Really good. Very funny. Some really poignant bits. Also calling Thomas Jefferson a "fugly hater" is iconic, and I stand behind Ziwe's take.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

I'm a big fan of Ziwe's interviews and tv show. This book, like her interviews, is sharp and insightful. Laugh-inducing and thought-provoking.

I saw Ziwe at the most recent New Yorker Festival and was wowed. She’s super smart and gives me hope for the future! We need more writers like her.

This book is brave. It’s bold. It conquers new ground. She is, without a doubt, funny as all heck. You should read it and then check out her YouTube series. Which I haven’t done yet, but that leaves me something to look forward to. In addition to her next book.

I loved this book so much and seriously devoured it so quickly. Ziwe is witty and hilarious and just perfect. Her commentary is well crafted and cool. I’ve been recommending this book to everyone that I can. And the cover is the most perfect pink. Thank you Ziwe for your wisdom and excellence.

I did not finish this book, I just didn't really care enough to keep going. I gave the book one essay and wasn't really moved so I moved on.

I don't read a lot of non-fiction but when I do I love essays. Ziwe's Black Friend did not disappoint. It was funny, intelligent and I hope she writes more in the future. People seem divided over the footnotes, but I loved them. Thanks to Netgalley and Abrams for the ARC.

Thanks to Abrams for sending this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Black Friend is a set of essays by comedian Ziwe that cover everything from pop culture to race. As a Ziwe fan prior to reading, I found these essays to be entertaining, insightful, and a fun quick read. Ziwe's unique, dry humor may not have resonated as well on the page for those not previously familiar with her work but for former fans, I think this will be a great hit!

An iconic book of essays from the hilarious Ziwe. Highly recommended! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've been a fan of Ziwe since her 2020 Instagram live shows aired. Her book of essays, Black Friend, covers a wide range of cultural and personal topics that almost all circle back to race. While many books in recent years have examined culture through this lens, Ziwe's sharp insights, some particular to her upbringing by Nigerian parents and some almost universally understandable, are what separate this book from similar titles. She has the unique ability to be profound and utterly ridiculous in the same sentence, leaving the reader to wonder, "Did she really say that?" Black Friend is a wild, but genius ride through the most up-to-date version of our very imperfect world. And in the end, it's okay to laugh at it.

Most famous for asking celebrities, "How many black friends do you have?", Ziwe has never been one to shy away from tough questions, and "Black Friend" is no different. The essays in this book are hilarious and thought-provoking, with Ziwe's signature voice shining through.

I love ziwe as a comedian and performer. Her appearances in Watch What Happens Live and Bitchsesh are truly my favorite episodes of those shows. This book was like sitting down and listening to her speak directly to me. It was authentic, raw, heartfelt, and funny. I especially enjoyed the essays on code switching and bring racism but not a bad person.

Black Friend by Ziwe is a sharp, funny, and thoughtful book of short stories. Exploring race, gender, privilege, and everything I between. I loved that I could hear Ziwe’s voice and comedy all throughout but that the essays also made me think and reflect.

Loved it! Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS for the ARC - Black Friend is out now!

I’ve been a Ziwe fan since she broke out in 2020, and was so pumped to hear she’d written a book of essays. In true Ziwe fashion, these essays are as smart as they are hilarious. She has such a knack for balancing levity with the harrowing reality of systemic racism. I’m so impressed by the amount of nuance she brought to each piece, especially in the conversations about affirmative action, privilege, what it takes to be a creative (and specifically a writer), and the idea of “making it” in the entertainment industry.

And god, the interview excerpts are just too good. I’ve been revisiting a lot of Ziwe’s previous interviews over the past few days, and you should, too.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! Black Friend: Essays is out now!

Black Friend is both an entertaining and thought-provoking essay collection by Ziwe. I requested this one on a whim by the description, but did not know much about her history going into this, and after reading, I want to dig back into her interviews. Ziwe is known for asking tough questions in interviews (she highlights some excerpts in the collection as a jumping off point for essays). She describes well-known moments in pop culture and mixes in her personal story. I definitely laughed out loud at points (which is rare), so well-done! I'll have to follow her in the future and read whatever she writes next because this was a delight.

Thank you to Abrams for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.

Absolutely loved this book of essays! I rarely read non-fiction, and even on less of an occasion do I read essays or short stories/anthologies BUT I absolutely loved Ziwe’s voice and writing style in this! It’s vulnerable, real, at times amazingly snarky and dead panned, and not afraid to say what others won’t! I was a huge fan of Ziwe before and this just solidified that! I think this is a must read for any millennial/gen z-er!

Special thanks to @netgalley and @abramsbooks for the early review copy!

Brilliantly funny! These essays are just as entertaining and eye opening as I expected them to be. Even those unfamiliar with the author will find something to appreciate here and I can't wait to reccomened it!

One of the funniest, thought-provoking essay collections I've read in quite some time. Ziwe is of the times and for the times. She is an important voice who shines on nearly every page. Highly recommend this collection.

I love Ziwe and her talk show. When I saw she had a book coming out I couldn’t be more excited and it did not disappoint. Fans of her brand of humor and social commentary will find a lot to like here. I found myself laughing out loud many times and my favorite essay was the one where she gets stopped while out hiking near her Airbnb. Highly recommended.

I think I could enjoy Ziwe writing about almost anything, but it also helps that she touches on some of my favorite topics in this book such as the show 90 Day Fiancé and the cancellation of celebrity chef Alison Roman.

I loved that this book was a mix of commentary on pop culture and racism as well as stories from Ziwe’s own life. I didn’t know anything about her rise to fame or how she grew up so it was nice to see a more personal side versus the public figure I know.

Thank you ABRAMS Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.