Rating: 
Summary: "Tressed Out"
Review: ....Black women and their hair -- it's a loaded feminine topic, say Juliette Harris and Pamela Johnson (respectively editor of International Review of African-American Art and a columnist at Essence Magazine), in Tenderheaded, a wise, joyous anthology. All their sisters are "tenderheaded," or sensitive about their hair one way or another. Some could never stand the heat of a curling iron, while others feel their scalps sting at the mere sight of a fine-toothed comb. Others, reading W. E. B. Du Bois' comment that a woman "black or brown and crowned in curled mists" is "the most beautiful thing on earth," pat their own misty crowns and mutter, "mailman's hair: every knot's got its own route." Reading this anthology feels a little like talking with your girlfriends, grown daughters, or favorite aunts on a lazy afternoon. Now and then a simpatico male drops by--maybe Peter Harris, gloating at finally having learned how to box-braid his six-year-old daughter's curls, or maybe Henry Louis Gates musing on the "kitchen," which isn't just the place at home where your mother and her sisters tended each other's hair but the place at the nape of the neck that's "Unassimilably African" because, says Gates, nothing can "de-kink" it. Kinks can be a trial in a world where the fluid, silken tress is beauty's trademark. From the Sixties through the Eighties, if a black woman straightened her hair or wore extensions or a weave she was routinely accused of hating herself or insulting her race--the righteous and the rappers loved to diss fake or processed hair. Having naturally straight "good hair" has never been a picnic, either. Even if the "lucky" woman's friends weren't resentful, she missed out on the intimacy and catharsis of hair-wailing sessions, and if she decided on a short style she was said to have thrown her luck away. Opinions are still divided, and everyone in these pages has a different one, whether the writer is Alice Walker or the great-great-granddaughter of Madam C.J. Walker, America's first black woman millionaire, whose hair care system gave dignified employment to thousands of impoverished women during Jim Crow times. Angela Davis discusses the Afro that made her a media icon, and bell hooks argues that hair-straightening is not about wanting to be white but about longing to grow up--the practice marks the graduation from braided girlhood into womanhood. Art historian Judith Wilson links the pompadours, hair extensions, turbans, and long fingernails popular in some American communities to African aesthetic traditions in which the self is ritually extended through deliberate overabundance and artifice in bodily decoration. Cherilyn Wright, in "If You Let Me Make Love to You, Then Why Can't I Touch Your Hair?" offers the hilarious survey she took among her friends, male and female, about how they handle lovemaking when a hot, damp breath can snap a woman's expensively sleeked hairstyle right back into its original "b-b's." The book has a marvelous array of photographs, from archive-quality portraits of 19th-century toddlers to Topsy cartoons and Aunt Jemima ads, to Ugandan foreign minister Elizabeth Bagaaya in splendid basket-braids. A New York City matron wears a Muslim head-wrap, and Grace Jones a gorgeous fade. Whoopi Goldberg sports a spoofy yard-long platinum wig. Best of all, Tenderheaded brings to life the millions of women who give each other their touch and their attention (if sometimes also heartaches or a headache) through the intimate rituals of washing, combing, trimming, oiling, braiding, pressing, winding, wrapping--caring for--each other's hair.
Rating:
Summary: A TASTY GUMBO OF STORIES, ESSAYS & FACTS ABOUT OUR HAIR.....
Review: ....Tenderheaded, while long-winded and self-indulgent at times, is a great testament to our history and our hair. Not only does it traces our ever-changing styles, images and hair idols, but it's a wonderful timeline for our progress. If you or someone you know has hair issues, or you want to head off the tide of BS before it takes root in a new generation, this book is a must!!
Rating:
Summary: Excerpts from Black Issue Book Review
Review: As a "Tenderheaded" contributor, I happily accepted an invitation to join the editors at a book signing at Karibu, a bookstore in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Women purchasing the book eagerly shared their own "Tenderheaded" stories as they chatted with the editors. Even Carolivia Herron, author of "Nappy Hair," a bright and bold children's book, was there. Woes of career women struggling to achieve an "acceptable" workplace look; women who wanted more than anything else to simply be themselves and not submit to the dictates of the hair police, and still others who embraced corn rows as "the natural look," were some of the hair stories I overheard that February day. The book's title derives partly from an essay by Meg Henson Scales who plumbs the depths of being tenderheaded. After reading her sensitive piece, one concludes that it is actually time to admit to being tenderheaded, which also encompasses being tender with life. To quote Scales, "When we bury the mythological strongblackwoman expectation, even one inhumanity a time, it can still rescue us from the massive belittlements we suffer daily; each time, changing the math, adding us up. It is self-evident hat we must now, for all of us, become Tenderheaded. Yes." "Tenderheaded" editors Bowles and Johnson offer a many-hued painting of women and hair, replete with illustrations and photographs drawn from many sources. "Tenderheaded's" layout is design worthy-a delight to read. Bowles and Johnson open the door to an inclusive hair dialogue-natural, kinky, straight, relaxed, texturized, cornrows-everyone is welcome and it's time to accept that it's all good! I predict that "Tenderheaded" will find it's way into required reading in a variety of college-level courses including those pertaining to African American, American and cultural studies.
Rating:
Summary: Tenderheaded....Aren't We All?
Review: As a "Tenderheaded" contributor, I happily accepted an invitation to join the editors at a book signing at Karibu, a bookstore in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Women purchasing the book eagerly shared their own "Tenderheaded" stories as they chatted with the editors. Even Carolivia Herron, author of "Nappy Hair," a bright and bold children's book, was there. Woes of career women struggling to achieve an "acceptable" workplace look; women who wanted more than anything else to simply be themselves and not submit to the dictates of the hair police, and still others who embraced corn rows as "the natural look," were some of the hair stories I overheard that February day. The book's title derives partly from an essay by Meg Henson Scales who plumbs the depths of being tenderheaded. After reading her sensitive piece, one concludes that it is actually time to admit to being tenderheaded, which also encompasses being tender with life. To quote Scales, "When we bury the mythological strongblackwoman expectation, even one inhumanity a time, it can still rescue us from the massive belittlements we suffer daily; each time, changing the math, adding us up. It is self-evident hat we must now, for all of us, become Tenderheaded. Yes." "Tenderheaded" editors Bowles and Johnson offer a many-hued painting of women and hair, replete with illustrations and photographs drawn from many sources. "Tenderheaded's" layout is design worthy-a delight to read. Bowles and Johnson open the door to an inclusive hair dialogue-natural, kinky, straight, relaxed, texturized, cornrows-everyone is welcome and it's time to accept that it's all good! I predict that "Tenderheaded" will find it's way into required reading in a variety of college-level courses including those pertaining to African American, American and cultural studies.
Rating:
Summary: Tenderheaded--Aren't We All?
Review: As a Tenderheaded contributor, I happily accepted an invitation to join the editors at a book signing at Karibu. It was exciting to see women connecting with the Tenderheaded stories as they gathered around the table to chat while their copies were being autographed. Purchasers echoed many of the Tenderheaded themes--the same stories told through other women's voices. Even Carolivia Herron, author of Nappy Hair, a bright, and bold children's book was there. Woes of career women struggling to achieve an "acceptable" workplace look; women who, wanted more than anything else, to simply be themselves and not submit to the dictates of the hair police, and still others who embraced corn rows as "the look," were some of the hair stories I overheard that February day. The book's title derives partly from an essay by Meg Henson Scales who plumbs the depths of being tenderheaded. After reading her sensitive piece, one concludes that it is actually time to admit to being tenderheaded, which also encompasses being tender with life. To quote Scales, "When we bury the mythological strongblackwoman expectation, even one inhumanity a time, it can still rescue us from the massive belittlements we suffer daily; each time, changing the math, adding us up. It is self-evident hat we must now, for all of us, become Tenderheaded. Yes." In conclusion, Tenderheaded editors Bowles and Johnson have given us a wonderful compilation of women and hair, replete with a variety of illustrations and photographs drawn from many sources. Tenderheaded's layout is design worthy and easy on the eye-a delight to read. Bowles and Johnson open the doors wide to an inclusive hair dialogue-natural, kinky, straight, relaxed, texturized, cornrows-everyone is welcome and it's time to accept that it's all good! I predict that Tenderheaded will find it's way into required reading in a variety of college-level courses including those pertaining to African American, American and cultural studies.
Rating:
Summary: Tender View of All Aspects of Black Hair
Review: From the symbolism of braiding and hairstyles in Africa to the customs and traditions of African American women and their hair there is so much history which connects all of us to our ancestors. Tenderheaded takes perspective from a diverse audience of authors- writers, anthropologists, beauticians, hiphop historians, poets, doctors, mothers and fathers share their stories and just how entangled hair is into every single facet of black life. Definitions and explanations with detailed pictures and inspiring quotes are featured throughout Tenderheaded providing a vast array of entertaining and educational lessons. This book will evoke feelings varying from childhood nostalgia, passion for rights, romantic interludes, and a cultural solidarity. From natural hair to relaxed from wigs to weaves from afros to bald fades and every hair style in between no aspect of black hair is left untouched. Excellent read and thorough resource for every possessor, scholar, and admirer of all types of black hair.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I expected to really enjoy this book, but was disappointed. Some of the stories/essays were very good, but some of them were poorly written and/or could have done with some serious editing. It might have been better if some of them had been omitted: the book would probably have been half as long, but the overall quality would have been significantly improved.
I was also disappointed by the way the book was laid out. It seemed jumbled and poorly conceived. Photos, illustrations and cartoons/comics were seemingly thrown in randomly, with little context or relation to the surrounding content. The graphic content of the book was good, but the layout just did not display it to full advantage.
The idea behind this book was a good one, but the execution could have been a little bit better.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, Enlightening, Informative & Real!
Review: This book is filled with short stories, poems, tiny tid bits, long personal accounts and much more. The stories date from pre-slavery days to today's "weave-wearin'" divas. I was amazed and sometimes saddened to read the accounts and ordeals of our early AA sistas from the struggles they endured and/or covered up for the sake of fitting in. The issue of our hair is very complex and still prevalent today. This book covers the spectrum from those of us who love relaxed hair & the infamous straightening comb, to those of us who have embraced the natural texture of our hair. With titles like "The Kink that Winked", "Fake", "All Time Top Hair Divas" and "Post Traumatic Tress Syndrome" the reader is taken on a journey filled with laughter and lessons, smiles and tears. The Madame C.J. Walker story is very informative and brings fact to the myths about her. There are dozens of pictures and illustrations of different hair styles from the intricate braids and designs of African people to that big Afro of Angela Davis, locs of Whoopi, big hair of Patti LaBelle, close fade of Grace Jones and blonde wigs of Lil Kim and Mary J. Blige. I recommend this book for women of all ages. It's history. There is a chapter entitled "Silver Foxes" for the wonderfully gray sistas out there. It is vital that we understand the origins of our links to our locks. Thank you Harris and Johnson for this intense collection. CLB.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, Enlightening, Informative & Real!
Review: This book is filled with short stories, poems, tiny tid bits, long personal accounts and much more. The stories date from pre-slavery days to today's "weave-wearin'" divas. I was amazed and sometimes saddened to read the accounts and ordeals of our early AA sistas from the struggles they endured and/or covered up for the sake of fitting in. The issue of our hair is very complex and still prevalent today. This book covers the spectrum from those of us who love relaxed hair & the infamous straightening comb, to those of us who have embraced the natural texture of our hair. With titles like "The Kink that Winked", "Fake", "All Time Top Hair Divas" and "Post Traumatic Tress Syndrome" the reader is taken on a journey filled with laughter and lessons, smiles and tears. The Madame C.J. Walker story is very informative and brings fact to the myths about her. There are dozens of pictures and illustrations of different hair styles from the intricate braids and designs of African people to that big Afro of Angela Davis, locs of Whoopi, big hair of Patti LaBelle, close fade of Grace Jones and blonde wigs of Lil Kim and Mary J. Blige. I recommend this book for women of all ages. It's history. There is a chapter entitled "Silver Foxes" for the wonderfully gray sistas out there. It is vital that we understand the origins of our links to our locks. Thank you Harris and Johnson for this intense collection. CLB.
Rating:
Summary: All That You Want To Know
Review: This is a very unique book. I have to say I LOVED IT! My being a young black woman, all the stories hit close to home. This book gave a non-bias look at black women's hair, and black culture all around the world including here in America. It gave many view points, from men women, blacks and even whites. I recommed this book to anyone who is confused about their hair and themselves. Nappy is defiantly Happy!!!! Peace.
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