Customer Reviews

Hair Matters: Beauty, Power, and Black Women's Consciousness

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is worth reading for those who want to learn more about the importance of hair style, color, and texture among African American women. While I doubt that many Blacks are unaware of the "hair thing", some might benefit from this book because it gives voice to what many see as a central frustration and challenge. Non-blacks with little intimate contact with Black women (and thus are unaware of the issues treated here) might find the book informative.

The main weakness of the book is that it lacks a powerful sociological analysis of the issue. The book is basically descriptive, and Banks lets the women she interviewed do much of the talking. The problem is, few of these informants could offer much insight into why hair is so central within the Black community. Further, Banks seems only superficially aware of the large body of literature on colorism that bears on this topic. For example, she asserts that hair is more important than skin color in determining who gets what in US society, a claim that is at odds with virtually all previous work with which I am aware.

All in all, there is nothing new or fresh here, although I did enjoy the photographs featuring various hair styles.

You will want to buy this book (or at least skim through it), especially if you are Black/African-American and female. I say this because the author devotes a significant portion of the book sharing the dialogues from the interviews she had when she conducted her "ethnographically informed research" with African American females. As a African-American professor, who is also investigating communicative aspects of hair, I found Bank's book especially helpful because while indeed she covers numerous theoretical, feminist, social and cultural epistemologies, she also "breaks it down." So, do know that you do not have to be in college or a college graduate to appreciate this book. However, given that I am a professor, I do plan on using it as supplemental reading for future graduate and undergraduate courses because Banks has found a way to write about her scholarship in lay people's terms. In fact, the true "beauty" of Hair Matters is reading the responses from the girls and women, seeing the accompanying photos and other tidbits that are offered. Hair Matters is valueable, interesting, compelling, as well as thought provoking...definately a conversation starter. In short, this book is extremely easy reading, accessible regardless of ethnicity or gender and certainly not boring! In my opinion, I think others will be interested in reading this book cover to cover because it is unquestionably unlike any other current books on hair available on the market.

I like the idea of this book. We should definitely know more about the ideas behind our hair as African American women. However, the book is no good if you are reading for insight. Honestly, the author tells you what the interviewee said, quotes the interviewee and then tell you what the interviewee just said. It gets annoying after the first chapter! The book presents some great arguments and I would suggest you read the actual quotes OR her take on the quotes. Otherwise, you'll just be reading and re reading and re reading...

I'd like to note, however, if you are interested in this sort of ethnography, it's great! But if you want to read the book for kicks, don't.

This book is like having group therapy or interviewing other women,but it is not all black women's views.I am reviewng it because I think it is worth a read.

As you may or may not know African coily hair is quite unique in vision, texture, behaviour and probably in chemical make up too. Coily haired women around the world, go to the most extremes in terms of spending.
(Spending time, spending pain and the spending price to have African coily hair styled)
A hairstyle that we believe looks good or will help us to become socially and economically advanced.
Or maybe for our own self-esteem and maybe to attract the charms of a love interest.
Either way, psychologically and philosophically I believe that your hair is a reflection of the state of your consciousness, your internal beliefs and your relationship with the world.
What about exploring physics through african hair?
For example how much pressure, gravity and tension and tearing do we put our hair through by combing it?

let alone excessive harsh combing.
Mathematically speaking how many of you readers can tell me how many curls/coils per inch your hair has, and does it vary in coil and moisture?
Next question:When does the nature of the hair change and why?
(i know it does!)
It seems to me all these books on afro hair are good and I welcome it, but we still need to be more informed and they all seem to need better editing, just like Black American beauty magazines.I must campaign for better grammar and less air brushed photos!!!
It is as if we like to see ourselves falsely rather than the reality of what we are...
Black women need to demand more scientific reasoning from our books and be less competitive over black men which only fuels their egos and as a result probably creates more baby-mothers!!!
Sorry but I had to vent out my opinions.

I give this book four stars for the effort and time invested as a writer I know it takes time...
I maintain that it is still worth reading,more than any carcinogenic chemical so called hair treatment that you pay for.

Anyway what do I know I am a black african british woman!!!!
Most of you Americans think we in Britain have no trains or any kind of progressive development!!!
Anyway if I wrote my book answering my questions that I put to you how many of you would buy it?

This surveys beauty and black women alike, considering hair politics in black communities and examining the evolution of hair styles as symbols for changing ideologies. Contrasts between hair and blackness draw some intriguing conclusions.