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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Classism
There is nothing that I, a white man living more than 60 years after the events of this book, who has never truly walked a day in a black man's shoes, can add or comment on here. Suffice it to say, it is rare to find such a thorough, contemporary account of segregation and discrimination written by a white person of the era.
Excellent nonfiction about a white male journalist who decides to better understand the plight of African Americans in the south in the 1950s by cleverly disguising himself.
For my thoughts, go to: Confessions of a Book Freak
Been on my "to-read" list for years so when I saw it in the dollar bin at my local BMV I was like "eh, why not now?"
I don't know how I feel about this book. Stylistically, the prose is gorgeous. Historically, it laid an important framework for white people to maybe finally analyze their privilege.
But is it relevant today? Hell frickin no. I'd recommend anything by Ta-Nehisi Coates or Chimamanda Adiche before recommending this.
Also, the fatal flaw of this book is that I could not realistically picture a white guy "passing" as a Black man. Maybe because there's very little photo evidence of Griffin's "Black Like Me" persona online, but my brain kept picturing a Laurence Olivier in Othello situation. Completely took me out of the narrative. Just silly.
I don't know how I feel about this book. Stylistically, the prose is gorgeous. Historically, it laid an important framework for white people to maybe finally analyze their privilege.
But is it relevant today? Hell frickin no. I'd recommend anything by Ta-Nehisi Coates or Chimamanda Adiche before recommending this.
Also, the fatal flaw of this book is that I could not realistically picture a white guy "passing" as a Black man. Maybe because there's very little photo evidence of Griffin's "Black Like Me" persona online, but my brain kept picturing a Laurence Olivier in Othello situation. Completely took me out of the narrative. Just silly.
First read it 20 years ago. Re-read it this week before giving it to a teenager.
informative
medium-paced
I'm glad I read this, but it's definitely of its time. Something like this could only happen in 1959.
On the one hand, it's interesting to hear a deep theoretical understanding of structural oppression from a mid-century white guy, on the other hand the naïvety of the author of real world situations is striking.
On the one hand, it's interesting to hear a deep theoretical understanding of structural oppression from a mid-century white guy, on the other hand the naïvety of the author of real world situations is striking.
This was a book club book. As an older, non fiction book, the writing was a bit hard to get through for a younger modern reader. While at the time this experiment was obviously necessary and ground breaking, I was still uncomfortable at how quickly Griffin saw himself as a black man when he still had privileges many did not (for example, the ability to leave as soon as he felt too uncomfortable). I also found it interesting how many of the situations he felt unsafe in are still applicable to women today (being alone with strangers, being sexually harassed, feeling the need to be polite). Regardless, a very interesting read.
A story that's worth hearing - but the narrative style was not for me.