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gluvsbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
5.0
I’ve always wanted to read (or rather listen, in this case) a non-fiction book about race, and I’m glad that ‘Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race’ was my first. This book is a great introduction to British Black history, as well as also emphasing why it is important to be intersectional rather than binary when thinking and discussing race.
The title is what caught me attention most, as I’m sure it does with others. Some might see the title and think it is an attack against White people. It is not. Reni Eddo-Lodge use her book to further explain why she is unwilling to talk to white people who do not want or are uninterested in listening. Yet it’s not just that, this book is so insightful and you are bound to gain some perspective by reading it.
‘WINLTTWPAR’ is a great educational tool to those seeking to broaden their knowledge as the author tackles a variety of topics. She clearly explains the history of slavery and racism in Britain, structural racism, defines white privilege, discusses feminism, describes the intertwining of race and class, as well as also offering advice on how white people can go about fighting racism.
A great read, and a book I’d recommend to anyone willing to listen and learn.
punkinmuffin's review against another edition
5.0
I'm about four years late to this urgent, searing and ferociously intelligent work. In Australia, we are past due to be properly having honest conversations about race. This book reinforced to me the critical importance to ensuring any conversation about inequality, about injustice, about barriers, has race very much in the centre of the frame. Of course, where I live, blak people have been here for 60,000 years. Oh, and happy NAIDOC week btw. I'm particularly grateful to Reni Eddo-Lodge for writing this book, because it came from a place of profound exhaustion, the mental and emotional labour costs of managing white fragility having taken their inevitable toll. So, as a white woman, I'll put my hand up and say that I work at not expecting people of colour to always do the hard work of educating me about what it's like to live in their skin. I acknowledge that I have benefited, invisibly as well as tangibly, from white privilege. I will continue to amplify diverse voices to the best of my ability. I will provide bystander support when required. I will do anti-racist work in when I am in white spaces. I will make myself uncomfortable if it means I can be a better ally. "There is no justice. There's just us."
chelseatm's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this book. I felt Reni was well-spoken and had done solid research. However, at times I felt she had overly complicated sentences which made comprehension a bit difficult.
An important thing to note is that this is a construction of the author's argument so there are sometimes when Reni demonstrates her bias. But as previously said, she strives to ensure that it's backed up by data.
Overall, I think this was a great book and I enjoyed learning about racial politics in other countries. Highly recommended.
An important thing to note is that this is a construction of the author's argument so there are sometimes when Reni demonstrates her bias. But as previously said, she strives to ensure that it's backed up by data.
Overall, I think this was a great book and I enjoyed learning about racial politics in other countries. Highly recommended.
joanna1905's review against another edition
5.0
This book should unequivocally be required reading at every high school in the world.
haiqanoor's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
Eddo-Lodge very much holds your hand as she explains Racism and its history in Britain, with far more kindness and patience than I would. I am incredibly lucky (or unlucky, depending on how you see it) to already know a lot of the history mentioned in this book, because being a WoC you are forced to learn to it to survive, and occasionally you are very explicitly reminded this book was written before 2017, but it is still an essential and informative read. All Brits should read it ESPECIALLY if you’re White.
inesjp_'s review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
2.75
The first half of the book was written/narrated in such a way that I could not really follow it. Really monotone. Overall, I think this style of writing works as an essay but not as a book. It was very personal, almost anecdotal, and with not enough data/references.
The second part was a bit easier to engage with, but then she finished the feminism chapter saying that feminism should cover and fight for aaaaall human rights causes, and no. We humans should fight for all humans, but it is not a task of the women's movement to fight for all of the rest. The feminist movement should fight for women, and to obviously consider, include, and fight the factors that aggravate misogyny against specific groups of women. But women are not the caretakers of the whole world. It is truly misogynistic to expect women to give up or put their own fight on a second plane to make everyone else happy.
The second part was a bit easier to engage with, but then she finished the feminism chapter saying that feminism should cover and fight for aaaaall human rights causes, and no. We humans should fight for all humans, but it is not a task of the women's movement to fight for all of the rest. The feminist movement should fight for women, and to obviously consider, include, and fight the factors that aggravate misogyny against specific groups of women. But women are not the caretakers of the whole world. It is truly misogynistic to expect women to give up or put their own fight on a second plane to make everyone else happy.
alicebme's review against another edition
4.0
The first chapter made me interested in the history and present day experiences of Black British. Living in the states, I have a pretty solid understanding of the fuckery that is systemic racism in America, but I didn’t realize how differently people were educated in Britain about their history.
spacefishfish's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.5