Rating:  Summary: A Reality Check for men and women Review: I would like to say "great job" to Michael. I have read both your books and was quite impressed that a brother finally stood up and admitted what women have known for a long time. Now about Men Cry in the Dark. I think this book was very good. It let's us know just how men "really" think in terms of a relationship. Many brothers out there do have a "color" complex and the sisters just need to wake up and realize that they can't change that, no matter how much they complain about white women taking our brothers. They need to realized that because of "our" attitudes and evilness, we are driving the "real" brothers away. Keep up the good work Michael and I will definitely be purchasing your next book. For all the people that are putting him down, let's see you write a book and see if its as successful. Are you going to be professional enough to take the criticism. It's okay to voice your opinion about the book, but leave the author's personal life(in which you know nothing about!) out of it. I'm sure many of you are out there now, with several children born out of wedlock. Are you any different? If you don't want to support your own, stop buying the books and looking for something to complain about. Obviously you are not happy with yourself and have a closed mind. At least now there are more books out there for African Americans. So stop being so judgemental, my sista's.
Rating:  Summary: This book is excellent can't wait to read the next issued. Review: I was really intrigued by with this book it was really spell bounding. I couldn't wait to get to the next page to see what happen. I really did enjoy this book this book will be added to my collection of books that i never lend out. Not even to my sister.
Rating:  Summary: Too much pre-publication hype! Review: I was rather disappointed in this book. I had heard so much and all I got was Dynasty/Knots Landing served a la ghetto! The author provided too much free advertising with constant brand names. The interracial thing was not written well. The author makes this bro out to be some kind of coward. And why was Angela in the wedding? A round house kick to the groin? What was that? And high fives played out years ago. Instead of buying another novel from this author, I will save my boredom for something else and just donate the money to the author for creative writing lessons.
Rating:  Summary: Y'all, Baisden is trying! Review: I can read most novels on themes I disagree with. In Baisden's case, this novel, Men Cry, is faulty not because of his theme but because he needs to work on his professionalism. He seems unable to separate himself from his work in eyes of the public. I am not hot on the works of Terri McMillan, Alice Walker, etc either but I respect them all as novelists. Baisden spends too much time self-promoting so that he receives his profits directly (good idea). The fault here is that his non-fiction, fiction and personal self are so intertwined that a potential good novel is always suspect and under severe criticism. My constructive advice? Mr. Baisden, spend just a little less time, energy and money on appearing at book signings, radio and tv stations. Spend MORE time honing and perfecting your craft. Work on your basic english and creative writing. For speaking engagements, learn how at Toastmasters. For fiction writing, research subjects you are not familiar with (Ex: being wealthy, education, etc). Regardless of whether I or others disagree with your themes, at least your work will reflect your intelligence AND uplift your consumers. Wish you the best on your next novels and speaking events!
Rating:  Summary: Why do you Blacks write trash on each other? Review: As a white male, I don't know much about the Black experience. Of the few books I have read that are written by Blacks, they all have this venemous hatred of self and each other. If I had wrote those things about Black women as were mentioned in this novel, I would have been labelled a racist. I wish Baisden and his Black audiences all the best. You all need God's help in writing, reading and living. By the way, I did get a refund for this book not due to the subject but the inability to follow it.
Rating:  Summary: Maybe your old job in Chicago will re-hire you, Mike! Review: We all read this novel for our women's bookclub. By the time we met for a critique, we were divided three ways: the few who liked the book, others who were angered and insulted, the rest were like me -- laughing so hard at the author's incompetence. We took turns finding inconsistencies, mispellings, racist remarks, bad syntax, missing punctuations. We were on the floor laughing by the time we realized that all this novel achieved was free advertising to all the brand names which were mentioned as a front to cover the author's ignorance on the subject of the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Even though I am not crazy about anything Terri McMillan writes, it is obvious she didn't play hooky from English class, like Baisden apparently did. Men Cry in the Dark? Well, Baisden, we women cried from laughter at your arrogance which was only superceded by your incompetence expressed in print for the world to see.
Rating:  Summary: Bitterness for profit but disguised as a "cause." Review: This book has nothing to do with Blackness, maleness, relationships or literature. This book is simply a profit-making excuse and manifestation of the author's bitterness towards someone in his personal life, be it his own mother, father, Terri McMillan, girlfriend, etc. What's with all the brand names mentioned in this book? How can the author be a relationship expert on women when it seems the only one he's had has been sexual? Was his own daughter born out of wedlock? Was the author's mother and father married -- that is, to each other? I won't even get into the mispellings, contradictions, color casting, poor grammar, etc. Mike, the only woman you should deal with is a BASIC english teacher. I did not feel like I was reading fiction because true fiction activates the imagination into a temporary reality while reading a the fiction novel. In the case of Baisden, NOT!!!! This book read like a bunch of fantasies and lies men tell each other on a street corner or in a bar. I think Baisden should stay off the talk show circuit and stop making personal appearances at radio stations and bookstores. He should spend more time professionalizing himself as a writer, speaker, etc. Right now, both of his books are boring jokes. Baisden made the book about blackness only after he had been insulted and attacked by some white women in the tv audience, including The View, hosted by Star Jones. The white males who supported him at first, began to support their women (take a hint, Mike). Then Baisden disappeared for awhile, resurfacing in the Black media as a guest on BET. The ONLY reason Baisden is allowed on TV and in the media is because he degrades Black women and divides people along gender lines. I hope I am wrong but I'll bet Baisden will be allowed to publicize all his incoherencies as long as Black people are fighting each other or supporting his unresearched fantasies.
Rating:  Summary: Very Informative Review: I thought this book was good in terms of revealing what men go through and think when it comes to relationships with women. As a black man, it's good to see another brother come out with our side of the story. I liked the characters and how he gave them their own individual identity. Mark's character was rather irritating, but not to the point of overshadowing the rest. I've had my won personal encounter with a Valerie myself, so that story line blows another myth out of the water. Good call, man. The ending was a definite eye opener. Something a lot of us brothers need to experience. Good work Mike! I've read some of the other reviews and all I have to say is it's rather contradictory for those who don't like the book speak of how too much emphasis is placed on color, material things, body size, education, etc., and then turn around and attack the writer personally as if what you've written was directed at them. It's one thing to say you don't agree with what the brother has written, but when you turn around and attack him in regards to child support and writing ability, maybe you need to check yourselves to see how YOU really feel about yourselves. Let's critique the content of the book; not that of the writer's personal life! Looking forward to the 'Maintenance Man', Mike. Keep doing what you're doing.
Rating:  Summary: Another BUFFOON in print! Review: This book should be re-titled "Booty Call -- The Novel" or "Ghetto-Mania." Nothing new or uplifting in terms of race or gender. Loitering males on a street corner are more talented than this author. What happened, Mike? Your daughter's mother increased your child support? Obviously, you did not do your research about those who are truly wealthy because you atttempted to substitute your ignorance in this area with brand names (ex: Boucheron, Rolex, etc). And your characters' need for an educated woman should be your need for basic english, grammer, etc. If black men think like this (which I know most decent ones don't) then the black race will be destroyed in less than 100 years (and not by white racists, either). What's with the good hair, light-skinned thing in this "novel"? I haven't heard such phrases since the 60's. Anyone who reads this book and gives it praise or more than one star either doesn't read much or has some major deficits in his/her life. Mike Baisden's work seems to dictate that he should change his name to the "Ebonicly-challenged negro version of Andrew Dice Clay." I sincerely request that AMAZON.COM place this review alongside all the others which praise Baisden's illegitimacy as a writer, speaker, and relationship expert. Thank you.
Rating:  Summary: .... Review: I had to return this book and get every penny back. It is not worth a second-read much less a spot on the book shelf. I didn't appreciate the author's style of switching between first and third-person. P.S. Was it my imagination or did every fifty pages mention the man-woman ratio in Atlanta? Give us a break.
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