Bryan Curtis

Critically acclaimed and highly controversial, Black Planet was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and PEN USA Award and was named a Top Ten Nonfiction Book of 1999 by Esquire, Newsday, and LA Weekly. During the 1994–1995 NBA season, David Shields attended nearly all of the Seattle SuperSonics’ home games; watched on TV nearly all their away games; listened to countless pre- and post-game interviews and call-in shows on the radio; spoke or tried to speak to players, coaches, agents, journalists, fans, his wife; corresponded with members of the Sonics newsgroup on the internet; read innumerable articles. “Although I’m a passionate basketball fan and Sonics fan,” Shields wrote in the author’s note to the original publication of Black Planet, “I wasn’t interested in the game per se-who won, who lost, the minutiae of strategy. I was interested in how the game gets talked about. By the end of the season I’d accumulated hundreds of pages of often utterly illegible notes, the roughest of rough drafts. Over the next three years I transformed those notes into this book-a daily journal that runs the length of one team’s long-forgotten season and that is now focused, to the point of obsession, on how white people (including especially myself) think about and talk about Black heroes, Black scapegoats, Black bodies.”Black Planet changed sports journalism and remains a prophetic book on America and race. This edition features a new foreword by Bryan Curtis.

In an ever-changing world, good manners never go out of style. These essential skills and tips will help you in several aspects as you grow into manhood.He knows how to shake hands. He knows how to be a good sport. He knows how to give a genuine compliment and how to speak his mind without being offensive. His friends listen to what he has to say, and he returns the favor. He knows how to achieve the perfect knot in a necktie and, more important, he knows when he should be wearing a tie in the first place.In 50 Things Every Young Gentleman Should Know, you will learn about:learn how to gain trust and earn respect,understand how to do things the right way and why it’s important, andrealize immediate payoffs for good behavior.50 Things Every Young Gentleman Should Know is a young man’s guide to becoming the type of guy that people respect and enjoy. This updated guide to traditional standards of behavior proves that manners never go out of style--they’re a crucial skillset that a young man needs to excel in whatever he chooses to do. Becoming a gentleman doesn’t happen in an instant; it’s a lifelong exercise in refining etiquette, social interaction, and personal discipline. It all begins here.

In an ever-changing world, good manners never go out of style. These essential skills and tips will help you all aspects as you grow into womanhood.Good manners are not just a quaint and old-fashioned concept. They're an essential aspect of every young lady's path to adulthood. It's safe to say that today's young woman is exposed to more opportunities than any generation of women in history, and these essential guidelines created by author Kay West will help parents ensure that their daughters grow up to succeed in any situation.In 50 Things Every Young Lady Should Know, you will learn about:Making conversation with adultsAccepting a gift you don't likeDressing appropriatelyWinning and losing graciouslyWriting a thank-you noteWhile the formal rules of etiquette are not taught the way they once were, 50 Things Every Young Lady Should Know provides a modern take on the ageless idea that girls should know appropriate and courteous responses to any given situation. This updated guide to traditional standards of behavior proves that manners never go out of style--they're a crucial skillset that a young girl needs to excel in whatever she chooses to do.