Rating: 
Summary: A Review
Review: Are you looking for a way to expand your understanding of racism in American culture? Then this is the book for you. Kennedy addresses the nature and definition of the namesake of his book. His candid discussion of racism and language are interesting and a welcomed voice of balance and maturity on a topic that is definitely controversial.
Rating: 
Summary: Overall, an enormous disappointment
Review: Quite frankly, I expected a lot better from a Harvard law professor. Maybe that's my fault. But Harvard or no, this book is simply disappointing.My expectations: a reasoned analysis of the use and history of the word "nigger." The reasons behind its power. A thoughtful analysis of the dichotomy between its use by black people, and its use by non-black people. What I got was a survey of the use of the word -- in music, in court cases, in literature. Which is okay, for what it's worth. But there's no further analysis. Frequently thereafter, Prof. Kennedy rests on his own opinions without any further extrapolation. Sentences like, "And its use was met with opposition which, in my opinion, was rightly deserved." (I'm paraphrasing that from memory.) So? Then what? Why? More distrubing was that at some points the survey wasn't even academically honest. My prime example of this is when Prof. Kennedy cites the overwhelming number of times "nigger" is used in court cases as compared to other racial epithets. He does not, however, explore the reasons for this imbalance. Is it that African-Americans are more likely to initiate court cases over the word? Or because words like "mick" are used less often? Or because words like "chink" just aren't considered as offensive? We don't know. Moreover, the statistic in and of itself is misleading: Just because a word shows up in a court case doesn't mean it's central to the case. For example, a case that has nothing to do with the word "nigger" may show up in Prof. Kennedy's search just because a different, but related case, used the word and that tangential case was discussed briefly in the primary case. One hour of "Boston Public" covered enough of the salient points of this book. And that show didn't even open up any *new* dialog regarding the use of the word. Watch that rerun and you'll know everything this book was supposed to tell you. Read the book and finish it with more questions than you had when you started.
Rating:
Summary: A dispassionate look at a passionate word
Review: Professor Kennedy offers a concise, well-constructed and -documented review and analysis of a word that's more than a word. The relatively small size of the book disguises its abundance of thought-provoking material in the form of examples, observations and legal issues. Yet he does this in an impassionate manner that compliments objectivity. I have worked with African-Americans through a military career and on to the corporate world. Being white I can't speak for the black experience. But there's something here in this book that explains a lot. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: A great history book.
Review: I decided to buy this book after seeing it on 60 minutes and Boston Public. I must admit that I had to buy this book on Amazon because I am white and I didn't feel comfortable buying a book with such a racially charged word as the title. None the less I am glad I bought this book. I will admit that when it comes to African American history I am pretty ignorant and this book helped rid me of some of the ignorance. I am not a racist person but I really need to learn more about African American culture. I was brought up in an almost all white area and many people in my family have racist views. This book gave me a look in a society that I would not have normally seen... I really recommend this book to any one of any race in any country.
Rating: 
Summary: Rehash of old work.
Review: I expected a good book based on all the reviews, but instead I
found a compilation of past instances of the word nigger as insult.
I did not find a root of the word, nor a beginning, nor an ending for
the word nigger. It was well researched, put together and marketed,
but so was Studebaker. I cannot recommend it if you wish to learn
about the word. If you just wish to have something to talk about,
read it . Takes about one hour.
Rating: 
Summary: Technically well written.
Review: Dr. Kenneedy has written a well-crafted work on a normally touchy subject. His understanding of the word 'nigger' and its many uses is excellent. He however either over intellectualizes his treatise of the subject with an antiseptic distance and/or is fulfilling the unwritten contract that many Blacks have when their daily bread is gleaned from the White establishment (considering that he works at Harvard this should not be taken lightly) by ignoring the context in which his book will be read. An offence that he considers when explaining, "What should matter is the context in which the word is spoken -- speaker's aims, effects and alternatives." (page 51-52) Of course an author of his intellect and achievement does know better. Never the less this is a definite coffee table addition. Guaranteed to get coversation flowing. P.S. What is the deal with its diminutive size; marketing?!?
Rating: 
Summary: Exploring the Strange Life of a Complex Word
Review: As someone who has spent nearly a decade writing about race relations in the U.S., I couldn't read this book fast enough. Kennedy offers a well-timed examination of a word that appears to be experiencing a revival of public usage. I didn't agree with all of his conclusions, but the book certainly provokes critical thought. I especially appreciated the section that lays out how the word has been considered by the U.S. courts. This book should be mandatory reading for all Americans. It is a worthy addition to any to high school or college social studies syllabus, and a good choice for book clubs that welcome heated debate.
Rating:
Summary: Profound Expose of a Term
Review: No one can own a word, but we sure can abuse one. Kennedy makes this clear. Randall Kennedy's "Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word" does more than analyze a word. He forces both the white and black communities to assess how we communicate with each other, and our agendas and goals. Expect to be challenged by "Nigger," and be ready to examine the rest of your language usage. Language should never be casual. I fully recommend "Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word" by Randall Kennedy...
Rating:
Summary: the power of a small word
Review: I think this book should be maditory to read, black, white, asian, they should all read it. It helps to understand the word why people feel how they do when the word is said. What is really interesting is that the word did not start out as a demining word. "Negro" was the orignal word meaning black. But some how the low lifes of are society found ways to make it deming for them.Actually there were alot of plantation who had free black people and payed them, so there is no reason to be mad at all of the white people because we are all not like that.
Rating:
Summary: nigger Exploited
Review: Randall Kennedy’s “nigger The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word” is a “slippery slope” book exploiting the word nigger to gain notoriety and sell books. This compilation of high profile quotes, legal cases, opinions, and social questions are woven together for a highly exploitive read yet fails to promote a remedy or singular definition for the word nigger. Kennedy’s book gives historical order to the word though he declines to voice “something new” and uses a controversial word to gain attention and an audience. After all, a plethora of emotion does run wild when someone says the word nigger, does it not?
Kennedy uses fear tactics and emotion in his first chapter by voicing many questions society is either afraid to voice or has already addressed. He then writes, that “to be ignorant of its meanings and effects is to make oneself vulnerable to all manner of perils, including the loss of a job, a reputation, a friend, even one’s life” (Kennedy 4). While Kennedy uses a fear tactic to make a strong statement he undermines it by following up with examples of those who cross the threshold of nigger and flaunt the word while suffering no consequences. Ignoring the hazards and/or pitfalls relative to the cavalier use of nigger, many comedians, writers, recording artists, and movie makers defy society utilizing nigger in their art medium. Does this mean the word nigger is losing its emotional power over society or that the use is so common as to reshape our cultural response? With this, Kennedy fails to project where nigger is going.
The only piece of inspiration and hope for a better society written within this book, may be discovered by one who looks to the future and is vaccinated against the word nigger or any other racial slur. “Thus, instead of cordoning off racially defined areas of the culture and allowing them to be tilled only by persons of the right race, we should work toward enlarging the common ground of American culture, a field that is open to all comers regardless of their origin” (132-3). Is this a social truism? It is now more “politically correct” to not just be American, but to opt for ethnic isolation and be African Americans, Asian Americans or Mexican Americans. One might reasonably wonder where Mr. Kennedy lands after falling off his “slippery slope” as he offers no brilliant insights into character or social pressure.
His audience might wonder where nigger currently is among society. Kennedy “stacks the deck” with the definition of nigger as having many different meanings. If the word nigger is defined as a loving endearment, and hate word, it holds a monopoly and discredits itself by not finding its way to a common definition by society as a whole. He claims, “If nigger represented only an insulting slur and was associated only with racial animus, this book would not exist, for the term would be insufficiently interesting to warrant extended study” (34).
Kennedy’s cheats and lures a large emotional audience with the title, cover, and content of his book. The cover is all black with a bold white superimposed word nigger, making the subliminal message very clear. The message inside fails to follow up on what the cover indicates. For any person who has been injured and subjugated to Jim Crow Laws and labeled a nigger his book won’t soothe such wounds. For any person who has fought, and still fights racism, there are no weapons for such victories provided between the jackets of this book. To the bigot who thinks he/she will obtain leverage over African Americans, you will gain nothing, for it contains only messages that deflate the emotional distinction of the word nigger. African Americans who feel that “nigger has never been cool when spit from white lips” won’t find an argument agreeing with their persuasion (51). His book merely congregates such positions from all angles and ethnic sides. There is a logical benefit from such a large overview of the word nigger as compiled by Mr. Kennedy. It addresses one who might have been deaf to an argument different than one’s own and is forced to look at a different view or side. In doing so, there are those who might feel that Kennedy is poking old wounds to see if they still hurt. So, what is his real purpose?
The purpose of this book is to simply restate the already deadlocked position of the word nigger. When confronted with the use of vulgar speech, defamatory remarks, racial epithets, what choices are there? Tolerance, or censorship? There are no other choices between our first Amendment rights and outright banning other than a personal boycott of the things we find offensive. Sadly, individuals who are deeply concerned with such issues won’t find a cure by reading his book. Mr. Kennedy has missed an opportunity to speak out clearly and with passion, and to take a position about a word that reflects on an era, and several generations of people in conflict. What a tragedy! Randall Kennedy simply restates the unsolved issue of nigger. “For bad and for good, nigger is thus destined to remain with us for many years to come — a reminder of the ironies and dilemmas, the tragedies and the glories of the American experience” (176).
In summary, Randall Kennedy restates the already chronicled, spoken, seen, and felt dilemmas and results of the word nigger. He uses nigger as bait to reel in an emotional audience and provides no solution to its use. His book is merely restating questions, resentments and perspectives from all ethnic views. The big build up for a “cliff hanger” ending is a major disappointment for those seeking a treatment to racial slurs or having their ethnic opinions heard. Kennedy “dangles the bait” in front of his audience and takes them on an emotional journey through time, then down a dead end road, and leaves them with “nigger is what it is.”
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