How to Be Black - Hardcover

Thurston, Baratunde

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062003216 ISBN 13: 9780062003218

Publisher: Harper, 2012

Synopsis

Black is back! Whether measured by the election and national confusion arising from the half-black presidency of Barack Obama or the celebrity of superstars like LeBron James and Oprah Winfrey or the narrowly-defined images of hip hop, crime, and poverty, America is talking about race again - but in the same tired, old way. "How To Be Black" takes the national conversation to a whole new level, combining irreverent step-by-step instructions, personal memoir, and resource guides to meet every reader's blackness needs. An expert at being black, Baratunde Thurston has had more than 30 years of living and redefining blackness, including the influences of a pro-black, Pan-Afrikan, hippie, single mother, surviving the crack years of 1980s inner-city D.C. (the violence of which claimed his father's life when Thurston was six years old), and by attending the best educational institutions this nation has to offer. Now he's sharing his know-how with readers of all colors, from the African-American who feels trapped by the ham-fisted, marketing-driven definition of what black is supposed to be to a non-black who wants to get strange looks on the subway. With advice and insight on everything from How To Be The Black Friend to How To Speak For All Black People to How To Celebrate Black History Month, this humorous and audacious guide pokes fun at the so-called experts, purists, and racists who think they know what black people believe, do, stand for, and like. It is also a unique and funny account of growing up black in America today. "How to Be Black" includes interviews with: Victor Varnado, Director, Comedian, "The Awkward Comedy Show" on Comedy Central; Damali Ayo, Author of "Rent a Negro"; Elon James White, Creator of "This Week in Blackness"; Jacquetta Szathmari, Creator of the show "That's Funny", "You Didn't Sound Black on the Phone"; W. Kamau Bell, Creator of the show "Ending Racism in About an Hour"; and, Christian Lander, "Stuff White People Like".

About this title

Review:

“A hilarious blend of razor-sharp satire and memoir...Using his own story and humor, Thurston demonstrates that the best way to ‘be’ anything is to simply be yourself.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Terrific...How to Be Black is an assault on nostalgia--a satirical, biographic attack on the idea that ‘blackness’ or any label should be derived from historical description.” (Fast Company)

Struggling to figure out how to be black in the 21st century? Baratunde Thurston has the perfect guide for you...Fans of Stuff White People Like, This Week in Blackness and other blogs that take satirical shots at racial stereotypes are sure to love How to Be Black. (The Root)

“A hilarious look at the complexities of contemporary racial politics and personal identity.” (Booklist)

“One of the smartest and funniest books I’ve ever read.” (Christian Lander (via Twitter))

From the Back Cover:

If You Don't Buy This Book, You're a Racist.

Have you ever been called "too black" or "not black enough"?

Have you ever befriended or worked with a black person?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, this book is for you.

Raised by a pro-black, Pan-Afrikan single mother during the crack years of 1980s Washington, DC, and educated at Sidwell Friends School and Harvard University, Baratunde Thurston has over thirty years' experience being black. Now, through stories of his politically inspired Nigerian name, the heroics of his hippie mother, the murder of his drug-abusing father, and other revelatory black details, he shares with readers of all colors his wisdom and expertise in how to be black.

Beyond memoir, this guidebook offers practical advice on everything from "How to Be The Black Friend" to "How to Be The (Next) Black President" to "How to Celebrate Black History Month."

To provide additional perspective, Baratunde assembled an award-winning Black Panel—three black women, three black men, and one white man (Christian Lander of Stuff White People Like)—and asked them such revealing questions as:

"When Did You First Realize You Were Black?"

"How Black Are You?"

"Can You Swim?"

The result is a humorous, intelligent, and audacious guide that challenges and satirizes the so-called experts, purists, and racists who purport to speak for all black people. With honest storytelling and biting wit, Baratunde plots a path not just to blackness, but one open to anyone interested in simply "how to be."

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0062003216
• ISBN 13: 9780062003218
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 272