Conversations are not always amusing or light-hearted. Some are serious. Some are informative. Some open one’s eyes to the realities of the world.

The Talk is a compilation of several authors providing their own “talk” regarding personal experiences and the cruel truths in our society, focusing on segregation, racism, and prejudice. As beautiful as life can be, it’s not always peachy or perfect, and The Talk addresses these issues by exposing the harsh realities of life. As mentioned in the introduction, providing a vision of how mankind could solve these problems is necessary.

At first sight, I thought this book would focus on topics I had already learned from history classes in school. But after finishing the book, I felt educated and enlightened by internalizing diverse perspectives and lessons. It was as if these writers were my parents giving me a pep talk to both educate and warn me about discrimination and prejudice. Although I already knew from school about Jim Crow laws and their effects on America, it was even more interesting to learn about the raw experiences Black children, mothers, and fathers had to painfully undergo during that time. Seeing the 1950s through a different yet personal perspective made me realize how lucky I am to live in a time when people were more educated. As a minority myself, I was able to connect with these stories as the authors in this book “talked” to me through stories of unfairness and injustice within many school environments.

Although the whole book was an easy read, it describes the tragedies of oppression in an ‘artful’ manner. Since the book is very accessible or ‘friendly’ to a younger audience, I wish this book had fallen into my hands earlier when I was a preteen. The Talk is highly recommended for those who wish to educate themselves on racial discrimination and boost self-awareness about the impact of race in our society today.

Review by: Mikayla Lorenzo

Mikayla reads novels from all genres. She has a passion for swimming, archery, and gaming.

—Michael Baradi, Mid-Valley Regional Branch Library