Samuel Leon Dumas Conversations with my children — Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2023
Read about the ‘far accomplishments’ of a mother of four and what the conversations meant to her and to her children throughout her family’s struggles in a life of happenstance and history. Review with the author how she gained greater wisdom through each conversation; and see how from subject to subject and from year to year they re-bridged their relationship and gained new values from each purposeful engagement.
No doubt her educational advancements helped her keep things together, which she took in hand during the same time she was singly trying to lead her family up and down roads of economic diversity. However, while she excelled and learned much during her academic advancements, they were not what guided the flow of these conversations with her children. In order to help her children succeed and escape, she knew each conversation must be, had to be, the healthiest kind of conversation.
A good take-away from Mitchelle’s book, for most readers, could be: Having ‘just’ conversations with your children these days about life, and the economical foundations of ethnic struggles, is most often not always the ‘only’ conversations. Read here in “Modern Conversations” the heart-warming communications between parent and child—and child and parent—about ‘some of the rest of the stories’ that go on in a modern black family.
Michele — Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2023
It was a good read and captured my attention fully would love a second and third book .
Amazon Customer — Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2023
There are a lot of books out there that recount experiences of hardships, but Mitchell Harvey’s bool may may be proof of a new method of storytelling that I have yet to read elsewhere. Michelle goes beyond recalling stories. Instead you can read a different version of who Michelle is in nearly every chapter. It was shocking to find myself in an exhange with Michelle as a young girl. The way she was able to convey injustices at different ages helped me better understand these injustices and how I might see injustices through not only the wisdom of Michelle but through the eyes of a little girl, a teenager, a young professional, a parent, or a colleague.
People never forget the way you make them feel and Modern Conversations of A Slave Mother achieves placing a feeling of empathy and understanding long after the last word is read. Once you see racism you cannot unsee it. Mitchell shares resiliency, hope, and humanity as well.
Stephanie W — Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2023
Harvey invites readers into her novel with reflective stories of faith, strength, and overcoming adversities. She takes from the lessons and experience of her past to expose the burdening hardships forced upon black people in the U.S. to white/non POC readers, and shares her strength and methods of fighting inequality and obstacles to readers facing/who have faced similar struggles and situations.
Desert Rose — Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2023
All I can say is Excellent! This book was excellently written in a very engaging way. Indeed the light has been shone on African-American mothers from whose experience and resilience we can all learn as we raise our children in the midst of adversity and teach them to make their way in unfriendly systems. Many greats lessons learnt!
Inspirational Read — Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2023
Throughout this book, the author invites the reader to be a part of impactful conversations in her life’s journey. Her stories were enlightening to the adversities she faced, but also inspiring for how she approached each challenge with faith, forethought, and tenacity. Truly inspirational.
UWGeek A must read for Boomers looking to see the world through another’s lens — Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2023
Mitchelle shares a deeply powerful story about her wins and losses with her family. The depth of her faith in God shines through on every page. I share the same generation and geographic area as Mitchelle, but with the benefit of being born white. More than any other book, this work has opened my eyes, exposing how different our worlds are, how deeply systemic bias impacts our every day. It has been an invaluable educational and spiritual growth opportunity. I will recommend it to my friends and family.
Interested reader A look into the soul — Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2023
This book is as transparent as can be and that makes it wonderful! I loved reading about Mitchelle’s and what it was like for her growing up. This is a fefinite must read!
Diana Storm A life of authenticity, celebrated enthusiastically — Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2023
It’s a rare opportunity, indeed, when you get to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. Yet, when that opportunity presents itself, it opens up a whole other world of potential, obstacles, losses and victories. This book represents one such opportunity. The author invites us alongside as she shares her experiences from kindergarten to motherhood, providing insight into the challenges of surviving and thriving in a culture that is still recovering from systemic racism and still discovering both unconscious and overt bias. I’m so grateful for her contributions, and for sharing her story. From the lost innocence and excitement of a little girl headed off to her first day of kindergarten, through her “team family” celebrations in the triumph of her college education, to her thoughtful application of tough love and regretfully realistic guidance to her own children in facing a society still reeling from the impacts of racism, Mitchelle Harvey provides an invaluable perspective I would have no other way to experience, except through the pages of her amazing book. I am grateful for everything I learned traveling through this book and I eagerly await the next one!
JClarke Engaging and Personal — Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2023
I just read an advance copy of “Modern Conversations of a Slave Mother” by Mitchelle Harvey, and enthusiastically recommend it. For those of us who find ourselves living in “echo chambers,” reading articles and books about people from similar backgrounds and histories, Ms. Harvey’s book can be a deep dive into a very different world. This is a book that helped me understand another side of many articles in today’s newspapers. As the single mother of four African American children, her stories of getting ahead in life with limited resources, and how she raised her children to both survive and thrive in a threatening world, are both enlightening and encouraging. She writes in a very personal tone, leaving me with the strong sense of knowing and understanding her as a person. At times the book is heartbreaking, but there is always the feeling that her drive and sense of self will get her family where she wants them to be.
Melba Price This is a wonderful book, filled with knowledge and compassion. It has something for everyone. Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2023
I liked the way Mitchelle was able to include the message of love and Gods input in our lives. The book is very detailed, well written yet easily understood, there’s many times that I felt as though I was there and very much involved. I could hardly put it down, each time I start to read. It brought back many memories of when I was growing up, it reminds of how far God have brought us as a people. How mothers love is sacrificing and full of faith and hope for their families. Thank you Mithchelle for sharing your life story with us. It is truly inspirational and will remain with us long after we have finished the book. as for me I’m starting it over again!
Willie Harvey Aftermath of Slavery — Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2023
Review of: ‘THE TALK’
President Joe Biden says he’s never had to have “the talk” with his kids — the discussion about how to behave when pulled over by police. It’s a talk that many Black parents must have in order to protect their children from harm.
Biden, in his State of the Union address, asked people in his audience to imagine how some parents feel, worrying their children may not come home.
“Modern Conversations of a Slave Mother” by Mitchelle Harvey.
This is a MUST read/hearing for everyone that wonders about the struggles and experiences of the aftermath of slavery in America.
Willie R. Harvey
SL Reflective and Revealing — Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2023
Harvey invites readers into her novel with reflective stories of faith, strength, and overcoming adversities. She takes from the lessons and experience of her past to expose the burdening hardships forced upon black people in the U.S. to white/non POC readers, and shares her strength and methods of fighting inequality and obstacles to readers facing/who have faced similar struggles and situations.
Gina Hortillosa Inspiring and motivational — Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2029
This book is written for a mother’s heart. It inspires mothers to raise their own level awareness and wisdom so that they may raise more enlightened/kind children. The book addresses how how one generation can positively impact the next.
Simply stated, a mother must heal and be whole herself in order to pass on loving traits to the next generation.
An inspiring book of parenting wisdom! A must read!