Despite the title, this is a terse, impeccable history of the Nation of Islam, with emphasis in the last half to the role of Farrakhan in that organization and including his appearance at the Million Man March in October 1995. Haskin (with Kathleen Benson, Count Your Way Through Greece, p. 899) focuses less on Farrakhan than on the political aspects of his life, for which he provides background; thus, half of this carefully researched book traces the history of the Nation of Islam from its birth in the 1930s, through the assassination of Malcolm X, and on to the current leadership. The seeds of Farrakhan's anti- white sentiments were sown while he was a child; as he witnessed how economics, racial hatred, and lack of education further limited African-Americans from achieving true equality, his resentment blossomed. His rise through the Nation of Islam is cloudy, although Haskins is careful to document Farrakhan's anti-Semitism and shows its effect on Jesse Jackson's 1984 presidential campaign. Readers will also benefit from the examination of Farrakhan's rhetorical techniques: soft-spoken and diplomatic in interviews with mostly white audiences, screaming anti-white epithets in front of mostly black audiences (black-and-white photos allegedly capture such moments). Farrakhan is such an explosive figure that any objective coverage of him sounds like adulation; while Haskins exhibits great care in scholarship and use of language, Farrakhan remains inscrutable. (b&w photos, notes, further reading, index) (Biography. 12+)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-8027-8422-4
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Walker
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1996
Affectionately celebrates Jewish American experiences.
This memoir introduces Russo as the quiet daughter of an absent Catholic father and a Jewish mother who survived wartime atrocities and converted to Catholicism.
Raised in an opinionated, Yiddish-speaking 1950s matriarchy, Russo is enticed by the teachings of her parochial school. So enticed, in fact, that she has decided to become a nun. Horrified, her mother informs Russo she is now attending public school. The episodic story leisurely follows Russo’s life in New York City as she discovers a love of visual art, endures emotional shake-ups and family dramas, and, piece by piece, begins to put together what her family endured during World War II. Notably, clichés of intergenerational trauma are sidestepped: Holocaust and wartime survivors aren’t walking tragedies but fully human, everyday people with foibles as well as pain. Russo grows up both admiring and resenting her relatives—in particular, her courageous, frustrating, mercurial mother—but finds through them lessons she integrates into her sense of self at the intersection of multiple worlds: Jewish and Catholic, fully American and part of an immigrant culture. While the book meanders, and Russo sometimes becomes lost among the more vibrant personalities around her, the meticulous, detailed art is a highlight, striking the perfect tone for the quirky character of the world it portrays and rewarding repeated readings to catch every detail. Main characters are Ashkenazi.
Affectionately celebrates Jewish American experiences. (epilogue, photo gallery) (Graphic memoir. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 12, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-374-30383-9
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Insightful and inspiring.
Navigating queer and Christian communities can be complicated.
This illustrated memoir by Canadian artist Chomiak traces her life between the summer of 1996, when she was a 16-year-old attending a Christian summer camp and trying to understand confusing feelings about her friend Joanna, until the spring of 2011, when she was heading home to Winnipeg from Vancouver to marry the woman she loved. Chomiak documents the complexities of being a lesbian while growing up in a conservative religious household. The narrative is open and at times raw with the emotional distress of Chomiak’s teen life, from complex relationships with her parents to her hormonal urges, the pain of early hidden relationships, and reconciling her sexuality with her deep faith. Illustrations of Chomiak and the people close to her fill the pages (all present as White), documenting her stress, anxiety, and sadness through her facial expressions and body language. At times, the sepia tones of the illustrations, possibly meant to indicate flashbacks, work against the art’s emotional impact, as the muted colors read as dull and lifeless. This quibble aside, readers of all sexualities and genders will benefit from this glimpse into the life of a Christian lesbian. Other gay Christians will benefit from the resources that are included—lists of faith-oriented websites, organizations, and books designed to help others on their journeys.
Insightful and inspiring. (author’s note, letters to Stace’s younger self, letter to readers) (Memoir. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 19, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5064-6951-5
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Beaming Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
