A review by tqlikesbooks
Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging by Afua Hirsch

challenging emotional informative slow-paced

4.0

 
"In Britain, we are taught not to see race. We are told that race does not matter. We have convinced ourselves that if we can contort ourselves into a form of blindness, then issues of identity will quietly disappear."


An important look at racism in Britain- with a focus on the very visible history and the insidious refusal of many white British people to acknowledge a deep history of institutional racism . Brit(ish) is partially a memoir and partially a critical look at racism in British culture. As such, Afua Hirsch draws on her experience of being mixed race in Britain and her experiences as a journalist.

I found the writing to be very appealing and introspective. I particularly enjoyed Hirsch's reflections on identity and that she was always transparent about her own privilege, such as her middle-class upbringing and education.

I would recommend this to anyone interested in how a nation responsible for acts of slavery, colonialism and brutal imperialism has become the proud and self-congratulating ‘colour blind’ one it is today. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings