Talking about racism in the UK

 

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge was born from a blog post made in frustration. A frustration at the inherently racist system that British society runs and the way in which white people are complicit. This blog post sparked something, and grew further. In the end, clearly, Reni published this book. It’s clear why I read this, or it should be. I am white, and I have not been doing enough. So here I am, educating myself about white supremacy and the struggle of Black Britons to be seen as equal.

 

This non-fiction work is written in a manner which makes it easier than many other books of the genre, this is a book that you can read without too much effort. I don’t know if this was a purposeful move by Reni or not, but it does allow her message to be more easily shared. It also packs a big punch, but not in the same way as The Hate U Give or other similar works of fiction. Instead this is a slow build, as you realise (at least this was my experience reading it as a white British female) how much privilege you’ve had throughout your life and how much others have had to struggle to even reach the block you started from. This book is incredibly well researched, with references for further reading at the back of the book, as well as including anecdotal evidence and her own personal life experiences which really helps to personify the situation and make it hit home even harder.

Eddo-Lodge talks about the racism prevalent throughout feminism, classism, the prison system, education, the work force and more in chapters dedicated to each area. She also talks about the history of racism in the UK. As a Brit I really appreciated the British focus of this book, so many anti-racism/pro Black works are written by Americans (understandably, and these are incredibly important books too), so seeing a point of view from someone from my own country and learning more about our particular history rather than that of another country made this book stand out even more for me.

I highly recommend this book, no matter what country you’re from. The breakdown of issues is one that can resonate with anyone. I do insist, however, that you read this if you are white and in the UK. It will make you take a step back and notice that which was “hiding” in plain sight.

BLACK LIVES MATTER

 

If you follow me on my twitter or instagram you’ll have seen me and everyone else posting about the BLM movement right now. It’s for this reason I’ve been silent this week. I am white. The book reviews I would have been putting up were for white authors. This was not the time.

I rescheduled all of my posts to next week. My usual posting will resume then. But I won’t be tweeting about them. My voice isn’t important right now.

Please go and check out https://blacklivesmatter.com/ and also check this carrd here for more links on places that you can donate to bail funds, petitions you can sign, and resources for you to educate yourself (if nb) and assist you in this time (if you’re Black).

There is a lot I need to do. Despite being anti-racist I have not been using my privilege to its full potential, and importantly for a reader I have not been reading enough books by PoC. I naively thought that I was reading equally until I went and looked at the stats. I am not. My aim this year was to empty my shelves but there are only FIFTEEN PoC authors on my physical shelves right now. FIFTEEN. There are over 150 books on my shelves. I am disgusted with myself. It should have happened before, but the least I can do it make it happen now. I am actively diversifying my reading, promoting Black authors and doing my best to actively use my white privilege. I’m going to make mistakes. I’m going to be called out. Good. But I’m working on it. You should too.

Black lives have always mattered, society just doesn’t agree. Make them. Black Live Matter.

https://biglink.to/forBLM

https://www.gofundme.com/f/ukblm-fund

 

Real US History that hits close to home

 

I had went to go see the film adaptation of this with my boyfriend and we both found it amazing. Hard hitting, intense, but also funny, it was a great movie and one which taught me more about the struggles African Americans have gone through (which as a white Brit, I don’t have much knowledge about from education, and I’m slowly teaching myself). When we saw this book in a discount bookshop in the UK (The Works), my bf decided to grab it for me as a little gift and I read it not too long afterwards.

This is a memoir about the first black police officer in the CSPD and his infiltration of a local chapter of the KKK, his eventual “friendship” with David Duke, and the impact of his investigation throughout the state and also across the US.

Sadly, I preferred the film. I know, I know. I ended up giving the book 3 stars, and I did speed through it and find it really interesting, but there were too many flaws which could have been fixed with a proof-reader. There was one instance of precise repetition, almost word for word, and there were many other instances where Stallworth repeats information unnecessarily as he only mentioned it ~20 pages prior.

Personally, I was fine with the writing style, but I know that it won’t suit everyone’s taste. I thought it was personal, and given the style of the book, the best choice of portrayal. However, I did feel the detachment of years as Stallworth wrote this many years after the incidents took place.

Despite all this, however, I still urge you to pick up the book and see the film. The memoir gives so much depth and information about this major event in US history. Not just a black man infiltrating the KKK, but also the first black man in the CSPD. It is incredibly interesting. The film adds another layer to the knowledge, with Spielberg taking initiative in some aspects and adding in additional sectors which weren’t in the book but could easily have happened and were happening around the country in this time period. As well as some harrowing scenes at the end of the film.

Overall, this is an important book in my opinion. It keeps fresh in the public’s eye the atrocities which were committed in the name of the US, the racism prevalent throughout societies highest powers, and what can be done to show clowns the true extent of their ridiculous makeup.

Back Up with a Wrap Up!!!! (I hate myself)

My first wrap up now that I’m baaacckkk!!! I’ve not read loads this month, but I am slowly getting back into my reading patterns. I’m going to be starting a temporary 40hr a week job in November though, so I think that’s going to change up how I read and I don’t really know what’s going to happen. But I’ll keep my fingers crossed and focus on October’s reading for now!

 

 

The first book I finished in October was The Aliens are Coming by Ben Miller. This is a non-fiction read about the search for other life-forms on other planets, as well as delving into the secrets that the animals on our own blue planet hold. If you want to see my full thoughts for this book then check out my review here, but I ended up giving it 5⭐’s. It was the perfect “first book back” for me to pick up and I loved delving into so many little bits of a variety of sciences.

 

 

Second up was Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and translated from Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot. THIS BOOK. Oh. My. Word. This is now one of my favourite books of all time, and it’s making me want to re-read my prior fave to see if it beats it. (So obviously it’s a 5⭐ book for me) Check out my review of it here! This is a contemporary with a speculative twist which will clutch at your heart strings and made me cry. Such a beautifully written book with an amazing translation. Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in return for an unbiased review (I promise it’s unbiased! This book is just amazing!)

 

Next up! I read Doctor Who: A History of the Universe in 100 Objects. This was gifted to me many years ago and whilst I was organising my shelves I just decided to pick it up and get through it. If you like Doctor Who this is definitely a great book, it’s a lot of fun and taught me a lot of little bits of information which I hadn’t known before. Overall, I gave this 3⭐s. Check out my full review here.

 

 

Penultimately, I read Five Get Gran Online by Bruno Vincent. This was sadly my least favourite Famous Five parody I’ve read so far, only getting 2⭐s. Check out my full review for more detailed thoughts but essentially this one left a bad taste in my mouth.

 

 

Lastly! I read Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth. I gave this read 3⭐s, it was a mixed bag for me. The non-fiction tale is incredibly interesting and I was facinated, and the writing style was fine. However, there were issues with repetition which marred my reading experience. A full review of this book will be coming out early-mid November so keep an eye out if you’re interested.

 

 

And that’s it! I “only” read 5 books in the month of October. However, I also read 150+ pages of a textbook and 100+ pages each of large books that I’m slowly working my way through. I’m under no illusions that this has been an amazing reading month, but I’ve loved getting back into the reading world. Both in my own head and online. Maybe this will be my new reading pace now that I’m out of education, but time will tell. You’ll just have to come back next month!

Thanks for reading!!

 

One you need to read

I’d wanted to read this book for a while, but for some reason never picked it up full price. When I saw it in the charity shop however, I knew that I just had to get it. I ended up reading it on the hottest day on record here in the UK (that’ll date this) and I was visiting distant family at the time, so I got to sit next to their little paddling pool and become completely absorbed in this book. I gave it 5/5*.

I will say from the get go that I didn’t “enjoy” this book. And that is a compliment to Colson Whitehead. This book is covers a horrible but unavoidable section of the history of the US, the forcible capture, transportation and slavery of black Africans on plantations. This is a very real part of history, however, this book is a fictionalised version of events. These events all most likely happened, not exactly as depicted in the book but they occurred and they were and are atrocities.

I was immediately absorbed into this life, the fear that is present and the attempt at living as normal, at getting through this atrocious treatment. As a Brit, we’re not taught about this part of history in school, or at least we weren’t when I was there, but through my own reading I knew about the time. However, this book made me feel it, it specified events, it brought them to a very personal and one-to-one level, and trust me this will shake you to your core. Even if you’re American and you’ve been taught about this part of your history in school (hopefully) I still recommend picking this book up as it will make you see the events from a human perspective, rather than an impartial historian.

Possibly the worst part about all this is that events like the ones in this book still happen today, some people are still just as racist, and legal equality only happened in the 60’s (although depending on State that varies a lot and also doesn’t take into account how black American’s are still treated to this day). This isn’t long lost history. This is still happening.

And that is why you need to read this book.