I couldn't wait to get my hands on He Talk Like A White Boy by Joseph C. Phillips. As a fan of his work as an actor, I was interested in what he had to say. I was also intrigued by the title. As the mother of a black daughter who is told that she "talks like a white girl" ... I wanted to hear what he had to say about it and wondered if it was similar to what I had to say about it. It was.
While I was interested in the book for the reasons stated, I have to say Mr. Phillips has a lot more to say and he knows how to say it. He can definitely turn a phrase. His writing style keeps your attention and I caught myself laughing out loud, nodding my head in agreement, and even reading particular passages out loud to anyone that would stand still and listen. I even handed the book over to my oldest daughter at one point just so she could read what I had been saying all along about boys and their relationships with girls ... but from a man's perspective.
Now, of course, Mr. Phillips did have some things to say that I didn't agree with. We didn't agree on Bill Clinton or George W. Bush. We somewhat agreed when it came to Ronald Reagan and we agreed with each other completely when it came to Colin Powell. Even though I don't agree with some of his politics and was kind of discouraged to read some of the same old Republican talking points, I really did enjoy the book and what Mr. Phillips had to say. He also reminded me that while we won't always agree with someone on everything, there is still value in their opinions. Unless it is regarding Bill Clinton and then I will just have to call hogwash, hogwash. ;)
He Talk Like A White Boy is not just about politics and race. It is about family, love, faith, community, and a multitude of other topics. He writes about what it means to be a man and a father. He writes about ethics and values. He writes about honesty and commitment. You will definitely find yourself agreeing with Mr. Phillips on much of what he has to say, conservative or not. Honestly, I don't think his views have as much to do with conservative ideology as it does with just plain old-fashioned common sense. I warn you, this book is hard to put down. I recommend it whole-heartedly.
- He Talk Like A White Boy by Joseph C. Phillips was sent to me as a gift by Active Christian Media. I was not paid for this review.
It sounds like an interesting read.