ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: San Francisco Chronicle; The Christian Science Monitor; Kansas City Star.A profoundly moving and deeply personal memoir by the co-host of National Public Radio’s flagship program All Things Considered. While exploring the hidden conversation on race unfolding throughout America in the wake of President Obama’s election; Michele Norris discovered that there were painful secrets within her own family that had been willfully withheld. These revelations—from her father’s shooting by a Birmingham police officer to her maternal grandmother’s job as an itinerant Aunt Jemima in the Midwest—inspired a bracing journey into her family’s past; from her childhood home in Minneapolis to her ancestral roots in the Deep South. The result is a rich and extraordinary family memoir—filled with stories that elegantly explore the power of silence and secrets—that boldly examines racial legacy and what it means to be an American.
#278141 in Books Vintage 2013-09-10 2013-09-10Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x .74 x 5.20l; .80 #File Name: 0307389138384 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Not an Especially Good Account of the Dakota War. Reads Poorly with No FlowBy Thomas WThis is a book of contradictions. Well researched but disjointed. Interesting and plodding. Details that help fill the scene and too many. Fragments of insight followed by pages of droning. There is no soul in this book; and it does a disservice to an important part of frontier and native American history by telling the story poorly. "Over the Earth I Come" by Schultz is a much richer; more forthright; and better account of the Dakota War. It is certainly better reading. I'd give this book 1 or 2 stars if it did not have a few nuggets of interesting information not presented in other accounts.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. I'm no book snob; so I guess I couldn't tell it read poorly with no flow.By Big DIt gave me what I wanted.I enjoy history; but I'm no history scholar.I don't get a lot of free time to read; I wanted to learn more about this episode in Minnesota history; and this book did a fine job for me.I have history books that won't keep me awake for more than 10 minutes; this is not one of them.I trust the accounts and facts are accurate. It was consistent with other information I've read about this subject; so I was satisfied with it.17 of 18 people found the following review helpful. One of the best about the Dakota War of 1862By CateI've read many books about the Dakota War; and all of those cited by Mr. Berg. 38 Nooses is by far the most readable book I've read on this subject; and that is saying a lot because I've enjoyed most of them; and found the majority to be very informative. Mr. Berg blends wonderfully detailed historical facts taken from a variety of primary sources with a style of writing that flows nicely. The reader is able to picture the events of this bloody conflict in way I've seldom found in non-fiction books. Anyone with any interest at all in this topic will not be bored; therefore allowing the importance of this chapter in our history to shine through. High schools should teach this topic using this book.
