Nigger - The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word

Rating:
Summary: A seemingly thorough ground for debate
Review: I had heard a lot about this book that made me curious to read it, but what finally prompted me to do so was through several discussions about offensive words, especially relating to literature. I was curious to find out what Randall Kennedy had to say on what he calls the "strange career of a troublesome word."

Kennedy's book takes us through the history of the word "nigger" and how it has been used, for insult and for good, throughout American history. Why is it that blacks can use the N-word as a sign of affection, yet coming from the lips of a white it is automatically offensive? What makes this one word seemingly more volatile than any other word in the English language? These are just a few of the questions that Kennedy attempts to bring to light in his example-bound treatise. "Nigger" is filled with examples - from song lyrics, to court cases, to literary passages, to the repertoires of comedians - to explore how this word is used and abused.

Randall Kennedy has covered all the bases to show how this word is deeply rooted in America's past as offensive, and how it is still taboo today, even though many African-Americans are trying to reclaim it for a positive use. Kennedy's writing is concise and thorough, offering various instances of "wrong" and "right" actions regarding the N-word. Yet at times, there seems to be almost too many examples. After a while, one wishes for more of an argument than a laundry listing of the word's history of discord. He offers little of his own opinion in the epilogue, only saying that he diasgrees with the useage of racially offensive words. I understand his need to remain unbiased, and realize that there may never be a right or wrong answer regarding the impact this word will have on American culture. Kennedy has succeeded at showing us its past; it's up to us to determine its future.

Rating:
Summary: A seemingly thorough ground for debate
Review: I had heard a lot about this book that made me curious to read it, but what finally prompted me to do so was through several discussions about offensive words, especially relating to literature. I was curious to find out what Randall Kennedy had to say on what he calls the "strange career of a troublesome word."

Kennedy's book takes us through the history of the word "nigger" and how it has been used, for insult and for good, throughout American history. Why is it that blacks can use the N-word as a sign of affection, yet coming from the lips of a white it is automatically offensive? What makes this one word seemingly more volatile than any other word in the English language? These are just a few of the questions that Kennedy attempts to bring to light in his example-bound treatise. "Nigger" is filled with examples - from song lyrics, to court cases, to literary passages, to the repertoires of comedians - to explore how this word is used and abused.

Randall Kennedy has covered all the bases to show how this word is deeply rooted in America's past as offensive, and how it is still taboo today, even though many African-Americans are trying to reclaim it for a positive use. Kennedy's writing is concise and thorough, offering various instances of "wrong" and "right" actions regarding the N-word. Yet at times, there seems to be almost too many examples. After a while, one wishes for more of an argument than a laundry listing of the word's history of discord. He offers little of his own opinion in the epilogue, only saying that he diasgrees with the useage of racially offensive words. I understand his need to remain unbiased, and realize that there may never be a right or wrong answer regarding the impact this word will have on American culture. Kennedy has succeeded at showing us its past; it's up to us to determine its future.

Rating:
Summary: Very Informative
Review: I used this book as my primary source for a school presentation. The book was informative and really made me think about the word nigger, its origin and its uses. Randall Kennedy includes a bunch of anecdotes and quotations from people we recognize (and some we don't) in order to show the impact of 'nigger' on humanity. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially blacks, as it opened my eyes and the eyes of my presentation's audience, the majority of which was white. As the lone black man in my high school class, I wanted to bring something new to my white schoolmates, but to my surprise, I learned a lot as well.

Rating:
Summary: THE N-WORD
Review: I vividly remember the media attention this book received upon publication. Being interested in race relations in the United States, I have eagerly anticipated reading NIGGER: THE STRANGE CAREER OF A TROUBLESOME WORD. In this slim book Randall Kennedy investigates the social history of Nigger, a racial slur used for centuries to bring insult and degradation upon the Black population particularly in the Jim Crow South. Kennedy portrays examples from songs, court hearings, and his own personal history to document how Nigger has permeated American culture. Examining current usages of Nigger, Kennedy provides the thesis that although the word continues to be a racial slur it has also evolved into a sign of camaraderie among Blacks. Individuals have turned the negative into a positive in the face of America's racial past. Essentially Kennedy argues that in contemporary America the word Nigger projects a dual meaning in American culture.

With all that said, my problem with NIGGER stems from the fact that it fails to offer any new information. Individuals knowledgeable of American history should already be familiar with Kennedy's arguments concerning the usage and extent of the word Nigger. In addition, anyone observant of American culture can witness how Nigger has been transformed into a word of positive associations. Kennedy's etymology of Nigger is interesting but can be easily investigated in a similar fashion in a dictionary of American English. I really wanted to learn more about American history and society by reading this book but unfortunately NIGGER only reverberated what I already knew. So why does this book result in much praise and attention? I believe this is due to enabling individuals to read about a word that is so much scorned in our language and society. White individuals are forbidden to use this word in fear of strong repercussions, so what better why to read about Nigger than this book. NIGGER provides a socially accepted avenue to learn about Black history. Believe me, I really wanted to be a fan of this book but I was utterly left feeling disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: thought-provoking but inadequate
Review: I was very excited to see a book out on Black History with such a daring title. The hoopla in the paper and television show Boston Public made me very intrigued on this novel. Coming from Canada, Black History is not discussed, and this book is perfect to learn of the lives of a people we know very little about. A novel where the world can learn about N-word in an impartial manner with a gutsy attitude.
Nigger is a book about the word, first and foremost. It discusses its uses in history, its place in history, its uses in pop culture, and so on. Although these are topics that have been digested by the American and Canadain public time and again, Randall Kennedy displays it in a refershing way. I had no idea that the culture of this word was so broad, overused and abused. The book discusses the words useage by black and white persons and when it is ok to use it.
The author does not damn all those that use the word but, is quick also, to priase the person who files for its inappropriate use. Not to say Kennedy contradictics himself, by far, he does not.
Kennedy wrote this book so that Nigger, the word, can be disolved or be used in accordance to society (norms). People must inspect it from every angle, which is exactly what Kennedy did. He has attempted to reduce the evilness, however, not replacing it with good, but, with delicate understanding and careful explination. Through use of quotes, court cases and related experience, we the reader have enough information so that we can respect or disregard his discussion.

For any one person interested in the English lexicom, history or general reading, this book can allow you to think and discover your innermost thoughts. A wonderful intellectual read.

Rating:
Summary: Honest, Revealing Look At "Nigger"
Review: In a society whose thriving diversity often collides head-on with political correctness, an enormous amount of courage and wisdom is required to discuss what one California prosecutor called "the filthiest, dirtiest, nastiest word in the English language" - nigger.

Randall Kennedy, a Harvard Law School professor and former law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, demonstrates his courage and wisdom by taking on the dangerous subject of the "N-word" in his book, Nigger - The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word (Pantheon Books, 2002).

Kennedy examines the origins of the word and the many uses of the word. He examines the hateful use of the word by white supremacists, the ironic use of the word by black comedians, and the attempts by some to transform the word from a racist insult into something positive.

Kennedy looks at several court cases in which "nigger" played a prominent role. The cases, both civil and criminal, reveal a tragic and shameful part of American history, as well as a troubling overreaction to correct the wrongs of the past by engaging in what amounts to unconstitutional censorship.

Kennedy puts forth his opinions with clarity, and refrains from indulging in the incendiary rhetoric that often disrupts any intelligent discussion on this controversial topic. His opinions are based on two key factors - his impressive legal career, and his life as an African American citizen in the United States of America.

While Kennedy points out that certain public servants who use "nigger" as an insult or racist remark deserve public condemnation, he also takes issue with the activists who attempted to coerce Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary into removing the word from its pages. "Nigger should have a place in any serious dictionary," says Kennedy. "The word is simply too important to ignore."

Kennedy also decries efforts to remove Mark Twain's classic Huckleberry Finn from schools. While "nigger" appears in the text 215 times, Kennedy argues that the book is not racist, but a compelling condemnation of racism. "Twain is not willfully buttressing racism here; he is seeking ruthlessly to unveil and ridicule it. By putting 'nigger' in white characters' mouths, the author is not branding blacks, but rather branding the whites."

Kennedy's book is an important work, and an invaluable contribution to improving understanding among the races. While its very title will no doubt cause the book to be excluded from the shelves of many libraries and book stores, "Nigger" deserves to be read. Introducing the book to senior high school students, with mature guidance from teachers, will help to build a foundation of awareness that students will carry with them into college, the workplace, and most importantly, the home.

As a boy, I remember a relative who jokingly declared after a long car trip, "Last one out of the car is a nigger!" Countless readers can no doubt recall similar - and more hurtful - incidents from their lives. After reading Kennedy's book, I now have a greater appreciation for the impact of such casual remarks, and I understand the impact of his conclusion, "For bad and for good, 'nigger' is thus destined to remain with us for many years to come - a reminder of the ironies and dilemmas, the tragedies and the glories, of the American experience."

Rating:
Summary: A Strange Career indeed!
Review: Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word by Randall Kennedy is a book that most definitely has had and will continue to have a profound influence on the discussion of race, racism, and language in today's greater society as well as the legal community. This book embarks on a journey of the word Nigger, that our media has tagged the "N" word, and condensed into 4 chapters; 177 pages of extensive research and thought with extensive pages of end notes.

Randall Kennedy, himself a Law professor, begins his thoughts with a series of questions. One most noticeably to this reader was " Is it (the word nigger) a more hurtful racial epithet than insults such as kike, whop, wetback, mick, chink, and gook?" I immediately was struck by this and thus began my discussion (mental of course) with the author as I read. I found this one sentence was only a sign of things to come and it was necessary for me to read this book with a pencil in my hand so I could comment in the margins.

Kennedy's discussion of the word Nigger falls under four umbrellas, The Protean N word, Nigger in Court, Pitfalls in Fighting Nigger, How Are We Doing with Nigger. As I read I found the first chapter to be interesting; chocked full of antidotes from the famous and(what some may call)the infamous. However some of Kennedy's remarks, though undaunted, I found some what disturbing and disagreed with. This attitude, though unexpected, didn't much change as I read the rest of the book.

In his chapters dealing with Nigger's use in court or legal matters, I found that Kennedy's discussion, supported by rulings in court cases and his interpretations of the law, after a while became laborious. He bombarded his readers with many different court cases and incidents which were doused with a great deal of "legalise". At one point I thought maybe I ought to be a lawyer to have a complete understanding of the points he was trying to make. The one point that did stand out in this chapter was the exception in the First Amendment of the Constitution referred to as the "fighting - words doctrine" and how courts ruled against users of the word referring to this doctrine. I believe what makes it even more interesting was Kennedy's own rejections of these rulings.

Later in his discussion of the pitfalls of fighting the word Nigger, he points out how many African Americans have used the word to exploit themselves, or use it for personal gain. He also discusses issues brought up against the word that he felt had no basis. For example there is a particular debate about how the definition of Nigger appeared in the dictionary, as well as a long tedious harangue about Amos n Andy verses Def Comedy Jam. These discussions definitely warranted my comments in the margin.

Lastly, in the discussion on how Nigger is used only by the chosen that have been affirmed its us, he makes it clear that affirmation of its use does not lie typically in those who are not Black and most definitely not for those who are seeking some kind of status in American society. Yet he does believe that there is "much to be gained by allowing people of all backgrounds to yank nigger away from white supremacists, to subvert its ugliest denotation, and covert the N-word from a negative into a positive appellation." And he believes that this has already began to occur.

When I began reading this I thought I held no real expectations yet I discovered I did because this book met none of them. I was surprised, astounded, and challenged. This book is a great book to challenge your thinking about the word Nigger. Although you may not agree with Professor Kennedy (and I didn't on quite a few levels) it will make you scrutinize your thought process in regard to racial matters, legal matters, and do words matter. I rated this book 3 out of 5 stars because of his thought provoking references and discussions obviously set up for debate. However if someone asked me if I liked what he had to say I might respond, "N-word please." -Apoo bookclub-

Rating:
Summary: an attenuated look into a loaded subject
Review: Professor Kennedy's "Nigger" is, in its brevity, a well-balanced report on the history and current state of this racial epithet. Within the four chapters, Kennedy provides a sharp introduction, a legal lookback, a list of political backfirings, and a brief epilogue. The voluminous endnotes, typical of legal writing, show the breadth and scope of the author's background research.

Unfortunately, Kennedy's discussions seem, for the most part, only half-considered. All too often, he takes a particular controversial event surrounding the use of the word, describes what transpired accurately (and with hefty annotated documentation), but neglects to explain his opinion on the matter and justify it. There are some notable exceptions, such as his account of the Webster's Dictionary petition, but these are few. I also personally disagreed with many of his conclusions, such as his suggestion that we adopt a more relaxed attitude toward the word when it is used by African Americans.

For such a heavy topic, Professor Kennedy offers more legal history than well-argued current opinion. I recommend this book both for its boldness in addressing such a controversial issue, and for its brevity, but I feel that the reader cannot rely solely on this book for a more enlightened view of the African American battle against racism.

Rating:
Summary: Thought Provoking
Review: Randall Kennedy had a brilliant idea for a book. Unfortunately, the subject may be too complex for any mortal man to tackle in a reasonable amount of pages. Kennedy does open some eyes and has created some dialogue in regard to his subject, but the book will leave most readers with some unanswered questions.

Kennedy discusses many facets of this controversial word in his thought provoking book. After discussing the history of the word, he looks at its use in pop culture, law cases, as well as its overstigmatizing effect. Kennedy succeeds in stating these facts in a reasonably fair and balanced way. In large part, he avoids over-stating his opinion as part of the explanation.

While Kennedy proposes no direct solution to the problems created by this word, it is difficult to criticize him when any possible solution has its flaws. He does manage to create a long overdue dialogue on the subject. The cautions which can be drawn from this dialogue include being cautious of the context of the word and overstigmatizing those who use the word.

The fact that such a book exists demonstrates a deeper cultural understanding and defining of the word is being sought. This makes Kennedy's final product very credible.

Rating:
Summary: "nigger" needs reflection
Review: Randall Kennedy is an educated articulate, black professor at Harvard law school. He chooses to discuss a word-topic which perhaps evokes the most broad and sweeping set of ideas and emotions in our language. Although he nicely discusses many of the controversies of the word nigger, he appropriately states that there are few absolutes when regarding speech regulation.
I believe that this is a worthwhile and thought provoking read.