Social Sciences
![Don Lemon - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B00CIWWG9Q.jpg)
This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism
In this ‘vital book for these times' (Kirkus Reviews), Don Lemon brings his vast audience and experience as a reporter and a Black man to today's most urgent question: How can we end racism in America in our lifetimes?
The host of CNN Tonight with Don Lemon is more popular than ever. As America's only Black prime-time anchor, Lemon and his daily monologues on racism and antiracism, on the failures of the Trump administration and of so many of our leaders, and on America's systemic flaws speak for his millions of fans. Now, in an urgent, deeply personal, riveting plea, he shows us all how deep our problems lie, and what we can do to begin to fix them.
Beginning with a letter to one of his Black nephews, he proceeds with reporting and reflections on his slave ancestors, his upbringing in the shadows of segregation, and his adult confrontations with politicians, activists, and scholars. In doing so, Lemon offers a searing and poetic ultimatum to America. He visits the slave port where a direct ancestor was shackled and shipped to America. He recalls a slave uprising in Louisiana, just a few miles from his birthplace. And he takes us to the heart of the 2020 protests in New York City. As he writes to his young nephew: We must resist racism every single day. We must resist it with love.
The host of CNN Tonight with Don Lemon is more popular than ever. As America's only Black prime-time anchor, Lemon and his daily monologues on racism and antiracism, on the failures of the Trump administration and of so many of our leaders, and on America's systemic flaws speak for his millions of fans. Now, in an urgent, deeply personal, riveting plea, he shows us all how deep our problems lie, and what we can do to begin to fix them.
Beginning with a letter to one of his Black nephews, he proceeds with reporting and reflections on his slave ancestors, his upbringing in the shadows of segregation, and his adult confrontations with politicians, activists, and scholars. In doing so, Lemon offers a searing and poetic ultimatum to America. He visits the slave port where a direct ancestor was shackled and shipped to America. He recalls a slave uprising in Louisiana, just a few miles from his birthplace. And he takes us to the heart of the 2020 protests in New York City. As he writes to his young nephew: We must resist racism every single day. We must resist it with love.
Editorial Reviews
"Lemon brings a searing power and persuasiveness to his arguments and views. In his eloquence and candor, Lemon is a lyrical and ardent advocate for what is decent, just, and long overdue. His dismay and anguish are laid bare with a fervor that is authentic and hard-won. Lemon's call-to-action is a soaring examination of the causes of racist violence and injustice past and present, and he expresses his commitment to asking tough questions and seeking demanding answers that he hopes will kindle the fire this time to constructively confront racism in all its forms."―Booklist
"Astutely diagnoses our nation's greatest malady. . . . Throughout, the author demonstrates an impressive ability to loop it all together and make it stick. He puts 2020 in context and gives it the language to sing a quietly outraged song. Long on context and analysis, this is a vital book for these times."―Kirkus Reviews
"Astutely diagnoses our nation's greatest malady. . . . Throughout, the author demonstrates an impressive ability to loop it all together and make it stick. He puts 2020 in context and gives it the language to sing a quietly outraged song. Long on context and analysis, this is a vital book for these times."―Kirkus Reviews
Readers Top Reviews
MMMtStephen G.Jaye
Thoughtfully lived and thoughtfully written. A "must read" for everyone of every colour. Maybe there is hope after all? As the author says "our history is now".
7SeriesElizabeth Har
You will get a feel for the content of this book from the opening letter that the author supposedly penned to his nephew. He speaks about how America has made very little progress on racism since Christopher Columbus first met the Native people here. First of all, Christopher Columbus never set foot in what became America. Second, we’ve made no progress on race in 600 years? Really? The author not only gets history wrong, he gets the blatantly obvious facts wrong. If you would like insight into the irrational, unhinged, America-hating far left, then this will be a very useful read. If you are looking for anything else, don’t waste your time. What comes through in this book is that Don Lemon is one of the most deluded, prejudiced, racist, extreme far left public figures in a sea of such people. If you want to see that, save yourself a lot of time and just watch any of his appearances on CNN.
Beebster
Don lemon takes us on a journey to lay out the challenges of black people in a country surrounded by hate. He acknowledges the power of grief and the struggle so many of us have as African Americans to maintain hope and an open mind so we can move beyond racism. However, we clearly cannot do it by ourselves and opens the door for people who are white to step up and contribute to addressing racism. The book is well written and engages you from the start. It has you crying and smiling , because you can relate to so many of his personal stories because his stories are your stories. Its a great beginning to have a discussion. Well done Don Lemon - thank you for opening the door to a much needed conversation.
C
Smug, glib and a belief that we need unity so long is the unity is agreeing with him. If we really want to have a discussion and not a lecture we need to honestly start with a firm end goal and not the series of moving goalposts he espouses nightly But, as many things today, the book was written for its echo chamber
Ann M. L. Johnson
I am 70-1/2 years old and I am smitten by this most important book. I have read 55-pages of it today and can clearly see the frankness and tender vulnerability of this writer's dedication to the subject. The subject is the abhorrent practice of enslavement and denigration of humans by those lost to themselves forever. The arrogance of white skin, position and power that remains flagrantly practiced is utterly unacceptable to the experience of human life. This wonderful Author bares his soul with wholesome tenderness, vulnerable humanity and compassionate strength. Gorgeous in his purpose, he aims to get the point across and he succeeds. He gets right to the point with every word. This book should be taught and required reading to and for every person on the planet. Forever. Kudos Don Lemon! I'm knocked out. How beautiful and brave you are!
