What's This?
Inspired by discussion on the Anti-Racism Resource List we have started a group to read books from that list and discuss them here.
Feedback is encouraged and welcome. What's laid out in this initial post is meant as a guideline and starting point. We'll figure out together what works best for participants.
What's currently going on?
GWJ Antiracism Book Discussion - Book 3 So You Want to Talk About Race
What types of books do we read?
1. We'll start with the list in the Anti-Racism Resource List
2. We'll accept candidate suggestions from any participants and consider those, as well.
How do we decide on books to read?
I'll maintain a list of candidates. Anyone may nominate a candidate. Nominations must be seconded to be added to the candidate list.
Each round, we'll vote on the list of candidates. Everyone can vote for one book each month. The book with most votes will be the book the group reads next. This system is subject to change depending on feedback.
How long do we have to read each book?
Roughly one month per book, but discussion can continue indefinitely. We'll be starting off a new book every month. Ultimately, we're all reading at our pace, of course, but aiming to read together. Please respond if you prefer a different window of time per book.
What are the guidelines on conversation spoilers?
Please be considerate of your fellow readers and use the spoiler tags, where applicable. When in doubt, you're better off using the spoiler tags. No one is going to complain about having to tap or click open spoiler tags.
Can anyone join? How do I join?
All are most welcome! There's no sign-up sheet, no formal list of members, just hop in the main thread here, or any one of the book threads! I'll keep track of the book threads in the original post here, just below.
Book History
1. How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
2. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
3. GWJ Antiracism Book Discussion - Book 3 So You Want to Talk About Race
Thanks to Eleima's Adventure Game Club main thread, from which I borrowed heavily in creating this one.
Submitted my survey response - thank you for taking the initiative gorilla
I’m interested.
Warned my husband I may need to buy a book to participate
Wish I could see the stats as more people vote....it just tells me I voted and doesn’t show current numbers. (Sigh)
I voted
"The New Jim Crow" is a big recommendation, but that list is missing the spectacular "The Warmth of Other Suns", although that's much more of a historical perspective on the great black migration and stuff.
"The New Jim Crow" is a big recommendation, but that list is missing the spectacular "The Warmth of Other Suns", although that's much more of a historical perspective on the great black migration and stuff.
Thank you for this! I picked up The New Jim Crow with my audible credit last month, but haven't started it yet. Was hoping we could put it in the roster to read down the road.
How should we manage the discussion?
The content in How to be an Antiracist is expertly organized. We could easily go chapter by chapter, having discussions and sharing commentary after each chapter. Or we could just comment as we go, which would be less organized, but also maybe less stifling? I’ll admit that I’m terrible at this type of planning, so please could someone else make this decision? Maybe Amoebic?
I've never done a book club, either. I kinda have too many things on my plate right now to be volunteered to also learn to and then organize this? happy to participate, though!
I’d say let’s just start, read at our own pace and discuss whatever as it comes up. We’ll learn pretty quickly if that works here or not and we can adjust as needed.
Otherwise, we’d need to set a schedule. It looks like the book has 18 chapters which could range from 2-4 months depending on how many chapters we look at for a given week. It would be nice to keep the discussions focused and moving and create momentum to keep reading, But it also creates a barrier for late comers or slower readers.
It’d be easy enough to start a new thread for this book, we all tag in or favorite it and discuss as we go. Then in 2 or 3 months, when it’s time for a new book, we start a new thread for it so discussions can still happen for those still reading the first book.
Maybe we aim for a roughly quarterly schedule of book rotations? 3 months?
Quarterly books should work very well.
I don’t think that spoilers is really a thing in nonfiction books....at least I’d have no ideas what would be a spoiler.
Note....in first post it says we’d read books monthly. That’d also work for me.
And here are some black owned independent bookstores if you plan on buying a print copy.
Slightly off topic: I did a web search for black owned business in my area and the only result was a burger joint that is a national franchise. I have a mostly meatless diet, and a national franchise probably won’t benefit much from me. I was hoping to find more boutique type of shops.
Not to try to add potential books to the list, but has anyone read How to Be Less Stupid about Race by Crystal Fleming?
"If You're Serious about Racism, Listen to Black Women" is a excerpt up on Medium Forge.
Not to try to add potential books to the list, but has anyone read How to Be Less Stupid about Race by Crystal Fleming?
"If You're Serious about Racism, Listen to Black Women" is a excerpt up on Medium Forge.
I have this one, but haven't added it to my rotation yet as I don't want to get my content mixed up. If it gets added to the rotation or if you want to chat about it later, let me know!
Rawk suggested this thread to me. I'm tagging it as I'm not sure if I'm up for adding one more thing in right now, but I am interested.
I tried reading We Were Eight Years in Power last month, after having Coates on my library waitlist/wishlist for the last 2-3 years. I got well over halfway through but eventually got overwhelmed. There's so much that I was distantly aware of but had never really grappled with. Even getting in to the shallow end of the pool was painful.
One great thing about this book is that it gives you tools for understanding and processing racist issues. No pressure though. You’ll get to it in your own time.
Quick suggestions, RE: John Lewis's death - March, The Race Beat and another book I can't think of at the moment.
EDIT: Carry Me Home.
Oops meant to go in the book discussion thread.
We really should do The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander at some point. If not for book 2, then soon? It's my first choice, but if it get's no other votes, So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo is my next vote.
I second the motion to nominate The New Jim Crow.
Library sent out their collection of links to books on race before Kendi speaking tomorrow.
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