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A review by erincampbell87
White Girls by Hilton Als
5.0
Wow, I finally finished a book, guys. 2014 has been a struggle.
This is cultural criticism as biography at its absolute best and most relevant, because Als uniquely interprets cultural touching points through his perspective as a black gay man in a way that makes clear that much of our popular culture is impossible to truly appreciate without that understanding. Als' identification as an outsider in most of the groups with which he identifies - gay men, white women, black straight men - leaves him a perceptive observer and critic of each. Here, identification as a white girl becomes a way of looking, a lens through which the world is judged rather than a physical identifier. The essays are rambling and disjointed at times, reading more like a hazy stream of consciousness. Still, Als' world is fascinating and his critiques are always spot-on, which makes this a rewarding, if not occasionally challenging, read.
This is cultural criticism as biography at its absolute best and most relevant, because Als uniquely interprets cultural touching points through his perspective as a black gay man in a way that makes clear that much of our popular culture is impossible to truly appreciate without that understanding. Als' identification as an outsider in most of the groups with which he identifies - gay men, white women, black straight men - leaves him a perceptive observer and critic of each. Here, identification as a white girl becomes a way of looking, a lens through which the world is judged rather than a physical identifier. The essays are rambling and disjointed at times, reading more like a hazy stream of consciousness. Still, Als' world is fascinating and his critiques are always spot-on, which makes this a rewarding, if not occasionally challenging, read.