Why read The Talk?

Book cover of The Talk

Book description

Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction 2024
New York Public Library's Best New Comics of 2023 Top Ten Pick

Darrin Bell was six years old when his mother told him he couldn’t have a realistic water gun. She said she feared for his safety, that police…

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Talk as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Ted Fleming

Author

I picked up this book, read the prologue, and never put it down. Every African American child I know has had “the talk.” When your parents explain why you cannot act like the other kids, and how you can navigate and transcend a toxic American sub-culture where people of color are viewed as angry, dangerous, or someone to be feared.

I love this book because it is direct, non-judgmental, and provides a path to open dialogue. Written from the viewpoint of Darrin as a six-year-old child, we trace his growth into adulthood and how he makes sense of race, culture,…

From Ted's 3 favorite reads in 2023.