AUTHOR: Reni Eddo-Lodge
PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury Circus
PUBLISHED DATE: June 1, 2017
ISBN: 9781408870556
PAGES: 249
You know that feeling you get when you've read something really important? I had that feeling when I read this book.
This book, inspired by the author's blog post from 2014, is an inciteful look at race relations in the UK that could well be accurate in the USA, and probably worldwide. Eddo-Lodge has a sharp perception of the pain that comes from racial fatigue and provides a much-needed history lesson about the history of black Britons. But, she doesn't just stop at how black people specifically are affected, but she includes biracial, as well multiracial families and the difficult relationships in her own family, as well as in the families of those close to her. Writing and discussing race is extremely complex and inasmuch as race, whether we acknowledge it or not, affects us all - often is marred in controversy. Eddo-Lodge writes with patience, clarity, and still, manages to write unapologetically. A frequent response, Eddo-Lodge says, to her 2014 blog post is how she so perfectly articulated how so many black people feel about race. Even as she is able to describe such an insidious state of being, she has received an unexpected reaction - white people who plead with her not to end her discussions with them about race.
Honestly, this is a remarkable read from a young talent. I honestly think this book has earned its space on any book list that places an analytical eye on critical race theory.
Recommendation: Required. This is a necessary read. Point. Blank. and Period.
Audience: Adults, though - this would have been chicken soup for my teenage soul, I have to admit not every teen can dive into this.
*This audiobook was purchased on Audible.