book review

Book Review: I’m still here by Austin Channing Brown

i have just started reading - and almost finished - Austin Channing Brown's 'I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a world made for whiteness'.  i highly recommend it. While 'White Fragility: Why it's so hard for white people to talk about racism' by Robin DiAngelo was super helpful hearing ideas, challenges and analogies from a white woman, so 'I'm Still Here' has been profoundly challenging and helpful, hearing the story from the perspective of [...]

More Tales of White Fragility

'White Fragility' by Robin DiAngelo has been one of the most helpful books i have read on the subject of race and racism. It has helped put some language on some concepts i was aware of and it has shared some useful analogies that break down complex issues into much simpler ideas. i highly recommend you get a copy and give it a read if you are trying to navigate these race waters and [...]

A new Brand of Recovery – some final encouragement to buy the book.

i have now finally finished reading Russell Brand's latest book, 'Recovery - Freedom from our Addictions' and can highly recommend it. Whether you feel like you are addicted or not. There is a helpful understanding that is gained around addicts who might be people you know, as well as just some generally helpful life wisdom from a very unique perspective. Russell Brand is not everyone's cup of tea, but you are doing yourself a disservice [...]

By |2018-09-13T13:33:27+02:00September 13th, 2018|inspire-ations, thorts of other people, what i am reading|1 Comment

Always Another Book Review of sorts…

This morning at around 2 am i finished reading Sisonke Msimang's 'Always Another Country'. Which was my second Christmas present from tbV after 'Americanah' by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. To be fair, i think any book i read after 'Americanah' would have felt somewhat like a hospital pass, because Adichie just has such an impressive gift when it comes to knitting words together to make unbelievable garments that defy simple communication. But in and of itself [...]

By |2018-02-16T09:10:23+02:00February 16th, 2018|inspire-ations, South Africa, what i am reading|0 Comments

Between the world and Ta-Nehisi Coates

i just started reading 'Between the World and Me' by Ta-Nehisi Coates, which has been on my to-read pile for a while now. It is written in the form of a series of letters between him and his son and speaks into race in America and beyond. This is another book well worth reading, especially as someone trying to understand more the race dynamics of our day and age. This extract jumped out at me: [...]

By |2020-10-17T13:13:02+02:00September 15th, 2017|inspire-ations, thorts of other people, what i am reading|1 Comment

My thoughts on ‘Thoughts on the New South Africa’ – Neville Alexander

i recently read 'Thoughts on the New South Africa' by Neville Alexander which my friend Ashley Visagie lent to me. Now for anyone who doesn't know Ashley Visagie, if the term 'thought leader' applies to anyone in South Africa with regards to education and poverty and identity and so much more, it would have to be him. So when he gives you a book, you read it. i'm not sure if i would have read [...]

By |2017-08-25T09:03:52+02:00August 25th, 2017|book vibes, thorts of other people, what i am reading|1 Comment

Dear Ijeawele: a book review

The other day i borrowed and read 'Dear Ijeawele: or a feminist manifesto in fifteen suggestions' by Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. My friend Heidi had just finished reading it and had it with her on a recent weekend away and so i asked if i could borrow it. At 60ish pages it feels a little more like an extended pamphlet than a book and it was easy to munch down in one session - [...]

By |2017-05-30T14:14:15+02:00May 30th, 2017|what i am reading|0 Comments

Chasing ‘Chasing Francis’: a book review of sorts

'The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.' [Marcel Proust] i am about a third of the way through reading the book 'Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale' by Ian Morgan Cron and already trying to figure out in my head how i am going to get hold of ten copies of it to pass on to that person and that person and maybe you... but seriously, whether [...]

By |2017-04-26T10:37:27+02:00April 15th, 2017|inspire-ations, what i am reading|6 Comments

The Bad Habits of Jesus

i am busy reading Leonard Sweet's book, 'The Bad Habits of Jesus: Showing us the way to live right in a world gone wrong'. It has a very different way of looking at Jesus in terms of picking up some things that might be seen as bad habits - He spat, He procrastinated, He was constantly disappearing, He offended people, He hung out with bad people and so on - and showing how they point [...]

Book Review: Born a Crime – Trevor Noah

i just finished reading 'Born a Crime' by Trevor Noah. Aaand i'm in two minds... there is something i can't quite put my finger on - whether the book feels lazy or rushed or perhaps ghost written from some audio tapes Trevor made... but it feels like something of him is missing. It certainly is not meant as a comedy book - although there are some good laughs [and many of those i got by [...]

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