How to Be Black [Paperback]

“Part autobiography, part stand-up routine, part contemporary political analysis, and astute all over.... Reading this book made me both laugh and weep with poignant recognition.... A hysterical, irreverent exploration of one of America’s most painful and enduring issues.” — Melissa Harris-Perry

The Onion’s Baratunde Thurston shares his 30-plus years of expertise in being black, with helpful essays like “How to Be the Black Friend,” “How to Speak for All Black People,” “How To Celebrate Black History Month,” and more, in this satirical guide to race issues. Audacious, cunning, and razor-sharp,How to Be Blackexposes the mass-media’s insidiously racist, monochromatic portrayal of black culture’s richness and variety. Fans ofStuff White People Like,This Week in Blackness, andEnding Racism in About an Hourwill be captivated, uplifted, incensed, and inspired by this hilarious and powerful attack on America’s blacklisting of black culture: Baratunde Thurston’sHow to Be Black.

“A hilarious blend of razor-sharp satire and memoir. . . . Using his own story and humor, Thurston demonstrates that the best way to ‘be’ anything is to simply be yourself.” -Publishers Weekly

“Terrific...How to Be Blackis an assault on nostalgia--a satirical, biographic attack on the idea that ‘blackness’ or any label should be derived from historical description.” -Fast Company

“A hilarious look at the complexities of contemporary racial politics and personal identity.” -Booklist

Struggling to figure out how to be black in the 21st century? Baratunde Thurston has the perfect guide for you...Fans of Stuff White People Like, This Week in Blackness and other blogs that take satirical shotsl31