alexenjoysthings 's review for:

Thick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom

5.0

reflective fast-paced

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Now that we are in the second Trump presidency, I've found myself reaching for books from his first stint to reflect on how things have changed and how we can remember the lessons we learned the first time. Thick is a book I've had on my shelf for several years and I think was perfect for this kind of reflection. I often struggle with essay and short story collections because I find the quality of each story to be so variable, but Thick did not have this problem. The essay I found most impactful was "Girl 6" in which Dr. McMillan Cottom explores how often prominent intellectual Black women are tokenized and how Black women are not able to be mediocre. Girl 6 juxtaposed perfectly with her early essay "Dying to Be Competent." I also particularly adored "In the Name of Beauty," where Dr. McMillan Cottom shares deeply personal stories about how difficult it is to be lacking pretty privilege. Overall, it was an amazing essay collection that I think everyone should read, especially those of us in the margins.