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Hi! My Name is Loco and I am a Racist
Born to Love — Taught to Loathe
In this powerful and controversial debut book, author Baye McNeil (a.k.a. Loco of the influential blog "Loco in Yokohama) vividly illustrates with unflinching introspection and candor, the birth and evolution of a racist, and in doing so makes the persuasive argument that the only way to cure this social virus is by first acknowledging and engaging one’s own racism.
Loco takes us on a scintillating journey from the streets of Brooklyn, where a child’s first playground was the frontlines of the Black Nationalist Movement of the seventies, to a period of black militancy, military service, interracial romance and corporate bigotry in the eighties and nineties. Following the traumatic events of 9/11/2001, Loco relocates to Japan where he learns that old adage -— you can’t hide from yourself -— the hard way. He finds the woman he was made to love; only she’s a member of a race he has come to loathe. In the name of this love, Loco confronts this dark stowaway with deep roots even as the world is literally falling apart around him, in the form of the Tohoku disaster of 3/11/2011.
A book that is both a memoir and an impassioned call to arms, Hi! My Name is Loco and I am a Racist tells us in no uncertain terms that while racism continues to be demonized as a dark aberration that only “evil people,” ignorant fools, or people lacking compassion and common decency are subject to, then it will remain at large – hiding in plain sight, in our schools, offices, carpools, living rooms...and sometimes even in the mirror.
In this powerful and controversial debut book, author Baye McNeil (a.k.a. Loco of the influential blog "Loco in Yokohama) vividly illustrates with unflinching introspection and candor, the birth and evolution of a racist, and in doing so makes the persuasive argument that the only way to cure this social virus is by first acknowledging and engaging one’s own racism.
Loco takes us on a scintillating journey from the streets of Brooklyn, where a child’s first playground was the frontlines of the Black Nationalist Movement of the seventies, to a period of black militancy, military service, interracial romance and corporate bigotry in the eighties and nineties. Following the traumatic events of 9/11/2001, Loco relocates to Japan where he learns that old adage -— you can’t hide from yourself -— the hard way. He finds the woman he was made to love; only she’s a member of a race he has come to loathe. In the name of this love, Loco confronts this dark stowaway with deep roots even as the world is literally falling apart around him, in the form of the Tohoku disaster of 3/11/2011.
A book that is both a memoir and an impassioned call to arms, Hi! My Name is Loco and I am a Racist tells us in no uncertain terms that while racism continues to be demonized as a dark aberration that only “evil people,” ignorant fools, or people lacking compassion and common decency are subject to, then it will remain at large – hiding in plain sight, in our schools, offices, carpools, living rooms...and sometimes even in the mirror.
392 pages, ebook
First published January 15, 2012
24 people are currently reading
276 people want to read
About the author
Baye McNeil
3 books47 followersBaye McNeil is a prominent writer, columnist, and speaker from Brooklyn, New York, now based in Japan. Renowned for his insightful commentary on cultural exchange, diversity, and expatriate life, McNeil delves into complex topics like race relations and assimilation with depth and clarity. His work bridges cultural divides, fostering understanding and connection between communities. Through his books and columns, he provides a fresh, nuanced perspective on life in Japan, drawing widespread acclaim.
A sought-after speaker, McNeil has lectured at universities and businesses across Japan and delivered a celebrated TED talk on embracing personal growth and transformation. His views have been featured in leading outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC, NHK, TBS, Asahi Shimbun, and Huffington Post Japan. With his voice resonating across both Japanese and global media, McNeil has cemented his place as a respected authority on cross-cultural understanding.
A sought-after speaker, McNeil has lectured at universities and businesses across Japan and delivered a celebrated TED talk on embracing personal growth and transformation. His views have been featured in leading outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC, NHK, TBS, Asahi Shimbun, and Huffington Post Japan. With his voice resonating across both Japanese and global media, McNeil has cemented his place as a respected authority on cross-cultural understanding.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
January 6, 2025
What can I tell you? Even though I wrote it, I love reading it. Writing, for a writer, is often as much a time of discovery as it is for the readers, so reading my book reminds me of how much I learned prior to writing it, during the writing and editing of it, and as a result helps me by giving me a hint as to where to go next with my writing. Every time I read a review of this book and the reviewer points out a particular part that made them laugh or cry, or scratch their heads or anything, I revisit that area and sometimes I learn things about what I've written that I hadn't even known was there. In that way, writing is like forging a direct link to the Creator, much like any artform, be it music or painting or quilting, and the word "inspiration" pretty much tells that story. The "spirit" is "in" the artist, and the art is the way to share it with the world. Sometimes what comes out is as much a surprise and enlightenment to the artist as it is to the reader/viewer/listener. That's what I love about writing and that's what I love about this book. I highly recommend it if this is the kind of experience you like to have when you pick up a new book.
November 27, 2013
I typically do not read non-fiction books, but I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this one. First off the cover art is brilliant as it speaks to my love of video games, comics and graphic novels. Second, this book gave me so many emotions. Baye McNeil's woven tapestry of words pulled me in and made me want to shed tears of sadness, cry out in anguish and at times want to reach out and shake someone. I loved the way that he gives you the back story of his growing up in Brooklyn and it's juxtaposition with his experiences in Japan. I giggled and shook my head when he wrote of his relationship with Matsui-kun and cried when he wrote of his relationship with Aiko. I can only imagine his countenance as he was going through these two very different experiences. I look forward to reading more works by this author. He definitely has a way with words.
December 28, 2012
I finished Loco in Yokohama's book last night -Hi, my name is Loco and I'm a Racist! - and it was like following up a great meal with a delicious chocolate. It ended on just the right sweet note, but with a rich, complex flavor.
I was glad he went back strong to the empty chair. It was always a great analogy.
Throughout the book, the author used the perfect analogy for what it is like to be on the receiving end of racist attitudes here in Japan, the "empty chair". But it is more than just the empty chair; it is also the gaijin space on the train, the empty urinal, the glance behind, the furtive stares and every single moment that reminds us that however long we are here in Japan and no matter how "well behaved" we are, we are always first and foremost "gaijin" and when someone sees us for the first time, that is all we are.
Back to the empty chair. It is, as Loco said, the one experience that every non-Asian foreigner here in Japan has expressed and he also correctly went on to say that it is one that we must all learn somehow to deal with in order to go on and make it here. Furthermore, it is one's attitude vis a vis the "empty chair" that is the "tell" for what type of person we are; a "shitkicker", a "poser" or an "oblivious" (his 3 types of racists). But I think it tells us even more about ourselves than that. It tells us whether we are apologists for the subtle (and (in my mind unintentional) racism or are we the kind of "Japan haters" that see y=transgressions everywhere they look. Microaggressions in compliments and hatefulness in what are merely curious stares.
In either case, what Loco REALLY drove home in his perfect ending is that the empty chair is really a mirror that we can use to see ourselves. Yes, we are in a foreign country and yes, some people pre-judge foreigners and yes, they treat whites, blacks and asians differently based on racist notions. Yes, yes, yes. But that it beyond our control ultimately and all we CAN control is what grows in our hearts and minds. And what that empty chair does to us is insidious and silent. It plants things in OUR minds that we are often unaware of. Resentment, envy, irritation, anger -all emotions that will bite us on our own ass as we grow and warp into our own racist monster. But the throw-up-your-hands dismissal of it as "no big deal" (as I can be accused of doing) is, perhaps, an even more subtle racist danger because in doing so, aren't we really being condescending? When we say that the Japanese are just "simpler" about racist issues because they are an island nation, etc, aren't we really subtly cutting them down and thinking of them as "below" us in our complexity and worldliness?
In any case, "Hi. My Name is Loco and I'm a Racist" was a transforming read. I hope I will be forgiven for daring to compare its effect on me to how I felt when I finished the "Autobiography of Malcom X". I know that might sound like it is overdoing it, but it is how I felt. Loco's awareness and sensitivity to all perspectives on the issue is impressive to say the least. So much so that one can feel his understanding and also, ultimately, his forgiveness come through the pages, like a blessing of self-forgiveness.
Racism is something that many people can experience in their lives. As the only Jewish person in an all Italian neighborhood in Long Island's West Islip (A kind of Suffolk County version of Howard Beach), I grew up with even people I thought friends throwing pennies at me, calling me "bagel boy" and drawing swastikas on my books and locker. And that was everyday shit. It stays with you in your unconscious attitude, the tension in your shoulders -unless you become aware of it.
I want to thank Baye McNeil for the gift of the empty chair as a mirror. It is one I plan on looking into every time it is offered to me in any form from now on.
I was glad he went back strong to the empty chair. It was always a great analogy.
Throughout the book, the author used the perfect analogy for what it is like to be on the receiving end of racist attitudes here in Japan, the "empty chair". But it is more than just the empty chair; it is also the gaijin space on the train, the empty urinal, the glance behind, the furtive stares and every single moment that reminds us that however long we are here in Japan and no matter how "well behaved" we are, we are always first and foremost "gaijin" and when someone sees us for the first time, that is all we are.
Back to the empty chair. It is, as Loco said, the one experience that every non-Asian foreigner here in Japan has expressed and he also correctly went on to say that it is one that we must all learn somehow to deal with in order to go on and make it here. Furthermore, it is one's attitude vis a vis the "empty chair" that is the "tell" for what type of person we are; a "shitkicker", a "poser" or an "oblivious" (his 3 types of racists). But I think it tells us even more about ourselves than that. It tells us whether we are apologists for the subtle (and (in my mind unintentional) racism or are we the kind of "Japan haters" that see y=transgressions everywhere they look. Microaggressions in compliments and hatefulness in what are merely curious stares.
In either case, what Loco REALLY drove home in his perfect ending is that the empty chair is really a mirror that we can use to see ourselves. Yes, we are in a foreign country and yes, some people pre-judge foreigners and yes, they treat whites, blacks and asians differently based on racist notions. Yes, yes, yes. But that it beyond our control ultimately and all we CAN control is what grows in our hearts and minds. And what that empty chair does to us is insidious and silent. It plants things in OUR minds that we are often unaware of. Resentment, envy, irritation, anger -all emotions that will bite us on our own ass as we grow and warp into our own racist monster. But the throw-up-your-hands dismissal of it as "no big deal" (as I can be accused of doing) is, perhaps, an even more subtle racist danger because in doing so, aren't we really being condescending? When we say that the Japanese are just "simpler" about racist issues because they are an island nation, etc, aren't we really subtly cutting them down and thinking of them as "below" us in our complexity and worldliness?
In any case, "Hi. My Name is Loco and I'm a Racist" was a transforming read. I hope I will be forgiven for daring to compare its effect on me to how I felt when I finished the "Autobiography of Malcom X". I know that might sound like it is overdoing it, but it is how I felt. Loco's awareness and sensitivity to all perspectives on the issue is impressive to say the least. So much so that one can feel his understanding and also, ultimately, his forgiveness come through the pages, like a blessing of self-forgiveness.
Racism is something that many people can experience in their lives. As the only Jewish person in an all Italian neighborhood in Long Island's West Islip (A kind of Suffolk County version of Howard Beach), I grew up with even people I thought friends throwing pennies at me, calling me "bagel boy" and drawing swastikas on my books and locker. And that was everyday shit. It stays with you in your unconscious attitude, the tension in your shoulders -unless you become aware of it.
I want to thank Baye McNeil for the gift of the empty chair as a mirror. It is one I plan on looking into every time it is offered to me in any form from now on.
December 27, 2016
I've never read anything like this book. A memoir, a social commentary, a cultural study (of more than one culture)... it was enlightening all the way through. Loco's voice is very distinctive and a delight to read. He pulled me (and my emotions) through his experiences, and I'm the better for it! Can't wait to read more of his work.
July 4, 2012
Hi! My Name is Loco and I'm a Racist is hard to read.
Not because of the writing, far from it, Baye McNeil's prose is straight and true, with a playful turn of phrase and compelling immediacy that won't surprise anyone who has read his blog.
No, it's personal. Completely personal.
Enter Hi! My Name is Loco and I'm a Racist and you don't just enter the author's world, you enter his mind, heart and soul. This is no mean feat -- it's much harder to do than it looks. But it's not always comfortable for the reader.
Our Man is only able to write honestly by establishing a complex set of mirrors within mirrors held together with bits of string and a knotted hanky or two -- the silhouette, the third person, the bottle of 7-Eleven red, the humour (not to mention asides from me - ed.). Reading Baye's book is like being asked to walk in his footsteps, only he's walking the high-wire with no safety net.
And now it's your turn, go on. Just don't close your eyes. You can't close your eyes.
Baye's life is revealed with clarity and an honesty as 20/20 as his hindsight. The women he has screwed. The friends he has made. The assholes who dissed him. The friends he has outgrown. The love he has lost. His failings. His successes. His confusion. And his clarity; his absolute certainty that he is a racist.
And yet, and yet, and yet... it's this premise, in a book packed with as much honesty about race as Richard Wright's Native Son, that doesn't ring true to Our Man. Baye calls racism the mammoth in the room, but Our Man would call it the paper tiger in the book.
If we accept that race is the defining characteristic of Loco's life and that he is a racist, then in his world view, this is the operating principle behind everyone's life.
But Our Man doesn't buy that. And Loco doesn't either.
At every turn in the book, Loco's humanity and individuality shine through. Every insult from the Japanese who refuse to sit next to him on a busy train, every ignorant jibe from his white former roommates, every act of opportunism from his black friends are met with indignation. Indignation that anyone could be so blinded by bigotry to not see the individual staring back at them.
Loco is many things: a great teacher, a straight-talker, an individual, not to mention a great writer. But a racist? Our Man begs to differ.
Not because of the writing, far from it, Baye McNeil's prose is straight and true, with a playful turn of phrase and compelling immediacy that won't surprise anyone who has read his blog.
No, it's personal. Completely personal.
Enter Hi! My Name is Loco and I'm a Racist and you don't just enter the author's world, you enter his mind, heart and soul. This is no mean feat -- it's much harder to do than it looks. But it's not always comfortable for the reader.
Our Man is only able to write honestly by establishing a complex set of mirrors within mirrors held together with bits of string and a knotted hanky or two -- the silhouette, the third person, the bottle of 7-Eleven red, the humour (not to mention asides from me - ed.). Reading Baye's book is like being asked to walk in his footsteps, only he's walking the high-wire with no safety net.
And now it's your turn, go on. Just don't close your eyes. You can't close your eyes.
Baye's life is revealed with clarity and an honesty as 20/20 as his hindsight. The women he has screwed. The friends he has made. The assholes who dissed him. The friends he has outgrown. The love he has lost. His failings. His successes. His confusion. And his clarity; his absolute certainty that he is a racist.
And yet, and yet, and yet... it's this premise, in a book packed with as much honesty about race as Richard Wright's Native Son, that doesn't ring true to Our Man. Baye calls racism the mammoth in the room, but Our Man would call it the paper tiger in the book.
If we accept that race is the defining characteristic of Loco's life and that he is a racist, then in his world view, this is the operating principle behind everyone's life.
But Our Man doesn't buy that. And Loco doesn't either.
At every turn in the book, Loco's humanity and individuality shine through. Every insult from the Japanese who refuse to sit next to him on a busy train, every ignorant jibe from his white former roommates, every act of opportunism from his black friends are met with indignation. Indignation that anyone could be so blinded by bigotry to not see the individual staring back at them.
Loco is many things: a great teacher, a straight-talker, an individual, not to mention a great writer. But a racist? Our Man begs to differ.
August 18, 2012
There are so many books available about living in Japan, and it would be easy to assume that 'Hi! My Name is Loco and I am a Racist' was just another one. I've read (or at least bought, or wish-listed) an awful lot of accounts of foreigners living in Japan. It was interesting before I lived in Japan to get an idea of what I might be in for, and it's interesting now to compare my experiences with others. Some stories make me nod my head and agree (yes, I had that experience too!), others make me laugh out loud because they're so full of stereotypes and border on the ridiculous.
However, Loco's book is not like the others, not at all. It is set in Japan for the most part, and does provide an insight into living in Japan as a foreigner, but Loco's experience is not something I can easily compare to my own or relate to. It's not just a book about an American living in Japan, it's a book about a black American living in Japan, and that's one of the things that makes it different. While many people would skirt around the issue of race and not want to offend anyone, Loco Puts it right out there on the cover and says "look at me, I'm a black guy living in Japan, and I'm a racist".
I'd never really thought that much about race before reading 'Hi! My Name is Loco and I am a Racist'. In fact, if I'm totally honest, if this book had been about a black American living in another country instead of Japan, I probably wouldn't have read it. But then I would have missed out. Surely one of the keys to not being racist is to be able to see things through other people's eyes, and reading Baye's beautifully written, intelligent book certainly did allow me to see Japan in a very different way.
If you're looking for a book about teaching English in Japan, this may or may not be it. I think it could put some people off, despite the glimmer of hope at the end of the book, following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in March 2011: "I could see that Japanese were not permanently members of the cult of Different Therefore Dangerous. There was hope." But I think people should read this book, and not let it put them off living in Japan, whatever their background. So what if there's an empty chair beside you? It was the empty chair that gave birth to Loco, his blog and his book, I for one am grateful for that.
(Full review on Haikugirl's Japan)
However, Loco's book is not like the others, not at all. It is set in Japan for the most part, and does provide an insight into living in Japan as a foreigner, but Loco's experience is not something I can easily compare to my own or relate to. It's not just a book about an American living in Japan, it's a book about a black American living in Japan, and that's one of the things that makes it different. While many people would skirt around the issue of race and not want to offend anyone, Loco Puts it right out there on the cover and says "look at me, I'm a black guy living in Japan, and I'm a racist".
I'd never really thought that much about race before reading 'Hi! My Name is Loco and I am a Racist'. In fact, if I'm totally honest, if this book had been about a black American living in another country instead of Japan, I probably wouldn't have read it. But then I would have missed out. Surely one of the keys to not being racist is to be able to see things through other people's eyes, and reading Baye's beautifully written, intelligent book certainly did allow me to see Japan in a very different way.
If you're looking for a book about teaching English in Japan, this may or may not be it. I think it could put some people off, despite the glimmer of hope at the end of the book, following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in March 2011: "I could see that Japanese were not permanently members of the cult of Different Therefore Dangerous. There was hope." But I think people should read this book, and not let it put them off living in Japan, whatever their background. So what if there's an empty chair beside you? It was the empty chair that gave birth to Loco, his blog and his book, I for one am grateful for that.
(Full review on Haikugirl's Japan)
January 29, 2012
It's simply a good book so anybody can appreciate it but for white people living in Japan AND for japanese people (who can read english), I think it is a must.
April 12, 2019
3.5/5. I bought this book after hearing the author speak at the first ever Black History Month event in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan, where I currently live and work. His talk was enlightening and inspiring, and I was really looking forward to learning more about McNeil through this book.
The positive points come from the author's unflinching honesty and the fact that, as a foreigner living in Japan, I could relate to him on a number of levels. That honesty, however, also made this book extremely hard to read. I very nearly dropped the book after reading about how this author viewed (and hopefully does not continue to view) women of all races. Another reviewer (Catherine McGreevy) offered the alternate title "Hi! My Name is Loco and I am a Sexist" for this book, and I could not agree more. I am glad I continued to read, as I found the sections about McNeil's childhood eye-opening to an area of American culture that I knew little about, however, the sexism is so upsetting and off-putting that it nearly wasn't worth the read for me.
The positive points come from the author's unflinching honesty and the fact that, as a foreigner living in Japan, I could relate to him on a number of levels. That honesty, however, also made this book extremely hard to read. I very nearly dropped the book after reading about how this author viewed (and hopefully does not continue to view) women of all races. Another reviewer (Catherine McGreevy) offered the alternate title "Hi! My Name is Loco and I am a Sexist" for this book, and I could not agree more. I am glad I continued to read, as I found the sections about McNeil's childhood eye-opening to an area of American culture that I knew little about, however, the sexism is so upsetting and off-putting that it nearly wasn't worth the read for me.
May 11, 2013
Loco
Baye McNeil ‘aka’ Loco hails from Brooklyn, New York, where he was born and raised, but now currently resides in Yokohama, Japan. Loco recounts various forms of racism he experienced starting as a child in elementary school where he studied Swahili and Black History during the Black Power Movement. He was part of boycotts, marches and demonstrations against that which was unjust. As a teenager he watched his brother become part of The Nation of Gods and Earths, otherwise known as the Five Percenters. He eventually joined and was known as the God Unique. While he was part of this group he learned a valuable lesson on how racism from others could affect a friendship.
As a young man, he joined the United States Army because he knew it would be his opportunity to get a good education. There, with a group of men of diverse backgrounds, he also experienced bouts of racism. It took someone who he thought hated him in the Army to show him that his purpose was meant somewhere else.
Loco returned home to Brooklyn where he attended the University. During that time he became involved in an interracial relationship. His own racism came into play. When questions were brought up, he realized that, yes, even he was a racist.
When he decided to take a job in Japan as an English teacher, he not only received a culture shock, but he experienced a different side of racism from the Japanese. Riding the trains, everyone refused to sit next to him. In restaurants and cafes, if there was an empty table nearby, they would search all over for something other than the table near him. In the beginning Loco was angry, but near the end he tried to rationalize what it was about the Japanese that felt like someone of color was a threat. He even began to make a game of it.
When it comes down to it, with his stories and experiences, eventually he realizes that not only are they racist to a fault but so is he.
“Hi! My Name Is Loco And I Am A Racist” by Baye McNeil is one man’s honesty and blunt feelings on how racism has affected not only him as a youth in the 70s up until today but also how it makes someone feel either being on the receiving end of racism or the one dishing it out. Mr. McNeil is eloquent in his words, yet harsh and brash at the same time. It is only because he is being as real on this topic as he possibly can. No holds barred! Now, if you are a person of color thinking of visiting Japan, this would be an excellent novel to read. If you are just looking for a good read that tells of one man’s experiences, you are going to get it raw and as real as it gets in this novel.
“Hi! My Name Is Loco And I Am A Racist” is thought provoking and it will really make you wonder if that person looking back in the mirror could be a racist too.
Reviewed by: LeonaR
Baye McNeil ‘aka’ Loco hails from Brooklyn, New York, where he was born and raised, but now currently resides in Yokohama, Japan. Loco recounts various forms of racism he experienced starting as a child in elementary school where he studied Swahili and Black History during the Black Power Movement. He was part of boycotts, marches and demonstrations against that which was unjust. As a teenager he watched his brother become part of The Nation of Gods and Earths, otherwise known as the Five Percenters. He eventually joined and was known as the God Unique. While he was part of this group he learned a valuable lesson on how racism from others could affect a friendship.
As a young man, he joined the United States Army because he knew it would be his opportunity to get a good education. There, with a group of men of diverse backgrounds, he also experienced bouts of racism. It took someone who he thought hated him in the Army to show him that his purpose was meant somewhere else.
Loco returned home to Brooklyn where he attended the University. During that time he became involved in an interracial relationship. His own racism came into play. When questions were brought up, he realized that, yes, even he was a racist.
When he decided to take a job in Japan as an English teacher, he not only received a culture shock, but he experienced a different side of racism from the Japanese. Riding the trains, everyone refused to sit next to him. In restaurants and cafes, if there was an empty table nearby, they would search all over for something other than the table near him. In the beginning Loco was angry, but near the end he tried to rationalize what it was about the Japanese that felt like someone of color was a threat. He even began to make a game of it.
When it comes down to it, with his stories and experiences, eventually he realizes that not only are they racist to a fault but so is he.
“Hi! My Name Is Loco And I Am A Racist” by Baye McNeil is one man’s honesty and blunt feelings on how racism has affected not only him as a youth in the 70s up until today but also how it makes someone feel either being on the receiving end of racism or the one dishing it out. Mr. McNeil is eloquent in his words, yet harsh and brash at the same time. It is only because he is being as real on this topic as he possibly can. No holds barred! Now, if you are a person of color thinking of visiting Japan, this would be an excellent novel to read. If you are just looking for a good read that tells of one man’s experiences, you are going to get it raw and as real as it gets in this novel.
“Hi! My Name Is Loco And I Am A Racist” is thought provoking and it will really make you wonder if that person looking back in the mirror could be a racist too.
Reviewed by: LeonaR
December 28, 2016
Hi! My Name is Loco and I'm a Racist is hard to read.
Not because of the writing, far from it, Baye McNeil's prose is straight and true, with a playful turn of phrase and compelling immediacy that won't surprise anyone who has read his blog.
No, it's personal. Completely personal.
Enter Hi! My Name is Loco and I'm a Racist and you don't just enter the author's world, you enter his mind, heart and soul. This is no mean feat -- it's much harder to do than it looks. But it's not always comfortable for the reader.
For a long time I was only able to write honestly by establishing a complex set of mirrors within mirrors held together with bits of string and a knotted hanky or two -- the silhouette, the third person, the bottle of 7-Eleven red, the humour (not to mention asides from me - ed.). Reading Baye's book is like being asked to walk in his footsteps, only he's walking the high-wire with no safety net.
And now it's your turn, go on. Just don't close your eyes. You can't close your eyes.
Baye's life is revealed with clarity and an honesty as 20/20 as his hindsight. The women he has screwed. The friends he has made. The assholes who dissed him. The friends he has outgrown. The love he has lost. His failings. His successes. His confusion. And his clarity; his absolute certainty that he is a racist.
And yet, and yet, and yet... it's this premise, in a book packed with as much honesty about race as Richard Wright's Native Son, that doesn't ring true to me. Baye calls racism the mammoth in the room, but I would call it the paper tiger in the book.
If we accept that race is the defining characteristic of Loco's life and that he is a racist, then in his world view, this is the operating principle behind everyone's life.
But I don't buy that. And Loco doesn't either.
At every turn in the book, Loco's humanity and individuality shine through. Every insult from the Japanese who refuse to sit next to him on a busy train, every ignorant jibe from his white former roommates, every act of opportunism from his black friends are met with indignation. Indignation that anyone could be so blinded by bigotry to not see the individual staring back at them.
Loco is many things: a great teacher, a straight-talker, an individual, not to mention a great writer. But a racist? I beg to differ.
Download my starter library for free here - http://eepurl.com/bFkt0X
Not because of the writing, far from it, Baye McNeil's prose is straight and true, with a playful turn of phrase and compelling immediacy that won't surprise anyone who has read his blog.
No, it's personal. Completely personal.
Enter Hi! My Name is Loco and I'm a Racist and you don't just enter the author's world, you enter his mind, heart and soul. This is no mean feat -- it's much harder to do than it looks. But it's not always comfortable for the reader.
For a long time I was only able to write honestly by establishing a complex set of mirrors within mirrors held together with bits of string and a knotted hanky or two -- the silhouette, the third person, the bottle of 7-Eleven red, the humour (not to mention asides from me - ed.). Reading Baye's book is like being asked to walk in his footsteps, only he's walking the high-wire with no safety net.
And now it's your turn, go on. Just don't close your eyes. You can't close your eyes.
Baye's life is revealed with clarity and an honesty as 20/20 as his hindsight. The women he has screwed. The friends he has made. The assholes who dissed him. The friends he has outgrown. The love he has lost. His failings. His successes. His confusion. And his clarity; his absolute certainty that he is a racist.
And yet, and yet, and yet... it's this premise, in a book packed with as much honesty about race as Richard Wright's Native Son, that doesn't ring true to me. Baye calls racism the mammoth in the room, but I would call it the paper tiger in the book.
If we accept that race is the defining characteristic of Loco's life and that he is a racist, then in his world view, this is the operating principle behind everyone's life.
But I don't buy that. And Loco doesn't either.
At every turn in the book, Loco's humanity and individuality shine through. Every insult from the Japanese who refuse to sit next to him on a busy train, every ignorant jibe from his white former roommates, every act of opportunism from his black friends are met with indignation. Indignation that anyone could be so blinded by bigotry to not see the individual staring back at them.
Loco is many things: a great teacher, a straight-talker, an individual, not to mention a great writer. But a racist? I beg to differ.
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December 13, 2021
Baye (aka Loco), of course, has his own blog about living and teaching in Japan. He took his life story and turned it into a memoir called Hi! My Name Is Loco and I Am a Racist.
I loved Baye's writing from the first post of his I ever read. Admittedly, initially, I thought he was a little angry. (Sometimes he was.) But he was never dismissive of someone else's ideas - he was always willing to consider a different point of view. I quickly found the discussion sections of his blog to be the most insightful. And he was open to any question - even silly questions from a white chick like me. And he was open to changing his perspective.
This book of his is no different. He looks at himself in a mirror that most people aren't willing to hold. Baye shares stories of how he was taught to hate (in defense of being hated) and how he continues to fight those internal demons. He shares how race has impacted many of the relationships in his life, personally and professionally.
Beyond being a open discussion about racial tensions and pressures in America and the world, Baye's own story is compelling. He grew up in New York, did a stint in the military and college, and ultimately ended up teaching English in Japan. Baye found the love of his life and lost her. She left him a legacy of encouragement to "write!" and be the real writer he was meant to be. He was in New York City the day the twin towers were brought down and (exactly 9 1/2 years later) he was in Japan the day it rocked with an earthquake that changed the Japanese landscape but not the Japanese people.
Baye's constant companion throughout his time in Japan is an empty seat on a train. He does a beautiful job of weaving the importance of this unlikely character throughout his memoir. She buffers him and angers him and teaches him to dig for the truth.
Ultimately, what I enjoyed most about this book is the way that it showcases how overwhelming stereotypes can be and how insignificant they become in one-on-one relationships. And I love how Baye constantly looks for (and generally finds) the good in others and in himself.
I highly recommend this book as a fabulous tale and a needed lesson. You can purchase it here. I myself have a signed copy. (Don't hate ;-) )
Follow him on Twitter @Locohama.
I loved Baye's writing from the first post of his I ever read. Admittedly, initially, I thought he was a little angry. (Sometimes he was.) But he was never dismissive of someone else's ideas - he was always willing to consider a different point of view. I quickly found the discussion sections of his blog to be the most insightful. And he was open to any question - even silly questions from a white chick like me. And he was open to changing his perspective.
This book of his is no different. He looks at himself in a mirror that most people aren't willing to hold. Baye shares stories of how he was taught to hate (in defense of being hated) and how he continues to fight those internal demons. He shares how race has impacted many of the relationships in his life, personally and professionally.
Beyond being a open discussion about racial tensions and pressures in America and the world, Baye's own story is compelling. He grew up in New York, did a stint in the military and college, and ultimately ended up teaching English in Japan. Baye found the love of his life and lost her. She left him a legacy of encouragement to "write!" and be the real writer he was meant to be. He was in New York City the day the twin towers were brought down and (exactly 9 1/2 years later) he was in Japan the day it rocked with an earthquake that changed the Japanese landscape but not the Japanese people.
Baye's constant companion throughout his time in Japan is an empty seat on a train. He does a beautiful job of weaving the importance of this unlikely character throughout his memoir. She buffers him and angers him and teaches him to dig for the truth.
Ultimately, what I enjoyed most about this book is the way that it showcases how overwhelming stereotypes can be and how insignificant they become in one-on-one relationships. And I love how Baye constantly looks for (and generally finds) the good in others and in himself.
I highly recommend this book as a fabulous tale and a needed lesson. You can purchase it here. I myself have a signed copy. (Don't hate ;-) )
Follow him on Twitter @Locohama.
September 25, 2012
En primer lugar, esa portada, uno podría creer que está frente a un libro de comedia, y la verdad toca temas universales desde la experiencia del autor.
Loco es un seudónimo para Baye McNeil, quien entre otras cosas defiende la posición de quienes van a dar clases a Japón, que suelen ser vistos como lo más bajo de la cadena alimenticia, pero después de todo, ellos dejaron a la familia, los amigos y la sociedad que conocen, y en su caso, en los primeros días se sentían como embajadores.
El libro no habla de "uy, que racistas son los japoneses" (que lo son) y no los sataniza, al contrario, hace que uses el malévolo asiento vació (de nuevo, vean la portada) y te preguntes que representa, que dejes de hacerte o sentirte la víctima, el problema con el racismo en países como México y Brasil es que la gente de inmediato se desmarca, ¿cómo van a ser racistas ellos? , eso sólo los villanos de las películas y los "malos" o "malditos" , y por eso nunca se toma al toro por los cuernos, Japón tiene su fijación con el cabello rubio y los ojos azules, cierto, pero eran una isla, y encima estuvieron aislados, al día de hoy siguen viviendo las secuelas de sus castas y el shogunato, pero hasta que te has visto al espejo, has admitido que algo de racista hay en ti, pues sólo entonces podrás hacer una diferencia.
EL libro no es sólo de racismo, nos cuenta como llego a estar "Loco" en Japón, su experiencia del 9/11, la del tsunami de 3/11/11, su formación, su paso por el ejercito, sus problemas siendo un negro que despreciaba a otros negros.
Es una obra increíble, y pensar que es su primer libro, aunque cierto, él tiene formación de escritor, y aunque muchos lo denostan, también ha escrito por un largo tiempo en formato de blog.
No puedo recomendarlo lo suficiente, todos deberíamos leerlo, porque todos tenemos muy presente el asunto de la raza, aún si somos "posers" (de acuerdo a sus clasificaciones) y queremos creer que vivimos en un anuncio de Benetton.
Loco es un seudónimo para Baye McNeil, quien entre otras cosas defiende la posición de quienes van a dar clases a Japón, que suelen ser vistos como lo más bajo de la cadena alimenticia, pero después de todo, ellos dejaron a la familia, los amigos y la sociedad que conocen, y en su caso, en los primeros días se sentían como embajadores.
El libro no habla de "uy, que racistas son los japoneses" (que lo son) y no los sataniza, al contrario, hace que uses el malévolo asiento vació (de nuevo, vean la portada) y te preguntes que representa, que dejes de hacerte o sentirte la víctima, el problema con el racismo en países como México y Brasil es que la gente de inmediato se desmarca, ¿cómo van a ser racistas ellos? , eso sólo los villanos de las películas y los "malos" o "malditos" , y por eso nunca se toma al toro por los cuernos, Japón tiene su fijación con el cabello rubio y los ojos azules, cierto, pero eran una isla, y encima estuvieron aislados, al día de hoy siguen viviendo las secuelas de sus castas y el shogunato, pero hasta que te has visto al espejo, has admitido que algo de racista hay en ti, pues sólo entonces podrás hacer una diferencia.
EL libro no es sólo de racismo, nos cuenta como llego a estar "Loco" en Japón, su experiencia del 9/11, la del tsunami de 3/11/11, su formación, su paso por el ejercito, sus problemas siendo un negro que despreciaba a otros negros.
Es una obra increíble, y pensar que es su primer libro, aunque cierto, él tiene formación de escritor, y aunque muchos lo denostan, también ha escrito por un largo tiempo en formato de blog.
No puedo recomendarlo lo suficiente, todos deberíamos leerlo, porque todos tenemos muy presente el asunto de la raza, aún si somos "posers" (de acuerdo a sus clasificaciones) y queremos creer que vivimos en un anuncio de Benetton.
August 20, 2012
I won this book in the Goodreads Giveaway and I'm very glad I did. It was a great book. I thought the most interesting parts of the book were when he was describing his life and childhood in New York. I was absolutely surprised to learn about the group that Baye belonged to who called themselves Gods. His perspective from being within that group and how it affected his relationships outside of it were interesting as well as sad at times. He also talks about how race relations affected him at work as well as in the army.
The writing in Japan is focused mainly on his experience of racism (like people not wanting to sit next to him on the bus and refusing to do it quite openly). There was a great (although sad) part of the book where he talks about his relationship with his girlfriend, Aiko. After reading his anger with the Japanese regarding their assumptions about him, it was refreshing to hear this story about this amazing girl who changed his life.
The book also brought up a couple of world events that Baye experienced including 9/11 and 3/11 (Japanese earthquake which resulted in nuclear disaster) and how he dealt with either staying in Japan or going back home and possibly never coming back. His job at his new school in Japan was a very entertaining part of the book, especially about a young kid who gives Baye a little trouble.
I thought the writing itself was good but the amount of cursing and swearing tends to be a bit much at times, whether he's thinking it or saying it aloud. He's very honest about his feelings towards certain situations as well as how he reacted to them, which was refreshing to read. It's nice to read an author who puts himself out there whether it makes him look good or not. Like I said before, the book is very honest so sometimes it's hard to read. All in all, I thought the book was a great read, something I would enjoy reading again.
The writing in Japan is focused mainly on his experience of racism (like people not wanting to sit next to him on the bus and refusing to do it quite openly). There was a great (although sad) part of the book where he talks about his relationship with his girlfriend, Aiko. After reading his anger with the Japanese regarding their assumptions about him, it was refreshing to hear this story about this amazing girl who changed his life.
The book also brought up a couple of world events that Baye experienced including 9/11 and 3/11 (Japanese earthquake which resulted in nuclear disaster) and how he dealt with either staying in Japan or going back home and possibly never coming back. His job at his new school in Japan was a very entertaining part of the book, especially about a young kid who gives Baye a little trouble.
I thought the writing itself was good but the amount of cursing and swearing tends to be a bit much at times, whether he's thinking it or saying it aloud. He's very honest about his feelings towards certain situations as well as how he reacted to them, which was refreshing to read. It's nice to read an author who puts himself out there whether it makes him look good or not. Like I said before, the book is very honest so sometimes it's hard to read. All in all, I thought the book was a great read, something I would enjoy reading again.
March 21, 2012
I picked this book up after reading Loco's blog a bit and interacting with him on twitter minimally. Although he refers to himself as Loco he seemed like his head was screwed on right. I assumed he was just like the hundreds of other Japan bloggers talking about their experience in Japan. I expected to get a slightly different perspective of my own but nothing earth-shatteringly new.
I was very surprised upon digging into the book how wrong I was about my assumptions. Loco is a very descriptive writer and he takes you on a ride. This is one of those books that makes you scratch your head. It makes you want to strike up a conversation about it. It makes you rethink your preconceptions. All indicators of good writing in my book.
As an American living in Japan roughly the same length of time as Loco, I was also surprised to find how different our perspectives are. Anyone who's been to Japan has experienced the empty seat and Japanese animosity but Loco's perspective puts these in a new light. It is unbelievable that he has managed not to go postal.
This is one of the only books I've read completely on the train (my commute is not far). Normally the train doesn't lend much time to pounding out large sections of reading but this memoir is perfect for it, and it fits the mood, since a good portion of the story takes place on trains. I actually missed my train stop finishing the final chapter because I was drawn in so deep. TRUE STORY. From the title of the book you might not expect so but the overall message is extremely positive. And it is written from the heart. Highly recommended.
I was very surprised upon digging into the book how wrong I was about my assumptions. Loco is a very descriptive writer and he takes you on a ride. This is one of those books that makes you scratch your head. It makes you want to strike up a conversation about it. It makes you rethink your preconceptions. All indicators of good writing in my book.
As an American living in Japan roughly the same length of time as Loco, I was also surprised to find how different our perspectives are. Anyone who's been to Japan has experienced the empty seat and Japanese animosity but Loco's perspective puts these in a new light. It is unbelievable that he has managed not to go postal.
This is one of the only books I've read completely on the train (my commute is not far). Normally the train doesn't lend much time to pounding out large sections of reading but this memoir is perfect for it, and it fits the mood, since a good portion of the story takes place on trains. I actually missed my train stop finishing the final chapter because I was drawn in so deep. TRUE STORY. From the title of the book you might not expect so but the overall message is extremely positive. And it is written from the heart. Highly recommended.
December 17, 2012
Loco is a damn good writer. I've followed his blog for a while and he knows how get people talking.
Part of this book follows his life in Japan, part his background in the States. I found the stuff he wrote about Japan a lot more interesting. To be honest, I skimmed over the section of his military career.
Having lived in Japan, I could identify with the racism he encounters. Sure, he's a black man from the States and I'm a white woman from Australia so we've experienced in different ways. I've never had an issue with people sitting next to me on the trains (a big one for Loco) but he's probably never had to deal with Japanese salaryment trying to leer at his cleavage.
If this book was just a list of gripes about racism in Japan, it would be pretty boring, right? But Loco takes the opportunity to learn from his and examine his own racist beliefs. That's what makes his story stand out from the usual writing about living in Japan.
Racism is a funny thing. While I found myself nodding at a lot of the stuff in this book, when he talked about his Australian housemates I started thinking 'Whoa buddy, don't judge all Australians on them.'
I'd recommend this book for anyone thinking of living in Japan, although those who think it will be all geishas and manga will probably discount what they read until they experience the reality for themselves. Hell, I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to have an entertaining read and a think about how racism affects us all.
Part of this book follows his life in Japan, part his background in the States. I found the stuff he wrote about Japan a lot more interesting. To be honest, I skimmed over the section of his military career.
Having lived in Japan, I could identify with the racism he encounters. Sure, he's a black man from the States and I'm a white woman from Australia so we've experienced in different ways. I've never had an issue with people sitting next to me on the trains (a big one for Loco) but he's probably never had to deal with Japanese salaryment trying to leer at his cleavage.
If this book was just a list of gripes about racism in Japan, it would be pretty boring, right? But Loco takes the opportunity to learn from his and examine his own racist beliefs. That's what makes his story stand out from the usual writing about living in Japan.
Racism is a funny thing. While I found myself nodding at a lot of the stuff in this book, when he talked about his Australian housemates I started thinking 'Whoa buddy, don't judge all Australians on them.'
I'd recommend this book for anyone thinking of living in Japan, although those who think it will be all geishas and manga will probably discount what they read until they experience the reality for themselves. Hell, I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to have an entertaining read and a think about how racism affects us all.
February 6, 2013
Firstly, I think anybody who has lived in Japan would find this book interesting and insightful, I think you should buy this book. However, even if you have no interest in Japan, this book has plenty to offer.
Baye's obviously a person who watches people and his environment with eagle eyes. Then, he churnes over the meanings that bubbles beneath the surface of life. His writing style is highly engaging, strong and straight forward which meant I finished this book in no time.
While Baye's book spends a good amount of time in Japan, there's a lot more to it. This is an autobiography and the good news is that Baye was led an interesting life from an alternative school that promoted African culture to his time with the 5 Percenters to the military. For me, his experiences opened my eyes to (sub)cultures I didn't realise existed.
The book is about Baye, it's also about how he deals with race both in America and in Japan, hence the title. He's honest and seems on a constant battle to understand himself, his world.
Also some of the characters he relates in his time in military are classics. For me, this part of his book is my favourite even though I approached his book with a focus on Japan.
A good way to work out if this book your cup of tea would be to check out LocoinYokohama his blog and do a little reading.
Baye's obviously a person who watches people and his environment with eagle eyes. Then, he churnes over the meanings that bubbles beneath the surface of life. His writing style is highly engaging, strong and straight forward which meant I finished this book in no time.
While Baye's book spends a good amount of time in Japan, there's a lot more to it. This is an autobiography and the good news is that Baye was led an interesting life from an alternative school that promoted African culture to his time with the 5 Percenters to the military. For me, his experiences opened my eyes to (sub)cultures I didn't realise existed.
The book is about Baye, it's also about how he deals with race both in America and in Japan, hence the title. He's honest and seems on a constant battle to understand himself, his world.
Also some of the characters he relates in his time in military are classics. For me, this part of his book is my favourite even though I approached his book with a focus on Japan.
A good way to work out if this book your cup of tea would be to check out LocoinYokohama his blog and do a little reading.
July 13, 2012
Once a professor told me that after studying medicine, psychiatry and becoming a doctor in literature, she discovered that the only place she found true humanity was in autobiographical literature. It unfolds in so many levels, and so many elements of fiction and reality meet in the craft, that it is the literary genre that reveals the most about the richness of human essence. Loco's book reassured that belief in a stronger way than any of the autobiographies I have read ever did. His narration is revealing, moving, smart, comical and so incredibly deep at the same time that it left me fighting and thinking about my own demons for weeks and weeks.
This piece is not just a memoir, it is not just "a revenge on history", it is not just an attempt to tell one's story so that experience is visible but caged in selfish censorship. This literary piece is a portrait of the darkest and loveliest bits and pieces that make us human. It is a beautiful book from beginning to end. The blog entries, the filter of reason and the voice of experience intertwine and speak together to the reader's soul. The reader ends up permeated (I ended up, for sure) of love and suffering, of trauma and recovery, of death and rebirth in every chapter.
Thank you Loco.
This piece is not just a memoir, it is not just "a revenge on history", it is not just an attempt to tell one's story so that experience is visible but caged in selfish censorship. This literary piece is a portrait of the darkest and loveliest bits and pieces that make us human. It is a beautiful book from beginning to end. The blog entries, the filter of reason and the voice of experience intertwine and speak together to the reader's soul. The reader ends up permeated (I ended up, for sure) of love and suffering, of trauma and recovery, of death and rebirth in every chapter.
Thank you Loco.
September 6, 2018
After reading this book I wouldn't want to sit by Baye McNeil on a subway, and not for the reason he would probably assume. The title of this book could just as easily be, "Hi! My Name is Loco and I am a Sexist." This book is fascinating because of its unvarnished look into the mind of a man warped by his early environment into hating white people (and, it would seem, virtually every other group including sometimes his own), and who treats women as sex candy, there only for his enjoyment. Often crude to the point of being hard to read, this book deserves four points if for no other reason that you don't see this type of unflattering honesty in every memoir. I also appreciated that he tries to learn from his experiences and struggles to find connections between different groups of people, although he doesn't seem to succeed very well. McNeil is a born story-teller, and the narration (except for the excessive vulgarity) keeps the reader's interest. I enjoyed his anecdotes about what it was like growing up in Brooklyn and his experiences as an English teacher in Japan. Ultimately I found it eye-opening, and a little scary, to know the truth about how some people think about other races and genders, especially when they are not focused solely on making themselves look good.
July 15, 2012
Very well written and fun to read at parts, and hard to read at others. An honest opinion of life in Japan as a foreigner, which I think that anyone that has lived in Japan as a foreigner can empathize with to some degree.
I lived in Japan for a total of 3 1/2 years and shared many of Baye's experiences. Of course my background is much different from Baye's and this meant that I couldn't understand all of his reactions.
All in all, I enjoyed the book. The section that tells the story of his relationship with his girlfriend in Japan was very touching and well written.
I lived in Japan for a total of 3 1/2 years and shared many of Baye's experiences. Of course my background is much different from Baye's and this meant that I couldn't understand all of his reactions.
All in all, I enjoyed the book. The section that tells the story of his relationship with his girlfriend in Japan was very touching and well written.
July 23, 2016
As a young black female I was very concerned with what my experience would be when coming to Japan. This book was a hilariously entertaining read and a wonderful look at one man's experiences in the land of the rising sun. I found it immensely helpful when preparing myself to fulfill my lifelong dreams of visiting Japan. While I definitely didn't condone all of his behaviours or agree with all of his insights, I definitely appreciated the raw honesty that fills this book. Great read, highly recommended!
February 4, 2014
What a great and interesting read. Experiences with play by play detail of events make this book a must read for any dark-skinned person planning on living in Japan. The depth and honesty that is rarely shown in Japan from “Gaijin” (outsiders) is covered in this well written and accurately detailed easy read book about trials and tribulations inside the Japanese community. Living in Japan for over a decade, I have received an epiphany on “The Land of the Rising Sun” from this book. Thanks to Baye McNeil for an honest look at our allies here in the East.
March 5, 2012
This book was amazing and eye opening. If you ever think about living in Japan, or you live in Japan now, check this book out. It's a no bullshit look at how life can really be on this tiny island. I love how Loco doesn't make any excuses. He puts it all out there and makes you see the real, hard truth. I laughed, cried, and thought a lot about what it means to live not just in Japan, but to live life. Please, do yourself a favor and check this book out!
July 25, 2012
McNeil really challenges the human mind to see the world through a different perspective. Very edgy. This book captures the hardships of life so clearly and realistically. Nothing is sugar coded in this book, and those who are too sensitive when it comes to the topic of racism should think twice before picking up this mater piece. Please have a very very open and understanding mind if you plan to read this book.
December 2, 2012
Baye McNeil's autobiographical "Hi! My Name is Loco and I am a Racist" is a beautifully written, honest and illuminating book. It is a book I would recommend to anyone trying to come to terms with their place in the world.
If you are readers of McNeil's excellent "Locohama" blog, you will find much that is familiar here. For readers new to McNeil's work, you will find a thought provoking meditation on identity, race and personal growth.
If you are readers of McNeil's excellent "Locohama" blog, you will find much that is familiar here. For readers new to McNeil's work, you will find a thought provoking meditation on identity, race and personal growth.
September 7, 2013
I picked this book for my memoir book club because the title seemed a crazy declaration, and I thought anyone willing to put that on the book's cover must be interesting. I couldn't have been more pleased with the choice. Highly recommend. Raw, honest, funny, sometimes vulgar, sometimes sad. Definitely thought provoking, engaging and timely. The incubating egg that just cracked revealing a baby alligator not a chicken.
June 13, 2012
This book is one of the most engaging reads I've enjoyed this summer! I am a huge fan of memoirs, and being unfamiliar with the author, expectations were a bit low. However, I haven't stopped recommending this book to all of my friends...those who travel, and those who don't, alike. Baye McNeil should do a promotional tour ASAP. :-) #CantWait4#2
April 24, 2017
This is such a powerful book--striking, passionate, and eye-opening. The stories are poignant and well-written. I learned so much about the cultures of New York City, things that I just never knew growing up in the Midwest and South. It was fascinating to view Japanese culture through this lens, and to find similarities across all the cultures involved.
July 8, 2012
I thought it was a book that could change history .
I think this book could be used in school , well some parts should be left out for school lol
If you are thinking of coming to Japan , this is a good first step.
RHYMING
my video review
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLJUN8...
I think this book could be used in school , well some parts should be left out for school lol
If you are thinking of coming to Japan , this is a good first step.
RHYMING
my video review
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLJUN8...
December 8, 2013
A diverse, personal, multi-perspective, account of racism in all its forms. Chock full of relatable events like 9/11 and 3/11, and just as full of unrelatable events (to me at least) of life in Brooklyn and an upbringing in Uhuru Sasa, this book takes up race issues in many new and old perspectives to relate with and learn from!
March 29, 2012
I expected to laugh, but not to cry as I read this book. Really resonates with me as a foreigner (English teacher in JHS, too) in Japan!
This is also part of my recent decision to think more about race things. A wonderful perspective to read!
This is also part of my recent decision to think more about race things. A wonderful perspective to read!
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