Speaking of Race: A White Man's Attempt to See Both Sides

by A.D. Maxwell

In a sharply polarized nation, Americans frequently issue calls for a better dialogue between the races. But that better dialogue never seems to materialize. In Speaking of Race, a University of California scientist imagines what such a dialogue -- between a white man and a black woman -- might sound like. What would happen if neither side pulled its punches and both sides were wiling to listen, and learn? The conversation that results is frank, entertaining, and wide-ranging, covering not only current issues like police shootings, reparations, and white privilege, but the bitter history of black-white relations that brought us to our present state. The two sides spar over facts and statistics but also open up about their attitudes and feelings. The back-and-forth is tough but respectful; Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump are criticized, but so are James Baldwin and Ta-Nehisi Coates. Both sides emerge with some new bruises and some new insights.

109 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 19, 2017