The ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In the midst of the whirlwind of traumatic events that have come to a head in the U.S. in 2020, from the pandemic, to exhausting politics, to the disease of institutional racism, we face before us a future of reckoning with our country’s deeply racist past. In light of this, Emmanuel Acho’s UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS WITH A BLACK MAN could not come at a better time. This book is a great starting point for any white person in the States who wants to learn about racism, but who has been too afraid to ask.

Readers who pick up the book because they are familiar with Acho’s online video series of the same name will find between these pages the same tone of casual friendliness and patience form its author. Acho, a former NFL player and son of Nigerian immigrants, claims no scholarly expertise on racism, and so in a way is the perfect person to simplify complex, race-based issues to people just joining the conversation. Each chapter begins with a quote sent in by a member of Acho’s online audience, and through this format, Acho provides overviews of wide-ranging topics, from white privilege, to the N word, to “reverse racism,” mass incarceration, and slavery, to name a few. Each of the topics covered, of course, is worthy of its own book--or really, library, and indeed, there’s a lot of necessary scholarship on it all. Acho acknowledges this. He is not the authority on most of these topics, but he uses his experience as a Black man in this country to bridge the gap between white America and these complex issues in an effort to begin the healing our nation so sorely needs.

In addition to his casual tone, another thing I liked about this book is that, at the end of every chapter, as well as the end of the book, Acho includes a list of books, podcasts, documentaries, and actions that his readers can turn to to further their knowledge and do the work necessary to contributing to an anti-racist future. I appreciate that he lays out ways that readers can be actionable in their journey to being anti-racist. He recommends things like donating to the NAACP, volunteering, voting for anti-racist officials, and protesting when there is injustice to be called out. It is not enough to read books, I believe he is saying, although that is an important step. We, as readers, need to turn the knowledge we gain into action. He’s disarming, but he’s honest in a way that we need.

If you felt any measure of alarm over the tragic events of this past year, from the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd, to the staggering statistic that 1 in 800 Black Americans have died of COVID in 2020 as of December 10*, then you should absolutely read this book. You should read this book, then give it to all your friends to read, and then close it, and get up and do something about what you’ve learned.

We have a responsibility, as Americans, to do that.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the opportunity to review this ARC.

*https://www.apmresearchlab.org/covid/deaths-by-race

4.5 stars. Very accessible book about racism/anti-racism, with practicable advice and suggestions for further reading. An adult book, but I would recommend it to teens as well.

In Emmanuel Acho's video series, he tackles difficult questions about race for a white audience that may struggle to grasp issues like white privilege, cultural appropriation, and implicit bias. In this book, he returns to some frequently asked questions and major themes from his video series. Acho does an amazing job of laying out complex issues in a very concise, easy to understand way. It's a bit introductory, which can be a turn off for some readers well versed in conversations about race. But Acho set out to create a primer for people just now joining the fight against racism, and I think he succeeded beautifully. If you know someone who wants to be an ally to Black people but doesn't know how or where to start, please put this book in their hands. Beyond Acho's own excellent discussions of racism, he provides a great list of resources and further reading on each topic.

Read if you: Want a no-holds-barred, reflective, and invigorating read about the current crisis and state of race relations in the US.

Librarians/booksellers: This series may already be popular with some of your patrons/customers. You don't need to have watched the series before reading this. It's a great title for those that want to read current race-related titles, but are intimidated by the longer titles.

Many thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest. review.