You Can Keep That to Yourself: A Comprehensive List of What Not to Say to Black People, for Well-Intentioned People of Pallor

With everything going on in recent news stories, racism is still a hot topic that weighs on many people’s minds. Being a white female, I cannot speak for any African Americans. Apparently, given that this book has been produced, some people feel that they can speak for others. You Can Keep That to Yourself is a compact guide of alphabetical terms that are NOT okay for white people to say to Black people. Each one includes short, humorous commentary to explain the importance of refraining from using the phrases, including “slavery,” “Fam,” and “Voted for Obama.” Disclaimer: many of the explanations include some adult language, so be aware of this if you are a sensitive reader.

At 135 pages, the book covers many terms that I would not have thought to be problematic otherwise. However, I may not be “with it” because there were some terms that I had no clue as to their meaning or context, and it seemed that I should understand. I like the book cover; it reminds me of the dictionary, which is helpful because it is a dictionary in its own category. For its purpose of education and enjoyment, I say it met the mark.