How to Be Black audiobook

I am loving this book so far. If nothing else, the conversations, smirks, giggles, and very confused looks I've gotten while reading this book in public have been great. Having an older African American woman point at the book, smirk and say "Good luck with that!" was a highlight of my week. And then just a few days later an older African American gentleman went on a rant to me about "in his day" black people were trying to be white and now there were too many white folks trying to act black, but you have to be born black, you can't become black. And when I explained that it was humorous social commentary intended to discuss subtle or latent racism, he scoffed even louder and told me "of course y'all take that from a funny black guy, if he was angry y'all would ignore him and run away from him." I agreed that he was likely right, but he continued to rant in a very hilarious way about how white people have incredibly bizarre impressions of race and how he just doesn't get "you people". But if you are an even mildly-aware white person I highly recommend this book just to read the occasional line that will make your eyes go wide and you'll think "Oh my GAWD! I think I've done that before!" It's all about persepective, and Baratunde creates a great chance to address this persepctive.

(First off, I heard this on Audiobook, and I URGE you to do the same. I'm sure the book is just fine, but on the audio version you get Baratunde's narration and original recordings from the interviewees)Wow, to think this is the debut from Baratunde Thurston. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next... This book may be funny, but the message in it couldn't be more serious and straightforward. I feel like a door was opened to me, exposing a little bit of what an American black person goes through – how they're brought up, their history, their views, challenges and conflicts – inter- or intra-racial ones.His views and the ones of his interviewees shed a light on the current racial situation of America, and ridicules the "post-racial America" bullshit, while at the same time pointing out that being black in 2012 means a lot of different things, and those things are very different than in previous times.There are some hilarious descriptions of the different roles a black person has to play in American society, such as "the black friend" or "the angry black man," and realizes that understanding (and laughing about) these things has positive results.Finally, I love how he and some of his guests talk about the difference between the perception of black people in America vs. other parts of the world. I thought it was particularly enlightening to hear his African-born guest talk about how he doesn't get the black/white thing, because where he comes from, those who dominate his people look like them. I can relate to that; I come from a country where people are highly mixed, and therefore it's tough to even say who's black and who's not, and yet, we have deep social problems. Those problems come from us being humans, so demonizing anyone based on their particular skin tone is foolish.

I originally read this laugh out loud book almost six years ago and loved it. It spoke to me then and it spoke to me again now. It should be read by every black person whoever felt like they weren't black enough. It also should be read by non-black people who have misconceptions on what and how "all" black people think and behave. Thurston's book teaches the reader that there is more than one way to be black. He knows this because he was the child of a woman who exposed him to activities that we as an American society do not associate with black people. This book is also filled with advice such as how to be the black friend and the next black president. Ultimately I learned that society does not define what blackness is, black people do. So when you see a black person doing something that seems foreign to you, it just means that it is time to update your definition of blackness.Review also published here: https://medium.com/ballasts-for-the-m...

OK, so I didn't know what to expect from the book, but I have been following this guy on Twitter for a while. I didn't know also that he was the "Jack Turner" behind the "Jack & Jill Politics" blog that I followed. (I don't pay attention to all that much, I guess.)But this guy's name kept popping up on my Twitter feeds--another guy I follow kept posting about him and recommending him, and then his book kept appearing as well, so I picked it up.First off, the book cover is fairly aggressive. It makes it difficult to read in public, because some random white guy sitting on a bus reading a book with six-inch-high bold letters announcing the title "HOW TO BE BLACK" can be a little weird. There are more than a few black Americans who ride the bus with me, and there was no scenario I could work out where I could explain what it was I was doing reading that book. So in an act of brilliant reasoning but perhaps moral cowardice I simply removed the dust jacket and read the book so as not to expose the spine too often.The book itself is charming and funny and raucous and sincere. It is humorous to the point where you laugh out loud and then people on the bus want to know what you're reading (which then means you have to tell them "Well, there's this book I'm reading for research on what this all _means_, but you know, I'm not actually reading it seriously, but I'm also not reading it because I am making fun of anybody, and besides, I'm really a nice guy..." Well, you can see why it can be a difficult book to read in public. It it also serious and sometimes poignant. Mr. Thurston had an amazing mother and life experience. There are so many moments when you are happy for the ways things work out for him--rather ordinary things, really, like planning for a college or figuring out a career--that take unavoidable importance due to the nature of being someone a lot of people just don't expect to have around. It doesn't seem to be something he avoids or something he uses as a badge: it just is, and he deals with it as it is.And, there are the wonderful stories and recommendations. For those of you expecting a true guidebook with bullet points, lists, and exit criteria on How to Be Black, he provides them. For the Black Friends Auxiliary, he also gives helpful points. It is funny, it makes you laugh, and then you have to check yourself: Do I act like around my One Black Friend?What a mess we've made in America of race and people and color and skin. It has caused a lot of grief and pain and heartache. But we can still look at directly, think about it, talk about it--and sometimes laugh at the absurdity, even the absurdity of owning a book you're not comfortable reading in public on a bus.

"How to be black" is, as Thurston admits, a huge topic that one book can never really hope to tackle in its entirety. But Thurston admits as much, and his best effort is certainly worth reading. As a white woman, of course I never have been and never will be black, but I think that this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to better understand race and racism in the United States. Much of the book is deeply personal and the book is really a strange chimera of memoir and satire. But it works because Thurston uses his personal experiences to support his thesis: that there are infinite ways of forming your own black identity, but also to show that there are near-universal black experiences in America (the chapter 'How to Be the Black Friend' does this especially). It would be expected that a man who works for the Onion would be funny, but Thurston's uses humor to great effect. His satirical manner of poking fun at uncomfortable situations helps illuminate when and how white people are prone to making behaving, if not badly, at least in an ignorantly. There were some jokes that had me laughing so hard I had to put my book down. Thurston discusses hard topics, and painful topics, but rather than taking an angry or vengeful bent, his tone is hopeful, which made the book that much more rewarding to read. In all, I would highly recommend How to Be Black to anyone. Even if you're not interested in the topic being discussed, it's hilariously funny, and you just might learn something.

I don't always read Baratunde Thurston books in public, but when I do I get asked about it every time. Or someone just stops walking past me and bursts out laughing. Thanks, Library Coworker! I was ready to burst out laughing as well, because Thurston's autobiography is just that funny. Of course, he wasn't familiar with the book or Thurston until I mentioned The Onion. So maybe this isn't a book for white girls to read in public. Or maybe the title is an ingenious marketing scheme because I had more discussions about this book than I have had about any other book I've read lately--including Ulysses. In every single one of those awkward discussions I told someone to pick up the book.It's a very good book. I was entertained by witty social commentary while at the same time actually thinking and, dare I say, learning. I recommend it just as highly to anyone who didn't already mock me publicly for reading it.

This was highly informative, easy to understand and funny. What more can you want from a non-fiction than to actually come away educated and more understanding of others?Listening to the audiobook was a good decision, as I now know how to pronounce his name and also heard all the original recordings of the people he interviewed. Very well produced.This is for everyone who wants to learn more about what it means to be black in the USA.

How to Be Black is the reason audiobooks were created. Being many things professionally: a humorist, a political voice, a technologist, it is not surprising that Thurston's delivery in his audiobook is so top notch and versatile. Thurston's tone matches the theme of his book : part memoir, part satire, part political and historical commentary. This is what makes this book so great is that all of these elements are necessary for a thoughtful discussion on race in America. The audiobook includes interviews with the "Black Panel" which felt like a podcast in the middle of book, and kept it fresh and balanced nicely the others the more self focused parts of the book. I did really enjoy the memoir sections, lots of great Washington DC history (where I live) shoutouts. I only wish that my audiobook purchase came with some of those pictures mentioned in the middle of the book.

Funny, insightful, entertaining, sweet. Part memoir, part meditation on blackness in America. I really enjoyed everyone on the Blackness Panel, too.Minus one star because he didn't take me on a second date.

Author Baratunde R. Thurston has penned a consistently humorous book. The book drips with irony, such as declaring November National American Indian Month and promoting the benefits for all races of the position of The Black Friend. Thurston sprinkles How to be Black with laugh-out-loud lines like “Never underestimate the media’s hunger for a rhyming Negro,” media “blackness emergencies,” and, in fact, that entire chapter, “How to Speak for All Black People,” was positively sublime! I’m a light-skinned Cuban, so most people don’t realize I’m Latina, so I’ve been spared having to Speak for All Hispanics -- including people from countries from which I haven’t even met one person (e.g., Paraguay). So I found the chapter fascinating in a sick kind of way. How could people be so inconsiderate? From the title, you already know if this book isn’t for you. (Yes, I'm talking about you, Allen West, Andrea Tantaros, and Sean Hannity!) But if you want an amusing and subtly instructive guide to navigating while black in the 21st century, don't miss this book.

I finished reading HTBB a few weeks ago and enjoyed it thoroughly, except for all the profanity. I realize nowadays people spread profanity around like confetti. There is no shame to their game when it comes to cursing. However, being a non-curser, it still jars me somewhat when all of a sudden it is in my face. That said, I waited until now to write a review to see what still resonated with me after a few weeks. First of all, it is an easy read. I read HTBB in eight to nine hours on a road trip. Second, Baratunde is very smart, honest and funny. How do I know? I just read the chapter about 'How to Be The Black Employee.' I laughed so hard about the watermelon dilemma. This book shows Baratunde's great intellect. Baratunde reminds me of comedian Jerry Seinfield, in how he can take a seemingly innocuous subject like swimming and give it such a hilarious look from the Black perspective. Third, I think including the Black Panel was a clever idea. What I am taking away with me from HTBB is that we all need to take the time to understand each other better. We are all different and quirky. When we realize that, we can have so much fun together laughing at ourselves.

This book should be required reading for anyone who is black, wants to be black, is unsure if they are black, knows at least one black person, thinks they know black people, or simply just has heard of black people. Baratunde spits the real so fast and funny that I sometimes had to gasp that someone had put the hard truth down in black and white without the paper burning up! I swear I am going to keep the book at my desk just to revisit the How to Be The Black Employee chapter and remind myself why I am really there! Good Lord, being black is a full-time job in itself. Please tell me if someone gives him money to make this into an instructional film!