WIN a copy of Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

[Alesia]

As it is hard to understand the point of view of another discriminated social group you’re not a part of. Especially, when there are not much people of color in your country and through my whole life the problem seemed not that much important. While reading this book I feel shame for thinking like that.

[Alice]

Because I'm a scientist and I know that the races don't exist.

[Rowan]

I think this book is relevant because racism is still and issue in society, but it is such a taboo subject that a lot of people deny that racism is an issue. It is a problem that is largely overlooked, but not discussed and as a result no solutions can be found. This book can start as a basis for discussion and make people feel a lot more comfortable and educated about the discussions they must have and problems they must acknowledge in order to move on to a better tomorrow.

[Samama]

I not only find this book important, I find this book brave too. It points out the things we usually don’t dare to say out loud and it puts all the situations correctly and on point.

[Sudi]

this book is important in times like these where the atmosphere has been corrupted by racism and sexism. by 2018 we would have guessed the world to be moving forwards, but the world is moving backwards. people should have learned by now that discriminating against someone or categorizing them doesn't bode well for anyone. people in charge of the government are actually encouraging the disparity between people of different races. movies like black panther that are garnering a lot of positive attention have been pivotal in changing the stereotypes held against black people. but the real question is, why did it take such a long time to make a film like this. why is Ava DuVernay only now getting to direct a big budget Hollywood film. this move should've have happened a longtime ago. why are people of color still getting their firsts. movies are just one part. POC have been making progress and achieving success in every job and profession despite the stereotypes held against them. they have fought and they have won. but the talk about race need to happen now when the world around us is changing so radically. future generation shouldn't have to fight for their place,they shouldn't have to overcome stereotypes. they don't need to prove anything to anyone they should just have to focus on their work not how they appear or how they dress or talk. the reason our ancestors fought for their rights was so that the future generations would have it easier. and they still have to fight certain assumptions about them. we need to fight for the world we have built or else the people trying to perpetuate prejudice for their own selfish political reasons may yet again succeed in dividing this country and the world. the talk about race needs to happen now

[Kate]

This book is so important as it highlights what is means to be marginalised. It gives a voice to every minority group and offers hope that together we can make a difference

[Dagmara]

Because it's the XXI century and we still have not resolved so many issues concerning race. Unbelievable!

[Cynthia]

This is book is important because racism often exists down to the micro-level in our daily interaction but we do not realise it or chose to sweep it under the carpet. For example, an Asian colleague working in Australia was pulled out of a project because the client complained on his English accent. Pulling someone out because of technical and language proficiency is ok but because of accent? I believe educating ourself on other cultures, being open and accept these cultures and having sincere conversations helps towards building a better society.

[Eva]

I would love to win a copy of this book, because my local bookseller was all out of copies. I want to read it, because I think it will help me define and defend arguments to use when talking to people about racism or race, and it might point out things I do wrong myself, without knowing it. I think this might do for racism discussions what Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions did for me for feminist discussions: provide facts and insights that help in discussion, and help me address racism and point it out when I see or hear something happen.

[Doha]

I am a Master's Degree student in Literature. I am currently conducting a research paper on racism and how it affects people's lives. Therefore, winning a copy of this book would give me a chance to have an insight on the way the concerned people are really affected. Besides, I can use it to make my research more down to earth and not just another racism-oriented research paper. Therefore, I do believe that this book would be of great help to me, and it would widen my horizons more and more when it comes to the different types of racism around the world.
Since the writer is a woman, so I can get a more specific and narrower vision on racism. She is from an African descent, and she is a woman, so she must have suffered from different types of discrimination and racism.
And in Egypt, where I live, people tend to be a little racist when dealing with some one with a different skin color, and they are sexists too, or at least not all of them. Hence, I believe that seeing the impact of racism on an African person would make me more careful and considerate when dealing with anyone else in general.

[Suzanne]

This is something to always think about. I’m white, so I never experience the things that they have to deal with. Of course I hear about it, bit that’s not the same. Here in The Netherlands there are big discussions going on about Zwarte Piet(Black pete) and I want to know more about everything, about why it’s so difficult.

[Rachel]

I think this book is important because we still have racism in the 21st century. I want to understand more. I want to educate myself. The more people whose eyes are opened to what is going on around them, the better.

[Eldarwen]

This book is important now (and probably will still be in quite a few years to come) because it addresses a topic a lot of people are quite uncomfortable talking about, for various reasons. For some, it seems so easy to hate/abuse someone because they come from a different country or have a different colour skin but the unfortunate truth is that a lot of people simply do not know what it really means to be racist or the consequences certain actions can bring with them.

Then there is the matter of what is portrayed via media, literature, school, etc, which is often accepted without overly questioning things because, as someone who has barely any personal experience with matters of race, why would you not accept them at face-value no matter how untrue they might be?

I think this book might be eye-opening and could provide a deeper understanding of what it truly means to open up a proper dialogue about race.

[Mia]

For me this book is interesting, my family originate form a village where even today people of colour are not welcomed, they struggle to get served in the local shops and few people will converse with them. For no reason except the colour of their skin.
In the past several decades it has become acceptable to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, any religion - even the House of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is acknowledged in three countries as a religion but if you arent of white origins then the acceptance and equality will often not apply to you.

I wonder sometimes if the more we talk about it, and try to action change the bigger the divide becomes. The company I work for has networks for people of non white origins, for both support and social, it has female networks, but are we creating segregation by only allowing people of Black or Mixed Ethnicity to join the network? If this is about us all living together as equals should this network even exist?

I really do hope this book becomes part of everyday syllabus to help us all understand that this book shouldnt be needed at all, but sadly it is.

[Lala]

This book is important because racism is so deeply embedded in western society that sometimes we can’t even see it. We need books like this to shine a light.

[Chiara]

This book is very important nowadays because racism is still very present in our countries. I’m from Italy and these past few weeks we are facing racism in many shades of it. I recommended my friends to read this book because it is crucial to have an opinion and be aware of what is happening in the world. Many people think that because we live in civilized countries, racism does not exist in our everyday life. The problem is that it exists and we don’t see it.
This book helps to open our eyes on today’s society.

[E, J & R]

I believe that the book is important because it is time that people understand that all people were created equal. It does not matter if one is African American, Asian, Catholic, Jew, etc. I believe that all people deserve to have the same opportunities to succeed, to have healthcare, to be treated as human beings and not as outsiders. I feel that no one should feel superior or entitled because of their color of skin, race or economic status. I wish that racism was something of the past and that everyone was seen as an equal. Things and people have to change in this country so that America and the world can be a happier place. I feel that once people realize that we all have struggles, similar insecurities, family and marital problems, in each race and household, people will finally understand that it is pointless to discriminate against anyone. We are all humans and we all deserve the same respect, love and opportunities.
-Rebeca

[Charlotte]

To be completely honest I haven't read the book yet, so I don't know what impact it is going to have on me and what parts I will talk about with people around me. But in general the discussion about race in Europe is long overdue. I'm originally from Germany, and racism is obviously a very touchy feeling and one of the most important topics in our history- and current life as well when you look at the political discussions in the EU for example! I would like to read this book and share my thoughts with the Goodreads community and my friends.

[Margot]

Hi, I didn’t read this book yet.. I am very busy with homework and exams ! I just turned to 16 years old and what I can say about this book even if I didn’t read it yet is that it défend very important causes on the earth. Many problems over the world between humans became violents and can even create wars. This is horrible. This book is certainly talking about racism. I think that it is very important to have those books to read because it learns us always excellent things about the world. I just have 16 years old but I can see how humans can be horrible only for a genre, for a skin colour... this must stop, the inequality about everyone and everything must be stoped because nobody deserves to have not as much respect than another 💭 I am sorry because I didn’t read the book but I am still very thankful over you all. Sorry for my English and thanks !
Best regards 🌟

[Isobel]

I live in South Africa, a country that is famous for its racial history. We have spent more than 20 years trying to build a country on the principles of non-racialism, but it has become abundantly clear in recent years that South Africans have not been able to face their history and atone in a manner that truly rights the wrongs of the past. The idea of a "rainbow" nation is fading among the youth while older generations are unable to engage with the issues of racism.

This book is a crucial read for anyone who finds themselves faced with the task of understanding their own privilege, confronting their own prejudices and taking a step back to learn about the effects that our daily actions have on the lives of others. But it is an especially potent read in a country that barely escaped a racial war and is desperately trying to heal wounds and create a greater understanding among its people.

Currently, I cannot access this book, and winning it would make it accessible not only to me, but also to my friends and family, all of whom would benefit greatly from reading it. This book has the potential to empower us all to make lasting changes in our own lives and in the communities we live in and come into contact with.

[Mir]

I never realized about the concept of race until I came to study a masters in the US. The land of the freedom, where so many cultures cohabit, yet they don’t stand each other. I became more interested in learning about race around 2 years ago, when I met my boyfriend who is mix-raced. I always considered myself a very open and tolerant person, but what do I know about race if I never had to tell them apart till now? I think this book would help me understand and put myself in other people’s shoes, specially the ones I chose to love.

[Kawther]

We live in a world where it seems like equality is such a hard thing to achieve. When I saw that this book was the Jan/Feb read, it's safe to say I was very much excited. As a black woman, I have unfortunately come to recognise the discrimination all people of colour are subjected to. That is why I believe that this book is of such great importance due to it's profound title, the truth it uncovers and the education it could provide. It's a book that talks about feminism and racism, two topics that I believe need to be talked about because even in today's day and age, women still face gender inequality and people of colour still face racism. Reni draws from personal experiences to paint the raw image of what it's like to be shunned for something as natural as skin colour, she showcases the struggles that black women face. To put it simply, Reni Eddo Lodge makes a statement, one that stays with you, one that makes you stop and think. Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race is a lesson, and I think we should all take a moment to learn from it.

[Bec]

This is a book that touches on some extremely important issue that still plagues our society. Acceptance of all is what we should want as a global society. I still have hope that this is possible. This is because of books like this and opinions of intelligent young people with a better way with words than I could ever have.

[Tara]

This book is important because in order to have productive dialogue about racism, all parties involved need to be open to all possible ideas and comments, including negative ones. I’ve run into barriers on so many hot topics because the person I want to discuss with is defensive because they share a common characteristic with assailants I’m referring to. When a person feels attacked, he or she moves to a defensive strategy rather than an open one. Except the defensive person usually isn’t being attacked. The person speaking to him or her just wants to be heard. I want to win this giveaway because I want to LEARN about why this book is so important. I need to know why and then I need to share it with everyone I know.

[Zanie]

I'm a white woman living in South Africa, and more than ever I'm aware of the legacy of Apartheid in my country. I was born in 1990, part of the "Free Generation" but today I can still see the remnants of the terrible discrimination my non-white friends faced, and continue to face, every day. Often, the most difficult discussions are the ones with other white South Africans - they seem to think that the end of Apartheid immediately leveled the playing field and go to extreme lengths to defend their privilege. However, it's a discussion that we, as white South Africans, have to have and I'll continue to do so.

Books like these provide a perspective that is so crucial in understanding the nuances of racism, often so ingrained in our societies and psyche. Furthermore, it speaks to the responsibility of non-white people to educate themselves on this matter - that it is not the responsibility of the oppressed to educate the oppressor on what they are doing is unfair, discriminatory and hurtful.

[|Life Spent Reading|]

It’s important because it’s relatable.We need to learn to be more tolerant and less discriminating.More accepting and less judgemental.
.
I would love to read it.

[Thicia]

Racism, well.. let me tell you a story.
I'm 23 and i was born in a family with very strong racist ideas. My great grandmother was a native from Brazil mix with African slaves, my great grandfather was an Italian immigrant. My family moved to Europe when i was 8 and i moved to Australia at the age of 19. I've experienced racism in these 3 continents and i've had enough of it, as all of you. I'm here now to tell this story because back there, in the past, when the natives were crying for their lands stolen from the colonies, when the African slaves were suffering in the canne sugar field, when the Italians were running away after the World War.. someone, people just like us, were asking themselves the same questions as we are now, and fighting for what was right for them there, what is right now. Racism is everywhere, in everyone.. our history is based on racism, it is inside of us like a disease. I know it because i've experienced it myself, i've fought racism and protected people but i've behaved like a racist many times too. It is something that each one of us needs to work on and fight against day by day.
I truly believe that this book is going to help me to do better, to inspire people to understand and to see how much suffering racism can bring to everyones lives if we don't push it way. There is so much hate behind it, there have been so many wars and blood, but we are here now because people have never given up, my family hasn't, i haven't. I won't.

[Renz]

This book is important

[Gretel]

I live in Switzerland but I'm not Swiss. From an early age on I experienced what it meant not have the passport from the country you live in: I only spoke Spanish and it took me years to learn German because I had no friends who would talk to me, hence I couldn't practice German; being from an immigrant family my parents couldn't help me with my homework and even less so learn German; I regularly had to justify my existence and had to fight stereotypes about Spanish people as lazy, uneducated and stupid.
Yet, with all my experiences as a female immigrant, I had it comparatively easy because I was still "white" enough, still European. Don't get me wrong, the hatred was real and even adults would attack me on the street, verbally assaulting me and demanding explenations for why I couldn't speak proper German, why I was in Switzerland (I was born here) and what atrocities the Spanish Empire committed (I don't want to legitimise the genocide the Spanish committed in any way! However, it was a lot to ask for a child to explain herself and be verbally abused for things I couldn't even fully fathom.)
But I soon realised that the were people who had it even worse than me. People of colour and Muslims were treated with even more vitriol and hatred. The dynamic shifte. The Spanish and Italian immigrants suddenly became the "good" foreigners and the "bad" foreigners had darker skin or the "wrong" faith, came from war riddled places, fled persecution and execution, yet they were met with disdain.

Switzerland is far from being a neutral country. The strongest party is the right-wing (and by a few inches short of being Nazis) SVP who launched bills that prohibited the building of minaretts, made it possible to throw out foreigners with criminal records and many more things. They also wanted to create a second tier penal system for non-Swiss citizens. For any crime committed, a foreigner would be punished at least two times as hard, e.g. if a Swiss would steal a car, he would get 2 years prison. A foreigner could be punished for five years or more, even thrown out of the country. In other words, the SVP wanted to make ALL foreigners (not only POC or Muslims, also members of the EU, ergo even white people weren't save) second class citizens with less legal rights but multiple times harder punishments for the same crime as a Swiss citizen.

If we take a look at international problems with racism, such as Poland, the US, the UK, France and many more, it's safe to say that reading books like the one by Reni Eddo, are absolutely important.
My life as a foreigner has taught me that there is no "good" or "bad" foreigners, but there's systemic racism and colonialism's graps has still a hold on our world.
I've experienced first hand how it is going to school and teachers expecting you to fail because your passport doesn't match with theirs and not giving you the education you deserve because they think that you're doomed to fail and will get a low-paying job anyway. I've seen how the upper middle-class kids got better support and special courses to prepare them for a higher education (which most of them failed) while the few foreigners in the class were being actively ignored or excluded, even mocked for their inability to speak correct German.
I've been fed anti-immigrant hatred, especially towards Muslims and Africans. I've seen the effects on kids that were treated like they were stupid or even worse, criminals in the making. I've worked hard on my own bias fed to me by society and want to learn more,
I want to support marginalised voices. This is the year I want to read books by women about racism, sexism and other issues.
I want to read this book because this is the year I chose to stop ignoring the casual racism and take a step forward to working in politics and get my PhD to tackle Swiss colonialism.

We are at the cusp of seeing fascism rise again and this book could help me see my own flaws and guide me through the hell hole we're in and support minority voices.

[[deleted user]]

This book is so important because there is still racism in this world in a huge way, and it is definitely not an issue of only one state.

[Anastasia]

I think we also should understand the side of the ignorance, or lack of sympathy of the (white) people who doesn't and didn't suffer from this problem. It's hard to make a point where the other side it's not touched by this issue everyday, and it is not only applies to racism, but to sexism too. I want to believe it's because of the lack of knowledge, so if we little by little explain it to the people I think little by little it will make a difference in their conscience. I want to read this book to be more aware of this issue, I'm white and European but I studied American literature together with Minorities Literature, and I'm so glad that I took that course. I want to keep learning, keep understanding and keep spreading awareness.

[Momo]

With everything that is going on in our world today, and not just in the United States, we need this book moer than ever. We should all know more about how people are treated, no matter for what reason.

[Amélie]

This book is important because feminism is about equality between people, no matter their gender. However, what we often forget is that race is also an important factor in this fight. No country has given the same rights to men and women, and even less between white people and the others.
If you are not persecuted because of your race, it is really hard to even consider this difference, because it does not affect us directly. This book is here to raise awareness about how deep this fight goes and should go.

[P.J.]

I would like to read this book because I have never encountered discrimination. I live in a small, welsh village and barely see anyone of a different culture. I feel it’s important to step out further from my comfort zone and hear from others of various race. I read about so many atrocities done to people who are considered ‘ different’ and it repulses me beyond measure.
The welsh and English tolerate each other mostly, yet the Welsh have always been a target of fun and ridicule for many.
And so, with all this in mind, I hope I am lucky x

[Simone Mai]

This book (and others like it) is very important. And maybe more than ever. Even in a country like mine (Denmark) where most indigenous Danes tell them self that they’re humanists and care for equal rights, a wave of subtle nationalism, and new (old) acceptance of the racial structures that still hides under the surface of our institutions and traditions, has made a shift in the common view on non-white peoples place in our culture. A shift that scares me so much.

As a white heterosexual girl I believe that it is my duty to educate myself towards an understanding for people who’s life’s are not as privileged as mine. That’s how I someday might be able to share that privilege with them.

This book is very very important! Especially for us who needs to know so much more.

[Lena]

At my university in London, a graffiti of Angela Davis takes up an entire part of the wall. One of her most famous quotes is sprayed below: "We have to talk about freeing minds as well as liberating society".
When I saw Eddo-Lodge's book at the local bookseller around the corner I was both elevated and saddened. Elevated, because, as a white woman, I have found it rather tiring to "educate" my non-black friends on topics such as cultural appropriation, hairdo, or, most commonly, why we cannot sing the "n-word" in songs (no, being a long-time hip-hop fan does not count as an excuse, Sylvia). Therefore, it was great to see this unapologetic statement written in bold letters on the cover of a book by a woman of Nigerian heritage.
At the same time, it is quite saddening that decades after Angela Davis, it is necessary, still, to remind society that no matter how "free" we think society is, the minds of society are largely unchanged. In an era of "The New Jim Crow" who are we, as white people, to almost hysterically hold on to colourblindness when evidence contradicts us?

[[deleted user]]

hi, this book is important to read as the world is changing. Women & Men should try to improve and stop arguing about a superiority based on gender, race, weight, school level, country or whatever other reason. We should be able to discuss as equals from wherever we come. This is why reading such a book is relevant, it is a step to better understanding.

[Erik]

Since the colonisation era, white Europeans have seen themself superior to others (consciously during that time until about Martin Luther King's mind-changing and groundbreaking speech and Nelson Mandela's important work and nowdays more unconsciously). Service and product advertising and commercials are dominated by white presenters, even in countries where the majority of the population are black or of Asian descent. This subconsciously develops the minds of black people and Asian people of thinking white people superior to themself. On the other hand, white people subconsciously develop a mind which prefers and regards themself superior to other races since their early childhood. Many people (in this case many white people) do not pursue the effort to change their subconcious mind by mindfulness practices, meditation, conscious work and deep contemplation. Therefore, it is tiresome to to talk about race to white people since even though they would claim to be completely open-minded and aware of decisions concerning race, they subconsciously are not due to their unconscious biased mind.

[Ellen-Arwen]

This book is so important for a lot of reasons. I read it originally because I wanted a UK perspective of what being black 'feels' like, as I've read a lot more American books on the subject. I feel I live in a very white-dominated area, and don't experience the issue of discrimination towards others, basically wondering whether this was relevant to the society I live in.

What I got was something quite different. This isn't a book telling you what it 'feels' like to be a person of colour. Because, if you are white, you will never truly be able to understand that. That's what the title is alluding to. But it's more than that. I was shocked at how people of colour are subject to such institutional racism on a daily basis, that I'm not even aware of.

More importantly, I was made aware that I take for granted my white skin, and that in itself is a problem. I'd love to say that I'm colour blind, but this book has made me see that it's not as simple as that, nor is it desirable. Not seeing race means that nothing can change; it doesn't acknowledge the structural racism that exists in our white-dominated society. As Eddo-Lodge says: 'Colour-blindness is a childish, stunted analysis of racism.' I was shocked and appalled (at myself) after this statement, but it is true. Being in a minority will completely change your experience of life, something that I was unaware of from the moment of birth because I was born into a white culture as a white woman.

Also, to my surprise, this book talks about feminism. Why was I surprised? The fact that these issues intercross and we are left with two issues, neither more or less important than the other. The interesting, and saddening, thing I took from reading this section was white-dominated feminism actively seeks to clamp down on black-dominated feminism in some instances.

This book acknowledges the world is changing in many ways, and we need to keep up with the changing language of race, politics, feminism and class. I would love to be able to lend this book to people to share what I have learnt from it. It's particularly pertinent for people who live in Britain who can easily dismiss racism as not very relevant here. Eddo-Lodge shows that it is. And what we can do. Because 'racism is a white problem... You can only do so much from the inside.'

It's up to all of us.

[Marlijne]

I recently read this article by Richard Dyer called 'The Matter of Whiteness', which discusses the fact that white people often name the race of any person that has a race other than their own. This causes 'white' to be the standard race for humans and therefore implies that anyone with a different race is not really conforming to the image of a 'standard human'. This article opened my eyes to the fact that the norm, even now in 2018, is STILL white, even though many people claim that the issues of racism are no longer relevant. They are. Racism is still an issue.
I would love to read this book to learn more about this subject and educate myself, to be able to understand fully the complex issue that we are dealing with and to make even the slightest change in the world.

[Eugene]

Hello,

From my perspective as a Filipino American, who grew up here, i have seen all sides of a on going fight. Even though i grew up here in the States, as a Filipino as a people we love thy neighbor. In the Philippines it's one Giant Melting pot of People, of all Races and religions. It may be a Third world country, but we are happy with everyone who comes to live or just visit.

This books take a stab at today's modern world, we are just fighting among ourselves. Why we are all the same in the inside. What is the difference, i don't see why we must continue this fight. I have many friends all over the world, of all races, of all religions. Me, I don't care what they are, i care for who they are, There personality their interest and, many other things.

I would highly recommend everyone to read this book. Its inspiring and insightful.

-EDS

[Georgina]

Jo wrote: "Dear Our Shared Shelf,
We are super happy to be giving away 60 copies of our current read 'Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race' by Reni Eddo-Lodge.

For your chance to win a copy, ..."

A lot of people feel that racism is over. And the vast majority of those people are white.

This books is particularly of interest as lots of books on race are focused on the African-American experience whilst this book is focused on the Black-British experience. I think a lot of white people in the United Kingdom think they are not as culpable of subtle or overt racism as their American counterparts, because the UK did not have Jim Crow and segregation or anti-suffrage laws. This negated the fact that there was the Colour Bar and lots of formal/informal barriers preventing non-White people from progressing in the same way. British imperialism also exported racism to the colonies as well as practising it at home.

These discussions often make white people uncomfortable or defensive so I can understand why a person of colour may not want to talk to white people about the race if they are going to then be attacked.

[Katarina]

I think this book is extremely important now in order to educate white people, such as myself, and truly help us at least in some way grasp and understand the problem that is still so current in our society and somehow larger than ourselves, even though we're the ones who have both started it all those years ago and are still benefitting from it. I try to stay as educated as possible on all matters close to my heart and those I chose to lend my voice to to amplify and fight for, to try my best and remove all the internalized racism that I have been guilty of and yet unaware of simply because I was raised in a society that favored and benefitted me. It's on us to understand our privilege and how we can use it for good, and books like these definitely serve to broaden our horizons. I've heard so many great things about this book and would love to read it. Thank you for this opportunity!

[Alessia]

I have not yet read this book (but I have been reading so many positive reviews so far) which tries to explain the deep connections between racism and society, connections not always easy to identify and often oversimplified by those who want to pretend nothing .
Never as in this period we live in a way in which sex, race, religion discriminations are the order of the day. I live in Northern Italy but I amfrom the South. My origin from Sicily is subject to discrimination, often people call me "terrona", a derogatory way to indicate those who come from the South. In recent weeks we have witnessed racist regurgitation in Macerata, a small city in central Italy, where, following of an atrocious crime of a girl killed by Nigerian immigrants, a white Italian took up arms and started shooting at immigrants (again in Milan a girl was killed by an Italian and white man but nobody was outraged). On March 4, the Italians will be called to the polls to vote for the new government: my fear is that the homophobic and xenophobic right will rise to power. In several cities there were manifestations of Casa Pound, a movement that refers to fascist ideas. The Italian constitution prohibits political parties of fascist origin, yet some members of Casa Pound will present themselves at the elections with the risk that we find them in Parliament on March 5th. Last night one of the right-wing TV leaders denied that there is a return to racism and fascism in Italy: he said that fascism is a thing of the past and has been overcome. I tell you that this is not the case: all days we are bombarded with false news on immigrants and right-wing parties are campaigning to foster fear and racism in people with little school education against the immigrants or Muslims. We are going through a very dark period and I hope that all young people in Italy, Europe and the rest of the world will become aware of what is happening and the brainwashing that the right-wing parties and xenophobic groups are carrying out indiscriminately. I come from a land, Sicily, which for centuries has been at the center of the world. We have undergone numerous invasions but today's cultural wealth is the result of centuries-old contamination between different cultures. I am a daughter and proud of this multiculturalism and I feel "rich" compared to other people who have never met someone different. A book on racism can only widen the horizons and open your eyes to the realities that many people pretend not to see or even deny. Only with the culture and knowledge of what seems different or distant from our habits, from our way of life, we can ogether defeat any germ of racism.

[Mentari]

Up until now, I haven’t completely feel, acknowledge and experience about discrimination and racism. I want this book as something to widen my knowledge and to open my eyes what is REALLY happening in this world. I want to stand up for others too.

[Lisa]

This topic has always been important, but recent events have brought it to the forefront. We should have an open dialogue where people of color can educate others and share their experiences. The racial divide in America is deepening and we have to do what we can to repair it. It starts with education. It's incredibly frustrating to have to explain "privilege" to someone who has not dealt with certain challenges. It often stems from their inexperience with particular hardships. If it doesn't personally affect them, they don't see a problem.

[Deburus]

The answer is in the title itself.

[Justine]

This book is important to read because racism shouldn't exist any longer. Moreover, it is absurd that people don't feel concerned: we all are. We must all understand how we handle racism badly, how we make others feel, how we can now react - first, reading the book!

[Sena]

I am white and I simply want to understand the experience of the author and why she no longer talks to white people about race. I also hope that it will provide general insight into the experiences of people of marginalized races. This is a sensitive issue, and I would like to know how I can contribute to their cause while not offending anybody.

[Richa]

This book is important because we all are facing racism in some form everywhere in this whole world. I have having brown skin tone and I know how difficult is it to find the good companion or life partner. Even when I am in a committed relationship, I daily get "you are not beautiful enough, that girl is having fair skin, she is beautiful." people should read it and understand the fact that inner-self or what we call soul should be white or pure. Skin color doesn't matter.