Book Review: “Full of Myself: Black Womanhood and the Journey to Self-Possession” by Austin Channing Brown

Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Biography

Page Length: 249 pages (electronic review edition)

Synopsis:

At the height of her success as an antiracism educator and writer, Austin Channing Brown reached a crossroads. “I love my work,” she writes, “and I am tired. Tired of protesting. Tired of ‘saving democracy.’ Tired of expending all the energy it takes to bust out of America’s tiny boxes.” She began to ask, “What do I deserve, not just as a citizen but as a human?”

Full of Myself is her answer to that question. Weaving personal narrative with perceptive social commentary, she offers a look at the mechanisms that limit who Black women are allowed to be—at work, at home, in community—and the defining moments when she decided that all the women within her should be free. From skinny dipping in the ocean to becoming a mom, she delves into the drama of life and invites women to begin defining themselves not by the tiny boxes handed to us, but as a people born free—free in spirit, free in hope, free in joy.

For women seeking to understand the true roots of their burnout, or anyone wondering what it means to live joyfully in a hostile world, Full of Myself is a breath of fresh air and an invitation to full humanity.

Review:

Full of Myself reads like part memoir, part essay, and part storytelling. Brown is executive producer of the web series The Next Question and the author of I’m Still Here. Though I was not familiar with her work before reading this book, I became deeply acquainted with her life through her personal narratives. The book is a mixture of social commentary and biography of Brown’s work and how she came to be a antiracism educator and writer. Through each section, readers will become entwined in her lyrical words and will leave the book feeling somewhat hopeful.

As a Black woman, I felt very seen this book through many of Brown’s experiences in the workplace, school, home, and everyday places. She is able to express her own weariness of trying to find joy in a world that seems to want to take away that for women. Some of her stories are heartbreaking and all too real while others are uplifting. It was a healing reading experience for me as I felt very seen in the topics she discusses. I also appreciated that her social commentary in this novel is raw and honest, allowing for more open discussions and look at what people will often turn a blind eye to.

It’s work, being a Black woman in America. We are the backbone of most progressive social movements but ignored when it’s time to choose leaders. We are celebrated as the “saviors of democracy” in every election cycle but receive the fewest benefits for doing so . We are the movers and shakers of pop culture but rarely reap the payment we deserve for our brilliance. We are the pillars of our spiritual communities but often battle feeling misunderstood, overwhelmed, and isolated.

This is a wonderful memoir that is very powerful and leaves you with a message that most radical act of social justice is full of yourself. It is comforting and feels like a long conversation with a good friend. Her writing voice is strong and this book is one to add to your TBR.

Final Verdict:

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a honest and fair review.