Out of the Madness: From the Projects to a Life of Hope

By Jerrold Ladd

Book Overview

A raw and hopeful autobiography of a young African-American who used self-education and sheer force of will to overcome the battery of drugs, violence, and abject povery of his early life in the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446517445
• ISBN13: 9780446517447
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Warner Books (NY)
• Length: 195 Pages
• Weight: 1.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

West Dallas's Teacher's review...

As a 24 yearold 1st yr. teacher in West Dallas I have been looking for answers. I work at the Middle School across from the projects referred to in this book. I am not too far from "Fishtrap", and the gangs (boyz) have changed from Ladd's time but only by the faces of their members. Some of the most infamous being my most delightful students. My kids are not like all of the others in America. They are different...special even and Jerrold Ladd told me why. As I read this book with every page I turned I anticipated that the "story" would get better. I prayed that his mother would change. I longed for the chapter when some long lost Great-Uncle from Georgia would come and take him from the reality of his torrid life. But it never happened. And I became frustarted because my students do not have anyone to rescue them from their realities, not for the long haul at least. Jerrold Ladd's book explained to me the generational frustaration that West Dallas incorporates. The resentment and struggle of blocks and blocks of people is the only thing this community truly owns. Ladd wrote the testament and explanation of a community's fear. His hopes and fears were evident on every page of this book. I only wish that my studenrs could take time from their troubles of hunger, fear, anger, and poverty to big up this reflection of possible positive self. Thank you for this invaluable tool of living and learning.

The 1st yr. West Dallas Teacher's review...

As a 24 yearold 1st year Teacher in West Dallas I have looked for reasons as to why my students (my kids) as I call them are the way they are. I teach eighth grade History at Thomas Edison Middle Learning Center which is located across the street from the projects referred to by Mr. Ladd. I can testify that all of my 109 students are the soul of Jerrold Ladd.I have gone home frustrated many nights, crying myself to sleep distraught over what my kids must face at home from day to day after a long day at school. Mr. Ladd brought home the realities of my student lives. He pushed their questionable futures to the forefront of my classroom and by this Christmas I was sad to see them go. I was sad because I questioned how many of them would bathe without the motivation of not being ridiculed by mean classmates. I was sad because I wondered to what length one of my kids would go to pay his mother's rent, the same mother who stood in front of me and her precious son parent-confrence night and stated how he was a waste of 13 years.As I turned the pages of this book I waited with each page for Mr. Ladd's situation to get better. Similarly, as I come to work everyday I look for my kids situation to get better. In the final ten to twelve pages of this testament to the community of West Dallas I finally saw inspiration and hope, however I shudder to think how long it will take the children of West Dallas to see the same thing.Jerrold Ladd thank you for this guide into the minds of my babies. It is a invaluable tool.

Out of Curiousity...

I am a freshman student at my high school, and was assigned to a book report... I then choose this book, yet not out of wantingness, but just to get something and be done with it. When I started this book, I was so amazed at the details, and way Jerrold lived, with such horrific times in his live from his living style, to growing up, and all the obstacles, and problems that occured in his life. It was so sad, yet you cant put it down.

Soul On Ice for the 1990's -- Raw and Real

I read Out of the Madness July 23 - 25, 1999, and recognized a witness to a hard reality that many of us need to know about -- a reality I want to know about. A reality that tells me we have a long way to go if we're not feeding and protecting our children; and they're coming to school hungry and tired and dirty (and full of shame over these feelings). Sisters, Brothers, Mothers, Fathers, Aunts and Uncles, kindly people. There were many heroes in Out of Madness, black and white. There is love. We owe the writer a debt of gratitude for bravely exposing his vulnerability to save others. Ladd has an important message. M.A. Lightfoot Dallas, Texas

WOW!

I am a high school teacher for behavior disordered students who are very difficult to motivate. When I read this book a couple of years ago I was just amazed by Jerrold Ladd's story. Since then I have had several of my students read this book and without fail, every single student has loved it. Once they started it they could not put it down. Remember these are kids who say they don't even like to read! It's wonderful to see them this interested in a book and then recommending it to their classmates. This is such an inspiring story. I highly recommend it for anyone!