Black Like Me Book Report
Book Critique: Black Like Me
The book Black Like Me, written by John Howard Griffin, is based on the author’s true story and was published as a nonfiction book in 1961. The author was an American journalist from Texas who had to get his skin dark enough to pass as a black man, shave his head, and give up his life as an employed white man to do the necessary research for this book. He states in the book that he “had spent [his] time at the doctor’s or closed up in [his] room with cotton pads over [his] eyes and the sun lam turned on [him]” (Griffin pg. 7). John Howard Griffin lived in the life of a black man for six weeks as he did his research, all the while searching for jobs and trying to prosper in his new life. This book covers his journey as a black man in society and the things he uncovered while …show more content…
In his early years he studied in France under a musical scholarship. After serving in the United States Army Corps, Griffin returned home and started writing about his experiences. In 1954, he published his first book, and in 1956 he published his second book. Later in 1959, Griffin started his quest to write the book Black Like Me, to uncover the true life of a black man in 1950s America. Griffin later died of diabetes in 1980 at the age of sixty. While reading this book, I felt as if I was living life with the author as he told the story. I was able to put myself in the author’s shoes and feel what he was feeling. In return, this book touched me in a certain way emotionally because of the author’s way of making me feel like I was right there with him. I really enjoyed his work and was touched by his writing and bravery in what he did and overcame to write this book. I was also touched by this book because I did not realize the magnitude of disrespect and hardships that African American’s received during this time. it was a really eye opening experience for me to read this book due to
The book Black Like Me, written by John Howard Griffin, is based on the author’s true story and was published as a nonfiction book in 1961. The author was an American journalist from Texas who had to get his skin dark enough to pass as a black man, shave his head, and give up his life as an employed white man to do the necessary research for this book. He states in the book that he “had spent [his] time at the doctor’s or closed up in [his] room with cotton pads over [his] eyes and the sun lam turned on [him]” (Griffin pg. 7). John Howard Griffin lived in the life of a black man for six weeks as he did his research, all the while searching for jobs and trying to prosper in his new life. This book covers his journey as a black man in society and the things he uncovered while …show more content…
In his early years he studied in France under a musical scholarship. After serving in the United States Army Corps, Griffin returned home and started writing about his experiences. In 1954, he published his first book, and in 1956 he published his second book. Later in 1959, Griffin started his quest to write the book Black Like Me, to uncover the true life of a black man in 1950s America. Griffin later died of diabetes in 1980 at the age of sixty. While reading this book, I felt as if I was living life with the author as he told the story. I was able to put myself in the author’s shoes and feel what he was feeling. In return, this book touched me in a certain way emotionally because of the author’s way of making me feel like I was right there with him. I really enjoyed his work and was touched by his writing and bravery in what he did and overcame to write this book. I was also touched by this book because I did not realize the magnitude of disrespect and hardships that African American’s received during this time. it was a really eye opening experience for me to read this book due to