A review by bootman
Talking Back, Talking Black: Truths about America's Lingua Franca by John McWhorter

5.0

I’ve been interested in sociolinguistics for a while, but am just now starting to read books about how language is used. After binging both of the books from Amanda Montell, she recommended checking out some stuff from John McWhorter. Being half Black and having family from all different areas, I thought it’d be interesting to learn more about “talking Black”. Not only that, but there are so many ridiculous biases and assumptions about how Black people talk. Hands down, this book from John McWhorter is a must-read for just about everyone. McWhorter goes thought the history of talking Black and argues that it’s actually more complex than how we typically speak. McWhorter does an excellent job breaking down why it’s silly to assume someone’s intelligence based on how they speak, but more importantly, he dives into some nuanced conversations about racial issues as well.

I loved this book and can’t wait to read more of McWhorter’s work. And I must say, listening to the audiobook and hearing John McWhorter narrate had me cracking up at times. McWhorter is an academic, so hearing him give examples of “talking Black” was fantastic, and it made the subject even more fun and engaging.