When I saw that Issa Rae had written a book, I knew I had to read it. This is now officially the second book I’m writing about on my journey to reading 1,000 books. I’ve read other books prior to getting this idea of recording my progress, so I will be sure to include those in my blog posts, though they might need another reading to refresh my thoughts.
Back to the book and author at hand, Issa’s YouTube series The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl was my introduction to her genius, and it’s a must watch if you haven’t seen it yet (watch here!). “My booty shawts, booty shawts.” 😂😂 From hilarious awkward encounters to the ultimate glow up, Issa’s journey has inspired me, and this book gave me an even deeper appreciation for her humor, vulnerability, and resilience. I absolutely loved her coworker/best friend, Cece, who was always down for the shenanigans. They were such a great, awkward duo.
I can’t believe that YouTube series is already over 13 years old! And the glow up is real. It’s always a joy to see the people I admire grow and accomplish so much over time. It’s a great reminder that we all start from somewhere. From YouTube to creating Insecure to writing this book, it’s been fun to watch Issa’s journey unfold.
Reading The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl was insightful, especially when it came to Issa sharing her experiences of growing up in black America while also navigating her Senegalese background. It added a new layer to her story that I hadn’t known about before. I like hearing audiobooks, particularly when they’re read by the author so you can really understand their perspective and hear everything from their literal voice.
What really stood out to me were the moments of pure awkwardness Issa shared from her adolescence. I was cringing with secondhand embarrassment. I couldn’t help but laugh when she described learning dance moves in an effort to blend in, because who didn’t do something similar as a teenager? Amirite?
One of the most nerve wracking moments in the book for me was when Issa described getting caught being flirty with a boyfriend in Senegal. The tension was palpable, and I’m relieved no one ended up in jail. I was glad when the cop took the bribe and allowed them to continue enjoying the party, but wow. 😮 It was an unexpected turn on an evening out in another country that was initially filled with such promise.
I also appreciated that she was vulnerable about her feelings regarding her parent’s relationship and subsequent divorce. The entire book took me on a journey with Issa through her early years to teenage uncertainty and then to finally, growing into her own person and getting in touch with her creativity. She had many challenges along the way, but took them all in stride, which made this a great read.
During our recent book club, we discussed this book and it made me realize how similar our backgrounds are as black people in America. I used to be in the chat rooms online thotting and bopping and my friends were too. We also have all had issues with our hair and being told it wasn’t professional or having people make comments about it. Another thing that came up, was weight. We all had stories of people talking about our weight and commenting on it, either positively or negatively. This book brought up a lot of memories for me and emotions. I was glad I got a chance to read it and share in some of the memorable instances from Issa’s life.
Let me know your thoughts about the Misadventures of Awkward Black girl in the comments. Were you surprised by any parts of the book? Did the nostalgia hit you hard like it did for me?
Happy reading. 📖
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