Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book… (utgåvan 2020)

I am an old, white man; Jason Reynolds did not write this book for me, and it took an act of will to be the person Reynolds is talking to, to let his breezy, effusively friendly narrator get close, stay close, and show me the panorama of history strung along a single thread. But it's worth it. Look for these three perspectives, this book advises: segregation, assimilation, and antiracism. The result is mind-bending. There aren't answers here, but there is a way of seeing, and I'm left hopeful that we can use that to see a way forward. ( )

I bought the wrong book. I had intended to get Kendi's book on which this is based. It was perhaps a happy mistake, however, as I enjoyed the book. It offers, I presume, a much diluted sketch of the history of racism that Kendi provides. Reynolds makes it accessible. At times, his appeals to the young reader strike me as a little patronizing (as when a youth counsellor turns his chair around backwards for some "real talk" or whatever), but maybe that works on kids? ( )

Excellent "not history" book for young adult readers. In a conversation style, Jason Reynolds talks with the readers about racism, assimilation, and antiracism. At the end of the book, after learning so much about these concepts, young people are encouraged to become anti-racism, and speak out about racism. ( )

Like sitting down with the most interesting person at a dinner party and getting into a breathless, hours-long, life-changing conversation. I inhaled this. Stamped is a unique, necessary book for young people (and people in general) that has a great balance of being fun and nuanced. It invites exploration and discovery, questioning and critical thinking. And one whole chapter had me LOL in public. You'll know when you read it. ( )

4.5 Stars

This is an excellent starting point for teens (and adults!) to start learning about our country’s past with racism and antiracism. Reynolds forced me to reconsider the lessons I was taught in school, especially when considering assimilationist thinking versus antiracist thinking. For a not-history book, he sure taught me a lot. That being said, anyone coming to Stamped for a comprehensive history on American racism will be disappointed. This book provides highlights and dives deep into our biggest misconceptions (Civil War, Jim Crow, and Civil Rights eras) only. For more information, readers should look to the recommending reading at the back of the book or do research on their own. The ending was rather abrupt, but I can understand why Reynolds didn’t cover much after Obama’s first election and the emergence of #BlackLivesMatter. Stamped is a great start to the conversations we should all be engaged with. ( )