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What I’m Reading: “Losing My Cool” by Thomas Chatterton Williams

Filed under Arts/Lit/TV/Film by affrodite on April 27, 2010 at 5:24 pm no comments

WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF THIS BOOK!!! DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MONDAY, MAY 24, 2010 AT MIDNIGHT EST.

VIA TWITTER- send me the following “losing my cool @affrodite” to enter
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Thank you for supporting me and author Thomas Chatterton Williams by participating!

Congratulations to Simone who entered on Facebook and all who entered to win!

Publication Date: May 3, 2010

ISBN: 978-1-59420-263-6

Cost: $25.95 (hard cover)

Website: www.thomaschattertonwilliams.com

Facebook fan page: Thomas Chatterton Williams (must be logged in to join)

Twitter: twitter.com/iamchatterton

I just received a review copy of LOSING MY COOL. Take a look at the press release below for more information about author Thomas Chatterton Williams and his latest book. Do you like what you’ve read so far? I’ll be running a promotion soon where you can win your own autographed copy of LOSING MY COOL. Stay tuned for details in upcoming posts. The book tour kicks off on May 3, 2010 in New York City. Check out Williams’ website (link above) for the full tour schedule. ~Affrodite

PRESS RELEASE (source: The Penguin Press) — Like many young men in America, Thomas Chatterton Williams grew up in awe of Tupac Shakur, Biggie Smalls, and the parade of bling-bedecked rap stars he saw on Black Entertainment Television and MTV. Williams emulated their lifestyle- sporting chains, diamonds, and expensive designer clothes purchased for him by his girlfriends, who were themselves a little more than accessories for Williams. In public, Williams lived the street life exalted in his favorite rap anthems, yet at the end of the day he returned to a home literally crammed with thousands of books, each carefully studied and underlined by his father, “Pappy,” who revered learning and critical thinking above all else.

In “LOSING MY COOL: How a Father’s Love and 15,000 Books Beat Hip-Hop Culture” (The Penguin Press; May 3, 2010; $25.95), Williams recounts how he juggled these disparate lifestyles- “keeping it real” in his friends’ eyes while honing an appreciation for literature and learning under his father’s strict tutelage. Pappy grew up in the segregated South, where he hid in closets so he could read Aesop and Plato. He encouraged his own son to read and think deeply, and to embrace the opportunities that had not been available to his own generation.

In Williams’ teen years, the stakes of hip-hop lifestyle escalated and the gap between street life and home life became ever-wider. He was accepted to Georgetown University and as his old friends remained entrenched in the value system of hip-hop- which exalted money, hoes, and clothes- Williams looked beyond it for the first time. His college classmates introduced him to new things like wine, jazz, baguettes, and wanting to be the smartest person in the room. Williams realized he had more to gain from being open to these things, things that his friends from home wouldn’t consider “real,” than all the money his friends dreamed of earning as rap superstars.

Williams is among the first of his generation to measure the seductive power of hip-hop culture against its restrictive worldview, which ultimately leaves those who live it powerless. Like no book has before, LOSING MY COOL examines this culture, its appeal and its limitations, with the insight of a former devotee and the clarity of a scholar. It also recounts, with skill and grace, a burgeoning bond, forged in literature, between father and son.

About the Author

Thomas Chatterton Williams holds a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Georgetown University and a Master’s degree from the Cultural Reporting and Criticism program at New York University. In 2007, he wrote an op-ed piece entitled “Yes, Blame Hip-Hop” for “The Washington Post” which generated a record-breaking number of comments. he writes for the literary magazine “n+1″ and currently lives in Brooklyn.

Where Brooklyn at?? Interview with the “City Kid” himself, Nelson George.

Filed under Interviews by affrodite on April 27, 2009 at 4:34 am 3 comments

nelsongeorge_citykid_bookcover I was excited to have the opportunity to preview Nelson George‘s latest book “City Kid” a memoir. I’ve recently began following his career more closely after learning about his involvement with Chris Rock‘s documentary “Good Hair” that won an award at Sundance. In this post, I’ve written a review of “City Kid” and am also including an interview between Nelson George and I in podcast format for you. Reading about and speaking to other writers is always a unique experience. It’s almost like turning the camera on the camera man. Nelson gave me a great interview but not without a few surprises and push back to keep me on my toes. “City Kid” is worth adding to your reading list. This post along with my others regarding this book should give you a introduction to Nelson George and what to expect as you read his memoir. I would love to hear from any of you who have picked up the book as well as any of you who have read or watched any of Nelson’s other works.

City Kid- A Review

In “City Kid,” Nelson writes of his life where “family and art intersect” as he describes in the Introduction. Ever present throughout is the influence of music on his life from the early days listening to his mother’s Motorola hi-fi to his writing career. Quick to refer to his family unit through often, and perhaps over, cited statistics on Black American families and broken homes, Nelson was no exception. He grew up in the Tilden projects in Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. His mother Arizona (nicknamed “Doll”) worked hard to make ends meet and his father, Nelson Elmer George was largely absent through Nelson’s life after being lured into the counterculture looming in New York City at the time. Nelson had one sibling, his sister Andrea who was a rebellious soul which extended to their relationship as brother and sister. It took Andrea cheating death when contracting and living with HIV to ultimately lead to a reconciliation amongst the siblings. The reconciliation occurred as a moment of truth as Andrea began to talk about her life with HIV. Nelson wrote and directed a screenplay based on Andrea’s life the was released through HBO Films entitled “Life Support.”

On the surface, I’d say “City Kid” is a “man book,” but there were elements that I was fond of and could identify with as a writer and music lover. Ladies, you can skim the parts about Nelson’s love for comic books, sports, and tales of man adolescence; however, there are still threads integral to his memoir that you’ll enjoy. For example, Nelson’s affection for his mother and longing for male role models are endearing and bring you closer to the man behind the mirror.

For aspiring and established writers, you’ll enjoy and likely identify with Nelson’s lifeblood as a writer. An avid reader from the time of his youth, Nelson shares that he was particularly fond of Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Actually, one of the highlights of this memoir is the fantastic library of must read books interwoven throughout. I have generated quite a list in my notebook that maybe I’ll publish at a later time.

Perhaps the most poignant part of this book is the education you get from reading about the evolution of popular black music as it parallels then intersects with Nelson’s life. Oh, to be a fly on the wall in Brooklyn during the rise of hip hop and a bit of a “Harlem Renaissance” that occurred during Nelson’s twenties as the Ft. Greene neighborhood became a mecca for artists like now famous Spike Lee and Chris Rock.

My only criticism of “City Kid” is related to the style. What makes a book a great read for me is being able to get that contact high from just holding the book in your hands, inhaling every word. I had a hard time doing that completely with “City Kid.” I attribute it to Nelson’s largely journalistic style narrative of his own life that left me perched at a safe distance from Nelson’s authentic self. Personally, it’s most exciting to finish a memoir feeling that I really got to connect to the person in a way that would not have happened otherwise. I feel like I could recite Nelson’s life, but I don’t know his life.

If you’re interested in picking up a copy of “City Kid” I would suggest you check out the links I provided for you below the interview.

Interview with Nelson George about “City Kid”

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Here’s the interview I conducted with Nelson George on April 9, 2009, a week after the release of “City Kid.” This is my first whirl at editing and posting a podcast, so bear with me and certainly let me know if you have any suggestions, feedback, or are experiencing technical difficulties. For you corporate types, this is my “development opportunity.”