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Being a Black Man: At the Corner of Progress and Peril [Paperback]

Kevin Merida
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

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Book Description

August 7, 2007
Over the last 100 years, perhaps no segment of the American population has been more analyzed than black males. The subject of myriad studies and dozens of government boards and commissions, black men have been variously depicted as the progenitors of pop culture and the menaces of society, their individuality often obscured by the narrow images that linger in the public mind. Ten years after the Million Man March, the largest gathering of black men in the nation's history, Washington Post staffers began meeting to discuss what had become of black men in the ensuing decade. How could their progress and failures be measured?

Their questions resulted in a Post series which generated enormous public interest and inspired a succession of dynamic public meetings. It included the findings of an ambitious nationwide poll and offered an eye-opening window into questions of race and black male identity—questions gaining increasing attention with the emergence of Senator Barack Obama as a serious presidential contender. At the end of the day, the project revealed that black men are deeply divided over how they view each other and their country.

Now collected in one volume with several new essays as well as an introduction by Pulitzer Prizewinning novelist Edward P. Jones, these poignant and provocative articles let us see and hear black men like they've never been seen and heard before.


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Being a Black Man: At the Corner of Progress and Peril + The Black Male Handbook: A Blueprint for Life
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tackling the thorny subject of America's black men and their place in the national experience with balanced analysis and superb writing, Washington Post staff writers don't miss a beat. Pulitzer Prize–winning writer Edward P. Jones sets the tone with an astute introduction about growing up without a father in D.C. and the emotional complications of lacking mentoring. Excellent journalistic features include Michael A. Fletcher's title piece, At the Corner of Progress and Peril, examining the many missed opportunities of these besieged men; Stephen A. Holmes and Richard Morin's insightful exploration of how black men perceive themselves, A Portrait Shaded with Promise and Doubt; and Robert E. Pierre's The Young Apprentice, which reveals a college-educated couple's preparation of their son to enter the world. Kissah Williams offers a candid meditation on eligible black men in Singled Out, while David Finkel writes powerfully on The Meaning of Work. Covering sociological, psychological and spiritual topics, the book provides a comprehensive view of the African-American man in contemporary America. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"With balanced analysis and superb writing, Washington Post staff writers don't miss a beat." -- Publishers Weekly, June 25, 2007

Product Details

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: PublicAffairs; 1 edition (August 7, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1586485229
  • ISBN-13: 978-1586485221
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 8.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #984,827 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars INSIGHTFUL... August 18, 2007
Format:Paperback
Written by the staff of the Washington Post, this book is a compilation of a series of articles, augmented by some new material, on the issue of being a black man in America. The book offers a contemporary view on the issue and reveals how divided black men actually are on how they view themselves in the context of race. The articles are insightful, candid and highly personal, as they evolved from interviews with many black men from all walks of life and provide a birds-eye view into how black men in America currently define themselves and their lives. I was entranced by their stories.

The writing is superlative, and the reader will find the introduction by Pulitzer Prize winning novelist, Edward P. Jones, quite poignant. The book also includes the results of a nationwide poll that empirically confirms what the articles declare anecdotally, that black men in contemporary America are divided on how they view themselves, each other, and their country. Those who are interested in social issues, as well as those simply interested in the human condition, will enjoy this well-written, insightful book.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Being a black man September 11, 2007
Format:Paperback
Very interesting. Most of what I read I always knew but was unable to put in words.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Thier is no progress without peril April 6, 2013
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This E-book is very well written and explains what the peril and progress has been, Black-American men have reached a proverbial crossroads, which will we follow, the stereotypical threesome of being a rapper, sports-hero or comedian. Or we can take the hardest path. The path which President Obama has exemplified. One thing is for certain we black folks have to start working together! Polite society has had their "proverbial bell" rung twice with the election and re-election of President Obama.

With the regard to wealth creation and preservation, education is key along with early intervention to break the cycle. Most of all we have to start valuing "book-smarts" as much as we value street-smarts. The only way we can get a "piece of the pie" is to start building assets. The books asks "why shouldn't we as Black-Americans' have a say in the managing of the wealth of the nation. Even though we have been systematically been disenfranchised, we have the solution. The example of President Obama has provided gives us the way. We have to build organization and invest in apprenticeships and internships with emphasis on professional certifications like Microsoft, Cisco and CompTIA. I recommend this book to any adolescent or young man beginning his career.
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