The Ways Of Black Folks: A Year in the Life of a People [Hardcover]

Lawrence C. Ross Jr. (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In books on race relations, quotidian documentary accounts often take a backseat to flashpoint polemics. But no struggle can be explained without the daily lives of the participants, and journalist Ross (The Diving Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities) gathers 35 profiles of black women and men from around the globe (notably the U.S., U.K., Ghana and Brazil). They run from the famous (Nikki Giovanni, members of Parliament) to the anonymously noble (a teacher in Rio), with the occasional soccer player and porn actor in-between. There's a real pleasure in hearing all the different voices, though they seem edited for consistency and risk running together. Finally, despite the book's lack of scholarly pretense, there's much to be learned from its traveling, open-eyed method.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ross, author of The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities (2000), traveled nearly 150,000 miles for 14 months to capture the day-to-day varied experiences of Africans in the diaspora, including the U.S., Brazil, Canada, the Caribbean, and Europe. The result is a startlingly diverse collection of interviews and reports on life for black folks: poet Nikki Giovanni, author E. Lynn Harris, former Atlanta mayor Bill Campbell, a black member of the British Parliament, an editor at Essence magazine, a car designer in Detroit. Ross includes journal entries from a single mother and full-time college student in Charlotte, North Carolina, raps and rhymes from a coffeehouse in London, and the ponderings of an Arizona State coach about basketball as a metaphor for life. A fascinating look at the variety of experiences, lifestyles, perspectives, and sensibilities of black folks worldwide. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (January 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758200579
• ISBN-13: 978-0758200570
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 4.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,105,773 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

LAWRENCE C. ROSS, JR., an important writer of African American literature, has written five books, including The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities; The Ways of Black Folks: A Year in the Life of a People; Money Shot: The Wild Nights and Lonely Days in the Black Porn Industry; Friends With Benefits; and Skin Game.

The Divine Nine is a multiple Los Angeles Times, Essence, and Blackboard bestseller. In both hard cover and trade paper, The Divine Nine is in its seventh printing with over 50,000 copies sold to date. It also remains on the Amazon.com African American studies bestsellers list, and for the past year has been the #1 best selling book among African American college students. His novels Friends With Benefits and Skin Game were Blackboard best sellers.

Educated at the University of California at Berkeley and the University of California at Los Angeles, Ross received a Bachelor of Arts in History from UCLA. Ross also received a Master of Fine Arts from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.

Ross has lectured at over 400 colleges and universities, as he is universally recognized as an expert in the field of African American fraternities and sororities. He has appeared on National Public Radio, Good Morning Atlanta, and is regularly interviewed by Ebony, Essence, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, The Root.com, The Grio.com, the BBC and National Public Radio, among others.

Ross began his writing career in the mid 90s as the managing editor of Rap Sheet magazine, the West Coast's first hip hop publication. After two years of writing about hip hop and interviewing the top stars in music, Ross moved to the Los Angeles Independent Newspapers, where he covered local politics in Westwood, Culver City, Hollywood and West Hollywood, for three years.

Ross currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife April and their twelve-year old son Langston..

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Learning who we are through others, December 22, 2002

By 

Readers Paradise "Book Club" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Ways Of Black Folks: A Year in the Life of a People (Hardcover)

The Divine Nine introduced the reader to different fraternal organization and from that book, the author gave birth to The Way of Black Folks, which in essence is a journey of the African American connections.

Lawrence C. Ross Jr. explores what our links are and whether it is our social status; income or birthplace. I feel truly blessed that Mr. Ross feels passionate about African Americans that he has put it on paper for all to read. For fourteen months the author traveled all over gathering, interviewing and collecting stories from ordinary people with everyday lives.

Chapter after chapter The Ways of Black Folks offer invaluable information that anyone can identify with. I found my story in the women who believes that she is not connected to the continent of Africa.It was not until I began learning my history that I realized I am apart of the continent and proud of it. I have to smile now at my ignorance, what is that old saying "Ignorance is Bliss." Under the chapter title, the geography of where the interviewee is from is listed along with a quote.

The Ways of Black Folks, A Year in the Life of a People, was a very informative read. It is my hope that many of our people read this book and try to find their own link in someones story. Lawrence C. Ross, pops in and out of the stories but never monopolizes, he is just there to clarify or give additional insight. I am happy I was afforded the opportunity to borrow this book and review it.

Missy
APOOO Bookclub

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Say It Loud, July 9, 2003

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ways Of Black Folks: A Year in the Life of a People (Hardcover)

Lawrence Ross traveled the countries of the African Diaspora to compile the profiles that are featured in THE WAYS OF BLACK FOLKS. The stories seek to show that the people of the Diaspora may be in the different locales however they are very similar in their ideologies. Each story, a day in the featured person's life, is a compelling look into people from a sundry of backgrounds and experiences. The book opens with a stark look into the final moments of a condemned woman awaiting her execution. THE WAYS OF BLACK FOLKS contains narratives about poet Nikki Giovanni, radio DJ Frank Ski and the former Atlanta mayor Bill Campbell.

Ross has assembled a book that celebrates our uniqueness as an African people. Although we may be separated by geographical backgrounds; we share a unique voice that is heard worldwide. A reader interested in African studies or those wanting to know more about people of African Diaspora will enjoy this book.

Reviewed by Robilyn Heath...

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Where and How We Live, January 18, 2004

By 

Dawn R Reeves "tamardi" (Harrisburg, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ways Of Black Folks: A Year in the Life of a People (Hardcover)

From the continents of North America, South America, and Africa, Lawrence C. Ross, Jr., delves into the lives of black folks with The Ways of Black Folks. With interviews and examinations of their lives and spirits, we are able to get a glimpse of black folks living abroad and amongst us. Ross takes us to different areas within the United States for a look into lives of everyday people, also interviewing some prominent folks. Abroad, the country of Ghana, West Africa and several of its cities and towns is heavily highlighted as we get a peek at black Americans that have made Ghana their home, the reasons for the transformation and their desire whether or not to return to the States. Brazil and the cities of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Miguel Cunto are also in the spotlight.

Some of my favorite explorations are: The Execution of Wanda Jean Allen: McAlester, Oklahoma; Sex and the Sisters: San Fernando Valley, California (a look into the lives of porn actors and actresses, their world, their desires and their needs; Of Canada, Codfish, and the Caribbean: Toronto, Canada; Books, Books, and More Books: Oakland, California (the founding of Marcus Books); The Lady Harris In Paris: Paris, France (professional tour guide); The Fiddler on the Stage: Chicago, Illinois (an account of the Dave Matthews Band); An American In Brazil: Sao Paulo, Brazil; A Teacher's View of Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Never Felt So Loved: Accra, Ghana; A Women In Search of a Country: Kingston, Jamaica; The Sage of Blacksburg: Blacksburg, Virginia (a look at a reading and writing group within a community village of elderly people which is facilitated by Nikki Giovanni). There are many other accounts, far too many to list, but I am sure as you read you will develop your own list of favorites.

One thing you will receive from this book is an education into other cultures outside of the United States and the way we live here in the States. With The Ways of Black Folks, Ross has pictured another world for us to look at and to relish; a world some may not have known existed. This is not a heavy educational text but an informal, innocent, raw and rare look at the lives of our people. Recommended!

Reviewed by Dawn R. Reeves
APOOO BookClub