The Immortality of Influence

The book comes off as a corny leadership book, and to a degree it is. Every chapter is labeled as "the influence" of something, making it feel like a dictator is feeding me with too much lecture hub bub. Even some of the religious connotations are a bit much for me as he makes church sound like a necessity for everyone (p.1, 34, other). I think believing in something helps some people out of a bad situation, but when I read something like that I have to personally start believing, I have issues with this because he makes religion seem only positive, but there are negatives to consider too. My religious background is totally different than Mr. El's in that most religious people near me acted racist and unfriendly. They wanted me to believe in their beliefs, but didn't give me a reason to, so why would I want to be a part of that kind of group when I have other options and things that I could be doing that I would enjoy more? This book is also heavy on influential blacks, probably just like the first book, which I actually have not read yet. It is and autobiography, but could be considered an autobiography and biography with all the other characters mentioned. It's great to have books like this culturally speaking. You may feel as a reader that Mr. El is too positive for you. A quality educator generally stays as optimistic as possible. The optimism may seem to much and somewhat unrealistic, but it is a great model for education and appropriate for this book. He could've also been more realistic in some cases that I mention below and still have a quality book, but that would change the nature and atmosphere of the book completely. However, the personal descriptions, the way they are worded, and the articulation make it a real book and help increase it's quality to an ultimate product. If you are becoming a Philadelphian if you aren't already, like chess a lot, and/or are an educator, this book is definitely a must read despite the things I do not personally favor about some of the subject matter. Here are some more comments throughout the book: p. 60 Volunteering is encouraged in the book. I feel it's overencouraged to the point where it's emphasizing we volunteer our whole selves to others. If the whole world were like this, this would be ideal. But since there are sins that won't stop happening, we need to try to make a living and volunteer when we can outside of that. However, we can volunteer, but we should think about ourselves too unless we plan on being someone like Mother Theresa. p. 63 "Our children know they need our guidance, even if they don't acknowledge it." I do not think this quote is always true, but it's a good attitude to have in education. p.220 His idea of forgiveness is quite extreme to me. Forgiveness can be slow and probably should be depending on the circumstances and the person/people. It's hard to forgive and not always the right decision. It hurts to even consider such a thing if you're tryi

I was very pleased with my order for this book. Just as described, arrived quickly & very interesting book!

Salome Thomas-El caught the attention of many readers in his previous book I Choose to Stay. With his latest book, THE IMMORTALITY OF INFLUENCE, he shakes things up a bit. The overarching theme of the book is that each of us as individuals make a difference in the lives of those around us and that the results of our actions (or inaction) has a lasting impact on the larger world. Because of his background in the field of education and in working with inner-city youth, the book's primary focus is on how we can make a positive impact on the lives of young people, particularly African-American males. In chapter one, titled "Failed Influence," the author shares a tragic event that changed his life and how he viewed his role in the world. The incident is one that will jar the emotions of readers and leave them eager to read what the author has to say. He then outlines the importance of acknowledging your individual influence and committing to using your influence in positive ways. From there, influence is discussed in the context of a number of subject areas including: parents, discipline, grooming, the workplace, forgiveness, purpose, faith, and the community. Each chapter highlights both strengths and weaknesses, provides real life examples, and tangible suggestions. There have been countless books on the problems that exsist within the African-American community, but far fewer that actually offer tangible advice on how to address them. Salome Thomas-El has provided a realistic blueprint that parents, educators, churches, and really anyone can use to begin to address social issues that plague not only inner-cities, but American society as a whole. He is a strong advocate for personal accountability, parental involvement and discipline and he incorporates his views on these and other issues into the book while citing examples from his personal life, the lives of students he has worked with in the past, and from other books and interviews. The book has a conversational tone that is not only engaging and inspiring, but a pleasure to read. Rarely do I read a book that I would call "life changing," but THE IMMORTALITY OF INFLUENCE is one of the rare books that fall into the category. Readers may not agree with all of the author's points, and they may not incorporate all of his suggestions into their day-to-day living, but I am sure that they will touch them and make them want to become better people. My actions have an immortal influence on the lives of everyone I meet, especially the young people I encounter--now that, is something to think about. Reviewed by Stacey Seay of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers