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10BODYOFCHRISTNEWSSEPTEMBER2011OTHERSUNStheessenceofthattime.Howevershefocusedonthreestrongcharac-tersthatcarriedthecollectiveweightofourpeopleandgavethisbookmeaning.Theauthornotedeachofthethreepeoplerepresentedsomeaspectoftheemigrantpsycheofthepatternsofadjustmentfacingany-onewhohaseverleftoneplaceforanotherdesperatetomakeagoofit.Thedesperationwasapparentinthedocumentationandthestorytelling.Gettingtoknowthesethreechar-actersprovidedtheauthorandinturnthereaderwithgreatinsightandpassion.Theauthorwasnotmerelyaneutralacademicrecordingandreportingfactssheinfusedherlifewiththeirs.Indoingsoshewasabletoprovidemorethanasterileaccountingofthefacts.Shedidnotletthescholarsofthetimetaintherviewordeterhermissionthatofsharingthisgreathistoryanderaintruthandspiritthatwassoveryobvious.Theauthorinterviewedover1200individualsconnectedtothemigra-tion.Shedidnotsettleforsimpleaccountingoffactsandcircumstanc-es.Rathersheeloquentlydescribestheexperienceofthesemigrantvet-eransshedelveddeepintothesouls.Wilkersonunderstoodanddescribedsowellhowthethemigrantshadtodrawfromtheirinnerreservestran-scendthelimitsofcasteandgeogra-phyandthestationtowhichtheyhadbeenassigned.ItisnothardtoimagethatthisisthesourceoftheinnerstrengthandsubstanceweasAfricanAmericansstillpossesstoday.Thishistorypro-videsthesubstrateforunderstandingoureffortstocontinuestrivingintheharshconditionsanddiscriminationwestillfacetoday.WhatisspecialaboutthisbookAgreatbookchangeslives.NowIhavetoadmitIdontknowwhereIheardorreadthisquotebutitringstrueforthisbook.PeopleTHISISAGREATBOOK.Althoughitislongitisworthyofyourtime.IwasdeeplycontemplativeasIturnedeachpage.WhyyoushouldreadthisbookWillitchangeyourlifeAsIreadthebookIoftenpausedtoreflectandthenaskhowwillthisbookchangemylifeHowwillitimprovemeIhavealwaysbeenproudtobeanAfricanAmericangivenallthechal-lengeswestillexperiencehighratesofunfairincarcerationhealthdisparitiesjobdiscriminationpolicebrutalityandjustdownrightandeverydaydisrespect.Thisbookbroughttomindhowmuchmyparentsgrandparentsandallancestorsenduredinthiscountry.ThisbookreinforcedthestrengthandthepowerwehaveasapeoplethatisreallyembeddedwithinourSpirit.Wehaveshownthatwehavetheuncannyabilitytocontinuetoprogressbeyondmeasure.WEhavesurvived.Wehavesur-vivedslaverythemiddlepassagetheJimCroweraandnowsubtleandnotsosubtleinstitutionalracism.WehaverisentothehighestheightsdespiteitallincludinghavingelectedanAfricanAmericanPresident.Thisbookisgreatbecauseittoucheddeepdownintomysoul.MylifeischangedbecauseIknowthatthestrengthofapeoplewhosufferedandsoughtfreedomfortheirchildrenwillbeforeveringrainedinme.ThisbookspoketomeandIfelteverybitofit.Ifeltformymommadaddyandtheirparents.Iunderstandnow.Iheardthestoriesbutdidnotfeelthepainthepridetheperseverance.Idobelieveitwaspassedontomeinsubtleways.IrealizenowthatIcannotjustsitidlybyandbesatisfiedwithsomeofthestridesIhavemadeinlife.Knowingthehistoryandtheemotionofthosetimesshouldnotsuffocateusbutshouldserveasaninspirationandmotivationtomoveforwardtobefree.TobefreeImustmigratetowardabettermoreproductiveandfulfillinglife.Itismydestinyitisourdestinyourinheritright.Itisourpurpose.Toendure.Toriseasourancestorsdiditisourlegacy.Readthisprofoundbookandcontinuetosoar....frompage8