Customer Reviews

Men Cry in the Dark

5 star:		(119)
4 star:		(54)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(26)
1 star:		(44)

 

 

I read Men Cry in the Dark this summer, and I passed it on to several friends. I haven't had it in my possesion since I finished reading it because everytime one person returns it to me, another takes it! After reading other reviews of the book, I had to put my two cents in. I think some of the critisms of the book were valid, but the personal attacks on the author were way out of line and unnecessary. I must admit, that as a person who does a lot of reading, this was far from one of the better books I've read. However, in spite of the grammatical errors and jump from first to third person, I thought it was a good story that needed to be told.

As a 26 year old married woman who has been with the same man since I was 20, I'm not at all familiar with the "dating game" and the issues the characters faced in their quest to find a good mate. Maybe that's why I found the story interesting. Everybody has not had the same experiences, and when reading, you should be prepared to find perspectives that are different from your own.

That said, I noticed that a lot of the reviews from the ladies were full of hostility and criticism about Mr. Baisden's characters, both the men and the women. Points about the men's bad judgements in selecting (or choosing not to select) women based on their education, amount of money they had, their bodies, age and skin complexion were addressed. Many ladies were quite upset about this. However, if Mr. Baisden is telling a story from a male perspective, then could it be that he is addressing the fact that, right or wrong, men make stupid choices based on trivial aspects of a woman's make-up the same way women do with men (i.e., his job, whether or not he's been to college, his physical appearance, how much money he makes, etc.)? None of these tell you the true worth of a person, or whether or not that person will make a suitable life partner. Perhaps that is why these men were in their thirties, had been with many women, and still hadn't found one to spend the rest of their lives with (except Tony)?

In regards to the female characters, men have dated some real losers the same way women have. I didn't hear any women disagreeing with Terry McMillan when she wrote about some of the jerks the characters in Waiting to Exhale came across. I know you women who had such harsh critism for Men Cry in the Dark can't be naive enough to believe that men don't ever come across some real chicken heads in their quest for Ms. Right.

I really couldn't relate to the experiences of the characters in Men Cry in the Dark, but I thought it was an interesting story that should make men and women take a look at their own responsibility for making wise decisions in selecting a mate and doing the work necessary to keep one once they've found them. I've already read Never Satisfied: How and Why Men Cheat (it's another one my friends keep "stealing" from me) and I look forward to reading Maintenance Man. I also plan to buy the Love, Lust and Lies video. Keep up the good work, Mr. Baisden. In spite of the negative reviews, you definitely have an audience who appreciates your work!

Who REALLY thinks this book is "excellent?" Even if you're being charitable, it doesnt measure up! Aside from errors, his writing style is not interesting - compared with novels that DO have compelling writing, Michael Baisden's is like reading an article in the newspaper (this is my main problem with it)!
Also, the characters don't seem like real people - they're more like soap-opera characters (Derrick of course is the author's fantasy image of himself)! These are educated sophisticated men, yet they're always ready to fight? And why does the author regard beating someone senseless as "satisfying?"
Why is there so much name dropping? Brand names over and over - it makes the book seem like a commercial!
And considering the violent behavior of Angela, I'm surprised she didnt come after Derrick with an axe (a "home girl with intellect and class" who behaves like a guest on Jerry Springer)!
I suspect these characters arent modeled on real people - just the author's fantasies ! Yes, it's his first book, but that's no excuse - HE thought it good enough to present to the public!
Mr Baisden is an entertaining talk show host, but writing is evidently NOT his forte! All you have to do is read "Lost in the City" - a collection of short stories by Edward P Jones (a GOOD black male writer) to see the difference! GOOD writing pulls you into the story and holds your attention - Michael Baisden hasn't learned this yet!

During the last few years, I have been very disappointed in the quality of Contemporary African American Literature. I purchased "Men Cry in the Dark" upon the recommendation of an acquaintance and I trusted this individual's judgement. Never again. This book and its plots and subplots were not carefully thought out, nor cleverly crafted, and poorly written, at best.

In college, I enrolled in a beginning creative writing class. From day one, the instructor of this class emphasized "Show your readers, don't tell them. Show, show, and show some more." I now understand what that instructor meant. Throughout Mr. Baisden's book there is nothing but telling and shabbily constructed dialogue between the characters. "Men Cry in the Dark" was bland and did little to capture the essence of friendships between black men and how they relate to black women.

The whole time I was reading this "train wreck" I kept asking myself, "I wonder how much of this is really fiction, meaning that Derrick, the protagonist and his life had some strong similarities to Baisden's life? For example, both were from Chicago, both worked unrewarding jobs and took risks, both were well regarded and were on radio talk shows. Also, Michael Baisden has his own magazine in real life.

Anyway, I feel that Baisden had the best intentions when he began writing this book. After all, after Waiting to Exhale, there were some critics that felt the book was too negative in its portrayl of African American men.

In subtle ways, I do feel that this novel is negative as well. For example, women are constantly belittled for being too materialistic. However, on every other page it seemed that Derrick was talking about the Boucheron perfume Angela was wearing, or Mark's love of luxury cars, or the no good women his friend Ben was always trying to have relationships with.

I also found another scene in Baisden's book unrealistic. In the restaurant, where Angela and Derrick met, there was a man that was harrassing Angela. Even following her in the bathroom. In the novel, Angela unmercifully beats this man up. I find it hard to believe that a woman could inflict that much physical harm to a man. The way he described the scene was more telling than showing, and in general it was just unbelievable. At that point I lost credibility in the story that I was being told because of how it was presented.

Secondly, Tony's wedding was supposed to be one of the books highlights. Instead, I felt like I was rushed through that scene. I felt that this was a very important, once-in-a-lifetime occassion for this character, and Baisden did a very poor job of describing the moment and allowing the reader to actually be there. As a reader, I want to feel like I am there and a part of the event. There was too much telling and not enough showing.

Thirdly, there was no closure and resolution in Mark's relationship with his Caucasian lover. As a reader, I felt like I was left hanging.

Again, what best describes this book and Baisden's work as a whole would be overrated and oversensationalized. All I can say is the people that give this book four and five-star ratings must have not read literary works by the greats like Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison, Gloria Naylor, Alice Walker and Maya Angelou. As a reader, I like to explore and visualize. There wasn't any of that in Baisden's book. Hmmm... you know, I should really consider a career in writing, since garbage like this is revered by the masses. I'm quite sure I could come up with something just as good if not better!

I thought this book was good in terms of revealing what men go through and think when it comes to relationships with women. As a black man, it's good to see another brother come out with our side of the story. I liked the characters and how he gave them their own individual identity. Mark's character was rather irritating, but not to the point of overshadowing the rest. I've had my won personal encounter with a Valerie myself, so that story line blows another myth out of the water. Good call, man. The ending was a definite eye opener. Something a lot of us brothers need to experience. Good work Mike! I've read some of the other reviews and all I have to say is it's rather contradictory for those who don't like the book speak of how too much emphasis is placed on color, material things, body size, education, etc., and then turn around and attack the writer personally as if what you've written was directed at them. It's one thing to say you don't agree with what the brother has written, but when you turn around and attack him in regards to child support and writing ability, maybe you need to check yourselves to see how YOU really feel about yourselves. Let's critique the content of the book; not that of the writer's personal life! Looking forward to the 'Maintenance Man', Mike. Keep doing what you're doing.

I read through this book in a very short amount of time. I think I was looking for the good stuff, but I got to the end before I found it.

I agree with another reviewer: there have GOT to be men out there who are searching for women with a little more than a great face and body. His characters seem so shallow, immature, and childish. Any reason is a good reason for them to cheat, be it the fact that he didn't like her dress to it being Tuesday.

Mr. Baisden also has taken to criticizing women who would rather date a man with money in his novels, yet every chance he gets, he engages in senseless name-dropping and bragging about how much money the characters have. Why can't he say, "He put on his suit, tie, and watch, and got in the car" instead of "He put on his Armani suit, Gucci tie, and Rolex watch, sprayed on some Herrera cologne, and slid behind the diamond-encrusted wheel of his $75,000 Benz." Good grief! How irritating?!? Please give us credit for wanting to see some good character development instead of visualing material things throughout the whole book. It seems pretty contradictory to me that Mr. Baisden talks about women wanting money as trifling but he continues to throw the money around in readers' faces.

This is the second book I have read by this author and I have not been impressed by either one. If you really feel like reading this, please check out your local library.

I find it extremely hard to believe how anyone in their right mind could have given this book anything more than one star(considering that's the lowest that you can give). The book is a page for page advertisement for movies, talk shows, and name brands. Here are some of the problems that I had with the book: The fact that on every page somebody is giving or recieving a high five, The constant references to the "ghetto" or the hood", the portrayal of black woman without college degrees, the fact that their is no mention of religon by any of these characters, despite the fact that all have had to "overcome" obstacles in their lives, the way some of the characters talked when have you ever met black people from an inner city enviroment who acted the way these characters acted. A question that I really had to stop and ask myself was what "drug dealer" would act the way that the idiots in this novel (and I use that word generously) act? What grown "educated" man in his right mind would associate himself with a gangster. I could go on and on about how poorly written this book was, but I won't. I will say that I was deeply disappointed by this book and I am conforted by the fact that I didn't waste any money on it, but it is sad to think that their are those who did.

This book is very overated... I was recommended this book by a friend and I was into at first, but as I got further into I realized that there were too many subplots, and that things got solved too easily, at least in my opinion. It was not very believable, like the ease in which Angela befriended Vanessa, and Vanessa jus showing up in the club with Derrick? some things jus could have been written better, he needed to elaborate on some parts, even the sex scenes seemed to be forced in there.

read only if its free!!!

My mother has been hounding me to read this Michael Baisden's "Men Cry in the Dark", insisting that it would change my life. Well, it did. I've been crying every day since I started reading that waste of paper.

While many other reviewers made mention of the poor grammar and spelling that littered Mr. Baisden's prose, my main problem with the book was the poor plot, lack of character development and the overall "wackness" of the book. I refuse to believe that this book is an accurate portrayal of what African-American men say, do or think. However, if it really is, then someome, please, stop the bus and let me get off! I refuse to believe that there are nothing but one-dimensional brothers out there who only concern themselves with a woman's physique, sexual prowess, or the color of her skin. Mr. Baisden spent an inordinate amount of time and text defending the interracial relationship between characters Christie and Mark. I personally could care less if a brother decided to date outside of his race. However, I know there are some people who believe otherwise. Mr. Baisden took the antagonists' view of this relationship to the extreme -- with characters calling each other derogatory names, and resorting to childish behavior to express their disapproval. Come on, Mr. Baisden. Give me a break!

The plot was contrived, and chock full of big-name references that were supposed to show us what Mr. Baisden knows about the African-American culture. Big whoop. If he had poured as much time into developing a real plot and realistic characters as he did in throwing all kinds of stupid details (Bucheron, Armani, Rolex, etc.), he probably would have turned out a more thought-provoking product.

This is the first, and probably last book of Mr. Baisden's that I'll bother to read. I do not recommend this book at all to anyone...even to my worst enemy.

(If there is a reader out there who can convince me that Mr. Baisden's work is worth another chance, please feel free to email me!)

This was bad it was reccomended to me for my bookclub and we unanimously agreed it was by far one of worst books we've read. 1. The story remains around the arrogant character Derrick whom has a profile like Michael Basiden...that didn't take much imagination. Basiden never really develops the other characters like Mark and Ben and when did these men really cry? Please let me not forget the most unromantic oral sex scene I've ever heard of...Basiden must not have an appreciation for true oral love...only someone who didn't know what they were doing would wash it. Last who would dare compare Basiden to Terry McMillan...Terry is a storyteller...Basiden is just out to make some money off his Playa experience. If you want to read some good black male authors Read E.Lynn, Colin Channer, Franklin White and many more.

I was very disappointed with this book. My book club chose to read this book because we thought we might gain some insight into why men sometimes hide their feelings, and why they refuse to let the women in their lives know what's in their hearts. We still do not have answers to those questions. As a matter of fact, there were quite a few questions, critical questions, we had after finishing the book. For example, who was Cedric? Cedric is never identified in the book. The reader is left to guess which character description belongs to Cedric. The author and the editor are responsible for that mistake. In addition to the unanswered questions that we all had, we were also not pleased with the author's lack of creativity and imagination. Instead of creating and describing his own original scenes, he simply wrote things such as "you remember that scene from such and such? Well it was just like that." How disappointing. There were many other problems with this book, but I just don't have enough room to write them all. To sum it up, my book club would not recommend this book to anyone.