Straight, No Chaser by Jill Nelson

This book is an excellent account of what it means to be an African American woman in late 1990s America. The author discusses her perceptions about body image, success, love and marriage, and family that have shaped her life and career. While much of what she writes pertains only to African American women, as a white woman I found many of her ideas and insights to be familiar.

Nelson's description of the ideal female body image and how it can never be obtained by African American women was interesting. She devotes a whole chapter to the quest for perfect skin, long flowing hair, and thin thighs. According to Nelson, the black woman is often "invisible" to society because she does not look like the ideal woman depicted in movies, fairy tales, and the media. Another chapter discusses the African American woman's role in marriage and family. Nelson expresses her frustration with women being satisfied or content with polygamous relationships and unequal partnerships because they are scared of "losing their man" or being perceived as "too strong" or "not feminine enough".

I agree with Nelson in her assertion that African American women are the people who make churches, community organizations, schools and other basic community groups run smoothly. Without the women to do the everyday work, many of these types of organizations would not function. Nelson's frustration with the status quo is that these women rarely get the credit they deserve for the important work that they do.

While many of Nelson's observations apply to African American women, I think most of them also apply to women in general. I found myself nodding my head while reading much of this book and it was encouraging to me that other women are experiencing the same problems in life that I have experienced. In a nutshell, Nelson offers this advice: Be strong, be true to yourself, live your life on your own terms.

Debbi Dinkins