Scan barcode
A review by milliebot_reads
The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by Frederick Joseph
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Another excellent book by Frederick Joseph! The subject matters (racism and white supremacy in America, intersectionality, the harm the patriarchy perpetuates) are heavy, but Joseph handles them with honesty, humor, and warmth, while still conveying how seriously we all need to do our part in our daily lives to bring about change.
I do believe this book is geared towards teens/adults in their early 20s, but at 35, I didn't feel like the tone would be felt as condescending for younger readers, nor too juvenile for those of us who are older. Joseph has many little interjections throughout his book containing additional (and often funny) details about the story he's relaying, and suggested further research (a person or place to google, a musician to listen to, a movie to watch) and I think these make an already personal book, even more personal. The book is not all humor though - there are a lot of serious, heartbreaking, and anger-inducing stories here, that can't have been easy to open up about.
If you're past your teens, I highly suggest reading his other book, Patriarchy Blues, right before or after this. As in this book, Joseph opens up about so many of his own experiences that I think are incredibly beneficial to those who need help seeing and understanding the racism and microaggressions committed against people of color. I know it's Joseph's hope that readers will take in his experiences and learn and grow from what he's been gracious enough to share.
I'm really not doing his books justice - I think they're both very important and that as many people who can read them, should.
I do believe this book is geared towards teens/adults in their early 20s, but at 35, I didn't feel like the tone would be felt as condescending for younger readers, nor too juvenile for those of us who are older. Joseph has many little interjections throughout his book containing additional (and often funny) details about the story he's relaying, and suggested further research (a person or place to google, a musician to listen to, a movie to watch) and I think these make an already personal book, even more personal. The book is not all humor though - there are a lot of serious, heartbreaking, and anger-inducing stories here, that can't have been easy to open up about.
If you're past your teens, I highly suggest reading his other book, Patriarchy Blues, right before or after this. As in this book, Joseph opens up about so many of his own experiences that I think are incredibly beneficial to those who need help seeing and understanding the racism and microaggressions committed against people of color. I know it's Joseph's hope that readers will take in his experiences and learn and grow from what he's been gracious enough to share.
I'm really not doing his books justice - I think they're both very important and that as many people who can read them, should.