Dreads [Paperback]

Francesco Mastalia (Author), Alfonse Pagano (Author), Alice Walker (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 10, 1999

Dreadlocks are a modern phenomenon with roots reaching as far back as the fifth century. According to ancient Hindu beliefs, dreads signified a singleminded pursuit of the spiritual. Devotion to God displaced vanity, and hair was left to its own devices.

Dreads captures this organic explosion of hair in all its beautiful, subversive glory. One hundred duotone portraits present dread-heads from around the world, in all walks of life. Interviewed on location by the photographers, jatta-wearers wax philosophic about the integrity of their hair, and every stunning image confirms their choice. Alice Walker puts words to pictures, offering lyrical ruminations about her decision to let her own mane mat.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-This large, coffee-table type book with black-and-white photographs looks at the wide diversity of people who sport this knotted, ropelike hairdo. Some display it theatrically, while others wear it to stress their individuality. Others have religious or political reasons. The author also looks at dreadlocks in history, including the priests of the Ethiopian Coptic Church who have been locking their hair since the fifth century and the Rastafarian movement, which began religiously in Ethiopia. There is an introduction by Alice Walker as well as a 20-page treatise on "Sacred Rites of the Natural Hair Revolution." The 100 plates of men, women, and children in various cultures and at varying levels of modernity show this amazing hairstyle doing its thing in variety and abundance. The hair itself arouses interest and speculation as to the time involved in achieving it, the intricacies of the hygiene, and simply the wonder of it all.
Frances Reiher, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Beautiful book, beautiful hair, beautiful people, beautiful exhilarating spirituality. I loved it and love my (our) hair."
—Anne Lamott author of Traveling Mercies

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Artisan (January 10, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157965150X
• ISBN-13: 978-1579651503
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 0.6 x 12 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #372,780 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A sword for all true dreads. October 9, 2001

By Joshua Canaris

Format:Paperback

I live in Brisbane, Australia. I am 1/4 Greek, 1/4 Danish, 1/4 English and 1/4 Scottish. I come from a strict but loving Christian home. I have dreads.

I don't have dreads for fashion, nor to prove a point or gain spiritual enlightenment. I have dreads because I like them.

This book is a weapon for all people who are looked down upon and called 'smelly' or 'dirty' for the simple reason that they have chosen to stop brushing their hair. My hair has never been healthier since I gave it its freedom. I show this book to anyone who is interested in my hair, and to anyone who tries to convince me that it is dirty, unhealthy, smelly, unattractive, evil, etc etc.

This book proves to me that God made our hair to be naturally beautiful. I sometimes find it hard to believe I used to cut my hair every four weeks and brush it and gel it whenever it didn't do what I wanted it to.

People sometimes try to tell me that I am only growing dreads to become like Bob Marley, and that its 'just a phase.' They fail to understand what dreads are really about, natural beauty and individualism. My dreads will never look like anyone elses in the world, and each lock is like a finger print upon my head.

Read this book, study the pictures and then dream of a freedom that knows no bounds.

One Love.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars the power of pictures February 11, 2000

By Linda C. Jennings

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

i find it sometimes best to inform people by simply placing a book on my desk to check out the response as well to inform....pictures are worth a thousand words! My coworkers are enthralled with the beauty of the black and white images..also the size of the images...... everyone from asian, indian, african and european decent magnifies the beauty and majesty of coiled hair....from refined american inspired locks...to the sea and salt enhanced locks of jamica...this pictorial pays tribute to the sublime beauty of locked hair. Is this pictorial exploitative as a another reviewer suggested? ..this does not appear to be the intention...the participants appear proud to contribute and demontrate a different kind of beauty. Since locking hair is a process that takes fortitude and time, this book is inspiration.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Breathtaking November 19, 1999

By "lalalarue"

Format:Paperback

I walked over to my local bookstore the check this book out before I put it on my wishlist. A few pages into it I was sold. The text and photos caputure the beauty, history and diversity of dreadlocks and those who wear them. It also dispells many of the incredibly stupid myths about how dreads are grown and what they mean. The book is funny and poignant at the same time. My favorite essay was one famous soap opera actors retelling of an encounter with a Swede who simply couldn't believe his locks were real (or clean).The photographers do a fantastic job of bringing out the dignity and strength of the dread wearers. I've been considering locking my hair for sometime and now I'm ready to join the ranks! I can't recommend this book enough! A must!