Scan barcode
kateynoel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
kdaigh's review against another edition
4.0
A lighthearted but insightful take on race in the United States. I really enjoyed this book because it brought a lot of my other readings together, helping to form the big picture in my mind.
poenaestante's review against another edition
5.0
This book should be required reading for anyone who is black, wants to be black, is unsure if they are black, knows at least one black person, thinks they know black people, or simply just has heard of black people. Baratunde spits the real so fast and funny that I sometimes had to gasp that someone had put the hard truth down in black and white without the paper burning up! I swear I am going to keep the book at my desk just to revisit the How to Be The Black Employee chapter and remind myself why I am really there! Good Lord, being black is a full-time job in itself. Please tell me if someone gives him money to make this into an instructional film!
cinnachick's review against another edition
5.0
I am loving this book so far. If nothing else, the conversations, smirks, giggles, and very confused looks I've gotten while reading this book in public have been great. Having an older African American woman point at the book, smirk and say "Good luck with that!" was a highlight of my week. And then just a few days later an older African American gentleman went on a rant to me about "in his day" black people were trying to be white and now there were too many white folks trying to act black, but you have to be born black, you can't become black. And when I explained that it was humorous social commentary intended to discuss subtle or latent racism, he scoffed even louder and told me "of course y'all take that from a funny black guy, if he was angry y'all would ignore him and run away from him." I agreed that he was likely right, but he continued to rant in a very hilarious way about how white people have incredibly bizarre impressions of race and how he just doesn't get "you people". But if you are an even mildly-aware white person I highly recommend this book just to read the occasional line that will make your eyes go wide and you'll think "Oh my GAWD! I think I've done that before!" It's all about persepective, and Baratunde creates a great chance to address this persepctive.
sujata's review against another edition
4.0
Fan of his writing and point of view. Very delayed on reading this book.
janeinaustin's review against another edition
5.0
You don’t have to be black to read this, and I honesty think everyone should read this. Or, better yet, listen to the audiobook. It’s as painfully true as it is hilarious.
crankylibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Baratunde Thurston is a pretty funny guy, although the best jokes in this memoir/stand-up routine are in the introduction. Part autobiography, part humorous manifesto, _How To Be Black_ chronicles Thurston's inner city childhood, private school education and successful career at Harvard and in corporate America, using his experiences to illustrate the perils of being "The Black Friend", "The Black Employee" (his chapter on corporate diversity programs is especially apt), "The Black Spokesperson" and, inevitably "The Angry Negro". Accompanied by essays both humorous and thoughtful by a panel of "professional black people" (plus a token Canadian), Thurston's trip down the memory lane of marginalization will evoke a chorus of "Mmm hmms" from anyone who's ever dreaded being served watermelon at the company picnic.
tessypie's review against another edition
4.0
Thurston uses humor to make the awkward topic of race the center of conversation. Not only does he share stories of growing up with a hippy mother and absent father in the midst of DC's crack era, he asks a well rounded panel of black and white men and women (plus one white guy for diversity's sake) deep reaching questions relating to their blackness. Finally, Thurston takes the role of teacher so that we can all learn how to be great black employees or even the second black president.
Maybe this book will get ya talking about race relations or other important things. Even if it doesn't, you'll enjoy it because it's plain funny.
Maybe this book will get ya talking about race relations or other important things. Even if it doesn't, you'll enjoy it because it's plain funny.