Sam Strives For 55 - Week Fifteen

Here is week 15 of Sam's reading journey, the metrics and first week can be found here

The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America by Khalil Gibran Muhammad

1. Intrigue 
   
   1. This book is a must for anyone wanting to understand the current debate around “race” in the United States. Muhammad details how the data of the census of 1890 was “woven into a cautionary tale about the exceptional threat black people posed to modern urban society.” The creation and permeation of the black criminality myth paved the way for the history of racism in America in the 1900s and current century. 
      
2. Writing Style
   
   1. It can be difficult to judge non-fiction writing because it can be so much more straightforward in sentence structure and word choice. Muhammad excells on both fronts. Muhammad also does well in unfolding ideas, starting from a data driven standpoint and making a conclusion with such clarity it is almost inarguable. 
      
3. Flow of Storytelling
   
   1. The book is such a deep dive into statistics, scientific research at the time, and exploring the depths of the racial ideas of the time, that it proves to be an excellent resource of knowledge. 
      
   2. Like with most resources of knowledge the book isn’t rife with excitement like an Avengers movie, and that’s good. It means the book is reliable and not sensational. However, there are moments that get caught up in the sauce, which is not the fault of the work. The book has to be thorough if it’s going to be airtight. 
      
4. Re-readability:
   
   1. Yes, it’s re-readable. Mainly because one has to review the information to remember what it says exactly. 
      
5. TESS
   
   1. The special something is the way in which Muhammad clearly and definitely explores the creation of the black criminality myth, and how it shaped the future of America. The reason why this book didn’t get 5 stars is mainly down to the nit and grit of research and how it breaks up the flow of storytelling. 
      

Final Rating: ★★★★★

​J. Sam Williams is an illustrious black-tailed hawk, longing to eat as many vegan mice as possible. In his human form, he is a High School English Teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he lives with his wife, one dog and two cats. A somewhat retired breakdancing teacher, he is now a co-host on the Alohomora Podcast! He has been published on Lunch Ticket, immix: a journal for justice, Mugglenet, and a slew of small sports journalism publications. You can find him on twitter @Jabbernator.