So You Want to Talk About Race
July 31, 2019 7:13 PM - by Ijeoma Oluo - Subscribe

In this New York Times bestseller, Ijeoma Oluo offers a hard-hitting but user-friendly examination of race in America Widespread reporting on aspects of white supremacy--from police brutality to the mass incarceration of African Americans--have made it impossible to ignore the issue of race. Still, it is a difficult subject to talk about. How do you tell your roommate her jokes are racist? Why did your sister-in-law take umbrage when you asked to touch her hair--and how do you make it right? How...

How do you explain white privilege to your white, privileged friend?

In So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo guides readers of all races through subjects ranging from intersectionality and affirmative action to "model minorities" in an attempt to make the seemingly impossible possible: honest conversations about race and racism, and how they infect almost every aspect of American life.

"Oluo gives us--both white people and people of color--that language to engage in clear, constructive, and confident dialogue with each other about how to deal with racial prejudices and biases."
--National Book Review

"Generous and empathetic, yet usefully blunt . . . it's for anyone who wants to be smarter and more empathetic about matters of race and engage in more productive anti-racist action."
--Salon (Required Reading)
posted by aniola (3 comments total) 8 users marked this as a favorite
 
I really enjoyed this book. Had to return it to the library before I finished it. I will most likely buy it. I liked the short sections and the conversational style. Having also read White Fragility, I think it’s a great companion to that book.
posted by expialidocious at 11:15 AM on August 1, 2019


Truly a wonderful book. Want to give it to everyone I know-especially White friends starting to look at their own privilege.
posted by purenitrous at 9:54 PM on August 9, 2019


I leapt on it when it first came out, and want to re-read it. rather be jorting, I appreciate hearing that it resonated for you; I'm white and it feels like it was written for me, someone who does want to talk about race and knows that I can't just walk up to BIPOC friends and be all "So, racism! What's up with that?"

purenitrous: I gave it to my mom, who loved it and then gave it to my stepfather, who then invited Oluo to speak at the college where he works. I'm quite proud of that, even though the speaking engagement didn't work out.
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:51 PM on December 10, 2019


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