Rating: 
Summary: Long overdue
Review: Randall Robinson presents a cogent and coherent account of what is owed to Black people in his new book. While Jews, Japanese, Native Americans, etc., are now receivng reparations for past wrongdoing, the voice of Robinson has opened up discussion by stating his argument for Black reparation. Aside from economic reparation, though, Robinson calls for an end to the suppression of truth that white supremacy has succeeded in perpetuating thus far. Those who see this book only as a Black plea for the taxpayer's dollar will continue to wallow in the ignorance that is far too common these days.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding, not to be missed
Review: Mr. Robinson has written a brilliant, analytical, and unreservedly truthful account of an American dilemma that too many white Americans cannot honestly face - primarily because of what that history says about the hypocrisy of America. Some critics attempt to minimize the message by blathering about native Americans, but this does not ameliorate or soften Mr. Robinson's powerful arguments, nor does it detract from his message: That until America does the right and just thing with respect to the enormous debt owed to African Americans, there will be no peace. One critic laments the truth that is told about Washington and Jefferson, primarily because these mythical "heroes" are viewed as godlike, beyond reproach, a "product of their time" and thereby exempt from hypocrisy and intellectual dishonesty. The great Samuel Johnson, a contemporary of theirs, had this to say about them: "How curious it is that those who bray loudest about liberty are themselves the drivers of slaves." Mr. Robinson is an unabashed seeker and speaker of the truth, and should be celebrated for his courage and honesty. This book is a spectacular achievement, and is recommended enthusiastically.
Rating:
Summary: Yes there is a debt.
Review: Speaking as a white man, I can say that if you believe there is no debt, you clearly have not read this book. Robinson thoroughly makes his case not by inducing hatred towards any race, but rather by requesting the same level of accountability from America that we demand from other countries. From Germany and the Swiss to South Africa, America forces them to make up the losses that they caused, and yet we ourselves are too proud to acknowledge the wrongs of our own past, and try to right them. Excellent book. I believe it should be required reading in our schools.
Rating: 
Summary: What's going on?
Review: Here are the things I didn't like:- the short quotations scattered throughout the book are too distracting and I think weaken the narrative - the denigration of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson is truly naive and disgusting - throughout the book, Mr. Robinson sets up so many strawmen to push over and hate and seems to read so much into peoples' appearances that the book at times seems more like a diatribe by an old fussy man. Here's what I liked: - I think that some of the proposals in the book (especially for a clear historical understanding of the Black race in this country) make alot of sense. - The book made me very curious about another part of my country's history and people I never knew existed
Rating:
Summary: The West Owes the Children of Africa an Enormous Debt
Review: ... This is a must read for Blacks everywhere. For non-Blacks that read it and afterward still believe that there is no historical/current wrong that is still un-resolved, then there is a deep lack of spirituality within that person. Two questions, first the scenario (in a nutshell): Millions of people forcibly abducted from their land; subjected to 250 years of govt. sanctioned forced labor to build the wealth of a nation; subjected to a further 100 years of govt. sanctioned extreme legal racism; stripped of their names, religion, culture & history; once freed (1867) and granted legal citizenship (1965) these people find themselves in a world hostile to their very presence; control nothing in their own development as a culture; are generally confined to the poorest and most contaminated sites in urban areas; have horrible schools; drugs & guns are imported en masse from places unknown; and finally, for most the main concern is survival versus advancement. Now for the questions: 1. Does this represent an extreme case of ungodly inhumanity? 2. Should the perpetrator(s) take responsibility for repairing this situation? Any person that answers no to either of these questions just goes to show how lacking in spirituality this western world is. There have been many holocausts in the history of man, but this one, the Maafa, is the only one which history, and the minds of most non-Blacks, give little consideration. There can be no doubt that this one has affected more people and had longer lasting implications than any other in recorded history. Something has to happen though because this issue will never fade away until it is resolved. As history shows, when two groups have a conflict, it either gets solved through peaceful negotiations or through violence. I hope this situation gets resolved peacefully. A debt most definitely exists and repayment is not subject to asking or begging. It must be demanded and it must be paid.
Rating:
Summary: Strengthening the Future of this Nation
Review: I'm so pleased that Randall Robinson has written "TheDebt." While I thought the book would focus exclusively onreparations, I was pleased to get an education on many other related issues impacting Africans in the Diaspora.I believe that in due time the debt will be paid by the heirs of those who gained from the enslavement of Africans in American, and by the United States government which also benefited from that tainted system. "The Debt" has already opened up important dialogue required for Americans of all persuasions to understand that slavery was a crime against humanity by modern and historical standards. This dialogue will help many realize that the vestiges of slavery (substandard education, employment discrimination, housing discrimination, racial profiling, etc.) will begin to dissolve through reparations and restitution. Furthermore, without these remedies, wounds like Black academic under-achievement, Black Rage, White Rage, and White guilt will remain open and festering. Rational people know that it takes far longer to fix a thing than to break it. Three hundred and Fifty years of "breaking" Africans in America to accommodate slavery and White privilege requires more than thirty years of Affirmative Action to "fix." Reparations and restitution via the efforts Robinson proposes in "The Debt" are viable approaches to ending the cycle of inhumanity and unjust enrichment by truly improving the lives of descendants of enslaved Africans. All Americans will benefit from this overdue transformation. I highly recommend that Americans concerned about the future of this nation read this book.
Rating:
Summary: "Who Feels It, Knows It"
Review: This is easily one of the greatest and most honest books ever written. Mr. Robinson tells it 'like it is' with a nice balance of literal and metaphor. This book should be read by all races, not just blacks, however, I don't think it will resonate with white people as they seem to have zero desire to admit the sheer evil that has been committed against Africans by them. That said, dark skinners can get insight about their predicament and then hopefully move accordingly. We owe Mr. Robinson for his love, wisdom and over-standing. Guidance.
Rating: 
Summary: Imaginative
Review: An insighful read but failed to sway this opened and fence-sitting mind. One reason that contributed to this is the appearance of the author placing thoughts into the heads of the people in this book. For example, Billy and the mentor didn't actually take that walk down the Washington Mall. These were two people the author has met just once and has imagined them in a particluar scenario. The reader is misled into thinking that the events that occurred that day at the mall actually happened. The same goes for a little girl and her teacher. The author, having never met the teacher, puts thoughts into the teacher's head that lead the reader to believe she is ignorant and racist. The author begins these scenarios with, "I imagine...", and "I visualize...", or "One can only imagine...." This indicates to me that the unfolding scene is only happening in his head, which carries no weight in terms of persuasion and debate. I would have liked to have read more about reparations; only the last couple chapters are dedicated to this. I also would have enjoyed more facts and insights about the issue -- not scenarios the author has dreamed up by using people he has met only in passing.
Rating: 
Summary: victomology 101
Review: Once you sift through the overabundance of useless adjectives to explain a simple point you will exhaustedly come to the conclusion that Blacks who are not successful need not worry or be responsible for their demise. The fault rests on that all time favorite whipping boy, the white man (gimme a break).
As a Black man I find the premise of the book insulting and counterproductive. I was curious and wanted hear Mr. Robinson make a valid case but instead I got a headache. This book will go sit on my book shelf gathering dust, never again to see the light of day, next to Cornel West.
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