The Opposition…

You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain

Phoebe Robinson,

Jessica Williams (Foreword)

Discussion: 2018-Jan-Feb-Mar

Why we're reading this: February 5, 2018
[close] February 5, 2018

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Feb 22, 2017 Celeste rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017

I enjoyed this book so much, and I highly recommend the audio book because the author does a great job with the delivery. Robinson does an excellent job of mixing heavy topics with humor. Some of her humor is crude, but I feel like that's just another way she's expressing her feminism.

I've already recommended this book to several people! Looks like I'm going to have to start listening to her podcast now. ...more

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Mar 18, 2020 Letitia rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-to-read, audiobook

I have always adored Phoebe Robinson, and this book was a delightful surprise that even upon venturing further into her brain, I STILL adore Phoebe Robinson, which has not always been the case when I read memoirs by people I admire (side eye Retta, other side eye Tina Fey). She’s just as quirky, smart, principled, and goddam fun as I hoped she was.

This book is a little strange, though. I have not quite sorted through what it is, but I think a part of it comes from Phoebe’s style. As a comedian, I have always adored Phoebe Robinson, and this book was a delightful surprise that even upon venturing further into her brain, I STILL adore Phoebe Robinson, which has not always been the case when I read memoirs by people I admire (side eye Retta, other side eye Tina Fey). She’s just as quirky, smart, principled, and goddam fun as I hoped she was.

This book is a little strange, though. I have not quite sorted through what it is, but I think a part of it comes from Phoebe’s style. As a comedian, she’s quick and referential and inserts a million side notes for every story. She does this in her book, too, but I don’t think it works as well in written form as it does in stand-up or show hosting. It’s too frenetic.

The book is also just unique in content. It’s essentially a series of blog posts, but she tried to weave a common theme. Here’s a section about movies Phoebe likes. And this next section is about the history of Euro-centric aesthetics and the racism of policing Black hair. And now this section is about what Phoebe hopes the first female president will do. All of it is lovely, and she is smart. She uses her humor and wit to take the reader through a really important and surprisingly well-researched training manual on implicit bias and racism. It’s just interspersed with so much randomness that it feels unfocused and I’m dazed upon finishing it.

That said, this has some majorly good points. One of the strengths is the letters that Phoebe writes to her mixed race niece. She has guest writer John Hodgman do something I have literally never seen done well in print, and yet he nails it: celebrate her niece’s white heritage. With no excuses for the minefield that white supremacy is, somehow Hodgman writes something that is downright beautiful, and it pairs well with Phoebe’s other missives to her niece that are vulnerable but somehow also slapstick.

The other strength of this book is that Phoebe is just so GD likable. I really do wish we hung out and got drinks on the reg. I think we would have a blast together and I know she’d be my boo. I just like her so much. Her strength of character and commitment to owning her own story shine through despite the book’s unfocused energy. And girl, yeah, I wish we were friends. I bet she hears that a lot.
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