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maigahannatu's review against another edition
2.0
This book was a tough read for me. The author is a university professor and the book reads very much like a text book. It is extremely intellectual and philosophical.
There were parts I enjoyed such as the author describing interactions with friends and strangers in Guinea, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, and Liberia; his struggles to understand where he fits as an African immigrant to the US; and some of his insights into African and African-American life. He has several sections where he ruminates very philosophically on books he's read. Some of it was interesting, but honestly, a lot of it was just way over my head! Here is a sample sentence: "The frequent reference to change in conversionist discourse echoes the modernist impulse toward constant renewal." Yeah, I'm not sure what that even means.
His final chapter entitled "Homeboy Cosmopolitan" includes some really useful insights in understanding today's American black culture, though the book was written in the late 1990's, so I'd like to see an updated version of this chapter written by the author.
If you are a student of African history, of sociology, or of African-American culture, you may enjoy this book. Just be aware that it is VERY intellectual!
There were parts I enjoyed such as the author describing interactions with friends and strangers in Guinea, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, and Liberia; his struggles to understand where he fits as an African immigrant to the US; and some of his insights into African and African-American life. He has several sections where he ruminates very philosophically on books he's read. Some of it was interesting, but honestly, a lot of it was just way over my head! Here is a sample sentence: "The frequent reference to change in conversionist discourse echoes the modernist impulse toward constant renewal." Yeah, I'm not sure what that even means.
His final chapter entitled "Homeboy Cosmopolitan" includes some really useful insights in understanding today's American black culture, though the book was written in the late 1990's, so I'd like to see an updated version of this chapter written by the author.
If you are a student of African history, of sociology, or of African-American culture, you may enjoy this book. Just be aware that it is VERY intellectual!
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