Central in Our Lives

Reviewed by Vic Fleming, Winter, 2008
    ...a premiere effort from Ralph Brodie...The theme of this work...is that 95 percent of Central's student body during the 1957-58 school year have never received proper credit for what they did and did not do in that time frame.

     In 2007, Brodie, with the help of professional co-author (Marvin) Schwartz, has succeeded in setting out the third side of the story.

By Garrick Feldman, January 9, 2008
    In many ways, the showdown at Central High made it possible for Barack Obama to run for president a half a century later.

    That message of reconciliation is what makes Brodie's book special: Despite the ugliness, he reminds his readers and listeners that most people of all ages acted honorably...

    He has written an important book about the crisis as seen from the inside.

    ...Central in Our Lives is even more important as we watch an African American run for president: Central paved the way for Obama.

    Somebody should send him a copy of this fine book.

By Dalton Sullivan, 2008
    There have been numerous books written about the events of that September 50 years ago, but Brodie and Schwartz's book looks at the historical events from a fresh perspective, that from the Central High School students whose lives were affected by this monumental turn of events.

    Brodie and Schwartz have taken us inside the school, whre the innocence of the young people was challenged. It is compelling reading and a story that needed to be told.

By Bob Razer, Central Arkansas Library System
    Brodie's book gives new meaning to "silent majority," though silent no more thanks to this book that offers a fresh perspective on events.