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A review by cecilie_who_reads
The Talk by Darrin Bell
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
It is a beautiful but also very sad book about racism in the U.S. and the mortal danger from white people, and especially the police, that most black men experience several times or even often, and black women also experience, though not on the same everyday basis. (I mean the mortal danger. Racism, alas, is not scarce, there's plenty for every gender).
Darren Bell argues his point slowly, thoroughly, emphatically. You could say this book contains "The Talk" that parents still need to have with their black sons, but also the talk that a lot of white people need to have, to become either a little bit or a whole lot wiser.
I have wondered how during slavery, even if enslaved people were officially counted as "livestock" they were treated far worse than anyone would ever treat their actual livestock. I came to the conclusion that enslavers had to hate black people so much because they (the enslaved ones) were clearly human and thereby demonstrated that it was a sin (to God and/or humanity) to claim you "owned" them. The same furious aggression still exists, denying the sins of American racism even up to this day. The last pages of this book is the first time I have seen someone state the same thing; that all that hate comes from knowing you're in the wrong. I felt kind of relieved to read it.
Darren Bell argues his point slowly, thoroughly, emphatically. You could say this book contains "The Talk" that parents still need to have with their black sons, but also the talk that a lot of white people need to have, to become either a little bit or a whole lot wiser.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism