The true story behind the new motion picture Birth of a Nation“A penetrating reconstruction of the most disturbing and crucial slave uprising in America’s history.†—New York TimesThe bloody slave rebellion led by Nat Turner in Virginia in 1831 and the savage reprisals that followed shattered beyond repair the myth of the contented slave and the benign master; and intensified the forces of change that would plunge America into the bloodbath of the Civil War.Stephen B. Oates; the celebrated biographer of Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King; Jr.; presents a gripping and insightful narrative of the rebellion—the complex; gifted; and driven man who led it; the social conditions that produced it; and the legacy it left. A classic now newly reissued to include the text of the original 1831 court document “The Confessions of Nat Turner;†here is the dramatic re-creation of the turbulent period that marked a crucial turning point in America's history.
#2815949 in Books 2000-08-22 2000-08-22Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x .40 x 5.31l; #File Name: 0062515780176 pages
Review
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Being Your Own JewBy Jonathan FreundAn accessible and humorous chronicle of one woman's search for a Jewish-ness that is both personal and communal.Lisa Schiffman was an educated; liberal; workshop-attending city-dweller; with grandparents who had emigrated from Europe; and parents who had either rejected Judaism altogether or else did it by the numbers. For her; being Jewish had always been more of an 'activity' than an identity. In her thirties; however; she found herself wanting more; she wanted to continue to be a modern individual yet also wanted to be one within the tribe.Blazing her own path; she explores ways in which she is already Jewish without realizing it ("The Zen of Being Jewish"); experiments with the laws of kashrut ("Kosher-Me?"); and musters up the courage to visit a mikvah ("Stray Hairs and Painted Nails"); all of which leads her to her own definitions and rituals.I greatly enjoyed this entertaining and enlightening read. It is especially apt for anyone -- Jewish or not -- who is seeking to create his or her own; unique religious or spiritual identity.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. More personal than I expectedBy Eric J. AkawieI feel that this book was somewhat mis-marketed. It is a very personal; ideosyncratic journey through Judaism in a very specific place; with very specific issues. I had hoped for more of a broad survey of how young Jews in America are approaching their Judaism; the questions they are asking; and the answers they are arriving at.Instead; it is primarily Schiffman's own personal experiences; flavored heavily by her own prejudices. While this can be the basis for an interesting exploration; I don't think she ever really examined her fundamental beliefs and postulates in a way that provides her a usefull base from which to extrapolate her own experiences.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Overgeneralized TitleBy Cultural GroupieThis is a cute story about the author's search for what being Jewish means to her. The title is misleading because she doesn't really interview any other American Jews; either secular or religious; although she does seem to know a lot of rabbis; authors; and mystics. And she explores many different traditions within Judaism which is interesting because as an outsider; I didn't know anything about these different versions.Overall while I like the book; the author bugs me because she seems to have really low self-esteem--and maybe that's her point; she's confused about her identity (like; I'm ethnically Jewish; but what does that mean?)--so she fixates on her nose (is it too Jewish?) and her voice (I'm a bad singer so I should be quiet in a singing prayer service). And I'm also bothered by the fact that she never really explores whether or not she believes in God! Judaism is a religion too; and she's trying to check out all these different spiritual practices but without even being open to the idea of spirituality. And a rabbi tells her that to really learn about the faith; she needs to read in a community or with a partner and discuss the texts and what they mean; but of course she disregards his advice and goes and tries to read Leviticus and other Jewish texts on her own. I'm pretty sure most people would consult an experienced person if they wanted to figure out how exactly to keep kosher; for example.It's cute; funny at times; and there's some interesting anecdotes about different threads of Judaism; but overall it's not a book that tries to talk about Jewish people or the Jewish faith; it's really just the author's own personal story. I'm not sure I would have read it if I'd realized that at the outset; but I guess overall I'm glad I did because I learned a few interesting things.
