Paul Robeson was a towering figure in American culture; conquering many disparate venues—from football and film to law to Shakespeare. An extraordinary athlete-scholar-actor-singer; Robeson also became a crusader for human rights. And though he was admired by many; his controversial support of the Soviet Union during the Cold War and the era of McCarthyism led to ostracism and his declining health.In Robeson: An American Ballad; Arnold H. Lubasch chronicles the remarkable life of this twentieth-century original. In this concise and readable account; Lubasch—a New York Times veteran for almost 40 years—reports on Robeson’s life story more accurately and clearly than any previous books.In addition to detailing the highs and lows of Robeson’s life and career; Lubasch offers several personal anecdotes about this American icon; and includes commentary on the 100th-anniversary celebration of Robeson’s birth. This engaging work will be of interest to virtually everyone; but especially to scholars and students of U.S. and African American history and culture.
#2040594 in Books 2013-11-07Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.93 x 1.43 x 5.99l; 1.70 #File Name: 1442218355500 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. And interesting look at our nations presidents.By the1cuttiepooThis book was an interesting look at some of our nations president. History is full of turmoil and contradiction. This book does a good job of illustrating it.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Our forefathers; good bad and indifferentBy showbizkidI thoroughly enjoyed this very detailed and informative history of our former Presidents and writers of the . There was an incredible amount of research involved in this book and after reading it; I felt as if I was part of history.7 of 8 people found the following review helpful. Oddly boring; disjointed recounting of old scandalsBy SusieQAFFAIRS OF STATE is a disappointing read. But what did I expect from a book subtitled; "The Untold History of Presidential Love; Sex and Scandal"? Well; I honestly wasn't expecting a textbook historical treatise; given the subject matter; but the tone of the book is so arch; so gossipy; that it becomes annoying; fast. The tone of the book is uneven - a few times; it seems thoughtful and considerate; but it always veers back into a kind of leering; "ooh; now listen to this" - I noticed this particularly while the author is raking over old gossip about Presidents Buchanan and Cleveland. (The first the alleged first homosexual president; the second known for his alleged illegitimate child.)Worse; there are many easily correctable errors that would have (or should have) been caught by a human proofreader (rather than a spellchecker) such as: "vane" for "vain" and "there" for "their;" and weird sentences; for example: "A few years later while pregnant; she even answered a letter ..."Per the author's information; he's a university professor; an author of numerous books on U.S. history; and a political analyst. Yet; with that background; his writing doesn't add any insight into the peccadilloes he's describing - he's just recounting old scandals in a gossipy/leering manner.I'm all for finding out more about historical personages and knowing more about their private lives. This is great when it adds to my understanding of their characters; or when it illuminates how historical events were influenced. But authors who simply recount failed love affairs and tawdry old gossip; with the barest of expertise or insight; are dull. This book proves it.
