Being Black in America (or: Keeping Up With The Book Theme)

Being back in grad school means that I spend a lot of my time in the world of theories: privilege, class, race, gender, etc.  That's not to say that these issues are only theories; obviously they play out in the real world every day.  Sometimes I notice them and sometimes I don't - one would argue that this is a privilege of my position as a white middle class woman in America.  One would argue that the only reason I sometimes don't notice them is that I'm privileged enough to have the choice of not noticing them.  And that observation would not be wrong.  But that said, I really enjoyed reading a book that was so frankly about "being black" from a post modern woman's perspective. 

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I'm just going to put it out there: being raised in the South and fairly well-educated in American history and cultural issues, the black v. white thing is tiring to me.  This is not to say I don't think it's important - especially in light of Ferguson, etc. - it's just that at this point in my life I have been so many places where blacks and whites (despite historical issues) have managed to progress to a place where it is no longer an issue (or as much of an issue).  And I feel like in America we continually dredge up the same problems over and over again until that's all anyone can see.  It's exhausting and counter productive.

Adichie's story (fiction) is about a Nigerian woman who comes to America for college.  Only once she lives here does she ever think of herself as black.  While the book is about race and class, it is also a modern love story that travels from America to England to Nigeria, and explains a lot about life in each country.  And, while it is about race and class, it doesn't beat you over the head, and Adichie's observations and points don't feel tired - they feel fresh, and the reader experiences them with the main character because she's new to America.  She's new to our racial issues and brings a non-American mindset to our tired paradigms; this is what I appreciate most.  She points out differences between "American blacks" and "Non American blacks."

This book does not read as if it is written for blacks.  Or for women.  Or for Africans wanting to create a life in America.  It reads like a series of observations that are frank and also analyzed for the reader; what seems confusing will eventually make sense and what seems self-explanatory will eventually be revealed as deeply prejudicial.  It's fascinating and I want to read all of Adichie's other works.  I've already loaned this one to a fellow TA and plan to read it again in the future.

Try it!