[.ca] Rosa Parks (ISBN 0143036009)

From Amazon.com:
Most Americans know her only as the 42-year-old seamstress who refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama, bus. Her quiet act of defiance is often considered the beginning of the modern civil rights movement, but historian Douglas Brinkley reminds us that it was neither the beginning nor the end of Rosa Parks's quest for justice. On that fateful day in 1955 she was already a veteran civil rights activist, married to a charter member of the NAACP's Montgomery chapter, and a devout member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the many black churches whose congregants organized and fought to desegregate the South. Brinkley gives a thorough account of Parks's political life in the South and in Detroit (where she moved in 1957 to escape death threats), capturing her majestic personal dignity. Yet he also places her activism within a vivid historical context, anchored by extensive interviews with her peers and Parks herself as well as scholarly research. His subject is now a frail octogenarian, but Brinkley conveys the power of her legacy in a moving final scene when Nelson Mandela, just four months out of a South African jail in 1990, embraces Parks as a comrade and a beloved mentor. --Wendy Smith

Wanted: Equality!!:
Walking into restaurants and shopping malls, I see short and tall people, young and old people, and black and white people. You may be thinking, "Well, DUH!", but think about it for a minute...were black people always allowed to eat with and shop where white people did? I don't think so! I mean if it weren't for certain people such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, black and white people wouldn't even be able to drink out of the same water fountain, let alone shop and eat among each other. After reading the book entitled Rosa Parks, written by Douglas Brinkley, I realized that life today isn't at all the same as life was 50 years ago. Rosa Parks is mainly an autobiography of Rosa Parks. It does although mention other great people such as Susan B. Anthony and Sojourner Truth. All these people helped create equality throughout all of the human races. On December 1, 1955, a 42-year old black woman, named Rosa Louise Parks, refused to give up her seat to a white man. You see, back then, white people had the privilege of sitting in the front of the bus, due to their so-called "superiority" over blacks, and blacks were sent to the back. Rosa Parks' refusal set off a 381-day boycott led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and is now considered to have been the beginning of the American civil rights movement. Rosa Parks' case was different from many other people who disobeyed the laws. Rosa Parks had this biblical quality, which made her a saint, somewhat divine. Also, Rosa Parks only spent 2 hours in jail, while others were in for days, weeks, perhaps even months. This book not only recognizes some of the most influential people of all time, but also tells exactly how black people were treated and how they reacted. If you are interested in finding out more about Rosa Parks and other interesting people, I highly recommend this book.

Vivid Portrait of an American Heroine:
Written with an eloquence and grace more often associated with poets than with academic historians, Douglas Brinkley's biography of Rosa Parks (part of the highly-touted Viking 'Penguin Lives' Series) is a moving portrait of an iconic American figure. 'Rosa Parks' relates not only the climactic moment of Ms. Parks' courageous refusal to relinquish her seat on a segregated bus one winter day in Montgomery Alabama, which triggered one of the seminal events of the Civil Rights Movement, it also weaves together a compelling narrative of one woman's path from the struggles of her youth in Tuskegee, Alabama to her post-boycott experiences in Montgomery and Detroit. Brinkley's research for the book is remarkable. He obtained rare interviews with Ms. Parks herself, and presents illuminating new details about her life and the Civil Rights Movement of which she was a part. Brinkley's depiction of Ms. Parks' encounter with Nelson Mandela alone will move even the most jaded of readers. Intended for lay readers while invaluable for scholars, Brinkley's exquisite literary craftsmanship has resulted in a work that will stand as a classic, not only in the fields of African-American and women's history, but among the great works of American history and biography as a whole.

UNAPPRECIATED ACTIVIST:
Rosa Parks is a name we should know. As an icon of the civil rights movement, her legendary refusal to give up her seat on the segregated bus started one of the greatest revolutions since the Civil War. Many of us a familiar with this non-assuming woman who was the catalyst in inspiring the careers of Martin Luther King, Jr. and other famous civil rights activists. We are comfortable with the image of the mild mannered Christian woman who always stayed in the background. Ah, but just how much do we really know about Rosa Parks except for the myth created? Are we really appreciative and aware of this woman who has been ignored only to be thought of again when politically expedient for others? Douglas Brinkley, in this short concise biography, removes the shroud of obscurity and myth about Rosa Parks. For the first time we are shown that the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement" was more militant than we suspect. A highly intelligent and organized person, Mrs. Parks was an activist long before her famous bus ride and was very informed about what was going on in the movement locally as well as globally. The Rosa Parks presented in this text had a great aura of spirituality, strength and dignity that exuded calm during a period of unrest. Misunderstood by her peers and her friends Rosa Parks emerged as the underlying spirit that enabled the movement to begin its course of action. We learn about the Rosa Parks who was a quiet young woman but had a fierce anger against injustice. She stayed an activist throughout her life inspite of the personal hardships in her marriage and with her mother.She is a woman of great spiritual strength and power. Brinkley presents us with a portrait of a woman that we never knew and have come to rediscover.

Satisfying and Inspirational:
This biography of Rosa Parks presents a very well balanced, fair description of its subject. Regrettably, as with Martin Luther King Jr., social activists and historians have all too often exalted the heroes of the Civil Rights movement beyond the bounds of human existence. This deification is both degrading and unfair, as it not only deprives our heroes of the right to live - and die - as normal human beings, but it also places many of them out of reach - discouraging many to whom them would otherwise serve as excellent role models. In refreshing contrast to that destructive tendency, this book does an excellent job of peeling back the aura around Rosa Parks and depicting her as the simple, virtuous woman that she is. Brinkley's depiction of her is refreshingly human and honest, and he does a magnificent job of describing her in the simple, straightforward way that so characterizes her. Also worthy of note is Brinkley's willingness to include so many of Rosa Park's circle of acquaintances in his narrative. From her hard-drinking yet loyal husband to people who have met her only briefly, he touches on their influences on her life, their reaction to her, and what they all mean within the greater scope of her place in our history and society. Regrettably, whites - with a few notable exceptions - are seen as oppressive, racist boors with a permanent vendetta. Even at that time, that was not true. Overall, this book is an excellent, enjoyable, and enlightening read - and one that does refreshing justice to the woman and warrior that Rosa Parks is.

Excellent, inspirational telling of an American Icon's story:
Douglas Brinkley brings out the essence of Rosa Parks' humanity and her role in the Civil Rights movement. This short, highly-readable book provides useful background on Mrs. Parks' parents, early childhood, and introduction to the NAACP. The impact of Rosa Parks' actions on her family and friends was among the most revealing aspects of the book. The web of support, before and after her refusal to give up her seat, is truly inspirational. The author explores in detail the involvement of Mrs. Parks in the NAACP, church groups, and other activist organizations during the early-to-mid '50s. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s first national exposure in the movement is interesting for those not having read "Parting the Water..." and other such works. Douglas Brinkley's telling of the Rosa Parks story is not the first - and certainly not the last - but is the best!