The Black List

My original thought, based on the preface, was that I likely would not like the book as it would be little more than a caterwaul about white oppression. It turned out to not be that way at all, and was really quite a positive reflection of the experiences of these African-Americans in a culture wher......more

Really incredible insight into current A list black celebrities and what their experience with being black in America has been like. Goes across the gamut from Slash (arguably one the greatest guitarist of all time, next to Jimmy of course) to Sean Combs to Colin Powell to Toni Morrison. Music, Movi......more

I love that there was an emphasis on what it means to be successful in the media and be black. Many black folks don't want to carry the wait of being black on their shoulders, whether it's they are successful and black or they are just another black person that failed. Instead there is a desire to j......more

The portraits in this book are beautiful and honest, and whatever questions were asked clearly got the subjects of each photo to open up about their experiences in Black America. The only flaw was that the monologues sometimes got confusing since the questions were edited out of the interview transc......more

DISCLAIMER: I listened to this on audio. It was just perfect for a 2-hour car ride and I loved listening to these people talk about their lives. It was powerful to hear their voices. There were some that I have fundamental disagreements with on major issues (Faye Wattleton, I’m looking at you) but I......more