Need to read the rest of this book before submitting a proper review, however I loved what I read in the sampler and look forward to devouring the rest of it very, very soon.

Thank you to NetGalley for the first chapter sample of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

I found the history of the treatment of black people in the UK interesting - especially the relatively recent history in the last 100 years as I like to think that we are reasonable well-integrated with different races and ethnicities compared to the USA. Maybe we are but clearly not as much as I would like.

I've only seen the first chapter but I personally feel very anxious and nervous about the whole topic as I do not want to be discriminatory and judgemental about others but I find language around this topic stressful as it keeps evolving. In my lifetime we've had people referred to as white, black, coloured, people of colour, Asian, Afro-America, etc, etc. If I use any of those terms it's invariably wrong for the current times and considered offensive by some, especially younger people who are quick to criticise. Then there are those who think we should use none of those words as saying any is offensive and racist in itself but I then struggle to describe any person to another without being offensive over their race or any physical feature including hair colour. I think I need to write a book entitled 'Why I'm No Longer Talking To Anyone Else'.

I was born in Birmingham, UK in the fifties and so have lived through much of the history in this book at a local level.
Despite this I still felt that it was really worth reading.
For instance, the history of the UK’s role in the slave industry and the treatment of Commonwealth soldiers were less well known to me and very painful to read. I hadn’t been aware that countries were incorrectly led to expect independence following their assistance in fighting for the UK.
I found the book well written and felt that the author successfully conveyed just how deep prejudice lies. I hope that it can make a difference.
Many thanks to Bloomsbury publishing and NetGalley for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Such a good discovery this sample of this book that I will buy as soon as possible. I am a bit ashamed to say that I am one of those people completely ignorant on Black history...I grew up on a country barely touched by the war, the slaves trade and there is barely no racial diversity. Some of the facts explained on this book are quite unbelievable and yet, they are true! Raids on black houses just because, riots, shameful job offers...It triggered my interest and I cannot wait to know more with the rest of the book. I would recommend it to anyone interested

I am not going to say too much about this little book, apart from to say that I found it very powerful and thought-provoking. I have to say that I read parts of this book, which details the history of the non-white people, who came to Britain to work, to raise families, to live better lives, with despair. It is the story also of how they were treated, and how their families were treated by the people who were supposed to protect them, the police. I remember certain times in history that were detailed in this book, but there were others that I knew nothing about, that I was never taught in school, and I have to admit, at times I felt ashamed.
I do think everyone should read this book. If only that more people can be educated about the real history of Britain and we can hopefully become a more tolerant society, and accept more our history and the roles that we played in it. I think we need to start being honest with ourselves.

What a vitally important book.
I am white and I am British. the first few chapters of this book, which I have been lucky enough to read, concern the black British history. I am ashamed to say that I had only a glancing knowledge of what Eddo-Lodge put down here, and my instinct is that this is barely scratching the surface.
I'd say I can't wait to read the rest, but that feels like not enough. I need to read this book, and so does everyone in modern Britain.

The preface is perhaps the reason this book came to be written. I find the arguments clear, logical and mostly within reason. But whether by design or to an oversight I question the title even as a clever phrase and title. To cease to communicate encourages segregation and scope for conflict. To stop talking to white people therefore is to label a whole race as intolerant and the product of ingrained racism. It cleverly whether intended or not mirrors a white persons assumed perspective that all people of colour are the same. Sadly this view seems to be born out however evidentially. Not by slight of hand, or selective texts but by a look at Black history from a British perspective.
I liked the comments highlighting how the white focus is on watering down the issue. So Black History Month can be rebranded to dwell on less contentious matters like Black Culture.
Also the training course for the police cadets should be in anti-racism rather than the softened approach favoured by the establishment to teach the subject as multiculturalism.
Impossible to judge a book by its cover or just a preface and one chapter. But one that is well written and throws light on educational ignorance on these matters is to be embraced.
It isn’t a comfortable read but it is good to listen to an articulated point of view well argued. No white person can be proud of our failings as a country; no sense of a more open society today can airbrush the past or realistically believe the struggle is over. This book might just help readers to want to grasp the issue and be part of the evolving solution. It is good to listen through reading and I for one would like to hear more from this bright voice and informative communicator.

Personally, I found parts of this uncomfortable to read, particularly the first couple of chapters highlighted a lot of gaps in my own knowledge of my own country. I thought the book was extremely well written, each point Reni Edo-Lodge makes is well articulated and backed up with plenty of historical or statistical evidence. For what is often a difficult topic to discuss it's actually very readable, I find some non-fiction I bit too much like reading a school textbook and this was definitely not the case with this one. 5 stars.

Very interesting book on racism in Britain. Tells stories of many incidents, people's comments and government comment. Heavy reading, some heartbreaking and disbelief. This book is greatly suited to Universities and colleges where this subject is broached.

Thanks to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for a sampler of this book.

I was about 20 pages in when I went and bought a full copy. This is much needed reading, for everyone.

The book starts with the author's titular blog post. The preface explains how this is an act of self-preservation - white people are not aware and do not carry the weight of injustice, suffering and discrimination that Eddo-Lodge bears, and so come to these discussion from an unequal place. There cannot be open discussions of racism when white people are unaware of this history, and on the defensive that they do not know what pains have been suffered, and continue to be inflicted.

It only took a few pages into Chapter 1 for me to begin to feel overwhelmed and get a sense of this weight. The prominence of American Civil Rights (combined with Anglophilic devotion to a white idyll of Britannia) means the UK-based race riots, injustice, and activist movements have not got appropriate coverage.

I cannot comprehend what it would be like to live through segregation, colour bars, and race riots, to feel ostracised and demonised by my skin, and that's the whole point. This is beyond my comprehension because whiteness blinds us to the experiences of others. I can see why people of colour would not want to talk to me about this, because it's something so alien, so 'in the past', that I don't bring that same faith into it, that this is something that shapes our world. And this is only the Histories chapter I've been able to read so far! (This is not so distant, this is parents and grandparents.)

I found this sampler to be a very confronting look at just how cruel and racist Britain is, and it's something everyone needs to be aware of before entering into discussions on race relations. We can't know where we're going without knowing where we've come from. Because you don't know what happened doesn't mean it didn't.

On a topic as important as race and racism, it is nearly impossible to review and judge a sampler book without the potential to introduce even further bias into the debate. Clearly, Renni Eddo-Lodge has strong and valid opinions and facts about the subject and will add to a controversy that has been around for a long time with no real signs of any resolution.

Clearly a cery important book. I am trying to read as much as I can from Own Voice authors both fiction and non fiction. I can definitely concede that the world and western society is set up more with white people in mind. Eddo-Lodge makes several other good points and pushes me in the direction of considering some things I hadn't yet thought of. I really aporeciate this. I'm afraid I don't agree with everything, privilaged position or not. The author makes her case well but bases a lot of her argument on sweeping generality. And I get it. I'? Not black but I have faced enough discrimination in other areas of my life to understand the anger thst comes from being forced to assume the position of a lesser person because a( the world is not set up for you and b) tjose benefitting from it are paralysed by fear. (Fear of change, fear of the unknown, fear of doing anything to help lest they misstep and get labelled racist and tone deaf for daring to interfere.) It's a difficult situation and as sucky as it is, as unfair as it is, if you are the discriminated against it will fall to you to be the educatior whether this is a role you want or not. You can absolutely opt out but if you do then you don't get to complain that people who do not live your truth are getting it wrong. There is a lot of good stuff in this book but it's been written, presented and titled in a deliberately provocative and polarising way. This saddens me deeply. Sure there are some people who would never take any of it on board but lots of people want an equal system and want to confront and eradicate their own internalised prejudices. Anger is understandable but ultimately has no place in effecting fundamental change. I do not subscribe to the unspoken rule of 'I'm white so deliver small bites of the truth well coated with sugar please'. I want honesty. I want no punches pulled. But I need facts and an open dialogue. I am willing to do the painful communication stage and educate myself. I don't need to be patted on the gead for it. But I also need to know that the end goals are the same if you want me to spend time on something. And sometimes it doesn't feel ir read here that they are. Will come back to this book and still maintain it is a necessary read.

Why I Long to Read the Rest of This Book

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race. Sampler of Preface and First Chapter by Reni Eddo-Lodge. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ). History, Nonfiction (Adult). Publication Date 08 Mar 2018.

*Structural racism. An articulate voice with the strength and clarity of a fair and gently, steadily ringing bell. A brave, deeply researched history/informology shared with due precision and depth, this is an issue that provokes acknowledgment, thought, response; fertile material for the thinking/feeling humans among us today.

On a personal note, as a mixed race southern woman I can tell you that my skin color errs on the side of “white”, the generations before me uneasily “passing”. The ones who carried the looks of certain nationalities marginalized themselves while keeping the secret from the children: “Native American” and “Black”. Looking at my ancestors this way has added yet another layer of my still veiled or sometimes murky understanding of the conflicts they experienced in the duration of their lives and as their offspring spread out and moved into other arenas.

In the spiritual realm(s) of things, as in the case of any color, I feel that I may be a product of, but do not exist by contrast, either wicked or friendly or anywhere in between. Society is still beset by decisions formed by the prejudices of previous generations whose strong opinions trickled down into inhumane laws (and slanted interpretations of those laws) made by materially profiting people in other times not our own. The upstanding, kind, forgiving and considerate individual must continue to be so—persist in all that is said and done; by its very nature whittling away everything unlike itself, and in her or his true beauty contribute to the precious evolution of humankind. For indeed it is happening.

These are my first impressions/responses to the early pages of this book.

Super. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for providing this ebook sampler for review.

*This review is not meant to offend anyone.

And I'm off to Amazon to buy the whole book. I was pretty sure I'd love this but now having read the sample it's definitely a must read.