I have walked by this book probably about five times in the library over the past few weeks. I never looked at the cover or inside jacket. I only saw the spine and thought “After The Warmth of Other Suns, I don’t think I’m ready for another deep book”. I really thought it was a historically researched book. Yes, I judged a book by its cover (well, spine). Anyway, I then saw that the author will be here in a few weeks for the Philadelphia Book Festival. I finally took the time to read the blurb about the book. Once I found out it was supposed to be funny, I was all over it and picked it up from the library the next day. I got sucked in by the comedic veracity and finished the book in less than 24hours.
I laughed until I had tears in my eyes while reading some portions of this book. The title says it all. This book will give you pointers, tips, and suggestions for what you need to do as a black person in America depending on your situation in life. It is a satirical guide with pearls of truth. The truth is always hidden in a joke. What really impressed me about the book is the universality of it. You might think it’s only for black folks to read, but everyone could gain some comical insight from reading this book. Even if you’re not black you still will recognize many of the situations discussed. Hopefully you will also see the humor in it and not get worked up. It’s SATIRE! I mean, really, this guy wrote for The Onion so that should tell you what you’re getting yourself into. Relax your shoulders and just go with it.
The chapters carry tongue-in-cheek titles such as “Can You Swim?”and “When Did You First Realize You Were Black?” Within each chapter, Thurston hits the nail on the head about the situations that face us on a daily basis. Finding the humor in situations and using them to spark conversation is a starting point for many people when they discuss stereotypes and race. In the end, Thurston shows us that there really is no protocol for being black in America. We have varied individual experiences just like everyone else. I really enjoyed this book for its humor and for its honesty. I don’t want to be that person, but I may just have to actually buy the book and stand in line to have him sign it at the book festival!
**Postscript April 18th, 2013**
I am that person. His event at the Free Library of Philadelphia was amazing and I was more than happy to buy the book and have it signed. I was definitely on the cusp of becoming a fangirl.
**Postscript April 18th, 2013**
I am that person. His event at the Free Library of Philadelphia was amazing and I was more than happy to buy the book and have it signed. I was definitely on the cusp of becoming a fangirl.
