Rating: 
Summary: An American Tale As Told By Richard Wright.
Review: To limit Richard Wright's autobiography to accounts of racism in the South during the 30's and 40's is overlook the fact that Richard Wright was more than just an African American author, he was novelist, essayist and political analyst whose prose still has bearing on topics of cultural identity and personal identity, topics we still deal with today. Racism seems to be issue with an immortal lifespan because everytime we're on the verge of giving it the death blow, we walk away and pretend that we've killed it by ignoring it. There are issues of identity and individualty in Black Boy that even provokes questions of victim status among those who are quick to claim that they have been racially discriminated against (Damon Cross from The Outsider for example). I've read this book twice and I am the process of reading it again. Richard's childhood was sheer hell, I mean his grandmother was psychotic!! He was from a dysfunctional family, Well there's a smorgasborg of issues going on with him in the beginning. His failed hopes and dreams. However I really enjoyed reading about his trials in Chicago. I recently went to Chicago for the first time and I felt like I knew the place. His time with the Communist Party was especially interesting. It was like he was battling for his individualty. He ultimately leaves the Communist Party after it is made clear to him that he was being used as were many of the poor blacks who were in the Communist Party ranks as tokens. Very good read! Should be required reading!
Rating:
Summary: Black Boy
Review: When I first picked up this book all I thought was just another reading assignment. However, Black Boy by Richard Wright affected me in ways no book ever has. This book is a touching autobiography describing the life of a young African American boy who struggles to find himself in such a prejudice society. He overcomes obstacles of religious, racial, and cultural segregation in the 20th century United States. During Richard's childhood, he faced many hardships with his family because of their low income, lack of a father figure in his life, and being raised in such a racist society. As he grew older the racism only continued to get worse and Richard began to learn how to cope with his surroundings. Whether with jobs or schooling, he began to alter his lifestyle to accommodate the changes of his environment.
This book is an integral depiction of what American society was like during this time period. The hardships and injustices that the African American race faced each day has become a significant part of our history. All of the incidents that occurred in this book represent the struggles that African American citizens did their best to conquer each and every day. The harsh and unjust treatment of African Americans is revealed through the author's own life experiences, all of which are reflected in Black Boy.
I found this book to be one of the best books I have ever read. It touched me and saddened me to know that this was a part of my history as an American. In comparison to a few books I have read about segregation, I have found Black Boy to be the most personal. This is because the way the author expresses the sentiment of human emotions and the intimate details of characters thoughts and beliefs. I would definitely recommend this book for those who are interested in the racial progress of our country.
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