All Guts and No Glory

All Guts and No Glory: An Alabama Coach’s Memoir of Desegregating College Athletics, by Bill Elder (2007)

Elder was born in Alabama but also grew up in Ohio, where his father moved his family to pursue business opportunities. He would later return to the south at the start of his career in college athletics.

The author had a keen eye for racial segregation early on, often asking questions of his parents that they didn’t want to answer. Elder recalls attending a Birmingham Barons baseball game at Rickwood Field, during which he asked his father why there were separate seating arrangements for blacks and whites. Compounding the schizophrenia of the segregated south, blacks and whites were allowed to sit together in the same facility when they attended games played by the Negro League Birmingham Black Barons.

As a sophomore in college, Elder returned to the south to attend school at Howard (now Samford) University. He then earned a master’s degree at the University of Tennessee. The second half of this book recalls the author’s experiences at newly opened Northeast Junior College.

By the end of three seasons, Elder had established a record of 53 wins and 22 losses. This is all the more impressive since he served as a department head, athletics director, and intramurals director in addition to his duties as Head Basketball Coach at Northeast. While he had built a strong program at the school, he still coached an all-white squad.

It was at this point that Elder was asked by the university president to begin recruiting black basketball players. While he received assurances that he would have the full support of school administration, the author quickly found himself alienated among a faculty that were clearly uncomfortable with an integrated athletics program.

Worse for the coach and his young players was the reaction of the broader community, who made it clear on a number of occasions that they did not appreciate black student-athletes. Elder’s struggles to coach in this hostile environment comprise the most compelling pages of this short autobiography.

I was disappointed that more time wasn’t given to Elder’s time after the integration at Northeast. One gets the sense that even over thirty-five years it is not a topic the author enjoys revisiting. In spite of this, I found it a captivating account throughout. Highly recommended.

Journey from the Land of No

Journey from the Land of No: A Girlhood Caught in Revolutionary Iran, by Roya Hakakian (2004)

The last few years have seen a number of accounts of life in Iran around the time of the Islamic Revolution of 1979. All of these memoirs view the events of that tumultuous period from a unique perspective. Azar Nafisi describes the crackdown at universities and the challenges of teaching Western literature to her students in Reading Lolita in Tehran. In Even After All This Time, Afschineh Latifi writes about her escape from and eventual return to Iran. Journey from the Land of No details the experiences of a young girl and her family before and after the reign of the U.S.-backed Shah.

Hakakian was born into a Jewish family 12 years before the revolution. Even as a young child, Roya is challenged by her poet father and her talented older brothers to think for herself. The reader follows the author as she becomes more aware of the world around her and discovers what it means to be a religious minority in an overwhelmingly Muslim country.

The author shares a number of newfound insights, such as when she learns that she cannot replace a young boy as song leader in her synagogue because she is a girl. Other scenes, such as the first time she finds a swastika scrawled beside a line of street graffiti, are truly chilling. Each chapter brings new tensions, along with increasing evidence that society has become increasingly hostile toward Jews and women in general.

A radical interpretation of Islamic law becomes the new order in Iran at a time when the war with Iraq is in full force. Writes Hakakian, “With hundreds of thousands killed in the war, grief and vengeance were the only feelings the public could safely express, all that we felt anyway. With every street renamed, the city's grid had become a map of morbidity, pointing to doom in all directions. Every address was an intersection of death and an ayatollah.”

Of the three books mentioned in this review, Journey is the most accessible, which is not to say that the writing is inadequate to the task. Hakakian is an accomplished storyteller who has produced an absorbing account of her youth. Readers will find themselves pulling for young Roya and wanting to read more about her transit to America. Highly recommended.

Why Lincoln Matters

Why Lincoln Matters: Now More Than Ever, by Mario M. Cuomo (2004)

"Conservatives and liberals alike should always resist the impulse to make Lincoln over in their own image," writes the former governor of New York, "but it would be even worse not to use him as he might be used." Cuomo makes a passionate case that the words and deeds of the nation's 16^th president are as relevant today as they were some 140 years ago.

The author uses quotes from Lincoln's speeches and letters to make his point, which is often to show that the former president would not approve of the current administration's policies. Pointing to Lincoln's income tax on the wealthy, Cuomo argues that Lincoln would not have cut taxes for the richest Americans in a time of war. The governor makes the case that Lincoln envisioned a progressive role in creating and expanding opportunity for all Americans.

Cuomo's point is harder to make when it comes to matters such as civil liberties in a time of national emergency and the nation's courts. Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus in 1862 and 1863 and while he implemented a number of reforms in the federal court system, Lincoln often clashed with the nation's highest court. Cuomo writes that Lincoln "did not think of the Supreme Court as the separate and independent branch of the government that it was supposed to be," rather he tried to make it "an extension of the presidency."

It is in the final pages that Cuomo uses Lincoln's words to construct an "address to Congress" for the year 2004. In it, Lincoln shows his disapproval for the war in Iraq. The former president also states that the current terrorist threat is not as a great as that which faced the nation during the Civil War.

Points such as the last make this a provocative read in places. While Cuomo clearly aligns Lincoln with modern liberals, people of all political stripes will get something out of this concise but cogent book.

Cradle of Freedom

This post is one in a series of reviews commemorating Black History Month

Cradle of Freedom: Alabama and the Movement That Changed America, by Frye Gaillard (2004)

Longtime author and journalist Gaillard has written a thorough account of the Civil Rights movement as it happened in the state of Alabama. From the Montgomery bus boycott to Bloody Sunday in Selma, some of the most pivotal events of the time took place in the heart of Dixie.

What sets this book apart from others is stories of lesser known figures of the time. Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, for example, gets more coverage here than in most books on the movement. The Birmingham leader is one of many who was fighting the fight long before more famous folks like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. came to town, bringing the glare of the spotlight with him.

We also read of the accomplishments of Sam and Amelia Boynton, a husband and wife team, who began fighting for the right of themselves and other blacks in their county to vote starting as early as the 1930s. Amelia would later stand as one of the "courageous eight," a group who defied a court order forbidding civil rights activities, to invite Dr. King to come to Selma.

The tension between local leaders and the better known national leaders figures large in this volume, but Gaillard is fair to all parties involved. While King's presence in a city brought national exposure, he was regarded by many to be too cautious, too willing to negotiate with white political leaders and business interests. Younger blacks, in particular, were ready for things to change more quickly than did some of the national leadership.

The book also tells the story of dozens of foot soldiers in the movement, like Viola Liuzzo, a white mother of five from Detroit who was slain by Klansmen while ferrying freedom marchers outside of Selma. We also read of black laborer J. D. Cammeron, and of the indignities he suffers as he is involved in scuffles with police in Gadsden.

While many books have been written about seminal events in the movement, this volume's appeal comes from the many personal stories it tells. This is a tale about real people, everyday men and women who, through individual acts of bravery become an army that finds collective gains. Nearly any reader interested in the Civil Rights Era will find something of value in this well-written offering.

Originally reviewed 12/17/2004

Mercy, Mercy Me: The Art, Loves & Demons of Marvin Gaye

This post is one in a series of reviews commemorating Black History Month

Mercy, Mercy Me: The Art, Loves & Demons of Marvin Gaye, by Michael Eric Dyson (2004)

Dyson has written a fascinating analysis of the life and career of the late Marvin Gaye, a book that will appeal even to readers who don't know Gaye's music all that well. That having been said, this is a weighty tome, which touches on the religious, cultural and social influences of the black community and how they shaped the singer.

For example, in examining the effect of childhood abuse on Gaye, Dyson traces the problem of domestic violence in the black family to slavery. While this is an interesting discussion, it sways quite a bit from the book's star. Some readers will find these diversions tedious.

Because Gaye's relationship with Motown founder Berry Gordy is discussed at length, anyone who has studied the studio and its music will find something of interest here. References to the black church and family will ensure this book's place in programs of African-American study. Finally, the last chapter is in large part about present-day soul star R. Kelly. Dyson's discussion of how both men merged concepts of spirituality and sexuality within their music is interesting. In short, this book is a real find for a musicologist or sociologist, but it's not a biography "for the rest of us."

Originally reviewed 1/20/05

Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot

Jimmy Stewart: Bomber Pilot, by Starr Smith (2005)

Starr Smith exposes a side of Jimmy Stewart that many people have never seen. Apparently, the famous actor from Indiana, Pennsylvania wanted it that way. Smith, who worked with Stewart when the two were stationed in Tibenham, England, with the 453^rd Bombardment Group, offers a flattering portrayal of the Hollywood star.

Over the objections of his boss at MGM, Stewart volunteered for service after being drafted and failing a physical (he was too light under the military’s height to weight ratio). The actor wanted to be more than a stateside trainer of bomber pilots in the Army Air Corps and he had to find his way around someone in the military brass, who didn’t want a famous actor to be lost in the fighting. In the end, Stewart was allowed to fly on some of the missions he helped to coordinate. He would go on to fly 20 combat missions on his way to numerous honors including six battle stars and the French Croix de Guerre.

As Stewart rose through the ranks, he proved to be a hard-working leader and strategist. Aged 32 when he began his military service, the airman was often 10 or more years older than the pilots he commanded. His mild, folksy demeanor, his attention to detail and his skill as a flyer won him respect among the enlisted men.

Stewart’s efforts did not go unnoticed by the officers’ corps either and he eventually reached the rank of Brigadier General. Smith was privy to some of the rumors that the actor would eventually earn the crucial rank of group commander. However, the war was over before such a plan would be carried out.

Upon his return, Stewart insisted that he receive no attention for his service. He even refused a homecoming parade, a decision that greatly disappointed Indiana community leaders. Stewart allowed a museum to open with his name there some 50 years later, but only after he was convinced that the landmark would stimulate the local economy.

There are some aspects of Stewart’s family life and post-war career here, but the bulk of the book covers his military service from 1941 to 1945. Smith’s account will appeal most to fans of Stewart and to those who appreciate personal accounts of military history.

A Summer of Kings

A Summer of Kings, by Han Nolan (2006)

Esther is the eldest child in a well-to-do New York household when she meets King-Roy, the 18-year-old African-American son of her mother's childhood friend. The protagonist, about four years his junior, is clearly in an awkward stage in her development. Much of the story seems to hinge on the uncomfortable tension between Esther and her parents and her nascent fascination with King-Roy and the civil rights movement.

The premise of the story is compelling: during a tumultuous time in history a young white girl struggles against her sheltered upbringing to empathize with people from a different world. However, the book suffers from its inability to make this connection real for the reader. The story is hampered by improbable plot elements such as when Esther is in the middle of Harlem with her two younger siblings looking for King-Roy. These moments require a great suspension of belief yet still manage to pale in comparison to a truly fantastic ending.

It’s clear that Nolan had a good idea with this book, but she fails to convince the reader that Esther could make such a leap from privileged white girl to scholar of one of the more controversial movements of her time. The main character seems both too immature and guarded for this to be possible. In addition, the cast of supporting characters, which consists in large part of borders in Esther’s home, rarely seems to come alive, though one of her characters turns out to be crucial in the development of the story.

Nolan’s book is both well written and interesting as a work of historical fiction. And while it could be that this reviewer is asking too much from a book written for young adults, key events in the account simply seem beyond the bounds of believability. This is not a good trait for a story about such an important era in American history.

Alabama in the Twentieth Century

Alabama in the Twentieth Century, by Wayne Flynt (2004)

Professor Emeritus of History at Auburn University, Flynt’s eleventh book marks the pinnacle of a career studying Alabama and Southern history. Having spent most of his adult life in the state, Flynt is “a native son who has lived, loved, taught, debated, and grieved within the state for 60 of the 100 years described.”

The author is frank and forthcoming with his criticisms of the state, starting appropriately with the tragedy of the 1901 Constitution, a document written by Bourbon Democrats to extend their power and influence while disenfranchising most poor whites and nearly all blacks. The author believes that the injustice of this parchment continues to cast a pall on the state, and he provides plenty of examples of a culture stunted and a people denied to convince the reader of this fact.

Flynt examines the body politic with his chapter “Every Man for Himself: Politics, Alabama Style.” The author takes the state’s anemic tax levels to task, also making the case that the burden falls heaviest on those who can least afford it. Like fellow academic Harvey Jackson, he is critical of a state that accepts low taxes, even though the result is a state government that can provide little for its people.

The professor writes chapters dedicated to education, as well as to women and African-Americans. Particularly in the latter case, Flynt eloquently describes a group that, in light of its smaller numbers, has made a contribution disproportional to the state’s success. Sadly, it is a people that have all too often received the least benefit from it.

But lest critics suggest that Flynt is a man who doesn’t love his native state, the author also gives credit where it is due, whether it is the innovation of engineers in Hunstville contributing to the nation’s space program or its many famous educators, athletes and entertainers. Dozens of pages are dedicated to figures such as education pioneer Julia Tutwiler, baseball slugger Hank Aaron, singer Nat King Cole and U.S. Supreme Court justice Hugo Black, who all once called Alabama home. For all of the challenges they faced, it is clear that Alabama has produced many accomplished and gifted individuals.

At over 600 pages this is not a book for the casual reader, but it is highly recommended for those who want to delve deeper into the recent history of the nation’s 22^nd state.