Customer Reviews

Why Black Men Love White Women: Going Beyond Sexual Politics to the Heart of the Matter

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Before you read this book, know that the author is a stand-up comic. He slyly presents his opinion as researched fact and draws conclusions based on these "facts." Rajen Persaud begins with a supposition--black men "love" white women--that may have been backed by some study that some sociologist has already conducted but is absent from this text; in the end, we just have to believe him. That's page one. Persaud continues the trend of faux-scholarship, trashing Phillis Wheatley's historical worth based on ONE POEM and painting Condoleezza Rice as a traitor to the African American community simply because she studied Russian. He calls Alan Keyes a "self-serving ingrate" for describing slavery (not the American history of slavery, but slavery in general) as "in violation of the fundamental premise of human dignity... not a racial issue." Valuing black lives over those of others is inherently racist, Rajen Persaud--shame on you. The author seems unsure whether this book is supposed to be a scholarly work or a work of humorous observation like that of Chris Rock or Richard Pryor, who are cited frequently. The biggest difference between Rock and Pryor and Persaud is two of them are funny, and the other one wrote this book. Unfortunately, "Why Black Men..." is either a sociological study that doesn't hold up to basic principles of proof and argument or a funny book that, frankly, is too pretentious (and un-funny) to be comedic. Rajen Persaud doesn't know which it is, and neither do I.

The title "Why Do Black Men Love White Women?" is only an attention grabber for a 264-page rant. Understand before going in that the author's opinion was the major source of fodder for this book--don't let the wealth of fancy quotations fool you.

Why Black Men Love White Women by Rajen Persaud is an outdated take on interracial couples. I was surprised when asked to review this book for my book club, but eager to see what the buzz was about once I got my hands on a copy. I struggled to maintain an open mind, but Peraud's shallow argument made it difficult to do so. Sad to say, I found it to be a two-hundred page history lesson on slavery and the misconception of the black man.

Persaud went on a tirade discussing slavery and how black men felt overpowered and useless when it came to dealing with black women. He states how black women make their men feel; "For black men, everything has been taken away his entire life: dignity, power, self-respect, and masculinity, the ability to earn a living, and too many times, his freedom as well as his life." Persaud's claim to Why Black Men Love White Women is because white women make black men feel whole, complete, and comfortable. Once a black man has conquered the heart of a white woman he feels as if he is being accepted into "White Society". Another example of how a white woman makes a black man feel: "a white woman rejuvenates his personal and financial capital, because of circumstance; she may also give the appearance of being more supportive, and, more often than not, may also have or be able to access resources because of a stronger support system."

Empirical Studies are used in science or to prove any theory; any theory worth noting should be backed by empirical evidence. Rajen Persauds' claim to "Why Black Men Love White Women" holds no validity; he did not have any statistics, claims, interviews or social experiments. His sensational claim is not supported by any scientific data. All he did was use a catchy picture on the cover with a reach out and grab you title. He is said to be a stand up comedian, but sadly enough his jokes were as tired as this book.

I personally interviewed 10 people while reading this book to see what their take on his theories were. And believe me I went from the mailroom, to the security guards and finally the Vice President of Marketing and they were just as upset as I. I think it is safe to say the Persaud achieved what he wanted; to stir up some controversy and get people to buy his book.

Reviewed by: Cheryl H
APOOO BookClub

Finally, someone took the time to lay this issue out the way it should be. This brother hit it from all angles, from the historical to the social, and even to the religious. While much of the content was a bit disturbing, it was good to know. And it made me feel a whole lot better about myself. At least I know why now and I know I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Rajen Persaud suggests that (only) white men have the answer to the following question: "Why Do Black Men Love White Women?", which is incongruous, revisionist nonsense. Every man has their own preferences of women and it's no different than women who have preferences of men. So, first off, to put a blanket statement on a certain group of people who fall in this category is just superficial. This book is not at all about interracial relationships between black men and white women. Instead, this book is more about black men dealing with power struggles, how black people are portrayed in American media, ignorance in modern urban culture and how some black men try to regain their masculinity, after they've had it taken from them by scared, racist white men.

This book never gives anyone an answer or even an excuse as to why black men "love" white women, at all. This book also fails to answer this question properly, honestly or respectfully. The author has a habit of going off-topic and off-the-wall many times. In fact, the only chapter in this book that really brings up the subject about interracial relationships is the chapter entitled "White Women Are Just Stupid". If anything, this book mainly discusses how the black community has been destroyed thanks to white male ego/insecurity, along with how black men and women are degraded in Hollywood. Rajen Persaud discusses how black people are painted in films such as "Pulp Fiction", "Monster's Ball", "Barbershop" (a movie he personally dislikes), etc... The author states that black people suffer from power struggles based on how much they've endured from white America, slavery, Jim Crow and the legacies of rape, fear and injustices perpetuated by white men. However, none of these things have anything at all to do with why black men "love" white women.

The author does call out ignorant stereotypes about white women being "pushovers" and that this stereotype is only created to make certain people feel better about themselves. I will give him credit for this; it needed to be said a long time ago! Rajen tells it like it is when he admits that black women are just as "soft" as white women and that regardless of how angry, demanding or pissed off a woman can be, a man is going to be a man and does what he wants to do in the end.

Black men aren't the only people in the world who are paranoid and dealing with power struggles. Black women stress over black men, for the fear of "losing" them. Rajen is a man who is obsessed with pop culture and street life. It's evident these are the main sources he gets his information from, which is why his book is so eccentric. If the author had picked a proper title for this book, representing what the content is really about, it wouldn't be so bad. I have read this book not too long ago and based on the author's writing skill and craft, it looks as if this book could have been written sometime in the 1990s. This isn't because the subject of "interracial dating" is old because it will never get old, but his writing skill & the subjects he touches are outmoded. This book should have been called "Paranoia in the Black Community", because that is what this book is mainly about: deep-seated paranoia and anger that sleeps in the minds of certain African-Americans. But if that was the title of the book, it probably wouldn't sell very many units. The choice title for this book is proof that Rajen Persaud just has an urge to sell books, just like Michael Eric Dyson and Karrine Steffans.

While the author has a few good points, don't waste your money on this off-topic & weak book. Many of these things have been said 10-20 years ago.


INSTEAD, READ: "White Men Can't Hump (As Good as Black Men)", by Todd Wooten or "Handling the Truth II", by Darrin Lowery-Smith.

Review:
READ THIS BOOK... yes it is painful to read, but it is very enlightening. It starts with the physical and emotional brutality of slavery because this is how White Supremacy was initially established in the minds of Black people, and we still haven't healed emotionally from hundreds of years of violence and trauma. The emotional pain and dysfunction has been passed on from generation to generation, as has the doctrine of White supremacy. The author was right when he points out that many people in our culture define attractiveness and value in terms of typical Caucasian features, or how mixed or even "non-Black" a Black person looks. The people with the "good" hair, light skin, light eyes, mixed or Caucasian features get a disproportionate amount of attention and praise. No scientific studies are necessary to prove this, as the experiences of millions of people is all the evidence you need. Look around you--bi-racial and multi-racial Blacks dominate movies, sitcoms, fashion magazines and most of the senior-level positions in Corporate America. Blacks around the world are risking permanent disfigurement to bleach their skin to have a lighter appearance. And Blacks that aren't bi-racial or multi-racial pretend to be, preferring to define themselves in terms of the tiny percentage of Indian or White from distant ancestors. And how many times have I heard Black people mention they want a White or bi-racial or multi-racial partner so their kids can be "pretty" with "good" hair, "fine" features, etc. Indeed, our behavior can be absurd at times. I even question my own behavior at times. I am a bi-racial woman who dates bi-racial/ multi-racial and White guys due to a belief that they are somehow better looking, smarter, more ambitious... Though my parents did not intentionally raise me this way, I ended up accepting such beliefs without question. And have denied having those beliefs for many years, by the way. Just to be clear, I am not against interracial dating, but I am against the brainwashing and false beliefs that are so prevalent in our society, and often distort the way Blacks and Whites relate to each other.

The author also delves into other controversial topics such as Black people behaving badly, the prevalence of homosexuals on the down-low in our community and our forgotten history (the history of Africans did not start with slavery, and many advanced cultures existed in Africa). You need to read this book. If you didn't like the message, then you need to READ IT AGAIN, and really challenge yourself to have an open mind. You know, the truth doesn't always go down so easy the first time.

I have reasd so many of these reviews and it makes me wonder WHO actually READ this book? 1. Rajen Persaud is a male - not a female. 2.The art on the cover of the book DOES NOT tell you what is in the book. Personally I would feel better if Mr. Persaud would disclose his own ancestry - I suspect from his photo that it plays into his decision to write the book.
3. This link [...] will take you to an interview with Persaud so you can hear him discuss what his reasons are for writing the book.
4. His primary reason appears to be that he found a subject that would get his sales up higher than his previous books.
5. There is little that is back up with empirical evidence or even can be shown to be factual in this book so if you want one (more) man's opinion on this subject spend your money.

Refreshing is the best word to describe Rejan's take on "Why Black Men Love White Women". For once a Black man discusses the topic from a neutral perspective instead of one that attacks and/or disrespects Black women. Conversely,his love and respect for Black women is evident. He is passionate, candid, and historical. He introduces a unique perspective and a wealth of new reading material for the thoughtful reader. The book is filled with useful information beyond the scope of the subject matter, such that he may have done himself a disservice by the title and cover of the book, both of which might discourage some readers. As does the Editor, I strongly encourage that the book not be judged by its cover nor by its title but that the reader instead first peruse the content. You will be pleasantly surprised. As Rejan exposes the reader to a variety of relevant issues, he brilliantly brings every chapter back to the topic at hand, BM/WW relationships. I HIGHLY recommend this book and encourage that astute book clubs that engage in post reading discussion, utilize the book as a catalyst for healthy and engaging dialog. Its a good book. Pick it up!

A satisfied NJ reader.

In terms of reading interesting cultural information, Mr. Persaud definitely presented it in this work. However, his opinions are a bit extreme to me and based on reading his book, I've concluded that the question asked cannot be answered, and I honestly think we need to advance enough as a people to not have to ask it. People are different, and to classify them, especially in the manner that he has, is just wrong and extremely judgemental.

no matter what some people say the curiosity of Love and in a Interrracial setting still makes heads turn and sparks debates and Opinions.Rajen Persaud gets dap from me for asking the question and given it a response that goes back to Slavery to now and everywhere else in between. so many topics and feelings are expressed in this book. the title of the book will throw you a curve ball because don't let the title fool you because Persaud cuts to the heart of the matter. a must read book.

Finally!!! The hard truth can no longer be ignored."Why Black Men Love White Women proves that Rajen Persaud is at his controversial best. This book is a thought provoking must read that provides substantial fact after fact laced with innovative ideas. Black men, I don't want to give up on you. After you've read this book, there might be some hope for us yet!!