Play Book Tag discussion

As most of you are aware, there is a lot going on these days related to racial issues. Our news is inundated with Black Lives Matter, defund the police, abolish prisons, and institutional racism. But what do these things really mean?

We have noticed some chatter about it here on this group as members read or contemplate reading books on the topic, and posts on Facebook where we are friends with many of the PBT members. When Nileema reached out to us and asked if there were a way to incorporate reading books on this important topic, we immediately said yes.

So, the bonus tag this month is:

Black Lives Matter

This is not mandatory reading and you can choose to participate or not. We will have a special folder for the reviews and you will get 2 participation points for each book you read and review. But, you cannot double dip with Southern!

This is an emotionally charged issue, so we just remind everyone to engage with respect for others. PBT rarely has a problem with this and we have full faith that mutual respect will continue into this discussion.

As readers, most of us tackle new and complicated issues by reading. So, hopefully many of us will take the opportunity to learn more about racial issues, as well as the history of racism in this country, in order to make informed decisions in the future. Whatever those decisions may be.

Finally, as with all monthly tags, we are flexible with the interpretation. However, I personally encourage people to really read books that will stretch your comfort level and provide insight to race in this country. The main page for the Black Lives Matter tag has some great lists and resources, and I encourage people to start there. There are also an abundance of lists that have come out in recent weeks.

https://www.goodreads.com/genres/blac...

What do you plan to read?

Thanks for doing this!

I have several holds at my library right now, so if any of these come in I'll read them: The Color of Law (which I'm really hoping I can get to), Ghettoside, On Her Own Ground, and Well-Read Black Girl. Also, I have high hopes of getting to White Fragility:, though I'll almost certainly need to buy that one (since the hold queues are, understandably, extremely long).

I am reading so much for this tag right now!

If I get through it in July I will review Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America for this tag, as well as Beloved, If Beale Street Could Talk, Their Eyes Were Watching God, and The Vanishing Half.

YAAAYYYY!

Like forsanolim, I thank you for bringing this topic to the forefront-And thank you Nileema for suggesting it. I am so sure there are going to be some really great discussions in July!

I am going to do my own research, and wait for my daughter to have a few minutes to chat-she has a lot of books on this subject and I am sure she can steer me to the right one.

Yay!!!

Perfect day to announce it since it is Octavia E. Butler's birthday today. I found three Black women who are starting a slow read group for all of her books starting today through 2022! They'll have group chats about her books at the end of each one, first up is Kindred. https://youtu.be/dhG4mSQFSGY

I have so many books that'll fit for this. Both my mom and I purchased a stack to support Black authors this past week.

Meli wrote: "I am reading so much for this tag right now!

If I get through it in July I will review Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America for this tag, ..."

Meli, these are great choices. i might join you in one of the newer books. I've also been meaning to read Beale Street for a long time. Beloved and Their Eyes.. might be perfect for the southern tag instead.

I adored Their Eyes Were Watching God and I recommend the narration by Ruby Dee. Some of the dialect at the beginning is hard to read (due to the spellings) but it's easy to understand when spoken. It is partly about an all black town at the turn of the last century. The language is rather flowery and full of symbolism but it's beautiful.

Awesome! I'm going to have to check out my TBR and see what I can get my hands on.

I commented on another thread recently, that I feel the need to challenge myself with one of the newer non-fiction books. Especially those that make me a little uncomfortable or defensive. When I feel defensive by some of the titles, it makes me realize I'm not as "woke" as I thought I was.

I've read a lot of books in the past two years on racism and slavery, and many books by black authors, but most were fiction. Fiction is great for building understanding and empathy, but the books allow us to read passively and tsk at the awful racists. They don't necessarily challenge us to think about what WE can DO to improve social equality and social justice.

I have a lot on the TBR, but will probably focus on either a couple of nonfiction and/or Akata Witch. Not all of these were on the list but came to my mind whilst searching.

Here's my list:
Between the world and me
White fragility
How to be an antiracist
Their eyes were watching god
Dear martin
The new Jim Crow - currently reading but may pause so that I can count it in July!
When they call you a terrorist
Born a crime
Sister outsider
The immortal life of henrietta lacks
How to argue with a racist
An american marriage
The souls of black folk
The nickel boys
The water dancer
A people’s history of the united states
Queenie
Girl, woman, other
If beale street could talk
Hidden figures
We should all be feminists
The poet x
Giovanni’s room
Bad feminist
Twelve years a slave
Brit(ish)
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Hunger
My sister, the serial killer
The good immigrant
The secret life of bees
The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house
Passing
A brief history of seven killings
I am not your negro
Pet
An improbable life - trevor mcdonald
Letter to my daughter
In search of black history (podcast)
White teeth
Get a life, chloe brown
Akata witch
Pride (Ibi Zoboi)
Chasing the dream - shaun wallace
Talking to strangers
American spy
Bingo love
Swing time
Who fears death
The girl who smiled beads
On tyranny
The road to unfreedom
The brief wondrous life of Oscar wao
The confessions of frannie Langton
Rivers of London
The boy who harnessed the wind
Hillbilly elegy
Can we all be feminists?

NancyJ wrote: "Meli wrote: "I am reading so much for this tag right now!

If I get through it in July I will review Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America f..."

Meli, There is a newer 2020 edition of the book, with Reynolds as the first author: I just reserved the last copy at my library.


Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You - Reynolds & Kendi 2020

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America - Kendi & Reynolds 2016

Also..
How to Be an Antiracist Kendi 2019.

I would expect some overlap, but I wonder if there are any key differences between the 2019 and 2020 books.

@Nancy J - the revision of Stamped From The Beginning is YA. I highly recommend for any reader, but I already read it so I am working on the "adult" version which is more in depth.

Basically Jason Reynolds, a prolific YA writer and literacy advocate, took Ibram X Kendi's original book and "remixed" it for the YA audience.

But it would be great if you can join me for Stamped From the Beginning! We could start a buddy read thread.

I just finished How to Be an Antiracist, which I have been discussing with a friend, and I can say that it made me think a lot about myself and my position on things. I will be posting my full review here on PBT in the coming days, so keep an eye out for that.

Other books that I plan to start with are:
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism (reading for my IRL book club)
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot
I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness

I probably won't get to all of them this month, but I will definitely get to the first two. I also would like to listen to Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America--which is FREE on Spotify!--but think I may need to reserve my audiobooks for something a bit lighter to counter the very serious nonfiction.

Finally, if anyone is interested in a good documentary, I watched 13th on Netflix this weekend and it is FREE for anyone this month. There is also a follow up conversation between Ava Duvernay and Oprah that I watched, but I am not sure if that is free as well.

I agree with the audiobook of Their Eyes were Watching God done by Ruby Dee. Also The Hate U Give and On the Come Up, while designated as YA, can be appreciated by anyone and the audios are excellent.

I saw something recently about parenting that mentioned the book White Kids: Growing Up with Privilege in a Racially Divided America and I see there is also Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America. I don't know any more about them, but they might be of interest to some of you with kids at home.

I highly recommend The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride (Or, for that matter, ANY of McBride's books)

I also think Out of America: A Black Man Confronts Africa by Keith B. Richburg would be a good choice. I read it in 1998 with my F2F book club and have been recommending it ever since. Very thought-provoking.

Books from my TBR that I'm considering:
by Diane Brady
by Carlotta Walls LaNier
by Essie Mae Washington-Williams

I've had some books on this topic on my to-read list for awhile (the biggest tragedy of grad school was that I was there to study topics I then didn't have time to properly read about!), so I just tracked down a copy of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. There's a 10th anniversary edition that I got for the Amazon Kindle.

Also, apparently Amazon is giving some substantial Kindle credit for books in this vein (and maybe others, idk, but this is the first time I got a full $7.50 credit for buying a Kindle book), and used it to buy a copy of The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America for only 50 cents. Now I've got another $6 credit, hahaha, Amazon, you're killing me here...

I also snagged an ebook copy of The End of Policing from Verso books back when it was free a few weeks ago. You can still get it for only $3 on their website: https://www.versobooks.com/books/2817... Not sure how that compares to other booksellers, but I thought I'd mention it.

forsanolim wrote: "Thanks for doing this!

I have several holds at my library right now, so if any of these come in I'll read them: The Color of Law (which I'm really hoping I can get to), [book:Ghett..."

Heather Reads Books wrote: "I've had some books on this topic on my to-read list for awhile (the biggest tragedy of grad school was that I was there to study topics I then didn't have time to properly read about!), so I just ..."



Really interested in The Color of Law, but I am booked up. It will be impossible for me to fit it in right now.

Look forward to both of your reviews.

Here's a couple other books good for this tag not yet mentioned (I don't think):
Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty
They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us
The Coldest Winter Ever (this is from a teenage girl's perspective and it is more family drama / teen drama, but gripping)
Friday Black (powerful short stories exploring the Black experience in extreme / morbid ways)

I put if Beale Street could talk and White Fragility on my library order. Which has 400 holds. So the thing is, and I have woke up thinking about it, but I have to admit that I’m not really wanting to read this book. Which makes me know I should. No one is excited about getting uncomfortable. But I woke up thinking that my own impromptu book group and a wider circle beyond that really needs to read it together. So whether or not it happens in July, it is going to happen. Because it needs to. And the best way for us to be allies is to be willing to get uncomfortable. I think the July bonus tag is a great one, and I’m proud of our group for trying to read and learn and listen and grow.

I will add my endorsement to Baldwin's If Beale Street Could Talk and also Coates'Between the World and Me which probably comes as close to putting this old white woman in the shoes of a young black man as can be.

Also read in the last couple of years and recommend:

Paul Beatty's The Sellout - a brilliant satire and one that will make you very uncomfortable.

Speak No Evil- set in a world of privilege and influence and the inherent racism to be found.

If someone is interested in reading a play - A Soldier's Play gave much food for discussion and thought when I saw it Off Broadway last fall.

Personally, I am probably going to read from books I have waiting: several Baldwin and Zadie Smith, and On the Come Up

Theresa wrote: "Personally, I am probably going to read from books I have waiting: several Baldwin and Zadie Smith, and On the Come Up"

I have On The Come Up on my tbr, but I am not sure when I will be able to get to this.

I think I am either going to read We Cast a Shadow or The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration. I'm a little nervous about We Cast A Shadow only because it is satire which isn't always my best thing . . .

I'm really interested in The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness as well.

I'm in a GIANT reading rut and haven't even finished my suspense book for this month. Ugh.

@ Anita-I was looking at The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration too. Think I am going to go searching my libraries virtual shelves...

Let me know if you go that route, Joanne. That would motivate me more for sure!

Blarg posted this in the wrong post.

I intended to do this anyway. I have Native Son, The Children, Invisible Man, Deacon King Kong, How to Be an Antiracist,The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South

I'd recommend anything by Jesmyn Ward and The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter

I am already slowly reading one (it's well written, but dark dystopia so I am reading it slowly) , Parable of the Talents that I might not finish until July at this rate. The first book in that series was also dark, so it took me a couple of years to get back to it. Otherwise I have a number already marked want to read there if I can get them at my library or via kindle from one of my libraries.

Once again - great job to the administrators. I'm not sure what I'll read yet, but I did find this list.
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

On the UK iBooks app When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir is currently free. They also have How to Be an Antiracist for £2.99 and The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness and White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism are both £4.99.

I’ve not read How to Be an Antiracist yet, but I highly recommend the other three.

ETA: The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row is also 99p.

I absolutely love this idea. I had been debating whether to start a footnotes thread with some anti racist reading lists just to be a resource for anyone wanting to learn more about the Black Lives Matter movement, and help educate themselves on the topic of race.

I've been having some trouble finding my voice on this subject. As someone who is neither white or black, there is some questioning of where my voice should stand. Obviously, we need to lift the Black voices, and let them speak-so how loud do I, as a PoC, but non-black, should I be in my support? Obviously I can't speak for those who are Black, but there are subjects like microagressions and things like that that I have lots of personal experience with, and help their experiences become more relatable and understandable. One thing that has helped me find my voice, is posting things like anti-racist reading list, and promoting books by PoC.

I think also we should be cognizant about reading books on the subject by PoC. I've heard good things about White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, but it's written by a white person. So I do have some internal conflict about reading that one. It's probably more relatable to the white audience, but I feel we should be supporting Black voices more.

I've been scouring and looking through lots of antiracist reading lists during these past few weeks. I'm hoping to get to one or more of these, as they are some of the most basic, 'start here' BLM Books:
How to Be an Antiracist
So You Want to Talk About Race
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America
Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race

One that really stands out to me re: a more particular topic would be Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. This has been around PBT, getting good reviews if I remember correctly as well.

Anita wrote: "I think I am either going to read We Cast a Shadow or The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration. I'm a little nervous about We Cast A Shad..."

Anita, The Warmth of Other Suns was wonderful. I highly recommend it. Narrative nonfiction and expertly researched.

Booknblues wrote: "I intended to do this anyway. I have Native Son, The Children, Invisible Man, Deacon King Kong, How to Be an Antiracist,[book..."

I am also interested in Deacon King Kong. It is a possibility for audio if I feel like I can handle that at the same time as reading White Fragility.

Joi wrote: "I absolutely love this idea. I had been debating whether to start a footnotes thread with some anti racist reading lists just to be a resource for anyone wanting to learn more about the Black Lives..."

Joi, thanks for sharing your experience and how you are struggling to figure out how you fit into the larger conversation. I hope that you share more about it as you read some of these books; I know I would love to talk to you more about it.

Also, re: White Fragility, I certainly understand wanting to read BIPOC authors! It is not the only book I will read, but I am also reassured because many BIPOC authors/activists have been recommending it.

Joi wrote: "I absolutely love this idea. I had been debating whether to start a footnotes thread with some anti racist reading lists just to be a resource for anyone wanting to learn more about the Black Lives..."

I have the same mixed feelings about White Fragility.
On the one hand, I see white people getting a lot out of it.
Her analysis is making white people uncomfortable, making them reflect ...
But, as you mentioned, Joi, she is white and apparently there is the added complication that the author is having these kind of expensive seminars that make her a lot of money.
Not that making money is inherently bad, but the optics are certainly bad when the entire New York Times non-fiction best seller list is Black authors EXCEPT #1 which is White Fragility. And there are Black authors / social critics / activists etc offering their analysis / guidance and sometimes content for free in honor of the cause where she is capitalizing on it (intentional or not).

I think White Fragility can be a good starting point, but I feel like for me to move forward I need to read more Black history and Black voices. So that is where I am at personally. At the same time, I hate to discourage anyone out there trying to face these difficult realizations in whatever form (for the most part).

Regarding Stamped From The Beginning, I would like to start a buddy read thread because there seems to be a lot of interest in that book and it is a great read. I would like to include both the adult and YA version for discussion.

Recommendations:
Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America--John Lewis
Go Tell it on the Mountain--James Baldwin
A Mercy--Toni Morrison
A Lesson Before Dyingt--Ernest Gaines
The Good Lord Bird--James McBride
Island Beneath the Sea--Isabel Allende
Homegoing--Yaa Gyasi
The Nickel Boys--Colson Whitehead
Sing Unburied Sing--Jesmyn Ward

I wanted to read Ward's "The Fire This Time", essays in honor of Baldwin, but it has an 11 week waiting list. I did score these two from the library that I hope to read:
The Wretched of the Earth--Franyz Fanon
How to Be an Antiracist--Ibram Kendi

Joi wrote: "One that really stands out to me re: a more particular topic would be Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. This has been around PBT, getting good reviews if I remember correctly as well..."

5-stars from me. But, if it makes a difference to you, the author is white.

Meli wrote: "Regarding Stamped From The Beginning, I would like to start a buddy read thread because there seems to be a lot of interest in that book and it is a great read. I would like to include both the adult and YA version for discussion."

Definitely feel free to do this! You can start the thread right in the Black Lives Matter folder that I will open on the first of the month. I may join you for this one, depending on if I listen to it on audio or not.

If other small groups of people want to have buddy reads for this tag, please feel free to start threads as well.

I know that we offered to Nileema to pick a book if she would like to lead a buddy read as well, so stay tuned for that as well!

I know we knew about this, behind the scenes, ahead of time, but I haven't yet figured out what I'm going to read. I'd like to read for it, something significant/worthwhile. I'm hoping there is something on my tbr, but I'll have to see.

I'm also a bit worried that it's going to be hard to get my hands on a library book on this topic!

Hmmm, well it's on the list, though it wasn't quite what I was looking for. It is also (surprisingly) available - now - at my library. It is definitely an option if it's still available in a couple of weeks:

- The Hate U Give / Angie Thomas

(As I look again, it's the audio and it says "always available". I wonder if that's something they managed due to COVID; anyway, if I can't find a nonfiction one, that might be the one.)

Well, that's exciting! Another one (this one nonfiction) is on my tbr and the audio is "always available" at my library, as well!

Looks like a few others also plan to read it:
- The New Jim Crow / Michelle Alexander

Joanne wrote: "@ Anita-I was looking at The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration too. Think I am going to go searching my libraries virtual shelves..."

Oh, that one's so good! Made my favourites the year I read it!

I'm going to through my two cents in in regards to White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism and whether we should or shouldn't read it because the author is white.

I've done my own digging and thinking on the subject and I think it's up to each of those who want to read it to make the decision that they are most comfortable with. I didn't think it was a big deal to read it until I saw a White friend post on her instagram that we shouldn't be reading it because it's not written by a Black author and I thought... why? If it gets us thinking, having tough conversations, etc... why is it so bad that it is written by a White woman?

In my digging I found an opinion piece written by a Black man that praises her and her work. He described how impactful his meeting her was and the impression that it left upon him.

My opinion is that it is a valuable book that more White people should read. I don't think the message would come across as well if it was written by a POC. She knows, she has walked in our shoes of being uncomfortable, she admits that she is still learning about racism. White Fragility is a White voices book, she talks about our challenges in coming to terms with our racism. I think this book should be read in conjunction with Black voices books.

I purchased and read White Fragility but I have also purchased and read (or am about to) both fiction and non-fiction books by Black authors:
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
When Death Comes Stealing by Valerie Wilson Wesley
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
and lastly, as part of the Octavia E Butler Read Along I'm doing... Kindred... I think I'm most excited by this since it is led by a group of Black women who will be leading discussions. I'm a bit nervous too.

My mom got a handful of books by Black authors as well.

I think I'm going to read Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong. It's on the list Nicole posted and it's available at my library.

I just realized that a book I read last month might be a perfect fit for this special tag
Meet Me Halfway: Milwaukee Stories by Jennifer Morales

The author was going to join my F2F book club for a discussion of this book in April .... but .... COVID.

We're rescheduling her for October (her request), and I'm really looking forward to that discussion.

LINK to my review

Charlotte wrote: "My opinion is that it is a valuable book that more White people should read. I don't think the message would come across as well if it was written by a POC. She knows, she has walked in our shoes of being uncomfortable, she admits that she is still learning about racism. White Fragility is a White voices book, she talks about our challenges in coming to terms with our racism. I think this book should be read in conjunction with Black voices books...."

Yes - this! This is what I was thinking. It sounds to me like something that would have to have been written by a white person (but you've communicated it so much more eloquently than me!).

LibraryCin wrote: "Yes - this! This is what I was thinking. It sounds to me like something that would have to have been written by a white person (but you've communicated it so much more eloquently than me!)..."

Thanks! I've been struggling with my thoughts on this for over a week.

I saw this book on the morning shows-Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning of an American City-it's brand new, and not sure I will be able to get a hold of it, but I am going to try

Joanne wrote: "I saw this book on the morning shows-Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning of an American City-it's brand new, and not sure I will be able to get a hold of it, but I am going to try"

That would be cool for me to read since I live in Baltimore . . .I bought it.

Some of the books on this subject are now in great demand at libraries or backordered at bookstores. However, Kindle is available (if you don't mind paying) and currently offers credits. For instance, I bought How to Be an Antiracist and got a 3.75 credit which I then used for White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, which gave me another credit for 2.75. They can't be used on every Kindle book, but they work for many, including bestsellers.

Charlotte wrote: "I'm going to through my two cents in in regards to White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism and whether we should or shouldn't read it because the aut..."

I agree with what you are saying, and I had the same internal argument... but I am like 50 / 50 on it. People are definitely getting a lot out of it. And it saddens me to see some of the shaming of people throughout this process. Being held accountable by your own friends / family and having frank discussions is one thing, but random callouts on the internet (which is where I see most of this happening) where it's like "YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!" - I am not sure that's helpful.

Based on the discourse I think some of the frustration is that white people are still turning to white people to help them understand the Black experience so they may feel like they are still not being heard or believed.

But like you said, this book is her personal experience and helping other white people who likely are well-meaning but making the same mistakes.

I think you hit the nail on the head to say read this but also BIPOC books and I think this is what people want to see more of.

It also would've been really cool if the New York Times bestseller list for non-fiction was all Black authors, but alas there was White Fragility at number 1. Of course, at the same time, it means people are trying to learn and you love to see that too!

Nicole R wrote: "Meli wrote: "Regarding Stamped From The Beginning, I would like to start a buddy read thread because there seems to be a lot of interest in that book and it is a great read. I would like to include..."

I will do that, Nicole, and if Nileema picks Stamped as the buddy read, then I will leave that to them to lead. If you know Nileema's pick please let me know!