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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Interesting book. Really enjoyed the first half of the book, the second half not really. It seemed like self-promotion. He was a brilliant man, influencing so much.
This man has held an incredible life. He was a slave and worked up to creating his own school, now known as the Tuskegee University. Maybe it's because I live long after he died but I find his politics woefully naive. Booker T. Washington had the firm belief that if black Americans learned a skill and worked really hard, they would rise up from reconstruction and racism wouldn't exist anymore. Clearly this has not happened. He also had this bizarre view that any other kind of education outside of learning a trade is not beneficial for black people. When writing about reconstruction, he is almost completely refers to the time period as not that important. Considering reconstruction is one of the most important time periods in American history, it is very strange that someone who lived through it seems to think writing about it is almost a waste of time. This is also the period where a lot of lynching was happening quite publicly and he doesn't acknowledge it once. Strange for such a public black figure to write about his speeches to black and white audiences and not even mention it!
What an absolutely incredible life he lived. And what an amazing work he performed.
This book had absolutely zero emotion. His mom dies. Nothing. His wife dies. Nothing. His second wife dies. One sentence. Nothing.
This book was mind numbingly boring. And was in desperate need of an editor.
This book had absolutely zero emotion. His mom dies. Nothing. His wife dies. Nothing. His second wife dies. One sentence. Nothing.
This book was mind numbingly boring. And was in desperate need of an editor.
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Was nice to actually get the opportunity to read more about Booker T. Washington's life, work and experiences than we ever got when I was in mandatory schooling, and I think this book is richer for the fact that it's autobiographical. I'm glad I read it~.
Booker T. Washington was born a slave, lived through the Civil War, and then literally overnight he and his family found themselves free. His step-father moved the family to another state where he found work in a salt mine. Booker, though still a child, was expected to work alongside his father. He tells the story of how he got his name, how the freed slaves wanted schools for themselves and their children, how he got his education, how it came about to start the Tuskegee Institute, how the school grew, and how he became known as an orator. He gives a lot of credit to those who poured into his life and he shows how doing things for other people brings happiness. I gave the book only four stars just because it was a bit slow at times.....it was just my personal bias. At the same time, I would say this should be required reading in American History classes!