Rating: 
Summary: More heat than light
Review: I had read one of Randall Robinson's books on reparation and looked forward to reading this book. Like him, I am ready to "quit America." The book brings to mind Burdick's "The Ugly American;" though Robinson dissects the species on its home turf. One accusation which resounded with me: "Americans don't listen to others." Although I found myself agreeing with his major points, the book is little more than a belabored rant - with all the drawbacks of a rant. It is myopic, hyperbolic, and self-indulgent. Robinson villifies the U.S. and Western (i.e.,white) civilization to the point of caricature while romanticizing life in the Caribbean. His analysis suffers from a lack of sociological insights and his history is often revisionist in support of his arguments. One particular irritant: he repeats a series of anecdotes about Islanders who eschew payment for favors and services rendered in order to make his point about the mercenary values of Americans (to which I agree), but it begins to read like a brief against the use of currency itself, given the redundancy. The short chapters reveal the thinness of the book. I wonder if this wouldn't have been better written as a feature article for a journal like Harpers or The New Yorker, with some needed editing. Which brings to mind a recurring concern about contemporary books: don't editors edit any more? Randall Robinson has a first-rate mind and his writing is polished. Moreover, he always has something important and provocative to say. I just wish he would have counted to ten before he wrote this
Rating: 
Summary: Sayonara!
Review: I read this book because I was thrilled this man moved away from America. I am a white male and reading his book, "The Debt" really disgusted me. I am glad I read it and I'm sorry that people actually think and print things like this. The reason's for his departure don't really matter. I just wanted to read the whole thing to make sure he actually left. His wife is from the place where he moved to. If he was married to someone American-born, he wouldn't have the option to move away. Anyway, I hope he is happy where he is. I'm sure there aren't so many evil white people there who can mess up his groove. How can you write a book telling America we have to repay the blacks and then move away so you can't get paid if we make reparations?
Rating:
Summary: Captures the anger among many whites too...
Review: I'm not black, but I thoroughly agree with Mr. Robinson's anger and disgust at what the USA has become. Many whites like myself would also love to "quit America" and are seriously considering it. The ugly face of America has been on full display since 9/11, tho it was always there of course, as Robinson ably explains in his books. It's true that blacks and Native Americans are the ones to have borne the full brunt of American atrocities, hypocrisy and oppression throughout its history. But many of us who have not experienced the same depth of suffering and marginalization but who are not rich, who have to struggle for every penny every day while we see our tax dollars benefitting only the richest, who believe in the same principles that Robinson does (justice, compassion, a deep hatred of the hypocritical chauvinism and ugly self-centeredness that is so prevalent in the US, esp. among the complacent and dominant white privileged upper and middle classes) yearn to live in a place where--as in St. Kitts--people care about each other, take care of each other, where arrogance and ignorance of the sentiments of other peoples is condemned, not celebrated. Robinson had the good fortune to have been able to move himself and his family to a better place, a place where people value each other. I know I am not the only one to have gone with him in spirit.
Rating:
Summary: Captures the anger among many whites too...
Review: I'm not black, but I thoroughly agree with Mr. Robinson's anger and disgust at what the USA has become. Many whites like myself would also love to "quit America" and are seriously considering it. The ugly face of America has been on full display since 9/11, tho it was always there of course, as Robinson ably explains in his books. It's true that blacks and Native Americans are the ones to have borne the full brunt of American atrocities, hypocrisy and oppression throughout its history. But many of us who have not experienced the same depth of suffering and marginalization but who are not rich, who have to struggle for every penny every day while we see our tax dollars benefitting only the richest, who believe in the same principles that Robinson does (justice, compassion, a deep hatred of the hypocritical chauvinism and ugly self-centeredness that is so prevalent in the US, esp. among the complacent and dominant white privileged upper and middle classes) yearn to live in a place where--as in St. Kitts--people care about each other, take care of each other, where arrogance and ignorance of the sentiments of other peoples is condemned, not celebrated. Robinson had the good fortune to have been able to move himself and his family to a better place, a place where people value each other. I know I am not the only one to have gone with him in spirit.
Rating: 
Summary: Has to be read with an open mind
Review: It is clear form Robinson's last books that he is a product of his time. Obviously, growing up under Jim Crow heavily scarred him and he like others of his generation have tried numerous ways, most of them fruitless, to deal with their pain and bitterness. While I do not enjoy reading or listening to such tirades, I understrand the source of whence they came.That said, some of what he says here is accurate in regard to history and recent events, but much of this is grossly one-sided, as if everywhere outside of Europe was a paradise prior to 1492 and all other humans lived in purity. Fact is, the world in general was not that perfect then-or now. Also, much of this reads like a bitter and unfocused rant instead of a percise study of the problems of today's America. Many people in the 1960s were understandably fed up with what was happening in America. No one can blame them for that then, but they soon found out that these problems would not be solved by chasing rainbows elsewhere (See MLK's speech in Detroit, June 23, 1963). If Mr. Robinson feels that he found utopia in St. Kitts, more power to him. But when he realizes that there is no complete heaven on earth, he may be in for further heartbreak.
Rating:
Summary: one of the wonders of the world
Review: MLK said it was one of the great wonders of the 20th century, black people's loyalty and literally dying devotion to the United States--checked the Iraq casualties lately? It is a hard place to live in with black skin. Just yesterday in my neighborhood I witnessed Rodney King II. No less than four white cops beating an unharmed black motorist nearly half to death over a minor traffic incident. Just last week I was spoken to and treated in a most unbelievable way, in a way that I know no white person in America would have been treated by one of our civil servants in blue, a traffic cop. Why? I drove up to an EZ pass lane where they were no longer accepting cash. I was called every name in the book, handcuffed etc for an honest and I would think common mistake. You would have thought I committed a capital crime. It's hard living with this sort of thing as a matter of routine. I could go on but won't. Randall made a good case for why no black person should be sticking around these parts. The ship's sinking anyway and we're the canary in the mine so we know. Time to tell America bye bye. It's been grand. Yeah. But we're tired of saving your white a$$ from itself, over and over and over again how many times since 1776? See ya later, take care. Life in the third world isn't so bad at least when Uncle Sam doesn't have a boot on their third world necks. Bravo RR.
Rating: 
Summary: Randalls Quitting America
Review: Quitting America is one of the best books that I have ever read. It has given me a different outlook on the place we call home. Randall gives his point of view on America and how Americans are perceived by others across the world. Even though he is bashing white America, people of all races will be able to relate to what he is saying.
Rating:
Summary: Randall's Quitting America
Review: Randall did an incredible job writing this book. He spoke the truth in all he wrote. I thought that he was fearless when touching on subjects that would be taboo to write or talk about. He is a great author and very passionate about his work, and it shows! Only problem I had with the book is that it challenged me. I had a little difficulty with some words or how Robinson stated things. I don't mind a challenge and I enjoyed it.
Rating:
Summary: Randall's Quitting America
Review: Randall did an incredible job writing this book. He spoke the truth in all he wrote. I thought that he was fearless when touching on subjects that would be taboo to write or talk about. He is a great author and very passionate about his work, and it shows! Only problem I had with the book is that it challenged me. I had a little difficulty with some words or how Robinson stated things. I don't mind a challenge and I enjoyed it.
Rating:
Summary: The undisputed, unvarnished truth, eloquently told
Review: Randall Robinson does it again. Notwithstanding the transcendently ignorant reviews previously posted to this site, Mr. Robinson reprises his role of seeker and speaker of the truth. Too many Americans are trapped in a history that they neither understand, nor desire to understand. The America they think they know bears no resemblance to the America with which the rest of the world - and both African-Americans and Native Americans - are painfully familiar. Robinson writes with power and passion, and with the confidence that the facts support his vision. This is a most illuminating work, a must-read for anyone who desires to confriont the plain truth of American history, minus the usual sugar-coating and rosy apocryphal.
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