The N Word
Who Can Say It, Who Shouldnt, and Why

This challenging* book is almost entirely made up of a linguistic history that is both thorough in its breadth, but topical in its depth. As the history enters into more recent history, the analysis and commentary gets deeper, especially as Asim looks at popular culture. I appreciated his contrast o......more

This well-researched book traces the notorious “N” word back centuries and explains how it became what it is today and why it is still so powerful. Asim includes many interesting and thought-provoking historical and cultural references that make this book a fascinating read. Students will be shocked......more

This was really hard to rate, considering that I am very passionate about the book topic. I studied Sociology when I was enrolled as an undergraduate,many of these race topics are not foreign to me. Race has always played a crucial role in my life, mainly because on more than one occasion, I was rac......more

I expected something completely different. This felt a lot like the author was merely listing instances in history where the word was used by and/or against notable people.......more

Asim relies a little too heavily on Sterling Brown's analyses in the first third of the book, and I wish he would have made his view more clear--how exactly he feels about the N word isn't really clear. But, I appreciate his thoroughness in examining television, film, literature, and history and lea......more