The awkward thoughts of W. Kamau Bell Tales of a 6' 4", African American, heterosexual, cisgender, left-leaning, asthmatic, black and proud blerd, mama's boy, dad, and stand-up comedian

In his first book, comedian Bell takes listeners back to his childhood, growing up trying to find TV and movie characters that he could relate to and comparing it to what is now out there for his daughters to look up to. He discusses starting his career in the 1990s, the difficulties of finding his voice, and seeing where he fits in. He goes on to talk about his solo show, The Bell Curve; his hopes reaching the "Blackademics"; and his podcast to discuss his love of all things Denzel Washington. Reading the work himself, Bell will have listeners laughing and thinking about issues of race and identity. -VERDICT Listeners who enjoy politically minded comedy will want to give this one a try. ["At times funny, at times somber, this debut will be enjoyed by fans of United Shades, Issa Rae's TV series Insecure, and anyone who enjoys comedy with a personal touch": LJ 4/15/17 review of the Dutton hc.]-Jessi Brown, Huntington City-Twp. P.L., IN © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.