Breaking Bread: Insurgent Black Intellectual Life

Rating:
Summary: Breaking Bread: Thought Provoking
Review: Breaking bread, which is a collection of dialogues between African academicians Cornel West and bell hooks, is a wonderful example of the need for greater dialogue between the sexes and scholars of various disciplines throughout the academy. While this book doesn't examine any particular subject in depth, (I'd recommend the Cornel West Reader and several of hook's books for more insight into their respective philosophies) it is a pleasure to see academics openly discuss and struggle with sexism, heterosexism, and racism. This book is a wonderful introduction to these important figures in modern academia.

Rating:
Summary: Hard to get through
Review: I'm required to read Breaking Bread for a philosophy class that talks in great depth about intellectuals and their purposes in society. I got something out of this book - that is, an understanding the hardships black people have to face in society as intellectuals in relationship with white intellectuals and organizations. Cornell West provides four paradigms as to how to be active in American society as a whole, while keeping history, what blacks have contributed to society, and how to relate with blacks in all socioeconomic statuses. This last point, I would like to explain further because it stood out to me the most. West states because not all blacks have the opputunity to be educated and literate; black intellectuals have to connect with them through black pop culture relying on music and film. This book also explains the relationship between black men and women trying to become successful, but having limited resources and a limited audience, which leaves them having to compete with one another. Thus, animosity is created. West and Hooks explain how both genders can get along with one another, join forces, and make a greater impact with their ideas for change.

THE CONS
To be quite frank: this book is boring. A great portion of this book talks about famous people in the black community, past and present. First, I have no interest in any of them. Second, I loathe some of these people such as Jesse Jackson (a total con man - I'm from Chicago), Malcom X (contributer to the black panthers), and Spike Lee (another in-the-closet racist). Cornell West stated he is interested and studied the politics of the black panthers, so I immediately distrust him. A black person who's interested in the black panthers is like a white person that's interested in the Klan. West and Hooks get in to an in-depth analysis of black pop culture, which I'm not at all interested in. I hate jazz and I hate Spike Lee and his movies. Hooks goes on and on about how racist white people are in American society. Well, it gets old and I'm not going to keep on reading something that makes a huge overstatement and makes false accusations. I'm surprised she didn't use the term "white devil." The last con is much of the material in Breaking Bread could have been left out. It was pretty useless and I'm trying to be open-minded about the topic and when intellectualism is blatantly ignores in some parts of this book, it's hard for me to take it seriously.

If you're White: take the book for what it's worth, but don't buy in to all of it. In fact; don't buy in to most of it.

Rating:
Summary: A treat & a delight
Review: This book is a treat for fans of either as well as for anyone who enjoys intelligent conversation. If you're missing that level of conversation post-graduation, (re)visit Breaking Bread.

Rating:
Summary: Very well put together book
Review: This book is definitely worth reading.