This is Not America

Excellent... This is Not America lands us in that complex area called humanity, which, Owolade argues, is the best place for us to forge common goals -- Tony Sewell * Telegraph * Passionate and timely... [Owolade] concludes: 'To define someone exclusively by their race is to acquiesce to the visions of racists.' Amen to that. -- Colin Grant * Observer * [Owolade's] argument has needed saying for years... the book deserves to succeed * Janan Ganesh, Financial Times * Persuasive and insightful... [Owolade's] manifesto for a black British identity, one that sees the two identities as 'indivisible' rather than opposed, is compelling and admirable, as is his love of his Britishness * Sunday Times * Owolade's book is a timely exploration of difficult questions. Proudly unorthodox, sometimes provocative, it has the merit of being engaging even when it enrages. -- S. I. Martin * Guardian * Packed with illuminating statistics and potted biographies, This Is Not America is an espresso of a book - a short and stimulating affair that will leave you feeling smarter * The Times * Wide-ranging... [Owolade's] intent is to engender a form of antiracism that is UK-specific, thus more truthful and useful * New Statesman * Owolade draws on his personal experiences and those of others to craft a nuanced, compassionate and surprisingly optimistic view of race relations in Britain. * Irish Times * An erudite book, full of clear, courageous, common-sense observations about the different histories and patterns of racism that divide Britain and the US * Jewish Chronicle * Impressive... a resounding appeal for openness, intelligence, imagination and common sense in the discussion of racial difference in our society * The Tablet * An outstanding achievement... This is Not America is a deeply researched, passionately argued and original contribution to one of the most important debates in modern Britain. I admired it immensely. -- Dr Amanda Foreman, author of The Duchess Tomiwa Owolade has achieved the near impossible feat of bringing much needed reason, nuance and balance to the super charged debate about race and racism that has migrated from America to Britain and many other European democracies. -- Jacob Mchangama, author of Free Speech Subtle, subversive and compassionate, this is a book not just for black Britons but for all Britons interested in the evolving character of our national identity, and who want to feel optimistic about it. -- Tom Holland, author of Rubicon A brave and utterly engrossing book. Nuanced, fair-minded and thoughtful... This is Not America is essential reading for anyone interested in some of the most contentious issues of our time -- Ian Buruma, author of Year Zero Tomiwa Owolade navigates questions of race and identity in British politics with a rare combination of subtlety, clarity and moral urgency. Powered by historical scholarship, This is Not America steers a course of cool intellectual rigour through a debate that is too often polarised and polemical -- Rafael Behr, author of Politics: A Survivor's Guide Eloquent and insightful -- Dr Remi Adekoya, author of Biracial Britain A calm and insightful voice in an often overheated debate. -- Kenan Malik, author of The Quest for a Moral Compass This is Not America is not only indispensable writing and indispensable thinking - it is essential to working out who we are in Britain today -- Ben Judah, author of This is London Few books truly deserve to be called 'necessary' but This is Not America is one of them. -- Ian Leslie, author of How to Disagree Weaves elegantly through statistics, literary narratives and personal stories to reveal the radically different social and cultural contexts of the two countries with regard to race... [and] forms part of the urgent and long-awaited intellectual work needed to create a genuinely fair and socially just society * The Critic * Owolade tells an optimistic story of racial progress... Thinkers like these [Owolade] are poised to dramatically alter a conversation that has hitherto been dominated by a narrow cadre of white progressive elites and minority radicals. * Literary Review * Well informed, nuanced and balanced, Tomiwa Owolade is the optimistic future of Britain's race debate -- David Goodhart, author of The Road to Somewhere