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theishu's review
4.0
Living in society without reading a book like this is like having to drive without anyone to teach you. Wouldn’t it simply be better for you and everyone else if there were fewer accidents?
This driving instructor / author uses a personal, disarming tone to teach about important social contracts that we never get to learn in a structured way. Read and re-read this book in order to be a better person. Highly recommended for everyone - no matter their race or background.
Some reviewers disliked the tone or style of the book. But who is to say all authors need to have the same voice? All that matters is whether you learned something and became a better human.
This driving instructor / author uses a personal, disarming tone to teach about important social contracts that we never get to learn in a structured way. Read and re-read this book in order to be a better person. Highly recommended for everyone - no matter their race or background.
Some reviewers disliked the tone or style of the book. But who is to say all authors need to have the same voice? All that matters is whether you learned something and became a better human.
kim_j_dare's review
3.0
There’s a lot to like about this book.
BUT—
Things I appreciated:
* Frederick Joseph’s intent.
* catchy title and great cover art
* his recaps of conversations with a number of authors, activists, and social commentators, including Angie Thomas, April Reign, and Tarell Alvin McCraney.
* the breadth of topics covered. The discussion around appropriation versus appreciation was very thorough.
Issues I had:
* Joseph’s tone. He presents himself as the Black “friend,” but there’s a strong self-congratulatory vibe. Also lots of patronizing and a fair amount of man-splaining sprinkled in (especially in the interviews: he repeatedly goes back and says, in so many words, “What Jamira is trying to say is —“ as if we’re idiots or as if she didn’t just state it very well herself.
* Joseph’s tendency to insert himself unnecessarily, often in jokey little asides that interrupt the narrative flow.
* his “Encyclopedia of Racism”— again, quite patronizing.
We desperately need books that deal with antiracism and social justice in a way that will resonate with teens. I think Joseph has potential as an author, but his first book doesn’t quite hit the mark.
Thanks to Candlewick and Edelweiss for the digital ARC.
BUT—
Things I appreciated:
* Frederick Joseph’s intent.
* catchy title and great cover art
* his recaps of conversations with a number of authors, activists, and social commentators, including Angie Thomas, April Reign, and Tarell Alvin McCraney.
* the breadth of topics covered. The discussion around appropriation versus appreciation was very thorough.
Issues I had:
* Joseph’s tone. He presents himself as the Black “friend,” but there’s a strong self-congratulatory vibe. Also lots of patronizing and a fair amount of man-splaining sprinkled in (especially in the interviews: he repeatedly goes back and says, in so many words, “What Jamira is trying to say is —“ as if we’re idiots or as if she didn’t just state it very well herself.
* Joseph’s tendency to insert himself unnecessarily, often in jokey little asides that interrupt the narrative flow.
* his “Encyclopedia of Racism”— again, quite patronizing.
We desperately need books that deal with antiracism and social justice in a way that will resonate with teens. I think Joseph has potential as an author, but his first book doesn’t quite hit the mark.
Thanks to Candlewick and Edelweiss for the digital ARC.
beksshelton's review
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
fast-paced
5.0
- Important. Highly, highly recommend to anyone who is white.
- Conversational tone really made it feel like a friend was talking to me.
- Direct and honest in calling out our white privilege that we so easily ignore its existence and in pointing to ways to be a better ally/accomplice to friends of color.
- Helped me to gain more understanding of the racism people of color experience, the ways they feel they have to change, and the fear they live in. Heartbreaking.
oprah_wimpy's review against another edition
5.0
A must read.
Written in a super approachable way. Delivery of history and experiences of Black people in a very impactful way. As a white person trying so hard to show up better for people of color it touched on a lot of subjects and answered questions in a way that made me feel less ashamed for having them. This book also helped hammer home subjects that I felt I had a pretty good grasp on already as well. The glossary at the end was useful. Also... I wish way more educational books about race and culture came with a suggested playlist. An amazing way to continue to learn with the voices of other black people.
Written in a super approachable way. Delivery of history and experiences of Black people in a very impactful way. As a white person trying so hard to show up better for people of color it touched on a lot of subjects and answered questions in a way that made me feel less ashamed for having them. This book also helped hammer home subjects that I felt I had a pretty good grasp on already as well. The glossary at the end was useful. Also... I wish way more educational books about race and culture came with a suggested playlist. An amazing way to continue to learn with the voices of other black people.
hilary_weckstein's review
4.0
3.75 stars. Enjoyed the tone, interviews, stories. Appreciate the author sharing and being vulnerable. Definitely a couple important takeaways for me but honestly we should know this by now. It’s sad that many people don’t but those people won’t read this anyway.
laysbookdncoverd's review
4.0
It was a Greta book filled with different narratives of people of color and minorities! I love that Fredrick got so many different types of people. When it came to sexuality, gender, and other things but all something that they and we have in common!
katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
An eye opener. To be read with an open mind and an inward-looking view.
I want to be someone who sees a person without preconceptions, without prejudice. In my work, in everyday life. But I'm also a realist and know each of us brings unrealised history and judgements, instant impressions and stereotypes to our interactions. I know this.
And I also think, while we may not be able to rid ourselves of some of the above, the first step towards improving how we interact as individuals but also as a community is by acknowledging we aren't without flaws, that we can improve - that we should try to.
So I approached this book as a student, as someone willing to look at myself and try to determine if there are ways in which I allow words, feelings and my own unique history affect how I see other people.
The author is going to upset some with this book. Seeing situations from a perspective that isn't often reported is going to make readers think quite hard about what seem like small things - the phrases they say without realising they will be deeply hurtful and cutting, and just what it can be like to experience them day in and day out.
Anecdotes from his life, thoughts from a variety of people on their own experiences, along with a lot of discussion and analysis, this is angry but measured, weary yet energised.
This needs to be said. By a lot of people, in a lot of ways. Because it's time we took this seriously.
I found this book less of a challenge to read than I thought, what the writer said made sense to me, I thought the mixture of personal stories and discourse gave this flow. It could be read by teenagers in school or adults, it will require some self-evaluation. The glossary was particularly good, with not just definitions but historical background for terms such as 'affirmative action', 'BLM', 'white women's tears'.
For teens and above.
With thanks to Walker Books for providing a sample reading copy.
I want to be someone who sees a person without preconceptions, without prejudice. In my work, in everyday life. But I'm also a realist and know each of us brings unrealised history and judgements, instant impressions and stereotypes to our interactions. I know this.
And I also think, while we may not be able to rid ourselves of some of the above, the first step towards improving how we interact as individuals but also as a community is by acknowledging we aren't without flaws, that we can improve - that we should try to.
So I approached this book as a student, as someone willing to look at myself and try to determine if there are ways in which I allow words, feelings and my own unique history affect how I see other people.
The author is going to upset some with this book. Seeing situations from a perspective that isn't often reported is going to make readers think quite hard about what seem like small things - the phrases they say without realising they will be deeply hurtful and cutting, and just what it can be like to experience them day in and day out.
Anecdotes from his life, thoughts from a variety of people on their own experiences, along with a lot of discussion and analysis, this is angry but measured, weary yet energised.
This needs to be said. By a lot of people, in a lot of ways. Because it's time we took this seriously.
I found this book less of a challenge to read than I thought, what the writer said made sense to me, I thought the mixture of personal stories and discourse gave this flow. It could be read by teenagers in school or adults, it will require some self-evaluation. The glossary was particularly good, with not just definitions but historical background for terms such as 'affirmative action', 'BLM', 'white women's tears'.
For teens and above.
With thanks to Walker Books for providing a sample reading copy.