“Swirling” Review By a GASP!! Black Man!!

“Swirling” Review By a GASP!! Black Man!!

Might this review hush the mouths of folks who are trying to paint SWIRLING as some gross betrayal of the race, or some black-man bashing fest? Meh. Not likely, but I just love rubbing it in! ;-)

Author : Christelyn Karazin

Author's Website | Articles from

I’m a little neurotic about checking the Amazon rankings for SWIRLING, mainly because most writers are EXTREMELY neurotic. But I just so happened to look tonight and gawdallmighty SWIRLING got a review by not just a black man, but THE Eric Deggans, reporter for the Tampa Bay Times!

Here’s what he said:

As a black man married to a white woman with biracial kids, I have found this book invaluable, not just for me but for my daughters, who will face their own challenges in deciding who to date and why.

Much as people try to shrug off and deny the impact race difference has in America, there’s one place where we often remain divided: in romance.

But the authors here provide a book which doubles as a how-to manual and pep rally of sorts, encouraging readers that it is okay to consider dating people outside your own race or culture while offering much-needed tips on how to navigate the new ground you’ll be walking.

From thew lists of all the cool places to meet new partners to the author’s own heartfelt and open detailing of their own “swirling” relationships, the book bursts with the kind of thinking which is sorely needed in world where we are growing more diverse every day.

And even though I’m a male, I found much of the tips and stories mirrored my own experiences and gave me new insight. But what really got me, was when my oldest daughter picked up the book and started reading it on her own, drawn to its material in the same way I was.

I just wish a book like this had existed when i first began dating women of different races more than 25 years ago.

Might this review hush the mouths of folks who are trying to paint SWIRLING as some gross betrayal of the race, or some black-man bashing fest? Meh. Not likely, but I just love rubbing it in! ;-)

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NATruthstudent 1494 pts

I recall when I lived in St. Petersburg, he wrote for the St. Pete Times which has since been absorbed into a newer entity called the Tampa Bay Times.  Mr. Degan was one of the columnists I read more-or-less regularly because I found him to be fair and even-handed most of the time.  This review is no exception.

DU2 2156 pts

Well written review!!

 

Jamila 7196 pts moderator

His positive review speaks to the fact that you and your co-author were definitely fair and avoided even a hint of so-called black male bashing. It's a good book, and those who read it will be sure of that.

annedreshfield 1130 pts

Great review and congrats on the book! Love that his daughter picked it up, too. 

My latest conversation: The Campfyre • Last day of work in our office at 657 Howard...

WendyLBarber 172 pts

Nice review and congrats on your book.

Bunny77 2054 pts

Eric is a good dude. He's always been supportive of black women in his profession as well. Oh, and I believe he and his wife adopted their two children (or at least one... don't quote me).  Like Toni said, I like that he is not the type to be like, "look at my WW, but oh you BW need to stay with BM." He believes we should all make the choices that are best for us in love and life... who can argue with that?

Toni_M 18789 pts moderator

It's funny because it's clear that this person (1) read the book (2) had an open mind about it and (3) was able to appreciate it for what it was, and that it was not a slight on his person.

 

His commentaries makes the wailing of the GAT-DL that much more ridiculous and hilarious and hypocritical.

 

Good stuff!

IAOSingleMoms 875 pts

 Toni_M Ok...I'm gonna ask...what does "GAT-DL" stand for? I've been researching this for the longest not wanting to appear ignorant...please help...LOL

Toni_M 18789 pts moderator

 ShunJack  "Guardians of all things 'dark and lovely'": Basically the black police out to tell other people how to be black, what is/isn't black, and often where black women are concerned, how to be black-male identified and throw their own interests under the bus.

Cocuya 107 pts

 Toni_M  I learned something new today. LOL. There are so many acronyms on this site. I'm still a newbie.

forgetting4u 106 pts

 Cocuya I feel there should be an acronym section on this blog, haha. I won't tell you how long it took me to figure out what DBR or BWE meant.

Toni_M 18789 pts moderator

 forgetting4u  Cocuya You make a great point. I understood because I actually had access to Evia's book, which lists the meaning of various acronyms at the end. 

 

But these terms can be extremely esoteric for newcomers. I'll see if I can't submit a post that will help folks. 

DU2 2156 pts

 ShunJack Yup as Toni said very well.  Adding my two cents Some of the "guardians" claim to be "conscious" and love to throw out  the word "Hotep"' alot, how the white man is our oppressor and trying to anihilate  the race, etc.  I know  that racism still exists, but these GAT-DL disciples do not do anything of lasting value to genuinely improve things for people and  just use being black to keep people  isolated like crabs in a bucket.

Toni_M 18789 pts moderator

 DUsher  ShunJack If it's okay, I'm borrowing a little from this for a more comprehensive definition.

DU2 2156 pts

 Toni_M  ShunJack  Sure!

VintageNarcissa 3151 pts

Pretty awesome review! And a person taking the time to realize that IR dating for black women or women of black heritage is not something to vilified or ridiculed is a breath of fresh air. And also to see that this person actually took the time to read the book and not see that its a book about IR written by a black woman and cast it off as some kind of White Knighting tutorial.

eugeniaberg 7245 pts moderator

You know it's nice to hear a man thinking about his daughters and not his ego. Nice review.

temple 793 pts

Great & reasoned review from Eric Deggans.  And he does have his own life's work in the skirmish, as the U.S. obsession with one-dropping may affect his daughters.  I bet he'd be an interesting interview. . . ;-)