacks have only been in the USA for 400 years, and 250 of that in chains and only free for 150, so how can they be expected to be like Italians that came here 60 years ago? 5 - Zorba_the_Geek wrote at 7:35 PM on November 6: They are poorly written, poorly edited and celebrate the worst of black life. So what's new? Black cultural products in general are "poorly written, poorly edited and celebrate the worst of black life," not just the latest "ghetto" books. For example, look at the "Blaxploitation" films of the '70's like "Superfly," celebrating a drug dealer. Or earlier films directed to black audiences like "Gang War" (1940), about a "war" between two black gangs for control of a jukebox racket. Or 1934's "Harlem After Midnight" about a gang planning a kidnapping for ransom. One need hardly mention contemporary "gangsta rap" with its loathsome, violent lyrics. But blues lyrics of the early 20th Century were also violent and salacious, e.g. one song where the performer vows to shoot his "rider…just to see her jump and fall.." To paraphrase H. Rap Brown, "Violence is as African-American as cherry pie." 6 - Dutchman wrote at 8:19 PM on November 6: I recently was working parttime at a major corporate bookstore. This urban lit had to be kept at the back of the store in the receiving room to keep these titles from being shoplifted. While I on the book floor a black woman might approach and ask me "do you got a African-American section?" I would have to walk all the way into the back to get whichever title she wanted and make sure that the security tag was inplace. On the other hand, there are many trashy romance novels aimed at White women featuring Vikings, Highlanders, Cowboys, and Nascar racers! If I were younger I would take up fencing, weightlifting, ale drinking, and sailing as a sure means of attracting the ladies;) On an unexpected note, I had one regular customer from Pakistan who would come in to buy steamy Viking romance novels about once a month. She even wore the head covering, unattractive clothes, etc. I kept wanting to ask "What does Allah think about this?" 7 - Anonymous wrote at 8:37 PM on November 6: I used to be in the used book business, and I can say without a hint of racism that books by and/or about black people are not worth anything. Most of those black bestsellers will be selling on Amazon for a dime or less within 2 months of being released. There are way too many copies printed to satisfy the demand. I used to buy books by the cartful at the post office auction and would always dread finding a lot of fiction by black authors in the bottom of the bin. These were new books too. Once I had at least a dozen brand new copies of a particular black novel listed on Amazon for 7 cents each and the author bought half a dozen of them from me. Not that novels by white authors do much better. Books by Patterson, Crichton, Picoult, etc., eventually sell for 1 cent each on Amazon too, but at least if they're relatively fresh, you can get a couple of dollars for them. 8 - sbuffalonative wrote at 8:57 PM on November 6: These books sound like romance novels for black women only the men aren't white knights in shining armor but black thugs flashing bling. Let them read their fantasies about ghetto fabulous as long they keep it among their own. 9 - Conan wrote at 9:58 PM on November 6: "e.g. one song where the performer vows to shoot his "rider…just to see her jump and fall.." That lyric is actually ripped off wholesale from a Jimmie Rodgers song "T for Tennesse" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEIBmGZxAhg 10 - WR the elder wrote at 10:11 PM on November 6: What Juan Williams refers to sounds like the black equivalent of Harlequin romances. Neither genre rises to what one would call "literature", but while the stuff targeted towards white women involves fantasies about being swept away by a tall, rugged, mysterious, and rich man the stuff targeted towards black women involves fantasies about being a gangsters' ho. 11 - Dutchman wrote at 8:16 AM on November 7: While on the topic of black literature, much of the lionized and mainstream black writing is also trash. Toni Morrison or Maya Angelou would have no sales if the publishing and "education" industry did not heavily promote them. Students are often assigned these works. 12 - Anonymous wrote at 8:23 AM on November 7: "250 of that in chains and only free for 150, so how can they be expected to be like Italians that came here 60 years ago"? Because they have been 'free' for 150 years… ? Then again this falls into the trap of assuming African Americans, and only African Americans, are uniquely challenged, in a sense, once again finding a way to deny and negate the 'diverse white peoples' - as the guy from 'Resisting Defamation' website would say. 13 - Madison Grant wrote at 9:41 AM on November 7: "[these books] are poorly written, poorly edited and celebrate the worst aspects of black life." Just like black-penned plays and movie scripts, 99% of which are shockingly lowbrow. While leftists have always whined about the stereotypical (though still accurate) way blacks have been portrayed by white artists the fact is that blacks have been portrayed in far more demeaning depictions in black-produced movies, rap videos and sitcoms. 14 - Nihilist not Stylist wrote at 11:09 AM on November 7: An African-American tennant in one of my rental houses once informed me she was unable to pay the rent for the month. The reason being she was having a book published and had to use the rent money for the publishing fee. The title "I fell in love with my rapist". She was evicted not long after and I never received a copy of the book. I'm sure the comedy value would have been high. She was also planning a fashion show. The show featured free chicken and champaigne (with a $10 entry fee and security provided). She wanted me to attend. Surprisingly it never materialized. I have 1000 more stories. 15 - Anonymous wrote at 1:54 PM on November 7: Let's take a look at what Williams describes as common themes running through this "escapist" writing: 1) Sporting big, gaudy jewelry 2) Constantly angry; possessing a bad attitude 3) Using nonstop profanity replete with gender/ethnic based slurs 4) Having frequent liaisons with drug peddling lowlifes 5) Getting ditched with illegitimate offspring after said liaison Why is this "literary genre" considered "escapist" when the everyday life of the contemporary black woman completely mirrors these themes and behavior? If your run of the mill female ghetto-dweller wanted to "escape" by reading about something they are unfamiliar with, they could try the Help Wanted section of the local newspaper, a healthy nutrition guide or maybe a primer on responsible personal finance. 16 - Anonymous wrote at 4:19 PM on November 7: In Britain we still pride ourselves on good writing and take our literature quite seriously. But rarely will a book prize be up for grabs without an inclusion of at least half a dozen 'multicultural' novels being thrown into the contest. These will usually be novels about the Asian/Black experience; and/or those caught between cultures (sometimes focusing on a mixed race family). Needless to say the nice judges will do their utmost to see one or two receiving its fair share of reviews, accolades and prizes. See also Zadie Smith, Monica Ali, Salmun Rushdie, Hanif Kuerishi… But if nothing else, at least these people can write. As you can see, there are harsh sentiments among some whites that blacks have nothing to contribute to serious literature and somehow lack the innate ability to create substantive professional material. They believe blacks collective skills cannot rise about predictable substandard poorly written ghetto pulps. Very disturbing..... | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2380 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
Yeah, I hear what they are saying, Ntsf. But is those comments the voice of the black middle class woman? It doesn't appear to be so. Most of those comments were talking down to the readers of black lit. Collectively, I be willing to bet they have not read a substantial amount of Street lit. I say that because I've read my share (not recently) that would blow many of those myths right out of the water. | ||
| Ntfs_encryption "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Ntfs_encryption Post Number: 3731 Registered: 10-2005 Rating: N/A |
The comments were made by white posters. But their negativity is not unusual nor shocking. There is a widely held belief that blacks are incapable of producing substantive literature that is world class. They confidently contend that only a very small handful of blacks have produced reasonable works while the vast majority of black literature is substandard ghetto life noodling or one dimensional (e.g. protest). They feel black literary accomplishments (as a group) match those of their (blacks) impact and leadership in physics or mathematics. You saw what they said. Not a very pretty picture.... | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2381 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
And that, Ntsf, is their opinion, which is probably based on their limited search to find information that would prove them wrong. Again, I am looking for the voice of the black woman. | ||
| Ntfs_encryption "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Ntfs_encryption Post Number: 3735 Registered: 10-2005 Rating: N/A |
"Again, I am looking for the voice of the black woman." Good luck....... | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2384 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
Good luck? | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2385 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
Did I just hear a slap? | ||
| Yvettep AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Yvettep Post Number: 3726 Registered: 01-2005 Rating: N/A |
I cannot help. I am a "middle cllass educated Black woman" but I can't stand that genre. The few times I have tried to read one of those books I couldn't even finish them. I am always willing to give another one of these books a try, but so far none of them have been my cup of tea. | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2386 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
Yvettep, I don't know the particulars of your displeasure of "those kind of books", but I'd be happy to suggest one. I also do not read many of them but I have read a few. Listen to this: During the 1920s and 1930s, around the time of the Harlem Renaissance, more than a quarter of a million African-Americans settled in Harlem, creating what was described at the time as "a cosmopolitan Negro capital which exert[ed] an influence over Negroes everywhere." Nowhere was this more evident than on West 138th and 139th Streets between Adam Clayton Powell and Fredrick Douglas Boulevard, two blocks that came to be known as Strivers Row. These blocks attracted many of Harlem's African-American doctors, lawyers, and entertainers, among them Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle, and W. C. Handy, who were themselves striving to achieve America's middle-class dream. With its mission of publishing quality African-American literature, Strivers Row emulates those "strivers" capturing that same spirit of hope, creativity, and promise. Ms. Yvettep, I give you Strivers Row's "The Dying Ground" It's a Hip-Hop noir novel, and it might not be your style, but it could give you a differnet insight into a genre that some may consider unreadable. | ||
| Troy AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Troy Post Number: 2000 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Nice intro Carey. The Dying Ground was written by Nichelle Tramble http://aalbc.com/authors/nichelle.htm A wonderful novelist and human being. There is a link to a review, written by Thumper, on the above page. | ||
| Yvettep AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Yvettep Post Number: 3727 Registered: 01-2005 Rating: N/A |
Alright--If you two say it's good then I'll give it a try! BTW I have to admit that I may have a narrow definition of "street lit" which may account, in part, for my negative reaction... | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2388 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
Don't make your move too soon. I mean, all I am saying is it's well written. Now I am not saying it's Maya, or Ms California. But it is quality writing, imo. Like you, my patience is thin while reading any kind of book that doesn't move along. I will say... this book held my interest. The story zips along I had an added bonus, I had a chance to talk with the author. The only reason I would consider this street lit is because of the setting. It's in Oakland's inner city and some of the characters are involved in illegal activities. But those activities are balanced against a family's sruggles away from the street. Would I say the book was good to me? Yes I would. It's a nice read. | ||
| Troy AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Troy Post Number: 2001 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Yvettep you may also check out Eisa Nefertari Ulen's Crystelle Mourning: http://authors.aalbc.com/eisa_nefertari_ulen.htm I know I reached int the artives for this title, but it also urban fiction. Not promoted as heavily as the other titles in the genre. But does not not adhere to the standard refrain that urban lit is poorly editted and written... I think I'll mention Eisa in my next newsletter | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2389 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
Did somebody say neckbones, pimps and their employees? Oh, now that I have myself out here on front street, here's another added bonus for me... I could relate to the book. | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 8290 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
It's a testament to your insanity, Chrishayden, that you can defend and hate white people in the same breath, and express your contempt for black people even as you express your contempt for other blacks who express their contempt for black people. (I quote Walt "The Honky" Whitman: "Do I contradict myself? Very well. I contradict myself. I am large. I contain multitudes" I realize it is very difficult for a tiny brain--such as yours--to contain two or more seemingly conflicting concepts. If you are willing to give me all your worldly goods, I will teach you how) haven't seen it, nor have I read the book. I don't know if I will or not do either. (I have read the book. (PUSH) I have met the author. I thought the book was a failure--Sapphire did not for me convicingly pull off the POV of Precious. She states she knew girls like her. I have also. No matter what they have been through, they are never all the way bitter like an adult. Sapphire's poetry book, "American Dreams" is one of my favorites. I saw a clip with some of Mo'niques performance on it. Very convincing. I wanted to shoot her rght in the face." They confidently contend that only a very small handful of blacks have produced reasonable works while the vast majority of black literature is substandard ghetto life noodling or one dimensional (e.g. protest). (They all screw their sisters, mothers and farm animals. They are right in this--only a very small handful of ANYBODY has produced reasonable works. The vast majority of ALL literature is trash. Let that scum defend Barbara Cartland, Mickey Spillaine, Danielle Steele, etc.) | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 8291 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
Juan Williams blows Glenn Beck. | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 14292 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
I leave you, Chrishayden, to ponder how somebody with a "tiny mind" could acquire any worldly goods that you would accept in exchange for your tips on how to vascillate. Who needs advice from a Yo-Yo like you-you?? | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 14293 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
There is a sociological concept known as "relativism", a titillating idea that has been kicking around for decades among intellectuals, a concept that, among other things, contends that no group from one culture is qualified to judge another group from another culture because all things are "relative". White people judge black people by their standards, but through their history of oppression by dominance, they are the ones who have imposed the standards. So they are not objective in their criticism. Ergo: in the abstract realm of reality, who determines the criteria for what is "good" when comparing one thing to another????? In a world where a poison arrow released from the bow of a primitive Tribesman in a tropical jungle is just as lethal as a bullet from a Smith-Wesson fired by a "civilized" gun man in a concrete jungle, who is to say which killer is more efficient? Is Black Street Lit inferior to White Western literature? Ya pays yer money, ya takes yer choice. The earth is populated by diverse peoples. The only universal constants involve life, death, love, hate - and power. As much of a cliche as it is, things are what they are.   | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2391 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
Turn around Cynique, hold still, I'm writng that down. I am going to use that in my next argument. For real, when another dork hits me with something akin to "their" standard of right or wrong (Good), I'm going to blast them with that. |
