The Complete Guide to African-American Baby Names

See Larger Image	Manufacturer: Signet Written By: Linda Keister Average Customer Rating:


Binding: Paperback Dewey Decimal Number: 929.408996073 EAN: 9780451190826 ISBN: 0451190823 Label: Signet Manufacturer: Signet Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 400 Publication Date: 1998-05-01 Publisher: Signet Studio: Signet
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Editorial Reviews: From ancient Africa to the Caribbean to the contemporary United States, The Complete Guide to African- American Baby Names is a comprehensive study that includes not only the pronunciation of each name, but the history of the culture from which the name originated, and facts about noted African-Americans.
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: An inspiring, thorough name guide Comment: This is the best book of African American names I found, after reviewing quite a few. Lots of the others limit themselves to African names, and while I can see their usefulness I was also interested in unusual, created names. This book is unique because it includes only the names of actual African Americans who filled out questionnaires in person or on the internet. It includes unusual, unique, and created names alongside traditional African and European names, with a definition and country of origin listed for every name from Swahili to Scottish. There are also lots of boxes in the text describing historical or famous people who shared the name. Overall I think this is the best Afican American name book out there and I look forward to a second edition incorporating the new names that people are sure to send the author! Customer Rating: Summary: A lovely personal history of names Comment: This unique book is best appreciated as an informal cultural history rather than a what-to-name-your-baby guide. Each name in the book is linked to at least one real individual, giving the book a personal "oral history" feeling. As a practical name guide...well, the author is a bit too loving and celebretory toward her subjects to serve as a guide. She's hesitant to categorize anything, and a little over-eager to find African origins for invented names. (Come on, not everything is a form of Aisha!) But that doesn't detract from the book's core strengths and the warmth that pervades every page. Great for inspirational browsing. Customer Rating: Summary: Perfect Timing Comment: What a great time for this book. Parents are constantly trying to come up with unique names for their newborns. This is the perfect "baby shower" gift. Like the title says, it's complete and offers some truly different alternatives as well as traditional names to parents-to-be. It is the kind of book that will remain in families and be passed on to their newlywed couples. Customer Rating: Summary: Book Defies Naming Comment: This book is a beautiful creation, not a mere listing.I think a good subtitle for it would have been: "Magic words and personal histories." Ms. Keister's opus manages to be both scholarly and fun, worth reading on its own whether or not you have a new baby to name. I enjoyed getting the chance to look over the author's shoulder as she recalls conceiving, (extensively) researching and writing the book. Her subjects (every name represents an actual individual) come alive for me. I particularly enjoyed the bits of history and sociology in the "Did You Know" shorts sprinkled throughout the book. The author's perfectionism and nice style add to the pleasantness of the journey through time and language. Who's Minnie Lee Jones, and why did so many African Americans of a certain era name their children Moses? How did the Tiger get his nickname? Make sure you "read the book and find out." It's a little paperback with a deceptively simple cover, full of nice surprises. I wish I'd written it. Cathie O. Schoultz Customer Rating: Summary: A find! Scholarship makes it better than other name books Comment: This book is a find! Most name books read like the yellow pages but The Complete Guide to African-American Baby Names gives you a grounding in the name, its history, its African roots. There are lots of small "featurettes" on the background of some famous people and their names.Keister has done her research. A serious fun book! More Reviews