book(s) review

It's not Black History month, but you'd think it was with the books I've been reading.

Back in college I read "Roots" and this month I listened to it while doing all my painting.  I really love this book.  It's heart wrenching at times and shocking to think about the atrocities humans have allowed to be perpetuated on each other.  Yet,  it's also truly amazing to read about the African Kunta Kinte who was captured by slave traders in Africa and brought to America on a slave ship, then his daughter Kizzy, her son Chicken George and his son Tom, all the way to modern day Alex Haley who was inspired to research his family history and write a book about it.  This book gets 4 stars, but definitely comes with a PG-13 warning for lots of gruesome details about slavery.

My second review is "Same Kind of Different As Me" by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.   My book club read it last month, but I just got around to it this week.  Another inspirational, yet occasionally sad book.    "_A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery.  An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel. A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream.  It begins outside a burning plantation hut in Louisiana... and an East Texas honky-tonk... and, without a doubt, in the heart of God. It unfolds in a Hollywood hacienda... an upscale New York Gallery... a downtown dumpster... a Texas ranch.  Gritty with pain and betrayal and brutality, it also shines with an unexpected, life-changing love."  (_taken from book)  I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.  I give it 3 stars out of 4.