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A review by lijohnlw1
Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People about Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
2.0
In order to review a political and social commentary such as this I'd like to consider three factors. Does the book provoke new dialogue? Does it make a good attempt to support those ideas with strong argumentation? Thirdly, how does the book sit as a readable piece of work?
The book truly hits the first one out of the park, not only providing a candid, personal account of the British black experience but also a good overview of Black history in England. Based on this alone I'd encourage many to go and read this. Eddo-Lodge touches upon the definitions of feminism, intersectionality, structural/institutional racism and, most crucially, race-blindness.
Unfortunately in the second criteria, I don't feel like the author does justice to these ideas with a measured and effective debate. Taking for example the two chapters devoted to intersectionality. Though I agree wholeheartedly with the conceit that intersectional communities need a voice, I don't feel her arguments really provide me with any ammunition to strengthen that position. The author declares that feminism must "liberate all people who have been economically, socially and culturally marginalised by a ... system that has been designed for them to fail". Not only do I disagree with this mischaracterisation of feminism, I don't think she has convinced me that feminists as a group should be shoulder the blame for the lack of intersectionality discourse today. Throughout the book Eddo-Lodge takes many criticisms of feminism and masculinity as given, and as such I found it difficult to learn anything from here besides raw ideas.
The book is certainly readable front to back. Make no mistake, this is a powerful piece of polemic prose, and therein lies much of the value of the book. I read this, and found myself enjoying experiencing the author's anger, deftly woven into the text and really bringing it to life.
Overall my score is a reflection of the strength and power of the ideas, let down significantly by the lack of convincing arguments for real solutions.
The book truly hits the first one out of the park, not only providing a candid, personal account of the British black experience but also a good overview of Black history in England. Based on this alone I'd encourage many to go and read this. Eddo-Lodge touches upon the definitions of feminism, intersectionality, structural/institutional racism and, most crucially, race-blindness.
Unfortunately in the second criteria, I don't feel like the author does justice to these ideas with a measured and effective debate. Taking for example the two chapters devoted to intersectionality. Though I agree wholeheartedly with the conceit that intersectional communities need a voice, I don't feel her arguments really provide me with any ammunition to strengthen that position. The author declares that feminism must "liberate all people who have been economically, socially and culturally marginalised by a ... system that has been designed for them to fail". Not only do I disagree with this mischaracterisation of feminism, I don't think she has convinced me that feminists as a group should be shoulder the blame for the lack of intersectionality discourse today. Throughout the book Eddo-Lodge takes many criticisms of feminism and masculinity as given, and as such I found it difficult to learn anything from here besides raw ideas.
The book is certainly readable front to back. Make no mistake, this is a powerful piece of polemic prose, and therein lies much of the value of the book. I read this, and found myself enjoying experiencing the author's anger, deftly woven into the text and really bringing it to life.
Overall my score is a reflection of the strength and power of the ideas, let down significantly by the lack of convincing arguments for real solutions.