Anne reviewed Good Talk by Mira Jacob
Review of 'Good Talk' on 'GoodReads'
5 stars
This is a heartfelt and at times heartbreaking read. In this graphic memoir, Mira Jacob recounts some of the difficult conversations she's had with people due simply to the color of her skin—and this country's racism. These conversations range from discussing the Black Lives Matter movement with her young son, to discussing Trump with her in-laws, to fending off well-meaning(?) relatives who despair of her ever finding a suitable husband with her darker skin, and a whole bunch of other conversations in between (including some more light-hearted and funny ones). It all kind of boils down to the fact that in the United States, white people really can't understand the subtle (and not-so-subtle) racism that happens every day, and that pervades society. And that living in that reality for Black, Indigenous, and people of color can be terrifying and exhausting. Which is not to say that this book has a …
This is a heartfelt and at times heartbreaking read. In this graphic memoir, Mira Jacob recounts some of the difficult conversations she's had with people due simply to the color of her skin—and this country's racism. These conversations range from discussing the Black Lives Matter movement with her young son, to discussing Trump with her in-laws, to fending off well-meaning(?) relatives who despair of her ever finding a suitable husband with her darker skin, and a whole bunch of other conversations in between (including some more light-hearted and funny ones). It all kind of boils down to the fact that in the United States, white people really can't understand the subtle (and not-so-subtle) racism that happens every day, and that pervades society. And that living in that reality for Black, Indigenous, and people of color can be terrifying and exhausting. Which is not to say that this book has a bleak outlook, because it doesn't—it is suffused through and through with love for her son. There's so much packed into this volume, and I'll be thinking of it for quite a while.
