# Black Friend: Essays - Hardcover

by **Ziwe** (Author)

**NATIONAL BESTSELLER**

From the writer crowned one of the smartest, funniest voices in modern America, this hotly anticipated debut collection of essays offers "a precious glimpse into how Ziwe's uniquely fearless mind functions" (_New York Magazine_)

Ziwe made a name for herself by asking guests like Alyssa Milano, Fran Lebowitz, and Chet Hanks direct questions. In _Black Friend_, she turns her incisive perspective on both herself and the culture at large. Throughout the book, Ziwe combines pop-culture commentary and personal stories, which grapple with her own (mis)understanding of identity. From a hilarious case of mistaken identity via a jumbotron to a terrifying fight-or-flight encounter in the woods, Ziwe raises difficult questions for comedic relief.

From _Black Friend's_ Introduction:

"Today, I learned that my book is ranked as the #1 new release in 'Discrimination and Racism' on Amazon. Wow. This is a huge honor, especially considering my stiff competition in the selfpublished manifestos space. Unfortunately, this victory is bittersweet. I worry that people may get the wrong idea and think that I am pro-racism when in actuality, I am indifferent. Still, I'd love to thank everyone who made this possible. I solemnly swear to write the most discriminatory book in American history. I hope I can make you proud.

"Just kidding . . . I will not marginalize you . . . unless that's your kink. This book of essays offers moments of extreme discomfort (and the subsequent growth) in my life around the role of 'black friend.' Black friends come in all shapes and sizes. Yet the archetype is often a two-dimensional character meant to support the non-black protagonists' more complex humanity. Some black friends exist as the comic relief, like Donkey in any of the _Shrek_ movies. Some are the sassy friend, like Louise from St. Louis in _Sex and the City_. Still others are the inexplicably sagacious companion, like Morpheus in _The Matrix_. It's impossible for these individual portraits to reflect my complicated reality. To start, they are fictional. One of them is a talking ass. I do not exist just to move plot. While I am a supportive friend, I am not a supporting character. I am the protagonist of my perfectly imperfect story."

### Author Biography

**Ziwe** is a comedian, writer, and actor. She was the executive producer and star of the eponymous late-night variety show _ZIWE_ on Showtime. She identifies as a nineteen-year-old pop star/model. Goo goo gah gah. She lives in New York City.

**Number of Pages:** 192

**Dimensions:** 0.9 x 8.3 x 5.7 IN

**Publication Date:** October 17, 2023

## Details

- **Price:** 26.0 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 26.00 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Black Friend: Essays - Hardcover

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