This is Not America

<b>Tomiwa Owolade </b>writes<b> </b>about social cultural and literary issues for the <i>New Statesman</i> <i>The Times</i> the <i>Sunday Times</i> the <i>Observer UnHerd </i>and the <i>Evening Standard</i>. He has appeared on BBC Radio 4 and Times Radio discussing some of the ideas in this book. He won top prize at the RSL Giles St Aubyn Awards 2021. <b>*A <i>TIMES </i>AND <i>SPECTATOR </i>BOOK OF THE YEAR*</b><br><b></b><br><b></b>'[Owolade's] argument has <b>needed saying </b>for years' Janan Ganesh <i>Financial Times</i><br>'<b>Compelling </b>and <b>admirable</b>' <i>Sunday Times</i><br>'<b>Passionate </b>and <b>timely</b>' <i>Observer</i><br>'<b>Excellent</b>' <i>Telegraph</i><br>'<b>Illuminating</b>' <i>The Times</i><br><i>'</i><b>Timely </b>[and] <b>engaging' </b><i>Guardian</i><br><br>Across the West racial injustice has become one of the most divisive issues of our age. In the rush to address inequality and prejudice and to understand concerns around identity immigration and colonial history Britain has followed the lead of the world's dominant power: America. We judge ourselves by America's standards absorb its arguments and follow its agenda. But what if we're looking in the wrong place?<br><br><i>This is Not America</i> is built on the idea that black Britons are British first and foremost and thus are likely to have more in common with other Britons than with black people in other parts of the world. It argues that too much of the conversation around race in Britain today is viewed through the prism of American ideas that don't reflect the history challenges and achievements of increasingly diverse black populations at home. To build a long-lasting and more effective anti-racist agenda we must acknowledge that crucial differences exist between Britain and America and that we are talking about distinct communities and cultures distinguished by language history class religion and national origin. Humane empirical and passionate this book provides a bold new framework for understanding race in Britain today. <b>A radical reappraisal of how we talk about race in Britain </b><b>by one of the most highly-acclaimed young journalists at work today.</b> <b>Excellent</b>... <i>This is Not America</i> lands us in that complex area called humanity which Owolade argues is the best place for us to forge common goals <b>Passionate </b>and <b>timely</b>... [Owolade] concludes: 'To define someone exclusively by their race is to acquiesce to the visions of racists.' Amen to that. The <b>most interesting</b> meditation on what it means to be black in the modern world in 25 years. [Owolade's] argument <b>has needed </b>saying for years... the book <b>deserves to succeed</b> <b>Persuasive </b>and <b>insightful</b>... [Owolade's] manifesto for a black British identity one that sees the two identities as 'indivisible' rather than opposed is <b>compelling </b>and <b>admirable</b> as is his love of his Britishness Owolade's book is a <b>timely exploration</b> of difficult questions. <b>Proudly unorthodox</b> sometimes <b>provocative</b> it has the <b>merit of being engaging</b> even when it enrages. Packed with <b>illuminating </b>statistics and potted biographies <i>This Is Not America</i> is an espresso of a book - a <b>short </b>and <b>stimulating </b>affair that will leave you feeling smarter <b>Wide</b>-<b>ranging</b>... [Owolade's] intent is to engender a form of antiracism that is UK-specific thus more <b>truthful </b>and <b>useful</b> A <b>brave </b>argument Owolade draws on his personal experiences and those of others to <b>craft a nuanced compassionate</b> and surprisingly <b>optimistic</b> view of race relations in Britain. An <b>erudite </b>book full of <b>clear</b> <b>courageous</b> common-sense observations about the different histories and patterns of racism that divide Britain and the US <b>Impressive</b>... a resounding appeal for openness intelligence imagination and common sense in the discussion of racial difference in our society An <b>outstanding achievement</b>... <i>This is Not America is</i> a <b>deeply researched</b> <b>passionately argued </b>and <b>original </b>contribution to one of the most important debates in modern Britain. I admired it immensely. Tomiwa Owolade has <b>achieved the near impossible</b> feat of bringing much needed <b>reason</b> <b>nuance </b>and <b>balance </b>to the super charged debate about race and racism that has migrated from America to Britain and many other European democracies. <b>Subtle</b> <b>subversive </b>and <b>compassionate</b> this is a book not just for black Britons but for all Britons interested in the evolving character of our national identity and who want to feel <b>optimistic </b>about it. A <b>brave </b>and <b>utterly engrossing </b>book. Nuanced fair-minded and thoughtful... <i>This is Not America </i>is <b>essential reading </b>for anyone interested in some of the most contentious issues of our time Tomiwa Owolade navigates questions of race and identity in British politics with a rare combination of <b>subtlety</b> <b>clarity </b>and <b>moral urgency</b>. Powered by historical scholarship <i>This is Not America</i> steers a course of cool intellectual rigour through a debate that is too often polarised and polemical <b>Eloquent </b>and <b>insightful </b> A <b>calm </b>and <b>insightful </b>voice in an often overheated debate. <i>This is Not America </i>is not only <b>indispensable writing </b>and <b>indispensable thinking </b>- it is <b>essential </b>to working out who we are in Britain today Few books truly deserve to be called '<b>necessary'</b> but <i>This is Not America</i> is one of them. Weaves<b> elegantly</b> through <b>statistics </b><b>literary narratives and personal stories</b> to reveal the radically different social and cultural contexts of the two countries with regard to race... [and] forms part of the <b>urgent and long-awaited </b><b>intellectual work</b> needed to create a genuinely fair and socially just society Owolade tells an <b>optimistic </b>story of racial progress... Thinkers like these [Owolade] are poised to <b>dramatically alter a conversation</b> that has hitherto been dominated by a narrow cadre of white progressive elites and minority radicals. <b>Well informed</b> <b>nuanced </b>and <b>balanced</b> Tomiwa Owolade is the optimistic future of Britain's race debate <b>Excellent</b>... <i>This is Not America</i> lands us in that complex area called humanity which Owolade argues is the best place for us to forge common goals <b>Passionate </b>and <b>timely</b>... [Owolade] concludes: 'To define someone exclusively by their race is to acquiesce to the visions of racists.' Amen to that. The <b>most interesting</b> meditation on what it means to be black in the modern world in 25 years. [Owolade's] argument <b>has needed </b>saying for years... the book <b>deserves to succeed</b> <b>Persuasive </b>and <b>insightful</b>... [Owolade's] manifesto for a black British identity one that sees the two identities as 'indivisible' rather than opposed is <b>compelling </b>and <b>admirable</b> as is his love of his Britishness Owolade's book is a <b>timely exploration</b> of difficult questions. <b>Proudly unorthodox</b> sometimes <b>provocative</b> it has the <b>merit of being engaging</b> even when it enrages. Packed with <b>illuminating </b>statistics and potted biographies <i>This Is Not America</i> is an espresso of a book - a <b>short </b>and <b>stimulating </b>affair that will leave you feeling smarter <b>Wide</b>-<b>ranging</b>... [Owolade's] intent is to engender a form of antiracism that is UK-specific thus more <b>truthful </b>and <b>useful</b> A <b>brave </b>argument Owolade draws on his personal experiences and those of others to <b>craft a nuanced compassionate</b> and surprisingly <b>optimistic</b> view of race relations in Britain. An <b>erudite </b>book full of <b>clear</b> <b>courageous</b> common-sense observations about the different histories and patterns of racism that divide Britain and the US <b>Impressive</b>... a resounding appeal for openness intelligence imagination and common sense in the discussion of racial difference in our society An <b>outstanding achievement</b>... <i>This is Not America is</i> a <b>deeply researched</b> <b>passionately argued </b>and <b>original </b>contribution to one of the most important debates in modern Britain. I admired it immensely. Tomiwa Owolade has <b>achieved the near impossible</b> feat of bringing much needed <b>reason</b> <b>nuance </b>and <b>balance </b>to the super charged debate about race and racism that has migrated from America to Britain and many other European democracies. <b>Subtle</b> <b>subversive </b>and <b>compassionate</b> this is a book not just for black Britons but for all Britons interested in the evolving character of our national identity and who want to feel <b>optimistic </b>about it. A <b>brave </b>and <b>utterly engrossing </b>book. Nuanced fair-minded and thoughtful... <i>This is Not America </i>is <b>essential reading </b>for anyone interested in some of the most contentious issues of our time Tomiwa Owolade navigates questions of race and identity in British politics with a rare combination of <b>subtlety</b> <b>clarity </b>and <b>moral urgency</b>. Powered by historical scholarship <i>This is Not America</i> steers a course of cool intellectual rigour through a debate that is too often polarised and polemical <b>Eloquent </b>and <b>insightful </b> A <b>calm </b>and <b>insightful </b>voice in an often overheated debate. <i>This is Not America </i>is not only <b>indispensable writing </b>and <b>indispensable thinking </b>- it is <b>essential </b>to working out who we are in Britain today Few books truly deserve to be called '<b>necessary'</b> but <i>This is Not America</i> is one of them. Weaves<b> elegantly</b> through <b>statistics </b><b>literary narratives and personal stories</b> to reveal the radically different social and cultural contexts of the two countries with regard to race... [and] forms part of the <b>urgent and long-awaited </b><b>intellectual work</b> needed to create a genuinely fair and socially just society Owolade tells an <b>optimistic </b>story of racial progress... Thinkers like these [Owolade] are poised to <b>dramatically alter a conversation</b> that has hitherto been dominated by a narrow cadre of white progressive elites and minority radicals. <b>Well informed</b> <b>nuanced </b>and <b>balanced</b> Tomiwa Owolade is the optimistic future of Britain's race debate