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Loading... My Seven Black Fathersby Will Jawando
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. I really enjoyed this book. A real tribute to the wonderful men in Yemi's life. How blessed he is! I wish there could be a way to provide this kind of support and education to all people, but most of all to young black men. Thank you for a thought provoking read. ( ) Title: My Seven Black Fathers Author: Will Jawando Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux Reviewed By: Arlena Dean Rating: Five Review: "My Seven Black Fathers" by Will Jawando My Assessment: 'My Seven Black Fathers' was wonderfully written by 'author, civil rights attorney, and Montgomery County Councilman Will Jawando.' We find how these black men stepped up to the plate and were there for Will when his Nigerian biological father had failed in being around. Will had a caucasian mother from Kansas and a Nigerian father. It was an excellent ride as this group of men stepped up from a 'stepfather, a coach, a gay man, a pastor, a Nigerian entrepreneur, and the former President Barack Obama'...all of these men were there for Will when he needed someone. And by the end, it seems like his father, who had been so isolated from his American struggle, finally came around. Pick up this read that was so well-written where you will get some humor, good descriptions, and even some agony in what was going on at that time... in the life of Wiliam Opeyemi Taofik Alabi Jawando. Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for the ARC read and my leaving my opinion of the read. My Seven Black Fathers by Will Jawando succeeds on so many levels, both personal and societal. Structuring his memoir around seven pivotal father figures in his life helps make this as much social commentary as memoir. That said, neither is neglected. You become invested in his personal journey just as much as you, one hopes, become invested in wanting to make social change. One of the things that struck me early in the book was Jawando's ability to point out what he might disagree with about a figure without judging that person without context. The historical moment as well as one's upbringing is what makes any of us who we are, and we are presented with these men as both products of their times as well as agents for change, both in Jawanda's personal life and society as a whole. While I think many readers will take away the bigger message, the value of mentoring and community, I hope they don't lose sight of the memoir itself. Having these father figures is just part of the equation. What Jawando does with what he learns and observes is just as big a part, and this book takes us through the ups and downs of his life. The willingness to use his life story to help promote a better world speaks to the type of man he has become. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in either the biography/memoir genre itself or making iterative change in the world. Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. no reviews | add a review
Distinctions
Biography & Autobiography.
Sociology.
African American Nonfiction.
Nonfiction.
HTML: "Will Jawando's account of mentorship, service, and healing lays waste to the racist stereotype of the absent Black father. By arguing that Black fathers are not just found in individual families, but are indeed the treasure of entire Black communities, Will makes the case for a bold idea: that Black men can counter racist ideas and policies by virtue of their presence in the lives of Black boys and young men. This is a story we need to hear." â??Ibram X. Kendi, New York Timesâ??bestselling author of How to be an Antiracist No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)975.2History and Geography North America Southeastern U.S. MarylandLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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