When King came to our campus to lecture about this book, I was naturally interested in attending, but believed I knew the story already. (A man had been brutally murdered in a small Texas town because of his skin color).

I am glad I went on impulse because both the presentation and the book throughly examines intersections of race, gender, ecconomic status while imploring all of us to work together for the proverbial betterment of human society. What it lacks for in volume it more than makes up for with substantive content and heart-wrenching insight.

Alternating between detached reporting and personal narratives, this story chronicles the best and the worst of human condition. Just because it is easy to simplify things into a 'soundbyte binary' does not mean the action effectively generates learning, indeed such labeling effectively stops the process.

Without dilluting Byrd's saga, the author also recounts her complex feelings during the investigation. Briefly living among the residents of Jasper Texas in order to complete the book, she learned good people come from all backgrounds and there was no shortage of townspeople (including the law enforcement) who roundly condemed the act.

this Book is very much on point to me.it's no secret here in the United States we have come so far but we have so far to go.this is a Friendly Reminder of a time not so long ago.this Book details that&so much more.truth be told as much Hatred that still goes down you couldn't tell if it was 1898 or 1998? truth be told not much has changed overall.James Byrd should have been front Page News all over the World.Much Props to Dennis Rodman for Contributing to the Byrd Family a Story that went almost unnoticed by the Media.

This book was many things to me. Disturbing, insightful and educational. The book depicts the Mr. Byrd's death so vividly that at times I felt myself being dragged behind the truck. I had to put the book down many times but I was unable to stay away for long. The author did a very good job of exploring the backgrounds of the men convicted of this heinous crime. You must be made of stone to be left untouched after reading this book.

Yet again, J Ridley takes the reader on a remarkable journey, guiding you through the maze of factual background without ever letting your hand go. His mastery of the English language and notable training as a barrister make him the best narrator of the century.

Jasper Ridley's bio of Henry VIII, if nothing else, suggests to me that executioners must have had a steady employment during early 16th-century England. In Ridley's biography, England's formative king is essentially a psychopath, and the country became Protestant, not because of any doctrinal attachment to the Reformation, but as a consequence of political machinations and goals on Henry's part. This, in fact, is one of the book's great strengths; Ridley is rare among biographers in his thorough attention to and excellent summary of the thicket of political events surrounding Tudor England, and this book does an excellent job of explaining these intricacies. Especially fascinating was the depiction of the conflict between Henry and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Henry would have probably gotten the papal annulment that he wanted to dissolve his marriage to Katharine of Aragon, if only Charles had not effectively controlled the pope and been such a bitter enemy of Henry's; then Henry would have found no need to break from the Catholic Church, and history would be entirely different! For a Renaissance monarch, Henry seems more to resemble one of the 20th century's bloodthirsty dictators in this book. While the depiction initially surprised me, Ridley backs up his claims with such excellent documentation and use of primary sources (which I was able to check), that he definitely has a point! A fascinating bio.

Ridley paints a picture of a King who is as ruthless a tyrant as any 20th Century dictator. Henry VIII is shown as a ruler who forced his ministers to do his bidding and then executed them to satisfy public opinion, once his policies began to loose popular support. He would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, including breaking with the Pope in Rome and reforming the Church in England with him as the head, when the Pope refused to grant him an annulment from his wife, who could not give him a male heir. Thereafter, Henry played Protestant and Catholic factions against each other, so that he could remain in complete control as an arbiter; alternatively burning influential Protestants as heretics and Catholics who refused to recognize him as Supreme head of the Church of England as traitors. Ridley's picture shows us a king who would stop at absolutely nothing to get what he wanted, including turning society and 1000 years of religion completely upside down! A fascinating look at the Stalin of the 1500s!

This book is a must read for all ages. Touches the heart, and takes the reader back to long forgotten feelings and memories. Sweet and poignant. Arlene Millman, author of BOOMERANG - A MIRACLE TRILOGY (The tale of a remarkable Boston Terrier).

I am a book reviewer for a large newspaper and an author of numerous books, so I see MANY books come across my desk. When this one did, it stopped me right there. I found myself feeling many buried emotions from losing my own dogs and bolstering the feelings I have for my two present buddies. This book is wonderfully told and beautifully rendered. It is a very sad (ala Where the Red Fern Grows) book, but provides a moment of therapy as well. Overall, it is a celebration of the wonderful relationship shared with "man's best friend".

Jasper's Day is a not only a must for every dog owner of the world, it is also a must if you own or have ever owned and lost a pet. This is a perfect addition to every home library. Not only is it a tender engaging story, but it can be used to help kids understand and work through their own feelings of loss and grief.

A collection of anecdotes, told by a real magistrate in Virginia which is at times poignant, funny, and distressing. Oh, the trouble some people have just getting on in life! The author describes what he deals with day in and day out, sharing his values and conclusions. I highly recommend this book to anyone, as it is both entertaining and educational. Would be excellent gift for high school or college students thinking about careers in social services or law.

The author's self-effacing style brought a reality to the situations that made me feel like I was there experiencing the insanity, fumbling along with him in search of a valid assessment of impassioned criminal complaints. The quick pace, wit and humor kept my interest such that I didn't put it down until I was done. The book gives a base working level picture of the front end of the criminal justice system in the Commonwealth of Virginia from the perspective of an individual (The Magistrate) who is interviewing cops as well as suspects and witnesses hot from the "scene of the crime" before they have had time to reflect on and organize their stories for their own benefit. It is a great study on the devious side of human nature as it applies to suspects, witnesses and victims weaving a tangled web to try to save their hides or punish their enemies. It is a window inside a government bureaucracy as viewed candidly by a bureaucrat that is still clinging to a conscience and a heart. This book is stimulating, amusing, emotional yet easy reading. I can see it as a best seller when it is discovered.

I've already ordered them as Christmas gifts. Certainly one of the most interesting, and well written, paperbacks this year. Sure to be a best seller.

James Jasper offers one of the best books available on social movements. In "The Art of Moral Protest" it is mostly the cultural and emotional sides of social movements which is explored leaving aside the more traditional structural accounts of social movement theory. Jasper emphasize principally 4 dimensions of protest: culture, resources, strategies and biographies and divide movements into two categories: citizenship movements and post-citizenship movements. Interestingly however, the structure of the book do not follow these main dimensions and categories but propose a kind of linear logic of movements' evolution from the emotion (moral shock) which send people into action to the creation of a movement culture which help sustain participation to the relation between movements and the broader culture in which they evolve and try to change. An interesting last part deal with the author's own "normative view" of social movements exploring the pleasures associated with movement participation, the danger sometimes embodied in social movement (particularly those who harbour totalizing ideologies) but also the necessity of protest for our societies. The book is full of stories and historical details which help make sense of the arguments developed in the book and keep this theoretical book as interesting as a novel.

If I had to teach a course on social movements, I would probably chose two books for my students to read. The first one would be "Power in Movement" from Tarrow and the second one would be "The Art of Moral Protest". Many excellent books have been written on social movements but very few complement each other as well as these two books. They present the two current main branches of social movement studies.

If I had to find a few problems with the book it would be related to the reference system adopted. By placing all references and notes at the end of the book, the more interested reader easily get lost. It might sound silly at first, but since the book is quite thick it becomes quite annoying with time... especially when you are thrilled by the reading but still want to get that extra detail hidden at the end of the book.

I loved this book. Anyone who likes the cultural side of politics will appreciate this book, Jasper's magnum opus. If you're writing a dissertation on social movements, you can't not read it.

James Jasper's "The Art of Moral Protest" is one of the most important recent contributions to the scholarly literature on social movements and political and moral protest. The book's title signifies two important ideas. First, Jasper wants to restore the moral dimension to political protest, which of late has been reduced by many scholars to the calculated pursuit of material interests. Second, the book stresses the "artful" nature of protest, the fact, that is, that protest doesn't simply arise in some mechanical fashion from "structural" preconditions, but involves choices and improvisation by thinking (and feeling) individuals. Indeed, Jasper wants to reintegrate feelings and emotions, which scholars have studiously avoided in recent years, back into our understanding of moral protest. And he emphasizes how specific individuals with specific biographies (who, again, have been largely purged from the scholarly literature) matter for protest. The book weaves a powerful critique of dominant ways of thinking about protest through a series of fascinating studies of several movements and movement participants. In sum, this is an extremely important and pathbreaking book. It should be read by anyone with an interest in politics, social movements, or protest.

I am one of the many family members of Jasper R. Nall.

The most exciting moment for me was when I completed the reading of this wondeful book that my great-great-grandfather left to me.

It bought tears to my eyes to think that he loved me so much, to the point that he was moved to leave a part of himself for all of us in the family to share.

I was only 2 years old when he passed away, but it feels as if I knew him through his words.

I recommend everyone to read the book, if you haven't already.

Sincerely,

Ms. Gonnie Goins (decedent of RJN)

This small book has a surprising message of slave loyalty and affection for the white master. It was a pleasure to read, took about 2 hours, and I couldn't put it down. Brought back a lot of memories of stories my Grandma told about our ancestors in Alabama. I am descended from Nall slave owners and, although I've always been ashamed of that, this humble story creates more of an understanding of that day and time for me. I highly recommend it for anyone.

This was a short easy to read book. Don't be fooled by the length! This book was full of power. Jasper was a incredible man. He gives an insight on what it is to be born a free man, but still be oppressed. But rather than walking with his head down, he leads a prosperous life. Thank you Jasper for documenting your life before you passed. It enables me to share our history with my children.

Novelists have always loved artists, and artists have always loved novelists. They love and admire the other's talent, but--most important--they are not competitors. Crichton's love of Johns' work certainly comes forth, and Johns' seemed flattered that a best-selling novelist, and not an art professor, wanted to do a book on him. That mutual admiration underlies why this is such a solid book.

The author well restrained himself from "digging into the painful childhood" that produced such an unusually remote "negator of impulses." He brought out the positive aspects of Johns personality--his ability to laugh at himself and not always to take himself too seriously. "His work is a constant negation of impulses" said the critic..."wouldn't you say so Jasper?" "NO" says Jasper, laughing. Jasper can laugh. That is nice. The author respected his need for privacy in his personal life. He presented a very difficult, complex personality with dignity, humor, and good taste.

Jasper Johns is a very large, and expensive book. It has many illestrations, and lots of commentary. This is a Crichton that has faded into the background, and in some cases can be very hard to find.

"Jasper's Magic Blanket" is an absolutely delightful children's book. It tells the story of a mystery of epic proportions - How is it that Jasper is always tucked in under his blanket in the morning? He kicks it off, tries sleeping on the floor and a variety of other ways to see if he will always wake up all tucked in snugly. Jasper eventually solves the mystery and in the process finds out about how special it is to be loved.

An exceptional picture book with a beautifully written story that promotes positive family and self concepts, what more could you possibly ask for from a children's book.

Young readers will follow Jasper along as he conducts several experiments that lead him to the conclusion that his blanket is magic! There are a lot of surprises in store for Jasper when he reveals his discovery to classmates, and how the classmates go about uncovering the secret to Jasper's magic blanket. Danny Gorden's illustrations are a key to young readers finding the clues to what Jasper's magic blanket is really all about. Debbie Atwood is a skilled and clever storyteller. It is strongly hoped that Jasper's Magic Blanket will only be the first of many more unique and charming children's books to come!

We purchased this book after our children began an art class with the talented illustrator, Danny Gordon. The illustrations in this book are beautiful! They're colorful, contemporary, and uplifting. My children loved the story. We especially liked the way he "sneaked" Bible verses into each illustration. It gave the book even more meaning. My children enjoyed finding the hidden verse references, and looking them up in their Bibles.

Many children can relate to having a special "lovey," whether it's a blanket or toy. What I really liked about this story was that it's not just the blanket that's special -- it's the love within the family. Read it and see for yourself. :)

We eagerly look forward to more books illustrated by Mr. Gordon.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this anthology, but I found myself enthralled from beginning to end. Nnedi Okorafor's "Crossroads", Seth Lindberg's "Atropos", and James Dorr's "Madness" were special delights.

A great mix of chilling, horrifying, and otherwise entertaining stories.

This is a great compilation of magic, madness, culture and creativity. All of the stories were pretty satisfying, some of them terrifying! There are some writers here that are going to go places. Watch for the authors of the two longest pieces, Nnedi Okorafor (her story is called Crossroads) and James S. Dorr (he wrote a story called Madness).