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(5ive Star Publications Presents) Entrepreneur: The Revised, Re-edited, Reloaded Edition |  | Author: MQW
Publisher: 5ive Star Publications
Category: Book
Buy New: $13.00
as of 2/10/2010 04:25 EST details
Seller: Amazon.com
Rating:  5 reviews
Media: Paperback
Edition: Revised
Pages: 200
ISBN: 0982263805
EAN: 9780982263808
ASIN: 0982263805
Publication Date: February 28, 2010 (In 18 Days)
Shipping: Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Not yet published
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Product Description
Swift is a college graduate determined to establish himself in corporate America. Everyone from his school teachers to his mother has been skeptical of his goals. When he receives his degree he thinks he s prepared for the real world. He soon finds it difficult to match jobs with his degree. After his frustrations reach a boiling point he turns to the streets for guidance. Swift s best friend Block was the most feared and respected hustler in Philly. When Swift's dilemma brings their combined efforts together, they both see opportunity. Swift is convinced that he can make enough start up money for his business ideas. His plan was to build capital and leave the drug game alone. However that is derailed when Block is incarcerated. The taste of money and power takes Swift for the ride of his life. Soon the underworld looks to him to pick up where Block left off. With cops, rival drug dealers, and stick up kids lurking, Swift is forced to show how much of an "Entrepreneur" he really is.
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| Customer Reviews:
"An OK Read" August 25, 2008
Chasity B (Virginia)
Stephen is from West Philadelphia near University City. Stephen aka Swift thanks to his step mom has been recruited for Private School since his dad wants him to have the best education around. Swift is upset with the way things are going for him once he has graduated from school. He knows one thing and that he is a hustler at heart but at what choices of life will he fall through with. Swift learns along the way of life that if he wants to get in the business he has to interact with others, but he is just happy to have a degree so he can go about establishing his career. Swift family consist of his step mom, his father, and his 2 brothers; Keon who is all about survival, Jaden is all about hoop dreams, and Malik (stepbrother) he is just a headache waiting to happen. Swift clique consist of the fellows he has known since elementary school, but out of all of those guys he grew up with, Block is his man hands down.
Block was all about the streets, but he was smarter than what the average person thought he was. Block tries to distance himself from the everyday BS around the way. He has hunger a hunger for the street, but wants to be smarter then the average person. When it's all said and done Block is the number one lieutenant in the game of life. He makes sure his people are taking care of and even when they don't know he's always watching their inner and outer character.
Entrepreneur is a rating of 4 which is an OK read. In my honest opinion there were way too many characters involved in this book. I was so confused at one point that I had to take notes just to keep up with everybody coming in and out of the story. I kept getting confused as far as who was in each other's crew or was it just another character in the book. I also did not like the way he started talking about the present in the beginning of the chapter and then throw you back in the past like in chapter 2 for example. I had to go back and read the chapters again to understand where he was coming from as far as the past and the present because it was coming together so quick i had to go back and make sure I understood what I was reading. Their was action in the book, however to me it's not your average all out grimy urban street lit, not to me anyway. It didn't have the same fire as Crave all Lose All by Erick S Grey, Gangsta by K'wan, or even The Trifling Times of Nan Jones by Moses Miller. It was just OK in my book and there is always room for improvement.
Pooh
UrbanFireBooks Staff.
 An Excellent Debut July 31, 2008
Urban-Reviews.com (Urban-Reviews.com)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Swift has always wanted to have his own business. When he graduates from college with a degree, Swift thinks that the sky is the limit and that he will find a job in no time. Unfortunately, Swift learns that a degree doesn't always mean an easy road to success. Frustrated with non-existent job prospects, Swift turns to his feared street hustler friend Block. Block introduces Swift to the drug game. Swift plans to stay in the game just to get enough money to start his own business. But Swift may be in the game longer than he planned when Block gets locked up. Will Swift continue with his original plan or will he take over from where Block left off?
Entrepreneur is an excellent debut from Markeise Q. Washington (MQW). MQW brought a novel with a unique storyline and characters. What made this novel stand out is the main character Swift. Swift is the most unlikely street hustler because he got his college degree and was trying to live his life on the straight and narrow. You will feel the inner conflict of Swift as he makes the tough decision to join the street life. This story has enough drama and action that will keep readers on their toes. The cliffhanger-like ending leaves the door open for a sequel. Entrepreneur is an enthralling page-turner that doesn't disappoint. MQW has definitely brought something new to the urban literature genre.
Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert
for Urban Reviews
Living Your Dream July 14, 2008
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net)
Becoming an entrepreneur is the lifelong goal of college graduate Swift. At his age, he had already tried many of the traditional, youthful ways of becoming a business owner. Now armed with a college degree, Swift is trying to make a transition into the corporate world and find his legitimate niche. Unfortunately, corporate America isn't cooperating and he's tried several hustles and been burnt a couple of times. Block, his best friend, gives him an opportunity to realize his dreams. Block, however, runs into a few troubles and lands himself a prison sentence. His best decision was training Swift in the business, for now Swift will have to replace him on the streets, putting that college degree to work. The first piece of business at hand--payback.
In ENTREPRENEUR, MQW takes on the desires of a young man to be his own boss in a world where he finds it difficult to do it legally. The storyline is one many young men face as they try to do what's right when it comes to pulling the paper. The author shows how this conflict and deep desires stack up to what appears to be the more lucrative and illegal alternatives to making a living. For such a small book, there was a lot of drama and action. Unfortunately, the flow was hard to follow because of the sometimes abrupt transition between scenes and the numerous characters introduced. With some more editing and a bit more developmental work, this could be a very edifying read.
Reviewed by Brenda Lisbon
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers
 The Urban Book Source July 13, 2008
The Urban Book Source (New York, NY)
Reviewed by Cherri Millard
UrbanBookSource.com
Who said a college degree was the only way to success? Get your education, graduate from college, get a job and climb the corporate ladder. For many, this is the only way of life. But not for Swift--a recent college graduate--who finds out the hard way after he is unsuccessful in landing a job. Aggravation kicks in and Swift looks to the streets for liberation where he and his best friend Block--a feared and respected hustler--combine their efforts for opportunity. Judging by the synopsis this is the story the author MQW (Markeise Q. Washington) set his sights on telling when he decided to pen this tale.
Swift and friends attempt to make some money hustling sneakers. They planned on getting them for an unbeatable price and then flipping them for a profit. But they get bamboozled; which marks the end of their get rich quick scheme. After this Swift loses his job because of his brother Malik, after he reluctantly makes a conscious effort to help him find employment. After he loses his job Swift comes to the realization that entrepreneurship is something that he must pursue wholeheartedly.
What is amazing about Entrepreneur is that: though the author stayed in the "showing" mode when he wanted to "show" us something, the writing is still read in a "telling" kind of way. The syntax, diction and/or sentence structure just didn't do it for me in this one. I found this book to be very slow, dull and awkward. At one point, the story actually shifts from third person to first person, I had go back and reread to be sure that I had read what I just processed. Between the pages, you'll find tons of lengthy narrative with stale action. You are confronted with quick bursts of characters, many whom come out of the Blue Nowhere. Much of the text is unorganized, what I liked to call "jamming" the story. The author quickly brings in new characters and then in order to make up for this sudden introduction, he then "jams" in information describing the character, instead of weaving in the characterization through dialogue and/or narrative.
Because of the windfall of description after each character is introduced, there was a traceable pattern of blocks of descriptive text following the introduction of each new person. Every time I saw a new name I knew a "block of descriptive" text would follow and it made the story very awkward, frustrating and formatted. I'd like to also add that, Entrepreneur seemed to still be in a first draft form, or at least not a draft that an author would hand over to his or her editor.
What did you dislike about this book?
The author jumps into situations without set up; there's a heavy sense of focus on things that don't add to the story (clothing, jewelry and other materialistic accessories). The action is dull, you don't see anything that is happening; no picture is painted. The book contains several unnecessary scene breaks that detracted from the story.
In addition the book cover portrays the likes of a young black male with a wad of cash and a cigar in hand, topped off with a ring and watch. After honing in on the cover it doesn't mirror what this book was about. Also, if I may be even more honest, the entire book cover is pixilated; the imagery and font/text is not clear. I would highly suggest that a new book cover be created, one that paints the picture of what "Entrepreneur" is trying to convey.
How can the author improve this book?
Some rewriting and heavy editing would do the book justice. There were a lot of redundancy and a focus on irrelevant things that did not add to the story being told; they should have been cut away. Basically some re-developing and editing may set this book on the right path.
Entrepreneur June 23, 2008
Englishruler (New York)
Swift is a recent college graduate who has all hopes of landing a respectable position in corporate America. Though those close to him express their doubts, Swift is confident that he will persevere. When he spends time with long-time friend and neighborhood hustler, Block, Swift gets a front seat view as to the ins and outs of the street life. Though dabbling in `the game' is far from Swift's intentions, he quickly gets caught up in the life of fast money.
Entrepreneur is a quick read at 118 pages. There are an abundance of characters; however, I did not gain an appreciation for all their roles in the story. Further character development would have ensured that each person introduced successfully added a particular significance to the storyline. At the book's conclusion it became apparent that Swift's story would continue in a second installment. Still, it is my feeling that more could have been included in this introduction of his tale. From reading the synopsis I was prepared to journey with Swift as he sought job after job and faced the difficulty of rejection repeatedly. The events that take place throughout the story did not fully express his struggle for valid employment, but rather his witnessing first hand an easier way to get the finer things in life, of which he ultimately partakes.
Author Markeise Q. Washington's debut contains an excellent premise: the struggle to find a good job, even with a college degree. The cover image is eye-catching and the title piques interest. Though this story has its flaws, there is extreme potential for a solid follow-up. As with many debuts, I see this as a springing board - with 5iveStar publications perfecting its craft and churning out more conscious books that will quench readers' thirst.
Englishruler
Star Rating: 3.5
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