How to Be an Antiracist

By: Ibram X. Kendi

Narrated by: Ibram X. Kendi

Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

**THE GLOBAL MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER**

NOT BEING RACIST IS NOT ENOUGH. WE HAVE TO BE ANTIRACIST.

In this rousing and deeply empathetic book, Ibram X. Kendi, one of the world's most influential scholars of racism, shows that neutrality is not an option: until we become part of the solution, we can only be part of the problem.

Using his extraordinary gifts as a teacher and story-teller, Kendi helps us recognise that everyone is, at times, complicit in racism whether they realise it or not, and by describing with moving humility his own journey from racism to antiracism, he shows us how instead to be a force for good. Along the way, Kendi punctures all the myths and taboos that so often cloud our understanding, from arguments about what race is and whether racial differences exist to the complications that arise when race intersects with ethnicity, class, gender and sexuality.

In the process he demolishes the myth of the post-racial society and builds from the ground up a vital new understanding of racism - what it is, where it is hidden, how to identify it and what to do about it.

©2019 Ibram X. Kendi (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"So vital." (Ijeoma Oluo, author of So You Want to Talk About Race)

"The most courageous book to date on the problem of race." (New York Times)

"It feels like a light switch being flicked on." (Owen Jones)

Great content that’s very very badly read by the author

I’ve had to give up on the audio version and am now reading the kindle edition... he has a great voice great experiences and insight but unfortunately his style of reading does not follow punctuation, flow or expression.

This book is courageous, authentic and honest.

The ideas are so well argued, and demonstrated. Some of the things he argues are contentious, and I feel that his authenticity, his honesty, and the way he holds himself to account is inspiring and trust building. As a non-american I didn't always follow the historical and political detail but it didn't matter too much, it is worth reading for the ideas that he puts forward.

I mean, what?

Kendi offers an insight into a concept he has developed called “antiracism”. This largely biographical work looks to project the anti racist world view clearly, as a measure by which we can judge our actions and those of others.

The problem is, throughout Kendi is hypocritical, vague and sometimes outright contradictory. For example he talks about how the “assimilationists” are trying to smuggle racism in through the guise of equality, but on many occasions his own accounts are that of what would basically amount to assimilation. On other accounts, he advocates basic segregational ideas (racialised spaces) and sees no irony in it. Where he talks about gendered racism, he argues that the “strong black mother” is an archaic stereotype and a racist trope, having just spoken at length about how strong his black mother was. Sure, he makes an effort to separate the context but fails, in my mind.

Then we have the main reason this book is, for me, two stars: it offers a position that is clearly one side of an argument. Not “racism or antiracism”, but individualism and collectivism. His whole world view is that of collectivism to the core, and this book shackles you to that mind set. He argues that he would like to be judged as an individual but never is, whilst throughout making sweeping generalisations about the behaviour of white people, under exploring certain phenomena like “white flight” and offering little insight into the specifics of what anything means. He dangerously posits, for example, that representation at a population level (blacks making up 13% of pop making up 13% of teachers, lawyers, doctors etc) is itself limiting and racist, suggesting quite clearly that it ought to be weighted towards minority groups so they “see people like them” more regularly. Of course, he completely ignores throughout how suggesting Asians need to see Asians because they “look like them” is an entirely racist thing to do, distilling identity down to a singular characteristic trait.

Lastly, it is read awfully. Broken, strange accents on wording tht doesn’t need it, staggered sentence structure, broken pacing, a strange overtone of hollow emotion destined to seemingly add authority.

It was just bad. But then, I’m at the opposite side of the aforementioned debate, so I’m liable to be critical, but that shouldn’t take away that I had charitable intentions going into this work.

Must read

Absolutely essential reading for everyone, particularly non-Black people. Kendi clearly lays out what anti-racism is through definitions, anecdotes, and history. If you are looking for something that is both educational and instructional, you have found it.

revolutionary for my thoughts on race

This is an incredibly important book. In today's world, everyone needs to read/listen to this

Powerful

I'm just a beginner on this antiracist path. This is a powerful book and well worth putting into your arsenal against racism.

Thanks Ibram 🤗

Powerful. Essential. Change Your Perspective

The author has exposed his vulnerability and challenged us to enact change. I am anti-racist.

Eye opening guide through land of racial inequalit

Very strong book. The framework presented is very useful, in distinguishing what by not being antiracist is simply racist.

As opposed to presenting the facts about racial inequality, the book present a model of how the inquality happens. It name behaviours and processes, giving a new perspective on old unsolved racial problems.

The best part was the author admitting to all the stages of racism they have gone, making it so much easier to admit some kind of racism in the reader.

Must Be Included In School Curriculums

A wonderful, in-depth look at how we got in this mess of racism and inequality, but most importantly, what we need to do to get out of it again.
A powerful read which no one should be able to go without, and call themselves “educated”.

Opening the Mind.

With intense and captivating narration by the author, this book is deeply honest, painful and offering of hope.

Dumb blond

The most sensible, reasonable, & compassionate dialogue & teaching aid for anti racism I have heard. It should be compulsory learning, because it’s definitely compulsive listening. And I was really listening.

preachy

it is very rare that I hear someone talk for so long, but say nothing at all. the book sounds more like a preach at a protest rally, then analysis of the world we live in. where is the data. the evidence, the foundations to build your argument on? at multiple points there is a blatant omissions of critical information to build a point, but the points are more often then not flawed and riddled with holes. if anything, I'm happy I've read it so I know that Ibrahim is not the designated person to listen to when it comes to the problem of racism.