We Real Cool

In ten quick chapters, bell describes how black men hurt and how they can heal. This book was an interesting mix of chicken soup, history, and cultural criticism. For those who have been disappointed by bell's recent books on love and autobiographies, this book is her return to her prime. It reminded me much of "Sisters of the Yam" and "Talking Back."Two things stand out in this book. First, bell finally critiques rap. She mentioned in a previous book how a magazine dropped a discussion between her and Ice Cube because they expected her to go off on him. In "Outlaw Culture," she chose to criticize "The Piano" (with its disturbing depiction of Maoris) rather than rap at home. Just as Spike Lee did a great job in portraying drugs in "Jungle Fever" (and gay black men in "Get on the Bus" for that matter) after being pushed by critics, bell tackles rap in a sharp, yet critical, way.Second, she condemns Ellis Cose's harmless "Envy of the World," oddly. She chews up that book in every chapter. The last time she read somebody in every chapter was Sharazad Ali in "Breaking Bread." Surely, Cose cannot be deemed an enemy the way Ali rightfully was. He's not half as irritating as Camille Paglia. Like a brother once said to her regarding Spike, "bell, why you messing with that brotha!?" She practically tells him, "I'mma whoop you more if you don't cry like you mean it!" for no reason. All the time she spent attacking him, she could have used citing Devon Carbrado, Don Belton, Robert Staples, and many other black male writers on masculinity that she forgets.She finally drops the subjects of her past loves as they were already heavily discussed in at least four of her books. She rightfully remembers the abuse heaped upon her by her father. However, she brought her brother's business in public in a way that is somewhat unfair. bell has 5 sisters, so it is easy to protect their privacy. However, despite only calling her brother by his first initial, since there is only one of him, anyone in the southern town in which she was raised will get to see his business brought out in print. To a small extent, this reminds me of how Clarence Thomas trashed his sister for taking welfare benefits once. So much of this book, and many of her books, focuses on tensions between black men and black women as romantic partners. She may need to think deeper about tensions between black men and women as siblings.bell is fair-minded in stating that racism (and other -isms) have scarred black men, but they are also responsible for some of their plight. She cites the beginning of troubles not with "The Man" but in family life. Though she hyperbolically states that most families are dysfunctional, her meditation on intra-family injustice will be valuable to many readers, black-male and non-black-male.I think many readers will find this book highly useful. Still, many will find her oft-stated idea that problems will decrease if black men embrace feminism. Even if every black man read Michelle Wallace, paid child support timely, and contributed to Carole Mosley-Braun's presidential campaign, there would still be a lot of suffering that still needs to be solved.This book is riddled with typographical errors that any editor doing her or his job would have corrected. Once again, bell demonstrates how thoroughly well-read she is, yet she supplies no works cited section at the end. Thus, all the brothers who may benefit from the texts she upholds will not get the opportunity to do so.

Definitely shined a spotlight on toxic practices in the Black community while highlighting how one and all can break the problematic actions that facilitate them.

Bell challenges the norm like no other author. She takes a hatchet to centuries of patriarchal thinking and living. She criticizes beloved figures & events such as Martin Luther King, the Million Man March, and the Black Power movement in general. I disagreed with quite a bit of it. Agreed with a lot of other points. And I challenge her often use of "most men", "many men", and "far too many men" without any statistics or concrete numbers to back her claim. She instead relied on the works of many others writings & opinions.Overall, I recommend anyone to read it. Just be prepared to completely view the roles of males and females differently. Good book overall

This book was my first introduction to bell hooks. I would encourage anyone reading this book to be open to self-reflection, and understanding the role we all play in perpetuating patriarchal "norms."

This book is life saving for any individual born into this American society. More importantly this book is soul saving for the blacks born into this American society. By challenging the patriarchy that reared us and "nurtured" us as black men we can journey into emotional wholeness. We can live on our own terms and maintain a new kind of masculinity. <---- this is what I've learned from reading Bell Hooks book We Real Cool. Please pick up and spread the wealth

Great Book!!!

This book is absolutely worth it! Bell Hooks provides her feminist input as to why black males act the way they do. I had purchased this for a class, but with the insight and knowledge Bell Hooks presents, I had to read the whole thing. Really, really good read!

purchased for in house library

Whilst the research is excellent and I feel that I know that the assertions made are correct. I struggle with a strong rating for this book as a comparative tome of research as other books in its field offer so much more in the way of citations and evidence. So for example, I think there is missed relevancy for the difference between hip-hop and blues. Hip-hop simply began as an opportunity for a new generation to talk about their experiences post-civil rights. It became a paradigm of patriarchy as black males struggled to find a place that they could equate with anything they could control. Everything that went before is not better and each generation needs an opportunity of creativity (however lacking in creativity it actually is). I think it needs a much more robust road map to spiritual enlightenment and I also think it shouldn't include God. The problem with God, is that even if it is imagined as kind and caring option, it still imagines a lack of control, or something that is more important than you. The relevance of religion has to be the euphoria of groups, mutual share and care so to speak. My 2 cents.

A great analysis on the historical and contemporary black man. The solutions to amend masculinity and femininity are presented with such fervour for this and the next generation. It is a really heartfelt piece of work that will help many people help themselves, their children and forgive their folks. This book opens up some deep rooted notions of the african american heritage and helps to bridge the gap for anyone willing to change for the better. This is an impressive book and should be a work book as well for both male and female. I encourage any one willing to progress to read this book whether in agreement or not about the material; it will challenge you to think and examine yourself. We Real Cool: Black Men and MasculinityWe Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity