Frohnmayer as chairman of the endowment in 1992. The poem, which included a reference to Jesus and oral sex, appeared in an obscure magazine that received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, and was cited by conservative critics as part of a campaign that led to the dismissal of John E.

The Kid, a k a Abdul Jamal Louis Jones, happens to be the son of Precious, the long-suffering heroine of Sapphire’s 1996 debut novel, “Push” (later made into the acclaimed film “Precious”), but he bears less of a resemblance to his mother than to the rage-filled teenager depicted in Sapphire’s controversial poem “Wild Thing,” which was inspired by the 1989 beating and rape of a Central Park jogger. After being tossed out of school for sexually assaulting another student, he begins a series of peregrinations around the island of Manhattan in search of a self and a vocation. The book includes vivid depictions of Abdul being savagely beaten in foster care, sexually abused by Catholic brothers in an orphanage and of Abdul raping a younger boy.The Kid, the title character in Sapphire’s unsettling new novel, is an orphan, an aspiring dancer, an abused child and a violent offender. Sapphire said “The Kid,” which follows the wretched life of Precious’ son, Abdul, or “J.J.” is also “riskier” material. I am not ready for that to happen with this novel yet.” Gabourey is now ‘Precious’ for many hundreds of thousands of people. “With a movie, you’ve got that visual image. “An exploitative (film) version of ‘The Kid,’ especially emphasizing his sexuality, could destroy this book,” Sapphire told Reuters in an interview. Her abusive mother, Mary, the role that won Mo’Nique an Oscar for supporting actress, is also missing. In “The Kid”, Precious, the heroine which launched actress Gabourey Sidibe’s career with an Oscar nomination, is killed off at the outset. Yet Sapphire, whose shocking, graphic style has invited previous controversy, is still not compromising her story or strong language to soften up her book for Hollywood this time around. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list after the film version became an unlikely success - 13 years after her the book’s 1996 release. Her first novel, “Push,” about an obese, illiterate, sexually abused, Harlem teenage mother nicknamed “Precious”, catapulted to No. Sapphire, author of the novel 'Push,' arrives at the AFI Fest 2009 gala screening of the new film 'Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire' in Hollywood November 1, 2009.

Precious sapphire book