Tag: why I’m no longer talking to white people about race

  • Favourite Reads of 2018 So Far

    Favourite Reads of 2018 So Far

    Somehow, we’re already over half-way through 2018 and as the summer holidays approach I’ve had lots of people asking me what books they should read on holiday. So for this blog, I thought I’d try and pick my five favourite books from the first half of 2018, whether or not you fancy reading them on holiday is up to you.

    Homegoing – Yaa Gyasi

    Let’s start with one I actually read on holiday, shall we? My general rule is that if a book is recommended to me by two or more people in a short space of time then I should ignore the pile of unread books next to my bed and read it immediately. As was the case with this beautiful book. Homegoing traces two parallel family trees through every generation from the colonised Gold Coast to twenty-first century Mississippi. The stories in this book intertwine seamlessly, to reveal how slavery and colonialism leave indelible traces. So much happens in so many different places (in the world and in time) and yet every character in Gyasi’s book is fully formed and deeply complicated. Homegoing is a really special book.

    There’s also lots of interesting period commentary in this book if you’re here for the #Periodically blogs.

    The Cows – Dawn O’Porter

    I’ve talked about this book a lot since I read it in January, so why would I stop now? Everyone I’ve recommened The Cows to so far has loved it and it always kickstarts some really interesting conversations about motherhood, womanhood and, for want of a better word, unmotherhood. The book has a twist that literally dropped my jaw – I’ve had texts of shock as each of my friends have reached this page. Want to know what the twist is? Well, you’ll have to read it.

    Read my full review of The Cows here.

    Chanson Douce – Leïla Slimani

    In English this book is called Lullaby – you’ve probably heard of it as it’s been all over the place with headlines like, “The Killer-Nanny Novel that Conquered France.” It’s such an unusual, gripping and dark book. Thrillers are not usually my cup of tea, but I might have to reconsider that after Chanson Douce. The social, political and moral issues it explores give this book a real edge. This was one of the first contemporary French novels I’ve read and now I must read more. 

    Hag-Seed – Margaret Atwood

    This half-play half-novel is a retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest and is Atwood like you’ve never read her before. Set in a Canadian prison, this contemporary retelling uses Shakespeare’s themes and Atwood’s skill to create something brand new and brilliant.

    Read my full review of Hag-Seed here.

    Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race – Reni Eddo-Lodge

    If you’re looking to swatt up on BME history in the UK this book is a great place to start. Eddo-Lodge’s voice is so refreshing and hard-hitting, informed yet digestible that it creates something truly unique. Her chapter on White Feminism was particularly poignant to me, as well as her discussion about how it’s no longer enough to simply just not be racist. I loved it so much that I then binged her podcast About Race, which I also recommend.

     Like the sound of these books? Buy them now from Wordery.

  • Becoming a Podcast Person

    Becoming a Podcast Person

    A million years late to the game, I have finally delved into the wonderful world of podcasts. I think there’s always been a lot of content out there that intrigued me but I never knew when exactly to listen to podcasts. I prefer working and writing in pin-drop silence, in my downtime or on the train I read, when I drive I sing and when I walk the dog I listen to music and *sometimes* pretend I’m in a OTT music video… I was pretty set in my ways and didn’t much like the idea of mixing those habits up.

    In the end, it took a podcast I couldn’t resist to finally get me to reassess when I could make time for podcasts. What was it? About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge. I’ll get into the why and wherefore in a moment, but for me, About Race was a gateway drug into the world of podcasts. I tweeted asking for recommendations a few weeks ago, but please, let me know what else is good. For now though, here are the podcasts I’ve started with.

    (Oh, and if you’re interested, dog walking is now podcast time. It’s fine, I can do the music video thing in the car too).

    About Race – Reni Eddo-Lodge

    Earlier in the year I read Eddo-Lodge’s debut non-fiction book Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race. You’ve probably heard of it because it’s been a huge success. It is brilliant. The history of race in the UK is long and complicated, rich and relevant, and I somehow got to university before it was ever really mentioned to me in an educational setting – that’s maddening.  While I loved Why I’m No Longer it left me wanting more… And then the podcast came along and was even better than the bloody book.

    https://twitter.com/renireni/status/994464605312311296

    About Race is a discussion about the racial history of the UK from the ‘recent past’ to now with political, cultural and academic guests who explore the ins and outs of key events in British race relations, how we can learn from disasters, repeat success stories and so much more. Guests range from Akala to Lily Allen’s mum Alison Owen, Diane Abbott to Gabby Edlin, Owen Jones to Meera Syal, Laurie Penny to Nish Kumar. It really is amazing and is essential listening if you want to better understand 2018 Britain.

    Here’s hoping a second series will be coming soon!

    My Dad Wrote a Porno – Jamie Morton, James Cooper & Alice Levine

    Surprise to no one, when I mentioned I was dabbling in the world of podcasts, this was recommended to me by a number of people, I can’t imagine why… I’ve known about it for years but I’ve always been intimidated by the fear of never being able to catch up. Again, surprise to no one, catching up hasn’t been that difficult – how could it be when it’s so funny? My Dad Wrote a Porno is pretty well-known now (they’re doing live shows at the Albert Hall) but in case anyone doesn’t know the premise; Jamie’s father, “Rocky Flintstone,” has self-published his erotica Belinda Blinks. Jamie and his friends then rinse the novels on an extraordinarily popular podcast. What’s not to love?

    Banging Book Club – Hannah Witton, Lucy Moon & Leena Norms

    While I’m not a book club fan myself, there was no way I could avoid a podcast on books about sex. I’ve just been dipping in and out of this one as and when I’ve read the books they cover. So far, I’d say it’s pretty banging.

    Project Pleasure – Anouszka & Frankie

    Having followed Project Pleasure on Twitter for a while, when I finally opened up to podcasts it was at the top of my list. I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve heard so far – sex positive conversations where female pleasure is a priority. Sex educator Alix Fox features occasionally, as they discuss sex ed, porn, masturbation, sexuality, periods and lots more of the good stuff.

    Unexpected Fluids – Alix Fox & Riyadh Khalaf

    This one is much less intimidating because I actually found it around the time it came out (recently) so there’s not as much pressure to catch up. It’s a podcast about bad sex – again, right up my street isn’t it? So far, the first couple of episodes have been, as the title would suggest, more about icky/sticky/funny sex than the depressingly painful sexual chit chat I spend so much time talking about, which is a much needed break. Alix Fox is one of the hosts and Hannah Witton features, suggesting that the world of British sex podcasts is a rather small one. This does mean you occasionally get the odd identical anecdote.

    My Gilmore Girls inspired mantra for dating is: “every bad date is a good anecdote for the next,” and Unexpected Fluids applies this to sex. Except it’s more, “every bad hook up is a good anecdote for a BBC podcast.” Standard.

    Ctrl Alt Delete with Emma Gannon

    I won’t lie, most of my motivation for this podcast came from the fact that Dawn O’Porter features on multiple occasions and I love her. Reni Eddo-Lodge also features but I’m yet to listen to that episode. The talk with O’Porter that I’ve listened to so far, was particularly interesting to me because like in the more personal episodes of About Race, there’s a lot of talk about freelancing and I need as much advice as I can get. All the conversations about going freelance, from this podcast, About Race and the one below, have been really morale boosting which is so refreshing when so many people tell you, “you’re totally doomed.”

    https://instagram.com/p/Bf0rOlcH7Fu/

    In Good Company with Otegha Uwagba

    Again, you might’ve heard of Uwagba because of her hugely successful “Little Black Book” – a career handbook for creative working women. She’s also the founder of Women Who. Her book is still on my TBR for now, but I was led to her podcast by About Race, which signal boosts other great podcasts at the end of each episode. Again, I’m here for the freelance chat, but it’s also great to hear real, gritty, serious and amazing success stories from women in creative businesses.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BexpyuKHjjD/?taken-by=oteghauwagba