Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
The Beast Side
The Beast Side: Living (and Dying) While Black in America | D. Watkins
4 posts | 5 read | 5 to read
To many people in the Obama era, America finally succeeded in “going beyond race,” putting the divisions of the past behind us. And then 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot by a wannabe cop in Florida; and then Ferguson, Missouri happened; and then South Carolina hit the headlines; and then Baltimore blew up…Suddenly the entire country seemed to be waking to a stark fact: African American men are an endangered species. Now the country’s urban war zone is brought powerfully to life by a rising young literary talent, D. Watkins. The author fought his way up on the eastside (the “beastside”) of Baltimore, Maryland—or “Bodymore, Murderland” as his friends call it. He writes openly and unapologetically about what it took to survive life on the streets, while the casualties piled up around him, including his own brother. Watkins pushed drugs to pay his way through school, staying one step ahead of murderous business rivals and equally predatory lawmen. When black residents of Baltimore finally decided they had had enough—after the brutal killing of 25-year-old Freddie Gray while in police custody—Watkins was on the streets when the city erupted. He writes about his bleeding city with the razor-sharp insights of someone who bleeds along with it. Here are true dispatches from the other side of Obama’s America.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
Kathrin
post image
Pickpick

These essays are sometimes poignant and sometimes angry and often a combination of the two. The author often connects his personal experiences to a broader social injustice.

Watkins also believes in transforming young and poor minorities by promoting reading books that are relevant for kids now (Decoded by Jay-Z, The other Wes Moore by Wes Moore). As a reader, I believe he's on to something here.

blurb
whereistexasjen
post image

Picked these up after hearing D. Watkins speak at Austin's African American Book Festival. He talked about the power of storytelling and how books can transform lives by encouraging critical thinking skills and expanding readers view points. 📚

4 likes1 stack add
review
Readingrobin
Pickpick

I can't say enough about this amazing book of essays about life in Baltimore today. D. Watkins wants to get more people reading in his community and for that I applaud him.

10 likes2 stack adds
blurb
Readingrobin
post image

Narrative Non-Fiction Panel at the Hachette Book Brunch on October 22nd at the Society for Ethical Culture. The 3 authors are Julissa Arce, Amy Dickinson and D. Watson each have a compelling story but his made me want to read his books.

BookishMarginalia Sounds good -- wasn't on my radar before, so thanks! 8y
Readingrobin @BookishMarginalia Glad you added to your stack. It's an eye-opener! 8y
18 likes2 stack adds2 comments