Writings on the wall : searching for a new equality beyond black and white

Introduction: Bridging troubled waters -- American politics: The broom of the system -- Racism: Make me wanna holler -- Religion: Worship at your own risk -- Gender: The view from the front yard -- Class struggle: Another day in paradise -- Sports: Are you not entertained? -- News media: I read the news today, oh boy -- Seniors: The aging of Aquarius -- Dear Generation Z: Unsolicited advice for America's youth.

Summary:

Basketball legend and cultural commentator Kareem Abdul-Jabbar explores how the America of today is a fractured society, sharply divided along the lines of race, gender, religion, political party and economic class. In his celebrated second career as a writer and social critic, Abdul-Jabbar examines these issues with insight and passion as he draws from his own experiences as a superstar athlete, an inquisitive scholar, a celebrity, a father, an African American and a Muslim. In his columns for Time, the Washington Post and other national publications, he has garnered wide attention for opinions that are unconventional yet disarmingly rational in a time of political absurdity. In this new collection of essays, he probes the roots of bias and unfairness that remain a stubborn part of America, even 240 years after its founding document declared that all Americans are created equal. He makes a compelling case for how America can create equal opportunity for all its citizens, not just the few and the favored.--Adapted from dust jacket.

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245 pages ;

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Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
Non-Fiction	305.896 ABD	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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A New York Times and Washington Post Bestseller

Bestselling author, basketball legend and cultural commentator Kareem Abdul-Jabbar explores the heart of issues that affect Americans today.

Since retiring from professional basketball as the NBA's all-time leading scorer, six-time MVP, and Hall of Fame inductee, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has become a lauded observer of culture and society, a New York Times bestselling author, and a regular contributor to The Washington Post , TIME magazine and TIME.com.

He now brings that keen insight to the fore in Writings on the Wall: Searching for a New Equality Beyond Black and White , his most incisive and important work of non-fiction in years. He uses his unique blend of erudition, street smarts and authentic experience in essays on the country's seemingly irreconcilable partisan divide - both racial and political, parenthood, and his own experiences as an athlete, African-American, and a Muslim. The book is not just a collection of expositions; he also offers keen assessments of and solutions to problems such as racism in sports while speaking candidly about his experiences on the court and off.

Timed for publication as the nation debates whom to send to the White House, the combination of plain talk on issues, life lessons, and personal stories places Writings on the Wall squarely in the middle of the conversation, as many of Abdul-Jabbar's topics are at the top of the national agenda. Whether it is sparring with Donald Trump, within the pages of TIME magazine, or full-length features in the The New York Times Magazine , writers, critics, and readers have come to agree on what The Washington Post observed: Abdul-Jabbar "has become a vital, dynamic and unorthodox cultural voice."

Author Notes

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. Since retiring, Abdul-Jabbar has been an actor and basketball coach, and has authored six books for adults and three for children, including What Color is My World ?, which won the NAACP award for Best Children's Book. In 2012, he was selected as a U.S. Cultural Ambassador. He lives in Southern California.

Reviews (3)

Publisher's Weekly Review

An endearing lack of cynicism pervades Abdul-Jabbar and Obstfeld's fifth book together, following What Color Is My World? Their latest work focuses on "continental divides" in American society such as "young versus old" and "men versus women." Hoping to "expand the discussion about what America is and what it means to be American," the book deploys easily grasped metaphors alongside current polling data and pop culture references. Each chapter ends with a numbered list of possible answers to the questions explored earlier. The prevailing tone is a plainspoken and principled defense of reason over emotion and education over ignorance. Betraying an encyclopedic knowledge of American culture, the book quotes an impressive array of figures as broad as Francis Bacon, Michelle Obama, and Gwendolyn Brooks. There are some missteps; the authors' comments on gender roles may strike feminists as paternalistic, and their partisan derision for the GOP ignores Democratic foibles. Little here is startlingly original, but the book excels in translating, supporting, and passionately defending the ideas behind "the document that defines who we are and what we stand for: the U.S. Constitution." (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Booklist Review

Abdul-Jabbar hopes that this collection of essays written in the vein of his Time magazine pieces will contribute to the national debate underway this voluble election year. To that end, he is unflinchingly candid in his take on politics, including the current presidential race, implicit and explicit racism, religion (especially the demonization of Muslims), gender equality, class struggle, sports, and the media. In his closing chapter, Dear Generation Z: Unsolicited Advice for Future Americans, he seeks to illuminate (with coauthor Obstfeld) these topics with a combination of statistics and personal experiences bolstered by numerous pop-culture references and quotes from historical figures, and provides possible solutions. While much of this is well-explored territory, Abdul-Jabbar makes valid points on the relatively unexamined topic of the negatively stereotypical images of the elderly in film and television, and advocates for older Americans to unite and turn their ever-growing demographic into genuine consumer and political power. Ultimately, this is a call to everyone in the U.S. to live better, richer, fuller lives, which is, after all, the real definition of the American Dream.--Hawkins, Valerie Copyright 2016 Booklist

Library Journal Review

NBA Hall of Famer and author Abdul--Jabbar (What Color Is My World?) tackles racism, sexism, economic inequality, and more in his latest work, which is inspired by his own experience and frustration with the growing racial and social divide within the United States. This is not an autobiography; other than the chapter on religion, in which the author discusses his conversion to Islam as a young man. Abdul-Jabbar draws primarily from published studies as well as popular music and movies (at one point he quotes political commentator James Carville and German playwright Bertolt Brecht in the same paragraph). Each chapter closes with specific recommendations that vary from the practical (raise the minimum wage to $15) to the aspirational ("fact-check every politician every time they speak publicly"). VERDICT While the book will likely most appeal to those who share Abdul-Jabbar's progressive outlook, it is recommended for all readers seeking a clear, concise overview of many pressing issues facing the country today.-Nicholas Graham, Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Introduction
Bridging Troubled Waters	p. 1
1 American Politics The Broom of the System	p. 15
2 Racism Make Me Wanna Holler	p. 47
3 Religion Worship at Your Own Risk	p. 77
4 Gender The View From the Front Yard	p. 105
5 Class Struggle Another Day in Paradise	p. 137
6 Sports Are You Not Entertained?	p. 157
7 News Media I Read the News Today, Oh Boy	p. 183
8 Seniors The Aging of Aquarius	p. 205
9 Dear Generation Z Unsolicited Advice for America's Youth	p. 225
Index	p. 233
Acknowledgments	p. 243
About the Authors	p. 245

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Bound With These Titles

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Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (3)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Booklist Review

Library Journal Review

Table of Contents