Stamped by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi

E-Audio, 04:11:29
Narrated by: Jason Reynolds
Release Date: March 10, 2020
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Read from: July 5-7, 2020
Stand-alone
Source: Library (Overdrive)
TW: Slavery, Racism, N-Word
For fans of: Non-Fiction, Jason Reynolds, Social Justice, Cultural

    A timely, crucial, and empowering exploration of racism–and antiracism–in America

     This is NOT a history book.
     This is a book about the here and now.
     A book to help us better understand why we are where we are.
     A book about race.

     The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. This remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning reveals the history of racist ideas in America, and inspires hope for an antiracist future. It takes you on a race journey from then to now, shows you why we feel how we feel, and why the poison of racism lingers. It also proves that while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited.

     Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative written by beloved award-winner Jason Reynolds, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas–and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.

*MY THOUGHTS*

I’m not one to normally read non-fiction, but sometimes I change my mind if there’s a book on a subject that I actually like. And of course, Black history, is MY history, so I’ve been waiting to read this forever. I’ve been on the hold list for the audio since it’s release (because of the narrator) and I think we finally purchased more copies, so it finally came in! And there could be no better time right?!

I think the best part of this is the readability. The synopsis says this isn’t a history book, but it obviously is. But it certainly does not read like one. It has some teen lingo and it talks about the historical topics in a contemporary tone. It’s such a good book! I’m so glad they decided to make a teen version of the original!

Another part of this that I loved is unique to the audio experience. In between each chapter and each section, there is a song that plays, and Jason Reynolds also is the narrator so that’s a WIN. He wrote it, so he knew all the inflections to make and the breaks and ughhhhh I can’t do it justice. He was the perfect person to write and narrate this!

And then there’s the subject matter. When I tell you was so into this book I was reading a physical copy to go and add tabs to, and then I was also listening to it. It was so good! And it definitely put me in a reading slump afterwards. The book I was reading I was super excited for, but when I started reading it, I got to chapter 8 and realized I just didn’t want to read that right then. I think this book ruined me for a while. If you could see the amount of tabs I went through while reading it, you’d completely understand.

I love that this non-fiction book that most people would have thought twice about buying is now getting the attention it deserves. But still, I hate the circumstances. I really hope that people are buying this book, reading it, and actually taking the words to heart. So tell me, are you a hater, assimilationist, or an anti-racist?

Overall, I give this

Have you read this? Do you know what the terms in my last line mean? Do you like reading non-fiction? Let me know in the comments!