I bought the book this morning at Village Books in Bellingham WA — it is so new they had to find it for me on a “to be shelved” cart (it will be shelved in Cultural Criticism). We sat down during cocktail hour and I opened it — and I’m on Chapter 5. I knew from the newsletter that you can write but I didn’t know just how well you can tell a story. It is so compelling, just sucked me in. Full disclosure: I am a White from MN, raised by Goldwater Republicans in a Presbyterian church, but started figuring out who I was at a small Lutheran college in rural MN where the faculty definitely leaned left. Maybe we’ll watch a movie tonight, probably I’ll read more. Well done, Garrett, so well done.
I woke this morning to an email from Bookshop letting me know your book was en route. Huzzah! I'm really looking forward to reading it because, honestly, I think it may help me understand my (very earnest, well meaning) parents a little better, which is timely since I'm writing my own book in which Whiteness features prominently. I could probably use more compassion, so thank you in advance.
Your being featured on the Black Studies shelf also reminded me of a story about my dad, which pertains, I think. He was a self-published poet, and also a talented amateur portrait photographer. And also a little clueless. So, he sent me (maybe 15-20 years ago now) a copy of his latest book and I flipped it over to the back to find a great picture he'd taken of Nelson Mandela years ago right where the author photo should go. I couldn't help myself. I snorted, and exclaimed, "Oh, look Dad! You're a Black guy now!" At first he didn't get it (clueless) and then he got defensive and I thought, Wow. I get that you get to do what you like (self-publishing and all). But you can't actually totally ignore the systems of power and privilege in which you move and the way shit works. SIGH.
Congrats Garrett! I'm so excited to read this! I wonder if I should go to my local bookstore, and ask for your book, saying, "can you point me to the the Whiteness Studies section?"
New subscriber here, coming from Men Yell At Me. I enjoyed your interview with Lyz, and your book sounds very intriguing! I wanted to ask if you (or any of your readers) are familiar with an organization called White Awake, which exists to (to borrow a phrase from your interview) help people in "excavating how and where we learned to be white; how we've reacted when we've noticed our Whiteness; and how those reactions have poisoned our relationships and our ability to build communities of care." For example, I've taken one of their online courses called "Roots Deeper Than Whiteness: building emotional strength & political clarity for collective liberation" and found it to be very helpful in guiding me into deeper questioning of my own assumptions as a White person, and of American hegemonic society/culture. I thought you might be interested to check out their work if you don't know it already, and if you do, I hope at least some of the folks perusing the comments might be interested!
Well dang. My favorite genre of book is "memoir on audio; read by author" - but how can I not have this book actually on my shelf (next to its cover inspo?!) ... yet another conundrum you've brought me into. 😂
Congratulations does not seem like a big enough word to hold all that I feel and all that I wish for you.
I love that you made a mix tape! Congratulations - a book is a big piece of work - especially one so personal and reflective. Glad it's out in the world.
Awoke this morning to the email that my copy had shipped. Can’t wait to read it!
Aside from that, I was scrolling through the playlist and saw “Tipp City” by The Amps (once known as Tammy and the Amps). That immediately took me back to a summer night between my Jr and Sr years and seeing them play at a show with Guided by Voices. Extraordinarily unexpected trip down memory lane this morning, thank you!
A mystery I have yet to solve: When I searched on your name as an author in Libby so I can ask my library to buy the book a while back and again just now, what comes up is an audiobook of The Dinner: A Novel by Herman Koch. Are you named for a character in it, by any chance?? Searching on the title gets me other books, like Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility. I know how to get into their advanced request space in deep search so I got there and submitted the request but that first result is a headshaker.
We'll figure out a way to get you here to Appleton. The Book Store sells new and used books and hosts events but Lawrence University might also be a good venue. You might apply to the Fox Cities Book Festival (their website has application for authors) which is held in the fall and supported by the public libraries.
I got my notification from Audible that my preorder is ready for listening this morning! I’m excited to read this book especially because many years ago in my anti-racism journey I was advised to read (and write) stories of white people confronting their relationship to whiteness and race/racism in society. I asked for examples of this kind of writing and the people leading the training didn’t have any! We definitely need more of these stories.
I bought the book this morning at Village Books in Bellingham WA — it is so new they had to find it for me on a “to be shelved” cart (it will be shelved in Cultural Criticism). We sat down during cocktail hour and I opened it — and I’m on Chapter 5. I knew from the newsletter that you can write but I didn’t know just how well you can tell a story. It is so compelling, just sucked me in. Full disclosure: I am a White from MN, raised by Goldwater Republicans in a Presbyterian church, but started figuring out who I was at a small Lutheran college in rural MN where the faculty definitely leaned left. Maybe we’ll watch a movie tonight, probably I’ll read more. Well done, Garrett, so well done.
Congratulations! I look forward to discussing this in a book club I hope to put together once I’m back in an anglophone environment this fall. But I also hope for a translation into German by a translator who doesn’t read white supremacy & destruction of community as a distinctly American problem (I’ve been told by some locals they distract themselves from their problems by deflecting to how racist and violent it is in the US, but then I read https://www.dw.com/en/the-silent-pandemic-loneliness-a-threat-to-democracy/a-68513591 & https://www.dw.com/en/germany-battles-growing-crack-and-fentanyl-crisis/a-68512680; it’s all too sad and similar).
I woke this morning to an email from Bookshop letting me know your book was en route. Huzzah! I'm really looking forward to reading it because, honestly, I think it may help me understand my (very earnest, well meaning) parents a little better, which is timely since I'm writing my own book in which Whiteness features prominently. I could probably use more compassion, so thank you in advance.
Your being featured on the Black Studies shelf also reminded me of a story about my dad, which pertains, I think. He was a self-published poet, and also a talented amateur portrait photographer. And also a little clueless. So, he sent me (maybe 15-20 years ago now) a copy of his latest book and I flipped it over to the back to find a great picture he'd taken of Nelson Mandela years ago right where the author photo should go. I couldn't help myself. I snorted, and exclaimed, "Oh, look Dad! You're a Black guy now!" At first he didn't get it (clueless) and then he got defensive and I thought, Wow. I get that you get to do what you like (self-publishing and all). But you can't actually totally ignore the systems of power and privilege in which you move and the way shit works. SIGH.
Anyway, CONGRATULATIONS! I'm so happy for you.
Congrats Garrett! I'm so excited to read this! I wonder if I should go to my local bookstore, and ask for your book, saying, "can you point me to the the Whiteness Studies section?"
New subscriber here, coming from Men Yell At Me. I enjoyed your interview with Lyz, and your book sounds very intriguing! I wanted to ask if you (or any of your readers) are familiar with an organization called White Awake, which exists to (to borrow a phrase from your interview) help people in "excavating how and where we learned to be white; how we've reacted when we've noticed our Whiteness; and how those reactions have poisoned our relationships and our ability to build communities of care." For example, I've taken one of their online courses called "Roots Deeper Than Whiteness: building emotional strength & political clarity for collective liberation" and found it to be very helpful in guiding me into deeper questioning of my own assumptions as a White person, and of American hegemonic society/culture. I thought you might be interested to check out their work if you don't know it already, and if you do, I hope at least some of the folks perusing the comments might be interested!
Well dang. My favorite genre of book is "memoir on audio; read by author" - but how can I not have this book actually on my shelf (next to its cover inspo?!) ... yet another conundrum you've brought me into. 😂
Congratulations does not seem like a big enough word to hold all that I feel and all that I wish for you.
I love that you made a mix tape! Congratulations - a book is a big piece of work - especially one so personal and reflective. Glad it's out in the world.
Happy release day, Garrett! Just received notification that my pre-order is on the way and cannot wait to read! Go, you!!!
Awoke this morning to the email that my copy had shipped. Can’t wait to read it!
Aside from that, I was scrolling through the playlist and saw “Tipp City” by The Amps (once known as Tammy and the Amps). That immediately took me back to a summer night between my Jr and Sr years and seeing them play at a show with Guided by Voices. Extraordinarily unexpected trip down memory lane this morning, thank you!
A mystery I have yet to solve: When I searched on your name as an author in Libby so I can ask my library to buy the book a while back and again just now, what comes up is an audiobook of The Dinner: A Novel by Herman Koch. Are you named for a character in it, by any chance?? Searching on the title gets me other books, like Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility. I know how to get into their advanced request space in deep search so I got there and submitted the request but that first result is a headshaker.
And very much yay for being a book parent!
Book launch day! Congratulations! So looking forward to this read.
So happy for you Garrett! Looking forward to tomorrow and being able to dive in. 📕
We'll figure out a way to get you here to Appleton. The Book Store sells new and used books and hosts events but Lawrence University might also be a good venue. You might apply to the Fox Cities Book Festival (their website has application for authors) which is held in the fall and supported by the public libraries.
The discussion questions got me so excited for the book!
Can't wait to get my copy! And, yes, Crownpoint is a really windy place... we'll have to talk about it!
I got my notification from Audible that my preorder is ready for listening this morning! I’m excited to read this book especially because many years ago in my anti-racism journey I was advised to read (and write) stories of white people confronting their relationship to whiteness and race/racism in society. I asked for examples of this kind of writing and the people leading the training didn’t have any! We definitely need more of these stories.