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Good Trouble: Lessons from the Civil Rights Playbook
Good Trouble is the helpful antidote to all the pessimism and name-calling that is permeating today’s political and social dialogues. Revisiting episodes from the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ’60s, it highlights the essential lessons that modern-day activists and the civically minded can extract and embrace in order to move forward and create change. In words and vivid pen-and-watercolor illustrations, journalist Christopher Noxon dives into the real stories behind the front lines of the Montgomery bus boycott and the Greensboro lunch counter sit-ins and notable figures such as Rosa Parks and Bayard Rustin, all while exploring the parallels between the civil rights movement era and the present moment. This thoughtful, fresh approach is sure to inspire conversation, action, and, most importantly, hope.
192 pages, Hardcover
Published January 8, 2019
9 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Noxon
7 books34 followersChristopher Noxon is an author, journalist and illustrator.
He’s the author of the novel Plus One, which “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner called “well-observed, honest, and laugh-out-loud funny” and Rejuvenile: Kickball, Cartoons, Cupcakes and the Reinvention of the American Grown Up, which Ira Glass, host of public radio’s This American Life, called “an eye opener.” The book was featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, CNN’s “In the Money,” NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” and Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report.”
As a journalist, he has written for The New Yorker, Details, The New York Times Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine, and Salon. He began his career in newspapers, working as an editor, enterprise reporter and arts critic for the L.A. Daily News, the Cape Cod Publishing Company and the Los Angeles Independent Newspaper Group, where he won two first-place honors from the LA Press Club for feature and news reporting. As a freelancer, he covered the Democratic National Convention for Reuters; lived as a patient with recovering addicts for a Playboy feature about troubles with drug rehab; wrote about marketing and new media for Kurt Andersen and Michael Hirschorn’s Inside.com; and was the first journalist to report on actor Mel Gibson’s ties to an ultraconservative Catholic splinter group in a feature for The New York Times Magazine.
His illustrations have been featured on the websites The Undo List and Modern Loss and the book Unscrolled: Writers and Artists Wrestle With The Torah.
Along the way, he has worked as a costumed character at Universal Studios, answered letters of complaint at L’Oreal cosmetics, and was director of communications for Michael Milken’s prostate cancer charity.
He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, television writer/producer Jenji Kohan, and their three children.
He’s the author of the novel Plus One, which “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner called “well-observed, honest, and laugh-out-loud funny” and Rejuvenile: Kickball, Cartoons, Cupcakes and the Reinvention of the American Grown Up, which Ira Glass, host of public radio’s This American Life, called “an eye opener.” The book was featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, CNN’s “In the Money,” NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” and Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report.”
As a journalist, he has written for The New Yorker, Details, The New York Times Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine, and Salon. He began his career in newspapers, working as an editor, enterprise reporter and arts critic for the L.A. Daily News, the Cape Cod Publishing Company and the Los Angeles Independent Newspaper Group, where he won two first-place honors from the LA Press Club for feature and news reporting. As a freelancer, he covered the Democratic National Convention for Reuters; lived as a patient with recovering addicts for a Playboy feature about troubles with drug rehab; wrote about marketing and new media for Kurt Andersen and Michael Hirschorn’s Inside.com; and was the first journalist to report on actor Mel Gibson’s ties to an ultraconservative Catholic splinter group in a feature for The New York Times Magazine.
His illustrations have been featured on the websites The Undo List and Modern Loss and the book Unscrolled: Writers and Artists Wrestle With The Torah.
Along the way, he has worked as a costumed character at Universal Studios, answered letters of complaint at L’Oreal cosmetics, and was director of communications for Michael Milken’s prostate cancer charity.
He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, television writer/producer Jenji Kohan, and their three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 7, 2019
It's a quick read, heavily illustrated, and best geared towards students who have had some introduction to the Civil Rights Movement but not comprehensive study of the 1960s. Written by a white guy who acknowledges his outsider role as an ally, this serves as a fairly mild how-to manual for modern resistance. No spoilers, but he puts a pretty fine point on it at the end. Respect.
Backmatter includes recommended reading geared more towards adults, but ancillary text possibilities abound as Noxon mentions lesser-praised activists like Fannie Lou Hamer (Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou HamerCarole Boston Weatherford's biography) and Georgia Gilmore (Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott), among others.
Backmatter includes recommended reading geared more towards adults, but ancillary text possibilities abound as Noxon mentions lesser-praised activists like Fannie Lou Hamer (Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou HamerCarole Boston Weatherford's biography) and Georgia Gilmore (Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott), among others.
March 25, 2019
A very good, albeit short, book about the strengths of the civil rights movement and what can be learned from the movements of the past in the fights of the present day. It was good to read the names and stories of people besides Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. I especially liked one part where the author mentions that oftentimes, those few players got credit for their contributions (instead of others) because the civil rights movement needed to use the most sympathetic and marketable participants (i.e. Rosa Parks over pregnant teen Claudette Colvin when Claudette's experience happened first). This author, a white guy who just wanted to learn more about the civil rights movement, did a better job of easily introducing this subject than any class I've ever taken. Good accompanying artwork to add to the history!!
April 7, 2019
This short treatment of the Civil Rights Movement gets a lot of things right, in particular: (1) well-known heroes of the Movement were not self-made leaders arising out of nowhere and drawing hordes of followers behind them, but members of activist communities and organizations that were chosen, pushed forward and held up by those communities; (2) women did most of the actual work of the Movement; (3) the reality of the Movement is much more complicated, indeterminate, and educative than the version commonly taught and celebrated; (4) online petitions and meme-spreading will never take the place of putting bodies in spaces in ways that cause dangerous disruptions; (6) positive community building is just as important as fighting injustice (another lesson from Gandhi) and, most importantly, (6) the Movement is ongoing and what is YOUR role in it?
I wish the author had written more about Highlander and its role in preparing Rosa Parks and MLK. And he made one outrageous mistake: using a drawing of Kaepernick to illustrate his point that symbolic protest can be a distraction from real social justice work. But the illustrations are fantastic and deliver emotional punch after punch. The author / illustrator is a white man who acknowledges his role as an ally and includes a sub-narrative of his own research into the Movement, which included a lot of drinks, lunches, dinners and other interviews with Movement heroes.
I wish the author had written more about Highlander and its role in preparing Rosa Parks and MLK. And he made one outrageous mistake: using a drawing of Kaepernick to illustrate his point that symbolic protest can be a distraction from real social justice work. But the illustrations are fantastic and deliver emotional punch after punch. The author / illustrator is a white man who acknowledges his role as an ally and includes a sub-narrative of his own research into the Movement, which included a lot of drinks, lunches, dinners and other interviews with Movement heroes.
February 12, 2019
This attractively illustrated book caught my eye right away at the library. Then the title held my attention. I'm familiar with John Lewis' use of the phrase Good Trouble, so I wasn't surprised to see the subtitle Lessons from the Civil Rights Playbook. I've been doing a lot of reading and listening lately on issues of race and civil rights and the fight for true equality, so this book was exactly in my field of interest.
Caveat? This book about lessons from the Civil Rights movement is written by a white man. Christopher Noxon acknowledges this early on in the book, and lays out his misgivings on that topic, his efforts to compensate for it, and his work to center the narrative on those who did the work. This is a tricky task, and I'm not sure it's my place as a white woman to approve or disapprove of this. but I do think he does a good job, for what this is. He tells many engaging stories about the Civil Rights movement, mostly from interviews he arranged with those who participated in the movement, both visible leaders and, especially, behind-the-scenes workers who carried most of the wight of the movement. It is clear that the focus of the book is on these important people, not on himself.
Noxon is passionate about the topic, and his admiration and affection for the subjects of his writing come through clearly. He especially featured Bayard Rustin repeatedly in the stories and lessons learned, and by doing so brought a giant of the Civil Rights movement more alive for me. Now I want to find a book specifically on Rustin, to learn more about his work, his courage, and his joy.
I enjoyed the stories and interviews. If you have been doing a lot of reading, listening, and/or watching on the topic, then you may already know much of what Noxon covers. Even if you do know a lot of the general history, the book is worth reading, for the glimpses of behind the scenes organizers and workers, and the first hand accounts of the movement that they relate. Also, the art is appealing--a light and bright water color style that captures attention and emotions without too much heavy-handed detail.
While I will generally seek out books on civil rights written by those who are minorities themselves, as well as active in the movement, this is a well-done book and an excellent introduction on the topic, full of useful lessons to encourage us on way in the continuing fight to create "good trouble" for the rights of all minorities and at-risk populations. I would think this would be an especially good choice if you or someone you know is relatively new to ally-ship. If nothing else, as a way to point to greater resources on the topic--Noxon offers 2 pages worth of reading list, and many more ideas of heroes worth researching.
Caveat? This book about lessons from the Civil Rights movement is written by a white man. Christopher Noxon acknowledges this early on in the book, and lays out his misgivings on that topic, his efforts to compensate for it, and his work to center the narrative on those who did the work. This is a tricky task, and I'm not sure it's my place as a white woman to approve or disapprove of this. but I do think he does a good job, for what this is. He tells many engaging stories about the Civil Rights movement, mostly from interviews he arranged with those who participated in the movement, both visible leaders and, especially, behind-the-scenes workers who carried most of the wight of the movement. It is clear that the focus of the book is on these important people, not on himself.
Noxon is passionate about the topic, and his admiration and affection for the subjects of his writing come through clearly. He especially featured Bayard Rustin repeatedly in the stories and lessons learned, and by doing so brought a giant of the Civil Rights movement more alive for me. Now I want to find a book specifically on Rustin, to learn more about his work, his courage, and his joy.
I enjoyed the stories and interviews. If you have been doing a lot of reading, listening, and/or watching on the topic, then you may already know much of what Noxon covers. Even if you do know a lot of the general history, the book is worth reading, for the glimpses of behind the scenes organizers and workers, and the first hand accounts of the movement that they relate. Also, the art is appealing--a light and bright water color style that captures attention and emotions without too much heavy-handed detail.
While I will generally seek out books on civil rights written by those who are minorities themselves, as well as active in the movement, this is a well-done book and an excellent introduction on the topic, full of useful lessons to encourage us on way in the continuing fight to create "good trouble" for the rights of all minorities and at-risk populations. I would think this would be an especially good choice if you or someone you know is relatively new to ally-ship. If nothing else, as a way to point to greater resources on the topic--Noxon offers 2 pages worth of reading list, and many more ideas of heroes worth researching.
December 5, 2018
This is a must-read. The book takes the reader through the journey of the civil rights movement and provides a clear sense of the realistic dangers that were involved while providing hope and a spark to move forward even when change seems impossible.
November 12, 2022
I highly recommend adding this to your “Must Read” and “Must Own Hardcopy” lists. As important as the messages are, this book is highly accessible due to its format, length, and simplicity of messaging. Yet it somehow manages to also educate on some of the more obscure and behind-the-scenes figures of the Civil Rights Movement. It also is appropriate for middle schoolers on, imho. It is NOT depressing, and IS uplifting when appropriate. Original illustrations in full color on each page. Easily read in one long sitting. Great gift.
November 10, 2021
Honestly, an important companion to what we have learned about the Civil rights movement, without holding back.
December 11, 2023
I listened to the audiobook which is probably not the way to go (missing out on the illustrations). I got the impression that the author himself had a lot to learn but it was a start and seems to be a good introduction to civil rights for children
June 3, 2021
An incredible good read.
September 30, 2020
This is a nice attempt to breakdown the white washed history of the civil rights movement.
December 20, 2020
Bite sized comics for the big picture of activism
January 25, 2022
I listened to the unabridged 2-hour audio version of this title (read by the author, Abrams, 2019).
When we think of the US Civil Rights Movement, we picture some beginning (Rosa Parks not giving up her bus seat), a few marches and sit-ins, a handful of names, and an end (the Civil Rights Act of 1964). In reality, the Movement has gone on much longer and is still continuing. Many more people have been involved in it than those named in history books. For example, on the same day that Rosa Parks performed her act of civil disobedience, two other women also refused to give up their bus seats.
The book's title is a tribute to Representative John Lewis, who famously said: "Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble." The author confides that as a White man, he was apprehensive about writing a book on Civil Rights. But then, civil rights, far from being of interest to Black & Brown people only, are relevant to the entire society and its progress. White people's activism should not be deemed condescending toward Blacks. It's not only what I, as a White person, can do for my Black & Brown fellow-citizens, but what I can do to enlighten other White folks, including White Supremacists.
Noxon also reminds us of the central role played by women and the church in the success of the Civil Rights Movement. We have come to associate religiosity with conservatives, but there is a fairly large population of religious liberals in America. Conservatives have latched on to a few divisive issues, such as abortion and gay rights, but devout liberals practice their religious beliefs according to Christ's teachings on kindness, generosity, and tolerance. And we should not forget the outsize role of music as a solidarity-building tool and a coping mechanism in Black churches.
The entire proceeds from this wonderfully-written book is donated to a non-profit devoted to work on racial justice, healthcare, and poverty. The hard-copy book is beautifully illustrated by the author. At the end of the audiobook, there is an interview with the author, who describes his thought process in writing and illustrating the book.
When we think of the US Civil Rights Movement, we picture some beginning (Rosa Parks not giving up her bus seat), a few marches and sit-ins, a handful of names, and an end (the Civil Rights Act of 1964). In reality, the Movement has gone on much longer and is still continuing. Many more people have been involved in it than those named in history books. For example, on the same day that Rosa Parks performed her act of civil disobedience, two other women also refused to give up their bus seats.
The book's title is a tribute to Representative John Lewis, who famously said: "Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble." The author confides that as a White man, he was apprehensive about writing a book on Civil Rights. But then, civil rights, far from being of interest to Black & Brown people only, are relevant to the entire society and its progress. White people's activism should not be deemed condescending toward Blacks. It's not only what I, as a White person, can do for my Black & Brown fellow-citizens, but what I can do to enlighten other White folks, including White Supremacists.
Noxon also reminds us of the central role played by women and the church in the success of the Civil Rights Movement. We have come to associate religiosity with conservatives, but there is a fairly large population of religious liberals in America. Conservatives have latched on to a few divisive issues, such as abortion and gay rights, but devout liberals practice their religious beliefs according to Christ's teachings on kindness, generosity, and tolerance. And we should not forget the outsize role of music as a solidarity-building tool and a coping mechanism in Black churches.
The entire proceeds from this wonderfully-written book is donated to a non-profit devoted to work on racial justice, healthcare, and poverty. The hard-copy book is beautifully illustrated by the author. At the end of the audiobook, there is an interview with the author, who describes his thought process in writing and illustrating the book.
May 20, 2022
Really good reference book, and a quick read. I'm definitely glad I read John Lewis' "March" trilogy before this. That was far more exhaustive, but also made a lot of the events, and some of the people, in this one, recognizable. Things I probably should have learned in school but don't believe I did.
I picked them both up back in February from the library's Black History Month display. And am gonna get my account suspended if I don't get this one back in the next two days, lol, so I read it today, even though I'm in the middle of another library book (my eyes are much bigger than my stomach when it comes to books).
Like any good episode of "RadioLab," "Good Trouble" leaves as many questions as it answers, and presents the facts but requires the listener/reader come up with their own opinions/conclusions. I'm definitely unsettled, and a bit bashful, finishing it.
I'm never gonna be a great change maker, I know that, and I don't have money to back movements, but I like to get involved in non-violent rabble rousing, and feel like I could be one of those behind-the-scenes cookie bakers, like Joan Trumpauer Mulholland. In the meantime, I need to figure out being a better ally.
Favorite caption: "Harriet Tubman, Underground Railroad conductor and all-around badass" (p.45)
I picked them both up back in February from the library's Black History Month display. And am gonna get my account suspended if I don't get this one back in the next two days, lol, so I read it today, even though I'm in the middle of another library book (my eyes are much bigger than my stomach when it comes to books).
Like any good episode of "RadioLab," "Good Trouble" leaves as many questions as it answers, and presents the facts but requires the listener/reader come up with their own opinions/conclusions. I'm definitely unsettled, and a bit bashful, finishing it.
I'm never gonna be a great change maker, I know that, and I don't have money to back movements, but I like to get involved in non-violent rabble rousing, and feel like I could be one of those behind-the-scenes cookie bakers, like Joan Trumpauer Mulholland. In the meantime, I need to figure out being a better ally.
Favorite caption: "Harriet Tubman, Underground Railroad conductor and all-around badass" (p.45)
February 16, 2021
An interesting look at the Civil Rights Movement, rather taking a closer look at what and how things went during that period in the 60s. The author not only visited the locations of these famous incidents , but also attempts to take a small analysis of behind the scenes moments, especially through figures who were not given the recognition for their efforts, let alone be considered as important as the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. I find it a little surprising in that me, and for sure a whole generation, were taught a rather simplistic look at the movement. In actuality, there were many figures who participated, each with their own important task. I think both adults and kids would get a better understanding of what this movement is and to look into deeper works about this subject.
July 2, 2025
“Volunteer drivers DASHED around Montgomery, picking up and dropping off people at designated spots near workplaces and schools and transferring riders at a ‘transportation center’ in a downtown parking lot. I visited the spot where the parking lot used to be on a warm Sunday morning. It’s now a park, across the street from the headquarters of Chick-fil-A.” Umm…Chick-fil-A’s headquarters are in Atlanta, not Montgomery. All you need to do is visit the website to verify that, and know anything about Chick-fil-A. Unfortunately, if the author is including blatantly incorrect statements such as this, I no longer am willing to believe anything the author wrote and I am not willing to go through this book and fact check it. Save your time. Skip this one. I don’t even need to go into any other content of this book.
December 16, 2020
I really enjoyed this book and am excited it's available in our library. Christopher Noxon does a great job combining illustrations with a succinct story that is fairly captivating. Noxon talks about many people I don't really know much about and in that respect, the book was a little overwhelming because I wanted to absorb as much as possible. I definitely have a list of people to further investigate. :-)
Reading this felt a little like those John Greene videos where he gives a fact laden break down of something in a way that becomes immediately digestible. Like, a primer? Good Trouble is a great introduction to people who are just beginning to learn about the Civil Rights Movement or those wanting to further flesh out their knowledge.
Reading this felt a little like those John Greene videos where he gives a fact laden break down of something in a way that becomes immediately digestible. Like, a primer? Good Trouble is a great introduction to people who are just beginning to learn about the Civil Rights Movement or those wanting to further flesh out their knowledge.
November 14, 2022
I listened to this book because it is being debated in my local school board. I am on a quest to read the controversial books so I can form my own opinions. I thought the book itself was well done. It is a quick listen. I will need to get a hard copy of it so I can see the illustrations. The audio book had an interview at the end which may bother some due to its partisan topics. Other than that, I don’t see anything controversial about it. Seems like a good book to use as part of a history class learning about the civil rights movement. The author clearly states that violence, damage to property, etc goes against the main tenets of good trouble.
October 3, 2019
This is an excellent and quick read. This is a great beginner how to guide for successful movements. As previous reviewers said, it doesn’t show the whole story of the 60s civil rights movement, but what book does? And that wasn’t the objective of the book to begin with. This book shows the many points that helped make the 50-60s civil rights movement successful at its aims and to remind us the fight is still going on. It is inspiring and shows us how to transform our anger at the current state of affairs into action for change and progress.
September 1, 2020
A journey through some civil rights history that goes just a little deeper than a high school history course. The writer acknowledges his outsiders point of view, and made an effort to engage with the history makers themselves, and expanding on lesser know people, including the important roles of black women and to acknowledge the role of the people who tolerated the system as it was. The drawings and colors made it engaging, and he encourages the reader to explore more and reconsider what you have been taught.
October 29, 2021
This is a great book for tweens/teens and anyone else who enjoys graphic novels and would like to read an inspiring history of the Civil Rights Movement. I bought and read this book because we have several citizens and school board members who are trying to challenge this book and remove it from our libraries in Virginia Beach City Public Schools. So, thank you to them, because without their hysterical, racist nonsense, I don't think I would have found and read this book...and it was a joy to read.
July 20, 2020
I really enjoyed this book, and was surprised by how inspired I was by it. The best part turned out to be the audiobook bonus material at the end, which was a valuable conversation to dig into some of the issues that were touched on within the book itself. I will have to go find a paper copy though - I want to see the illustrations!
August 2, 2020
Excellent little book! Quick read with fun illustrations. A mini dive into the Civil Rights movement with a lot of info I didn’t know and SO SO relevant to today. I think any wanna be activist should definitely read. Great starting point.
November 28, 2020
Quick read with lots of information worth knowing. Not everything we have been taught is the way things really were. Could be read and understood by upper elementary children. Lot of watercolor illustrations. Would recommend highly.
April 22, 2019
I will remember a couple of things from this book. The most important, I believe, is to put your body forward against a problem, not against people. It was a good, yet short, read.
July 14, 2019
Should be required reading. Great intro/overview of things. Hard to go into a lot of depth bc of the scope but still very good.
February 11, 2020
Overall I was really disappointed by this book. It extensiv fetishizes "good" and "acceptable" blackness and in doing that largely misrepresents the civil rights movement
August 5, 2020
I was debating between a 3 and 4. This is a book probably better to read with a physical copy. Good introduction content for kids.
August 23, 2020
I'll be listening to this book every time I need guidance and hope that systemic racism can change if we set our minds to it.
January 15, 2021
Super inspiring. Exactly what I needed to read right now.
July 17, 2021
Important read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews