Her Dream of Dreams: The Rise and Triumph of Madam C. J. Walker

Book Description

“I am a woman that came from the cotton fields of the South; I was promoted from there to the wash-tub; then I was promoted to the cook kitchen, and from there I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods and preparations.”
--Madam C. J. Walker, National Negro Business League Convention, 1912

Now, from a writer acclaimed for her novels and the memoir Crossed Over, a remarkable biography of a truly heroic figure.

Madam C. J. Walker created a cosmetics empire and became known as the first female self-made millionaire in this nation’s history, a noted philanthropist and champion of women’s rights and economic freedom. These achievements seem nothing less than miraculous given that she was born, in 1867, to former slaves in a hamlet on the Mississippi River. How she came to live on another river, the Hudson, in a Westchester County mansion, and in a New York City town house, is at once inspirational and mysterious, because for all that is known about the famous entrepreneur, much that occurred before her magnificent transformation—years that trace a circuitous route across the country—remains obscure.

By breathing life into scattered clues and dry facts, and with a deep understanding of the times and places through which Madam Walker moved, Beverly Lowry tells a story that stretches from the antebellum South to the Harlem Renaissance and bridges nearly a century of our history in her search for the distant truths of a woman who defied all odds and redefined conventional expectations.

“Wherever there was one colored person, whether it was a city, a town, or a puddle by the railroad tracks, everybody knew her name.”
--Violet Davis Reynolds, Stenographer, Madam C. J. Walker Co

Customer Reviews:

Disappointed Hopes.......2004-07-27

As an avid reader of history and an Indianapolis resident, I had high hopes for learning more about Madame Walker and the choices that led to her extraordinary success. Lowry clearly did a considerable amount of research, but it rarely translated into a story that captured my imagination or motivated me to finish the book. This was one of those few books that I simply couldn't finish because it was so tedious. You quickly realize the challenges a biographer faces in researching a marginalized black woman in the late 1800s when Lowry painstakingly provides information gleaned from marriage licenses, home ownership records and newspapers of the time. Given the paucity of detail around Walker herself, Lowry could have provided more historical perspective on the cities and times that Walker lived in. When she does, this book becomes interesting (the description of how much work it took to do 18th century laundry was exhausting just to read), but she quickly returns to outlining the train rides Walker might have taken to get from city A to city B, the difficulties she might have had with her spoiled daughter, and when she may or may not have lived or married or divorced husband #1/2/3. In short, a disappointment. Admittedly, I didn't make it to the point where perhaps more of Walker's history was known after she became successful, but no reader should have to struggle through 200-300 pages of hypotheses leavened with the occasional dry fact to get to the meat of a book. If you are interested in learning more about Walker, who had to have been an amazing woman, buy this book used or check it out of the library to see whether you agree with my jaundiced opinion. I'm beginning to realize that the number of used books available (and the price range) on Amazon is a vote-with-your-feet measure of what readers really think of a book.

This book is a TRAVESTY........2004-05-21

I am not surprised at all by the patronizing tone used by such reviewers as the person from "Houston, Texas USA" (probably a relative of Beverly Lowry) who complains that "It is a little bizarre to read reviews complaining that a second book about Madame C. J. Walker has been published. One of the measures of an individual's importance is the number of books they inspire..."

The Houston reviewer continues in the same condescending tone about Alelia Bundles "whining" and asks, "Is there a rule that white guys can have a hundred books about them but Black women only get one each?" No, but thanks for your concern about black women and our history. The goal for any writer or scholar is to write a book when you have something to add to the information that is already available. It doesn't mean that you pretend that Madam Walker's biographer, her journalist great-great granddaughter Alelia Bundles, doesn't exist.

The bottom line is that the definitive book on Madam C.J. Walker (On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker) has already been written and Lowry has not contributed to our understanding of this pioneer. Also, to add insult to injury, she manages to cast two other black women pioneers, Ida B. Wells and Mary McLeod Bethune, as women with "skin color like milk with a little tea in it. Their noses are aquiline, and some have soft hair." Mary McLeod Bethune had light skin and soft hair? Oh, okay!

Lowry finally had to admit that her description of Bethune was "exaggerated", but still insisted that brown-skinned Ida B. Wells was "lightskinned" in the the Sept-Oct 2003 issue of Black Issues Book Reviews where she admitted to other mistakes in her book.

Bundles book was a bestseller and she has no reason to be "jealous" of Lowry's sloppy scholarship, which is surprising considering her other work. Even though a reviewer in the Wall Street Journal thanked Lowry for "bringing Madam Walker back to us" and marveled that it was "astonishing that her name is all but forgotten today", Madam Walker has NEVER been "forgotten" by African-Americans. The only thing that should be forgotten is this book.

The best Walker book yet.......2003-08-30

There have been other books about Madame C.J. Walker but this one is the best. It's not a romance and it doesn't offer a glossy,worshipful picture either. This solid biography tells the story of one woman who triumphed over incredible adversity. In a time when most black people were miserably poor Madame Walker built a fortune. The book tells what Madame did right and what she did wrong and it's the only one that really gets into what went wrong with her daughter and where the money went after Madame's death. Some people have objected to the book because the author is not black but what does that have to do with the ability to produce good scholarship? If you're interested in this fascinating woman and the turbulent times she lived in, give this book a chance.

A triumph of biography, history, and storytelling........2003-07-06

Think you wouldn't be interested in a book about a woman who got rich selling black hair care products? Guess again. This book does not immerse the reader in cosmetics but is about hard work and its rewards, the attainment of wealth by a woman who had nothing, and the ways she spent her money, showing off as well as trying to help her race. The book traces the career of Madam C.J. Walker, child of former slaves, from Mississippi washerwoman to nationally known businesswoman and philanthropist. The author, Beverly Lowry, locates this life amid the customs, economy, and politics (black and mainstream) of the years between 1874 and 1920. She invites the reader to join her on the trail of her subject, about whom much is known but much is unknown, and in parallel keeps us abreast of the state of race relations from the annual number of lynchings to the attitude of whoever was president at the time to the changing role of black women in business. The book is full of word pictures. Where Walker can be definitively placed at a particular time, Lowry gives us a clear view with enough details to put us at the scene. We see, for example, the week-long laundry process of the 1880s, what the regimen was when she stayed at the Battle Creek Sanatorium (founded by J. Kellogg of cereal fame), her travels in the automobiles of long-gone makes that she drove for hundreds of miles at a time promoting her products, and we stand with her when Booker T. Washington visits, the culmination of years of effort to be recognized by him as an important businessperson and "race woman." These are swift strokes, enough but not too much, and then Lowry moves on. Her Dream of Dreams is a perfect marriage of imagination and research--facts unearthed by painstaking attention to detail, and conclusions drawn in just the right narrative tone. Lowry's is a voice of rich language and metaphor, a voice resonant with appreciation of Walker's character and achievement that does not fail to mark her limitations. Overall, Her Dream of Dreams is a good read--a triumph of biography, history, and just plain storytelling.

More than a success story.......2003-06-08

This beautifully written and researched book is more than a biography of the remarkable Madam C.J. Walker, America's first female millionaire who was born to former slaves, it is also a cultural history of the early twentieth century. It presents an amazingly vivid portrait of the lives of African Americans and their struggles. The detail of the hard work and business accumen of Madam Walker, her ultimate financial success, as well as the political and social landscape this writer presents should make this book a classic. A classic that is an inspiring American story.

Book Description

When deciding which athletes to profile, our editors take into account not only a player's statistics, but also his character. SPI takes care to select athletes who are known to be community minded and can serve as role models.

The biographical material on each athlete covers him from his earliest days to the present.

Customer Reviews:

Curt Schilling in the Hot Seat.......2000-07-29

Curt Schilling is a GREAT PITCHER. It is nice to see that he is also such a giving person. I did not realize he donates money each game to the Lou Gehrig's Foundation. I would like to be a pitcher someday too, and follow in his footsteps.

Clinton Miller age:8

Very impressive reading!.......2000-01-10

Some times the size of a book is deceiving, case in point Curt Schilling: Phillie Phire. Eighty-two pages give a world of information on one of today's premier pitchers in major league baseball.

Take a trip with Paul Hagan as he explores the life and baseball time of Curt Schilling, from the years in Alaska to Class A ball in Greensboro, North Carolina to his near career ending shoulder injury.

What we read in the papers and hear in the news about Curt Schilling can't even begin to scratch the surface what this book to the readers. This book in number 17 in the baseball superstar collection.

, here's a perfect gift for young ballplayer in your life. I was also amazed to find out how much time and effort Curt has spent working for a cure for ALS.

Amazon.com

Have you ever looked over the television listings or browsed through the new releases shelf in your local video store and encountered a movie you're absolutely sure never played in theaters? Sometimes studio moguls have so little confidence in a film's marketability that they'll send it straight to video. Poorly received movies, particularly those that play only in a few cities, are often pulled from theaters and tossed quickly onto tape in the hopes that video audiences, ignorant of their poor performance, might take a chance on them. Most such movies are justifiably condemned to obscurity, but some are really worth seeing, while others may heartily appeal to gluttons for kitschy trash. VideoHound's Video Premieres is the only movie guide devoted exclusively to the limited release and straight-to-video set. Author Mike Mayo covers over 1,000 obscurities, steering you away from the losers and toward little-known films of genuine value, interest, and fun. Mayo puts his vast knowledge and discerning sensibility at the reader's service, filling the volume with trivia tidbits, informative sidebars, and black-and-white stills.

Book Description

What is this new language heating up your cell phone, pager, and e-mail? When you're IMing, are you stumped by the emoticons swarming in? Are messages becoming more cryptic and symbols more unrecognizable? If you're feeling at a loss, or even think you're in the know, you are in need of this pithy pocket guide to the hottest communication going. Text-messaging-the ONLY way to go-for this year's fast, smooth talkers.

Make your wishes known, your plans, your dates, in coded communication that's the wave of the future. Don't get left out of the text-message revolution.

Customer Reviews:

Good but could have been better.......2006-03-24

It is a good book, for beginners though. But it could have been so much funnier; also, there is some information which I think useless, it should be more specific in the sense of using real messages young people (the age group that sends most of the messages nowadays)send. However, it is a good book if you want to know about sms in a very general way.

A really, REALLY little book..........2002-03-02

I didn't expect much from this book, but I have to admit I was surprised by just how little it really was. Fits nicely in the palm of your hand, conceivably so you could carry it around with you for reference when deciphering the obscure text messages your friends send your cell phone.

It does a fair job of covering the usual abbreviations, shortcuts and acronyms, IMHO. The smileys are a bit of a stretch. I found it odd that standard ones appear multiple times with different descriptions. Felt like they were trying to fill the book.

In short, it's a cute little book that might make a nice gift for someone just getting into instant or text messaging. Don't expect to use it as a serious reference, though.

Average customer rating:
Wan2tlk? (Little Book)

Manufacturer: Michael O'Mara Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 185479678X

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WAN2TLK?
*
Manufacturer: O'MARA MICHAEL
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K1Y76M

Average customer rating:
Wan2Tlk? : Ltl Bk of Txt Msgs
Gabrielle Mander
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTOC0G

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Wan2tlk? Prepack: Ltl Bk of Txt Msgs

Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

E-mail | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0312286759

Book Description

These activity books feature favorite Bible stories with mazes, seek-and-find puzzles, pictures to color, questions to answer, and Scripture references to look up.

Book Description

Whether you own a Digital SLR camera or are thinking of buying one, with this guide, you’ll give it your best shot! It has info to help you choose the right camera and accessories, and then use them right. Digital SLR Cameras & Photography For Dummies covers the hardware, the software, and the techniques you need to take top-notch digital photos with your dSLR. This guide will get you clicking with information on:

The advantages of a dSLR camera: more control over what portions of your images are in sharp focus; a more accurate viewfinder; lower levels of the annoying grain effect called noise; ability to capture the most fleeting action; more control over depth-of-field; ability to review your image immediately, upload the photo to your computer, make adjustments, and print a full-color print in minutes
Choosing the accessories that will take your dSLR to the next level, depending on the type of photography you do and your current and future needs
Megapixels, and matching pixels to print sizes and printers
The components of a dSLR: lens; viewing system, aperture, shutter, light-sensitive component; medium for storing the captured image
Accessorizing your dSLR with memory cards, filter add-ons (infrared, polarizers, neutral density, and special effects), electronic flash, tripods, and more

Once you get your hands on a dSLR camera (literally), this reference helps you use its features and controls to take great pictures. Complete with more than 300 color photos, lots of tables, and clear, step-by-step instructions for various situations, subjects, and calculations, Digital SLR Cameras & Photography For Dummies helps you refine your techniques with info on:

Getting the exposure right with the histogram, the metering system, or Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Manual Exposure modes
Achieving the right focus with manual focus or autofocus
The scoop on lenses—prime, zoom, and special—and using them appropriately and creatively

How to use interchangeable lenses, set up speedy continuous-shooting burst modes, apply selective focus, and shoot under the lowest light levels
Special features of dSLR to reduce noise, cancel camera shake, do time-lapse photography, and shoot infrared photos
Working with the RAW format, JPEG, or both
Taking action, flash, or sequence photos or freezing the action
Composition basics, including the Rule of Thirds, tips for shooting portraits or group photos, and more
Using image editors to fix-up your photos (with cropping, tonal adjustments, color correction, spot removal, sharpening/blurring, and more), with step-by-step instructions for using Photoshop
Compositing images
Choosing your printer and evaluating your output options

With Digital SLR Cameras & Photography For Dummies, you won’t only get the how-to for various types of shots, you’ll see the results with great color photos. In no time, you’ll be taking great photos of your own.

Download Description

Walks readers through the hardware, software, and techniques needed to take top-quality digital photos with a digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera Offering more coverage than any other book on the shelf, this full-color guide presents a fun and friendly approach to understanding how an SLR works and how to operate the various controls Covers choosing the right equipment for specific needs, working with lenses, selecting the right format and composition for a shot, editing images using Photoshop, and maximizing print quality More than 300 example photos taken by professional art photographers offer inspiration for first-time or inexperienced SLR users

Customer Reviews:

Easy Read.......2007-08-29

Easy book to read. Good to read for short blurbs or sit and read chapter after chapter. It is detailed and show lots of examples.

Satisfied .......2007-08-23

This book is perfect for beginner photographers that are making the leap from a point-and-click camera to a DSLR. The author provided clear and concise explanations that helped me understand how my camera functions and he also provided basic photography concepts. The author came across as modest and added a tad of humor, which made for an enjoyable reading experience. I definitely recommend this book as well as thoroughly reading through your owner's manual and you should be taking great pictures in no time!

Great beginner book that covers the most of the digital photography world.......2007-06-15

This book is good for those who don't know much about the digital photography world, such as flash cards, the digital sensors, etc. It also covers how to choose a DSLR camera and the accessories for it. The book also gives you a good beginners primer on how to take pictures. It covers all aspects but a bit shallow. If you're thinking about getting a DSLR and are also brand new to photography in general, this is the book you want. If you already know how to take pictures well and are moving from a film SLR to a digital, you can learn the digital nuances online. No need to buy the book. For just taking pictures, I learned a lot more from Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson.

Digital SLR.......2007-04-19

This book has a lot of information about the basics about Digital SLR cameras. The only compaint is that I got frustrated with the many "see page __" - I don't like to keep jumping around in a book.

A really good book is "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson - it's taught me the most about how to take a good picture.

excellent book.......2007-04-02

Excellent reading for those who had not contact with digital or slr photography (as myself) maybe a little bit boring for those who have (not me) because it describes basic and deep fact about cameras and photography step by step

Digital Art Photography For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Average customer rating:

Ingnore the title, this books a winner!
Excellent Work
Digital Art Photography For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))
Going digital...making art...this book shows you how!
You must get "Digital Art Photography for Dummies" if you shoot digital.

Digital Art Photography For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))
Matthew Bamberg
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0764598015

Book Description

So you’ve made the jump to digital photography and you’re having a ball with your new camera, right? Now, you’re wondering just what it would take to make your photos a little more than just snapshots. Well, Digital Art Photography For Dummies is a great place to find out!

You’ll not only discover great new ideas, you’ll see the effects in full color. This book will help you

Get fabulous, well-exposed photos, no matter what your shooting conditions may be
Tweak, edit, and enhance your images to create something a lot better than what you started with, or maybe something entirely new
Produce gallery-worthy art prints that people are willing to pay for
Find out if it’s time to upgrade your computer to handle graphics work

Sound like fun? This plain-English guide makes it easy, too! You’ll find out just what makes a picture artistic, how to plan and set up a good photo shoot, what kinds of tools are available in Photoshop to help you enhance or even completely revamp an image, and how to be sure that what comes out of your printer meets all your expectations. Best of all, this book is jam-packed with full-color images that show you just what you can produce. You’ll find out how to

Select the right digital equipment
Shoot in color, black-and-white, and at night
Choose subject matter that fits your style
Understand and use your camera’s settings to get the best shots
Photograph landscapes, people, action, and just about anything else
Create special effects in Photoshop
Improve the quality of your photos or turn them into true works of art
Mat and frame your work for maximum effect

If you’re comfortable with your digital camera but want to find out more about creating cool effects in Photoshop, you can jump directly to Part III and discover tips and techniques that turn ordinary pictures into extraordinary art. Or maybe you’ve been trying to get better nighttime photos. Part II is all about setting up your equipment and getting the perfect shot. Like all For Dummies books, Digital Art Photography For Dummies is designed so you can go directly to the part that most interests you.

Whether you’ve been thinking of selling your work or you just want to create a knock-their-socks-off family gallery that your relatives can view online, this book shows you how to take your photography hobby to the next level. Even if you just want to look at the pictures for inspiration, you can’t go wrong!

Download Description

This unique book walks readers through the steps and techniques needed to take and print gallery-quality photos with digital equipment Shows readers how to select and use high-end photo equipment, work with special effects while shooting, and shoot in a variety of styles, including both landscape and portrait photography More than 300 example photos inspire readers to mimic the work of famous photographers like Annie Leibowitz or Anne Geddes Explores using Photoshop to enhance a photo Addresses printing high-quality photos and then taking the next step of presenting online or in a gallery

Customer Reviews:

Ingnore the title, this books a winner!.......2007-01-10

I purchased this book for my wife when I got her a digital camera for Christmas. It was well worth the money. The book explains photography as well as post processing which is a critical part of digital photography today.

Excellent Work.......2006-10-16

Matt Bamberg's book Digital Art Photography for Dummies is an excellent resource for both the beginner and the advanced student of Digital Photography. I have read the book and of especial interest to me were the numerous overt and subtle suggestions about technique and execution. Suggestions which I have used to great effect to dramatically improve my own compositions and to better concentrate and focus my shots.

In addition I really benefited from the suggestions regarding how to process and enhance your work, post shooting. One of the more important foci of the book regards how to transform your work from more simple photographic imagery into more complex renditions which can be considered artistic. Matt explains these techniques for image modification easily and logically and it was not difficult with the right equipment and software for me to begin experimenting with altering my works to produce far more spectacular work. Work which others have expressed interest in. I have even become my church photographer and have recently had other people ask me to undertake photographic assignments on their behalf. In addition I have started the process of taking previous shots and altering them for inclusion into my written works, as graphic enhancements to my writings.

However the book also contains a myriad of techniques which are useful and helpful for the amateur and for the individual who uses photography as a part of their other work. I am often involved in investigations and through some experimentation and adaptation I have used techniques suggested and explained by Matt in order to clarify, focus, and render my investigative photographs far sharper, clearer, and more relevant for my clients. So the book has indirectly benefited me professionally as well.

I have enjoyed Matt's book, have visited his blog and site, and found him to be an accessible and helpful author. Additionally he obviously knows his subject matter and is therefore professionally well-qualified. He seems very experienced and yet eagerly experimental, two traits I like in any individual who is trying to teach me something new.

I have Matt's book and consider it a valuable addition to my personal library on the subjects of both art and photography.

I recommend the book.

Jack.

Digital Art Photography For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)).......2006-09-20

This is a great book for anyone using digital photography -- whether
you are just starting out or have some experience. There is something
for everyone! I found it to be a great source of information when it comes
to Photoshop. Of all my Photoshop books, I find I reach for this one the
most. It is permanently planted by my computer for quick reference when
I need it. It has GREAT editing tips and is easy to read and comprehend.

Going digital...making art...this book shows you how!.......2006-03-10

I know Matt Bamberg's writing and love his blog (digitalartphotographyfordummies.com). If you're new to photography and confused by all the terms, Matt takes you through the basics (although he says the book assumes you know the principles of photography, he patiently explains the technical stuff). If you're a seasoned pro, skip the refresher course and just enjoy the fabulous photos--which, by the way, everyone will appreciate.

I'm the outgoing vice president of NLAPW Palm Springs--we were honored to be among Matt's first speaking engagements--and have seen our members create beautiful digital art photography. Thanks to Matt's book, I now know how it was done! Artists seeking to sell and exhibit their work will find great career guidance. For other shutterbugs, the book will eliminate some of those photos that you cringe at later (I know I have a few!)

The image manipulation tips in Photoshop are extremely valuable. This is a terrific book, even if you've only toyed with the idea of doing digital photography. Matt's vivid, lively prose makes this a pleasurable read.

You must get "Digital Art Photography for Dummies" if you shoot digital........2006-01-25

If you are a digital photographer that is starting out or trying to get into the "art" side, then this book is for you. This book is well written, easy to understand, and full of excellent images and great walk throughs. I can tell that Matt is very comfortable with this topic and is an expert in his field. It touches on many easy ways for new shutterbugs to expand their knowledge without taking the fun out of photography. His Adobe Photoshop knowledge is also very useful when post processing scans of film, slides, or negatives as well as existing digital images.
Matt, thanks for your time and energy in writing this book. I will recommend it to both family and friends.

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