TUNNEL LIGHTS

The thoughts, reflections, rants, raves, on my life; The life of a Christian, black, gay, male.

IMG_20140715_190528It was an over all ok read; i would love to see an updated edition, "Fear revisited" or something of that nature with updated statistics and new information. In the book they reference soldiers as having GWS (Gulf War Syndrome) which is now umbrellaed along with the term "post traumatic stress syndrome." Little things like that would make a, "2nd edition" an even more enthralling read for today's somewhat aware generation. Its a very good read for those who have some suspicions that the things that are being told are not true, its confirmation for the rest of us that know the things that are being said to us, or about us in my case and chapter, are not true. An excellent book for anyone interested in Journalism, Sociology, Psychology, Skepticism, Politics, Critical thinking or theory. If you study any one of those subjects, read this book because you very well may reference, "Fear" in the future. 

The down side is also the good side. This book has a copious amount of data, names of institutions, names of studies, articles in journals and research papers, as well as official titles politicians and scientist so much so that you can practice your speed reading and skip every third word. It is akin to that huge amounts of various greens surrounding a solitary salad shrimp you are given when you by a prepackaged shrimp salad. Over all a very good read, very good book. You can skip some stuff, even a chapter maybe.

 

 

527433Fantastic, a beautiful tragedy

 

This is more than a story or about a man coming out, or even coming to terms with life. This is a story about a man learning what it means to love, what it means to learn that you have been in love, real and true love, only to discover that it is too late and looses that love. You could label the characters gay, straight, bisexual but then you would be missing the point. This story is about learning one's self and learning love and fluidity of life itself. This is and excellent book, I only wish i would have had the courage to read this when I was much younger. This tragic beauty is a gem of literature and i would have much rather had spend my school days writing essays and having group discussion picking about this fine work instead of 19th century melodramas that all tell the same story except with different titles and different characters. This easily goes into my top 10 favorite books and read again pile.

 

 

 

themythofsisyphusThe Good

I started this book before last semester thinking, because of its size, that i would be able to fit it in between the readings and workings of my other classes but that was not the case. What I first want to say about this book is what a fantastic read. Mr Camus gives his readers some meditative gems that they will digest for many of hours and days, if not months and years. What exactly is the absurd? That question is what keeps readers going and the reader may assume that the "absurd" is life and living itself but then Camus might render such and answer too simplistic in its logic and reasoning and the answer of an "absurd" man. I believe that many should read this book, more than once or twice. Those that do most likely will take very different things from this excellent philosophical journey.

 

The Bad

Like many other philosophers, Camus falls into the trap of building, establishing, and or laying the foundations of his work by tearing down, attempting to disprove, or flat out saying that works of his contemporaries or progenitors is flawed or wrong. He does this extensively with a few names but none more than Nietzsche. Having read this book. one would be valid in labeling Camus the, "Anti-Nietzsche." Also, like many other philosophers, his examinations of points counter to his are only included to prove his underlying point(s) or to show their own absurdity, in the traditional meaning of the word. After a while,Camus' tone begins to drape itself in the cloak of a highly insightful and knowledgeable but ultimately incredulous critic. For me, it begins to take away from his own original work, which i was highly impressed. I would have liked to read more of his own thoughts, theories, and ideas without them being rooted and derived from a place of showing how different from or counter to something else or someone else. 

 

 the condemnation of blacknessThe Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America Paperback
by Khalil Gibran Muhammad

http://www.amazon.com/The-Condemnation-Blackness-Making-America/dp/0674062116

If you are interested in how the systematic racial structures became established in the East and West then this book is a must have. The historical documentation that i found in this book might have taken a life time of searching in the realm of obscurity to find on my own. This book is an instant classic and has earned its place along side the classics of African American Studies like the Mis-Education of the Negro and The wrenched of the earth.

There are times, from a reader's stand point that you feel as if you are reading an data analysis report instead of a work of literature, and saying that I had to put it down last semester to finish some required reading for school. The sometimes dry style of this book can be over looked because of the data that is presented. The condemnation of Blackness is a treasure trove of information that i have not seen in one place ever nor seen analysed. This book places its finger on the old notion of, "I wont discriminate against you just dont try to date my daughter/son, move into my neighborhood, or take my job" These things are never really spoke of with in the "racism" talk. The one where saying "the N-word" or having a "whites only" signs is the only discussion allowed. Lack of education and opportunity and the notion of inherit criminality is what they book begins with and is outstanding in its presentation and examination.

This book is a must have and must read.

 

 

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I offer my own unique voice, my own vision. I think the saying goes that writers write because no one else can say what they have to say quite the way they have to say it. That is why I write, that is what I offer.

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