Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud

Since I like Cornel West, and am inspired by him and his work; it was a given that I would have good things to say about his memoir: Brother West:Living and Loving Out Loud. I do like the book:very much. The best thing about it is that it chronicles his development to a point he may not have expected to land in life. His self-description as "a jazz man in the life of the mind, and a blues man in the world of ideas" is a colorful way to sum up the fact that he has uniquely taken the mantle of Martin Luther King. In his speeches and other public appearances, West lovingly bears witness to the pain and struggles of the poor and disposessed; and relentlessly challenges us to be our best selves all the time. Said another way: West, like King, can walk with crowds and keep his virtues, and talk with kings, but not lose the common touch. All people seemed to count with them, but none too much. How easy it would've been for King and West to rest on their academic laurels, and retreat to the ivory tower. Each chose the opposite path, and we are all the better for it. Both King and West belong to all of us. This is probably part of the reason that West's most intimate personal relationships have been so painful for him. I hear those who say the book is shallow in places-especially the little he actually writes about his own son, and their relationship. It's not necessarily a weakness of the book, though. It's just West's recognition of his own human frailty; and that he is work in progress. West's letter to his children late in the book is deeply moving. This book is an important reminder that the people we grow up with and befriend; and the music and books we gravitate to are not just personal window dressing. They actually can shape lives in ways we never imagined. For that, I thank brother West.

I am someone who has always admired, appreciated and learned from the brilliant insights of Professor West. This memoir is lively and engaging, and gives us a personal glimpse into the true nature of this amazing man. It is good to have a better understanding of the people and events that shaped his world view, and we come away from this book feeling more connected. It is an excellent read, and I do recommend it.

Today I read Dr. Cornel West's blues memoir "Living and Loving Out Loud." I got to talking to myself,to the music,to the language; it became life. Dr. West, is indeed, a blues man.He writes with a blues sensibility as he responds to the marrow of struggle and triumph in his own life and in the lives of others. The memoir compels memory of the grave diggers in Mississippi who make, and I mean make, blues music using old brooms. Dr. West--"Corn"-- is a blues man like the Mississippi grave diggers. He makes life out of the intellectual and practical notes he has been given. He does not make excuses for his frail humanity, his mistakes; he seeks to understand, to grow, to continue living.This book needs to rest on the shelves of us all. It is pedagogical: I found myself creating a book list of the compassionate thinkers named in the book. The book is spiritual; it calls you in; it compels a response. I heard myself humming "Amen" to Dr. West's refusal to allow Malcolm to be disrespected; I heard myself whispering a prayer for him as he recounted his challenge with prostate cancer; I found myself nodding as I repeated in my memory the gifts of love and support given to West by his family and the love he shares with his children. This memoir is bathed in an authentic anointing of an African American male child shaped into a man, groomed to be a thinker whose life is dedicated to helping each one of us experience and cherish the gem of the mind. Indeed, Dr. West is "living and loving out loud." Like a blues man traveling down the train tracks, he is calling us to join him. That deserves an AMEN!

Those four words help me sum up someone I hold in extremely high regard. Dr. West's memoir has many lessons to be taken; self-discovery, education, community, and living for a purpose. It's amazing to see a person such as him struggle with portions of his being, which to me, only contributes to his importance, simply because you'll see pieces of yourself in this book. Even with those questions he has of himself, you'll see a degree of self-esteem and self-love, as well as love for others, that's simply remarkable. There are parts in here that will make you laugh, such as the encounter he had with Amiri Baraka, or the time he took his folks to hear Eldridge Cleaver speak; he talks about his highly-publicized disagreements with Lawrence Summers in vivid detail. He even talks about his appearance, and why he chooses to wear his attire we've come to known him associated with: three-piece suit, tie, scarf, with the big 'ol afro. All of it brings a range of emotions, and it was a pleasure being exposed to them. By his own admission, he is a bluesman, a man who loves hard, speaks truth, questions unapologetically, and a servant of the people. He truly, unequivocally loves all people. Music has shaped, and continues to shape and contribute to, his daily being. Most importantly, he remains a child of God, something he holds near and dear, and at the forefront of everything he does and all everything that he's about.

Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud, A Memoir by the legendary Dr. Cornel West opened my eyes to the life of one of the people that I admire most in the field of higher education. West unapologetically laid his accomplishments, failures, joy, and pain out for the world to see in black and white. After reading about West's journey from a hot tempered youth to becoming one of the leading educators, writers, and lecturers in the American academy I was left feeling inspired and encouraged to follow my own "calling." The book was very motivational and I recommend it to anyone who is looking to read a story about what "could be" if you work hard enough for it .