Issa Rae

(This is a review of the audio version)

I think I would have enjoyed this better in written form, because I had a hard time following along and staying interested to the audio version. Essays especially I think lend themselves well to paper (or electronic) versions because they can be read in chunks; the audio version for me meant stopping it a lot right in the middle, and not being able to listen again until I’d forgotten what I already heard.

That said, what I do recall I did enjoy. Ms. show more Rae is a writer and now actor (her show Insecure debuted on HBO this year) who tells a good story. This book is a memoir that covers her life in mostly chronological order. I chuckled a few times, and found her descriptions to be very vivid.

I can’t offer much more again because apparently I just didn’t absorb a lot from the audio version, but I do think I can recommend it, especially if you are enjoying her TV show or enjoyed the web series that preceded it. show less

This collection of essays was really informal. It's a realistic conversation. It isn't terribly pushy, but it did drag, unintentionally in a few places. I can say that Issa Rae was "intentional". As a black male nerd in my 30s, I was glad to learn from her. For those African-Americans searching for some valuable perspective. I suggest reading: The Struggle, The ABG Guide: Connecting with other Blacks, and A/S/L.

It was delightful to remember that AOL was a time in our computer past, a show more network that truly forces people in my generation to think in terms of stories, sentences, dialog, and messages. I remember when I learned that A/S/L meant age, sex, and location. Because Facebook and Instagram have replaced chats and messaging, we are a bit less intentional about the way we use language. It was nice to be reminded that the online personas created on AOL and MySpace in the 90s and 2000s required more mystery. I liked her humor about those Sherlock Holmesian connections with people. I am an awkward so it was breathtaking to see that there is someone like me challenging the notion of performative "blackness".

When I read "I Can't Dance" I was elated because as a disabled person, it's been hard to demonstrate to non-disabled people that I actually have rhythm.

Issa Rae helps me understand that every black person is different and the idea of being black is still being re-shaped by those that willfully and rightly acknowledge our new position in a diverse and changing world. It was a breath of fresh air to see that I don't have to be so militant and claustrophobic about my own culture, that I can (like her) find a middle-ground or a slope and tread that place. show less

I am a huge Issa Rae fan, I am an ABG stan. Issa was awkward and awkward I still am. Issa gives us her truth, she holds herself up as a mirror for anyone who has just ever felt plain old different.
I love how she included all of her background into her story(it was great to be able to read and understand her parlez- vous francois.
I think the fact that Issa has been in a wonderful relationship with someone who totally gets her shows that she isn't as awkward as she may think.
This is a great show more read and it will make you laugh out loud and then cry because she is telling your story(the parts that you haven't told anyone else).
I hope to meet her one day so that I can let her know just how much she means to us awkward folk. show less

A collection of stories from the author's childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood, often revolving around her own social awkwardness. I was not familiar with the author and her work before reading this book and so I probably didn't appreciate it as much as someone who was already a fan. However, I still enjoyed it and found the author's family fascinating and her funny stories of embarrassment charming.