Customer Reviews

Satisfied with Nothin': A Novel

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

3/24/99 I met Mr. Hill as a guest lecturer at Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA, yesterday and discussed his book in depth. His book can be used as a navigating tool for young black boys who are sometimes thrown into the spotlight and then unexpectedly jerked out again. Jamie Ray could be so many of the athletes here in Baton Rouge that are being primed for the Big Leagues and taught that they should focus only on that dream. Jamie Ray is one our sons, brothers, or cousins who hears but doesn't listen. I suggest we pass this book along through the commuity to help our future youth realize if they control their own thinking then they control their actions. Split second decisions can change your life forever. Mr. Hill's book is an example of having goals and making choices to reach them. His ending wasn't the fairy tale of everything worked out fine. It was the reality that so many of us face. La Malta Robins

I read this book several years back. I am a 32 year old white man who grew up in the same community as Ernest Hill. I still live here, too. I am very proud of our community. Sure there are advances to be made socially, economically and spititually-but is there a perfect place? No. But, I believe we are much farther down the road than most communities. I can certainly identify with the racism that Ernest refers to. I saw much of it. And still see some of it. Also the plight of the young black man in our town is still uphill but this is one of the most economically depressed areas of the country. Ernest's book is a very honest account of the life and times in our community in the '70's. Hopefully, we have made progress. I recommend this book very highly. Thanks Ernest, you have made us all proud! Keep up the good work.

When Jamie goes to highschool with white students, for the first time, he's not use to all the hositily that the white student's give to the black students. When Jamie joins the football team, and becomes a star he is treated a whole lot better by his white peers. When Jamie's cousin is killed for dating a white girl, Jamie's wonders why whites get a chance to treat blacks so bad. Jamie sees football as his escape, so he goes on to college to play, and hope to have a career in the NFl. I throught this book was really good, especially since i don't stay to far from where most of the action took place, and also I love football. The only thing, i didn't like about this book, is that I throught Jamie was dealt a bad hand. The ending was sad.

Personally, there were a couple of strong racial scenes in the book that really made me mad and want to throw the book at the wall - hard! Mr. Hill is a writer who is good at making the reader feel as if they are actually in the scene observing everything firsthand. I had no problems with the book or Mr. Hill's writing style. The ending was sad but at the same time inspirational. I can't wait for Ernest Hill's next one.

I just finished reading this book. It was kinda of slow at times, but overall it was a good read. I like reading stories about the South. It gave me a window as to what a young black man had to endure. I believe some of the same issues in the book are still present today. The only thing I didn't like was the ending. I thought Jamie Ray was going to get out of Pinesboro and lead a different life. I usually don't read books by African American men, but I gave Ernest Hill a chance. He did good enough that I will read his other two books.

I read "Cry me a River" and made the decision that I would read all of Ernest Hill's books because I enjoyed that one so much. This one was cool, but that one was better. It basically went into the life of a young black man from the south and the prejudice he endured with teachers, students, and later on...fans. The book started off as a page-turner but when it got to sports techniques, I was a little bored. Then again, to be fair, I don't like sports. But when the dialogue played in, I was into the book again. Chapter 15 was VERY slow for me and that was frustrating because you usually look forward to the end. But, the dialogue was believeable, the actions were realistic, and the plot was crisp. So, I'm still going to read his other books!

I can't begin to put into words how much I love this book. It is one of my top 3 favorites.

Jamie Ray Griffin is a teen-ager growing up in the small, southern town of Pinesboro, where life for Blacks isn't easy. It seems to Jamie that the whites have it all and the Blacks have nothing. When the white Pinesboro high school becomes integrated, Jamie's negative feelings about Pinesboro and its white residents intensify. Over time, Jamie becomes a blue-chip athlete and takes his athletic prowess to ULNO where misplaced priorities lead to Jamie making decisions that will affect his life long after his undergraduate days are over.

I've written before about Hill's books and my opinion hasn't changed after reading this one. I've seen this story on TV - maybe not this exact story, but it seems like some of this has been on TV. Also, I had a hard time determining the time period of the story. It seemed to incorporate issues that were prevalent in the 60s and 70s with lingo that you'd likely hear 80s or 90s.

With all that said, this was a good read. It kept me interested and I loved the ending. A strong 3.5 stars!

This is a wonderful book. I read this book while attending the University of New Orleans. I was very honored to meet Mr. Hill who visited our classroom to discuss this amazing book. This book has a powerful message and I will make sure that my children when old enough will read this book also.

Finally a male author who's writing something positive and whos next work you can definitely look forward to. Earnest Hill is surely here to stay. With his first novel Satisfied with Nothing, this book gives such an insight to a culture that is often forgotten and misunderstood.

A "Think Peace" in it self. There is a message within a message in each paragraph. A must read!

Captivating from the beginning. When's the next book? 10 all the way!