Ungolden Silence... The hardest book I have ever recommended strongly. You must read this

Book Review of Ungolden Silence by Lydia E. Brew

Title – Ungolden Silence

Format – Print & Ebook

Genre - Fiction

Publisher - Xlibris

Release Date – 2008

Website - www.ungoldensilence.com

Email – leco@wt.net

Book Review:

So I know you are thinking… there is something different about this review and I just started reading.  You are 100% right!  I usually give the synopsis and author information before the review, but in this book I had to put the review first.

Let me start off by saying that this book was amazing.. and horrible, an easy read and a very hard read, fascinating and terrifying.  Yes contradictory.

This book is well written, easy to read and follows the life of a woman and the people who love her.  It is about abuse and rape and how it impacts not only this woman but everyone who loves her and how this rape impacted everyone.  This made it a difficult read, yet in a way I was glad I read it.  Hard as it was to read about this topic, the story made me think and I glad I read it.  We need to make this topic less taboo and more about the crime.  I will be asking my 16 year old daughter to read this and then talking about it with her.  No I am not wanting her to read about rape and hear about these things, but I do want her to know that no matter what happens talking about it is the right thing.

I think every woman and man should read this book.  I think serious judicial  concern and effort should be made before any young person reads it.  While this is a topic we need to talk about and remove the stigma attached to the victim, not every young person could handle the topic.  My daughter can and we will talk about it (she is 16).  I need her to know that talking about it is the right thing and that no matter what happens, she can always tell me anything.

Despite the difficult read and the emotional toll this book took on me, I highly recommend everyone read it.  There is a quote in the book that sums this feeling up:

            ““Silence is not golden. It is not golden at all when it allows people to do things that are wrong.”

I give this book4 out of 5 clouds because of the emotional toll it takes on the reader, but I give it 5 out of 5 clouds for making you sit up and pay attention.

Book Synopsis:

Ungolden Silence will explore the world of rape and expose the myths through articles that are based on facts. The main question that needs to be answered is why one human being would rape another human being. These reasons are explored in a compelling story that will make the reader ask questions. Beatrice James wanted to take her co-worker Elaine on her first professional trip, she had to convince her employers and Elaine’s parents that she wanted to take Elaine on the trip. Elaine was in charge of the campaign.

Thomas Paige is a well-respected community leader, however, there is whole other side of side of him. The man can be charming when he needs to be and that is why he can get away with sexually harassing and raping women. He began to harassed Beatrice did not want Elaine to have to deal with it. Beatrice did not want to deal with the fact that she was being sexually harassed.

When any crime takes place, the families of the victims as well as the criminal are involved. Ungolden Silence will illustrate that the criminal is a real person, and rarely does he commit crimes just for the fun of it.

It is important to know that rape is a part of violence. Through the characters of Ungolden Silence it is hoped that society will begin to find a way to eliminate the acceptance of violence, which includes the act of rape.

It is through Beatrice, Elaine, and their colleagues that Ungolden Silence begins to explore the world of rape. Each of the main characters discovers what he has believed about rape and violence is not entirely true. A good example of this is when the firm’s secretary is told what happened on the trip. She discovered that some things that she was told when she was young was a myth.

Through all of the characters, Ungolden Silence offers an alternative to the everyday acceptance of violence. When it comes to rape, it tells us that the rapists are human beings and there is a way to curb the crime.

What does the author wants the reader to take away is that the story is about a woman was rape while she and her business partner was away on a business trip. Her business partner is disabled but that is an important part of the story. However, it is not the main story.

Book Excerpt (yes this can be read by all):

This is at end and this is a part of a speech that its being given at a launch of a magazine on domestic violence.

Shara stepped to the microphone and said “Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Attitudes must change if this problem is going to be solved. I went to Washington the second that I heard Beatrice had been raped. The firm had a limo for Elaine and Beatrice so that Elaine could be as independent as possible. When I got to Washington, the rape and the act that a “community leader” was accused of rape was a major story. The limo driver just knew that the lady was a hooker, and he was mad. Again, it was the victim’s fault. This driver did not have the facts. Why didn’t I set him straight? Well. I thought I had to protect Beatrice’s privacy right?”

“Right,” the crowd answers slowly.

“NO, WRONG, ladies and gentlemen. This is what we are talking about; wrong because RAPE IS A CRIME! When it comes to sexual harassment or anything about sexual dysfunction, we don’t listen, we don’t tell. It is personal, private. NO! It is a crime and everybody needs to tell the world. Beatrice was not the first female that the man raped not even close to the first.”

“Each case of rape is different. In Beatrice’s case, this man was chasing her all the time that she was in Washington. Am I blaming her? To a degree, yes.”

“The audience seemed repulsed; “People. Please understand that what is being said here tonight is known by all people in the firm, especially top team members. I am not saying this to hurt my colleague. This is to make you see and understand what we are saying. The man who raped her stalked her all week. The women who saw the “bad” side of him kept quiet. That enabled him to cause more pain. He used that silence, and his list of victims got longer and longer. The women kept silent because they did not want to face the attitude that we as a society give them; oh, it was nothing. It was something when Mr. Paige touched my colleague inappropriately the second they were alone. She did not want him. We must allow women to say what they do and do not want men to do to their bodies. We must change the attitude about sexual problems, and we must listen when a woman is trying to get a man to stop. When a woman says a man is bothering her, we must hear and make sure the man understands that he must stop.”

Author Information:

Lydia E. Brew was born with cerebral palsy but has not allowed her physical limitations to stand in her way. Her writing also provides insights into the world of the physically challenged. She graduated from Texas Southern University where she received The Society of Professional Journalist Sigma Chi Citation for Achievement. She was a member of the drama club and pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Under the leadership of one of her journalism professors, Miss Brew penned her first book Edith, The Story of Edith Irby Jones, M.D. about the first African-American to graduate from The Arkansas School of Medicine. Upon finishing college, Miss Brew worked with the Houston Association of Black Journalists. She is a Christian and attends St. Timothy’s United Methodist Church.

Miss Brew founded Lydia’s Educational and Charitable Organization (LECO) when she decided to encourage young people to write. LECO did this by sponsoring a yearly contest in which the contestant had to write about positive role models who were alive and from the Houston area. Each student who wrote an eligible essay was given a certificate of participation. Winning writers received cash prizes.

Her second book Our Learn Together Book is based on the biography of Dr. Jones. It tells her story in a simplified format on one page and allows the child to writes his biography on the other. There are activities in the back where children can learn developmental skills and older children can learn to do research.