You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Amber Ruffin, Lacey Lamar ISBN: 1538719363
Published by Grand Central Publishing on January 12, 2021
Pages: 240
Goodreads
*An Indie Next Pick*
Writer and performer on Late Night with Seth Meyers Amber Ruffin writes with her sister Lacey Lamar with humor and heart to share absurd anecdotes about everyday experiences of racism.
Now a writer and performer on Late Night with Seth Meyers and host of The Amber Ruffin Show, Amber Ruffin lives in New York, where she is no one's First Black Friend and everyone is, as she puts it, "stark raving normal." But Amber's sister Lacey? She's still living in their home state of Nebraska, and trust us, you'll never believe what happened to Lacey.
From racist donut shops to strangers putting their whole hand in her hair, from being mistaken for a prostitute to being mistaken for Harriet Tubman, Lacey is a lightning rod for hilariously ridiculous yet all-too-real anecdotes. She's the perfect mix of polite, beautiful, petite, and Black that apparently makes people think "I can say whatever I want to this woman." And now, Amber and Lacey share these entertainingly horrifying stories through their laugh-out-loud sisterly banter. Painfully relatable or shockingly eye-opening (depending on how often you have personally been followed by security at department stores), this book tackles modern-day racism with the perfect balance of levity and gravity.
You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism
Plain and to the point with a ton of humor, Amber and Lacey discuss events in their life that are centered around the racism they have experienced. I tried hard not to laugh but the absurdities that occur in the midwest are something I have witnessed while visiting my relatives there and part of the reason my mother was so desperate to return to California. These people have no clue that what they are saying is so racist. Lacey sees the humor in each event and relates them in such detail that you feel like you are right there with her. This would be the perfect starting point for people who don’t think they are being racist but are clueless that their words can be hurtful.
The two sisters are so sharply snarky and funny. I have been watching Amber on Seth Meyers’ show and now watch her Peacock show which is really wonderful. I really didn’t want this book to an end since I could listen to them have sisterly chats forever. I would love to see them host a show together. I really want to scan the YOUR OPTIONS chapter and hand them out to some people in my neighborhood.
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