gabigw's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
jdizzle's review against another edition
4.0
This book was very good, and powerful. I highly highly recommend it especially if you are new to anti-racism. My only complaint about the text, is the lack of intersectionality, between race, and class, and race, and gender. By no means is it absent, however I think it takes a backseat comparatively. Other than that, highly recommend!
alychelms's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
kathryn14's review against another edition
5.0
What’s the problem with being “not racist”? It is a claim that signifies neutrality: “I am not a racist, but neither am I aggressively against racism.” But there is no neutrality in the racism struggle. The opposite of “racist” isn’t “not racist.” It is “antiracist."
brettpet's review against another edition
5.0
"It is a racial crime to be yourself, if you are not white in America"
Ibram X. Kendi's How to Be an Antiracist makes dozens of powerful statements like this across its two hundred and forty pages. In fact, Kendi tackles so many important topics on race relations that I want to consider this a textbook in some ways--I think college courses (and hopefully high schools) will have this as required reading in the near future. Yet it is not just a collection of facts, but also a deeply personal look into Kendi's family, trauma, and the resulting growth that pushed him into adulthood.
I think the average person can choose a few key moments that defined their teens and college years, but Kendi had so many important experiences that informed this book-his essay contest submission oozing of self hatred, being held at gunpoint on a schoolbus, the impact of racism on his love life, and the direct impact of the 2000 election on his college campus. For me, the most impactful event in the book was the meeting with the FSU dean, with a black man in a position of academic power exercising a derragatory and racist viewpoint towards other blacks in lower positions of power. I also had a bit of a whiplash moment when Kendi mentioned his first teaching position being at SUNY Oneonta, my undergrad alma mater, which he described as "whiteness surround(ing) me like clouds from a plane's window" (which is very true-its a sea of whiteness).
Overall an excellent listen that gave me a lot to reevaluate on. I truly thought that reverse racism could not exist, but Kendi does a fantastic job at showing the damage of reverse, internalized, and intra racism on the development and quality of life of minorities. Out of all of the nonfiction literature on race relations that I've read this year, this feels like the gold standard. Looking forward to reading Stamped as well.
Ibram X. Kendi's How to Be an Antiracist makes dozens of powerful statements like this across its two hundred and forty pages. In fact, Kendi tackles so many important topics on race relations that I want to consider this a textbook in some ways--I think college courses (and hopefully high schools) will have this as required reading in the near future. Yet it is not just a collection of facts, but also a deeply personal look into Kendi's family, trauma, and the resulting growth that pushed him into adulthood.
I think the average person can choose a few key moments that defined their teens and college years, but Kendi had so many important experiences that informed this book-his essay contest submission oozing of self hatred, being held at gunpoint on a schoolbus, the impact of racism on his love life, and the direct impact of the 2000 election on his college campus. For me, the most impactful event in the book was the meeting with the FSU dean, with a black man in a position of academic power exercising a derragatory and racist viewpoint towards other blacks in lower positions of power. I also had a bit of a whiplash moment when Kendi mentioned his first teaching position being at SUNY Oneonta, my undergrad alma mater, which he described as "whiteness surround(ing) me like clouds from a plane's window" (which is very true-its a sea of whiteness).
Overall an excellent listen that gave me a lot to reevaluate on. I truly thought that reverse racism could not exist, but Kendi does a fantastic job at showing the damage of reverse, internalized, and intra racism on the development and quality of life of minorities. Out of all of the nonfiction literature on race relations that I've read this year, this feels like the gold standard. Looking forward to reading Stamped as well.
bldinmt's review against another edition
4.0
This book was an onion of thought-provoking moments, layer after layer. It isn't enough to be "not a racist" but rather the goal is to be an "antiracist." The seemingly subtle difference between these terms is actually huge.
kutterek's review against another edition
5.0
I really appreciate Ibram’s thoughts and perspectives. His connection of each chapter to specific examples of him being racist growing up really bring weight to the problem of racism, but also give hope for anti-racism. It’s hard to put everything down in a short review, but this book had me reflecting on my own life and on ways that I could be better. No, it didn’t give me solutions, but I feel like I can now understand more and better and hopefully do better.
hiswomandaughter's review against another edition
5.0
Read this.
Read this no matter who you are or what you’re afraid of. Let it make you uncomfortable. Let it make you rethink yourself. Let it transform your previous notions of race and let yourself feel everything that comes with it.
Educational materials like this are imperative to facing what is real, in order to do crucial work unraveling your personal racism, acknowledging your privilege and its origins, and beginning to understand the world in an antiracist light.
Read this and do not burden your BIPOC friends or compatriots with educating you. Books like this are here for your education.
Read this.
Read this no matter who you are or what you’re afraid of. Let it make you uncomfortable. Let it make you rethink yourself. Let it transform your previous notions of race and let yourself feel everything that comes with it.
Educational materials like this are imperative to facing what is real, in order to do crucial work unraveling your personal racism, acknowledging your privilege and its origins, and beginning to understand the world in an antiracist light.
Read this and do not burden your BIPOC friends or compatriots with educating you. Books like this are here for your education.
Read this.
ela_lee_'s review against another edition
5.0
As someone who was born into a family of white, racist, baptist, all-American traditions, I am proud to have read and absorbed this book. I wish my ancestors could see their racist mentality passed down for ages ends here. And although many of them would never admit to being racist, this perfect quote from the book sums up that mentality: “‘Respectable’ individuals can absolve themselves from individual blame: they would never plant a bomb in a church; they would never stone a black family. But they continue to support political officials and institutions that would and do perpetuate institutionally racist policies.”
I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this popular “woke” book, but I was immediately enthralled. Each chapter made so much sense and proved anti-racism points to be extremely clear.
It was refreshing to hear Kendi admit his own mistakes and naive misunderstandings. I often think back on how embarrassed I am by some things I’ve said and ignorant ideas I’ve had in the past. This book really portrays anti-racism as a realistic journey. “To be an anti-racist is a radical choice in the face of this history, requiring a radical reorientation of our consciousness.”
And for anyone who sees this book and rolls their eyes, this book is anything but anti-white. Being anti-racist frees us all. “As long as the mind is enslaved, the body can never be free. As long as the mind thinks there is something behaviorally wrong with a racial group, the mind can never be anti-racist. As long as the mind oppresses the oppressed by thinking the oppressive environment has retarded their behavior, the mind can never be anti-racist. As long as the mind is racist, the mind can never be free.” -MLK, 1967
I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this popular “woke” book, but I was immediately enthralled. Each chapter made so much sense and proved anti-racism points to be extremely clear.
It was refreshing to hear Kendi admit his own mistakes and naive misunderstandings. I often think back on how embarrassed I am by some things I’ve said and ignorant ideas I’ve had in the past. This book really portrays anti-racism as a realistic journey. “To be an anti-racist is a radical choice in the face of this history, requiring a radical reorientation of our consciousness.”
And for anyone who sees this book and rolls their eyes, this book is anything but anti-white. Being anti-racist frees us all. “As long as the mind is enslaved, the body can never be free. As long as the mind thinks there is something behaviorally wrong with a racial group, the mind can never be anti-racist. As long as the mind oppresses the oppressed by thinking the oppressive environment has retarded their behavior, the mind can never be anti-racist. As long as the mind is racist, the mind can never be free.” -MLK, 1967