So You Want to Talk About Race

by Ijeoma Oluo

Paperback, 2019

Status

Available

Call number

E184.A1

Publication

Seal Press (2019), Edition: Illustrated, 272 pages

Description

"A current, constructive, and actionable exploration of today's racial landscape, offering straightforward clarity that readers of all races need to contribute to the dismantling of the racial divide. In So You Want to Talk About Race, Editor at Large of The Establishment, Ijeoma Oluo offers a contemporary, accessible take on the racial landscape in America, addressing head-on such issues as privilege, police brutality, intersectionality, micro-aggressions, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the "N" word. Perfectly positioned to bridge the gap between people of color and white Americans struggling with race complexities, Oluo answers the questions readers don't dare ask, and explains the concepts that continue to elude everyday Americans. Oluo is an exceptional writer with a rare ability to be straightforward, funny, and effective in her coverage of sensitive, hyper-charged issues in America. Her messages are passionate but finely tuned, and crystalize ideas that would otherwise be vague by empowering them with aha-moment clarity. Her writing brings to mind voices like Ta-Nehisi Coates and Roxane Gay, and Jessica Valenti in Full Frontal Feminism, and a young Gloria Naylor, particularly in Naylor's seminal essay "The Meaning of a Word.""--… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member EBT1002
If you are a white ally or a white person living in the US who wishes to be a stronger anti-racism ally, read this book.
If you are a white person who wants to develop greater understanding of the experience of being a person of color living in the US, read this book.
If you are a white person
Show More
frustrated by the current focus on racism, read this book.
If you are a white person who doesn't understand the Black Lives Matter movement, read this book.
If you are a white person who believes, no, who *knows* that you are a good person but still feel nervous about being called "racist," read this book.
If you are a white person who wishes people of color would stop complaining and recognize the damage they are doing by focusing on race, read this book.
If you are a white person who has attended rallies, worked on anti-racism initiatives, and dedicated significant time, energy, or money to addressing racial injustice in the US, read this book.
If you are a white person who feels totally on board to fight racism but doesn't understand the current application of the term "white supremacy" to everyday disparities, read this book.
If you are a white person who wants to learn more about how racism works in the US, read this book.
If you are a white person living in the US, read this book.

Ijeoma Oluo has given us a gift. We should take full advantage: open our minds, leave our defensiveness at the door, take a deep breath and commit to feeling the discomfort of learning more about how racism works to sustain the white supremacist system in the US, and read this book. It's not always easy to read/listen to (I listened to the audiobook narrated by Bahni Turpin). I think of myself as falling in several categories I listed above: a white ally, someone who wants to learn more about the experience of being a person of color, someone who wishes I were more comfortable and confident engaging in discussions about race and racism in the US. This book wasn't a total revelation to me but I learned a lot and developed even greater empathy for the experience of living as a person of color in the US. Deeper empathy of what it feels like to fear engagement with the police, to greet microaggressions day in and day out, to grow up feeling isolated and alone in a predominantly white school, to be called names and laughed at simply for the color of one's skin.

Oluo's work is academic but it is also deeply personal. Absolutely recommended.
Show Less
LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
I've tried to write a review for Ijeoma Oluo's excellent book a few times now and failed, so I'm just going to write about what I, personally, got out of the book instead. If the title doesn't give the subject away, this is a book divided into chapters that address topics and issues surrounding
Show More
race in America. Oluo writes clearly, both with an understanding of the difficulties involved in, and the necessity of, an on-going conversation about race that involves everyone. She points out that conversations about race are uncomfortable and that everyone tends to walk away from such conversations feeling worse than before the conversation started. But the need for the discussion remains.

I've been working to read more from authors of color and to follow the writings (from twitter, to articles, to books) of the voices explaining the experience and history of various minority groups, so some of what Oluo is saying are things I'd heard before. But there was a lot new in there, as well as Oluo's remarkable ability to explain concepts clearly. Among the things I took away from this book was that the conversations about race that need to be happening are between white people. We need to talk about the impact of racism among ourselves; it's not the job of any person of color to walk us through the basics of any of this, and that when we do have questions, google is an excellent source of information. Oluo also has an interesting chapter on the specific issues facing Asian Americans, and how the 'model minority' stereo-type can do real harm, just as our assumptions about the teachability of black boys does.

All in all, this was an excellent and well-organized primer on the basics every American needs to understand if we are going to move forward together.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bell7
In So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo addresses both white people and people of color as she introduces various topics you'll want to know as you talk about and desire to learn more about race. Starting with a definition of racism and then delving into topics such as intersectionality,
Show More
police brutality, affirmative action, the school-to-prison pipeline, microaggressions, the model minority myth and several more, each chapter starts with a personal story illustrating the topic and then explores it more, giving you bullet points of ways to think about and respond to such behaviors.

This is an excellent introduction to a challenging topic. And don't get me wrong, the book is challenging as well. If you're a white person (like me), it probably challenges your assumptions at least once, and invites you to live with the discomfort and really think about issues that don't affect you, personally, on a day to day basis. This is a book I would reread several times before I really felt I could entirely grasp it, and even then I know in a sense I never can because as a white woman I do have privileged status in this country. I'm sure a person of color would have a completely different experience reading this book than I ever could. The paperback version of the book (and the e-book I read) has a discussion guide for the book, as well as guidelines to use when discussing. Highly recommended.
Show Less
LibraryThing member rivkat
As you might expect from the title, some good Racism in the US 101 directed at white people and POC, including practical reminders about conversations about race and white defensiveness as a barrier. I liked the tips on what to do when a conversation has gone horribly wrong, including advice on
Show More
when you might have to give up and accept that you won’t get the resolution you want. “These conversations will always be emotional and loaded to various degrees—and if they are not, then you are likely not having the right conversation.” There’s always something I haven’t thought about, like Oluo’s point that she, like many people of color she knows, doesn’t like driving—she can’t feel the freedom of the open road that white Americans think of as our inheritance because of the worry about a bad police encounter.

As a supporter of noncommercial communities, I also winced when Oluo recounted declining participation as an uncompensated speaker at a woman’s march because women of color shouldn’t be asked to take on the “emotional and mental labor of discussing their racial oppression to a majority white audience for free …. I was very careful in my explanation of why I felt that this ask was problematic, and how important it is for us to not further exploitation and oppression within our movements. It wasn’t long before I got a message in response from a white woman I didn’t know…. Could I please take the time to explain to her further, personally (and, I’m assuming, for free), so she could understand?”
Show Less
LibraryThing member ewyatt
An insightful, thought-provoking read written in a conversational tone. Each chapter focuses on an aspect of race, racism and advice is offered on having conversations and taking action both for white readers and readers of color.
LibraryThing member JanesList
An excellent book both communicating issues of race (specifically African American) and HOW to communicate about race. I highly recommend this book. I read it with a friend and we had great conversations.
LibraryThing member DocWood
This is an amazingly thorough, practical little book (covers a lot in just 256 pp.) for anyone who wishes to enter into a discussion about race in America. I bought it because I find it hard to engage my students in discussions about race and racism in psychology (I teach an introductory,
Show More
undergraduate-level survey course). But I found that it taught me a lot about myself in relation to race and I've changed how I go about addressing it in my everyday life (e.g., on social media) as well as making some changes to my course. It's a fast read because, once you start it, it's as hard to put down as a good novel. This is how well Oluo writes.

However, it is a dense read, requiring a second, slow, thoughtful going over and then possibly a third just to review what you've learned. I started out with a library copy and quickly realized that I needed one for my reference shelf.
Show Less
LibraryThing member streamsong
I live in a white bubble in a very red state. Like many Americans, I have always felt that I am not racist, but according to Olua, being part of the dominant, oppressive society without acting to correct it makes one racist.

Olua states that if a black person says it's about race, it's about race.
Show More
Accepting this supposition, is a major hurdle; by arguing with it, you are minimizing the black person's experience; by agreeing – or at least accepting even if you don't fully understand – you are acknowledging the experience and continuing the conversation.

I loved Olua's analogy that being constantly exposed to racism is like being continually and randomly stung by bees. It may seem like someone is overreacting to one specific incident, but it's cumulative and changes how one regards bees.

Olua has many examples showing what covert and institutional racism looks like in America. Many were eye-opening. Some I am still pondering and am not sure I yet have my mind wrapped around them enough to fully understand. Perhaps that means I still have more growth to work towards.

I feel this is an eye-opening and important book – one that should be widely read and discussed.
Show Less
LibraryThing member cdogzilla
A valuable primer for having productive conversations about race and privilege.
LibraryThing member Gwendydd
Every white person should read this. And then re-read it again a few years later. And pay attention to what Oluo says, and think carefully and critically about how to apply it to their life.
LibraryThing member KimMeyer
I often feel at the title where the marketing don't match the book's contents, but this one is spot-on. This is very much a How To guide to having conversations about race, but it's thorough and insightful and passionate and frank. Much of the book is about race relationships between black and
Show More
white people in America, but she also goes into the racism facing other people which often goes unnoticed or is considered less problematic. You will absolutely finish this book feeling like you have things to work on, which should be the goal.
Show Less
LibraryThing member AliciaClark23
Everyone read this book. I was introduced to Ijeoma through a couple of podcasts I listen to and enjoyed listening to her so when I saw she had written a book I jumped at the chance to read it. I listened to the audio book version which has a great narrator. There is something in this book for
Show More
everyone and it would be surprising if you did not come away from it motivated to be and do better.
Show Less
LibraryThing member MillieHennessy
Oluo reflects on her experiences as a Black woman in the U.S. and discusses a wide variety of topics from police brutality and mass incarceration to affirmative action, cultural appropriation, and microaggressions. This is an excellent read for those of us looking to examine our privilege. What I
Show More
found most helpful is that Oluo provides talking points to help everyone with these difficult conversations.

While none of the topics she covered were new to me, I did have several lightbulb moments – her viewpoint and the statistics/examples/talking points she gave clarified a lot for me. For example, microaggressions – that’s a relatively new term to me and I’ve definitely been microaggressed (lol yes, making that up) upon thanks to being a lady. But with clarification on the subject, I also learned that I’ve definitely committed microaggressions upon others, albeit unknowingly (which doesn’t excuse them at all). Having more information on what microaggressions are, and clear examples of them, is something that will help me become more self-aware so I can cut that shit out!

Definitely pick this one up if you’re looking to learn more about current social and racial issues from the perspective of a Black woman, how you can speak about these issues with others, and for potential insight into some of your own actions.
Show Less
LibraryThing member christinegrabowski
This was a very enlightening read, and I recommend it to people of all races IF they are willing to read it with an open mind.

The focus of the book is on systematic racism and how even if a person does not consider themselves racist, there is a lot more to racism than how we treat minorities
Show More
because we are all a part of a system that has been in place for hundreds of years that has a tendency to give whites the upper hand and suppress many minorities, especially blacks. I found the book engaging, interesting, and easy to read as it was broken down into chapters by discussion topic. It is a very relevant read for today's environment, and I feel much more knowledgable about racism in the US, how to appropriately discuss many controversial topics, and some steps I can take.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Sheila1957
This is not a book you can walk away from. It is a book that you will read many times and get different information from it. The first time you read to see what she has to say. The second time to understand what she says. Then you buy it and re-read it over the years to see how it impacts you or
Show More
see how you can use it to better understand race and racism and how to better your behaviors and thoughts on race and racism.

I can understand some of what she says. Other things I can't because I have not experienced it nor lived with those who have. At times I got mad. Other times I just got sad as she relates her experiences. I appreciate that it feels like she is a friend just talking to us on the porch. She does not preach but she gets her point across--sometimes through plain speaking, other times through humor. I never felt like I wanted to walk away from this talk. I wanted to learn--not sure how much I did. Time and re-readings will tell.
Show Less
LibraryThing member decaturmamaof2
This book should be required reading. Eye opening and accessible. Sometimes (necessarily) uncomfortable. Will reread!!!
LibraryThing member AliceaP
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo is the kind of book that will have you really thinking about your actions and the way that they affect others. When I finished this book, I immediately passed it onto my manager to read because I wanted to continue the conversation. Oluo uses her own
Show More
experiences as a person of color navigating our (you have to admit) white supremacist society here in the United States. So this is not only extremely relevant but also a necessary book about an incendiary topic. We (I speak as a collective here with a definite side-eye at my fellow white folks of privilege) need to do better and that starts with educating ourselves. Oluo uses this book like an instruction manual with vocabulary lessons on things like microaggressions, the school to prison pipeline, tone policing, intersectionality, cultural appropriation, and the model minority myth. It's full of talking points about how to successfully navigate uncomfortable talks about race, racism, and racial inequality. This isn't an easy book to read because the truth about our society and the way that we have been conditioned to act is a hard pill to swallow BUT it's important to face this head-on so that we can move on to all (hopefully) be better people. Lest you think this is directed solely at white people, Oluo also stresses the importance of people of color having affirmation that their feelings and hurt are valid. Basically, this is a great book that all people wanting to do better should read. 10/10
Show Less
LibraryThing member jekka
This book in turns discomfited and inspired me. I kind of want to make it required reading for white people.
LibraryThing member bookworm12
I should have read this sooner. Oluo writes in a way that makes the issue of race accessible and understandable. She doesn't shy away from sharing her own experiences or from challenging white people to make actual changes in their lives. She explains many topics that are often referenced in race
Show More
conversations: white privilege, intersectionalism, minor aggressions, and the model minority myth.

It's heartbreaking to see where this country is at right now, but as the author says, it might feel sudden to some of us, but for black people, it has always been there. For them, it is frustrating to have to continuously explain that race never stopped being an issue. She includes a fascinating comparison to being in an abusive relationship. Black people are often expected to explain a history of racist treatment from someone based solely on the latest small incident.

The author's own mother is white, but she and her brother have an unavoidable separation from her because of their experiences. I can't imagine trying to explain the racism I was facing to my own mother. There's a story about a student "assaulting" staff members in a school and the harsh actions the administrators want to take to punish him. Then you realize the boy is only 5 and they are painting him as a dangerous criminal instead of finding ways to redirect his energy. When a child that young is being judged differently based on his race, it impacts his entire life and his opportunities. The racism in our country is systemic and it's going to take some serious changes before we see a difference.

I hope that I can recognize the ways I can make a difference. That I can begin to "check my privilege" and then do as she recommends, use that privilege to help others without it. I'm listening and praying that I will continue to learn and fight for change.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kcshankd
This is the one, the Chilton's How To manual on not being a jerk. Luckily it almost seems dated now, as BLM and the movement lunges forward in our present terrible age.
LibraryThing member marshapetry
Excellent. Should be read by every white person in America, and everywhere. Heck, everyone of every race should read it.

Audiobook note :excellent narrator
LibraryThing member Nancyjcbs
This is such a smart, worthwhile book.

For the white person: It is an examination of white privilege. It defines the multitude forms of racism. It will make you uncomfortable. It won't treat you as unworthy. It won't lecture you on your many deficiencies. But it will point out the mistakes you have
Show More
made and the work you need to do.

This book has been on my radar for a while but I wasn't sure I wanted to have this "conversation" with myself. It also wasn't available in my library so didn't even make it to my wish list. Like many I've been roller coasting recently looking at the obvious pain of my fellow Americans, seeing the hope in the youth coming together, seeing police behave abhorrently in some cases and empathetically in others. I've been searching for answers. So You Want To Talk About Race was recommended by many as a book to read now. I recommended it to my library and had my copy within a day or two.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in racial justice. I recommend this book to anyone interested in interacting with others.
Show Less
LibraryThing member scottjpearson
Whenever I become overwhelmed in my personal life with the race problem, I try to read a book about racial issues to strengthen my intellectual and emotional strength to deal with this topic better. My choosing this book is a result of that. It addresses the race issue not from a theoretical angle
Show More
but from a practical one, one borne out of life experiences.

In 17 chapters, Oluo addresses common questions about race, like “Is police brutality really about race?”, “What are microaggressions?”, or “Why are our students so angry?” In each chapter, she begins by explaining her perspective on the question with personal reflections. Then she brings forth ideas for action in bulleted format before concluding. The whole production reads like 17 blog posts masquerading as chapters. The tone is engaging – never pretentious nor didactic.

A particular strength lies in its applicability to the American political climate. Oluo studied political science in college, and she possesses much skill in translating talk into action. Though clearly liberal, she spends her words advocating for better relations among the races rather than just advocating for a party or an ideology. She wants real action for a better world, and she wants it now.

The main weakness of the book is that so much of it is based on the author’s personal experiences as an African American in Seattle, Washington. This limits its applicability. Oluo acknowledges this shortcoming in a chapter on the Asian-American experience. This book’s greatest strength lies in its practicality from experience, but such practicality is also its main limitation.

This book was first published in 2019 before the global pandemic and ensuing racial discord in America after George Floyd’s unnecessary death. Thus, it is in a prime position to address current concerns without being opportunistic. Those who follow American politics in the truest sense – how neighbors relate to one another – will benefit from reading her account. It focuses not on how to police one’s own talk but on how to really build a better world through our actions. As the world comes out of a pandemic, one can only hope that Olou’s work can bear much fruit.
Show Less
LibraryThing member froxgirl
Dear White America: read this and weep, and learn, and listen. The author poses the hard questions and answers them for both the "woke" and the newly conscious and/or guilt-ridden, and especially for deplorables. The entire book is one valuable quote after another, so I'm going to list the topics
Show More
instead. It should be mandatory reading for every white person from middle school to senior center. People of color will just nod along, but they also may find new explanations for old anger and resentments. Seek out any appearance by Ijeoma Oluo you can find on NPR, podcasts, etc, as she is a fine a speaker as she is a writer. A singular achievement.

Is it really about race?
What is racism?
What if I talk about race wrong?
Why am I always being told to "check my privilege"?
What is intersectionality and why do I need it?
Is police brutality really about race?
How can I talk about affirmative action?
What is the school-to-prison pipeline?
Why can't I say the "N" word?
What is cultural appropriation?
Why can't I touch your hair?
What are microaggressions?
Why are our students so angry?
What is the model minority myth?
But what if I hate Al Sharpton?
I just got called racist, what do I do know?
Talking is great, but what else can I do?
Show Less
LibraryThing member OccassionalRead
So You Want to Talk About Race, like Ta-Nehisi Coates's Between the World and Me, is part autobiographical and part an earnest and honest discussion about race in America today. But other than the autobiographical aspects, and their extreme popularity in book discussion groups and beyond, they are
Show More
very different. Between the World and Me is something of a dreamy poem that perceives racism as America's Original Sin and indelible stain. Oluo, on the other hand, has written a practical guide, both for white and Black Americans, to help them discuss race with less fear and peril with the hope, if not the expectation, that perhaps White Supremacy can be dismantled, even if it takes generations, provided that talk leads to actions. She explains concepts such as white privilege and intersectionality and discusses topics such as police brutality and affirmative action. She draws from her own life's experiences so while there is practical advice, the book carries authority and weight that is deeply personal and not merely academic. And anyone reading the book can use it to reflect on their own attitudes, thoughts, perceptions, and encounters, whether online or in person, that may have been colored by the issue of race. Oluo correctly emphasizes that words alone are inadequate though. People can talk about race until the cows come home. What really matters, and will change things, is for people to take concrete actions to end racism and racial oppression.
Show Less

Awards

Washington State Book Award (Winner — Nonfiction — 2019)
Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize (Longlist — Nonfiction — 2018)

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2018-01-16

Physical description

8.45 inches

ISBN

1580058825 / 9781580058827
Page: 0.6063 seconds