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441 reviews for:
This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America
Morgan Jerkins
4.03 AVERAGE
441 reviews for:
This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America
Morgan Jerkins
4.03 AVERAGE
Great writing and love the essay formats. Challenging as a white reader and enthralling as a young woman reading. Definitely recommend to my peers.
I am not sure yet how I would rather this book. I first came across a mention of it on a list of books about race that were recommended for white people to read in order to educate themselves; then, I found this book situated in a curated section near the front of my library under something like "women's writing" or "women's history" or something like that. I flipped open the book to where the author talks about wanting to be a blonde, white cheerleader, and then quickly, greedily added this book to the check-out pile.
When I finally sat down to read further, I feel like this book and this author gave me many things. Thoughts about the body, specifically black, cisgender women's bodies. School bullies, with the complications involved when both parties are black. Ruminations on love, and the painful quest for it, especially as an educated black woman. Learning about life, love, and family, and trying hard to see how far your ambition and hard work will take you. Wanting to blend in, to disappear, but receiving constant reminders that you have failed, and that others are always watching.
While the other parts of the book were enlightening to read as one black woman's views on the world around her, I particularly connected with the author when she detailed her international interests and language learning, because those were past ambitions of mine, too. Likewise, another area that spoke to me was when the author covered portrayal of the black community by non-black people - I agreed with a lot of what she was saying. More black stories should be shown, and more black people should be writing and directing and acting in these stories. The world is full of whiteness, and that shouldn't be the default, because then, we leave out a great many people who aren't white. Representation absolutely matters.
After reading this collection of essays, I am interested to see what this author writes about next. My hope is that, even though she did not get in to a creative writing program, that she still writes some creative fiction or collaborates in screenplays, plays, or other media writing. Also, the reader part of me would love to know who her favorite authors are in English, Japanese, and Russian - she clearly reads a lot, and I'm sure she must have thoughts on these - whose work really speaks to her, inspires her as a writer, or is just a good read.
In closing, this is the first book I've read by this author, and I'll be on the lookout for her name in the future.
When I finally sat down to read further, I feel like this book and this author gave me many things. Thoughts about the body, specifically black, cisgender women's bodies. School bullies, with the complications involved when both parties are black. Ruminations on love, and the painful quest for it, especially as an educated black woman. Learning about life, love, and family, and trying hard to see how far your ambition and hard work will take you. Wanting to blend in, to disappear, but receiving constant reminders that you have failed, and that others are always watching.
While the other parts of the book were enlightening to read as one black woman's views on the world around her, I particularly connected with the author when she detailed her international interests and language learning, because those were past ambitions of mine, too. Likewise, another area that spoke to me was when the author covered portrayal of the black community by non-black people - I agreed with a lot of what she was saying. More black stories should be shown, and more black people should be writing and directing and acting in these stories. The world is full of whiteness, and that shouldn't be the default, because then, we leave out a great many people who aren't white. Representation absolutely matters.
After reading this collection of essays, I am interested to see what this author writes about next. My hope is that, even though she did not get in to a creative writing program, that she still writes some creative fiction or collaborates in screenplays, plays, or other media writing. Also, the reader part of me would love to know who her favorite authors are in English, Japanese, and Russian - she clearly reads a lot, and I'm sure she must have thoughts on these - whose work really speaks to her, inspires her as a writer, or is just a good read.
In closing, this is the first book I've read by this author, and I'll be on the lookout for her name in the future.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Genocide, Hate crime, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Dementia, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation
My March pick for pages against patriarchy bookclub at Loyalty! A challenging, personal, sprawling collection of essays. Recommend with some reservations. Will be very interested in what other book clubbers have to say!
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
I’m a bit on the fence with this book. Some stories were a lot stronger than others but were not given equal importance. The structure of the book was also very strange to me. One second we are talking about her step father’s dementia diagnose then her labia surgery without much connection . I also don’t think she ever really unpacked her privilege. She mentions how she is light-skinned, middle class, and educated but doesn’t go into any details on how that might of effected any of her issues in life.
As a feminist who happens to be white, it is important to me make sure I don't fall into the traps of "white feminism" so reading a memoir by a black woman is important to see how she addresses the differences between the patriarchy's effect on white women vs. woman of color or more specifically, in this case, black women.
When Jerkins addresses this, for the most part, she does it very well. For example when she talks about the ways a white woman can imitate black women's hair, speech, etc. and been seen as beautiful and exotic. Yet if a black woman were to imitate white women's hair, speech, etc. she would still never be seen as good enough.
There area few times I would have liked a bit more explanation. For example, she writes about the phenomenon of "slut"-shaming like it's purely within the black community when I can tell you growing up white middle-class it most certainly is not. It's true we don't have the concept of the "fast tailed-girl" but white girls are "slut" shamed as well, by peers, parents, society, etc. Perhaps it's worse for black women, but it's hard to know when I have no real comparison because as the author seems to not acknowledge that white girls go through this kind of thing, and in doing so, does not acknowledge how it is different.
Overall I'd say the book gets a solid 3. It wasn't quite the anti-racist, anti-white-feminism narrative I was expecting but I don't think it was fully meant to be because it was also a memoir.
When Jerkins addresses this, for the most part, she does it very well. For example when she talks about the ways a white woman can imitate black women's hair, speech, etc. and been seen as beautiful and exotic. Yet if a black woman were to imitate white women's hair, speech, etc. she would still never be seen as good enough.
There area few times I would have liked a bit more explanation. For example, she writes about the phenomenon of "slut"-shaming like it's purely within the black community when I can tell you growing up white middle-class it most certainly is not. It's true we don't have the concept of the "fast tailed-girl" but white girls are "slut" shamed as well, by peers, parents, society, etc. Perhaps it's worse for black women, but it's hard to know when I have no real comparison because as the author seems to not acknowledge that white girls go through this kind of thing, and in doing so, does not acknowledge how it is different.
Overall I'd say the book gets a solid 3. It wasn't quite the anti-racist, anti-white-feminism narrative I was expecting but I don't think it was fully meant to be because it was also a memoir.
I really liked it. The essays jumped around a bit and sometimes I had a hard time connecting the different parts in a chapter or how the stories related to each other. Or she would come back to a story after a few pages and I had forgotten the details and had to go back and skim the previous paragraphs about that story. All of this would have been fine if I had sat down and read the book all in one sitting. There’s some excellent insight in this book, I would highly recommend it.
(From a middle class white woman, so take it with a grain of salt. 😊)
(From a middle class white woman, so take it with a grain of salt. 😊)
I love the fact that this memoir ads Morgan Jerkins' voice and stories to those more readily accessible to "the world." There is definitely need and space for more diverse voices, and Jerkins' refreshingly doesn't read like a stereotype. I also applaud the author for her honesty in sharing personal stories. There are a few ideas that I just don't buy (mostly that there is some sort of racial memory that imparts rhythm and loudness in people who are black), but for the most part I appreciated Jerkins' honesty, and her ability to put into words the dissonance that she has felt existing and living as a black woman. Jerkins also touches upon the ways in which white feminism, colorblindness, and universalism are problematic. Although I wish that Jerkins had discussed more about the intersections of class and race, and class and gender, every book can be everything to everyone.
Content warning: some adult themes and profanity.
I read this book completely blind and then quickly realized Morgan Jerkins is incredible and now follow her on twitter. She is a great writer, and I can't wait to read more by her. Great look into the intersections of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America like she says.
I read this book completely blind and then quickly realized Morgan Jerkins is incredible and now follow her on twitter. She is a great writer, and I can't wait to read more by her. Great look into the intersections of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America like she says.