What do you think?
Rate this book
BlackTold: 33 Dynamic Essays from Andscape
A collection of the best essays and articles that have been published on Andscape (formerly The Undefeated)―curated by Steve Reiss, Andscape’s Executive Editor of Culture and Enterprise, and featuring an introduction by Raina Kelley, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief.
33 Dynamic Essays from Andscape, is a collection of the most dynamic articles to have been published on the ESPN’s Andscape.com, a multi-media platform that publishes content exploring how race and identity impact American culture. Timely and relevant, BlackTold covers current events such as the BLM movement, the Covid-19 pandemic, race and the NFL, and more. These essays
· “George Floyd’s mother was not there, but he used her as a sacred invocation”
· “How Black Utah Jazz players embraced Salt Lake City”
· “Can a black heroine fix the racist stereotypes infecting ‘King Kong’?”
- GenresEssays
304 pages, Hardcover
Published October 4, 2022
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 26, 2023
🛁 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 🛁
BlackTold: 33 Dynamic EssayS from ANDSCAPE
Edited by Steve Reiss - Forward by Raina Kelley
“And I offer these essays, once again, as N aid. They are a reminder that though the other thing is true too, Black means more than resistance. It also means every single
other thing you bring to it. We do not live as a cautionary counterpoint to White. We are simply living. And then we put a little hip-hop on it, because not just surviving, but thriving under the circumstances.”
I’m not gonna lie, picking this book up at all, was a challenge for me. I am a strictly fiction, reader, and this was the first collection of essays I have ever read. But I knew I wanted to challenge myself with this book. At the end of it all I’m so glad that I did.
Reading essays by black thinkers, ranging on subjects from George Floyd to Jake from State Farm and everything in between gave me the same feelings that I love about reading a short story collection in fiction. I was introduced to the writing styles of many writers I’ve never heard of before, giving me a broader perspective.
The forward of this book, written by Raina Keeley, poses the question, “why would I purchase a book filled with essays that I could find on the Internet for free?” To respond to that as a first time as a reader, I think the sheer ability to be able to go through the ANDSCAPE archives and pick out 33 essays, broken down into categories, such as black lives, matter, American history, arts and culture, and sports, and be able to create a cohesive work is a feat in and of itself. I’m also grateful to have this small sampling of essays at my disposal as a resource if I ever wanna go back to them and reread the thoughts and opinions of these authors that I felt like I resonated so deeply with.
If you’re looking for a diverse spine to add to your TPR, not just for Black History Month, but beyond, I would recommend this collection wholeheartedly. I give BlackTold a 10/10 bubble baths. 🛁📚
BlackTold: 33 Dynamic EssayS from ANDSCAPE
Edited by Steve Reiss - Forward by Raina Kelley
“And I offer these essays, once again, as N aid. They are a reminder that though the other thing is true too, Black means more than resistance. It also means every single
other thing you bring to it. We do not live as a cautionary counterpoint to White. We are simply living. And then we put a little hip-hop on it, because not just surviving, but thriving under the circumstances.”
I’m not gonna lie, picking this book up at all, was a challenge for me. I am a strictly fiction, reader, and this was the first collection of essays I have ever read. But I knew I wanted to challenge myself with this book. At the end of it all I’m so glad that I did.
Reading essays by black thinkers, ranging on subjects from George Floyd to Jake from State Farm and everything in between gave me the same feelings that I love about reading a short story collection in fiction. I was introduced to the writing styles of many writers I’ve never heard of before, giving me a broader perspective.
The forward of this book, written by Raina Keeley, poses the question, “why would I purchase a book filled with essays that I could find on the Internet for free?” To respond to that as a first time as a reader, I think the sheer ability to be able to go through the ANDSCAPE archives and pick out 33 essays, broken down into categories, such as black lives, matter, American history, arts and culture, and sports, and be able to create a cohesive work is a feat in and of itself. I’m also grateful to have this small sampling of essays at my disposal as a resource if I ever wanna go back to them and reread the thoughts and opinions of these authors that I felt like I resonated so deeply with.
If you’re looking for a diverse spine to add to your TPR, not just for Black History Month, but beyond, I would recommend this collection wholeheartedly. I give BlackTold a 10/10 bubble baths. 🛁📚
November 28, 2022
This collection of essays from Black writers should be required reading for all non-Black Americans. It is poignant. It is powerful. It is honest. And it is beautiful.
Each essay exposes a different aspect of life as a Black person in America. Some of the themes, such as the fact that everyone calls for their mother at their last hour - are universal, though the essay about George Floyd was not. It's about more than just the facts of his murder at the hands of police, and it's hardly the most difficult read in the collection, but it's the first essay in the book, and that gives it extra impact.
Grouped into sections such as "Black Lives Matter," "American History," "Arts and Culture," and "Sports" these essays run through every aspect of life, whether or not they're about the Utah Jazz basketball players, identifying with Breonna Taylor, or talking about "Black Twitter" these essays are informative, thought provoking, and brilliant. As a recent emigre to Florida, the piece that struck me most was "The Gut-Wrenching History of Black Babies and Alligators, by Domonique Foxworth which not only discusses the way we weigh human life against animal life, but also talks about a particularly heinous piece of American history.
"Can you imagine an America when that was not true? Can you imagine an America when a child’s life was so insignificant that he was intentionally put into the pen of a dangerous zoo animal? An America when a child was intentionally placed at the edge of alligator-infested waters to lure the ferocious beast for hunters?" Foxworth writes, and then explains that using Black children - Black babies - as gator bait used to be standard practice.
Overall, this collection, carefully curated from ESPN's website The Undefeated gives us a much-needed look into the truth of Black life in America. Hopefully, we will learn from it.
Each essay exposes a different aspect of life as a Black person in America. Some of the themes, such as the fact that everyone calls for their mother at their last hour - are universal, though the essay about George Floyd was not. It's about more than just the facts of his murder at the hands of police, and it's hardly the most difficult read in the collection, but it's the first essay in the book, and that gives it extra impact.
Grouped into sections such as "Black Lives Matter," "American History," "Arts and Culture," and "Sports" these essays run through every aspect of life, whether or not they're about the Utah Jazz basketball players, identifying with Breonna Taylor, or talking about "Black Twitter" these essays are informative, thought provoking, and brilliant. As a recent emigre to Florida, the piece that struck me most was "The Gut-Wrenching History of Black Babies and Alligators, by Domonique Foxworth which not only discusses the way we weigh human life against animal life, but also talks about a particularly heinous piece of American history.
"Can you imagine an America when that was not true? Can you imagine an America when a child’s life was so insignificant that he was intentionally put into the pen of a dangerous zoo animal? An America when a child was intentionally placed at the edge of alligator-infested waters to lure the ferocious beast for hunters?" Foxworth writes, and then explains that using Black children - Black babies - as gator bait used to be standard practice.
Overall, this collection, carefully curated from ESPN's website The Undefeated gives us a much-needed look into the truth of Black life in America. Hopefully, we will learn from it.
November 19, 2024
I got a class set on the cheap. The essays became dated quickly. Example: there was one titled “Diddy’s white party kicked in the door announcing we up in here.” Ummm…looking back not a great choice. There were a couple that were good. For less than a $1 a book it was ok.
October 13, 2022
It was a good read.
September 15, 2024
Solid collection of essays from one of my favourite websites!!
February 16, 2026
What a magnificent time capsule. This book was only published about 3 years ago, yet so much had drastically changed.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews