Wade in the Water: The Wisdom of the Spirituals (Hardcover)

by Arthur C. Jones (Author), Vincent Harding (Foreword)
Key Phrases: official slavery, enslaved community, ring shout, African American, Nat Turner, Old Testament (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"A mesmerizing treatise on the beginning, development and refinement of the Negro Spiritual and its important cultural and psychological meanings.... It is a welcome addition to our understanding of humanity." --Horace Clarence Boyer Author of The Golden Age of Gospel

"Once in a while a book comes along that literally sings ...Such is Wade in the Water. Arthur Jones has done us all a service by recreating the very fiber of African-American culture" --Andrew Billingsley, Author of Climbing Jacob's Ladder --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
Spirituals emerged from the crucible of slavery. They inspired enslaved African Americans to risk their lives for the chance to be free. Wade in the Water celebrates these spirituals as an art form and as unique and powerful cultural expression. For those with little knowledge of the tradition, it provides a wealth of information. For those who know and love the spirituals, it offers a fresh prespective and an invitation to deeper understanding, spiritual transformation, and social renewal. The book comes with a CD of some of the spirituals covered in the book. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 175 pages
• Publisher: Orbis Books (September 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0883449234
• ISBN-13: 978-0883449233
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,689,378 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful, readable, touching book, August 16, 2007

By	S. Stanley (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Wade in the Water: The Wisdom of the Spirituals (Paperback)

I want to echo the sentiments about this book. It is a delightful book. Art Jones brings a special insight and passion to this work. He is both a highly respected psychologist and also a consummate performer, himself, of the music and it's history. I highly recommend this book.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is wonderful, February 20, 1998

By A Customer

I used this book as the basis for my History of Gospel Music class here at Western Maryland College and it worked out great. Each chapter is broken down to different emotions, and it even comes with a cassette of songs you can send away for. It's all great.

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary Book!, June 25, 2009

By	Hubert E. Walters - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Wade in the Water: The Wisdom of the Spirituals (Paperback)

The most extraordinary book on The Spirituals (the root of all African American Music) to date!!! I use it in my courses on Rhythm and Blues and Jazz here at Boston College. It is a required text for my choral group called The Voices of Imani. I recommend it highly!!