The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn't, and Why

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Houghton Mifflin

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Studio: Houghton Mifflin
Theatrical Release Date: Dec 31, 1969
DVD Release Date: Dec 31, 1969
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ASIN: 0618197176
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Sales Rank: 191095

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Editorial Review from Product Description:

A renowned cultural critic untangles the twisted history and future of racism through its most volatile word.BRBRThe N Word reveals how the term "nigger" has both reflected and spread the scourge of bigotry in America over the four hundred years since it was first spoken on our shores. Asim pinpoints Thomas Jefferson as the source of our enduring image of the "nigger." In a seminal but now obscure essay, Jefferson marshaled a welter of pseudoscience to define the stereotype of a shiftless child-man with huge appetites and stunted self control. Asim reveals how nineteenth-century "science" then colluded with popular culture to amplify this slander. What began as false generalizations became institutionalized in every corner of our society: the arts and sciences, sports, the law, and on the streets.BRBRAsim's conclusion is as original as his premise. He argues that even when uttered with the opposite intent by hipsters and hip-hop icons, the slur helps keep blacks at the bottom of America's socioeconomic ladder. But Asim also proves there is a place for the word in the mouths and on the pens of those who truly understand its twisted history -- from Mark Twain to Dave Chappelle to Mos Def. Only when we know its legacy can we loosen this slur's grip on our national psyche.

Amazon Customer Reviews:

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Another perspective, 2008-05-14
As the author of this book, I'm naturally disappointed with Ms. Craven's assessment of my work. Of course, I strenuously disagree. Fortunately, my domestic and international travels on behalf of the book have led to fruitful discussions with thousands of readers who have indeed appreciated my work, and their responses have left me enormously gratified.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

Don't bother reading this - many misrepresentations and biases, 2008-05-03
The interview with the author on Cspan was interesting, but the book itself was a huge disappointment. I read it from BACK to FRONT, because the information I wanted to learn about (I'm studying politics and civil rights) was in the last chapters. The index was seriously lacking. Having lived through much of the history Asim wrote about, I easily recognized his serious omissions of important people and distortions of historical and well-known facts. Also apparent was his strong bias in favor of people he apparently likes or dislikes. Ultimately, the book was useless to me. In this case, the messenger OBSCURES the message.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn't, and Why, 2008-03-10
I saw Jabari Asim speak at our Black Heritage Festival in Savannah. He was so wonderful I had to have the book. I attend with several friends and we ordered as a group. The book was just as we expected. I would recommend the book to anyone interested in race relations and social science.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Powerful...yet somewhat empty, 2008-03-03
It's a good read but it's nothing you haven't heard or read before. It's wasn't really an eye-opener.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

disappointed, 2008-01-11
I guess my expectations were too high. When I saw the author interviewed on The Colbert Report, I was left with the impression that I would love to read this book. This topic is fascinating and important to me, maybe b/c of the time period that I have grown up. br / br /Unfortunately, I feel that the author is a poor writer and that it just seems like he is throwing out a lot of "catch" topics, rather than really telling the story that you think he is going to tell. The content seems to be all over the place and just doesn't flow. I kept reading, thinking that I would finally get sucked in - but it never happened.