An award-winning journalist tells the “riveting” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) story of his quest to reconcile with his white mother and the family he’d never met—and how faith brought them all together. “A compelling and courageous journey that bears witness to the realities of systemic racism, the complexity of identity within that system, and the possibilities of reconciliation.”—Robin DiAngelo, New York Times bestselling author of White Fragility John Blake grew up in a notorious Black neighborhood in inner-city Baltimore that became the setting for the HBO series The Wire. There he became a self-described “closeted biracial person,” hostile toward white people while hiding the truth of his mother’s race. The son of a Black man and a white woman who met when interracial marriage was still illegal, Blake knew this much about his mother: She vanished from his life not long after his birth, and her family rejected him because of his race. But at the age of seventeen, Blake had a surprise encounter that uncovered a disturbing family secret. This launched him on a quest to reconcile with his white family. His search centered on two questions: “Where is my mother?” and “Where do I belong?” More Than I Imagined is Blake’s propulsive true story about how he answered those questions with the help of an interracial church, a loving caregiver’s sacrifice, and an inexplicable childhood encounter that taught him the importance of forgiveness. Blake covered some of the biggest stories about race in America for twenty-five years before realizing that “facts don’t change people, relationships do.” He owes this discovery to “radical integration,” which was the only way forward for him and his family—and is the only way forward for America as a multiracial democracy. More Than I Imagined is a hopeful story for our difficult times. Praise for More Than I Imagined “An incredibly moving memoir that both examines and complicates our understanding of race in America today, More Than I Imagined is overflowing with empathy and full of humanity.”—Clint Smith, New York Times bestselling author of How the Word Is Passed “This is a book of gutsy hope and not of despair, of reconciliation and not of hatred. Both sides of the racial divide need the voice that Blake is uniquely qualified to offer.”—Philip Yancey, author of What’s So Amazing About Grace?
Profiling 24 of the adult children of the most recognizable figures in the civil rights movement, this book collects the intimate, moving stories of families who were pulled apart by the horrors of the struggle or brought together by their efforts to change America. The whole range of players is covered, from the children of leading figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and martyrs like James Earl Chaney to segregationists like George Wallace and Black Panther leaders like Elaine Brown. The essays reveal that some children are more pessimistic than their parents, whose idealism they saw destroyed by the struggle, while others are still trying to change the world. Included are such inspiring stories as the daughter of a notoriously racist Southern governor who finds her calling as a teacher in an all-black inner-city school and the daughter of a famous martyr who unexpectedly meets her mother's killer. From the first activists killed by racist Southerners to the current global justice protestors carrying on the work of their parents, these profiles offer a look behind the public face of the triumphant civil rights movement and show the individual lives it changed in surprising ways.
**With a foreword by Sebastian Coe ** At the 1908 Summer Olympics, one of the contenders in the marathon was the diminutive Italian Dorando Pietri. After leading the pack at a grueling pace, Pietri staggered into the stadium, turned the wrong direction, and fell five times, after which two officials took him by the arms and brought him across the finish line. The American team lodged a complaint, and as a consequence, Pietri was disqualified and his first place medal went to the American Johnny Hayes. But the glory went to Pietri, who eventually became an international celebrity and received a silvered cup from Queen Alexandria for his efforts. After the race, Hayes and a Scottish sprinter, Wyndham Halswelle, were dragged into a dispute surrounding the race's official outcome, and a fierce war over sporting superiority between the United States and the British Empire resulted. The battle rapidly spilled over into politics and ethics, with allegations of cheating, drug-taking, and unprofessionalism levied by both nations. Bestselling author John Bryant delves into the lives of these three extraordinary men in a tale that stretches from rural Italy to Ellis Island, Broadway and beyond and explores the foundations of the modern sporting and marathon movements.
The twenty contributors to this volume offer a new perspective on the relationship between Blake's poetry and his visionary forms. Their illustrated discussions explore and debate the nature of Blake's mixed art and the energetic interaction of text and design. Originally published in 1971. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
Blake's 7, Terry Nation's science fiction tale of cosmic freedom fighters, became a hit series in Great Britain when it premiered in 1978. Eight years later, the show quickly became a cult program in America. A dramatization of futuristic outlaw heroes who defend the innocent from both alien and human conquering forces, the series might better be said to be equal parts Robin Hood and The Magnificent Seven. The series defied traditional genre elements of science fiction television, and developed the concept of the continual "story arc" years before such shows as Babylon 5 and Deep Space Nine. This book provides a critical history and episode guide for Blake's 7, including commentaries for all 52 episodes. Also included are analytical essays on the show, dealing with such topics as themes, imagery and story arc; a consideration of the series as a futuristic Robin Hood myth; cinematography and visual effects; and an overview of Blake's 7 in books, comics and videos. A detailed appendix lists the genre conventions found in the series. The author also includes information about Blake's 7 fan clubs and Internet sites.
It considers the guiding forces behind Visions of the Daughters of Albion and The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, the roles of vision and energy in the Songs of Innocence and of Experience and lyrics such as' The Mental Traveller', Blakes's attempts at mythological interpretation of current events, first in' The French Revolution' and then in the prophetic books America, Europe and The Song of Los, and how Blake's fourfold vision is employed as a means of interpreting and illustrating major predecessors such as Milton and Chaucer.
An examination of one of the most famous ships of all time, from a refreshingly different angle. Compiled from authentic period sources with nostalgic illustrations. Launched in May 1911, the triple-screw steamer Titanic was the pride of the White Star Line and at that time the largest passenger ship in the world. Built to carry passengers in comfort and luxury on the lucrative transatlantic route, her design, fittings and on-board facilites epitomised the spirit of the age in terms of elegance and style. Titanic: A Passenger's Guide is a unique guide to all aspects of the ship, incorporating authentic period literature – from sources including White Star Line themselves, Harland & Wolff shipyards, and important publications from the time.
As the details of HBO's Boardwalk Empire emerged, it quickly became the most anticipated programme in the network's history. The excitement was understandable - not only was the show created by Terence Winter, the man behind The Sopranos, but Martin Scorsese was one of the executive producers and would make a rare crossover to television by directing the pilot. Plus the cast was headed by the great Steve Buscemi and included some of the finest character actors in the business, whose previous work has included No Country for Old Men, This is England, and The Wire. Now that the prohibition epic has finally hit our screens, Boardwalk Empire has proven to be every bit as smart, brutal and thrilling as had been anticipated. Already renewed for a second season, it is set to become one of the defining series of the decades.This indispensible accompaniment to the show is brimming with fascinating details about the series, covering the historical background, how the 1920s was reconstructed, the realities of filming, biographies of key members of the cast and crew, and much, much more.
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