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A review by lolagreen
More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say) by Elaine Welteroth
2.0
I'm disappointed. I may have had too high of hopes for this book and it just didn't meet my expectations.
I've seen Elaine in interviews, read her writings. She's normally not afraid to go there. But this book felt lukewarm. She never fully let's herself discuss really hard topics - instead, she would lightly touch upon things like racism, colorism, ageism, sexism, but never take it the full mile. To me, it read more like a book for teenagers or young readers -- not adults.
The book illuminated how fame obsessed and materialistic Elaine can be. Elaine came off boujee to me. I don't mean it as an insult -- rather, that she likes nice things and wealth. And good for her. I love women who know what they want (even if it's fame or wealth) and aren't afraid to go after those things. So color me shocked when Elaine herself calls her ex (a Black Harvard grad) and HIS other Black Harvard grad friends boujee AS AN INSULT. I was very disappointed by this. Harvard is only 5% Black. We should applaud Black individuals who are able to jump up a class or more -- not turn our noses at them or judge them. It felt hypocritical to me. Was he a terrible person... Yes! But criticize him for his manipulative and misogynistic actions, not him and his friends' wealth and success.
It was a memoir but, for lack of a better word, a boring one. I think she made it too much about her and her life story. I wish it was less memoir, more of a collection of short stories of her life and her opinions about the world.
I wish she talked about her involvement with the Lower East Side Girls Collective instead of repeatedly mentioning she wrote an episode of Black-ish. I wish she talked about why so many young Black men are incarcerated at young ages and high numbers in America -- instead of spending the chapter complaining that her incarcerated ex kept her from Stanford. I wish she talked less about how her rich ex bought her x, y, and z and talked more about toxic, misogynistic relationships.
It could have been more but it wasn't, so I give it 2 stars for lack of effort :-(. I still admire Elaine despite not enjoying her book and will read anything she releases next because I do have faith she can write something impactful.
I've seen Elaine in interviews, read her writings. She's normally not afraid to go there. But this book felt lukewarm. She never fully let's herself discuss really hard topics - instead, she would lightly touch upon things like racism, colorism, ageism, sexism, but never take it the full mile. To me, it read more like a book for teenagers or young readers -- not adults.
The book illuminated how fame obsessed and materialistic Elaine can be. Elaine came off boujee to me. I don't mean it as an insult -- rather, that she likes nice things and wealth. And good for her. I love women who know what they want (even if it's fame or wealth) and aren't afraid to go after those things. So color me shocked when Elaine herself calls her ex (a Black Harvard grad) and HIS other Black Harvard grad friends boujee AS AN INSULT. I was very disappointed by this. Harvard is only 5% Black. We should applaud Black individuals who are able to jump up a class or more -- not turn our noses at them or judge them. It felt hypocritical to me. Was he a terrible person... Yes! But criticize him for his manipulative and misogynistic actions, not him and his friends' wealth and success.
It was a memoir but, for lack of a better word, a boring one. I think she made it too much about her and her life story. I wish it was less memoir, more of a collection of short stories of her life and her opinions about the world.
I wish she talked about her involvement with the Lower East Side Girls Collective instead of repeatedly mentioning she wrote an episode of Black-ish. I wish she talked about why so many young Black men are incarcerated at young ages and high numbers in America -- instead of spending the chapter complaining that her incarcerated ex kept her from Stanford. I wish she talked less about how her rich ex bought her x, y, and z and talked more about toxic, misogynistic relationships.
It could have been more but it wasn't, so I give it 2 stars for lack of effort :-(. I still admire Elaine despite not enjoying her book and will read anything she releases next because I do have faith she can write something impactful.