An academic memoir/ didactic overview of Critical Race Theory and black feminism. It's kind of dry and probably won't have much interest for someone not already interested in the topic. The part I found most interesting was on white supremacy in media.

A good guide for those white people really willing to start confronting their own behaviors and those of the people around them.

An important book to educate readers on race related issues in an accessible way, I will certainly be recommending this to friends.

Super-engaging voice. Made it easier to keep going, even when (tho I expected it would) the content made me uncomfortable. It's the kind of uncomfortable that needs to happen to all white folx, and the Get-it-Done of each chapter topic seemed to circle inevitably back around to the title/thesis.

This isn't going to "fix" anything, and it isn't going to leave you deeply informed. That, I believe is beyond the scope of a single book (in my mind that's the point of *deeply* - time, variety, intensity, volume). This work wasn't designed to do that, just to leave the reader "less stupid" than when they started. I think that's what happened with me.

Thanks for writing this, Dr. Flemming.

My thanks also to Net Galley and the publisher for making this book available digitally for my review.

This book is absolutely brilliant piece on all things race and race related. It will not only make you think, but it will challenge you. It will make you take a hard look at yourself and your own preconceptions. It's a must-read for both the ignorant and the knowledgeable alike. Highly recommend it for anyone looking to self-improve and expand their way of thinking.

Wow, this book is powerful and I think it is the perfect read for anyone who wants to know more about race relations and the basics of the civil right movement. It presents a clear picture of oppression: mostly examining racism in America. I've read a lot of books about race and oppression and I think this one does such a great job of breaking it down in a very detailed and comprehensive way. Definitely worth the read.

An examination of and challenge to readers ideas on race forcing us to re-examine our superficial hottakes on what it means to be racist & antiracist. Fleming's prose is plainspeak moving swiftly and conversationally while not losing any intellectual rigor.

2018 has been the year of the must read "let's talk about race" books. This book in particular, sits very high on this list of mine.
Fleming gave me a lot to think about, as this book is small yet challenging. Trust, you won't be flying through this book! You will be forced to learn and analyze. In addition, you might feel, as I did, that your feelings are validated. For instance, Fleming confirmed some feelings I had about a few things, including politics and specific presidents. Overall, I enjoyed this book and think all people can learn something from Fleming.

Required reading for literally everyone. Even if you think you are knowledgable on the subjects of race and racism, Crystal Marie Fleming's perspective and explanations are something you need in your brain.

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Rating: 5 out of 5

This is a book that we NEED right now. It's a no-nonsense look at where we are and how we're inundated with denial and misunderstandings about what white supremacy is and how it works. For those struggling to understand why things are the way they are and why people seem so brazen about their racism now, this is the book for you! Fleming shows just how deeply entrenched white supremacy is in our culture and explains that things aren't really any different than they used to be--people are just now being more honest about how things are.

I really appreciated the personal touch this book has; Fleming gives us lessons about race by walking us through her own journey to being someone who actively studies, educates, and tries to dismantle the ignorance we live in about race. This is really what makes the book special--it's super informational, but also a memoir of one amazing woman's growth and journey to being who she is. What I love most about this book is that Fleming does not take a holier-than-thou approach. She fully admits to her own biases and prejudices, examining them and using them as examples to give a more personal look at exactly what she's talking about.

For those just delving into learning more about critical race theory and interested in challenging your own complicity in holding up the current power structure, be prepared! It's a rough journey but one that is so worth it. Fleming is compassionate in her approach to calling us out and cheering us on to do and be better. She also gives some great resources as an addition that can help you learn more about yourself, your biases, and what work you can accomplish to be less ignorant about race. Definitely give this a read! I'm going to be buying this for my friends and family, regardless of whether or not they think they need to read this. Also, give Crystal Marie Fleming a follow on Twitter--her tweets are amazing!

I was given an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

This book is wonderful. It is very detailed and comprehensive and presented from an academic- critical race theory perspective, but from a millennial, queer perspective. Definitely worth a read even if you are well versed in the subject, as it is so thorough in a enjoyable, accessible way. Five stars.

This was a challenging and very rewarding book to read. It is like listening to a friend sharing but also calling you out on your ignorance and collusion with an ugly status quo. Is is uncompromising.in its portrayal of racism in the United States as structural and pervasive.

Fleming's premise is that people are stupid about race because the society has taught them to be and because, if they are white, it benefits them in many ways to be so. Her book is an effort to provide the kind of historical background and societal analysis needed to become aware of the foundational basis of racism.

Fleming's style is easy to read but her content is demanding. She provides lots of historical context for her case of racism being institutionalized in the U.S. and is completely convincing. It is a well-researched book; I appreciated the information about what other writers and websites to turn to for more information.

This country's construction of race is part of its foundation. The first settlers from Europe built the country on the genocide of the indigenous people living here. All of the Founding Fathers practice virulent racism and often rape. Slavery was the way of life for two centuries and to make it work, an entire group of people had to be devalued and debased, considered less than human. After slavery, there was, of course, Jim Crow. There were xenophobic immigration policies long before Trump came to power.

One of the things Fleming shows is how Trump, although outstandingly deplorable, is an almost natural outgrowth of the longstanding racist attitudes and beliefs in this country. He is not an aberration but a kind of fulfillment. His base has always proclaimed, "He says what you think and are afraid to say." That is, when you buy into a racist, sexist culture.

Fleming discusses intersectionality (the positioning of a person under different axes of oppression). She puts those who have been marginalized in the center of her discourse, particularly black women whose voices have traditionally and consistently been silenced and whose pain as well as wisdom been either co-opted or ignored. She includes queer and transgender women in her call to come together to fight racism. She would like to see all oppressed groups work together--including poor and working class white people--to fight against neoliberal greed and the dismantling of the social contract.

She ends with questions that can help the reader assess their own efforts to see the racism that exists, to move beyond the desire for a color blindness that in fact, she says, is really just a desire to be blind to racism. She provides some ideas for ways in which to join the struggle.

For myself, I was particularly struck with her statement that the question "Why can't we just get past all this?" is a kind of naivete that we can't afford and that has no place in the fight. I was embarrassed to realize that I have used those very words. I am a work in progress and hopefully this book will have advanced my work, at least a little.

I intend to follow up on reading some of the writers she recommends and connecting with at least one of the groups she describes. This is not a book to read just for information; it is a call to arms, to personal commitment, to join with others and create a more just society. It will probably not happen in our lifetime but it's always time for each of us to begin or continue this journey.

I am grateful to NetGalley, Beacon Press, and Crystal M. Fleming for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.