5 Non-Fiction Books that school you on race and racism
People have been writing about race and racism for years, so even if you’re new to the discussion these 5 non-fiction titles will school you all the way. I’ve gone with a nice mixture because I know there are ‘different strokes for different folk’.
These non-fiction books school you on race and racism all the way. I’ve gone with a nice mixture because I know there are ‘different strokes for different folk’. I’m a sucker for killing random sayings. Point being people have been writing about race and racism for years. The latest BLM movement that re-ignited after the killing of George Floyd has had some thinking that race and racism just appeared in 2020 and that every Black person is ready with open ears to these discussions or to answer questions. We’re not! But here’s a good middle ground. p.S: “No Karen, this isn’t new.”
By Trevor Noah
Book: Born A Crime
Publisher: John Murray
Released : 2017
If comedy and satire is your thing then Trevor Noah’s Born A Crime is your ideal book. In England he is mix-raced, in America he’s Black, and in South Africa he is mixed or coloured. I hate that term but we move! Born in 1984’s South Africa, his being was illegal according to Apartheid law. The whole book covers his experiences throughout his childhood. One incident in particular addresses the fact that he wasn’t able to be out in public with his mum growing up, or his dad for that matter. His mum hired a coloured woman to walk to the park and places with him, and she would walk behind pretending to work for the woman.
The book is filled with humour and had real roll on the floor choking in laughter moments, especially with the detailed stories of his ever growing mischief but race is at the core of the book.
“Where most children are proof of their parents’ love, I was the proof of their criminality”
By Michelle Obama
Publisher: Viking, Penguin Books
Released : 2018
If you’re looking for an autobiography from a famous/ public figure then Becoming by Michelle Obama is they key! Yes you hear about politics and some fluffy moments but Michelle Obama knows that she is a black woman and she's been very clear throughout the book. The memoir documents her experiences coming from Chicago, USA and how microaggressions affected her growning up. She covers imposter syndrome and how she noticed White flight before her eyes as her area went from diverse to grouped radically. As well as the treatment she received by the media during Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. The book is empowering as she highlights not just the struggles and discomfort of navigating white spaces but how to thrive and give back to the community. She is a very hyper aware of who she is and what she brings to the table. Full review available here
By gal-dem
Publisher: Walkers Books
Released: 2018
If you’re looking for young people sharing their truth then this book by gal-dem is for you. 14 very different stories covering a range of topics detailing how they’ve grown up. You discover first hand experiences of sexuality, family life, love, identity and navigating life in the UK as a person of colour. What separates this book from others is that the contributors were not afraid to venture into typically "taboo" subjects. A real testament to breaking barriers and encouraging others to speak their truth even if it makes others uncomfortable.
Full review available here
By Robin Diangelo
Publisher: Allen Lane, Penguin Books
Released: 2019
If you are white and need to have your ego shattered by a white woman then I recommend White Fragility why it's so hard for white people to talk about racism this is by Robin D'Angelo. Equally, if you are not-white and want to learn more about race from a white person’s perspective it’s a good read. I don’t go out of my way to recommend White authors, on issues like racism I think it’s very important to understand it from someone's lived experience, however she has done a PhD and she has been giving training on diversity and inclusion for years. FYI she’s highly qualified and not blind to her own privileges. Full review here
By Reni Eddo-Lodge
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Released: 2017
If you are looking for an exploration through a very aware and educated perspective through a Black British channel then Rennie Eddo-Lodge’s Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race is your book. The book was born after a post she released went viral. She speaks from the heart but also backs up her views with litertaure and incidents that cannot be argued on. On top of that she has provided readers with notes and bibliography to signpost you to research deeper. It’s been called one of the most important books of 2017 and it's not hard to understand why.
The Hate U Give
Sometimes, you need to be shaken and woken up. It’s so triggering that 3 years after being published this book feels brand new and relevant to the past few weeks. I do like timeless books, but this feels like it’s timeless for the wrong reasons. This is not a knock on the author, it’s a burst of rage at society!
By Angie Thomas
Publisher: Walker Books
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
I read The Hate U Give one week before the murder of George Floyd. It’s been on my book shelf since 2017 but a month ago I decided that it was time to read it. If it was a week later, I doubt I would have picked up the book. If you’re a regular reader of my book reviews you’ll know that my book reviews are personal and involve reflections of my thoughts and feelings as well. Especially in the It Hit Me When section.
“‘Pac said Thug Life stood for ‘The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody”
Watch the Breakdown
The book is told through teenager Starr who is in the car with her best friend Khalil, who is unarmed, when he is murdered by the police in front of her eyes. It’s a real no play-play straight into the action sort of book. By chapter 2 Starr’s best friend has been killed and it really is the beginning of a spiral of events in her life taking place in and outside her community.
Starr already struggles with her juggling act. In her local neighbourhood, Garden heights, she is physically part of the majority, yet struggles to fit in. Meanwhile, at the private school she goes to out of ends, she is a minority and feels that she can’t be her true self. She fights an inner struggle dictated by the stereotypes and unsaid rules that exist in society. She can’t be too hood in front of her posh white friends, but on the other hand she’s not fully embraced in her community.
Someone always knows someone in the hood, and someone told someone something about Khalil’s struggles in the run up to his murder. The problem is the media are painting an ugly picture of who Khalil was, the city is rioting whilst they mourn another loss, and the kids at Starr’s posh school are using Khalil’s death as a cheap excuse to get out of school. All this is happening whilst Starr internally debates whether she should keep quiet about her being the witness to Khalil’s murder and let him go down as being another statistic in the cycle. She’s terrified. Terrified of the police, of the consequences in her area of saying what she knows about Khalil’s dealings, and of being known in her school as that girl who was friends with the lowlife the media made him out to be.
When a life is taken, we naturally focus on that person limiting their life and being to that incident and this book shatters all of that. It focuses on Starr who witnesses the murder, her family and their wider community as they adapt to this reality. It gives a real insight into Starr and Khalil’s family who have to come to terms with their loved one never coming back but also the opinions and justifications that people make up to excuse things like this.
“They finally put a sheet over Khalil. He can’t breathe under it. I can’t breathe.”
Is that how you’re feeling yeah
Angie Thomas’ writing style hooked me. This is the second book I’ve read of hers and she adopts the same easy flowing first-person narrative through the main character which keeps the whole story fresh and fully brings the details to life. The characters are consistent and lifelike which is very important, especially given a plot like this. Things that were mentioned felt true to their environment and didn’t feel forced. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the content in the book mirrored elements of the author’s life because of how authentic it was.
Don’t get it twisted, I really enjoyed the book, but I felt sad all throughout reading it. The activism moments made me smile, but all in all, it was a sad read. I get that reading is not all about feeling happy and empowered after though. Sometimes, you need to be shaken and woken up. It’s so triggering that 3 years after being published this book feels brand new and relevant to the past few weeks. I do like timeless books, but this feels like it’s timeless for the wrong reasons. This is not a knock on the author, it’s a burst of rage at society!
Ok, on a lighter tone back to how I’m feeling. I was fully down with the subtle living room conversations that made their way into the story. The concept of ‘selling out’ was explored in a couple of angles. One by Starr dating outside of her race and the internal conflict she faced as well as commentary from those around her who passed judgement on her. And also the debate her parents had about moving the family up out the hood to the suburbs. I’ve been in numerous conversations where the two have come up, and many have labelled someone as less black for dating a white person, or not as real as other black people for being middle class and living in different settings. You need to be there to see how tense these conversations get. Living in London and having friends with young children, the second point is a topic that comes up monthly. It boils down regularly to a thought of potential ‘diversity over safety’, but that’s a discussion for another day.
The activism part was electrifying. As a book aimed at young people and seeing how young people are helping to tear up the system and institutional stupidity, I loved it. The book helps give ownership to those coming up.
It Hit me When
It hit me when I really peeped how the media did their circus routine and how they portrayed the police officer and his statement. In one of the media interviews, the police officer who shot Khalil’s father was interviewed sharing stories about his son and highlighting how much he had been affected by the incident. The energy that comes into the system, of making someone a victim when they have taken a life is puzzling. Stepping outside of the book for a minute, the whole social media presence that I’ve seen online is maddd when it comes to murder. Specifically police brutality and the mishandling of Black people. I’ve seen disgusting comments from people on their keyboards writing about how a victims mother doesn’t look sad enough. I’ve only just noticed recently how much the media can really influence criminal investigations and it is really scary.
“One-Fifteen Sr. (The father of the officer who shot Khalil) talks about his son’s life before the shooting. How he was a good kid who never got into trouble, always wanted to help others. A lot like Khalil. But then he talks about the stuff One-Fifteen did that Khalil will never get to do, like go to college, get married, have a family.”
Length
438 pages. There’s also the Author’s notes that I strongly suggest you hit up and read plus the opening chapter of On The Come Up, Angie’s second book.
*Cough cough I’ve reviewed it. Right here*
Who should read it
The book is definitely a green light for teenagers, core reading material right about 2020. Especially, a good starting point for young people questioning senseless killings and police brutality. It brings more depth and experience into life in America for a young Black person, which I think all young people regardless of their background can learn about through the power of storytelling like this. The death toll is getting so ridiculous that people are becoming desensitised to it. But this book will fling the holy spirit in you making you feel and most importantly think.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
The big quotes
“ Good-byes hurt the most when the other person’s already gone.”
“What’s the point of having a voice if you’re gonna be silent?”
Have you read this book? What are your views on it? Drop your comments below!
The Nickel Boys
Yoo from the very jump I was in a daze. Before I even met the main character I’d visited a human cemetery. At this point, full disclosure I’m a sensitive soul. I couldn’t pick up the book for weeks after the main character Elwood received an A* beat down by the school staff. Even now weeks after finishing the book the word White House has a whole different meaning to me
Colson Whitehead
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Fleet
Watch the breakdown
This book is my first read from Colson Whitehead. One of his most popular book’s ‘The Underground Railroad’ is on my TBR list. He also won the Pulitzer Prize for it.
In 1960s Tallahassee, USA, being raised by his grandmother, a teenaged Elwood Curtis is a ‘stick to the book’ person. He has a part-time job, aspires to be better, is passionate about his future and believes strongly like his idol Dr Martin Luther King that he is "as good as anyone." One innocent mistake, however, ends his plans to enrol at an all blacks college and secures him a one-way ticket to Nickels reform school for boys. The sentence…to be confirmed, you have to earn your way out according to the rules. Living during Jim Crow law times, the school was segregated and to the outside world would educate and train inmates to become law-abiding and honest citizens.
To those in the inside, the reality was far from that. Those who did not conform to the unsaid rules were given lashes, sexually assaulted, or taken out back to never be seen again. On his second day at Nickel Elwood meets Turner. They form an unlikely friendship with the two looking at life from completely different angles. Elwood living by Martin Luther King’s “Throw us in jail, and we will still love you” and Turner believing in an eye for an eye and that Elwood is way too naive.
The book is split into three parts. Part 1 covers Elwood’s life leading up to his entrance to the Nickel reform school. Part 2 is daily life in Nickel with all its bumps and twists. And part 3 is mainly what life after Nickel looks like for one of the characters. Which character? You’ll find out…
“I am stuck here, but I’ll make the most of it, Elwood told himself, and make it brief. Everybody back home knew him as even, dependable— nickel would soon understand that about him, too.”
Is that how you’re feeling yeah?!
This is a really intense book. I’m talking have you on the edge and it’s not a thriller book. Even though a fiction novel, to the core it is inspired by a real place, Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys, a reform school in Florida where horrific events took place. Boys were physically and sexually assaulted, with many unmarked graves being located in recent years.
Yoo from the very jump I was in a daze. Before I even met the main character I’d visited a human cemetery. At this point, full disclosure I’m a sensitive soul. I couldn’t pick up the book for weeks after the main character Elwood received an A* beat down by the school staff. Even now weeks after finishing the book the word White House has a whole different meaning to me. Every time I thought about picking up the book I felt so sad. The way that I felt you’d think that I had received them licks. On reflection, it had a lot to do with the fact that I had recently read a non-fiction memoir book of Lemn Sissay’s childhood and many of the topics overlapped. Especially how brutal some children were treated. Someone’s fiction is someone else’s reality!
I enjoyed reading the continuing inner struggle that Elwood faced as he tried to replicate and live by his hero, Martin Luther King’s values. On a personal level, my heart isn’t built like that I’m riding all the way out. But the way the book was set up with the opposing views of Elwood and Tuner it made me question my thoughts and where I stood on individual inequalities. For example, Elwood made a very bold/couragous/ stupid move, (depending on how you view it) that ultimately cost him his life. No matter how intense the book got, I was in tune and down for the ride. The book made me feel angry, frightened, helpless and also compassion, flicking through each emotion was a whole different story.
Part 3- Life after Nickel was the weakest part, I wouldn’t have missed it at all. I can see how it acted as a breather from the intensity and brutality of the story but felt irrelevant and jarring at times. I got enough from the prologue of the after-effects of Nickel and how peoples lives were never the same. I didn’t need the step by step walkthrough and it didn’t get any emotion from me at all.
“There was a weird thing to the acoustics where the fan covered the boy’s screams but right next to it you heard the staff instuctions perfectly: Hold on to the rail and don’t let go. Make a sound and you’ll get more. Shut your fucking mouth, nigger.”
Length
217 pages. That also includes a prologue, epilogue and afterword. I recommend reading the prologue again after you’ve finished the book, the words hit differently then. When I read it first I was just reading it to get into the book. Basically it was meaningless at that time, and felt like a passing news story. When you read it after, you feel the crunching of bones, the names bring up a face in your head, and emotion leaks from your body.
I’m someone who likes to understand how thoughts and feelings translate into art and creativity, and enjoyed Colson’s afterword. As a reader you are going to take what you want from a book, be it from your own life experience, triggers or preferences.
“To create the two heroes for The Nickel Boys, I borrowed from my own internal dilemma. The last two-and-a-half years have been a time of great division in America – these divisions and disputes have always been with us, but sometimes they’re closer to the surface”
It Hit me when
The whole book was emotional, but this particular incident stung for me. Okay, so there is an annual boxing match that gets everyone hype and gets a lot of attention. Staff and everyone get involved, ignoring the horrific surrounding of where everyone is it is something that many look forward to. On one occasion they even delayed someone’s ‘graduation’ because they wanted him to fight. The big finale is a white boy Vs a black boy and the black boys had won 15 years in a row, giving them a large sense of pride. This is the 1960s in America, where segregation is legal and black people are still found to be lynched by white people. Anyway, this year the favourite, Griff, is told by the prison staff to make sure he loses. Staff put major bets on the game. Griff if not the brightest bulb… Well, that’s being nice, his bulb just about works, but he’s a good fighter. After many blows to his head, dazed and confused he pushes through to win the match. All the black boys are gassed and extremely happy and he’s bawling. They think it’s because he’s so happy he won, but he knows where his story ends. The quote underneath really hit me.
“He was all of them in one black body that night in the ring, and all of them when the white men took him out back to those two iron rings. They came for Griff that night and he never returned. The story spread that he was too proud to take a dive. That he refused to kneel. And if it made the boy’s full better to believe that Griff escaped, broke away...”
Who Should Read It
If you want to understand the atmosphere in America in the 60s this will be good for you. Those interested in Civil Rights Movements and injustice come all the way to the front. Martin Luther King fans round up, round up. This is for sure a book club read because you will get some popping and in-depth conversations going. To be clear, if you’re looking for a light read, homie this is not the book for you.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
I’m going with mixed herbs. The jarring bits took away the all-purpose seasoning but the content was strong and made me feel so much.
Girl, Woman, Other
I’m doing up an Issa Rae on the “I’m rooting for everyone black” so when I saw that Bernardine Evaristo was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2019 I was involved and rooting for sure. When she won I was happy. *Peers out.. is it safe? I hadn’t actually read the book at the time *
Bernardine Evaristo
Genre: Women’s, LGBTQ Literature
Publisher: Hamish Hamilton
Watch the breakdown
You’re introduced first to Amma, a struggling creative who after decades of being on the outside has her play, The Last Amazon of Dahomey commissioned by the National Theatre. The book begins with that, but it’s really the finale in what has been a long time coming for various of the women. 12 Black British woman’s lives are explored throughout the book leading them to the theatre to watch a new chapter begin. Some of the women have a direct connection with the others, and some very distant. How would you describe a Black woman? Would a Black woman’s experience be the same in the 50s, 80s, 90s, and even now? What are her traits? Her job? Who does she date? What is her bank balance saying? This fiction book covers the stories of Black women, with some including the known stereotypical thoughts but providing challenges and angles that make you look at the process of the painting and not just the finished picture. This book explores queer Black women and their communities, the widowed Black women and their journeys, the “stoosh” black woman who has had to work ten times as hard to get to her position, and many more.
“For the sisters & the sistas
& the sistahs & the sistren
& the women & the womxn
& the wimmin & the
womyn & our brethren &
our bredrin & our brothers
& our bruvs & our men & our mandem & the
LGBTQI+ members of the human family”
Is that how you’re feeling yeah?!
I channelled Issa Rae on the “I’m rooting for everyone black” so when I saw that Bernardine Evaristo was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2019 I was involved and rooting for her. When she won I was happy. *Peers out.. is it safe? I hadn’t actually read the book at the time * But she did it for the people dem! I’m writing this review after reading the book for the second time. 6 months apart.
Some won’t understand why I pledged such an allegiance. I’ll ask you to look back at how many Black women, let alone Black people have been longlisted or shortlisted in the past 50 years for this prize. Or even going deeper, how many books have you read where Black women have been the front, centre and left and aren’t labelled as a niche genre.
Bernardine has managed to smash down and incorporate a realistic version of the ever evolving different black women. She’s shown us individuals journeys, sprinkled in a variety of cultures and dashed them all in the English pot.
I learned about communities of people that aren’t in my circle and it served as a good reminder that yes I have the race element in common with Black women, but there are other categories and sections that I know completely nothing about.
I loved, loved, loved this book. Yes, there was a point that I started to lose focus. When too many names and characters come up it makes my head fuzz, and my one down point of the book is that it had too many characters. But, the characters felt real, some even a little too real and when it came round full circle it all made sense to me. Bernardine’s style of writing in this book is curly haired and flowing which I really appreciated. As a reader you’re not having to focus on full stops and perfect punctuation and it matched the content of the book.
Favourite Chapter
My favourite chapters were those that focused on the older women. They felt more gripping and detailed. Bummi’s chapter in particular I really loved. I’ve been a Yazz, I entered the wokeness, it’s a continuous journey to stay woke. And I’ve known a few too many LaTisha’s growing up but, seeing the world and experiencess through Hattie, Grace, Bummi and Winsome really pulled me all the way into the book. I try to break the cycle, but it’s so easy to label your mum and grandma, forgetting that they had a life before you and they also have a whole side of them that exists away from you. These characters reminded me of the different angles and behaviours that can happen at any age and made the characters so relatable. On the other hand, it also provided that extra context to understand why people think and act in a certain way. Bummi was a perfect example of this - I understood Bummi’s vision and dreams for her daughter in England on an emotional level because the chapter opened up Bummi’s childhood. Instead of seeing a parent pushing her dreams on to her child as a form of dictatorship, I saw a woman who would die for her child and genuinely wanted to see her shine.
“Carole, have I raised a fighter or a quitter?
you must return to the university and get
your degree by hook or by crook or I
cannot vouch for the consequences of my actions”
Character Wildness
If I could sum up my thoughts of some of the characters in a hashtag.
Winsome- #You did what now?
Penelope- #Ya average racist… next!
Amma - #Badass for life
Dominique - #You are stronger than your situation
Carole - #A rose grew from the concrete
Length
453 pages later and I can say with my chest that the book was a banger. Bernardine’s artistic ways are so magical.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
The maximum seasoning that marinated overnight for that extra sauciness. I definitely tasted some scotch bonnet in there and fresh cinammon.
Questions for the author
1. Will Amma ever move to America?
2. Is Shirley going to ease up on her students now that she finally got her gratitude?
3. Who is your favourite character and why?
The BIG quote
“While troublemaking on the periphery’s all well and good, we also have to make a difference inside the mainstream, we all pay taxes that fund these theatres, right? ”
To Lahore, With Love
Every chapter is named after and features a recipe, which sets the tone for the chapter. If you want to secure your bae then you’ll need some ‘commitment cake’, and if you’ve done someone wrong try out ‘Forgive-Me Bitter Gourd.’ If you’ve had your heart broken and you are feeling fragile try out the ‘Stay Strong Chicken Yakhni Soup.’
By Hina Belitz
Genre: Religious Fiction
Publisher: Headline Review
*Gifted*
Watch the Breakdown
Addy Mayford has always struggled with her identity. Brought up in a household of stories, food and faith by her Irish mother and Pakistani Nana, she feels constantly torn between the two sides of her upbringing. Since the death of her father, she's found contentment cooking delicious recipes from his home city of Lahore, despite the protestations of her mother that being a chef is no career for a young woman. It's only with the love of her gorgeous husband, Gabe, that she's truly found happiness. (Taken from publishers)
Plot twist, about as quickly as you can read the paragraph above Addy’s life flips from Instagram perfect to WTF. The book is broken down into 3 parts: before, the day, and after. The happiness Addy thought she’d found gets crushed when she suspects her husband is cheating on her. And then he decides to leave, saying that he needs space.
Millions of tears and plenty of Stay Strong Chicken Yakhni soups later Nana makes an executive decision that Addy needs to go to Lahore. Addy travels to Lahore to escape her bitter new reality in London alongside her best friend, and Nana (who invited herself along.) During her trip she discovers herself and a real love for her father’s land, but also discovers an extended family secret that knocks her breathless and changes her life as she knows it.
Side note: (I know, I know R Kelly is blacklisted) but… the prologue of this book reminds me of his ‘Trapped in the Closet’ Chapter 1-12 music videos that had everyone gripped for ages.
Is that how you’re feeling yeah
I’m feeling like the book absolutely banged. Point, blank period, I really loved this book. It takes you on a journey of identity searching, mixed heritage exploration and food galore. Yes, yes and yes. Major excitement as I report that the story was engaging right from the beginning to the end.
At first, the lack of patience in me didn’t want to hear about England, I wanted to skip right to Pakistan. But once all the saucy details and flavours started emerging, it was crystal clear why it was important to dedicate time to the before section in England.
I particularly like that Addy, the main character is of mixed heritage and how that is explored throughout. It’s one thing being from a different heritage from the country you live in and trying to find the perfect balance there, but there are extra layers in Addy’s case. It’s interesting to read about the difference in culture, language, religion and how Addy navigates them.
I was lying on a beach in Grand Turks, but really I was in the hustle and bustle of the markets in Lahore because everything I read felt so rich and vivid that I was immediately transported there.
Every chapter is named after and features a recipe, which sets the tone for the chapter. If you want to secure your bae then you’ll need some ‘commitment cake’, and if you’ve done someone wrong try out ‘Forgive-Me Bitter Gourd.’ If you’ve had your heartbroken and you are feeling fragile try out the ‘Stay Strong Chicken Yakhni Soup.’
“Stay Strong Chicken Yakhni Soup
For patience and constancy, leading to inner strength take:
1 onion, sliced
1 big, black cardamom
4cm/2in cinnamon stick
...
The artistry: to extract the essence of things, less being at times so much more.”
It Hit me when
When I learned the big family secret in Lahore. It’s mad how something can be right in front of you but you’re oblivious to it. I think the reasoning behind it hit me more than the actual lie. (No spoilers ‘round here… you have to read the book and leave a comment when you know)
Nana’s quotes have left me thinking and reflecting outside of the book on faith and my general outlook on life and how I deal with scenarios. I love a book that makes me take away something to think about. Another thing I took away is a serious reminder, that you cannot rely on your happiness to come from someone.
characters
My favourite character: Oooh this was a tough one. I really identified with and loved Addy but I’ve got to go with Nana. Everyone needs a Nana like Addy’s. I already have one which is probably why she is my favourite character. She doesn’t understand boundaries and shows Addy so much love in her own way. Especially through the love language of food.
Addy’s best friend hmm something didn’t sit well with me about her. When Addy was crying, she started crying, and then upgraded it to being hysterical. To the point that Addy had to help her out. Them things there don’t add up. She seemed shady and untrustworthy.
“I have been transformed, just as the ingredients in my recipes are, into something better. My disparate parts melded. How ironic that I had to journey thousands of miles from home to find my way back to myself.”
Length
272 pages. Perfect length, nothing felt rushed or too dragged out at any point of the book.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
All-purpose seasoning. The perfect mixture of culture, laughter, eye-rolling and surprise. I green light this book.
The Big Quote
“Nothing that hits you was ever going to miss you. Nothing that misses you was ever going to hit you.”
*Gifted by Headline Review. Thanks for sending me the perfect holiday book Alara.
Happy Publication Day, the book is not available to buy!
Frizzy
A Cry To War
The book caught my attention at the beginning and then just as quickly as it caught it, it was gone because of some random 50 shades of grey scene that hit me out of nowhere. The sex scene was real graphic, and considering how lengthy the book blurb is definitely needed a ‘hey FYI’ warning
By E.O. Odiase
&
K.N Pumpuni
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Publisher: Ghagerian
*Gifted
Watch the breakdown
In 1267A whilst ruling the Mombaka Kingdom in peace, King Ewuare’s mind is far from being at peace. A father of 5, with 2 wives he has a lingering emotion. His father was killed in the previous war a generation ago and he can’t seem to move forward without getting revenge. After sleeping underneath an ancient tree in efforts to get clarity from the God’s, Ewuare makes his decision.
He chooses to avenge his father’s death, by sending his second son Mandisa, next in line to rule the kingdom, to kill the son of King Jabbar. King Jabbar killed Ewuare’s father and he wants his son’s life in return. The assassination is successful, but not everyone has the same vision to get Mandisa home safely back to the Mombaka kingdom and a series of things happen resulting in a death and a near death of another. One young man’s journey ends and another one’s has just begun as he navigates the other kingdoms faced with slavery, beasts and heartbreak whilst trying to find his way home totally unaware of the pending war.
Meha, the second wife of King Ewuare has her own agenda about their future and is plotting hardcore. Oh yeah she’s also having an affair with someone very close to home. The revenge, of the revenge attack bounces back around pretty fast and war breaks out. Meanwhile, in the Agbon mountains men are unaware of the sorcery and supernatural forces which are planning their ultimate end.
“What kind of a King am I? One that hides from revenging the death of his father or a king who chooses to forget the past, to maintain peace.”
Is that how you're feeling yeah?!
Let me two-step in with the positives first. I did enjoy learning about Thirteenth century West Africa, and appreciated how no attention to detail was left out when describing some events and locations. One event in particular I felt like I was really there. The Royal wedding of King Ewuare’s daughter, I attended, wearing my cloth of course.
The book caught my attention at the beginning and then just as quickly as it caught it, it was gone because of some random 50 shades of grey scene that hit me out of nowhere. The sex scene was real graphic, and considering how lengthy the book blurb is definitely needed a ‘hey FYI’ warning or some sort of notice that sex would be such a large part of the book. All of the sex scenes were very vivid, and were given more presence and commitment than war itself. Which undermines the book title.
Within the beginning two chapters, yoo a lot of characters and names came up. From the get go, too many names and characters were mentioned, and this continued throughout the book. It weren’t relevant to mention them all and it made things too fuzzy.
A large reason why the book didn’t bang was that the author’s tried to cover so many topics that some parts were overlooked or kept to an absolute minimum. One part to note is Kamunde, King Ewuare’s first son. The concept is fire, but as a reader the book needed more time to explain as it covers sorcery and supernatural behaviour but it was left way too late to leave an impact.
It Hit Me When
It hit me right by the end when it became clear King Ewuare’s fate and expiry date. The physical element of death isn’t what got me. It was that big realisation that came to me and I just said ‘raaar the need for revenge can really be the death of you.’ How one decision that is yours can really trigger a series of events with the results being totally out of your control.
Favourite Character
Eweka was my favourite character hands down. Throughout the story and the various things he’s dealt with he has proven to himself how much of a survivor he is, adapting to even the most harsh environments. Slavery, betrayal, heartbreak and he’s still standing! I stand by a strong man.
Kwame was a close second favourite. His kind heart and wisdom was admirable. I was sad with how ruthless King Jabbar was when dealing with Kwame and his wife. Turns out Hangman really is a real thing!
Length
316 pages. I didn’t like the ending, it ended on a cliffhanger. The book didn’t seem ready to end as there was too much left unexplained.
Seasoning level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
Salty. The book flowed and the main plot was engaging but there were too many sex parts that felt out of touch with the book, especially with the language used for them. Saying that though, I would give the sequel a try. I feel like the book has potential, but potential is also just a fancy word! It needs to get rid of some ingredients, freshen up the seasoning, and then marinate in the fridge again.
The BIG Quote
“We may be from different Kingdoms, different customs and different religions, but today we stand as brothers, as equals with a common goal!”
Frizzy
The Ungrateful Refugee
Part memoir, part reconstruction, this non-fiction book written by author Dina Nayeri serves as a compassionate and unforgettable reminder that refugees are more than a statistic and number.
By Dina Nayeri
Book Review Genre: Non-fiction
Publisher: Canongate
What is it like to be a refugee? It is a question many of us do not give much thought, yet there are more than 25 million refugees in the world. To be a refugee is to grapple with your place in society, attempting to reconcile the life you have known with a new, unfamiliar home. All this while bearing the burden of gratitude in your host nation: the expectation that you should be forever thankful for the space you have been allowed. *Taken directly from the book*
Watch The Breakdown
Part memoir, part reconstruction, this non-fiction book serves as a compassionate and unforgettable reminder that refugees are more than a statistic and number. Dina brings in her own personal experiences of having to leave her homeland of Iran at the age of 8, as well as combining stories of others who have become refugees and asylum seekers in the recent years.
You discover the stories of those who were thriving in their careers whilst in their home countries and now cannot work. Those who are determind to stay close to their cultural identity and do so through food. And those who cannot bring themselves to go into the harrowing levels of details the authorities demand when presenting cases for seeking asylum.
Through these real-life stories, it forces the reader to explore their conscious opinions about refugees and challenge the fear-mongering and anti-immigrant positions that many countries have adopted. This book is really important. You need to read it.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
Chapters Overview
The book is well structured and breaks the insights it gives into the lives of refugees into five core parts.
Part 1 covers in vivid details the action and risky process of escaping and leaving a country. You get a real sense of life for people in their homelands before and whilst they had to make life-saving and changing decisions.
Part 2 details the process of waiting and being allocated camps and temporary facilities. Dina visits one of the temporary accommodation that she was placed in recounting her experience there and the stories of daily life within those walls.
Part 3 explores the asylum process -The rejection letters and the asylum grantings that effectively helped many to reset their lives. A major topic of interest in this chapter is learning through various people's experience, as well as professionals, how the truth is interpreted and understood in different countries.
Part 4 is all about assimilation, and the expectations and assumptions of becoming the nation that adopted you.
Part 5 is titled cultural repatriation. It ends the book showing the different ways within the author's family, that cultural identity and belonging can show itself.
All the content of the book hit me really hard. But, the discussion between Dina and her baba/dad right at the end of the book caught me off guard. I found myself being really judgemental and feeling heated at his request for Dina to help her half-sister, who wanted to become an unaccompanied minor and refugee. Other than me thinking it was irresponsible and risky, I also felt that he had undermined and belittled the experience that Dina, her mum and brother had gone through.
At first when reading the book I was sure that certain parts I'd read before elsewhere and felt frustrated, and then it hit me. I'd read Dina's previous book 'Refuge' and the bits that I felt were repetitive were from the 'Refuge' book and in fact details are taken from her life.
I usually write notes as I read through a book, but I couldn't bring myself to when reading this book. This book will forever stay on my bookshelf, no swapsies or lending out for real. I had to close the book and pick another activity to do many times because the raw details of what many had gone through stirred up so many emotions for me. If it could do that for me, a reader, imagine what it felt like for those who were going through it.
Length
370 pages. It's not a book that you can read really quickly. It gives you a feeling of heartache so you have to slow down and really digest everything.
Big Quote
"Why do we ask the desperate to strip away their dignity for the price of our help?"
My name is not refugee Podcast Episode
After being so moved by the book I called a family meeting and asked my mum and Ga'mama if we could talk about their experiences as refugees in the 80s coming to the UK. It also happened to be World Refugee Day and I've written about it. My Ga'mama was initially uncomfortable about recording, and thought she couldn't add much to the conversation, but warmed up and wouldn't stop talking after. You can listen to the discussion here
Frizzy
Tell Me Your Secret
The book cover itself would make me want to read this book. And then the blurb, c' mon it's perfect marketing. My nosy levels are immediately on 100. There's a secret that I don't know about... and I really want to know!
By Dorothy Koomson
Genre: Psychological Fiction, Thriller
Publisher: Headline Review
The book cover itself would make me want to read this book. And then the blurb, c' mon it's perfect marketing. My nosy levels are immediately on 100. There's a secret that I don't know about... and I really want to know!
Tell Me Your Secret is the fifteenth book written by the award-winning author Dorothy Koomson. I've read 11 of Dorothy's books and was excited to read this one because her books feel familiar. Let me be clear, familiar in the sense of her writing style throughout the books. Her thriller books especially have always remained unpredictable and that is one of the reasons why I always happily jump headfirst into Dorothy Koomson's novels.
“I was disappointed with Pieta’s character. Imagine overcoming so much and finally stepping out of your shell and then entertaining your school bully.”
Watch the breakdown
The book kicks off with a mini introduction known as a prologue. It drags you straight into a creepy opening, with someone being told whilst blindfolded that they need to keep their eyes closed for 48 hours to remain alive, no matter what is done to them. A nod is required to begin the weekend.
Detective Inspector Jody Foster has temporarily relocated to Brighton to lead an investigation into a criminal known as The Blindfolder, who has resurfaced and is now killing his past victims. Jody is personally invested in this case because fifteen years ago, she was told by the first victim about this crime and her judgements blurred her from bringing the Blindfolder to justice.
Meanwhile, in the same city lives, Pieta Rawlings, a deputy editor at a regional News company who has not told anyone that ten years ago she was also kidnapped by a man who nicknamed himself The Blindfolder. She went through the 48-hour ritual and believed that after that weekend the worst was over. When she realises that The Blindfolder has now resurfaced and is now hunting down one-by-one his past victims, she naturally wants to escape and uproot her life. Except it's not just her anymore that she would be uprooting.
The women's lives overlap when the latest victim approaches the police wanting her story to be broadcast nationally. She chooses to sell her exclusive story to the news company that Pieta works for. Pieta's bully of a boss is on the chase for the "big win" and puts Pieta forward to win the story bid and to interview the victim for the company. Pieta's boss has gone all out and even hired a photographer, who happens to go way back with Pieta. Detective Inspector Jody Foster is in charge of the victim's safety, and whilst watching interactions between Pieta and the latest victim, realises that Pieta is also one of The Blindfolders past victims.
Pieta has something that gives Jody a fresh chance to finally close this case but she's not so willing to potentially expose herself in the process.
Is that how you're feeling yeah?!
I read this emotional thriller in 2 days straight, and it made everything else going on around me feel like a complete blur. This type of book will make you feel on edge and definitely amplifies paranoia. Now that I've digested it I'm sitting here realising that the story plot is a lot. It is really quite sadistic. I've always wondered how Dorothy comes up with such original and equally creepy storylines. A quick google search told me that she has a degree in psychology... (Google be telling you everyone's business hayyy!)
Both of the women, Pieta and Jody, are strangers to each other but are grabbing on to a big secret separately that is connected. It makes me think on a deep level about self-preservation and how when you have a burden you can easily feel disconnected and that no one else is or has gone through our chain of thoughts. What can I say I'm a deep thinker.
I was disappointed with Pieta's character. Imagine overcoming so much and finally stepping out of your shell and then entertaining your school bully. It proper wound me up, especially because that relationship went from being little mentions here and there to a large part of the storyline. You know when you see one of the girls go back to that ex-partner that she'd spent 2 hours on the phone to you last week crying about? It was that type of disappointment... like really?
When the story unravels, in the end, it’s too shallow. I was expecting a big explanation, maybe something to mind boggle me and make me dig hard and find empathy. The book was electrifying throughout so I didn't feel that I'd wasted a read but I sighed at how stupidly simple the big explanation was.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
Overall the story is juicy and the crime aspect is so on point that it is chilling. If you want a book that combines crime and a thriller you will not be disappointed. But the lack of depth in the characters and their behaviour watered the seasoning down for me.
The BIG Quote
"My fingers are curled to hide the shaking and my eyes are wide open to stop the memories that creep in whenever it's dark."
Frizzy
One Year Later
One family member didn't get the memo that they weren't on the invite list, and as the holiday kicks off it becomes clear that the holiday repair dream is far from the reality. Something is definitely off on the island, and someone from the family is hiding a big secret.
By Sanjida Kay
Genre: Psychological Fiction, Thriller
Publisher: Corvus
*Gifted*
The breakdown
The death of Amy's daughter, Ruby-Mae, has left family members shell-like and consumed with grief. Ruby-Mae died at the age of three in a preventable accident. The one year anniversary of her death is fast approaching so the family decide to book a last-minute trip to an island in Italy, hoping a getaway will reduce the pain of their loss and rectify slippery relationships.
One family member didn't get the memo that they weren't on the invite list, and as the holiday kicks off it becomes clear that the holiday repair dream is far from the reality. Something is definitely off on the island, and someone from the family is hiding a big secret.
Will everyone make it off the island? And can the fragile family deal with another blow?
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
Is that how you're feeling yeah!?
It took me a long time to get into this book, for the first quarter of the book-length I was disengaged and tempted to put it down. But… I'm glad I didn't because once the story warmed up it gripped me like I was on a rollercoaster and I didn't want to get off.
Sanjida tricked me on so many occasions. I had my thinking hat securely on and on so many occasions I was dead sure that I'd solved a mystery or question and then BOOM the story would flip and I was back to square one mad puzzled. That's how I like my thrillers, unpredictable and various steps ahead of me. I can't say too much of how I'm feeling because there's so much I want to say but can't because I don't want to spoil anything ahhh!
It hit me when
It hit me when I took a step back from the book and really processed what was going on and how fragile the family was. Also, it made me realise how tense and on edge I felt whilst reading the book because of the disturbing layers. Yoo lies can be the undoing of a lot of things but lies within the family that's some real deep madness.
Favourite Character
I didn't form a massive attachment to any of the characters, but I found Nick's chapters to be really engaging. An interesting dynamic that Nick was the youngest of his siblings and very much the family glue that simmered down many situations.
Length
327 pages, including acknowledgement and book club questions. Keep a note pad, and don't be put off by the quiet part at the beginning.
Big quote
"There is no greater sorrow than to recall happiness in times of misery."
Gifted by Atlantic Books*
Frizzy
Lot
You learn about the different pockets of Houston through a drug delivery man and his young sidekick, a Pimp who breaks his numero uno house rule by contracting HIV, a ride or die teenage baseball team, and a night of adventure with a sighting of the chupacabra, a mythical creature.
By Bryan Washington
Genre: Short Stories, LGBT Literature
Publisher: Atlantic Books
*Gifted*
The Breakdown
'Lot' is jigsaw pieces coming together in the form of stories exploring a community in the city of Houston. It is really hard to believe that this is the author’s first book and that this book is actually fiction.
The first introduction into the community is through the eyes of a young man, Black on his mum's side and Latin on his dad's, who throughout the book directs readers around the city whilst at the same time trying to find his place within his community.
From his and his families experiences you learn about the division between minorities, the scars of broken family ties, and the ongoing fight to not be defeated. The community naturally have a voice too, and this is told through various individuals.
You learn about the different pockets of Houston through a drug delivery man and his young sidekick, a Pimp who breaks his numero uno house rule by contracting HIV, a ride or die teenage baseball team, and a night of adventure with a sighting of the chupacabra, a mythical creature.
Favourite story
'Alief' is my favourite chapter, it's really powerful in showing how your community shares your indiscretions, pain, jokes and burdens. If I had to rename this title I would call it "chatty patty in full effect". Neighbours really do be in up in your business for real. As a reader you become one of the nosy neighbours, wanting to know how it ends but at the same time holding your breath because you aren't sure how things will play out.
So the gossip is that Paul's woman, Aja, is having an affair with James who also lives in their apartment duplex (In the UK it's a block of flats... small-small difference). But yeah... everyone knows about it except for Paul. Don't be surprised if you start crying at the end of the chapter. I cried for Paul. In the Black community part of being successful is to do better than the generation before you did, to take a step further and Paul ended his journey just like his mother.
It Hit Me When
When the main storyteller admits his sexual preference being men, in confidence to his older brother, who then responds by punching him in the face. Reading that made me feel like I'd been completely blind-sighted and punched as well. It's always hard when those closest to you refuse to accept you for who you are.
Is That How You're Feeling Yeah!?
This book makes you drip in compassion. It's well written and demands your attention right from the start. But most importantly doesn't drop the ball. I smell tick boxing activities from a mile away but can we just pause. We are reading about a young Black and Latin male in the US, who likes males amongst an array of other diverse stories. C'mon, Bryan did that!
The book feels very authentic and gives transparent and unrestricted access to a community that many would never know about, combining the good, the bad and the ugly. I think this has a lot to do with the fact that the author is from the city and has really tapped into realistic, unforgettable and compelling characters. Being from the UK, media coverage about people who fall into these demographics in the US often comes across as judgemental and one-sided and it's refreshing being introduced to these people from a completely different angle.
I love it when books swing into dual languages so I was smiling whilst writing out various Spanish words in my notebook to later translate. A lot of them are cuss words, but you never know when they might come in handy!
Now and again you come across a book that you didn't know you needed, but will never forget! In 2019 this is for sure the book that has done that for me.
Before this book the only Houston reference I had in my mind was Beyonce. But now I'm happy to say when I hear Houston I'll think of the stories that came from this city and the banging author and writer that is Mr Bryan Washington.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
The Big Quote
"Your eyes will show you what they want to, or whatever they think you should see."
*Book gifted by Atlantic Books
Frizzy
The Brighton Mermaid
This book is a madness where do I even begin? Two teenagers, Nell and Jude, are on their way home from a party, after sneaking out of their houses, when they find the body of a young woman. They really want to believe she's sleeping but she's definitely not. Well, she's sleeping but she's never going to wake up.
By Dorothy Koomson
Genre: Crime Fiction
Publisher: Headline Review
Watch the Breakdown
This book is a madness where do I even begin? Two teenagers, Nell and Jude, are on their way home from a party, after sneaking out of their houses, when they find the body of a young woman. They really want to believe she's sleeping but she's definitely not. Well, she's sleeping but she's never going to wake up. No one comes to identify the woman so she becomes known as the Brighton Mermaid. Meanwhile other bodies are washing-up around different shores making people think they have a serial killer running riot.
Nell and Jude both struggle to cope with their discovery, and more so the aftermath of it. Then 3 weeks later out of nowhere, Jude, who has starting dressing like the dead woman, vanishes. Nell's dad then gets accused off being a murderer and also being linked to Jude's disappearance, which cuts deep for each of the family members, in particular Macy, Nell's younger sister. Legally and mostly illegally their family are pursued by the police for years, with one officer holding a very strong grudge that turns him into a full-blown stalker.
25 years later, as the Brighton Mermaid anniversary is approaching, Nell quits her long term job, after being backed up into a nasty corner by a certain stalker, to find out who murdered the Brighton Mermaid, and also to discover what happened to her best friend Jude.
As Jude gets closer to finding out all the pieces to the Brighton Mermaid murder puzzle people helping her get closer to solving the mystery start getting physically attacked, including herself.
Someone is hell-bent on the truth not coming out, seeming to know all her next steps and her paranoia increases. As independent as Nell is, she also has some eye candy assisting her.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
Favourite Character
My favourite character from the book is Macy/Macenna. She's really sensitive, vulnerable and extremely impulsive and I just want to give her a big hug (& I don't even like hugging people.) She has OCD and anxiety issues which developed as a result of the aftermath of the murder. She was about 11 years old when the murder of the Brighton Mermaid happened and she's also been holding in a major secret for nearly 25 years which has clearly taken a massive toll on her.
She has random outbursts that I honestly really get. When her paranoia gets too high she imagines the worse scenarios, which then make her switch on others. An example being when she forced her partner and sister to sit in a room and discuss their issues with each other. Then days later she's having sex with her partner and she stops midway.
“You practically jumped on me when she left. Are you doing it because of her? Because of Nell?”
It hit me when
It hit me right at end, there were little bits throughout the book that my mind thought was weird or out of place and all questions that I'd had were then answered towards the end when all the dot-to-dots were completed. When Nell and Macy's dad was strict about so much, in particular sleepovers it reminded me of my upbringing. For whatever reason if there was a man in the house I wanted to stay in, especially if it wasn't my friend's father, my dad was not involved. Chances are I wouldn't be attending! *I can't say too much more without giving too much away*
That how you're feeling yeah!
I've read so many of Dorothy's books and expected big things from this one. I'm also really used to her writing style which I find really effective, having females as main characters and using different chapters to go back and forth between 2 periods of time. There is so much going on and lots of layers in this book, but everything slots in like a jigsaw piece. Every raw emotion, every gasp is so deliberate and lasts longer than the moment it triggers you. I read half the book in one sitting and when it got to the evening and the sun went down I felt scared. No that's an understatement I was shook-eth. Every little sound set me off. I just kept thinking of the dead woman washed up on the beach in Brighton, remembering her curly afro and tattooes. I'm dramatic but stick with me... I'm sitting in bed, hearing voices outside thinking, ahhhh that could be me in the River Thames next.
The book casually covers important themes such as police brutality, prejudice and White privilege. Let's be clear you need a life vest on when reading this because this book will grab you by two hands and pull you right into the sea, basically like a mermaid would. It's not going give you loads of funny moments, but there's so many other moments you'll get that are more rewarding. Saying that though there is one part that will make you chuckle. Nell kicks the guy she is dating out of her flat and he asks if he can call her.
“Nell: Of course
Zach’s His face brightens and relaxes in relief
Nell: I’m not going to answer, but feel free to call as many times as you like
FX: Door slamming in Zach’s face”
I thought that was so jokes, and I really needed that moment to be able to exhale everything else that had been happening. I always looked forward to little interactions between Nell and Macy, I wanted to lock them in a room and keep them there until they dealt with their issues because their relationship throughout the book is super intense and they clearly walked on eggshells around each other.
Length
429 plus teasers for past books. I read the book in 24 hours because once I opened the book I struggled to put it down. The pace was perfect and the drama kicked off from the beginning.
The big quote
"Every time I blinked I saw her: the untroubled face, the motionless body, the detail of her tattoo. Every time I breathed I realised that the woman with the Brighton Mermaid tattoo wasn't going to do that ever again."
Questions for the author
1. Will Nell and Jude ever be reunited?
2. Will Nell eventually make one of the 2 men her boyfriend?
3. What inspired this book? It's so spooky and calculated.
Frizzy
Celestial Bodies
Khawla asked for a divorce. Ok you need some context. She waited for years and years for her cousin, they'd been promised marriage to each other when they were younger. Anyway he'd gone to Canada on a scholarship and basically ditched his studies and never returned to Oman after.
By Jokha Alharthi
Translated by Marilyn Booth
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Sandstone Press
*Gifted*
Watch the breakdown
Celestial Bodies is a book about the past and ongoing changes happening in Oman. These are explored mainly through the lives of three sisters back in their village of al-Awafi. The three are very different individuals. The eldest sister Mayya marries after experiencing heartbreak. The second sister Asma, a lover of books marries out of a sense of duty. And the youngest sister Khawla, stands her ground and refuses various marriage requests choosing to wait for her cousin to return from Canada to marry her. Through the interactions of the sisters with their family and wider community you get an insight into the traditions and cultural beliefs shaping the society which until the 1970s was a slave-owning one.
It hit me when
Khawla asked for a divorce. Ok, you need some context. She waited for years and years for her cousin, they'd been promised marriage to each other when they were younger. Anyway, he'd gone to Canada on a scholarship and basically ditched his studies and never returned to Oman after. He eventually returned to Oman and married Khawla for financial gain. She had him, but she never really had him, and then ten plus years later when he decided he was ready. BAM... she checked out!
Mannnn, a woman has emotionally checked out before she verbally tells you. She put up with a lot and stayed around for so long, even to the point that family members thought she was insane.
Favourite Character
Abdallah was my favourite character. In the midst of there being so many other characters, I looked forward to his chapters. He gave off a real warmth viewing everyone as equal, including slaves. I also felt sorry for him, he loved his wife so much and she just never showed any affection towards him.
Is that how you’re feeling yeah?!
The book is a good insight into a community going through a transition and I managed to get a peek into that. Certain parts I really enjoyed reading. Khawla's journey, and even though the section was short, Maryam and the Judge's marriage, it felt magical. The storytelling was the strongest when the chapters were stand-alone focusing solely on a specific character, cousin Marwan's story is one of them. Someone brought up, with effectively his life already planned for him on the back of a dream his mother had.
The rest of the book felt scattered and all over the place, and it overshadowed in my opinion what could have been a really strong novel. There were so many names and characters coming up and then never being mentioned again. Also, there was no clear order as to how and when these characters appeared so it became really busy. For example, a character like Zarifa would be discussed, then next her death would be covered, and then in the following chapter, a story would continue with Zarifa in it. And then later details of her death would appear again. It was just too confusing.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
Somewhere between salty and CO2. I'm usually so thirsty for little details and answers, but by the time I got to the end of the book I was so drained trying to keep up that I didn't even care about what had really happened to Abdallah's mum, and that is really rare for that to happen to me.
*This book was gifted by Sandstone Press.
Frizzy
Dune Song
There is something really colourful and poetic about the book, which considering the story, shouldn’t work but it does and it's so beautiful. The book is really raw yet mellow. Issues such as human trafficking appear in the book and I imagined the story would be typically action-packed and abrupt
By Anissa M. Bouziane
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Sandstone Press
*Gifted*
Watch the breakdown
Everything changes for Jeehan Nathaar, after witnessing the collapse of the World Trade Centre. Her American identity gets brutally shattered causing Jeehan to retreat from New York back to her birthplace. Thousands of miles away in Morocco, with fresh friendly faces, Jeehan cannot escape her memories of the 9/11 attacks and gets tangled in a different type of atrocity.
Chapter by chapter the setting shifts between the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in New York and the desert in the south of Morocco. From the minute Jeehan enters Morocco she is on a journey; her vision is blurry but as time goes on it gets clearer and clearer. And it’s after a burial ceremony in the dunes that Jeehan eventually starts to rebuild herself up from Ground zero.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
Is that how you’re feeling yeah?!
There is something really colourful and poetic about the book, which considering the story, shouldn’t work but it does and it's so beautiful. The book is really raw yet mellow. Issues such as human trafficking appear in the book and I imagined the story would be typically action-packed and abrupt because of the emphasis on that topic but it's honestly nothing like that at all.
The descriptions used in this book are so vivid, even after finishing the book I can still picture the minute Jeehan enters the arrivals lounge in the Moroccan airport, with her yellow suitcase and gets her foot bashed by the cart of an impatient passenger.
I love the Arabic language and am in awe with how the author used French and Arabic words throughout the book.
It hit me when
I really felt Jeehan’s pain as she explored the newly formed conflict between her Muslim-Arab and American identities. It made me feel really sad that they now had a brand-new meaning because of the actions of some individuals. The same people she had worked alongside, and been friends with now approached her as the other, the protagonist, the enemy and it felt so unsettling to read.
“Why do Muslims, or Arabs, or whatever… why do you hate us so much?”
It's frightening how the notion of home can be flipped upside down so rapidly. The people that knew Jeehan and saw her on a daily basis turned on her in the US so quickly, yet on the other hand, the strangers she met in Morocco took her in and extended their kindness just as quickly.
It reminded me of an interview I recorded with a school friend for a radio feature I was doing years ago. She openly spoke about her pain of having to endure prejudice and Islamophobic comments because she passed as white. She was a British born Moroccan and didn’t wear a hijab which made others feel comfortable to reel out nasty comments about Muslim people and it really knocked her.
Favourite character
Fareed is my favourite character. I quickly realised that I preferred the Moroccan characters in this book, because I connected with them and was really invested in them.
Even in the harshest of times, Fareed gives you a sense of hope. Because of some of the activities he is involved with it's hard to remember that he is actually just a child. But then I remember his interactions with Jeehan, and his excitement in his Hawaiian shirt and it really drives home his age and it's easy to picture Fareed as a little brother; good-hearted but naive.
Length
357 pages. The book went at a really good pace making me feel really at peace with the finishing. It felt like the author was holding my hand and slowly walking me to the end. It really was the ending I hoped for.
Questions for the author
1.What did you title Jeehan’s article?
2.Where does Jeehan eventually make her base as home?
3.Does Mr yellow suit ever face prosecution?
The BIG quote
“She comes to you heavy with the weight of the world.”
*This book was gifted by Sandstone Press.
Frizzy
"I Will Not Be Erased"
What felt amazing when reading the stories was that even if a story did not resonate with me much I respected it being there getting recognition in a published book. The variety of stories were spot on and I was shocked by some of the stories that were in the collection.
By Gal-dem
Genre: Non-fiction, Identity, YA
Publisher: Walkers Books
"I Will Not Be Erased" is a collection of 14 stories detailing the upbringing of people of colour by Gal-Dem. Gal-Dem is a UK media publication founded in 2015 by Liv Little. The online and print magazine is written by women of colour and non-binary people of colour addressing inequality and misrepresentation in the industry. Basically, Gal-Dem is the shizz-nai-eee (no flies around).
I've always adored how Gal-Dem target a specific target audience, and within that audience cover just about everything. It's easy to have a niche and target, let's say only the Asian girl who lives in London but Gal-Dem has always strived to represent fairly. It's so refreshing to read articles written by people of colour without the focus being solely on their race.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
Breakdown
The irony of the book title is that it was a complete nightmare locating this book when I went looking for it in my local bookstore because they housed it in the Young Adult Fiction section. Note to stores, there is nothing fictitious about this book and I should have seen it on the tables at the front of the store. PERIODT.
The stories share a key theme, taking inspiration from something each contributor had written whilst growing up. The manner in which the stories were told was very transparent, and naturally, some parts spoke out to me more than others.
What felt amazing when reading the stories was that even if a story did not resonate with me much I respected it being there getting recognition in a published book. The variety of stories were spot on and I was shocked by some of the stories that were in the collection. Shocked in the sense that some of these topics were things I'd seen talked about amongst a select few trusted people but never mainstream. Talking with zero frills in the following titles "My Virginity and my choice: Dating as a British Muslim" and "From Nightclub to A & E: A Tale about Drugs."
What separates this book from others is that they were not afraid to discuss and enlighten the younger generation about "taboo" subjects. They've skipped the part about caring if people agree with the actions of some and have laid things out on the table covering all realistic angles. A real testament to breaking barriers and encouraging others to speak their truth.
Favourite story
My favourite segment is the second story "It's Pom-Mang-Granate: Be proud of what makes your story different." The author explores her teenager self, feeling embarrassed and annoyed by her parent's Sri Lankan ways and failures to assimilate in a new country with the "perfect vocab". I sat down with my mum and spoke about this topic and we laughed endlessly throwing back and forth words that my mum has either refused or given up on attempting to say in English.
This story took readers on a journey, which didn't feel superficial in any way. For people with British parents, it may have been another funny story but after finishing that section I put the book down and reflected. It made me reflect on how I viewed my mum being "different" growing up, with a strong accent and non-British ways. And like the author, now that I am older I know how immensely grateful I am to have a parent so strongly into their culture, who can pass down recipes and the richness from their country.
Length
207 pages. The individual stories were a good length roughly 11-12 pages each, not too long for the message to get forgotten but long enough to leave an impact.
Who should read it
Mid-teenagers to young women and non-binary people of colour would be the primary benefactors. However, on a wider scale, this book offers a peak into a different lifestyle to those who are not in the primary audience.
3 things I've taken from the book
That anyone can be the rainbow to someone's rain, by genuinely accepting people as their authentic self.
That I need to spend more time with my mum and Ga'mama and learn more about their homeland.
That I need to step out of my comfort zone more because I too have a story to tell.
A letter to my younger self
Inspired by those who spoke their truth in the book I've scribbled out a letter to myself. I immediately thought of 3 topics but one won. "I'll let you get away with it because true say you're a lightie" and " No, my mum isn't from here."I decided to go with...
"I wasn't sure if you was Black until when you started speaking."
Dear fourteen year old me,
I know you think this is a super compliment because you hate having to explain that no you're not mix raced, and yes your dad is black but no your mum isn't white, but it's not actually meant in a positive way.
You'll learn to understand as you get older what people really mean when they say you "sound black." Not because, you are woke or know all your Black history and the likes of Mary Seacole, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, but because of your personality and the way that you talk.
Even though you think you look unquestionably Black many will keep seeing you as racially ambiguous. The ambiguity will disappear as it becomes clear that your traits are what society have and will label as a stereotypical "Angry Black Woman." You're on the loud side, non-conforming and unapologetic in questioning and calling out B.S. All the things that people like your dad have always said made you inquisitive, authority figures, particularly at school, will label as problematic.
Spoiler alert. You'll get kicked out of the "good old Catholic school" but it will not ruin your life. Even though you will have to pretend to your Ga'mama for a year that you still attend that school so your mum doesn't disappoint her. Don't worry in your 20s all will be forgiven and your mum and Ga'mama will brag to their friends about your University degrees even though your mum will keep telling people about the business degree you earned. News flash no you didn't study business. You'll eventually get into a school bursting with diversity, with people from different faiths and ethnicities. And better yet you'll meet 2 of your closest girls at that school and become an aunt to their children!
Now that I've got your full attention I'm saying this with love and no judgment I promise. Please be nicer to your fellow black girls who are well spoken and more reserved, it doesn't make them any less black. I know that popular belief is black people with those two features equals wanting to be white but it's not true. You'll understand as you get older how flawed and oppressive those views are.
I'm sorry to say that even in your 20s you'll still have people that don't view you as being black enough, there will be jibes online and shade thrown. *Boo bring the sun I got your back* I'll keep it all the way real with you though, you will be sad sometimes and cry but you'll also remember that being black does not have a colour chart and you will immerse yourself into your heritage so much that it won't matter what others say. Plus you'll keep using all the boombastic slang that you grew up with. And you'll learn to switch it up when you need to. Honestly, you should really add that to your CV because that right there will be a really useful skill.
Love you always, especially through the hard times.
Frizzy
On The Come Up
Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. No ifs, buts or maybes she’s determined to be in the top 5. The problem is she’s finding it really hard to get her come up, whilst juggling staying in a school that has already decided who she is.
By Angie Thomas
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Publisher: Walker Books
On the Come Up is written by Angie Thomas, the best-selling author of ‘The Hate U Give’ which is also now a very successful film. So, you might be comparing this book to her first one. I’ve never read ‘The Hate U Give’ or watched the movie so I’m literally a blank canvas. Other than the hype of the film I wasn’t familiar with Angie Thomas and the hype rarely mentions the author and usually the cast. Ok, I’m pushing it in this case only Amandla Stenberg was mentioned. Plus, I don’t buy into the hype because I’ve watched films that have been highly gassed up and I’ve been everything but impressed with them so yeah… neutral face.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
Watch the breakdown
The book is about a sixteen-year-old Bri who wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. No ifs, buts or maybes she’s determined to be in the top 5. The problem is she’s finding it really hard to get her come up, whilst juggling staying in a school that has already decided who she is, and staying at home with next to nothing in the fridge because her mum has hit hard times. Her mum loses her job and is finding it near impossible to get a new one. What can I say this book is all about Bri and you can't help but become Bri when you get lost in this book. Bri reminds us of a sad reality that many young black people are existing in a society that has labelled them and put limitations on them from the jump. But also, that you are stronger than your current circumstances, no matter how hard it can be to believe that.
Plus no sixteen-year-old is fully complete without their ride or die, friends. Enter… Sonny and Malik, they’ve been friends from the womb days. We get to know Sonny and Malik's business but we're not all up in it doing the most... Ok well, we want to be in Sonny's business but he only drip feeds the information in small doses. You only have to read more into the book to know that there is a conscious person in Bri's mind stuck inside the mess. Is Bri impulsive, sure, but she's also someone who reflects later on her actions. You can feel her discomfort when the kids around the garden are mimicking her bars, knowing that her lyrics could influence a generation in the wrong way.
The Come up is the overall goal, and I was led to believe that Bri wanted to come up as a rapper but she is actually looking for way more than that. She wants her relationship with her mum to come up she can replace the continuous nightmares and flashbacks she has of harsher times. And she wants to be known of her own back and not come up as someone’s daughter but a boss in her own right.
Favourite character
Aunty Pooh is one of my favourite characters. I really liked that this hood, dope slanging road girl roadgal (we all know she is not a child) was her niece's ultimate cheerleader. That side of Aunty Pooh, makes me feel that everyone needs an Aunty Pooh.
“I let Aunt Pooh hear some rhymes I wrote, she gets so hype over them that she tells me to rap them for her friends. Trust, if you’re whack, a gangbanger will be the first to let you know.”
But she's such a complex character, I wanted to grab her by her shoulders and yell "the streets don't love you" when she left Bri to do her studio session without her because she had to buss shots/ sell drugs. A character like Aunty Pooh really questions my default idea that someone is either good or bad.
Every character in the novel was equally important though really bringing out Bri's character exploring how she navigates each relationship. The relationship between Bri and her older brother Trey is of an unbreakable sibling bond, and I felt very vulnerable to Bri and her mother Jay's relationship, which is slowly being rebuilt throughout the book.
It hit me when
It was confirmed that Aunty Pooh sold drugs. I found myself really questioning how someone could be so actively involved in the drug game when their older sister was at the other end of it at a point in time clearly struggling. I found myself being really judgemental and questioning her ethics. What was her thinking behind it? Growing up in my environment it wasn’t hard to have friends who were selling drugs, and I’ve never known anyone close to me hooked on drugs. I had a friend whose mum was addicted to class A drugs and she was in my circle but I suppose I never drew the connection to how it might have made her feel to be stuck between the two.
The inner struggle of Bri being in a position that made her have to question if she would be broke with dignity, or be a rich sell out really spoke out to me. This issue of integrity is not reserved for a certain age group and was a running theme throughout the book.
Is that how you’re feeling yeah?!
The whole tone of the book reflects life in Bri's surroundings. Sometimes bitter and sad, but also packed with a whole lot of twists and fun times to get you through. From experience when people talk about hard times in their childhood and past experiences it's not to evoke pity or get a response it's just about being real and for many people, it wasn't a "tough" or "heartbreaking" time because it was all they knew. I could relate to that with Bri on so many levels. Yeah, her upbringing had times she wouldn't have handpicked but she's using it as fuel to paint her own picture choosing rap as her art form.
Listen, there are certain parts of this book that are going to have you leaning over on your side bussin up because what you are reading is so damn funny.
“But I guess Curtis is cute in the same way that rodents are weirdly adorable? You know how you’ll see a baby mouse and will be like ‘Aw, cute! Until that bitch is raiding your cabinet, eating the Halloween candy you hid from your little sisters?”
Imagine this is someone's potential boyfriend being talking about. I'm telling you now this is why you don't ask your friends advice about a potential lovers appearance until you are sure, no make that double sure, that you like them. Comments like these are why people get immediately walked into the friend zone.
My favourite thing about the book is how Bri takes words used to characterise her in a negative manner and she moulds them into lyrics and making them her own. You may call her a "hoodlum" or "aggressive" and she's using them in her rap content. The term comes up in the dictionary right next to black women, and I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt. Aggression has such a ring to it when really the better-suited words to describe someone would be inquisitive or confident. There seem to be clear factors that decide what side you fall on.
You know when people say "There is beauty in the struggle" but you're in a house with 4 different layers of clothing and eating corn beef and rice for the third night in a row. Finding this beauty is harder than finding Wally! The book is a great reminder that there's generally a long process before the actual come up. You don’t think it’s weird that people suddenly go from being one slice of bread and egg left in the fridge broke, too stupid rich with millions?
Storytime
I think people sharing their come up journey is so important! My home girl went to an event recently, specifically because someone she really looked up to in her field was on a panel. And when the person was asked about their journey they pretty much said they stumbled into the industry and boom they are doing so well now. The person completely missed out the part where they had went to University to study the subject for however long, spending how many thousands of pounds on a course, and that they were mentored by industry people for a portion of time after. Why lie? “Why you always lying, oh oh my garwsh.”
The middle part always gets left out though and it honestly jars me so this book helped fill that void for me.
Length
435 pages. It took a little while for me to get into the book. But once I got into it, at chapter 3, it had my full attention. Any little questions that popped up in my mind about a situation were later answered. For example why Curtis lived with her grandmother. I'm proper nosy and the author really catered to that!
Who should read it
This book is for young adults. I can see the older generation not being able to move past the fact that Bri calls her mum “Jay.” and spend their time annoyed at little things like Bri’s relationship with her mum and overlook so much of the bulk of the book. Also if you’re into rap music but not too interested in reading books this is the perfect pulling factor.
Favourite quotes
“Petty doesn’t discriminate.”
“Not that Jay doesn't love the Lord, but she gets extra Christian at church. Like her Aunt Gina and Aunt 'Chele weren't just twerking to bounce music last night in our living room.”
Questions for the author
1.Readers know Bri’s top 5 rappers, was it one of them who reached out to her at the end for a collab? And which one? (C’ mon I need to know)
2.How long is Aunty Pooh looking at inside?
3.Can I get a script of Jay and Grandma’s ground-breaking discussion? (asking for a friend I know a couple people who could use it)
Now that the book is finished I want to do some digging and find Angie Thomas’ SoundCloud account because I know she's got some good bars.
Frizzy
Queenie
Queenie Jenkins has just broken up, gone on a break, from her long-term boyfriend Tom. He called for the break, not her! It’s the sort where you are single, single-ish for 3 months. Feeling vulnerable Queenie seeks temporary love from men in all different directions, who all bring baggage with them, (none of which seems to include condoms)
Candice Carty-Williams
Genre: Modern Fiction
Publisher: Trapeze
Can I just start off by saying the book cover actually bangs. My favourite cover ever. When I saw the braids, 2-2 baby hair and the big earrings I knew it would be my type of book. My big hoops starting clanging because they were so excited. You know like that!!
Queenie is author Candice Carty-William’s first novel. Don’t get it twisted though; being a new author doesn’t compromise the high quality and freshness of the story. Candice gifts us with the main character Queenie, who shows you the honest lows of trying to navigate dating as a black woman. The novel leads you on a journey that makes you see how hard times can impact your mental health. Sex, drama and friendship are the staples that hold this novel together.
This is not even a book, it just sounds like me and the girl dem sugar meeting up and filling each other in on our lives at one point or another. From the texts to the language used it'll make you feel super familiar with the author and the characters from the offset. The book is hilarious, frustrating, engaging and relatable!
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
Watch the breakdown
Queenie Jenkins has just broken up, gone on a break, from her long-term boyfriend Tom. He called for the break, not her! It’s the sort where you are single, single-ish for 3 months. Feeling vulnerable Queenie seeks temporary love from men in all different directions, who all bring baggage with them, (none of which seems to include condoms) that throws Queenie even further from the path she’s trying to get back on to. Meanwhile, she’s trying to hold on to her job working for a newspaper, with a boss who doesn’t seem to care about the ideas that Queenie is trying to write about.
A mentally very fragile Queenie has a strong support system with friends who are all very different but rally together to be as supportive as they can be. One can’t keep up with slang terms, and another is trying to finesse men in her spare time, but they make the funniest text group chats. Her grandmother, a strong Jamaican woman, gives her lots of affection in the form of absolute tough love. *Insert the saying* “you can pick your friends but not your family.”
Throwback moments appear in the book giving us access to Queenie’s relationship with Tom, pre-break of course. Why is there always that one person in the family that you shouldn’t let be around others?
Did I mention that you get to meet Queenie at the same time that a speculum does?
Favourite character
All of the characters are multidimensional and realistic. Queenie is the sister that you love with all your heart, but can’t stand at times because she does things that are so self-sabotaging and impulsive and you know that you’ll be the one clearing it up.
But hands down Kyazike definitely is my favourite. She reminds me so much of myself. Chapter 4 gives you the opportunity to really get to know Kyazike. Pronounced Chess-Keh. No, not Jessica with a C or K, she’ll get mad if you try to simplify her name in that way and you don’t want that type of problem. She’s out here living her best life with no shame. She is a major ride or die. Kyazike even texts like I do. Below is a typical Kyazike quote.
“So I must have been serving some any woman who’s counting out her pennies, and I look in the queue behind her and the buffest guy ever is standing there waiting”
In chapter 22 when Queenie and her grandmother are talking about Queenie getting therapy. Her grandmother switched the whole conversation and made it about her invalidating Queenie’s current situation.
It felt really raw to read because I know the situation very well. Be it a difference in a generation or cultural differences, but the mindset that I've been very much raised with is that you don’t “air your dirty laundry out” so you should suffer in silence and get on with it.
Is that how you’re feeling yeah?!
Be prepared to go through a range of emotions throughout the book. I cried when Queenie’s mental health deteriorated, I was on level 100 with my empathy and then cried again because it made me think about my own mental health which was really poor. I was disgusted and found myself shouting at the book when Tom didn’t support Queenie when his Uncle was openly racist towards her. And I laughed so hard when Queenie’s homegirl Kyazike explained the shamble of a date she’d been on. It's mad because one second I was crying because a section of the book would be sensitive and painful and then a page later I’d be screaming out loud with laughter.
Once I opened this book I couldn't put it down because I felt so invested and into the story. Being completely real I forgot on multiple occasions that it was fiction because it was so relatable and merged completely with everyday issues. Coming from London, born and raised, where the book is set I’ve noticed gentrification in places like Brixton. Too many times I've had to link up with my homegirl to cut her weave tracks out or get mine taken out. Also, the episodes of intense panic attacks that Queenie suffered made my chest tighten.
There is this woman in her 20s really trying to be on her grind and work on her career, whilst holding on to that and just about everything else by the tiniest thread ever. Her role in the media sector, trying to push for more diversity and pitch certain stories from her community really resonated with me. And what is mad is many people will read it and think it just adds to the book but many of us know it’s straight facts and actually far from fiction.
Understand my struggle. I read for hours in the dark using my phone as a torch because my light didn’t work but I couldn’t bring myself to put the book down and go to sleep. This is the first fiction book that I have read that mirrors my environment and terminology.
Length
392 pages including acknowledgements and credits. I wanted the book to be longer though, I became proper attached and I was not ready for it to be over. Also, I thought some sections could have been explored more, and I was left with the impression that some of the parts were a little rushed.
Who should read it
All the girlies. I would say in particular late teenagers to late thirties. I’d prefer my mum not to read it because I’d like to avoid the long list of questions that would come during and certainly after the book. Plus she has a habit of rinsing out new words she had learned so I don’t want her screaming “fam” or my “ting” at me constantly until she learns new phrases!
But especially those that need to learn or refresh London street slang, the book is a reflection of the times so you’ve got a while before the words become old and unusable. Ooh and someone who just wants to read something completely fresh. This book is unlike any fictional one I’ve read before.
Green light or oh no
Definitely green light, yes yes and yes. Buy the book, at the very least you have a unique book cover. I would recommend using the book as a gift. Buy it for your sister, your home girl's baby shower. Your bestie's birthday!
If you want a book that talks about sex it's a winner. But not just the fairytale sex, the deeper level. Greenlight it because it includes seasoning and well-marinated friendships, unapologetic grandparents, wastemen, and a woman trying to hold on to her shit.
Fun fact
I named my first car Queenie, except I decided to be extra and spell it as Q-W-E-E-N-I-E! Myself and Qweenie had a bond like no other.
Questions for the author
1. How soon can I get a Queenie sequel?
2. Do Tom and his new girl last?
3. What character do you see yourself more as and why?
The BIG quote
“I feel a bit like for a while I have been carrying ten balls of wool. And one ball fell, so I dropped another to catch it, but still didn’t catch it. Then two more started to unravel, and in trying to save those I lost another one. Do you know what I mean?”
Are you a fan of the book 'Queenie'? And what are your thoughts on Queenie as a character?
Frizzy
White Fragility: Why it's So Hard For White People to Talk About Racism
For someone like myself who sees things in black and white * no pun intended* it was beneficial to learn about the many shades of grey in between what I thought was so clear cut.
By Robin Diangelo
Genre: Non-fiction, Race, Sociology
Publisher: Penguin Books
Robin Diangelo, the author of this book, first invented the term “white fragility” in 2011. The term refers to a state of racial distress, a barrier of equality, aimed at maintaining racial dominance and ridding itself of any problems/inconvenience.
In DiAngelo's words, "Though white fragility is triggered by discomfort and anxiety, it is born of superiority and entitlement. White fragility is not a weakness per se. In fact, it is a powerful, means of white racial control and the protection of white advantage." The book breaks white fragility into different subcategories with each chapter explaining the underlying sociological phenomena. The author has a PhD in multicultural education and has been a race and social justice educator/trainer for 20 plus years.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
The breakdown
The title doesn't lie, Robin Diangelo gets straight to the point of exploring what she describes as "white fragility" in the western world. There is no small stretches or warm-ups it jumps straight into a full-on long-distance run. The book is broken down into 12 chapters addressing how racism operates and the effects of it. Chapter 2 “Racism and white supremacy” is an interesting chapter and explains that race is a social construct. For me, part of chapter 2 (pgs 15-24), should appear nearer to the beginning of the book, I'm talking introduction chapter 1, because for someone who is not clued up about definitions of race, the social construct of a race, and the difference between prejudice and race waiting until page 15 could be a little too long.
Forreal Forreal
I appreciate this book though. I see it as a step in the right direction. I've read various books about race and identity. Mainly by Black females, and most recently "Brit- ish" by Afua Hirsch and "Why I'm no longer talking to white people about race" by Reni Eddo-Lodge, both equally important books sharing their experiences.
It was easy to read the book 'White Fragility' with an open mind because I was definitely intrigued to read about race and racism from a white person's viewpoint. The book layers historic events, moving quotes and unparalleled anecdotes to explain the here and now in society. I'd always found it puzzling that white people, with a limited number of exceptions, have found it hard to talk about race and racism.
I remember a white colleague being on the phone to a black rights activist and he was stuttering on the phone in the lead up to mention the obvious when identifying the man as black. I later asked him why he stuttered and he admitted that he felt uncomfortable saying it. For the life of me, I couldn't understand why.
I'm a realist and whether people like it or not the facts from history have shown that in order to push for change you need others on board, especially those that benefit from the unequal dynamic. A prime example being the suffragettes. Ultimately men passed the law that saw some women granted voting rights.
The book is written from an American perspective, but reading as a British person the issues are pretty much symmetrical. However, some parts of the book might require you to pause and do a little background research. I'm clued up on the Civil Rights movement but have a little zero geographical knowledge on the US.
Favourite chapter
Definitely, chapter 5, "The Good/Bad binary" simply because I learned the most from it. This chapter addresses how racism has adapted in recent years and why it is thriving now. For someone like myself who sees things in black and white * no pun intended* it was beneficial to learn about the many shades of grey in between what I thought was so clear cut.
For example, many thinking of a racist person conjure up an image of the KKK. Diangelo paints the image that when people think of racism today they imagine the white nationalists in Charlottesville, USA. To be likened or engaged with those acts is to be seen as being a bad person. Therefore, avoiding the behaviour of that extreme somehow leaves you in the good person category. Another strong part of the chapter is it discusses popular “colour- blind” statements used by many white people, breaking it right down to the core explaining how damaging and ignorant they are. After every statement, I found myself rolling my eyes and depicting each time this had happened to me.
“Focusing on race is what divides us” I also learned a new term called "colour-celebrate". I was familiar with the examples used but had never heard this specific term. I call this the Monopoly get outta jail failed card term. It is recycled so often and generically used when someone is pulled up on prejudice and/or racist comment. I present to you my favourite one. But... "I have people of colour in my family".
Yes, yes & yesss
The author putting her shortcomings out on the table, but also explaining the steps she had made to remedy the scenarios which I felt was extremely vital. In one particular scenario, Diangelo describes a joke she made about a colleague, during a work meeting when talking to her colleagues and a newly hired staff member. She told them “The white colleagues were scared by Deborah’s hair.” Deborah was a black woman with dreadlocks. And the new staff member, in particular, was left feeling really uncomfortable with the comment. She reached out to the person who was offended and listened to what had caused the offence and took steps to further her knowledge so she would not be in a situation like that again. People relate to others who are honest about their journey and the author admits that she is still on a journey.
The book also includes a large catalogue of research and study findings. The bibliography contains so much information for those that want to continue learning and reading about race and cultural experiences as well as past studies.
It hit me when
The book brought up a memory for me that I'd really tried to brush away. I remember going for an interview for an internship and feeling really positive. I had my hair combed out in a big afro and I felt proud. In the past, I tried to tame my hair in professional settings, but I left my house on this particular day feeling empowered. I met the person interviewing me, a white person, and I was really nervous. I experience intense social anxiety but I was also nervous because as it was my first potential work experience after studying. The interview went well, well at least I got the opportunity. But I remember feeling quite ashamed of myself.
About fifteen minutes after I met the person they asked if they could speak freely. I thought it was a positive sign and welcomed them to. I was told that when the person first met me I came across as having an attitude like I was giving them "my time and not the other way round". I'll never know for sure why but it never sat right by me. Reading this book and remembering my inner conflict when I got the role triggered me, making me feel very awkward. I would love to have gone back and questioned the person to make them spell out what exactly it was that gave me the attitude.
Length
168 pages including the bibliography and notes. The book was a little too long for me, mainly because more often than not things that were mentioned I was very familiar with, but I am also very aware that I'm not the target audience for this book. I'd recommend reading it chapter by chapter, as you need to read each chapter and then absorb all the information as it's not a light-hearted and fluffy sort of book.
Who should read it
Everyone... everyone can take something from this book. Anyone who is invested in society changing and moving forward in the name of equity. I would love to see this on the syllabus in the UK.
But especially those...
Who refuse to discuss race because it makes them feel uncomfortable being in a conversation that could result in them "being blamed for what their ancestors did" (I'm not kidding I've heard this wayyy too many times)
Ouuuu…
And those who comment under job postings that are aimed at encouraging diversity in workplaces, with the complaint that "the only people being hired these days for roles are people of colour".
You can't buy these EXAMPLES
So, I was out in public reading this book. A man peered over to view my book title, a white man. After he read the title he proceeded to let me know I was "scum" and a "bitch." I smiled internally whilst I tried to figure out how I could send him a copy of the book.
The BIG quote
“But race is the child of racism, not the father”
Kind of cheating, as it's not the author's but it's so powerful. It took me so long to really digest this quote. My understanding and what I hope this book imparts with the reader is that the social construct of 'race' was created to create a divide and a hierarchy but being curious about race and talking about it does not make you racist.
Have you read the book? And do you think it is important to discuss race?