The Black List [Hardcover]

Timothy Greenfield-Sanders (Author), Elvis Mitchell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 16, 2008

In The Black List, twenty-five prominent African-Americans of various professions, disciplines, and backgrounds offer their own

stories and insights on the struggles, triumphs, and joys of black life in America and, in the process, redefine "black list" for a new century.

As seen in original portraits by renowned photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and in a series of incisive interviews conducted by award-winning journalist, critic, academic, and radio host Elvis Mitchell, this group exemplifies today's most accomplished, determined African-Americans, whose lives and careers form a trail of inspiration and example for people of all races.

Spanning the arts, sports, politics, and business, the diverse accomplishments and lives of these remarkable individuals create a kaleidoscope of ideas and experiences, and provide the framework for a singular conver-sation about the influence of African-Americans on this country and on our world.

The Black List is:

Slash - Toni Morrison - Keenen Ivory Wayans - Vernon Jordan - Faye Wattleton - Marc Morial - Serena Williams - Lou Gossett Jr. - Russell Simmons - Lorna Simpson - Mahlon Duckett - Zane - Al Sharpton - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - William Rice - Thelma Golden - Sean Combs - Susan Rice - Chris Rock - Suzan-Lori Parks - Steve Stoute - Richard Parsons - Dawn Staley - Colin Powell - Bill T. Jones

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Mitchell's project with photographer Greenfield was to track the black experience in America and by doing so, to exhibit the wealth and variety in it. Their interviews with 25 prominent African-Americans became a book and an 87-minute HBO documentary. (The audiobook trims back on contributors; although they are listed on the packaging, there are no chats with Def Jam Records founder Russell Simmons, Tuskegee airman William Rice or record producer Steve Stoute.) Mitchell introduces the book before each subject is given a few minutes to speak at length about their wishes, their battles, their anxieties and fulfilling their goals. There are no dull spots among the tightly edited monologues, just eloquent, engaging and inspiring speakers, including Toni Morrison, Chris Rock, Colin Powell, Faye Wattleton, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Zane, Al Sharpton and Louis Gossett Jr. The inspiring and illuminating voices are supported by a lulling musical score by Neal Evans. An Atria hardcover (reviewed online). (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Elvis Mitchell is the entertainment critic for NPR’s Weekend Edition. He is a Visiting Lecturer on African and African American Studies and on Visual and Environmental Studies at Harvard University. Mitchell was a film critic for the New York Times from 2000 to 2004, and has written for Spin, Interview, Esquire and the New York Times Sunday Magazine. He is currently editor at large at Interview magazine.

Timothy Greenfield-Sanders is highly regarded for his strikingly intimate portraits of world leaders and major cultural figures.  Fifteen books and catalogs have been published on his portraiture.  He is on the masthead as a contributing photographer at Vanity Fair magazine.  In 2005, he was profiled on the television show, 60 Minutes.   

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Atria Books (September 16, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416594191
• ISBN-13: 978-1416594192
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #72,188 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully Written Book, October 19, 2008

By 

Keith A. Jones "Sonic Jones... I'm Kind Of A ... (Philadelphia PA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Black List (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

The Black List contains a major list of people of color who have had incredible lives and even more incredible careers. The book contains some people you know and love and some people you never knew about. All of them have unique stories and all tell them well. Guns N Roses guitarist Slash was an unexpected person in the book for me but he told some great stories. Slash Even talked about some problems he had with his band when they wrote a rather racist song.

The lineup goes from Russell Simmons to the crazy and hilarious Keenan Ivory Wayans. My favorite had to be author and Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison ("Beloved", "The Bluest Eye"). She just pulls you in with every word and she is a true writer to the core. Her words really changed the day for me. The Black List is amazing, everything is slowed down but nicely paced. It is a beautiful creation of people that bring their lives and experiences to the table to show the younger crowd what we can be in the future. I loved everything about it and would recommend it to everyone.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Earth Shattering, October 4, 2008

By 

Robert Byrd (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Black List (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

I ordered this book with great anticipation expecting it to be stellar for several reasons:

1. Elvis Mitchell is someone I've always respected as a New York Times film critic and commentator for PBS. This book is one of his many new ventures.

2. Timothy Greenfield is a highly regarded photographer who has taken on both safe and controversial material - the most controversial being a book of portraits of men and women in the adult film industry (a very good book that I also own), and

3. The subjects of this book, people like Toni Morrison, Colin Powell, Bill T. Jones and others, are all titans in Black America - how could any book go wrong in presenting so many great people in the same publication?

Unfortunately, I think THE BLACK LIST, a very cleverly titled work, never evolves to anything more than a superficial coffee table book. The narrative that accompanies each of the portraits is more than a bit lackluster. Even the portraits themselves seem rather mundane and uninspiring. I own the book and have every intention of adding it to my vast collection of photography monographs, but it is by no means one of my favorites. I just feel that the very impressive people profiled in it deserved so much more. Greenfield's portraits of porn stars that I mentioned earlier is actually a better book on all accounts.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a List!, October 23, 2008

By 

V. Marshall (North Fork, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Black List (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

This book is a beautiful tribute to African-Americans. A companion book to the HBO special "The Black List," it contains 25 interviews and photographs of a well rounded group of people who have contributed to American society in some way. Elvis Mitchell provides us with some unique insights into the life experiences of writers, athletes, politicians, activists, dancers, comedians and actors as well as many others. Each discussion is different and reflective of the personality being interviewed; some are surprises and others just pure and simple wisdom. The portraits by photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders are extraordinary. Each picture is a true vision, perfectly lit and exuding every subject's personality. I happen to love the portrait of Tony Award winning dancer, Bill T. Jones, because it isn't so much his fame here that gets him recognized, but rather his essence in fact it almost brings tears to my eyes. America should be very proud of the talented voices presented here and savor each with a simple flip of a page whenever the inspiration calls you.