Fantastically detailed Exceptionally informative

At 24 hrs long, I thought I would struggle through this book, but from the first sentence to the last, I have been hooked. I have been glued to google as to research further the people and places mentioned. A GREAT GREAT BOOK. I'm so glad I listened.

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59 people found this helpful

A fascinating and timely book

This wonderful book is full of detail and is essential reading for anyone with an interest in British history and it's long association with black people. The chapters on the slave trade, plantation economies and the abolitionists were especially fascinating. The book dispels the commonly held assumption that Britain's relationship with black people only began with the Windrush generation. The book is a triumph for Olusoga and I personally feel prouder to call myself black and British now having a better understanding of the history of people like me who for song long have felt written out of the history of this nation.

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38 people found this helpful

Important, captivating and overdue.

What made the experience of listening to Black and British the most enjoyable?

Having a mainstream book that focuses on the plight of Black Britons is well overdue and incredibly important. The narration is wonderful, such a lovely voice to listen to. However the content is, of course, not so soothing. This is what makes it so important - it doesn't whitewash or downplay the horrendous history of slavery etc.. like my school history lessons did.

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30 people found this helpful

Great book...well done to Mr Olusoga

Incredible book. Well researched, very interesting and surprising content. Highly recommended. Should be compulsory. Thanks!

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29 people found this helpful

A must read.

This book is both honest, considerate, and eye opening.
Having been born and raised in Briton, a white British man I have long wondered where our black history has been, why it has been hidden from me, and am overjoyed by finally getting to hear about in this book.
Finally my pursuit of a different narrative than what we always fed to me has been revealed. Thank for a wonderful book.

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20 people found this helpful

Amazeballs.

Absolutely astonishing listen. Blew entirely open my understanding of what it means to be black in Britain. Lays perfectly clear the messy complexity of colonialism and totally destroys any notion of a "white Britain." Can't recommend enough.

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18 people found this helpful

Essential reading

Loved it. Skilfully a vast and forgotten topic. I can't even pinpoint a specific moment as my mind is awash with new information and new insights into parts of Black British history I though I already knew. So easy to listen to at times I forgot I wasn't listening to a novel so involved was I with the forgotten histories being retold. I would say essential ready for anyone interested in British and Colonial history not just Black History.

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16 people found this helpful

Captivating and thought provoking.

A broad and yet well detailed and balanced look at the complex relationship between Britain and Africa and consequently America . I was particularly interested in, and shocked by, details of events in my home city of Liverpool. Narration was good if a little husky at times. I reccomended it to anyone interested in perspectives on the 'glory days' of exploration and empire and those wanting to understand more on the role of race in UK history. Brilliant, I couldn't stop listening.

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14 people found this helpful

Critical reading for any Brit.

This book puts modern racialised rhetoric into historical perspective.
It has a lot of interesting and surprising moments, and the integrated timeline gives helpful context to historical events. It also equips the reader with some tools to assess modern political discourse on immigration, which is important for everyone in the UK at the moment.

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11 people found this helpful

Black and British by David Olusoga

Loved it .Hope I can retain at least some of the well researched historical information .
Very good indeed .

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10 people found this helpful