Customer Reviews

Flash of the Spirit: African & Afro-American Art & Philosophy

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What can I say that has not already been said about Robert F. Thompson's Flash of the Spirit? He does an excellent job reporting on the African retentions that exist in the Americas. I really enjoyed this book for several reasons, but the main reason we I continued to use this book as reference point is because it has done what none other book has done, which is investigate the African retentions that exist in North America. This was important to me because I had heard growing up that African Americans being the farthest from Africa practically lost all of their cultural ties to Africa. Thompson reveals that this is not the case at all and provides numerous examples indicating that the one of the strongest cultural influences that contributed to African American culture are the people from the Kongo Angolan region.

This put a new twists on things, but made me look at life from a different perspective, as the author discuss the origin of the term funky and jazz. As well as elaborate on various African American cultural expressions like the ones demonstrated in the Supremes' movements "Stop" and "Talk to the hand" that all seem to come from this region.

This book was a real treat and a true classic, that you will enjoy for years to come.

I enjoyed this book when I first read it as much for the kinds of bridges it seemed to make as for his own writing style and subject matter. R.F. Thompson, who I had the pleasure of meeting once in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, is someone who along with being highly knowledgeable cares a great deal for the subject. Where the book could be considered lacking I would say is it's way of seeming dated. It bares some cultural prejudice which, considering the cultural remoteness of the subject matter when compared to the intellectual/cultural arena of the writer(African and African-American, Afro-Cuban/Hispanic culture vs. Post-World War II Ivy League) - and how well he did anyway- is forgiveable, but present nonetheless. If you are expecting some pretty powerful things to be said about Coltrane, or the early days of Rap music and Hip-hop dance (now in its third decade of existence already), or Modigliani, or other things that are in the forefront of the present culture's mind, to a certain degree you will be disappointed. However, if you had no idea other than the Alex Haley "Roots" era rhetoricals about the derivation of many African-American and Hispanic/Hispanic-American cultural paradigms, this will enlighten you in ways that will have you going to the bookstore to see what else he and many others have written on the subjects. I recommend it- particularly for lovers of European modern art, studies of religion, and other things influenced by the Mother country.

Thompson's work on African retentions in New World artforms is seminal in the field of African Diasporan art history. However, Flash of the Spirit reads more like a best seller than a textbook. Fascinating details and insights into the meanings of art from Haiti to Georgia to Brazil, with excellent context for all objects. Great for anyone at all curious about African heritage, religion, and art. Occasionally thick reading, as one must trace entire cosmologies, but well layed out, full of illustrations, and textually easy to follow. Thompson makes an obscure genre easily accesible to readers of varied backgrounds.

If I could give this book 6 stars I would. Robert Farris Thompson presents our rich, ancient history making it quite clear that African Americans are not an isolated group but a group intimately connected to particular cultures and societies in West Africa and the African diaspora. The rich text is generously supported by illustrated plates. Essential reading for those who wish to gain an understanding of African cosmology, philosophy and art in relation to the African diaspora (North and South America, copious information on Brazil, the Carribean etc) Great reference material for students, artists, writers, researchers and thinkers. As an educator, writer and author I highly recommend this book.