Customer Reviews

Callus On My Soul: A Memoir

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Dick Gregory is a truly incredible yet somewhat obscure talent who sacrificed fame and fortune only to become quite wealthy anyway! I have read all of Mr. Gregory's books, listened to most of his CD's, and attended several of his lectures at universities throughout the country. Unfortunately, and somewhat amazingly, most of his books are out of print! This is possibly due to his refusal to become "mainstream" at any cost. Nevertheless, "Callus On My Soul" is a great way to catch up and see a lot of what you've missed . . . And chances are, you've missed a lot! Whatever you may think about Dick Gregory, this is irrefutable: He has always been (and remains) funny, controversial, angry, obsessed, and a true Holy Man (in the tradition of Jesus Christ himself) . . . AND "Brother Greg" has never lied to you! His previous books include "No More Lies" (History), "Dick Gregory's Political Primer" (Political Science), "The Shadow That Scares Me" (Sociology), "Nigger" (his autobiography), "Up From Nigger", "Code Name Zorro", "From the Back of the Bus", "Write Me In" (he collected 1.5 million write in votes for President of the United States in 1968), "Dick Gregory's Bible Tales", and "Dick Gregory's Natural Diet For Folks Who Eat" (look for them at used book stores or perhaps at amazon.com, but . . . This book is arguably his best! The easiest to find is "Nigger", and remember, if ever you hear that word . . . They are advertising one of his books . . . And contributing to his income!

To those who might consider this a biased review, I want to first say that reading this book will transform your life and your beliefs about about everything. From the truth about racism to facts about love and humor.

I want to say that I have have had the honor, the pleasure and the God-given reward to have been the friend of Dick Gregory for 36 years. So if you were to judge my words on a prejudice you would be right. But that just makes me a more informed reporter regarding whether or not you should read this book.

Over the past 5 decades we have benefitted from what he has done. Dick Gregory has spent, going to jail for us to break the bonds of prejudice? We are certainly grateful that someone so courageous as Dick Gregory has used his fame, the notoriety he earned from his wit and wisdom to communicate -- though he made it a point to forever stop performing in nightclubs, though it cost him millions of dollars, because he knew it was a travesty to sell liquor or cigarettes to people because these were deadly substances. So he gave up the wealth that so many stars, entertainers, celebrities, etc. had access to. Why? Because he was a man of truth. He remains a man of truth.

While he had married the woman of his dreams, the woman of his life, Lil Gregory (forgive me for using the familiar first name but after knowing them for 35 years it's second nature to me now), he also sought to communicate the tragic, and heinous ills of society's prejudice and racism, through a method of communication that he learned in school. In 'Nigger' the first Dick Gregory autobiography, and in "Callus On My Soul," the second autogiogaphy by Dick Gregory and Shelia Moses, he told of his dilemma for survival.

He was small and not able to prevail on the street corner or in the schoolyard without something extra. Had he been a giant, strong and awesome physically, it would have been easy. But Gregory was smart, he was gifted intellectullay and most of all he was funny, comical, and had a talent for humor. If you can make people laugh, you can lower their defenses. So Greg began a lifetime of making people laugh. It started with a need to survive but it continued to flood a nation which had never seen the wit and wisdom of such a person.

At the same time, Gregory was in command of his physical self. This would be something that would define his life many years later. While in his school years, he became a champion long distance, cross-country runner, and eventually he became the champion of the State of Missouri.

Humor was his entry into history and his commitment was his entry into a life of dedication to the civil rights movement with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and many others. The experiences he relates in his book are enough to give you chivers because of his creativity, born of his talent for humor in some cases, but also his courage, such as to call for and be granted a face-to-face meeting with the Ayatollah Khomeni during he incarceration of the Americans who worked at the U.S. Embassy in Iran.

Gregory is loved wherever he goes. He's the most sought after lecturer at all U.S. colleges and has been for more than two decades. But he's not only an extraordinary example of a father of ten grown kids who are all people for society to acknowledge as the kind of people we all would like to have as our children, ttheir achievements being so admirable that it might look as if Iwere fabricating them to make this look good for Gregory. But he's a man who we can all learn from, he knows no boundries, between men or women, racial divides, religious differences, or any other type of bigotry. You must at least read about Dick Gregory, because he is a man of humor, which is the greatest stress reliever of all pursuits, but because he will give you some very clear insight into what you can do to improve our world. And you will be better for it.

Brother Greg believes O.J. is innocent. That is hard to believe, and there is some paranoia with his thinking. Conspiracy theories make for good fiction, but some of it is enlightening and believable. Mr. Gregory is a great man, and has a lot of knowledge. He is very smart. He is very funny, but he is also obsessed. If he calms down, he would do better. I love him. He is trying so hard to stop world hunger, and wants people to be slim and trim, and not fat as a pig. He wants justice. If people were more like Mr. Gregory, the world would be a much better place.

I am so awed and inspired by reading Dick Gregory's latest book. His life reads like an adventure through the most turbulent times of the 20th century. Friend to presidents, civil rights leaders, and industry giants, Dick Gregory doesn't fail to enlighten, inspire and fascinate the reader. He has been there done that for over 35 years. Now that our country faces a crisis, I hope Dick Gregory will be there for us with his commentary, his insight and wisdom.

I wish he would have written more about his successes in the '80's with his weight loss programs, his work with the National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers (NOCIRC) and his circumcision trauma, the Black Panther party, Tupac Shakur, the Bush family, and his vision for the future.

Ah, but hopefully his next book will include that! I recommend this book highly. I only wish I could hear him lecture in person.

Another hero in African American & American His-story. This book should be on the shelf next to The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Sure to become a classic!!! How many people you know have worked this hard?

With choices come sacrifice, and in Dick Gregory's book CALLUS ON MY SOUL, he tells the story of his life and shares with readers both the positive things he gained and the things he has had to forego as a result of his decisions. He tells of his childhood, which included a life of poverty, racism, and an absentee father. But more importantly, Gregory shares how he learned as a child to use humor as a way to transcend his difficult life experiences and gain peer acceptance. This would serve as an omen for the important role that comedy would play in his later life. As Gregory tells of his developing career as a comedian, readers quickly see the sacrifices that he and his family made in order to achieve the level of fame that he ultimately became known for. A great portion of the book is dedicated to Gregory's experiences and commitment to social causes. He relates to readers his experiences in the civil rights and human rights struggles, and tells of his personal experiences with both noteworthy and little known social activists. He tells of how he and other activists sacrificed their careers, physical safety, and time with family in order to stand up for what they believe in.

Because Dick Gregory has played such an integral role in so many historical events relating to civil and human rights, this book is so much more than a memoir. Anyone who picks this book up receives a new insight into many of the events that shaped the history of the United States. In addition, Gregory shares his own political views and opinions with a boldness and clarity that makes it evident that he is indeed an activist at heart. He also tells of the unwavering support of his wife and ten children as he fasted, went on cross country marathons, and even traveled the world leaving them at home. CALLUS ON MY SOUL is a political, historical, and personal account of a man who has dedicated much of his life to a number of worthy causes.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Dick Gregory is a brave soul He writes with his heart and is not afraid of the facts regarding the issues of life especially for the African-American. The heritage of the Black race and all of the social, economic, and political issues have not been equal. Hats off the Mr. Gregory. He is just as powerful in his writing as Dr. Martin Luther King was vocally.

I love to read about other people lives. He made things happen, they didn't just land in his lap. He went and work and made a difference. this book blew my mind. I only read about it because I had just finished Bernie Mac's auto and he kept bring up Gregory's name.

This is my first book by Dick Gregory and I found it a great read. The book offers an engaging perspective on American race relations through the civil rights movement, specifically his involvement in the civil rights movement. Dick Gregory met and interacted with most of the well not civil rights movement leaders, so reading his recount was quite enjoyable. The part on his upbringing was quite both emotional and inspiring. All in all, if you've experienced and liked Dick Gregory, then you'll appreciate this book.

Dick Gregory's memoir is among the most honest and touching autobiographies available today. From the first page, I was drawn into his experience as if I were actually transitioning through pre-Civil Rights Era, the Movement, and the post-era that has evolved into today. Sometimes the pain of Gregory's experiences was so real that I literally felt the dull pain of sympathy in my gut, the tragic feeling that accompanies love or indignation. Callus On My Soul was a history lesson that will never appear on the pages of American textbooks, and a reality check that I will never forget.