If you’re an American football fan, you might already know who Emmanuel Acho is. Or, as I’ve been told, if you’re a fan of The Bachelor – apparently he was a host. Or maybe you just watch a lot of YouTube and stumbled across his channel of the same name. That’s how I found him – I watched him interview Matthew McConnaughey. I was intrigued by the format, but more so by Acho himself. He has this presence that shines through even the tiny screen of YouTube on my phone.
I was interested enough to do some Googling and found out he had written a book. I have been trying to work on educating myself more about Black history and racism, so I’ve been looking for more books that will help expand my understanding. This book seemed like it fit, and I figured if he wrote like he talks, I’d like it. He does.
The book is structured much like his interviews. Each chapter starts with a question he’s been asked about race, usually one that most White people have wondered about at some point but either didn’t know how to ask or didn’t have anyone they could talk to about it. He then provides context to the answer of the question – historyical, cultural or social information or he explains what it’s like to be Black in particular situations. Once he’s provided the background, he discusses the question and its answer in more depth – sometimes it’s a question with an easy answer that just requires some explanation, sometimes it’s a question that doesn’t have just one answer. He even provides suggestions for futher reading, sites to visit – even interactive elements like quizzes to take online. It’s also a great book to pick up and put down if you don’t have time to read a whole book in one go, as each chapter can be read individually.
I loved the tone of the book, I loved his honestly and openness and how willing he is to bring his own background into the discussion. He’s also happy to acknowledge when his experiences differ from other Black people he knows, and to discuss how that affected his perspective on the world around him and on his place within it. It’s easy to read, it is easy to understand, and yet it provides a lot of really important information. Best of all, it won’t make you feel like an ill-informed idiot, no matter how much or little you already know about the topic. And I think pretty much anyone will learn something from reading it. It’s a great place to start if you’re interested in learning more about race and racism, or a wonderful place to go next if you’re interested in learning more. I highly recommend it, and I’ll definitely pick up any other books he comes out with!
Book Title: Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man
Author: Emmanuel Acho
Series: No
Edition: Hardback
Published By: Flatiron Books
Released: November 10, 2020
Genre: Non-Fiction, Race, History, Culture
Pages: 256
Date Read: January 20-March 7, 2021
Rating: 9/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.29/5 (10,508 ratings)