Rating: 
Summary: an eye-opening and informative read
Review: while reading this book, i could not help to be astonished by the class prejudices that we have among ourselves as blacks. i found this book to be an informative read above all. just because Otis writes about class differences, prejudices, and put-downs does not mean we have to adhere to them. if anything this book inspired me to overlook socio-economic differences in our community. what i find as disheartening, are the reviews on this website. most of them briefly refer to book and then continue to name call and put down certain classes and groups. why? that does not change anything, least of all what one thinks. the purpose of this book, hopefully is to initiate discussion not name-calling. if you are disgusted with the class system that Otis presents then do something active to change it. Make a difference, be active and go against the grain. Don't simply call people names on this website.
Rating: 
Summary: Superb, Eye-Opening Account of the Black Elite
Review: Graham gives a peek into the lives of the little-known American Black elite. The associations, organizations, families, churches, neighborhoods, and summer vacation spots frequented by this group all are included. Perhaps unknowingly, Graham also gives a accurate account of the history of Black-owned businesses in America. Anyone interested in Black-American culture can't miss this book. I couldn't put it down.
Rating: 
Summary: BORING!
Review: This is a book about who's who in the black upper crust. The author has no opinions of his own. There are too many quotes from other people. It's almost as if he's too afriad to expressive his own opinions on the subject. This was a very sad attempt at writing a book. He needs to stick to his day job, schmoozing with the rich.
Rating:
Summary: excellent reading
Review: I read the book out of curiosity. I enjoyed the book immensely. I enjoyed the reviews more. A book is the author's attempt to explain the story. It doesn't have to be agrred upon by readers nor does it have to have the "politticaly correct topic". The book left me feeling good about my afro-american heritage. it was refreshing to know that everyone was not a slave, afflicted and burdened. Times have changed but clearly the changing times have left a negative impact on who we are as a people. HBCU's are not as relevant as they once were, as an example. The book added another dimmension of black history. I have given the book to my 13 year old daughter to read.
Rating:
Summary: I changed my mind and read the book
Review: After watching a rerun of BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley last night, I felt that I had to respond to the negative comments made against this book. I did not want to read this book because I was convinced that it fed into the negativity of colorism that is still pervasive in our community. In the book, Graham does constantly talk about the right skin complexion, the right pedigree, the right religion and the right education. After a while, I must admit, it did get tiresome. That is besides the point. I think that this publication provides a good starting point for the discussion of CLASS in the African American community . I am truly sadden that we do not always celebrate individuals who achieved in the face of societal racism. You have be an athlete or a performer to have money. We have glamourized the ghetto and "street niggers". The struggling single black mother and the absent black father have become the most pervasive image we have of the black family. We automatically assume that if a black person does well without programs like affirmative action (like these individuals did) they do so at the expense of other blacks. This book should be encouraged reading not because it is particularly well written (I don't think it is) or because infiltrating this world would be ideal (it would not be). This book adds to the complete history of African Americans.
Rating:
Summary: This book needs a sequel!
Review: While LGO did a lot of research and provided a good perspective of America's Black Upper Class there was a lot more information that should be included in this book. I realize that you can't include all of the necessary players but I believe there were some very important players that were not included that could have provided a more complete picture of this exclusive segment of Black history. Specifically, the ommission of Boyd family in Nasvhille. Also, what about the famous architect from Los Angeles. There was no mention of him at all in the Los Angeles chapter. I also found some errors in the book that would not be obvious to the general public. Overall...this was an excellent publication that just opens the doors to one of the many issues that prevents the Black community from working collectively to achieving the rewards that are due to us.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting...
Review: Overall, this book is an interesting read. However, as a Spelman graduate, I realize that Mr. Graham's research is not completely accurate. With a little more work, he would have realized that Camille Cosby never attended Spelman. However, two of her daughters attended my alma mater. I was there when one of her daughters was a student. As a side note, I would suggest that the Hampton alum below refrain from denigrating other HBCUs. It only makes you sound bitter.
Rating:
Summary: We've since evolved, or so I thought.
Review: Lawrence Graham was fairing well with me, helping me reminisce about Summers on Martha's Vineyard and the beautiful, yet dying tradition, of grandiose cotillions. But as I read on, I began to realize that my experience was far less Graham and seemingly far more Cosby. We grew up in the same city, and he even tried to capture the elite hub of New York by delving deeply into the heart of Harlem. But boy, did he miss the mark! He referred to a Harlem that's long gone, and if anyone were to read his recap of New York City's black elite, and this visit Harlem, they'd surely be flipping back through the pages to find out where they made a wrong turn! To make serious matters worse, he then turned his nose down to my alma mater, Hampton Institute, making it seem like a second tier black college. Most black elite of today would sooner send their hopefuls to a white institution before freeing them to the ghetto hometowns of Howard, Spelman, or Morehouse. Hampton is one of the few HBCUs as beautiful, secluded, and highly protected as it is. Graham's recollections of "our world" need some dusting.
Rating: 
Summary: A History Book
Review: I felt that this book was very well written. I admit, I didn't know what to expect when I bought it, but I was pleasantly surprised that it held my interest after I realised that it wasn't in the format that I expected. Graham touches on a piece of American history, and history in the making, that is never spoken of in this community. It is sad to say that all of the successful Blacks in America are seen as entertainers and athletes. I am conviced that if Bill Gates was a black man, he would not get the ink that he gets. Not that he doesn't deserve it. Bill Gates is a genius and deserves to be looked to as such. However, I believe that our young people (young Black people) need to have role models that they can look up to that look like them. I was raised in a prodominately white society, while the rest of my extended family was not. The difference is staggering. I was encouraged to grow, educationally, emotionally, and spiritually, but I was not encouraged by people of color. All of the people around me who's lifestyles I wanted to emulate were white. This is a problem. While I get the immpression that the organizations Graham spoke of (Links, AKAs, Jack & Jill, etc.) seemed to look down on most whites and many Blacks, it was apparent to me that I might have benefitted from such groups if I had been made aware of them while I was "coming up". Now that I am successful in business and am looking to share the blessings that have been bestowed upon me, I found that I had no idea where to start. Reading this book made me aware that there are organizations out there that have the same focus and goals that I do. However, I believe that young people can be taught about their history and taught to be proud of who they are without looking down on others. Although I would have failed the paper bag and ruler tests, I felt that this book was very informative and insightful, and I believe I benefitted greatly from it. At times it was as interesting as it was offensive.
Rating:
Summary: Laughable but also somewhat true...
Review: I guess a lot of people don't understand and/or dislike this book because it digs deep into a world that most people can not comprehend because they did not grow up in or near it. While I do not enjoy the name dropping, repetition, and location naming, I do like the way Graham lays out the way the black elite runs in laymen's terms so it is clear. I just wish he would have touched on more than one side of some of some of the issues discussed. (For instance one of my best-friends who is NOWHERE NEAR A SNOB is about to join one of the "exclusive" organizations simply for the connections with fellow businesswomen that it can provide. She could care less about societal status. Why didn't he talk about people like her! ) Graham could have been more specific and slightly more analytical as well. I guess you really have to be in the black elite circle or damn near it to get the most out of it. Unfortunately this book really gives upper-class blacks a bad name. It seems that we, (yes WE,) are portrayed all sorts of this we are not. I, along with a great amount of friends were raised on the basis of what you did and not who you know. Still, I can see why sales of this book are so high in my hometown. It's giving us something to talk about...our neighbors.
|
