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This is a discussion topic for the July 2019 Book of the Month, Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream by Dr Frank L Douglas.

What is your overall opinion of the book? What do you like most about it? What do you like least? Will you recommend the book to other people? Why or why not?

Please remember to add your actual rating using the book's page on: Bookshelves.

It can be very taxing for a student experiencing racial discrimination in an educational institution. The author faced it bravely. I hope his memoir will conscientize readers. I strongly recommend it!

gali wrote: ↑30 Jun 2019, 23:18 This is a discussion topic for the July 2019 Book of the Month, Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream by Dr Frank L Douglas.

What is your overall opinion of the book? What do you like most about it? What do you like least? Will you recommend the book to other people? Why or why not?

Please remember to add your actual rating using the book's page on: Bookshelves.

I loved reading this book and loved the inspiring stories from the author's life and experiences. I rated the book 4 out of 4 stars and would definitely recommend this book to all readers. It would be a shame if people didn’t get to read the inspiring stories from the author's own perspective.

It can and is, taxing for anyone who encounters racial discrimination anywhere in the world. This book is a view into that and perhaps it is food for thought for people who are racist so that they open their eyes to the humanity of other human beings. I hope that this book is widely read and people are educated about its essence.

Ferdinand_otieno wrote: ↑01 Jul 2019, 09:27

gali wrote: ↑30 Jun 2019, 23:18 This is a discussion topic for the July 2019 Book of the Month, Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream by Dr Frank L Douglas.

What is your overall opinion of the book? What do you like most about it? What do you like least? Will you recommend the book to other people? Why or why not?

Please remember to add your actual rating using the book's page on: Bookshelves.

I loved reading this book and loved the inspiring stories from the author's life and experiences. I rated the book 4 out of 4 stars and would definitely recommend this book to all readers. It would be a shame if people didn’t get to read the inspiring stories from the author's own perspective.

It's a perfect-score book for me. Racial and ethnic discrimination are thorny to tackle and address, but the author was able to do just that with such a commendable honesty and wit.

Renu G wrote: ↑01 Jul 2019, 09:13 It can be very taxing for a student experiencing racial discrimination in an educational institution. The author faced it bravely. I hope his memoir will conscientize readers. I strongly recommend it!

I agree! He endured a substantial amount of racism and discrimination and he was able to persevere. He found a way through the obstacles in front of him and was able to reach all of his goals. This book is incredibly inspiring.

I loved the way he looked at the world. He was neither naiive nor bitter. He took the punches with the pleasantries. He asked hard questions and also enjoyed the beautiful in the little pleasures of life. He understood the important things of cultural harmony, like, being polite, being helpful, being strong, being rational, being kind. I would recommend this book. I don't believe the world is beyond needing to read everything they can get their hands on about different cultures and how to live in harmony with one another. And what it feels like when we do not.

As an African, him having to struggle to make something of himself is something I can relate to. His perseverance and subsequent success is very inspirational to me.I will recommend it to anyone.

I have not read the book but one thing that I deeply appreciate is that the author wrote the book not just to narrate his experiences but to instill hope in others. This alone will make me read the book and also recommend it to others.

While I like everyone's enthusiasm for this novel, I am personally sensitive to racial discrimination. Sounds like an interesting story. I don't like it as much but it seems others do.

I enjoyed how he made the issues and discrimination he faced an inspiration for how to keep going, and how he rolled with the highs and lows of all he was facing. The different scenes each lent an air of increasing credibility to his development and was an entertaining and thoughtful read.

The gloomier and more difficult the hardships and obstacles are, the better a success story is, the reader being taken on a vicarious emotional ride that ends well.

As of now, I am about 20% done with "Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream" and I have run across several differences examples of grammar (for lack of a better term) that I believe to be cultural. For example, Douglas hyphenates words that shouldn't be hyphenated (ex. infin-itesimal on pg 62) and capitalizes some nouns (such Pregnancy on pg 64). I know the capitalizing of nouns is found in German grammar, but i have never seen an author use hyphens in the same way.

At first I found this a little confusing, but I was able to quickly re-calibrate myself... Which brings to me wonder if other have had the same issue? I do enjoy the unique way Douglas writes, and I wonder if there are other books that have these little culture grammar bombs? And how else does one's culture effect how one writes?.

The book is truly inspiring. And I would definitely want to recommend it. What I liked most is that the author's way of storytelling is entertaining. His experiences while young really are impactful. I rate this 4 out of 4!

I have not yet read the book but I have a feeling I will enjoy reading it from the way people discuss it. Being an African myself I would love to see the inspiration drawn from it.