The title really says it all ... the galley was a jumble of random, awkward thoughts. I assume the physical copies will go through a bit more editing as the digital copy was a mess. As always, I had some difficulty with all of the pop culture references (I don't know! We didn't watch much TV growing up...), but otherwise a quick, fun read.

Got an early egalley from Netgalley and then picked up my own copy from one of Kamau's tour stops, and I'm glad I did. A great personal and prescient read.

This is an entertaining and informative collection of essays that are loosely tied together. They cover everything from W. Kamau Bell’s life to pop culture. At some points I was laughing so hard tears were streaming down my face, while at others I fell into deep thought. Bonus points to Mr. Bell for publicly admitting to loving Dr. Pimple Popper.

W. Kamau Bell has the distinct talent of being smart, funny and witty. He is able to talk about topics like race relations and current events without being dry and repetitive of whats already out in the news, and he usually has a personal spin on them from something that has happened to him. I really enjoyed his book and learning about his upbringing and family, and how he got to where he is today.

In a very personable, relatable style, Bell tells stories of his comic and television background, family life, and politics. He is clearly being modest by calling these thoughts awkward, as he has obviously spent a great deal of time honing them with his and others' experience. Bell's intellect, sensitivity, and early exposure to a diverse group helped enlighten him and prime him to be a strong messenger to people who are not like him. Although I wasn't very familiar with his TV and other comedy work, his descriptions and behind the scenes stories of constructing and maintaining the shows painted a very clear picture, though it would be interesting to hear what others involved thought of his portrayal of the show runners and how much support they may have owed him.
This book gives a strong glimpse into what it feels like to be on the receiving end of racism that many take for granted, and many exposures like this and people following his example of seeking out people with different opinions and really hearing and adjusting to them can help achieve the dream of his stage show -- "ending racism in about an hour."
Especially timely were his stories about getting feedback from women about whether certain things were funny, and how to make sure he only steps on the toes that deserves to be stepped on, as opposed to making fun of other groups that may be easy targets but do not deserve it. He has clearly been made better by many strong women in his life.

I know nothing about this dude, but found the book to be funny, insightful, witty, honest and a worthwhile read.

There were a few gems dropped in this book, like this one: "Being able to say no is the most power you can ever have. It is either a luxury when you can afford to leave, or it is necessary for survival when the cost to stay is waaaaay too high." Parts of this book were entertaining, clever, and insightful which piqued my interest enough to make me want to check out his tv show.

I'm a big fan of W. Kamau Bell's work and really enjoyed reading his autobiography. It's very honest and personal, showing an additional layer of vulnerability than his comedy work.

I've been a fan of W. Kamau Bell since his show, Totally Biased, and this memoir provides a lot of insight his life and worldview. It was an interesting read, but not the most compelling. If you've watched/listened to any of his material, his writing style will be comfortable and familiar. If you're a fan, you'll definitely learn some interesting tidbits.

This was an absolutely fantastic book by one of my favorite comedian/activists. A highly recommended read!

This was a quick, entertaining read with a good mix of engaging personal stories and sharp social commentary (and really funny throughout). I enjoy Bell's work in TV and podcasts and admire the topics he is willing to address. (His analysis of the sociopolitical significance of Doc McStuffins is a must-read!) I also appreciated his honesty about his own blind spots, even within his commitment to politically engaged/intersectional humor.

I am a fan of W. Kamau Bell and the conversations that he starts. I eagerly watch his shows and wait for that moment, where the light goes on in my head and my thinking is affected.

This part memoir, part essay collection is a like a long lunch with Bell. It's full of heart and intelligence and conversation.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and W. Kamau Bell for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I am going to review the book "The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6'4" African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian," by W. Kamau Bell. This book is hot off the press as it was published on May 2, 2017 by Penguin Group: Dutton. For those of you who would like to purchase a copy of this book CLICK HERE. W. Kamau Bell is a well known sociopolitical stand-up comedian and and is the host of CNN docu-series "United Shades of America." This book is biography about the life and thoughts of W. Kamau Bell. It focuses on what it means to be a black comedian in the United States.
Overall I rated this book four stars out of five. This was a very comical and truly entertaining book on serious subjects such as racism in America. I love how the author W. Kamau Bell poured his heart and soul into this book. You could see his passion radiating out on every page. He talked about very serious subjects but in a light and sarcastic manner. He brought these subjects that no one likes to discuss to the forefront of our minds. This book is highly recommended and needs to be read by everyone.
I would like to thank Netgalley, W. Kamau Bell, and Penguin Group: Dutton for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until the next page,

Jill

W. Kamau Bell has written his thoughts and ruminations for our examination. He describes being the only child of two awesome parents. Although his parents separated when he was two years old, both parents impacted his life in the best possible way. Kamau's mother conversed with him as an equal even from a young age. His father's mantra was that nobody can beat hard work.

Kamau grew up loving superheroes, especially Spiderman and The Hulk. Wearing a Spiderman red and blue mask or the "greenness" of the Hulk made him feel that he could rise up against bullies. He could have been any ethnicity under the superhero garb!

Bruce Lee and Martial Arts were favorites. Bruce Lee's famous quote "Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless, and add what is specifically your own" are words that helped Kamau expand his idea of what was possible to achieve. He watched Martial Arts movies that showed the underdog winning by traveling the high ground, the path less taken by many individuals.

Kamau explains that his mother had a stark sense of humor, often using jokes if times were hard. He got into comedy himself to share his weird thoughts. Weird thoughts on dating. Do your body parts match up? Will they work well together? Where have you been all my life?

"The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell" by W. Kamau Bell is the author's way of navigating his path through life. His comedy is his method of questioning himself and the world at large.

Thank you Penguin Group Dutton and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell".

A light, enjoyable read full of short, disconnected chapters containing musings on family, pop culture, and politics as seen through the lens of race in America. Entertaining and engaging.

I received an ARC from NetGalley. I really liked Bell's show Totally Biased and have always enjoyed his perspective; his 'man on the street' interviews were always the highlight. A collection of essays, it's a pretty balanced mix between autobiography and commentary. His voice comes through clearly. I tend to prefer more of his perspective on current events and less on his upbringing, but there is no doubt there are kids out there who need to hear what it's like to grow up as a "Black nerd" and would find his take reassuring and humorous. I certainly recommend it in the sense that few people can balance politics and comedy like Bell. He's smart and self-aware and offers a unique perspective that's worth a read.

As someone who is raising a mixed race little boy in a predominately white neighborhood, Bell's childhood stories struck me as relevant. Kamau Bell is a voice that needs to be heard in today's society. His single minded focus that took him from a struggling stand up comic to a voice for political and social change is an example for what we all, as Americans need to be doing more. This is the first book of this nature that I have tackled since the election and I am glad it was Bell.

Let’s get this much out of the way: though it figures into the title, W. Kamau Bell does not address his asthma in this book. If you were reading the title and twigged on that word, there’s very little here for you. It’s a shame, really, because Bell thoughtfully addresses pretty much everything else and I might have been interested to know what he had to say on the topic, especially given the high incidence of asthma in African Americans. I can only wonder what he’s hiding.

But enough about what Bell doesn’t want you to know because there’s a lot here that he does. He wants to talk about not fitting in and finding friends when you don’t fit in. He wants to talk about liking metal when the world expects you to be conversant in Public Enemy. Bell wants to talk about the struggles of making it as a stand-up comedian when you’re weird (but not charming weird, rather regular “maybe I’ll catch the next elevator instead of standing next to that guy” weird). He wants to talk about being a good son and a loving dad.

My only prior exposure to Bell has been as a guest on NPR’s Code Switch podcast (maybe Pop Culture Happy Hour, too?). I’ve never seen his stand-up (judging by his stories in the book, I’m going to guess you haven’t either). I haven't watched either of his shows. Honestly, prior to this book, I couldn’t have told you he was a stand-up comedian. I assumed he was an NPR host.

I point this out because settling into this book took me a while. Through the first two or three chapters, I kept thinking that I would rather hear him perform this material than read it on the page. Bell’s anecdotes are of that rambling style where you think they’ve gone far afield of where the story began until they unexpectedly close the loop. Once I settled into the style, it was a lot easier to move through the stories.

This book feels almost like two shorter books that have been awkwardly joined into one. The first book is Bell’s origin story. He describes his nomadic childhood, of superheroes and his personal feelings on representation, of being a little weird and struggling (or not) to be black in “the right way”. He talks about dropping out of an Ivy League school and trying to make a living as a comic. It’s loosely chronological and there’s no “through line” for the story.

I knew I loved Good Times, but I also knew I loved The Brady Bunch. I never thought to pick. Eventually, I found that people regularly wanted me to pick between Black stuff and white stuff. I just like stuff. I’m a stuff-ist.


The second, shorter book feels like it might have been a last-minute addition in response to the 2016 election cycle and outcome. While I know Bell’s comedy niche is social and political humor, the energy of his thoughts on our current political climate is noticeably different than the rest of the book. I wonder if those portions weren’t sewn-in to keep the book’s content fresh and relevant. It’s fine, but a little jarring.

When Democrats say they’re going to ignore Trump’s white supremacy, xenophobia, Islamophobia, ableism, and racism because they’re going to find common ground, they’re letting him dictate what the ground is.


Awkward Thoughts is a collection of memoir-ish essays, of a kind with Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and Olivia Munn’s Suck It, Wonder Woman!: The Misadventures of a Hollywood Geek. It’s thoughtful and sincere, and while it’s funny, it’s never “laugh until your sides ache and tears come” kind of funny. It makes me want to seek out Bell’s work in other media--his show United Shades of America recently kicked off its second season--which seems the best outcome from a book like this.

If you have customers hungry for intelligent, humane, funny books after the election, this is a great book to put in their hands!