Blackie - A Biography of Captain Harold F. Blackburn by William F. Cass

http://dmairfield.com/people/blackburn_hf/

While the author would be the last writer to minimize the contributions made by fighter and bomber pilots in World War II, the fact remains that those two categories have almost been over-published. Blackie's wartime journeys highlight the contributions made by two largely ignored types of pilots: those flying transport and photo-reconnaissance aircraft. Without the support of the latter two types of aviators, the former pilots would have been hard-pressed to achieve as much as they did.
As with any good drama, Blackie is the protagonist facing many antagonists: a broken family, conflict over what he wants to do with his life, the Army Air Corps which initially rejected his flight training application, the Great Depression into which an unemployed Blackie was thrust, and military bureaucracy which thwarted his attempts to go on active duty during World War II. Other forces shaping Blackie's life, beyond his intense flying experiences in World War II, include Lady Luck who fatally abandoned so many of his pilot friends, his employer Trans World Airlines which was its own worst enemy, and what is today's Federal Aviation Administration with its rules on airline pilot retirement age. Trans World Airlines forms a major, frequently self-destructive character in this book and is the source of deep frustration for Blackie, who is grateful for being hired by the company during the Great Depression and simultaneously repelled by its corporate waste and board room intrigue...




"Blackie"
Captain Harold F. Blackburn,
A Pioneering, Twentieth Century Pilot
In Peace and War

William F. Cass

It was intriguing to me for the author to set the tone of this book as if it were fiction. Blackie, of course, is the main character, but Cass looks at other people in his life as if they were major or minor characters and even casts some as antagonists...

In fact, the book really starts with the Introduction, one you might call a synopsis of the book, but what you will immediately note is the style of writing Cass uses. It's personable, humanistic, friendly... Cass even notes that he came to look upon his main character as a relative, "something between a young grandfather and an older uncle." He explains that the book research and writing became somewhat addictive. I detected, even, some hero-worship of our main character. And, like many of us, the result in the author's writing comes across in a true desire to share this man's story.

For those who enjoy memoirs and biographies, you should note that not only is the book full of history, but it feels like you are reading the story as if Cass is sitting, bragging about this man who he knew... It's highly recommended!

With the first chapter providing the personal background of Blackie, noting that Blackie's parents would move around--his father looked for places to find a better financial future, but he also had a pioneering spirit. During that time, Blackie graduated from Mitchell High School in June 1919 but almost immediately contracted rheumatic fever... Fighting through these health issues and other matters delayed his entry to college in 1920.

At that point, I was pleasantly surprised to learn of his musical interests! He had put together a small dance band, which became very popular, called Blackie's Bunch.

Then he found a home at the National Guard Armory in Mitchell, having joined the National Guard, where he began his early military activities. And then began college at Colorado AandM and also joining the Army ROTC...

Merging his education with his music career he was moving from dance group to another, soon becoming part of a professional band called The Silver State Serenaders. He was playing during the time of jazz, the Charleston, flappers, and "speakeasies, etc. But Blackie was a strong proponent of the new music...

As a young musician, Blackie was playing in what could easily be described as one of the most significant periods in American music - an era when the Jazz Age was rapidly gathering momentum in mainstream America...Blackie was a strong proponent of the new music that was frequently met with disapproval, especially by young musicians' elders because it was easily associated with "alarming" trends, i.e., availability of alcohol at speakeasies, "flappers" dancing the Charleston, loose morals, etc. Blackie was playing in a geographic part of the country that was still far from universal electrification, thus the availability of phonograph players in many rural homes...

~~~

Once Blackie had enough money to consider his options, "the sky" was back in his mind.

He was soon taking flying lessons and learned that war surplus Jennies were on sale...

And went back to playing in order to get the money to buy his own plane!

I must admit that I was enjoying all the information about bands at that time, but that is such a minor part of the book itself...

It was in 1930 when Blackie's focused was on military aviation. He resigned from the Coast Guard in order to enlist in the Army. But it was also the time that the depression was deepening.  He was an Aviation Cadet but the training required soon resulted in the need for the use of private training academies for the pilots needed for war time. Blackie, because of his background, training and overall record went to fly Bombers after he'd graduated.

All cadets could ask for what specialization they hoped for after graduation, but it was the commanding officer who made final decisions. Thus, the youngest, most aggressive pilots typically went to pursuit squadrons while older pilots noted for attention to detail and possessing superior navigation skills and determination went to bombers. Blackie, fitting the latter to a tee, was destined for the heavy brigades long before he was even asked for his own opinion on future assignments.

~~~

Destined for a life in the sky, his time with TWA and so much more awaited, including photo reconnaissance which sounded so intriguing... This is a massive book of 460 pages plus, and includes both a bibliography and extensive index for easy reference of the book. It is certainly a possible library addition for those in aviation and is bound to be a must-read for many war historians as well as private corporation pilots. 

I was sorry to see that Blackie's career ended on a note of sorrow, as mine did. It is hard to accept that with the professional credentials of this man, that he was faced with mandated retirement, again as I was...It's hard to understand why America's employers throw away their effective, efficient long-term employees... I found, as the author did, that I came to empathize with as well as admire this American pilot simply called...Blackie...

GABixlerReviews

Hal Blackburn and His Orchestra had a diverse repertoire that numbered nearly 150 different pieces of music...There were two other songs which may have been indicative of what was starting to become an obsession: Beyond the Clouds and I'll Fly to Hawaii...

William F. Cass is retired from a career in advertising and public relations where a number of his clients participated in civil and military aviation markets. He was educated at Washington College with a B.A. in Economics and at Syracuse University from which he received an M.B.A. in Marketing. He is a former commercial pilot and has been a student of aviation history since childhood. Those experiences were of particular value in two of his previous aviation book projects: The Last Flight of Liberator 41-1133 and Alaska’s Father Goose, the biography of Alaskan naval aviator, bush pilot, and airline captain, Gerald “Bud” Bodding.
Bill’s wife, the former Sarah Mumford, is a graduate of Washington College and the University of Maryland. She is a retired American history teacher. They reside in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and have two grown children and several grandchildren. Among his interests are: all matters aeronautical, fishing, writing, golf, duck hunting, fine woodworking, and travel.

Frank Duveneck: The Greatest Brush Presented by James Ott

Villa Castellani - Residence

A Cincinnati Art Class - Kenton County Library

Self-Portrait

It is clear that the author, James Ott, has extensive experience and knowledge to write, but to create the biographical story of Frank Duveneck reveals, also, an extensive amount of research and knowledge of the art world, that has resulted in a magnificent, comprehensive book of this, for many, unknown artist. You will learn not only of the personal life of Duveneck, but also watch the evolution and the broad range of artistic work he successfully achieved...

But in telling the story, Ott has expanded into the lives of artists, such as John Singer Sargent, working at the same time and places where Frank Duveneck worked and lived, which included both Europe and America. There are many samples of the various forms he used and we also meet the Duveneck Boys, who he taught, prior to expanding also to teach women, especially a young woman he ultimately married. I've provided as many examples of his work to acquaint those who may not know him and feel sure you will be both as delighted and thrilled as I to have the opportunity to learn more intimately through Ott's book.

Note: This video is included for information and does represent endorsement of the company.

The Greatest Brush:

Love, Tragedy and Redemption of Artist

Frank Duveneck

By James Ott

portrait of Josephine in
wedding dress...

There was an intriguing animosity by Henry James about his relationship to Frank's future wife with Duveneck and he wrote about it quite often. Still he was able to recognize that his wife was able to add guidance and support to Frank's career. For instance, she realized that Frank's would be better off if they went to Paris, and also in Florence. For instance, she realized that Frank's career would be better helped if they went to Paris, and also in Florence.  His work changed exhibiting "Golden light saturates the atmosphere of Duveneck's genre paintings..." 


The reality of that change certainly can be seen in comparing the portrait shown on the cover, Whistling Boy, versus Italian Girl With a Rake!"


I think I was most fascinated that he had been taught by the Benedictine monks and then used what he'd learned to create some of the most beautiful murals for churches across the country... One three-panel mural is located in Covington...

Three panels of Duveneck's Mural at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington

I learned much from this book, especially since I don't  have an extensive art appreciation background, but certainly formed my personal opinion that I preferred Duveneck's later works rather than the darker portraits he earlier produced. I was amazed at the amount of work he produced, especially for each individual painting! It is obvious just by viewing his work, his talent was great and broadly presented.

The book itself by James Ott is exceptionally done. The over 300 pages not only shares a narrative tale but there are ample samples of his work and/or information about other's involvement in his life, all of which is footnoted. There is also a brief bio on those individuals included in the book, such as for John Singer Sargent, who was the artist who placed the title "the greatest brush" of the generation, on Duveneck. In addition to a list of his resources, there is an appendix showing where his works can be found, owned by Institutions...as well as a complete chronological appendix showing the important dates of Frank's life. For instance, you can easily discover that he met Elizabeth Boott, marries in 1886, and then she dies in 1888.

Obviously this book is an excellent source itself for those interested in historical biographies, especially in the art world. But, readers who enjoy the genre will find this a totally comprehensive book that will pull you deeply into the artistic world of Frank Duveneck... Highly recommended...


GABixlerReviews

The story of Frank's personal life was sad, especially given the artistic gifts he had to give the world.  First, Mr. Boott, his future father-in-law was not impressed when he met Duveneck,  though  and Frank seemed to have an interest in his daughter right from the beginning... "Papa" looked over the painter carefully as his daughter talked, his busy mind probing with the question: What kind of man is he? And he answered his own question quickly: He was an artist and looked every bit like one, from his loose attire and the paint on his hands. He was certainly different from them, dressed spiffily in current fashion... Indeed they might have been from different worlds, but that didn't stop their growing relationship. Yet two years after their marriage, Lizzie had a child and had died. In one way, this brought the two men that had both loved her more together and they mutually agreed that Frank would be unable to care for the baby... thus losing not only his loving wife and child, but having to move on to the locations he needed to be in order to work. 

Letty's Story - Could you Present Your Life in Fiction? Follow Leticia From Age of 5 Through Married Life...

It was nighttime and a little girl about five years old was sleeping peacefully in her bed, with gentle breezes from an open window caressing her smiling, angelic face. The night was warm, and all was quiet, giving way only to the chirping sounds of a tropical night, with myriads of birds and insects cavorting in their usual manner of mating.
The little girl lay in a deep, untroubled slumber, hugging a cherished old rag doll with a repaired tear in its head where the family dog had once tried to wrestle it from her arms. All seemed well on this quiet night on December 7, 1941, for an innocent little girl so unaware of the unstoppable events into which she would soon be plunged, sleeping away the last peace seconds of her young life...
Closer and closer the sounds came, growing ever louder and determined, causing the little girl in peaceful repose to begin tossing and turning in bed.
Suddenly, the constant droning sound gave way, mingling with many high-pitched whistles that began to scream as they got even louder.
The startled little girl abruptly awoke and almost immediately was forcefully thrown from her bed as if by a huge unseen malevolent hand that entered her life with a loud- thunderous crash, followed by another and another, each violently shaking her house as the cool blackness and soft melodies of a serene night suddenly gave way to a deafening cacophony of sounds, accompanied by bright flashes that lit up her small room as brightly as daytime.
She froze in terror being unable to move--casting a wide-eyed state out the open window fixated on the flashes now engulfing the homes of her neighbors and friends.
"My dolly, where's my dolly" she cried, frantically looking for the little cloth ragamuffin she loved. Finding the doll amid some debris now coming in through her window, she clutched the doll to her chest and began to cry.
The noises got still louder, the shaking of her house more violent making it impossible for her to stand, and amid her uncontrollable tears and sobbing, she pitifully cried, "Mama, make it stop! Please, Mama, make it stop! Stop it! Stop it! Please!"
But it didn't stop...

~~~

Letty's Story:

Hell to Heaven

By Leticia

Leticia has written her story in a fictional third-person format that makes it so much easier for readers to enter her world. For instance, Leticia is a beautiful woman, but with the story written as it is, Letty is just the main character and is described as any character would be. She is able to share her pain, inner turmoil and feelings in an open, more realistic fashion. Readers will learn that this is a true story, written under a pseudonym for protection of the real people involved...

I found the novel very believable, so much so that I had/have a question for the author. Why did she subjugate her own story under her husband's in the second half of the book? Perhaps as a single woman, this was much more apparent to me, but since we are about the same age, it immediately struck me that her life was lived much more traditionally than my own. While I was troubled that Letty did not continue her wonderful work as a nurse after marriage, or if she did, it was not covered, I realized that in the role she was then in, it was, perhaps, entirely appropriate... Still, readers should be aware that the second half, in my opinion, which, of course, is not an appropriate way to evaluate the book, is really the story of Letty's husband, Ron. While her husband led a extremely challenging life, I personally would have like to have seen the entire story from Letty's perspective. Perhaps since my life has never been merged into one, it does make a difference...LOL??? Still, for many professionally involved women who are leaders and innovators, this is pointed out for their benefit as well... And, it makes the third-person choice a brilliant alternative to a true biography.

Another thought that crosses my mind in thinking about the book is that the title is probably not the best choice. Leticia was never a Letty-type of person and you will quickly ascertain that. She's intelligent, ambitious, street-smart--a survivor, and a very determined woman of God...

She was just 5 when her home was bombed by the Japanese and her world changed completely. At first she was all alone as the building was struck and it was only later, after the bombing stopped, the planes left, that help came to rescue her from her room...

She had endured everything alone, hurt, until the loud sounds left, so that what she now heard was bells, sirens, and...never-ending screams! Innocently as she went looking for her lost doll, she found herself right in the midst of those that we walking the streets, looking for love ones, and more...

...as if awakened from a dreamlike state,
she said, "Where's my dolly?"
...She slipped out of auntie's house and started to walk home but was able to only walk slowly, partly because her legs hurt and partly because there was scattered debris and crumbled houses everywhere and that smell that now was mixed with smells of ask and charred wood.
There were many of her neighbors milling around, some of whom had their faced locked in blank expressionless stares and who just gently pushed her aside when she asked if they had seen her dolly, and still others who
were crying and either didn't answer her or became angry with her when she asked...
Then, she saw something shining through the haphazardly strewn boards and debris, the bright sun glittering in all directions off it...She moved the wood away and saw a beautiful golden bracelet on a woman's wrist that did not move. Somebody was in this large pile of wood! If she could get the woman out, maybe she would help her find her doll. Excited, she began to dig and move the debris, and then she grabbed the woman's hand--it was stiff and did not respond to her touch. She pulled harder, and suddenly the hand and bracelet were free, coming straight to the little girl and landing in her lap as she fell backward...The little girl screamed incessantly, panic-
stricken. There was no one attached to the hand! Her sobs were uncontrollable...
~~~

It was after it was announced that MacArthur was leaving Manila, that Leticia's story changed again...

First, the Japanese came and school became a place to learn the culture, and demands, of that country. Bartering was the only way to keep alive and Leticia quickly became adept at both making bargains and then, as she called it, "taxing" the Japanese for what food they were taking from the family... Soon, though, her father decided they needed to leave and go to their parents' farm. But then, Leticia was left alone and both parents had left to go back to the city.

The only thing that saved that time for Leticia was that she had discovered the desire and power in reading... As well as a grandmother who loved her...

There were family issues that kept coming up and Leticia found herself being shipped around to the homes of various relatives. She was able to pick up some knowledge of nursing, which was to lead to her future career...but, even that, had a tragic incident to overcome. She was only 11 when her aunt started sending her out to homes needing health assistance--the need was too great for just one person. But she was told to first visit a family with a very ill child. It had died while she tried to save it...and the parents knowing how hard she had tried, asked her to baptize the baby! Even then she was wise enough to know that it was more important that it be done than who was saying the words, so she repeated what she'd remembered from the one baptism she'd attended...

Leticia looked upward and raising her eyes to heaven said, "Please, God, forgive me for everything that I have ever done to displease you, and please allow me to help this little baby come to you without sin." Leticia then put her thumb in the water and with it, made the sign of the cross on the baby's forehead, saying at the same time, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May God have mercy on your and receive you into His loving arms free of sin, amen."

Almost at the moment Leticia finished, a last breath was heard from the baby, its body went limp in her arms, and the tiny hands and arms that had so desperately clung to Leticia's white coat slowly fell away to dangle lifelessly toward the floor. The little baby was dead...

After she left the little cottage, Leticia began to walk faster and faster, and then she started to run, dropping her medical bag to run still faster. Eventually, she could run no more and just flopped down to sit on the roadside. With tears still streaming down her young face, she just sat there looking down in the dirt.

Then, she looked up into the sky, her eyes searching the clouds for the face of her God. Her own face slowly became contorted in anguish, her mouth hung wide open for many seconds without uttering a sound, and then letting out a long, pitiful cry of pain that came down from the very depths of her soul, she screamed, "Why-y-y" that seemed to hand onto the wind, echoing in the countryside forever.

~~~

Leticia pushed herself hard and finally made it through nursing school and quickly moved up until she was charge nurse...That's when Ron, her future husband entered her life... Her

reaction at that time was to call him an idiot... But he persevered and soon they were spending all of their time together, ultimately marrying. Ron's story becomes predominant at this point, with him going through years and years of schooling, each time completing everything successfully and gaining a professional reputation that was hard to match... But then his parents and his brother died from illnesses that he could not cure... What should have been many years of a successful practice and marriage changed into another world... When the stock exchange collapsed, the couple was faced with bankruptcy as others in the nation. It was clear that Ron was a brilliant man--Leticia was his greatest fan and supporter... The ideas came rapidly and continued...and some readers may benefit from some of this part of the story regarding "Money..."

Truly, this is an amazingly inspirational book that will touch individual readers in different ways, I am sure.  One thing that is undeniable was that this couple was totally committed to God, each other, and to having a loving successful life.

If you enjoy reading real life stories, biographies or memoirs, you should check this out right away... An unbelievable revelation of a woman who  tackled every obstacle that was thrown at her, and kept playing defense on behalf of her husband whenever he needed--and vice versa, as well! A truly romantic and heartwarming love story!

GABixlerReviews

Leticia is a registered nurse who was trained at Hahnemann, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Martland Medical Center, Newark, New Jersey. Her current residence is Missouri. She has been married for 44 years.

Nick Sevano's Personal Relationship to Frank Sinatra Provides "True" Insider Revelations!

Sinatra: His Story From an Insider

By Nick Sevano and Ted Schwarz

"Another Frank Sinatra book? How could you write another Frank Sinatra book? Doesn't everyone know everything that ever happened to the guy? Earl Wilson, one of the greatest entertainment industry columnists of the twentieth century, wrote about Frank, as did Kitty Kelley, a top investigative biographer. Kitty even interviewed me, as did dozens of documentary makers, authors, and magazine writers. What more is left to be said?...In truth, there is so much more that I could have made this book into two volumes. You see, the truth that every writer has faced over the years is that one way or another, almost no one wanted to tell all they knew about Frank while he or his most loyal friends, such as Jilly Rizzo, were still alive...I was with Sinatra from the beginning. I was there at the end. And the people who might have been hurt by the truth, people who, in some instances, would stop at nothing to keep it quiet, are all now dead. That is why I decided to write this book and set the record straight. Frank Sinatra? You just thought you knew him.    --Nick Sevano 

",,,wasn't a game or an action meant to get himself in trouble. He moved them both and could think of no better way to move from one to the other without wasting time. He eventually recorded a song that had such lyrics as "If I'm not with the girl that I love, I love the girl I'm with." People thought it was a novelty number. It wasn't. That was more typical of Frank than when he sang, "I did it my way..."

I never was what you typically say a fan is--I never read about the lives of singers I enjoyed hearing, nor really cared about them. Let's face it, though, Frank Sinatra--everybody knows the name! Or at least have heard him sing, even though they may not recognize the owner of that voice...

But that's pretty hard to do as well. Most people instantly recognize when Frank Sinatra was singing!

I'm also not a swooner...LOL! This book discusses the millions of mostly women who would swoon for Frank...It also talks about how some of those swooners were trained (which probably still happens?) although I was watching a little of a concert on PBS and saw even sophisticated women, all dressed up for a fancy concert, swooning just like we see the fans standing right in front of the stages all over the world.. Music does that... But when the voice is also magnetic, it becomes all about the individual artist doing the singing!

"Frank was also a funny looking kid, a scrawny punk
who was forever getting mocked in bars. The girls
came on to him because of his image--the kid who
sometimes sang from the bandstand, was well dressed,
had a car, and seemed to have money. Few, if any,
seemed to care about Frank himself.
"Did Frank know it? I have no idea. His hunger for
women and his inability to stay with any of them for
long probably related.
"Sinatra was also something more--angry, frequently
depressed, prone to temper tantrums, and some people
would say that was his good side.  I saw all that and
hated that side of him as much as anybody. But I saw
something more. I saw a guy who truly loved his family
in those days, even if he was too much of a jerk to be
faithful to Nancy. I saw a guy who could be generous
to anyone in need. I saw a guy who have genuine
compassion for anyone who was critized because of
race, politics, or religious beliefs. I also saw someone
who was intensely sensitive to it as well, who sometimes
read hostility into an incident where the person he
thought was looking at him as a "dago" or "guinea"
probably couldn't have cared less..."
~~~

I therefore found it very interesting to learn that Frank was not an immediate success... In fact, his mother would often pay the club where he was going to sing who then paid Frank... Or he would provide transportation and support to other groups who performed, trading his work to be permitted to sing a few songs...

Frank's mother's story was also surprising, especially since it was during the time that Italian immigrants were still facing discrimination. Dolly Sinatra was able to become a powerful leader in the community, both politically, and socially, even to the point where she was the woman frightened girls or families came to when a young girl had a special need for assistance. If she didn't handle it herself, she would go with them to the hospital and force them to respond to their needs. What shocked me was not that abortions were occurring, but that the hospitals were doing the discrimination because of nationality!

http://tnaron.wordpress.com/2007/09/1
8/take-the-cookie-i-meet-the-sinatra-family/

It was also his mother who began pressing for his first marriage to Nancy Barbato! According to custom, if a boy was spending time with just one girl--and it reached a time that a decision should be made about their future, that choice no longer belonged to the couple! Nancy and Frank were great friends, but were they "both" in love? Nevertheless they married and began to have children. Nancy, his first daughter of course, became Frank's real and first true  love when she was born

"Frank's ego was always one step ahead of his skills..." Well, I think that is true for all of us but the drive, the determination, and the willingness to do what it takes has to be the most important factors in Frank's success. When he finally was able to obtain music lessons, it was then that his voice began to gain the maturity that we all came to know...

Of course, big bands were "the thing" during the time he was becoming more accepted as a professional but being the "boy singer" wasn't exactly how he saw himself, of course!

Sevano credits much to the person, George Evans, we would now call his agent, his publicist. But, I don't know, it seems to me that those who become fans of stars really want to participate, whether somebody is prodding them or not. Certainly during the war, when Frank's health issues prevented him from become a member of the armed forces, many women saw Frank as a surrogate, someone to "love," to remind them of their missed loved ones...

www.dailymail.co.uk

And then Frank met and fell in love--forever (!!!)--with Ava. But, let's face it everybody, who wouldn't?!!! She was indeed a beautiful women! But did you notice she looks something like this wife?

Obviously, I've just shared a few samples of what is included in the book and have not touched on things like The Rat Pack, the mob connection, Frank Jr.'s kidnapping and so much more...Right up to "My Way"! Visit my blog for pics and videos. I had to laugh when I listened to one of the videos used on my blog when he starts by saying that they would start with the national anthem...and then sang "My Way"--his most well known song. Or, at least one that everybody knows that it was Frank that first made it so well known.

I really enjoyed this book! He was a little older than me so that many of his songs and early events and connections were just names that I've heard. Still, they were well known and readers can easily place, perhaps, their own lives in relation to Frank's insider personal story by Nick Sevano...

Don't miss this one! It's well done. Seems very inclusive about topics you may have "heard about" but didn't know any real details. So if you're a Sinatra Fan or Swooner...you probably will swoon just reading it! LOL By the way, there are no pictures in the book. This is telling the story, not doing pictorial publicity...I thought that was important, since we can always find pics on the Internet, but not necessarily, the truth, as understood by friends...

GABixlerReviews

The Voice Everybody Remembers!

About the Authors:

The late Nick Sevano was more than a confidant in Sinatra's professional career and in private life. Nick saw it all and has reported well and fully beyond any other biography.

Ted Schwarz, on the other hand, is the author of several books, and has become an expert in the lives of many stars, including Sinatra.

Jonathan Anthony Burkett Speaks Out For Many Children in Neglected But Undefeated...

“Faith doesn’t get you around problems in life and relationships, it gets you through it.”

http://www.localyte.com

Note: This is not a picture of the author...but I thought this child looked like what Jonathan might have looked like while he lived with his grandparents in Jamaica...

"I have learned a lot about the importance of doing good and not bad from my grandparents, but I still did not really care until grandma started locking me inside the house. Nevertheless, I still did whatever, whenever, because all I had to do was call on Doctor and he would help me and then talk to me about the things I was doing wrong. Like stealing fruits and vegetables from another person's yard.

"I drove around a lot with my grandfather because he was like a taxi driver and I loved driving his car. Mario Kart, the video game, was not enough for me; I wanted to experience what it was like to drive in real life. So whenever I went out with him, I sat on his lap and grabbed the steering wheel.

"While I was the driver, I listened to music, moving and jumping up and down while my grandfather pressed on the gas and brake pedals. People looked at us as if we were crazy because we would drive fast with four hands on the steering wheel.

"I loved being with grandfather... However, holding me close one day on his lap, Doctor told me something like this: 'I love you and will be with you always, Jack. When one man says I hate you, remember, Jack, I love you. If you ever need me, call me, because I am here for you. Do not run from any man or problems or else many more may come your way...

~~~

Neglected But Undefeated

The Life of a Boy Who Never Knew

 a Mother's Love...

By Jonathan Anthony Burkett

I wanted to share this review on Friday so those who read it will have the opportunity to spend time over the weekend thinking... thinking about a little boy who never knew a mother's love...

Now, my father was killed while my mother carried me, so you could say that I never had a father's love...

But, you see, Jonathan's mother was living in the same house at the time...

This is the story of a little boy who was pulled out of the arms of loving grandparents, brought to America, and lived in hell thereafter... It is not a story that is easy to read... But if you care about children, you...simply...must...

"I was just staring at her, knowing what was coming, and I was right. She began walking away while tell me to wait right there in the living room for her. Next thing I knew, she came back with an extension cord that had been connected to the television..."Stretch out your hand," she then told me.
"Why?" I asked.
"You don't need to know why. I'm your mother, and what I tell you to do, you must do it without any if, ands, or buts," my mother replied.
"I stretched it out, and then immediately--whop! The pain was unbelievable. The sting had me going crazy and screaming. I put my hand between my legs as I tried to fight the pain. Tears began coming out of my eyes like crazy, and I couldn't even think of what I should do to get myself out of this.
"She ended up hitting me about ten more times, which made me drop to the floor because I was in so much pain, and then she sent me to my bedroom and told me to stand in the corner until she told me I could move. When I looked at my arms, I saw that my skin was swelling up with the imprint of the extension cord on it.
"And hour later she came into my room, turned off the lights, and told me good night.
"Can I go to sleep now?" I asked.
"No. Bad boys deserve to be punished, so you're going to stand right there in the corner until you drop down and die," she replied.
"I don't know what time it was in the middle of the night, but I got tired of standing. So I sat down right there in the corner and then fell asleep.
"In the morning, when she saw me in the corner sleeping, my mother didn't even say good morning or ask if I was all right. She just began beating me, saying, "Didn't I tell you to stand in the corner?"
~~~

Jonathan's story of abuse makes up the majority of this book. It was obviously cathartic for him, and may be for many others. But it is clear that God was watching this boy. I don't know how he survived, he did and the ending of his book includes a beautiful testimony. 

Jonathan began to write to relieve some of the tension of his life. The most memorable thing for me is when his grandfather called to speak to Jonathan and his mother did not allow it. His beloved grandfather died shortly thereafter, but nobody told Jonathan, explained anything to him...He had lost the one person in his life who had provided him unconditional life.

Kicked out of his home quite often, it was fortunate that Jonathan was well liked by the people around him--his friends would take him in. But he often walked the streets... Jonathan was a child from rape and his mother never let him forget it, often calling him by his real father's name while she beat him. He did have a stepfather, but he was not strong enough to deal with what was going on...

This is an extremely well written biography, so well written that there is nothing to distract readers from the horror of this boy's life. But, then you read his strong words... he is "Undefeated!" This book needs to be read; this story needs to be shared... Even if you cry while you read most of it, like I did...

GABixlerReviews

Jonathan Anthony Burkett was born February 1, 1987. He is a brightoutstanding writer inspired by many, as he continues to struggle in life. Devoted for achievement in his lifetime, he is willing to take any test. He told himself, that he would never give up no matter the trials and tribulations. He decided to write to help him move towards a bright future for himself; and because he knows that's what his Grandparents want for him.

Jonathan Anthony Burkett life changed dramatically the year 2005 after he had survived a surgery that, he was told would better his life. Miraculously it did, along with his mind about life. A young man now, dedicated towards achieving goals in life, without his GED/High School Diploma, he had now looked at himself as in the world.

Having the urge now to get himself back into school to get either his GED/High School Diploma, Jonathan held back from it because his mind was to blocked up with all of the problems that he was having still in his life. After days of thinking about how he was going to handle all of his living problems, he had gotten the idea to just find a good job, and to save up until he was able to provide everything that he needed, so that he may feel uplifted and then ready to strive for success. However, mistakes were made and jobless he became once again. That’s when he remembered what he had told himself, what he wanted to do if he survived his surgery, and that was to share his life story with the world for many to see how  merciful our father God is, to his children.

In the future Jonathan will be of course writing more books along with having goals on becoming a scriptwriter, songwriter, actor and more things that he loves to do as doors begin to open up for him.

Patiently Jonathan is still waiting, for if it was meant to be, victory will be in one of his open doors that he, will someday walk right through.