Customer Reviews

The Sacred Place

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Clearly, the reviewer for Publishers Weekly has limited literary knowledge or familiarity with African American southern, rural, tradition and culture. Black shows a clear understanding and appreciation of cultural perceptions and eye dialect. He recreates the speech patterns of each character by deliberately altering `standard' spelling and grammar. His work reminds me of the great Zora Neal Hurston and I am moved by his book.

Black is an awesome folklorist and fiction writer who tells a riveting story about truth, justice, self esteem, fighting for your rights, strength in community, race relations and faith. The dialect and descriptive measures makes each page come to life and I eagerly visualized each conversation and event depicted in the book.

What a wonderful thought provoking novel.

Daniel Black returns to the literary scene with yet another best-selling novel. This story is a fictional account of the Emmett Till tradegy. Dr. Black spins a web of truth (even though it's a fiction novel) that is so 'in your face' that the main stream reviewers are attempting to discredit the story by giving it negative/unfavorable reviews.
I encourage readers to use your own judgement with this one. I am sure we can all agree that TRUTH is a monster. This story is one of faith, community and unity that forces one to look inside. Those who find this story anything other than 'VERY well written' and riveting are probably the same folks who deny that racism STILL exists in 2007.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel by Dr. Black as much as I did his 1st one (They Tell Me of a Home). The Sacred Place reminds me of the strength of my ancestors and I am proud to know that Daniel Black has the courage to raise certain truths (although in fiction format) that gives readers a different view of racism. This book is one that will stay with you longer after the last page. It's also a story that testifies to the meaning of what (truly) happens when people stick together for what is right.

Fantastic Job Daniel Black. Keep putting pen to paper to creative masterpieces like this one. Continue to allow the ancestors to whisper their stories in your ears.

This novel is virtuous to the degree to which it encourages possibilities and hopes of living life purposefully. Choosing to act definitively and determinately in the face of oppression and fear are indeed difficult tasks, but Black has dared to imagine what these impediments might reduce to if one faces them head-on. All future race talk should re-imagine this elegant "what-if" odyssey if only as a heuristic "as-if" reflection.

Though I must say I am not an avid reader, but The Sacred Place by Daniel Black caught a hold of my interest and would not let go. As I flipped through the pages of his outstanding work, I could truly envision all the scenes that evolved in the book. I truly must recommend this book for anyone, who would like to get a glimpse of 1950s in the South and all the breath-taking details to go along with it. I commend Daniel Black for writing such an inspiring novel and encourage him to write one again.

I AM AN 18 YEAR OLD BLACK CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY FEMALE STUDENT AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO EVERYONE EVERYWHERE. GROWING UP IN A WHITE AREA HAD ME DISCONNECTED FROM THE REALITY OF THE DEPTH OF RACISM IN THIS COUNTRY. READING "THE SACRED PLACE" MADE ME FEEL CONNECTED TO MY PEOPLE IN A WAY I NEVER HAD FELT BEFORE. I THANK PROFESSOR BLACK FOR WRITTING THIS BOOK AND I AM DISGUSTED WITH THE WHITE CRITICS WHO THINK THIS BOOK IS TO CRITICAL ON REAL ISSUES OR EVEN JUVENILE ENOUGH TO CALL IT POLITICALLY DANGEROUS. READ THIS BOOK AND LEARN FROM IT. ITS REAL.

There is no doubt in this reader's mind that Daniel Black is one of the best literary craftsmen to come along in the last few years. He is a master storyteller and ranks up there with Chimamanda Adichie or Christopher Abani.

They Tell Me Of A Home, Black's first novel, was a tour de force, a read that divulged such heart and hurt, love and redemption that it was impossible to say no to it.



Sacred Place, Mr. Black's second novel, is a fictional retelling of the Emmett Till's murder, which here, as in other stories loosely based on this case (Baldwin's Blues for Mr. Charlie) becomes the archetype for racial relations and injustices.



Sacred is a joyous, warm and spirit filled story that is yet message-laden and at times ponderous. It is the story of Chicago born and raised Clement and his clash with southern white folks while visiting his grandparents in small town Money, Mississippi during the summer of 1955. Sacred Place from the first few chapters asks the readers to approach the text from two directions. On a purely visceral level it is a fast-paced read that drags the reader in and refuses to relinquish its grip until the last page. The characters dialogue feel real and organic, their personal connections glow with creative brilliance. But when looking at the book with a more critical eye, something I feel as readers should do with most books, Sacred Place shows its flaws- the characters read as stereotypes: the evil white, the poor and happy black, the use of phonetic spelling and hard southern slang for the dialogue, feels too over the top and the messages both Christian and secular at times become too didactic. All these flaws might limit the appeal of the book to a certain subset of readers.

A highly recommended book, with only a few reservations.

What an amazing book...I read it non-stop in less than 24 hours...didn't sleep but a wink the night I picked it up. Dr. Black is a stellar writer. He infuses wit and amazing drama throughout the novel. I felt an intimacy with the characters. I knew their souls...only a great writer can do this--and Dr. Black is among the best. A must read for all African Americans.

I just finished the book, The Sacred Place, scribed by Daniel Black. When I think of speaking of the novel, I can't say "his" book, for I see Dr. Black's brilliant talent as the vessel to carry a truth bigger than any of us. I am in grateful awe, for the story is not only beautifully and transfiguratingly told, but powerful in its meanings, far beyond my paltry vocabulary. The politic that undergirds and carries the book is for me the epicenter, the voice that arrives in every cellular moment of the ancestors. The spirituality of strength through unity is one of the foundational layers that make me realize that the title is way, way more than its literal image in the text.

The Publishers Weekly reviewer's comments concerning stereotypes gave me reason to wonder if he/she had read the same book that I did. The journey of resolute genius of grandfather Jeremiah, the guilty insanity of the white man Rosenthal, and the complexity of bravery and pain of grandmother Mary are but three examples of the way that Dr. Black's radiant talent brings us not only complex and real individuals, but individuals whose lives function as guideposts, warnings, and symbols of the unabated nightmare of racism that saturates the present day. No stereotype has ever been able to function that way.

May Dr. Black be blessed with a long and prolific life. I am grateful for the blessings that he has already given to this world.

Dr. Black has written a very bold, poignant and truthful account of not only the Emmett Till tragedy, but also of the many, many lynchings suffered by African Americans during, and since the time of slavery. What is most essential about this text, is the call for people of African decent to stand together emotionally, spritually and physically against racism, injustice, murder and overall genocide. It took guts to write a book like this. I hope it inspires more like it.

I rarely submit reviews, but this story was so wonderful I felt compelled to say something. This is an inspirational and well written novel. There are passages in the story you want to remember forever because they were so honest and heartfelt. The story evokes so much emotion you will find yourself laughing and crying. This is a fictional tale, but what happened to Clement happened to many. It reminds us that many of those before us suffered great inhumanities and there is power in numbers. Let us not forget our past so that it will not be repeated. Author, Dr. Daniel Black is one of the best authors to date and I can't wait until his next novel is released.
Thank you for a great read.