Harry BelafonteCritiques

Singer, actor, activist does a great job in his autobiography. I had not been aware that his initial goal was to be an actor and he just drifted into singing by doing a part in a play. The book had some good humor but also details his activism in working with Martin Luther King Jr and others for equal rights. This is the work he should be most remembered for. His support - financially and otherwise - to the King family and various causes in the US and Africa cannot be overstated. I do wish he had included a filmography and discography.

1 Muleskinner
2 Michael, Row The Boat Ashore
3 Sweetheart From Venezuela
4 Hava Nagila
5 Bamba
6 Man Smart (Woman Smarter)
7 Shenandoah
8 Cucurrucucu Paloma
9 Scarlet Ribbons
10 Jump Down, Spin Around
11 Cotton Fields
12 Soldier, Soldier
13 Turn Around
14 Crawdad Song
15 I Do Adore Her
16 Brown Skin Girl
17 Hosanna
18 Darlin' Cora

1 Day O
Conductor [Orchestra & Chorus] – Tony Scott (2)
Written-By – Harry Belafonte, Lord Burgess, Bill Attaway*
3:02
2 Don't Ever Love Me
Written-By – Lord Burgess
2:45
3 Mama Look-A Boo Boo
Written-By – Lord Melody
2:53
4 Jump In The Line
Written-By – Stephen Somvel
3:42
5 Scarlet Ribbons
Written-By – Evelyn Danzig, Jack Segal
3:12
6 Michael Row The Boat Ashore
Arranged By – Belafonte*
3:57
7 Island In The Sun
Written-By – Harry Belafonte, Lord Burgess
3:07
8 John Henry
Written-By – Paul Campbell (2)
3:28
9 Abraham, Martin And John
Written-By – Holler*
3:56
10 Hallelujah I Love Her So
Written-By – Ray Charles
2:52
11 Cocoanut Woman
Written-By – Harry Belafonte, Lord Burgess
2:58
12 Mary's Boy Child
Written-By – Jester Hairston
2:57
13 Hold 'Em Joe
Written-By – Harry Thomas (4)
2:35
14 Jamaica Farewell
Words By, Music By – Lord Burgess
3:04

Day O 3:02
I Do Adore Her 2:48
Jamaica Farewell 3:02
Will His Love Be Like His Rum? 2:33
Dolly Dawn 3:13
Star O 2:02
The Jack-Ass Song 2:52
Hosanna 2:34
Come Back Liza 3:03
Brown Skin Girl (Calypso) 2:43
Man Smart (Woman Smarter) 3:31

"In tribute to the work of the American Civil Liberties Union, 16 illustrators offer art for and commentary on pithy statements on human rights that have particularly moved them.

Some of the contributors—notably Sean Qualls for Maya Angelou’s “Still I rise” and Greg Pizzoli for a line from W.E.B. Dubois about the cowardice of those who “dare not know”—have made their chosen quotation a central visual component of the art. Some offer conventional views of people of color on the march (Innosanto Nagara, for a quote from Khalil Gibran) or idyllic scenes of giving and cooperation (Alina Chau, Molly Idle). Others opt for more oblique, often provocative responses. Brian Pinkney, for instance, illustrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that” with a racially diverse crowd of smiling faces over an equally diverse crowd of scowling ones; for Dolores Huerta’s reminder that we are all one human race, Raúl the Third depicts a mother and child hugging each other through a tall fence of slats; a collage based on the American flag by Melissa Sweet features phrases from the Constitution and other significant documents in the white stripes and in place of stars, a defiant McCarthy-era manifesto from E.B. White. As further food for thought, the artists all add personal reflections, some relatively lengthy, about what their chosen passage means to them.

A heady mix of visual and verbal inspiration, nearly every page rewarding slow, thoughtful attention. (illustrator bios) (Picture book. 7-10)" From Kirkus Reviews, www.kirkusreviews.com

Never let it be said that Harry Belafonte is a modest man! Certainly this memoir is interesting, but to me, only because of the time period in which he has lived and his participation in the Civil Rights movement. I have always loved Mr. Belafonte's music and have seen him perform in concert. He is an amazing performer and entertainer! However, to hear his version of history he is the unsung hero, the mover and shaker, behind the most powerful figures in the Civil Rights movement. I have no doubt that he was deeply involved and committed, but the egocentrism with which he tells his tale is incredibly off putting. Lord knows what would have happened if he hadn't been there to influence Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy! Love the music, but not impressed with the man. Diappointed!

Island in the Sun, originally a song, was made into a children's book with vibrant illustrations added. The song/story is about the love a man has for his home, Jamaica. The lyrics are focused on the beauty of the water, land, and hard work of the people.

This is a review with plenty of substance not like a lot of celebrity autobiographies. It is also a very honest appraisal of not only Mr. Belafonte himself but also his wives, children, and friends and associates in the entertainment industry and the Civil Rights movement. You will learn much about all.. The book is easy to read and will impress you with the vast array of Mr. Belafonte's life experiences. The only people who might struggle with the book are those who deal with his left wing politics which he makes no bones about.

Höchst aufschlussreiche Biografie in Bezug auf die Rassenthematik in den USA 1940 bis heute. Belafonte hat zu meiner Überraschung nicht nur eine musikalische und schauspielerische Karriere gemacht, sondern sich für die Bürgerrechte v.a. der Schwarzen eingesetzt. Er reflektiert nicht unkritisch seine Rolle als Vater von vier Kindern aus zwei Ehen. Er hat einen guten Ghostwriter gehabt und beschreibt als Fazit seines Berufslebens, das er als Schauspieler gestartet hat, der er eigentlich sein wollte: Ich war immer ein Schauspieler, der einen Sänger dargestellt hat. Wunderbare Pointe.

Schon Jahre vor der Bewegung für Bürgerrechte hat er als Calypso-Sänger und Schauspieler Erfolge gefeiert und sich später mit Dr. Martin Luther King aktiv gegen die Unterdrückung der Afro-Amerikaner in den Vereinigten Staaten und weltweit zur Wehr gesetzt. Bis zum heutigen Tag ist der 1927 geborene Weltstar politisch aktiv und erzählt in dieser wunderbar geschriebenen Autobiographie sein Leben. Mitreißend und inspirierend. Kunst und Kulturgeschichte, Politik und Weltgeschichte vermischt sich zu einem warmherzigen und leidenschaftlichen Lebensrückblick.

Zu finden im ersten Stock: KM.QP, BELA

mj (2.5.12)

A mediocre and rather self-centered memoir/autobiography, but then when you write about yourself that's often the way a book reads to others. Part settling scores and a lot of name-dropping, the books gets tedious after the first several chapters.

This is a picture book about a african american man who loves the island he grew up on. Throughout the story the man tells you what he see's throughout his usual day on the island and why he loves it so much! This book has very colorful images that will draw younger audiences attention.

This book was neat because the text was from a poem that could be sung. You could read this book both ways, which added a sensory element. I thought the illustrations were nice-they looked like collage art. This is a simple but effective way to introduce other cultures to kids.

The Birthday Committee:
Hope Stevens, Alice Childress, Paul Robeson, Jr., Harry Belafonte, Judge G. W. Crockett, Jr., Leon J. Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Bishop J. C. Hoggard, Cleveland Robinson, Pete Seeger

Cover: Painting of Paul Robeson by Charles White, 1973