Review of From Cottonfields To Kingdom

[Tabitha Hennagan]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "From Cottonfields To Kingdom" by Joseph Jones.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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From Cottonfields to Kingdom by Joseph Jones was an enlightening book. The author shares the trials and tribulations that he experienced throughout his life as he grew from a child to a man. He describes the discoveries that are imparted to him along the way and how some of the things that he learned were not enlightening but discouraging. The story tells of a young Black male growing up in the 1970s and 1980s in Mississippi. The author speaks about his struggle and how gaining a relationship with God assisted him with growing and finding a new path in life.

Some of the positive aspects of the book that stood out were the life lessons that Joseph Jones imparts to his children. He reminds his children of the need to denounce negativity and embrace creativity. The author gives credit to the people in his life that were there to feed into him and help him to become a better man. He addresses some difficult topics about growing up as a Black male in Mississippi. He reminds readers that some of the difficulties that he lists are not only occurring in the African American community but also in other communities. He says that he can only speak to the struggle of being a Black male because he has lived through it. He had several unique sayings that cause the reader to think about what his words meant to them. One example was the concept of little me transitioning into a unique he. Joseph Jones expounded on each chapter in the book with poems related to his story. The poetry helped to bring his struggles, experiences, and opinions to life. The picture that was created was exceptional and helped the reader to feel the expression of his words.

Even though the poetry assisted with bringing the story to life, as a reader who likes to read a unified story, the constant poetry interruption was distracting. I consider this a negative aspect because I would have been able to enjoy the poetry more if they were all placed at the end of the book. I had difficulty truly enjoying some of the poems due to wanting to return to the story. Another area of the book that caused some distraction was the inclusion of multiple words in all caps. I am aware of the intent to bring attention to the importance of the words but there were many words and sometimes these words were repeated and continually capitalized on each page.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars due to constant story interruptions for poetry presentations and the continual capitalization. There were a few errors in the book, but the majority of the book was very well edited.

This book would appeal mostly to members of the African American community. The book would also appeal to members of the Christian community due to the lessons presented based on biblical principles and the continued inclusion of Bible verses at the beginning and conclusion of the chapters.

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From Cottonfields To Kingdom
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[Sarah tianna]

This is absolutely my kind of book, I really can't wait to add it to my bookshelf and read it as soon as possible. Graphical novels are amazing to read. Mind-blowing review.

[Chandelier Eden]

I should add this one to my bookshelf. Finding God truly helps navigate ones life, it makes a lot of things easier. Nice review, I enjoyed reading it.