The world record book of racist stories

Amber Ruffin

Book - 2022

"Families may not always see eye to eye; we get on each other's nerves, have different perspectives and lives-especially if we've grown up in different generations. But for the Ruffin family and many others, there has been one constant that connects them: racism hasn't gone anywhere. From her raucous musical numbers to turning upsetting news into laughs as the host of The Amber Ruffin Show or in her Late Night with Seth Meyers segments, Amber is no stranger to finding the funny wherever she looks. With equal parts heart and humor, she and her sister Lacey Lamar shared some of the eye-opening and outrageous experiences Lacey had faced in Nebraska in their first book. Now, the dynamic duo makes it clear-Lacey isn't th...e only one in the family with ridiculous encounters to share! Amber and Lacey have many more uproarious stories, both from their own lives and the entire Ruffin family, in chapters awarding superlatives ranging from "The Most Racist Dog" to "Worst Gifted Program." Recounting the wildest tales of racism from their parents, their siblings, and Amber's nieces and nephews, this intergenerational look at ludicrous (but all too believable) everyday racism as experienced across age, gender, and appearance will have you gasping with shock and laughter in turn. Validating for anyone who has first-hand experience, and revealing for anyone who doesn't, Amber and Lacey's next book helps us all find the absurdity in the pervasive frustrations of racism. Illuminating and packed with love and laughter, this is a must-read for just about everyone"--

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Subjects
Genres
Humor
Published
New York : Grand Central Publishing 2022.
Language
English
Main Author
Amber Ruffin (author)
Other Authors
Lacey Lamar (author)
Edition
First edition
Physical Description
xiv, 217 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm
ISBN
9781538724552
  • Introduction
  • Chapter 1. Son of a Gun!
  • Chapter 2. What's Wrong with You?
  • Chapter 3. Mommy and Daddy Stories
  • Chapter 4. Why Don't You Believe Me?
  • Chapter 5. Don't Go in That Store
  • Chapter 6. Chrystal's in the Mix!
  • Chapter 7. Most White Privilege
  • Chapter 8. Look at These Dicks
  • Chapter 9. Commiserating Feels Fine!
  • Chapter 10. My Sister the Reverend
  • Chapter 11. It's Me Again!
  • Chapter 12. All Dogs Go to Heaven
Review by Booklist Review

Since the publication of their first book, You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey (2021), comedian Ruffin and her sister Lamar have received lots of feedback. Some readers rejoiced in the catharsis of calling out horrific and absurd instances of everyday racism. Other responses were less glowing, as folks created new racist stories for the sisters while trying to understand the existence of a book of racist stories. So the hilarious Amber and Lacey are giving the people what they need with this new collection of bigotry tales, delivering a fresh dose of their candor, wit, and smarts. Readers will be happy to see the authors' parents and siblings, beloved characters from the first book, also starring in these stories. Like the one about a white colleague who thought he "won" diversity training by having the highest score for privilege. Older sister Angie, a pastor, once fielded a complaint from a white congregant about her use of "brothers and sisters" while addressing the pews. Having faced racism that will make readers' skin crawl, the authors offer humor in a riotous tangle of rage, disbelief, amusement, and frustration but never lose their underlying message: racism is harmful, pervasive, and always wrong.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey was a runaway success and readers will clamor for another book with the authors' name on it.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

A perfect follow-up to the authors' You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey. Ruffin and her sister, Lamar, describe their second collaboration as a collection of stories not just about the two of them, as in their previous book, but "about our whole family, all our siblings and even some friends." Here, the tone is heavier than You'll Never Believe; the authors note that the text is roughly "50/50 silly/scary racist stories." Their tales range widely--someone using a ridiculous racist phrase at work that required research to understand; a jaw-dropping example of "why we need diversity training at diversity training"; and a heartbreaking yet poignant account of Lamar leading a Zoom-based Q & A session regarding the first book with several "boys and girls homes across the US"--and offer a pleasingly diverse array of different generations, occupations, and environments. As in the previous book, the banter between the sisters is consistently funny, but the underlying social commentary remains incisive. Among countless others, standout pieces include Lamar's description of an incredibly awkward first date and a story about a Black mother who was informed that when her children registered at a new school, they would need their pictures taken and "show it to all the students so they don't get scared." Though obviously upset, the mother made the pictures because, as the authors write, "if these people need to see Black people in order to not feel scared, then there's no telling what the fuck these little monsters are capable of." Ultimately, Ruffin and Lamar provide a much-needed wake-up call for anyone who still doesn't believe the severity of anti-Black racism in America. "What is a racist?," they ask at the beginning. "Is it just a confused person who means well but blah blah blah? No. A racist is a turd." Well said. An excellent look at lived experiences of Black Americans that should be required reading for all Americans. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.