I was caught completely off guard by this book.  Zachary Wood is an amazingly gifted writer for sure. The way he describes living with his mother and her mental illness made me almost cry for how helpless and alone he must have felt at that point in his life.  He was spot on with his description of what goes through your mind when you are in a situation like that and are terrified to turn to anyone for help.  He continued to use his upbringing as a way to motivated himself to become the best version of himself.  He is truly a remarkable young man to have gone through so much and still come out ahead of the game and confident in himself and his self-worth. He is an inspiration and doesn't believe in shying away from openly discussing difficult topics such as race.

Very good book detailing a remarkable young man, his quest for knowledge, and his advocating of free speech.  Zachary Wood has surmounted many obstacles in getting his education and has a drive for helping others.  It will be very interesting to follow his life in years to come

UNCENSORED by Zachary R. Wood, recent Williams College graduate and Wall Street Journal Fellow, is a very thought provoking memoir. Wood describes his childhood with an abusive mother and his eventual move to live with his Dad in Washington, D.C. There, he commuted several hours a day and attended a private school, ultimately enrolling at Williams and becoming the President of a group called Uncomfortable Learning. While I was surprised at many of the comments he heard while trying to bridge his home and school environment, the abuse that he faced for attempting to bring diverse opinions to his college actually shocked me.

This young writer explains, "I wanted to use the education I received at Williams to create positive change in the world one day.  How would I do that if I shut out the voices I disagreed with instead of engaging with them?" In fact, his 2018 TED Talk, titled "Why it's worth listening to people you disagree with," has been viewed over 1 million times since its release two months ago on the TED website.  We are especially fortunate to have the opportunity to hear him in person because Family Action Network is hosting Wood for a presentation next week; here are the details and a link to a pdf flyer:

"Uncensored: Engaging with Free Speech on Campus" on Wednesday, June 20, 2018, 7:00 PM
Evanston Township High School Auditorium, 1600 Dodge Ave., Evanston, IL 60201

Wood is still young, but very inspirational, writing, "It is my hope that after reading this book [UNCENSORED], you will come away with the desire to learn more about the experiences and opinions of others – and the determination to use that knowledge to make a positive difference."

When we ask ourselves, ‘who did we raise up to stand in the shoes of Martin, Malcom or Mandela in this Black Lives Matter generation?’ We must assign to the legion of leaders lighting the way, Zachary R. Wood as a bridge closing the gap! This prolific memoir written by a 21 year-old, gives practical strategies for engaging people on their deeply ingrained and dug-in positions in order to widen the conversation of differing perspectives thereby expanding concepts of inclusivity. As a phenomenal orator (see also his TedTalksX), he tackles large issues on the page that belie his baby face, and forces his readers to listen intently for ways he attempted on his college campus to find a common ground.

If Childish Gambino is the African American "lodestar of consciousness” reminding us of all we, as a people, have to be uncertain about; then Zachary Wood is that disruptive force in truth-telling that is most certainly uncensored while taking in the wash. His book harkens back to the work and book done by Dr. Beverly Tatum, “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria,” sometime around the  year of Zachary’s birth.  He morphs and evolves its premise as all generations must. He proves to us that uncomfortable learning done consciously can yield uncomfortable truths and develop uncommon courage. Dr. Tatum highlighted :

"Fear is a powerful emotion, one that immobilizes, traps words in our throats, and stills our tongues. Like a deer on the highway, frozen in the panic induced by the lights of an oncoming car, when we are afraid it seems that we cannot think, we cannot speak, we cannot move…What do we fear? Isolation from friends and family, ostracism for speaking of things that generate discomfort, rejection by those who may be offended by what we have to say, the loss of privilege or status for speaking in support [of self], physical  harm caused by the irrational wrath of those who disagree with your stance…”

Rage is just that sort of irrational wrath he encountered in his youth juxtaposed by his teenage years of a calming force who demonstrated a strength of purpose and will to survive. But Zachary has done the one thing trauma and recovery specialist know to be cathartic and healing for victims; he has claimed his truth and become a beacon on the discourse of doing so. If you remember the clap-back tome to Reviving Ophelia-- Ophelia Speaks; you won’t be disappointed by “Uncensored” answer to the educational giants like Lisa Delpit, Dr. Beverly Tatum, and Sonia Nieto...

This beautifully written gut-wrenching memoir tackles sensitive issues in the author’s life that illuminate that the very thing he was castigated about was indeed ‘fake news.’ Underestimated, unfairly chastised, browbeaten, and bullied, he rises as a young man who saved himself by asking for help from a school professional that was ironically set up by his rage-aholic mother. It just goes to show if avarice doesn’t get you, karma surely will...And yet we are left to wonder if she ever grasps at any deep reflection or develops any remorse for emotionally stunting an otherwise academically stellar childhood.  One can only hope! In a time headlined by the #MeToo movement, he is at once bolstered and buoyed. Yet we tend to overlook in a movement that subverts silence by empowering the act of speaking up, is its corollary counterpart — #BulliesCowards&Punks, for those who deny, refuse to atone, or take ownership for their brazen acts of victimization. Zachary Wood tells us exactly how the cover of mental illness or those who enable, bend the arc of truth toward deception in an effort to cover shame and conceal the facts through series of orchestrated secret bearing and blatant lies. Needless to say, both his mother, his grandmother, and and stepfather, need a slot in the latter hashtag. Motives, methods of madness, and manipulation are only as powerful as those who stay silent. Zachary spoke up and continues to speak out. When Malcom X said, "all chickens come home to roost," one wonders what those who abandoned, berated, and disparaged him will ask of him now that this MANchild has found his promise land — his voice!

You can’t help but cheer, "Go Zachary! You have more in your corner than you know, as the wind beneath your wings, SOAR! Lead and achieve. Never look back; your future is bright and unhampered! Everything you went through was preparing you for just this moment. Be proud of your hard won strength, resilience, as well as your ability to keep your eye on the prize. Continue to speak out —you empower us all and challenge us to shine a light on our own dark places."

Five star for a perfect prose that makes one both cry and cheer in all the right places.