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W. Kamau Bell
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The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4, African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian Hardcover – January 1, 2017

by W. Kamau Bell (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 598 ratings
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You may know W. Kamau Bell from his new, Emmy-nominated hit show on CNN, United Shades of America. Or maybe you&;ve read about him in the New York Times, which called him &;the most promising new talent in political comedy in many years.&; Or maybe from The New Yorker, fawning over his brand of humor writing: "Bell&;s gimmick is intersectional progressivism: he treats racial, gay, and women&;s issues as inseparable."

After all this love and praise, it&;s time for the next step: a book. The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell is a humorous, well-informed take on the world today, tackling a wide range of issues, such as race relations; fatherhood; the state of law enforcement today; comedians and superheroes; right-wing politics; left-wing politics; failure; his interracial marriage; white men; his up-bringing by very strong-willed, race-conscious, yet ideologically opposite parents; his early days struggling to find his comedic voice, then his later days struggling to find his comedic voice; why he never seemed to fit in with the Black comedy scene . . . or the white comedy scene; how he was a Black nerd way before that became a thing; how it took his wife and an East Bay lesbian to teach him that racism and sexism often walk hand in hand; and much, much more.
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  1. Print length
    340 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    E P Dutton
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 2017
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1101985879
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1101985878
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

W. Kamau Bell is a sociopolitical comedian who is the host of the Emmy-nominated hit CNN docuseries United Shades of America. Before United Shades, Kamau was best known for his critically acclaimed but criminally short-lived FX comedy series, Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. The series was nominated for both an NAACP Award and a GLAAD Award. Kamau is also the host of Kamau Right Now!, a public radio talk show that airs on NPR radio station KALW in San Francisco, and a cohost of the podcasts Politically Re-Active and the memorably named Denzel Washington Is the Greatest Actor of All Time Period.

Before pursuing a career in stand-up comedy, Kamau and his mom lived all over the country. He was born in Palo Alto, California, then moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, then Boston, Massachusetts, then Chicago, Illinois, with several extended visits to his dad's in Mobile, Alabama, mixed in for good measure. Today he lives in Berkeley, California, with his wife and family.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ E P Dutton; First Edition (January 1, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 340 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1101985879
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1101985878
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 598 ratings

About the author

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W. Kamau Bell

W. Kamau Bell

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W. KAMAU BELL is a dad, husband, and comedian. He directed and executive-produced the four-part Showtime documentary We Need To Talk About Cosby, which premiered at Sundance. He famously met with the KKK on his Emmy-Award-winning CNN docu-series United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell, where he serves as host and executive producer. He has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Conan, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, CBS Mornings, MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Comedy Central, HBO, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, WTF with Marc Maron, The Breakfast Club, and This American Life. He has two stand-up comedy specials, Private School Negro (Netflix) and Semi-Prominent Negro (Showtime). Kamau’s writing has been featured in Time, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, The Hollywood Reporter, CNN.com, Salon, and The LA Review of Books. Kamau’s first book has an easy-to-remember title, The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian. He is the ACLU Artist Ambassador for Racial Justice and serves on the board of directors of Donors Choose and the advisory board of Hollaback!

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4.6 out of 5 stars
598 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book enjoyable and engaging. They appreciate the author's humor and witty writing style that makes them laugh. The thought-provoking content and relatable narrative style are also appreciated.

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ReadabilityHumorThought provokingNarrative style
38 customers mention "Readability"38 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and engaging. They appreciate the author's perspective and find it informative. The book is described as a fun read that keeps them laughing.

"...on what makes a "great Olympic athlete"--but he poses very thoughtful and hilarious arguments for his beliefs in everything from that subject..." Read more

"...That being said, I enjoyed this collection of essays, especially compared to the pasty white drivel I had read previously..." Read more

"...A worthy read from a person i perceive as a “really good guy”." Read more

"...It puzzles me because his vocabulary is amazing and he demonstrates high intelligence, yet sounds ignorant because of his incorrect use of the..." Read more

27 customers mention "Humor"25 positive2 negative

Customers find the book humorous and entertaining. They appreciate the author's witty writing style and a humorous story that made them laugh aloud on the train. The humor is described as lovely, hysterical, and enlightening.

"...And I will never forget his hysterically funny story about the time he took a walk to a gas station with his baby daughter; I laughed out loud all..." Read more

"...to talk about serious, often painful things in a way that gets the point across with humor. A genuine gift" Read more

"W. Kamau Bell is one of this country's funniest and most intelligent, nuanced thinkers (and now writers!) on race...." Read more

"Funny, smart, sarcastic, sincere and thought provoking all in one. Loved it!..." Read more

23 customers mention "Thought provoking"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful, with interesting commentary from a socially conscious comedian. They describe it as a raw explosion of thoughts and a stream of consciousness. Readers find the book inspiring and eye-opening in many ways.

"...sometimes in a more formal narrative, and sometimes a more raw explosion of his thoughts...." Read more

"...previously (David Sedaris and John Hodgman) and I think he has intriguing ideas. This guy’s got the makings of a leader...." Read more

"W. Kamau Bell is one of this country's funniest and most intelligent, nuanced thinkers (and now writers!) on race...." Read more

"Sometimes interesting, sometimes not. His lengthy comments on superheroes fall under the latter. Had expected more." Read more

12 customers mention "Narrative style"12 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the relatable narrative style. They find the stories heartfelt and honest, with a mix of down-home charm. The book is structured as a linear set of personal stories and observations, sometimes in a more formal narrative. Readers appreciate the author's coverage of hard times and emotional depth. Overall, they describe the book as thoughtful, heartfelt, and thought-provoking.

"...The book is a journey and the recollections of his memories and experiences, where he shares the high spots, the low spots, the fun spots--and the..." Read more

"...But to me, that adds to the relatability of the story. You are sitting with a friend who is telling a story where you both were there...." Read more

"...W. Kamau Bell comes across as an incredibly intelligent, kind, thoughtful and open minded human being..." Read more

"Funny, smart, sarcastic, sincere and thought provoking all in one. Loved it!..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Katherine
    5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, insightful. Best thing I've read in a long time.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Saw this guy for the first time as a guest on the Daily Show with Trevor Noah and immediately bought his book. It's one of those things I don't imagine ever seeing being read in a high school English class but there's so much to it that it would be totally worth including. W. Kamau Bell comes across as an incredibly intelligent, kind, thoughtful and open minded human being (and will leave you helplessly giggling in the middle of a busy pharmacy haha) and has a lot to say that is worth reading for everyone. If you aren't sure whether it's worth buying this book, it is.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Stephen Matlock
    5.0 out of 5 stars Like having a conversation with a good friend you haven't seen for a while
    Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This book is Bell, I think, in that it comes across as all the best of what I see Bell do and say in the eight years I've been following his career and watching & listening to--as much as I am able--his shows and presentations. The book is a journey and the recollections of his memories and experiences, where he shares the high spots, the low spots, the fun spots--and the spots where it is pretty awful and painful.

    I read this book out on the patio in the sun, listening to the squirrels and jays and hummingbirds, and thought "this could not be more real if Bell were sitting in the next chair over, also enjoying the warmth, and just chatting about life, sometimes making it about the events, sometimes going a little more into the details--and then, like good friends do, lowering his voice and getting a bit closer to talk about the real stuff, the stuff that brings joy, and the stuff that brings tears, to where you want to reach out and say 'It's OK. We can talk about this.' "

    He's like that.

    This book is him, and given the ways he's modified his own public acts as he has been growing more into his own self, it is a clear view into who he is and what he values. His family--wife and children. His many friends. His larger family. And of course, his very real blackness.

    The book is constructed as a somewhat linear set of personal stories and observations, sometimes in a more formal narrative, and sometimes a more raw explosion of his thoughts. (It took me a few chapters to realize that his book designer has set out the differences by changing the font used for narrative versus the uncensored thoughts.) We get to see a lot of his childhood, his awkward teen-age years, his twenties when he struggled to find his way, his thirties when he struggled to find his voice, and his-ahem--subsequent years when he finding his groove not only in his career but in all the aspects of growing a family and a community.

    Some sections made me laugh, but this is not a comedic book--it's not designed for laughs. Some parts made me angry. Some parts made me think, and even got me bristling at the idea that I wasn't yet really working on my own stuff like he clearly could see that I wasn't. Give me my fantasies, man!

    And some parts made me emotional, because of all the things Bell is, he is human, and loving, and frustrated, and limited, and learning, and growing, and honest. It shouldn't be this way, that we live in a society that not only is so centered in whiteness, but also so completely in denial about it. Bell knows this, and while his comedy acts brings this knowledge out, it is not an act, and surely it is a frustration that even when he sees that people claim they get it, especially after one of his shows, he still must go back to his wife and family and home and wonder if his show of contradictions and eruptions will still be relevant, and be scared that he will never run out of material.

    This is the book a friend would write, to tell you what he thinks, because there wasn't enough time in one afternoon sitting in the sunshine on a patio to tell everything. It takes time to grow in that kind of friendship, and he only had a few hundred pages to work with.

    He has done admirably.

    On a more personal note, I appreciate the stories of the hard times that he covered up so well. I loved Totally Biased, and yet in here he tells how hard it was on him, and on all those he loved. I feel bad that I laughed in ignorance, but I appreciate that he did what he signed up to do, maintained his own sanity and personal life, if only by a thread, and didn't completely burn out. I loved his show on FXX even though it's been stressful, and honestly--hand to God--had no idea of the struggles he's gone through to make the shows he does his very own. But now it adds even more to the shows he presents because they are increasingly more like his vision.

    One thing that is very apparent in his book is that Bell knows where he comes from and knows the people who have helped him along. He is very open and quick about his praise. He talks about all the people who helped him and loved him. And while it is very clear that he wants to grow in his own voice, he gives credit to all the people and their voices who helped him find his own voice.

    What a gracious, kind man, and what a gift he has for reaching us with something that's funny, biting, and restorative.
    20 people found this helpful
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  • Eric Juneau
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Humorous Set of Essays
    Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I have double- and triple- and quadruple-checked this review to not sound racist, and it still sounds racist to me. Everything I write seems condescending like “ooh, let me read about the experience and perspective of these poor downtrodden folk so that I, as a lord, may better fathom these men’s plight. Ah, now I totally understand the Black experience, tum-tee-tum.”

    On Twitter, during the Minneapolis riots, someone listed a set of books by Black voices discounted on Amazon, to encourage the purchase of artistic works by Black people. So I bought some of them. I understand other humans through books, and my bookshelf does not have many authors of color. Especially Black people, since they have a unique aspect that the Chinese or Irish or Indian or Hispanic or any other American emigrants don’t have–slavery.

    W. Kamau Bell is the child of two people that couldn’t fail if they wanted to. Usually, I complain about people like that, but in this case, it’s fine because Bell fails quite a bit. He drops out of college. He can’t make friends. He doesn’t fit in at private school. He doesn’t have two married parents. He likes superheroes and rock music and Bruce Lee. He’s in a Venn diagram of not Black enough for Blacks and not safe enough for whites.

    He’s spent his career in jumping around mediums–stand-up, one-man shows, late-night TV round-tables, man-on-the-street news features–but the common theme is he’s always exploring social issues.

    But sometimes his essays get too progressive for their own good. Sometimes Bell points out incidents that he claimed were racist, where I didn’t see where it wouldn’t have gone different if he was a white man. Like having to deal with idiot television producers or nosy Karens who think they know better than you how to be a parent. Despite large amounts of text dedicated to his upbringing, I just didn’t see where he had experienced a lot of hardship or interesting things in his life. Not like Lindsey Stirling or Kayla Williams.

    That being said, I enjoyed this collection of essays, especially compared to the pasty white drivel I had read previously (David Sedaris and John Hodgman) and I think he has intriguing ideas. This guy’s got the makings of a leader. I would like to see another set of writing, now that the autobiography stuff is out of the way. There’s still plenty that white people don’t know about being Black in America.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • The Schoolmarm
    5.0 out of 5 stars Me and Kamau
    Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Awkward. I’ll get this out-of-the-way first, because I taught school for 40 years it is very hard for me to hear the author repeatedly say “me and ———. “ As i would tell my students, “ Put the other person first.” It was distracting.
    With that said I will applaud the work of the author for facing racism head on in the most personal ways, his own life experience. Published in 2017, he captured my own response-to the 2016 elections and the shared misery of the last 4 years as a citizen. A worthy read from a person i perceive as a “really good guy”.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Susan Shepherd
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read, funny, intelligent man as author .
    Reviewed in Canada on July 9, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I am a huge fan of W Kamau Bell’s CNN Show UNITED SHADES OF AMERICA. And it was such a treat to learn more about him , his upbringing and his experiences. And he is soo honest and intelligent ,his views on all races make sense and I really respect his comments and his points of view. quite enjoyable.
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  • Garden Girl
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in Canada on November 19, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Stellar read...thought I would love this book from Kamau and it did not disappoint...always enjoyed him on TV and am very happy with his book...well done! A+
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