Straight, No Chaser

by Jill Nelson

Hardcover

Published December 31, 2025

About the author

Jill Nelson was born and raised in Harlem and has been a working journalist for over twenty years. She is a graduate of the City College of New York and the Columbia School of Journalism. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Essence, The Washington Post, The Nation, Ms., The Chicago Tribune and the Village Voice. Jill was a staff writer for the Washington Post Magazine during its first years of existence, and was named Washington D.C. Journalist of the Year for her work there. She freelances and lectures widely, and writes a twice-monthly column, “On the Verge,” for NiaOnline.com and is a monthly contributor to the Op Ed page of USA Today. She was a professor of Journalism at the City College of New York from 1998 to 2003. Jill lectures widely on race, gender, politics, media, writing and other topics.

--from the author's website

Reviews

[Remi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this woman speaks to me. I need to find more works by feminists like Ms. Nelson. She's so real (some would say cynical) that I find it to be a breathe of fresh air. She's the type of black woman that would get demonized by "the black community" as a "man-hating feminist" when in reality, the grievances she speaks on are so real. We're constantly told that sexism doesn't exist, that the only prejudice that exists is that towards the straight black man and that as women, we're supposed to fall in line behind them and be supportive. She articulated so many things I couldn't put into words. I'm officially a fan.

[Samantha Grabelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read a few chapters before I decided there were too many problems to continue. First, it is really dated having been published in 1997. I imagine she would have quite a bit more to say about her life as a black woman if it covered the last 20 years. Second, she is very repetitive so I was bored. Third, she is very specifically speaking to other black women so I felt unwelcome as a reader.