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Readers' rating:
Published Oct 2023
192 pages
Genre: Essays
Publication Information
The debut collection of personal essays by comedy's most iconic voice.
Ziwe made a name for herself by asking guests like Alyssa Milano, Fran Lebowitz, and Chet Hanks direct questions. In Black Friend, she turns her incisive perspective on both herself and the culture at large. Throughout the book, Ziwe combines pop-culture commentary and personal stories, which grapple with her own (mis)understanding of identity. From a hilarious case of mistaken identity via a jumbotron to a terrifying fight-or-flight encounter in the woods, Ziwe raises difficult questions for comedic relief.
From Black Friend's Introduction:
"Today, I learned that my book is ranked as the #1 new release in 'Discrimination and Racism' on Amazon. Wow. This is a huge honor, especially considering my stiff competition in the selfpublished manifestos space. Unfortunately, this victory is bittersweet. I worry that people may get the wrong idea and think that I am pro-racism when in actuality, I am indifferent. Still, I'd love to thank everyone who made this possible. I solemnly swear to write the most discriminatory book in American history. I hope I can make you proud.
"Just kidding...I will not marginalize you...unless that's your kink. This book of essays offers moments of extreme discomfort (and the subsequent growth) in my life around the role of 'black friend.' Black friends come in all shapes and sizes. Yet the archetype is often a two-dimensional character meant to support the non-black protagonists' more complex humanity. Some black friends exist as the comic relief, like Donkey in any of the Shrek movies. Some are the sassy friend, like Louise from St. Louis in Sex and the City. Still others are the inexplicably sagacious companion, like Morpheus in The Matrix. It's impossible for these individual portraits to reflect my complicated reality. To start, they are fictional. One of them is a talking ass. I do not exist just to move plot. While I am a supportive friend, I am not a supporting character. I am the protagonist of my perfectly imperfect story."
"Ziwe fans will revel in the behind-the-scenes details, while those unfamiliar with the author or her show will delight in their personal discovery of one of the smartest, funniest voices in modern America. A satirical feminist and anti-racist essay collection showcasing a formidably talented comedian and cultural critic." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"The comedian and former host of the satirical Showtime talk show Ziwe debuts with a forthright collection of personal essays on identity and race...The intimate selections offer a rare look beneath Ziwe's comedic persona, and the humor amuses...Ziwe's fans will appreciate the energetic mix of comedy and personal reflection." —Publishers Weekly
This information about Black Friend was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Ziwe is a comedian, writer, and actor. She was the executive producer and star of the eponymous late-night variety show Ziwe on Showtime. She lives in New York City.
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