From the Soul: Stories of Great Black Parents and the Lives They Gave Us [Hardcover]

Phyllis Y. Harris (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 11, 2001

From the Soul cuts away at the long-held stereotype that blacks can't parent. Instead, it celebrates great black parenting. This is a book that blacks have been yearning for, a work that honestly portrays the emotionally rich, intensely family-oriented experience of growing up black in America.

For a year and a half, Phyllis Harris interviewed black men and women about their memories of childhood. In particular, she wanted to capture their stories-stories that depicted the black family as a source of enormous love, resilience, support, and understanding, celebrating their strength through the best and the worst of times. Here are the voices of the sons and daughters honoring the parents-and grandparents-who instilled in them the strong sense of self, confidence, and integrity that have been the foundation upon which they've built successful lives.

From the Soul is a unique tribute-highly personal, candid, emotionally honest, and poignant-to the power of family, in which all readers will be inspired to see themselves. Illustrated with wonderful family photographs, here is a book that no reader, regardless of ethnic background, will ever forget.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Former children's advocate Harris believes that the black family is the most "maligned institution in America"; her response is this collection of 10 moving tributes to parents from their successful and grateful children, a "thank-you card" to black mothers and fathers and a celebration of familial love and sacrifice. In "A Time for All Things," a physician recalls her widowed father's extraordinary will in raising his five children alone, juggling jobs as a carpenter and a minister. Even in the face of spiritual struggle in the segregated South, Rev. Isaiah Derius Bagwell taught his children grace and strength. "No one can ride your back unless it's bent," he'd say. The narrator of "The Way Things Were" recounts a story of personal and political struggle in Swaziland, Mozambique and South Africa: Phola's parents were ANC freedom fighters forced to spend much of their lives in exile. While they were fierce in their attacks on the racist South African government, Phola also witnessed the tenderness of their love for each other. The tales are honest reflections on black families, "warts and all," as the powerful, complicated, sustaining institutions they are. Harris's idea is bold, and the outcome is beautiful. This is a quiet and powerful response to those who would venture to say that the solid black family unit doesn't exist.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Little recent child-rearing literature focuses on African American parents and children. These two well-written works belong in all public libraries because they contribute substantially to filling that void. In From the Soul, Harris collects poignant stories of family life from thirty- to fiftysomething, upwardly mobile African Americans. The ten stories have different settings they show a military family traveling abroad, a child growing up in the Deep South, and another in New York City, for example but all of them bear witness to the strength and hope mothers and fathers were able to transmit despite racism, poverty, and many other trials. While these stories were written to give tribute and inspiration to African American parents of older generations who, as Harris says, could not climb the "American ladder of opportunity," white readers can also learn valuable lessons.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult (October 11, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399147063
• ISBN-13: 978-0399147067
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,157,403 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars RIVETING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Excellent read!, March 25, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: From the Soul: Stories of Great Black Parents & the Lives They Gave Us (Paperback)

I JUST FINISHED THIS NOVEL. IT WAS EXHILARATING. The collection of short stories were all written interestingly and filled with deep compassion. I enjoyed this book and commend the author with a JOB WELL DONE. I am honored to know that some one speaks out on proud Black families that have accomplished goals in life basically because of parents that care, love and support. I just wish my family could have been included. For three generations, each of my maternal family members received their BA or BS degrees with most acquiring masters, PhD's, MD's, DDs's and JD's. I recommend this book to all present day parents who have children because a lot of parenting tips are offered.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Read for all parents, June 1, 2004

By 

Angelique C. Henderson "Ms. Jordy's mom" (Cumberland, RI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: From the Soul: Stories of Great Black Parents and the Lives They Gave Us (Hardcover)

This page turning tribute focuses on ten Black parents who were incredible role models for their children. At this time all are successful adults in various career fields. The author, Phyllis Y. Harris, a children's advocate in the New York City area interviewed mothers, fathers and children in order to show that self confidence, self respect and strong moral values should be instilled on the home front. The Black families came from a variety of economic classes and backgrounds, along with an array of settings. Some of the stories are set in urban cities, some in the rural south, as well as the Caribbean and overseas. After a year and a half of interviews, the novel shows that parental love, wisdom, emotional support and guidance are the prime guidelines for Black children to become successful adults in our society. The stories are tales of happy, sad, hard and good times. Every parent in America needs to read, then devour, comprehend and digest the significant messages of the poignant voices of the Black men, women, sons and daughters. It captivates the reader from start to finish. It inspires, encourages and transmits the fact that our Black children can all become successful and productive if and only when the parents are truly parents.

"From the Soul" is a dynamic book centering on the proud, extraordinary and well-defined legacy of the African-American family. Nikki Giovanni stated that the book hugs. I am in total agreement. However we, as Black parents need to hug it tight, real tight for the sake of our children.

Readincolor Reviewers
Emily Means-Willis

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful and Heart Warming, January 30, 2002

By 

Valerie Shukovsky (NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: From the Soul: Stories of Great Black Parents and the Lives They Gave Us (Hardcover)

Phyllis Harris has done a remarkable job of capturing the love and commitment among family members in this book. While reading From the Soul, at times my eyes welled up with tears of both joy and sadness as I relived each individual's childhood with them. This is one of the best books I have read. I strongly recommend it