Sample Annotated Bibliography

Gaines, Ernest J. A Lesson Before Dying. Vintage Books: New York, 1997. 259 pages

This novel by Ernest J. Gaines, a contemporary African-American writer, is a very moving novel. It is the story of Jefferson, a young student living in a Cajun community who is sentenced to death by a white jury and judge. He must prepare to die for a crime he did not commit. The minute complexities offered up by Gaines in this carefully written story bring to mind much greater issues such as racism, death, and spirituality. Ernest J. Gaines puts on his best display of storytelling in this intriguing journey into the human mind and soul.

McBride, James. The Color of Water. Riverhead Books: New York, 1997. 291 pages

Despite the simple sounding subtitle, A Black Man's Tribute to his White Mother, this is a very complex and intricately woven tale of much more than a Polish Jew who gets exiled from her family, marries twice, and ends up raising twelve children in Harlem, New York, all alone. It is more than the story of the troubled son of Ruth Shilskey. A man who grows up to be a successful and happy musician and writer despite his poverty stricken upbringing. This is a story about the human soul, perseverance, and the pursuit of happiness. At no point in the book were any of these ideas abandoned or forgotten. The Color of Water is a touching tale, and McBride's insight into the human experience is entirely truthful.

Vonnegut, Kurt. Breakfast of Champions. Delta: New York, 1973. 295 pages

Unfortunately, my feeling is that this book does not justice to the Vonnegut I know from some of his other books like Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse Five. Having said this, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The truth is that this particular novel lacks the customary onslaught of factual rage that Vonnegut usually brings to the table in his best works, and it also lacks certain other small aspects that most other authors don't usually forget. One of those things being a plot, although it does contain enough of one for Vonnegut to speak his mind about the usual issues: love, politics, sex, and the environment. Overall, this quick read about the thin line between insanity and sanity, happiness and unhappiness as experienced by its two main characters, Kilgore Trout and Dwayne Hoover leaves one with an overwhelming feeling of uncertainty and humor which is probably exactly what Vonnegut was aiming for.

Click here to read Steven's one-page essay written in response to Vonnegut's book.

Bradbury, Ray. Death is a Lonely Business. Bantam Books: New York, 1985. 216 pages

In this unconventional novel, both by Ray Bradbury's standards, and by the public's standards, a young writer pounds out short stories for magazines while investigating several murders in 1950's Venice, California. The murders are all similar, and the murderer seems to understand the stale atmosphere of the town he preys on judging by the way that he goes about his business. This unusual mystery by Ray Bradbury is both thrilling and suspenseful, but also strangely unfulfilling. In the end though, Ray Bradbury shows his readers once again that he is America's storyteller.

Pressfield, Steven. The Legend of Bagger Vance. William & Morrow Co.: New York, 1995. 253 pages

I am really sorry I read this book. Despite the fact that I enjoyed all the golf anecdotes and tidbits, I found the actual story much less enthralling. The ideas in this book are either explained in detail in the Hindi religious documents or they are completely bogus. What started for me as a mildly enjoyable period piece quickly turned into a potpourri of fantastical and whimsical notions of inner peace found through golf and life. One thing I found particularly offensive was the attempted portrayal of Jesus as a mysterious caddie for an out of luck golfer. I cannot say that I am a seriously religious person by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, what I disliked was the attempt to create some kind of religious or spiritual text out of what could have stayed a perfectly fine novel about a spectacular golf match. My suggestion; stick to the classics.