Customer Reviews

Dreads

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

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!

I have had dreadlocks for 3 years and I love them. In the beginning I was always asked how I could do this to my hair. It was hard, in the beginning, to make people understand why I had chosen to do this. Now it is very simple. The people in this book used the same language that I now do. They spoke from their soul. The pictures were awesome. The explanation of the history and spirituality of dreadlocks was powerful. I am even thinking about giving this book as gifts to those who still question me about my hair.

The book itself was pretty good. More pictures than I would like. On a positive note, I thought the book was cool because it displayed vastly diverse people wearing dreads. People from differant walks of life and locations. Differant ages and beliefs. Differant races and genders. The only negative aspect of the book was its poorly made bindings on the paperback book. Mine fell apart in one week! Such a nice coffee table book and it's in pieces now. Stray away from the paperback or make sure it has a tight bind. Enjoy!

Just reading that the introduction is written by Alice Walker, should set the tone and the intention in which this book was created.

Each image reflects dreds as a spiritual ritual and a picture of nobility. Alice gives the historical background of dred locks. The beautiful black and white prints(on matte paper)speak for themself. They look at every person as an individual person and are very honest.

The diversity of man is evident.

One day I was walking into the bookstore with my aunt who wears dreads, and I picked up this . I was captured by the cover,it was so intriguing. It all began with my family members, and the culture I know as "Black". I am a 19 year old student in college, and all my life I have been around people of my own race who have worn dreads, and have worn them very intricately. My understanding is my own, I am not against the diversity in which people of different races, choose to wear their hair. It's just that I have looked at dreads as being something of my culture, and something that we created, to beautify ourselves even more.However after closely excamining the different points of this book, I have become more openminded. I am aware that it is not who wears their hair in dreads, but it is more of how the dreads are being worn, and the statement that is being given, when being worn.I give this book an ultimate two thumbs up.It is a must that people who feel very strongly about different races becoming comfortable with the intricate ways and lifestyle of ones other culture. Thankyou for opening up my mind.

After several years of hesitation, I let my locks grow, in spite of my Mother's admonition that I wouldn't be allowed in the house if I did! I did it in honor of the actress Rosalind Cash, the weekend she left the planet. I haven't looked back since. This book made me proud to be a part of an ancient, misunderstood tradition. I am so pleased to see such committment to the display of natural beauty. Thanks to "Dreads" I now know the history and legacy of my locks; I will never be convinced that my tight curls are a curse that need "fixing". I am proud, radiant, and happily nappy!

This book is a great example of the diversity of dreadlocks. Although many African-Americans believe locks are indiginous to black people, history proves this false. I recently discovered that my ancestors, the Mayans, wore their hair in locks.In fact, when the migrant workers came to Jamaica from India they wore they're hair locked and they also brought seeds to plant they're sacred herb. They called this herb what Shiva did thousands of years before, Ganja. The name most Rasta's call it.You can find it mentioned in the Bhagavad-Gita, written many years before the old testament.

My loctician had this book on her coffee table during my last visit and I fell in love with my locks all over again. The book opens with an introduction by Alice Walker that recaps her first encounter with locks and her subsequent adoption of the style. Through this introduction, Walker addresses some of the common misconceptions about locks. "Dreads" continues with a historical perspective of locks and their political, religious and fashion roots. This is a great coffee table item. Not only is the book a great validation of the beauty and uniqueness of locks but it is also an excellent way to inform people of the facts about locks. I wish I had a copy of the book at the office when I started the locking process three years ago! Highly Recommended!