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bonniew's review against another edition
5.0
I consumed this as an audiobook and there's something special about the author reading their book, just as they had hoped it would be heard.
A story of belonging and ever trying to find it. I love books like this taking you into someone else's experience. A great dissembling of why it is not beneficial "not to see race" and the society we live in today.
A story of belonging and ever trying to find it. I love books like this taking you into someone else's experience. A great dissembling of why it is not beneficial "not to see race" and the society we live in today.
carlokunubi's review against another edition
5.0
An important book for those who don’t feel like their excepted in the mythos of white Britain. Afua uses her experience as a beacon, to shine light on Britain’s issue with race and her dissection of the problems of Britain’s myopia is exquisite.
I recommend this highly for anyone.
I recommend this highly for anyone.
beesteele's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, wow, wow. This book exceeded all my expectations, which were already high. I went into this book extremely interested but could never have prepared myself for how thought provoking Afua Hirsch's writing would prove to be.
I am an American living in the UK. I am very familiar, of course, with the US's history, but I am nowhere near as familiar with the UK's, so I thought it would be great to learn about the history of race and the role it plays in Britain. This book did not disappoint. I found myself constantly thinking about the stories told and the points made in Hirsch's essays. They were never condescending or judgmental; rather, Hirsch was able to approach the subject matter, which is deeply personal to her, through the lens of a journalist. The book was moving and, well, just incredible.
I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come. People everywhere should read it, but it should be required reading to live in the UK.
I am an American living in the UK. I am very familiar, of course, with the US's history, but I am nowhere near as familiar with the UK's, so I thought it would be great to learn about the history of race and the role it plays in Britain. This book did not disappoint. I found myself constantly thinking about the stories told and the points made in Hirsch's essays. They were never condescending or judgmental; rather, Hirsch was able to approach the subject matter, which is deeply personal to her, through the lens of a journalist. The book was moving and, well, just incredible.
I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come. People everywhere should read it, but it should be required reading to live in the UK.
santersgrotto's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
gansey_02's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence and Violence
holly_ed_'s review against another edition
4.0
A clear-eyed and compelling overview of growing up black and British. Explores race, identity, belonging and ideas such as cultural appropriation which I'd heard of but not fully understood. A clarion call for diversity and its importance.
elerijane's review against another edition
5.0
Every British person should read this.
I’ve seen reviews stating that this is one of the most important books out there on race in Britain, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Hirsch does the most amazing job of combining her own personal story of coming to terms with her racial identity, the powerful stories of others she’s encountered both in her life and career, and the history of British racism. The writing is intelligent, thoughtful, and accessible.
Repeatedly through reading this I had to stop and tell my family about a set of statistics, or an unsettling story. I’m so glad I read it at this moment in time, for two reasons. The first: the content in this book still feels so fresh and recent, even if so much has happened since - for instance, it was fascinating to read her analysis of the 2016 EU referendum. The second: not only does it feel recent, but every bit of this book is worryingly RELEVANT, especially right now as the Black Lives Matter movement surges on and some people in Britain question why we even need to have those conversations here too.
Hirsch’s lifelong struggle with identity is one I will never be able to relate to because of my own privilege, but it is one that far more white people need to be aware is happening for people from ethnic minorities across the country. The fact that people (of all ages) in this country feel that they cannot call themselves British because as a country we reject them based on their race, even if they have as much to the British identity as any white person does in this country. And the fact that as a society and culture this country IS constantly failing British people purely due to the colour of their skin and the prejudices they have about it. It’s ridiculous, but it’s real. Racism is real in this country, and uncomfortable conversations need to be had if we’re ever going to get over the issues we have ingrained in our society - in the justice system, in welfare and social services, in education, in job opportunities, etc... There’s so much work to do, and anybody who doesn’t believe that needs to read this.
Ok I could probably keep typing for hours because everything in this book is important, and I’ve learned far more from one book than my 17 years of education taught me (which is a problem in itself). This is why education is important! Read this!
I’ve seen reviews stating that this is one of the most important books out there on race in Britain, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Hirsch does the most amazing job of combining her own personal story of coming to terms with her racial identity, the powerful stories of others she’s encountered both in her life and career, and the history of British racism. The writing is intelligent, thoughtful, and accessible.
Repeatedly through reading this I had to stop and tell my family about a set of statistics, or an unsettling story. I’m so glad I read it at this moment in time, for two reasons. The first: the content in this book still feels so fresh and recent, even if so much has happened since - for instance, it was fascinating to read her analysis of the 2016 EU referendum. The second: not only does it feel recent, but every bit of this book is worryingly RELEVANT, especially right now as the Black Lives Matter movement surges on and some people in Britain question why we even need to have those conversations here too.
Hirsch’s lifelong struggle with identity is one I will never be able to relate to because of my own privilege, but it is one that far more white people need to be aware is happening for people from ethnic minorities across the country. The fact that people (of all ages) in this country feel that they cannot call themselves British because as a country we reject them based on their race, even if they have as much to the British identity as any white person does in this country. And the fact that as a society and culture this country IS constantly failing British people purely due to the colour of their skin and the prejudices they have about it. It’s ridiculous, but it’s real. Racism is real in this country, and uncomfortable conversations need to be had if we’re ever going to get over the issues we have ingrained in our society - in the justice system, in welfare and social services, in education, in job opportunities, etc... There’s so much work to do, and anybody who doesn’t believe that needs to read this.
Ok I could probably keep typing for hours because everything in this book is important, and I’ve learned far more from one book than my 17 years of education taught me (which is a problem in itself). This is why education is important! Read this!
katka123's review against another edition
5.0
We live in an era of 'racism without racists'. It's an era of 'colour blind' racism, of 'racism with a smiley face'.
I have always wondered how we have managed to contort our memories in such a way as to celebrate abolishing something, while forgetting how fundamental a prior role we played in developing it in the first place.
The writer Frantz Fanon famously declared, ' when people like me, they tell me it is in spite of my colour. When they dislike me, they point out that it is not because of my colour.'
We will not name it, we avoid discussing it and, increasingly, we say we can't see it. We want to be post-racial, without having ever admitted how racial a society we have been.
White history is seen as 'history', black history is seen as 'black history' - a specialist subject for those who wish to opt out of the mainstream. It's a subcategory, added to the syllabus in the interests of political correctness.
I have always wondered how we have managed to contort our memories in such a way as to celebrate abolishing something, while forgetting how fundamental a prior role we played in developing it in the first place.
The writer Frantz Fanon famously declared, ' when people like me, they tell me it is in spite of my colour. When they dislike me, they point out that it is not because of my colour.'
We will not name it, we avoid discussing it and, increasingly, we say we can't see it. We want to be post-racial, without having ever admitted how racial a society we have been.
White history is seen as 'history', black history is seen as 'black history' - a specialist subject for those who wish to opt out of the mainstream. It's a subcategory, added to the syllabus in the interests of political correctness.
catiew's review against another edition
5.0
Eloquent and brilliantly informative. If I thought they would bother to read it, I would be buying a copy for relatives and acquaintances who claim to be “colourblind - I don’t see race” or who say that “black, white, purple, your skin colour doesn’t matter” - this book provides so many illustrations of how those statements are, at best, wildly ignorant.
So many books that I see recommended online about race and racism are from a US perspective - and while I have learned much from these books, and have many more on my reading list, I was really glad to have read a book focusing on race and racism in Britain, and our own specific problems.
“”I don’t see race,” people say, “I am genuinely colour-blind.” What this turns out to mean, when you probe it, is that they have never experienced the disadvantage of being a visible other. And they have especially not experienced an otherness to which the old baggage of inferiority is attached. This gives them the luxury of effectively ignoring the impact of race in British life, while patting themselves on the back for their tolerance. Colour blindness denies the reality of a world that - whether we like it or not - is highly racialised. The motive for rejecting this reality is often well-meaning - an attempt to distance oneself from racism. But in doing so it also assumes that recognising difference is inherently negative. It assumes that there is nothing to be proud of in having a different identity, or cultural heritage, it invalidates other perspectives.”
So many books that I see recommended online about race and racism are from a US perspective - and while I have learned much from these books, and have many more on my reading list, I was really glad to have read a book focusing on race and racism in Britain, and our own specific problems.
“”I don’t see race,” people say, “I am genuinely colour-blind.” What this turns out to mean, when you probe it, is that they have never experienced the disadvantage of being a visible other. And they have especially not experienced an otherness to which the old baggage of inferiority is attached. This gives them the luxury of effectively ignoring the impact of race in British life, while patting themselves on the back for their tolerance. Colour blindness denies the reality of a world that - whether we like it or not - is highly racialised. The motive for rejecting this reality is often well-meaning - an attempt to distance oneself from racism. But in doing so it also assumes that recognising difference is inherently negative. It assumes that there is nothing to be proud of in having a different identity, or cultural heritage, it invalidates other perspectives.”