⋙ Download Gratis The Awkward Thoughts of W Kamau Bell Tales of a 6' 4" African American Heterosexual Cisgender LeftLeaning Asthmatic Black and Proud Blerd Mama Boy Dad and StandUp Comedian W Kamau Bell 9781101985878 Books

The Awkward Thoughts of W Kamau Bell Tales of a 6' 4" African American Heterosexual Cisgender LeftLeaning Asthmatic Black and Proud Blerd Mama Boy Dad and StandUp Comedian W Kamau Bell 9781101985878 Books

Download As PDF : The Awkward Thoughts of W Kamau Bell Tales of a 6' 4" African American Heterosexual Cisgender LeftLeaning Asthmatic Black and Proud Blerd Mama Boy Dad and StandUp Comedian W Kamau Bell 9781101985878 Books

The Awkward Thoughts of W Kamau Bell Tales of a 6' 4" African American Heterosexual Cisgender LeftLeaning Asthmatic Black and Proud Blerd Mama Boy Dad and StandUp Comedian W Kamau Bell 9781101985878 Books

This book is Bell, I think, in that it comes across as all the best of what I see Bell do and say in the eight years I've been following his career and watching & listening to--as much as I am able--his shows and presentations. The book is a journey and the recollections of his memories and experiences, where he shares the high spots, the low spots, the fun spots--and the spots where it is pretty awful and painful.

I read this book out on the patio in the sun, listening to the squirrels and jays and hummingbirds, and thought "this could not be more real if Bell were sitting in the next chair over, also enjoying the warmth, and just chatting about life, sometimes making it about the events, sometimes going a little more into the details--and then, like good friends do, lowering his voice and getting a bit closer to talk about the real stuff, the stuff that brings joy, and the stuff that brings tears, to where you want to reach out and say 'It's OK. We can talk about this.' "

He's like that.

This book is him, and given the ways he's modified his own public acts as he has been growing more into his own self, it is a clear view into who he is and what he values. His family--wife and children. His many friends. His larger family. And of course, his very real blackness.

The book is constructed as a somewhat linear set of personal stories and observations, sometimes in a more formal narrative, and sometimes a more raw explosion of his thoughts. (It took me a few chapters to realize that his book designer has set out the differences by changing the font used for narrative versus the uncensored thoughts.) We get to see a lot of his childhood, his awkward teen-age years, his twenties when he struggled to find his way, his thirties when he struggled to find his voice, and his-ahem--subsequent years when he finding his groove not only in his career but in all the aspects of growing a family and a community.

Some sections made me laugh, but this is not a comedic book--it's not designed for laughs. Some parts made me angry. Some parts made me think, and even got me bristling at the idea that I wasn't yet really working on my own stuff like he clearly could see that I wasn't. Give me my fantasies, man!

And some parts made me emotional, because of all the things Bell is, he is human, and loving, and frustrated, and limited, and learning, and growing, and honest. It shouldn't be this way, that we live in a society that not only is so centered in whiteness, but also so completely in denial about it. Bell knows this, and while his comedy acts brings this knowledge out, it is not an act, and surely it is a frustration that even when he sees that people claim they get it, especially after one of his shows, he still must go back to his wife and family and home and wonder if his show of contradictions and eruptions will still be relevant, and be scared that he will never run out of material.

This is the book a friend would write, to tell you what he thinks, because there wasn't enough time in one afternoon sitting in the sunshine on a patio to tell everything. It takes time to grow in that kind of friendship, and he only had a few hundred pages to work with.

He has done admirably.

On a more personal note, I appreciate the stories of the hard times that he covered up so well. I loved Totally Biased, and yet in here he tells how hard it was on him, and on all those he loved. I feel bad that I laughed in ignorance, but I appreciate that he did what he signed up to do, maintained his own sanity and personal life, if only by a thread, and didn't completely burn out. I loved his show on FXX even though it's been stressful, and honestly--hand to God--had no idea of the struggles he's gone through to make the shows he does his very own. But now it adds even more to the shows he presents because they are increasingly more like his vision.

One thing that is very apparent in his book is that Bell knows where he comes from and knows the people who have helped him along. He is very open and quick about his praise. He talks about all the people who helped him and loved him. And while it is very clear that he wants to grow in his own voice, he gives credit to all the people and their voices who helped him find his own voice.

What a gracious, kind man, and what a gift he has for reaching us with something that's funny, biting, and restorative.


Tags : The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4, African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian [W. Kamau Bell] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. You may know W. Kamau Bell from his new, Emmy-nominated hit show on CNN, United Shades of America</i>. Or maybe you’ve read about him in the New York Times</i>,W. Kamau Bell,The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian,Dutton,1101985879,Discrimination & Race Relations,Personal Memoirs,Topic - Political,Autobiographies,BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY Personal Memoirs.,Bell, W. Kamau,Comedians - United States,Comedians;United States;Biography.,AMERICAN SATIRE AND HUMOR,African American,BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY Personal Memoirs,BIOGRAPHY AND AUTOBIOGRAPHY,BLACKS IN THE U.S.,Biography & AutobiographyPersonal Memoirs,GENERAL,General Adult,HUMOR Topic Politics,Humor,Non-Fiction,Political Science,SOCIAL SCIENCE Discrimination & Race Relations,Social ScienceDiscrimination & Racism,United States,funny books;political book;books about race;humor books;black memoirs;kamau bell;politics;political commentary;interracial marriage;comedian;comedy;United Shades of America;African American author;humor book;stand up comedy;black memoir;kamu bell;comedy book;autobiography;biography;biographies;feminism;sociology;biographies and memoirs;autobiographies;law;social justice;immigration;biographies of famous people;race relations;funny gifts;sociology books;civil rights;joke book;history books,politics; political commentary; interracial marriage; comedian; comedy; United Shades of America; African American author; humor book; political book; stand up comedy; black memoir; kamu bell; comedy book; autobiography; biographies of famous people; biography; biographies; funny books; books about race; humor books; black memoirs; kamau bell; feminism; sociology; biographies and memoirs; social justice; immigration; law; autobiographies; gifts for women; race relations; gifts for men; sociology books; civil rights; memoirs,BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY Personal Memoirs,Biography & AutobiographyPersonal Memoirs,HUMOR Topic Politics,SOCIAL SCIENCE Discrimination & Race Relations,Social ScienceDiscrimination & Racism,American Satire And Humor,Biography And Autobiography,Humor

The Awkward Thoughts of W Kamau Bell Tales of a 6' 4" African American Heterosexual Cisgender LeftLeaning Asthmatic Black and Proud Blerd Mama Boy Dad and StandUp Comedian W Kamau Bell 9781101985878 Books Reviews

I love his show on TV. His writing sometimes goes a little too "out there" on the ranty side, but I guess that is his approach, which I admire while at the same time finding it a little bit irritating.
This is book is a good example of why bookstores must continue to exist. This is NOT a book I would normally read. I came across it in the bookstore and picked it up out of curiosity. I have no idea who W. Kamau Bell is, but I found myself sitting in the bookstore cafe deep into the book and realized I had to buy it-- well, I order to eBook on . Our lives have some crazy parallels. Reading this book is as if a friend is telling a story, we both were there, and I am like Wait a minute, that isn't exactly right. For example, I 100% relate to the story of nerdiness and sports, but when he tells the story of going to college football games in Mobile I am like REALLY? I went to college in Mobile, and there was no college football to be found in Mobile until more recently when the University of South Alabama finally got a team. But to me, that adds to the relatability of the story. You are sitting with a friend who is telling a story where you both were there. Suddenly, you frown up your face and say Wait a minute, wait a minute! You are beginning to embellish this story a bit. And if a writer came make you remember being there with him, WOW! A must read!!
Fans of Kamau will learn a lot about how his star rose and how he became the man he is. His comedic timing still pays off even in written form.
Funny, smart, sarcastic, sincere and thought provoking all in one. Loved it! I read this with my 14 year old son, I was surprised about his lack of knowledge of black icons of the 60's, 70's and 80's. We ended up looking up people like Shirley Chisholm, Malcolm X, Mohammed Ali, Denzel Washington and Jackie Robinson. It ended up being very educational.
I am grateful for the authentic (and hilariously awkward!) way W. Kamau Bell shares his experience, perspective, and wit to offer each of us a lifeline to recognizing where we are #asleep and to ways we can be better people with each other. I want more! p.s. I love his self proclamation of being a "blerd" - read the book to find out more!
W. Kamau Bell is one of this country's funniest and most intelligent, nuanced thinkers (and now writers!) on race. You may know him from the W. Kamau Bell Curve, Totally Biased, and now CNN's United Shades of America. He makes his viewers (and now his readers) think hard, feel uncomfortable and then laugh their faces off. While learning important stuff. Now he's put it all down in this book. I was inspired reading about his parents (HOW DID HE GET LIKE THIS?) especially his mom, the brilliant Janet Cheatham Bell and other behind-the-scenes stories. As usual, he's hilarious and also heartbreaking in illuminating the everyday racism of this country. He's not afraid to show all the things HE's learned about along the way, (*cough* sexism) which makes this even that much more appealing. Bravo, Kamau!
I'm a fan of Bell's "United Shades of America" on CNN, so I read this book. I don't agree with everything he says--such as his take on what makes a "great Olympic athlete"--but he poses very thoughtful and hilarious arguments for his beliefs in everything from that subject, to racism, to show business, to... everything. And I will never forget his hysterically funny story about the time he took a walk to a gas station with his baby daughter; I laughed out loud all the way through that one. A fun and insightful read. More, please, Kamau!
This book is Bell, I think, in that it comes across as all the best of what I see Bell do and say in the eight years I've been following his career and watching & listening to--as much as I am able--his shows and presentations. The book is a journey and the recollections of his memories and experiences, where he shares the high spots, the low spots, the fun spots--and the spots where it is pretty awful and painful.

I read this book out on the patio in the sun, listening to the squirrels and jays and hummingbirds, and thought "this could not be more real if Bell were sitting in the next chair over, also enjoying the warmth, and just chatting about life, sometimes making it about the events, sometimes going a little more into the details--and then, like good friends do, lowering his voice and getting a bit closer to talk about the real stuff, the stuff that brings joy, and the stuff that brings tears, to where you want to reach out and say 'It's OK. We can talk about this.' "

He's like that.

This book is him, and given the ways he's modified his own public acts as he has been growing more into his own self, it is a clear view into who he is and what he values. His family--wife and children. His many friends. His larger family. And of course, his very real blackness.

The book is constructed as a somewhat linear set of personal stories and observations, sometimes in a more formal narrative, and sometimes a more raw explosion of his thoughts. (It took me a few chapters to realize that his book designer has set out the differences by changing the font used for narrative versus the uncensored thoughts.) We get to see a lot of his childhood, his awkward teen-age years, his twenties when he struggled to find his way, his thirties when he struggled to find his voice, and his-ahem--subsequent years when he finding his groove not only in his career but in all the aspects of growing a family and a community.

Some sections made me laugh, but this is not a comedic book--it's not designed for laughs. Some parts made me angry. Some parts made me think, and even got me bristling at the idea that I wasn't yet really working on my own stuff like he clearly could see that I wasn't. Give me my fantasies, man!

And some parts made me emotional, because of all the things Bell is, he is human, and loving, and frustrated, and limited, and learning, and growing, and honest. It shouldn't be this way, that we live in a society that not only is so centered in whiteness, but also so completely in denial about it. Bell knows this, and while his comedy acts brings this knowledge out, it is not an act, and surely it is a frustration that even when he sees that people claim they get it, especially after one of his shows, he still must go back to his wife and family and home and wonder if his show of contradictions and eruptions will still be relevant, and be scared that he will never run out of material.

This is the book a friend would write, to tell you what he thinks, because there wasn't enough time in one afternoon sitting in the sunshine on a patio to tell everything. It takes time to grow in that kind of friendship, and he only had a few hundred pages to work with.

He has done admirably.

On a more personal note, I appreciate the stories of the hard times that he covered up so well. I loved Totally Biased, and yet in here he tells how hard it was on him, and on all those he loved. I feel bad that I laughed in ignorance, but I appreciate that he did what he signed up to do, maintained his own sanity and personal life, if only by a thread, and didn't completely burn out. I loved his show on FXX even though it's been stressful, and honestly--hand to God--had no idea of the struggles he's gone through to make the shows he does his very own. But now it adds even more to the shows he presents because they are increasingly more like his vision.

One thing that is very apparent in his book is that Bell knows where he comes from and knows the people who have helped him along. He is very open and quick about his praise. He talks about all the people who helped him and loved him. And while it is very clear that he wants to grow in his own voice, he gives credit to all the people and their voices who helped him find his own voice.

What a gracious, kind man, and what a gift he has for reaching us with something that's funny, biting, and restorative.