Foleydog's blog

The Permanent Racial Divide

I rarely read a work of fiction or non-fiction that transforms my perception of life.  Last week, I read that book: Thomas Shapiro's The Hidden Cost of Being African-American.

Though, this was not likely his intent, it shows that absent some sort of catalyst, there will never been racial parity, integration, or class equality in the United States.

Looking at the use of transformative assets, which lift many whites beyond their earning capacity, the tipping point of integration for most whites, and the costs associated with being African-American and segregated, Shapiro convincingly explains the divide between most Americans.

Erin Aubry Kaplan, a black columnist for the Los Angeles Times, could well benefit from the reading of this book.  In her February 15th column, Fear Takes Flight, Kaplan is dismayed that her black, middle-class neighbor is moving from the Century Heights section of Inglewood to -- anyplace else.

I learned the hard way that living in a black neighborhood can cost you.  When selling our remodeled West Adams home, which had been such a bargain, there were few takers. 

Sure, a few white families looked at our home, but none were willing to take the plunge and spend almost eight hundred thousand dollars on a house in a black neighborhood. 

The first clue that this would happen was when I would visit open houses in our neighborhood and the groups of people visiting the homes were smaller and smaller numbers of well-heeled blacks as the prices spiraled upwards.

Yet owning that home, may have cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars in 'appreciation.'  Many of my visiting acquaintances, after overcoming their irrational fear of being shot in a random drive by, would comment -- "Oh, what a lovely home.  If this were in any other neighborhood, it would be worth millions of dollars."

And if you follow Shapiro's well documented evidence.  It's true.  Lost equity, is just one of the costs of being African-American.  Aubry Kaplan's neighbor has just realized that -- and is taking action.

Bottom line, this book has saved me months, if not years of hand wringing.  The reasons for segregation and failing urban schools have been a mystery for me.  If, supposedly, the minds of whites have changed, then why were separation and unequal schools so pervasive, I pondered?

The answer can be summed up, I think, in one insidious code phrase used by too many I know, "It's for the children."

Translation.  "It's for our white, privileged, children -- and if yours suffer -- well, that's America."

Quick Book Review

From Tavis Smiley to Dr. Phil. I bought this book, because Lynnette Khalfani was the first black woman I'd heard interviewed who'd writting on a subject close to my heart -- Zero Debt. I bought this book because it wasn't available at my library and Khalfani was on Tavis Smiley that evening when I was driving home. This book is no more helpful than Oprah money guru -- Suze Orman's book. I'm loaded down with student debt from college and law school and I'm always on the look out for a solution to ridding myself of that mortgage sized monthly payments. It turns out when you've pared your life down to the bone, a book like this isn't helpful. The advice is helpful if you're hanging by your fingernails on the edge fielding calls from evil bill collectors. For those of us trying to get rid of 'good' debt -- I'm still looking for a book with a good solution. She has one good point, though -- don't live your life pared to the bone because there isn't anything to give up when you're in financial trouble. Check out the book below:

Enough Counter Intelligence

This weekend I had the pleasure of meeting an author, Carl Chu, at the Chinese Food Festival, in Chinatown. I ate lots of tiny roe filled fish, and met this man. He's the author of Finding Chinese Food in Los Angeles. This humorous little book is to be commended. It does what I could never get from Counter Intelligence. It has humor, great dish recommendations, and most importantly -- three indices -- restaurants by location, by cuisine, and alphabetically. This is so important, because there's nothing more discouraging than driving around in an unfamiliar area trying to find restaurants and the guide you carry in your car is organized alphabetically. Who needs and ABC Pho listing when you're in Westwood?

Let them Eat Cake

Well this week turned out to be much better book wise. Last week, I was sure the librarians were conspiring against me. This week is much better so far. The second book I read, Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray. It was about baking (and love, finding yourself, etc.), but the part I enjoyed most was the baking. Now with a new (and functioning) kitchen, I was off . . . . Inspired, today, I made a Sweet Potato Bundt Cake with Spiked Sugar Glaze. I don't get to taste it, because I'd be as big as a house -- but it looks good. Here's a peek: I'll let you know if the folks (who don't yet know they're getting a cake), enjoy it!

Random Name Generator

This summer, I joined a writing group, led by a published novel writer. It was the jump start I needed to get my ass back in gear on the book I'm writing. One of the biggest hurdles I encountered this summer was naming my characters. Noel, the group leader was not a fan of my character names -- too cutesy, I think. His suggestion was to pull names from the phone book. I, however, live in Los Angeles -- the book's locale Cleveland. As Cleveland has no large Latino or Korean population as my neighborhood does, the names from the phone book weren't really working out. The best solution I found are on-line name generators. They gather first and last names from the U.S. Census and the Social Security Death Index and spit out random names. This has been a great little tool. You can generate hundreds of names at a time, male or female, common or obscure. Little did I know, however, that these tools were used for nefarious purposes . . . . I just learned that they are primarily used by spammers to generate realistic sounding names . . . so you'll open those dreaded e-mails that sell you 28 million e-mail addresses or endless supplies of Viagra or V*agra as it's often spelled these days. When the book gets published, I hope you're not reading about a character, get a niggling feeling, check your e-mail, and find out some Cleveland mom is selling you prescription meds.

The Usual Rules

A pretty good book. I would recommend it. The best part, the main character Wendy and her 'Zest for Life.' The worst part -- the authors lack of quotation marks.

Writing or Reading

I think writing a book is a lot easier than trying to pick out a good one to read. I've just finished two books, both of which were only so-so. The first, theNanny Diaries. This is one of those books that everyone in New York is talking about. No, no one in L.A. Just New Yorkers. It's about the nanny world of upper east side New York. It's like a Jackie Collins novel for the old money crowd. Yes, yes WASPs with money are as neurotic as the rest of us. Sometimes, I don't miss New York. The other book I finished -- you see I was reading both at the same time because each was equall boring -- A Town Named Paradise It was a bit of a legal thriller/romance. Now, generally I'm forgiving of mistakes in legal procedure in books. But this, was frankly annoying on many levels. The author is British, and writing about a town in upstate, New York, aptly named Paradise. An overworked corporate lawyer quits her New York City, returning to her grandmother and hometown of Paradise, New York. On the night of her arrival, a small child is raped and murdereed, and her innocent neighbor is charged with the crime. You know what happens next. Not only was this tome predictable, but it had scenes where the main character was frantically researching and thinking very hard to come up with a good defense angle -- does she make any discovery motions, no, that would have ended the book all too quickly. So, I've been working on my own novel, which I find far more interesting. Unfortunately, I'm having the same problem, I've always had when writing. I enjoy entertaining others, but I don't get entertained myself. I'd love if I could pick up my book on a library shelf and immerse myself . . . . I'm always looking, so if you have any good book ideas, let me know.

L.A. Libraries

In Los Angeles, 'L.A. Library' is an oxymoron akin to 'small crowd,' or 'democratic leadership.' As an avid reader, I had worked out the perfect reading system. Read books you like, use Amazon.com's: people who've read this book have also purchased, for new book ideas, open up a new browser window, request those books from your local library branch, then wait for the phone call signaling your book is there, and you're able to read what you want, no fuss no muss. No endless browsing at bookstores or libraries, and best of all, my system was free. For several years, this was how I chose books, but my system's breaking down . . . The reason: The L.A. Library system. For much of my life, my local library has been like a constant companion. I go once or twice a week, get my ne w books, return others, pay my fines . . . but now there's been a glitch in my otherwise perfect system. That glitch, I've moved to a city where reading has been relegated to a grade school hobby. Many of the local libraries are next door to, or across the street from elementary, junior high, and high schools. This wouldn't be bad, but most are open during hours when school is in session, 11:00 AM or so until 5:30 PM, a small window for working folks. The last problem is the worst, cause I can resolve to go to the library during the day, avoiding collisions with SUV weilding moms on cell phones -- the biggest problem, there aren't very many books. Now, when I mentioned this to my husband, he thought I was exaggerating, 'til I brought him there on a rare day off. The library is filled with computers hooked up to the Internet, movies on VHS and DVD, and a few books. Titles include, Catcher in the Rye, Bleak House, the Great Gatsby, and other old standards we read in junior high and high school. The lastest fiction and non-fiction are virtually non-existant. Visits to two library branches were the first time I saw empty library shelves. I know, I know, you're saying to yourself, but you said your reading system involved reading books you specifically requested. Well, that's true, but you see, the lack of books effects my perfect little system. Why you ask, because often when I place a hold or request on a book, there's one or two books available for circulation, and two, three hundred requests. I'm still waiting for books I requested in February. The solution, I don't yet know. Currently, I'm trying the Beverly Hills Public Library, which has a great browsing section, but charges seventy five cents per request. I've also, started buying stuff from Amazon. But these solutions are not free -- I'll get back to you when I have the perfect free solution.

Belva Plain, Alice McDermott and other standard bearers

Recently a record company executive said of newly signed talent, that they really only have one record in them. He surmised that artists could put their entire life experience into lyrics and music. But when it comes to that second CD, the artists only have a year and a half to put into it . . . and it shows. Sometimes I think the same can be said of authors. An editor remarked in Publisher's Weekly a few years ago, that the best authors are those with one book in the can, and two new books already outlined. As I do most weeks, I visited the Beverly Hills Public Library for my weekly fiction fix. The pickings were slim, so I chose two authors I have previously read, Belva Plain, and Alice McDermott. While I'm not looking for a book that's going to change my life, I figured it would be enough to entertain me during those bored moments. No luck. Unfortunately, I had to put down the Belva Plain book, Her Father's House. Why? Well . . . the book started in the late sixties, early seventies, yet folks had answering machines and other modern gadgets. Next, the story, you ask? A father kidnaps his own child, lies to the child, the child finds out . . . you know a 'ripped from the headlines' type story, not told particularly interestingly. So I put that down and moved on to an Alice McDermott novel, Child of My Heart, which recollects the main characters Irish, working-class upbringing, like that hasn't been done to death. Sometimes you go back to authors you've read before in the same way you revisit familiar restaurants. Nevertheless, I think it's time to break out of the comfort zone and read something new. Suggestions would be welcome.