Black, White & Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self | 
|  | | | Title: | Black, White & Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self | | Author: | Rebecca Walker | | Publisher: | Riverhead Trade | | Type: | Book / Paperback | | Publication Date: | 08 January, 2002 | | ISBN / ISBN-13: | 1573229075 / 9781573229074 | | List Price: | $15.00 | | You Save: | $4.80 | | Amazon Price: | $10.20 | |
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| Editorial Review / Publisher's Information:
Product Description
Hailed as "compelling" by The Washington Post and "stunningly honest" by The San Francisco Chronicle, this memoir has hit bestseller lists and earned critical praise from coast to coast. Rebecca Walker was born in 1969 to author Alice Walker and lawyer Mel Leventhal, who met and married in the heyday of the Civil Rights movement. But after their divorce, Rebecca was a lonely only child ferrying between two worlds-and trying to figure out where she fit in.
"Masterfully illuminates differences between black and white America...a heartbreaking tale of self-creation." (People )
"Walker skillfully depicts her tangled upbringing, full of disappointment and privilege." (Time)
"Compelling." (The Dallas Morning News)
"A poignant, spare memoir." (Chicago Sun-Times)
"Powerful." (Danzy Senna, author of Caucasia)
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Customer Reviews:
• Thoroughly Enjoyed 28 August, 2008
I really enjoyed reading this book. Though I didn't have a lot of the same experiences growing up as Ms. Walker, except maybe that we were born the same year, I still found her story interesting. I'm white, with two Jewish parent's who are still married, but I found myself somehow relating to her story. I love her style of writing and look forward to reading many more books from her in the future.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A2XRKANK3NNQAM
• Brave And Original-a Must Read! 06 February, 2009
How funny, I recently wondered what it would have been like if RW had written her autobiography in the 1940's or 50's and from some of these negative and narrow minded reviews I actually don't have to wonder anymore! This book is so brave, I don't know where the author found the guts to write it but thankfully she did. I also think it speaks to anyone, not just multicultural people. The 70's and the 80's are described in vivid detail from the prescriptive of a girl who did not really get a chance to have a childhood but is still lighthearted. There is anger and bewilderment but there is little to no bitterness. There are a lot of funny moments ("you've got the crackers...") along side scary ones. Let's face it, most of us without famous or even slightly well known parents have little time for ANY of their offspring when they air even a remote grievance. After all, they may have issues but they always have 'a name' to fall back on and pave their way, right? Wrong. This book not only dramatically changes one's perception in that regard but as a reader we get one of those rare autobiographies that is not sugar coated or even consistently flattering. Apparently Alice Walker was not that happy with the book, in regards to how her mothering was is portrayed, I thought Rebecca Walker actually held a lot back! The historian Martin Duberman once wrote:
"We have become too aware of how reductive the standard identity categories of gender, class, race and ethnicity are when trying to capture the actual complexities of a given personality...Besides, many people have overlapping identities that compete for attention over time; and how we rank their importance in shaping our personalities can shift, which in turn leads to a re-allocation of political energies."
It applies to this book, she sees herself this way; unique.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A3W4ZMXTEXV27L
• Biracial Means Two Backgrounds Not One 18 July, 2008
I am a biracial female and a proud one at that, so when I saw this book on display at Barns and Noble I bought it immediately. So I read a few chapters trying to find someone that I could relate to and gave up. After getting through most of the book it became clear to me that this was not someone who celebrated her multicultural backgrounds like Rain Pryor, but that this was someone who seemed ashamed or even angry that she was biracial. This confused me since she clamed te be a movement child. I could not even finish the book because of the way she wrote about disowning her White/Jewish side and only embracing her Black side. It made me hate her for being given something so special and just treating it like a burdon. I love being biracial or multicultural because it makes me feel like I can identify with more then one group of people. And I for one embrace both of my parents heratige. I also couldn't believe that She could shun her father for trying to be a supportive parent and embrace her mother who really seemed to not want children. I understand that children always want to be loved by their mother a little more but I don't think that it was wise on her part to forget that her mother was not giving her all that she needed and that she should have turned to her father. All in all I feel cheated [...] for buying this peice of crap.
- Reviewed by customer ID: AWQ1PLKE074AR
• Pefection 14 February, 2009
This was required reading for me during my freshman year of college. Then, I thought it was a good book that offered insight into life. Now, 7 years later, I often find myself relating events in my life to Rebecca's story. I suspect that in the years to come, I will find much more to relate to.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A3C5UKAN7CZFDY
• Black White And Jewish 12 August, 2008
Being biracial and the same age as Rebecca Walker, I was very interested in reading this book. I like Walker's writing, I feel she invites the reader in without pretense, but I felt the book was too disjointed. It did not flow. I was interested in reading about her early life, but it was so confusing to keep up with how old she was and where she was living. Maybe that was the point, but I felt the book could have been much better if it was more tightly put together.
- Reviewed by customer ID: AVGW74CT6CBVS
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