Rating: 
Summary: well worded call to more victimhood
Review: The truth is that this well worded piece of nonsense actually has very weak arguments...like an expert attorney trying to build a defense for an obvious killer...well worded, sounds nice, phrasing is articulate, but take apart the actual argument content and it's weak, very weak. Would have expected stronger logic from such a scholar.
Rating: 
Summary: A thought provoking Cliff Notes for African-Americans
Review: I believe this book addresses many of the concerns of blacks today. I only disagree with his reasoning for school violence. I am a Generation Y member that grew up on television and video games unsupervised. I haven't committed any capital crimes, nor have any of my best friends. In agrument of one of the negative reviews I must say that white Civil War soliders shouldn't be honored in his book. The myth that the Civil War and Emancipation freed blacks is laughable. Any one with a knowledge of history these days beyond highschool knows that the Civil War wasn't to grant blacks freedom for moral reasons. The North wanted to shift the power of the South from their strong conservative Democrats and rich slave owners. The Republicans and Northerners were looking to shift the wealth into their hands not free blacks. I agree not all the COnfederate soliders were murderous racists. Some of them only wanted to end the horrible war, so they could return home. Furthemore, there has been no political action to benefit African Americans without their being some alternative kickbacks such as electoral votes, power in Congress, or the Presidency.
Rating:
Summary: Every action leads to a reaction
Review: If Robinson and other pro-reparations spokespeople want to see 120 million whites in this country move politically from liberal and middle of the road to extreme right, all he has to do is continue this lunatic call for reparations. It isn't going to happen. This book states that the reparations movement will be good even if the money is never coughed up in an attempted shakedown because it will mobilize African-Americans in this country. Robinson needs to consider how such a move will mobilize Caucasians who are already moving to the right of center in vast numbers. I can promise you that that scenario will happen. If you want to see Caucasians glavanized as you never have before, just continue with this issue. Some historical facts to consider:
1) Africans were sold into slavery by Africans. (But, of course, no one is going to try to sue African countries that can't even support an infrastructure).
2) African-Americans are the most prosperous Africans in the world. Freed slaves who tried to start on their own in LIberia created the most miserable set of living conditions imaginable.
3) Before the slave trade, African males were killed by tribal leaders. Slavery saved their lives. Only the women and children were allowed to live.
4) 200,000 Caucasians died in the civil war- a war largely fought to free the slaves.
5) 50% of the people living in the USA today are descendants of immigrants who came to this country AFTER World War One, way after slavery.
Rating:
Summary: Counterproductive: where are the Blacks in my chemstry class
Review: This selective reading of history manages to ignore thousands of whites who worked for the abolition of slavery in the United States. The author treats Confederate soldiers as whites who fought and died to perserve slavery, but he does not treat Union soldiers as whites who fought and died to end slavery. The author ignores the long line of whites who took great risks to advance the cause of racial equality: the northerners who went south to register black voters, many of whom were murdered, Lyndon Johnson's effort and success in passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, passed by a predominately white Congress, Bobby Kennedy, Harry Truman and others.
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Rating: 
Summary: The Debt
Review: Randall Robinson has been one of the most prominent voices in the struggle to bring the issue of reparations for slavery to the American forefront for the last decade. In the wake of the recent International Conference on Race in Durban, South Africa, payment to the descendants of American slavery has been a topic of many heated debates across the country. The Debt attempts to draw parallels between the socioeconomic status of African Americans today and the long-term affects of slavery. Randall Robinson as a masterful command of language and shows his passion for his argument through a unique, often poetic writing style. What impressed me most about The Debt was it's historical perspective that provided a thorough overview of various events in history and how the pertain to an economic argument regarding the slave trade. My main problem with Robinson's bestseller is that it was in some sections difficult to follow. Due to it's slightly unorthodox style and layout, I often had to read chapters more than once to make sure I was clear on the point The Debt was attempting to make. Another drawback to this book were some specific issues where the point was belabored by the author because it was clear he felt very strongly about them. Despite my minor criticisms, I would highly recommend this book to people who are interested in a poignant, provocative memoir about an extremely controversial topic. Regardless of your opinions surrounding the issue of reparations, The Debt makes the most compelling argument I have ever heard by laying out the facts and letting the reader draw his/her own conclusions.
Rating: 
Summary: A Forceful Book with Little Substance
Review: Randall Robinson is a great asset to the African-American community and America at large. His prose and rhetorical ability are certainly impressive. In The Debt, Robinson liberally uses these skills, along with his charisma to gain support for the reparations movement. There could be no better spokesperson for the movement than Robinson. Despite his literary and rhetorical talents, Robinson's arguments are, at heart, very weak. The historical information as well as his analysis of racial and socioeconomic information is questionable at best. John McWhorter, an African-American writer for the New Republic wrote an excellent rebuttal to many of Robinson's claims several months ago. I highly reccomend the reader of The Debt check McWhorter's article out for a more objective perspective.
While Robinson's claims that the U.S. government as well as America publicly owe the African-Americans a great deal of gratitude for their contributions to America, Robinson's effort to secure reparations will only further divide and segregate America. America needs people like Robinson to channel their energies and talents in ways that will unite America. Robinson in The Debt proves himself a powerful voice for the African-American, and the American general public as well. While his arguments are certainly flawed, one cannot read The Debt without an appreciation and even a sense of awe for Robinson's ability at persuasive writing.
Rating:
Summary: The debt
Review: This book is a must have for anyone who wants to understand more about the subject of reparations. Randall Robinson does a wonderful job of raising this issue thereby raising our consciousness level. This book will certainly cause one to dig deeper concerning the consequences of slavery upon African Americans in this country. Two thumbs up!
Rating:
Summary: Clearing things up, hopefully
Review: ... I myself read the work for a class (The History of Race in America) at my school this past Fall, so I already knew what I would be looking at: a lot of passionate arguments stemming from a lot of personal feelings. Not surprising; race is undeniably a sensitive, sensitive issue with Americans and many find any views opposing their own completely repulsive. Respectable. But I'd like to give those looking for objectiveness a little help in deciding whether or not to read The Debt. First off, Randall Robinson's proposition of reparations is not asking the US government to send fat checks to every Black household in America. Reparations entail affirmative action legislation, recognition in text books, memorial museums, public apologees and, most importantly, improved public policy. Indeed, some of these reforms have already taken place; affirmative action is in use in some organizations, some text books do talk about Mali and Ghana and the evils of slavery, but Robinson asserts that it has not been enough. The criminal justice system is still rather biased against Blacks (among other minorities) neighborhoods are still redlined against integration and welfare presents more obstacles than promotions of upward mobility. Logically, he claims that slave descendents are in fact entitled to monetary reward--not just because income generated by slave labor has totaled in the hundreds of trillions, but because of precedent. (e.g. Germany paid the state of Israel and even individual Jewish families following the holocaust.) Robinson does seem to realize this would never happen, however, and that it would serve very little benefit (rather, it would probably be detrimental) to 8th generation slave-descendents in the US. (Also, let the record also show that ... Robinson does in fact acknowledge the holocaust committed against the Native Americans in this country and their consequential rights to redemption.) On a related note, reasons for the reparations are not necessarily directed at our nation's citizens' great-great-great-great-great grandparents' slave statuses, but rather the prolonged inhibition that government endorsed racism has inflicted upon the country's Black population- I think the description he uses is "long-term psychological damage." This (as well as continuing inhibitory government/social practices) accounts for the still poor actualization of Blacks in the US today. Finally, realize that this book is not intended to be a scientific, objective dissection of the debate, it is a polemic. If it sounds as if Robinson is being to preachy at times, it's because he is; he's trying to persuade, he is giving his argument for reparations. This means he will not refer to the issue of slavery in Africa, (which seems to be irrelevant to me) the fact that Britain ruled the colonies prior to 1776 and is should be held responsible for slavery during that period, (which is also irrelevant being that issues on slavery were settled on a colony by colony decision, not a 2000 mile away monarchy mandate) or the mistreatment of European identured servants and slaves during the time of colonial America. In a nutshell, if you already know that you are against reparations, you WILL leave this book frustrated and angry that you can't call Robinson up and yell at him. However, if you are in favor, this book will prove itself empowering and enlightening. Historically there do appear to be some flaws and plenty of partisan interpretation, but again, this IS a polemic. (And, as Robinson so poignantly suggests early on in the book, there is no true history.) There are few to no passages that could be taken as racist, but plenty to make one feel as though he or she is guilty of something... Please realize that there is much more to this work, I have barely skimmed the surface. I would recommend purchasing it, it will at least prove emotionally charging no matter who you are. Suggested follow-up reading (and there are dozens more!): The Wages of Whiteness by David Roediger, American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia, by Edmund Morgan and The Autobiography of Frederick Douglass. Hope I didn't fall into bias too often, (I couldn't resist at some points) but it IS a sensitive issue.
Rating:
Summary: Inaccurate Account of Slavery in the U.S. and the World
Review: Randall Robinson's inaccuracies about slavery as a whole and slavery in the United States, makes this book totally useless. For example, there was not 246 years of slavery by the U.S. Government. The U.S. began a nation in 1776 (before that time it was under British rule) and abolished slavery completely in 1864. Robinson mentions that the Constitution supported slavery - If he would take the time to read the U.S. Constitution BEFORE the 13th amendment, he would find no reference to race, creed or color. Furthermore Randall seemed to not what to deal with the fact that his own Ancestors including the Muslims in the Sudan and all the warring tribes in Africa, are really responsible for slavery in the World as a whole. He further fails to mention that slavery continues to flourish in his Mother Country of Africa and that he ancestors practiced racism and discrimination based on tribal locations throughout the different Nations in Africa. He also fail to address the fact that Britian and America are the ONLY countries to write into their goverment the abolishment of slavery. His book is just another attempt to get money for nothing...
Rating:
Summary: An Antidote to our Shared Denial
Review: I have benefitted materially and personally from slavery. My alma mater, Brown University, is built on an original endowment from the Brown family of Rhode Island-- money earned in the transatlantic slave trade. So Robinson's argument is no big stretch for me. That Robinson's small, personal book should garner the sort of bile and violence visible here in other reviews is telling. Many white people feel personally attacked by even the idea of slavery reparations. Why is this? It's in the interest of all Americans to openly admit to the crime of slavery and move on as one country. Robinson's book sometimes wanders, and is sometimes too personally focused. But his basic point-- that America needs to own up to its shameful, long-term dependency on slave labor-- is powerful and should be obvious. The fact that it isn't obvious to mainstream America (there isn't even a national slavery museum or monument) is a painful symptom of our shared denial.
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