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The Hate Race
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
'Maxine Beneba Clarke is a powerful and fearless storyteller' - Dave Eggers, international bestselling author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius 'Against anything I had ever been told was possible, I was turning white. On the surface of my skin, a miracle was quietly brewing . . .' Suburban Australia. Sweltering heat. Three bedroom blonde-brick. Family of five. Beat-up Ford Falcon. Vegemite on toast. Maxine Beneba Clarke's life is just like all the other Aussie kids on her street. Except for this one, glaring, inescapably obvious thing. From one of Australia's most exciting writers, and the author of the multi-award-winning Foreign Soil, comes The Hate Race: a powerful, funny, and at times devastating memoir about growing up black in white middle-class Australia.
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Jeg
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Pickpick

First Aussie book for this month and it was excellent. A brown girl born here to Jamaican British parents , at a very “ white” time here and the impact that had . A very resilient , articulate young woman. Made me think about some of my attitudes and thoughts.
#joysbooks2021
@MrsMalaprop

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Rissreads
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Pickpick

I listened to this, the author did a great job of all the different accents. This book made me sad as I feel as a nation we have a long way to go regarding racism.

BookwormDownUnder Is this AU race-related? I‘ve got so many US ones to read. I should add some AU. 4y
28 likes2 comments
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Tashreads
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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"You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I'll rise." - Maya Angelou⁣

#blacklivesmatter #blackauthorsmatter

BiblioLitten So many good titles! Great haul.🖤 4y
62 likes1 comment
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AntoinetteBuchanan
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Pickpick

I listened to this as an audio book while running errands today. It is an important book documenting the inherent racism of Australia through Clarke‘s childhood. The story is absolutely relatable and powerful because of it. I would like to think things have changed but I fear they have not. We have so much more work to do in this area as a society and as individuals #stellaproject

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Tashreads
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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#currentlyreading Just started this gem. I‘m only 15 pages in and want to recommend it to everyone!! #australianauthor

Centique It sounds great! 6y
62 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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moarbookspleaze
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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I was so excited to get this in the mail today. This hasn‘t published in the US yet so even getting it on Amazon is a little pricey but I had a gift certificate so I went for it.

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mspixieears
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Told you the other sock says ‘books‘! Smashed through first few chapters of this on plane from Melb to Bris (2hrs)

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Rockjonny
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Been meaning to read this for ages, finally it's time

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Asktheletters
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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AndjoSant
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Pickpick

A highly engaging read. Shows how far we have to go as a country in dealing with both casual & institutionalised racism. Growing up as part of a minority in Western Sydney, I could definitely relate but her experience of racism was on a whole other level. Can't wait to hear her talk at #sydneywritersfestival #australia #aussielit #sydney #westernsydney #racism #booksandsocks

LeeRHarry Cute bookmark! 😊 7y
10 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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AndjoSant
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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I loved this part. Reminded me of the golliwog biscuits my best friend would bring to school (which then became scallywags, which now might be teddy bears?) #racism #thehaterace #sydney #westernsydney #aussielit #australia

Sue Makes me think about that cheese brand that has the terribly offensive name. 8y
AndjoSant Oh that's also mentioned in the book 🧀 8y
4 likes2 comments
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Sue
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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The #Stellas are happening! I'm following along on twitter. My money is on Maxine Beneba Clarke.

Michelle_mck Mine too, or Cory Taylor... 8y
Michelle_mck Wow did you see the result? I didn't see that coming 8y
Sue @michelle_mck Yeah - me either!! 8y
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Michelle_mck I got it out from the library last week so will give it a read this week and see what I think of it.. 8y
Sue @Michelle_mck I shall have to do the same! 8y
Gillyreads I really thought The Hate Race would win 8y
85 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Gillyreads
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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I will be doing this but a bit late bc of holidays. First read of April will be The Hate Race. #aprilbookshowers

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Sue
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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After looking at this one longingly for months I finally bought it. Which turned out to be timely - here in Australia today was both Harmony Day (a celebration of culture) AND the day our racist right wing government decided to water down #18C of the racial discrimination act, substituting the word 'harass' instead of 'insult, offend or humiliate'. (At least the 'gay panic' law was finally thrown out as a defence in my home state. About time)

ClairesReads So good 8y
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Sue @BookishFeminist check out the #freedomofspeech hashtag on twitter - commentator and author Benjamin Law started it to discuss experiences of racism in Australia and it's going off. 8y
BookishFeminist @Sue I'll have to do that later after I've caught up on all the racist bullshit our government's presumably done in the past 24 hrs in this hemisphere 😒 just, why? 8y
Sue @BookishFeminist I wish I knew. It's the 21st Century, we should be better than this. 😢 8y
BookishFeminist 😯 I just checked Twitter and am now following Benjamin Law, thanks for the heads up on this. You're absolutely right it's going off. 8y
Notafraidofwords Sigh 😔 Australia too. 8y
Sace 😔😔😔😔😔😔 8y
mischa I was so happy about the gay panic law, not happy about 18C. I got The Hate Race for Christmas but have yet to dive in. 8y
Hooked_on_books So I guess the whole world's going down the 🚽 8y
Sue @Hooked_on_books Maybe not the whole world, maybe just the white governed English speaking bits of it. Except New Zealand, I think they're doing ok. (edited) 8y
84 likes12 comments
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Luz
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Pickpick

Amazing. A must read.

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emmanoble
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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The Stella Prize Shortlist was announced on International Women's Day & I can't wait to read them alllll (might even read the Longlist..we shall see.) Anywho, they have lots of interesting things in their website & this is one of them! It's a short little comic by an Australian artist..thought it was worth sharing. #StellaPrize

http://thestellaprize.com.au/2017/03/im-not-like-you-rachel-ang/

Sue I'm very much looking forward to reading this one. 8y
Joanne1 List looks great doesn't it. 8y
emmanoble Same here @Sue & agreed, it looks like a great lineup this year @Joanne1 8y
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Michelle_mck
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Everyone will be talking about the Bailey Prize but the Aussie version of a womens writing prize the Stella Prize shortlist is out and it looks amazing - I have only read one but looking forward to reading the list. Check out some Amazing Australian writing #stellaprize

Penny_LiteraryHoarders I hope they make An Isolated Incident available here in NA - I want to read that one! I love the Stella Prize too!! 8y
Michelle_mck @Penny_LiteraryHoarders I am reading it in the next week, The Dry is doing so well I can only think this will too 8y
minkyb Thanks for this post! 8y
60 likes3 comments
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Heather_Reads
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Pickpick

Maxine Beneba Clarke's childhood in suburban Australia in the 80s and 90s was so like my own - we're around the same age so I could relate to a lot. Except for the racism she experienced at the hands of other students, her teachers and the community at large. Seeing my childhood as experienced by a POC is something that needs to happen to all of us who have never been the targets of racism. Even more important? That stories like Clarke's are told.

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MrsMalaprop
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Pickpick

Important. Believable. Annoying. Important, because stories of overt racism in contemporary Australia should be written and read. Believable, because sadly there are and always will be ignorant, unkind, small minded people. The overt racism described is unacceptable, but I wonder whether some of the more subtle faux pas might spring from people just trying to understand. Annoying, because there was something about the tone that irritated me 🤔.

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MrsMalaprop
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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With two 14 year olds in my house right now, it's helpful to be reminded of this truth.

ClairesReads Love this book 8y
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BookishBron
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke

"I wanted to show the extreme toll that casual, overt and institutionalised racism can take: the way it erodes us all."

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BookishBron
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Finally reading this - a memoir about growing up brown in 80s/90s Australia. A lot of terrible stuff in here, but the writing is so good that I read almost the first half in one sitting

JDHawkins That sounds very interesting and definitely a point of view Ive not read about before. 8y
MrsMalaprop Ooh, starting it today. 8y
BookishBron It was awful subject matter but absolutely wonderfully written @JDHawkins @SMW 8y
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MrsMalaprop
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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A first for me: only one book gift received. This is because my too-read pile is already toppling over. So many hours of summer reading to look forward to. Bliss 😊.

BookishMarginalia 💜💜💜 8y
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JustinetheLibrarian
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Panpan

I really wanted to like this book. I haven't enjoyed the author's fiction but so often in similar cases I am able to enjoy their non fiction. Not so here. This was not an insightful book. It was essentially a whinge fest. I completely agree with the author that Australia is a racist country but at least offer some hope to the reader or a way forward or I don't know, ANYTHING! There are better books dealing with this topic out there. Don't bother.

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Fernoppy
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Maxine Beneba Clarke is close to my age, and I experienced a fair bit of nostalgia at some of her school day experiences. But the casual and institutionalised racism that she experienced was outrageous. I'd love to think that Australia has come a long way, but when we have far-right fear-mongerers being elected, it's a little hard to believe. This should be required reading for all Aussie high school kids.

Michelle_mck I just finished it today and think all Aussies should read it! 8y
Fernoppy @Michelle_mck that would be great - maybe we should have a national reading list! But what a great discussion starter for high school kids 😊 8y
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Michelle_mck
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Pickpick

This is a wonderful must read book on the experience of being a person of colour in Australia. It's about her experience through school and it broke my heart but also I could relate so much in my own way to her experience. Read it, read it, read it!

Dedebimp I finished it today. So great 8y
ClairesReads Woo glad you enjoyed this too 😄 8y
Michelle_mck It's such a great read! So glad I've read it and can tell everyone I know to read it. Glad you both loved it too @Dedebimp and @ClairesReads 8y
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EnidBiteEm I would love to give this book to more than one Australian politician... I loved it 😀 8y
Michelle_mck @EnidBiteEm the dishonourable Tony Abbot comes to mind this week! 8y
EnidBiteEm @Michelle_mck Tony reads? A copy for Pauline may also prove useful. 8y
42 likes7 stack adds6 comments
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Michelle_mck
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Excited this library hold just arrived. To the top of the list it goes #aussieauthor #poc

ClairesReads Worth the boost it was A+ 8y
Michelle_mck @ClairesReads awesome! Read the first 80 pages and it's fab. I know the area she grew up in really well so it's even more fascinating 8y
ClairesReads @Michelle_mck wicked! Glad to hear you're enjoying it too :) 8y
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Dedebimp
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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This happened in Bentleigh, down the road from me in the last couple of years! Absolutely disgusting. This is only the second page. I think it is going to be an infuriating and important read. When my family came to this country we were told the same thing. Sent back because our language skills would be tested in Dutch instead of English. That was 100-50 years ago. We don't experience this anymore but others still do!There is a problem!

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EnidBiteEm
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Pickpick

My third child was born recently so it's been a long time since I've been able to inhale a book in a day but I loved this. Stories that start off simply build the overall picture of the unrelenting, daily, insidious racism Beneba Clarke faces as the second child of the only family of Afro-Carribean descent in town. The need for her to be cooperative, compliant, grateful as teachers refer to the " 'casual' teasing" she experiences Cont. in comments

RealLifeReading Sounds good! And also congrats on child number three! 8y
EnidBiteEm is sickening and reveals the wider picture of Australia's racists, whether from those who are deliberately combative and vile, or those 'well-meaning' types who refuse to believe Beneba Clarke is from Australia (she was born here). Plus, the mores and social UNiceties of the 80s/90s Australian public school setting and its students were so familiar and recognisable 😀 #text-only covers #Booktober 8y
19 likes3 stack adds5 comments
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EnidBiteEm
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Most anticipated reads: 2 memoirs, a Ferrante, and a fantasy my friends insist non-fantasy readers like:Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (has anyone read it?). Most anticipated eats: Belgian chocolate 😀😍#Booktober #mostantcipatedreads #Ferrantefever #Ferranteforever #Chocoholic

LeahBergen I was going to ask what was in that bag! And I'm not a fantasy reader but I watched the mini-series for Jonathan Strange and liked it (so, hmmm... maybe I can be persuaded? 🤔) 8y
Yossarian Yes. Jonathan Strange is great for fantasy lovers or gothic literature lovers. It's just well written and doesn't get bogged down in tropes. 8y
GuiltyFeat I'm not a fantasy reader but Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell was a treat regardless. The Ferrante books got better with every volume. 8y
EnidBiteEm @LeahBergen I did not know there was a mini-series ... thanks for letting me know. I will let you know what I think of it when I'm done (or when I've bailed..😳). 8y
EnidBiteEm @Yossarian @GuiltyFeat It's good to have more affirmations (now to read it). @GuiltyFeat I'm trying to ration myself to one Ferrante per holiday, to give me more time to reflect on just how she does writes so skilfully. Not sure I'll last ... 8y
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ClairesReads
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Pickpick

This is a really powerful and important memoir. Clarke details countless moments of casual racism she experienced as a child in Australia in the 1980s and 1990s. The parallels between our childhoods made me ever more aware of my own privilege. Although this is a very situated critique of Australian society, we all have something to learn from this.

Michelle_mck I need to pick this one up 8y
ClairesReads @Michelle_mck I can't recommend it more highly, I devoured it! 8y
Michelle_mck Logging on to library website now😊 8y
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ClairesReads
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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I believe we could be so much kinder to each other...

Notafraidofwords I truly believe the same thing. 8y
25 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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ClairesReads
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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Always leaving book club until the last minute

TheExpatFiles I AM THE SAME!! I'm always racing to finish on the train to the actual book club meeting place haha 8y
ClairesReads @TheExpatFiles that makes me feel so much better! 8y
BookishFeminist This looks good! I do the same thing in my book clubs TBH- it's awful 😂 8y
cariashley When I was in a book club I was the only one who read the books, so felt obligated to get them done early. Until I gave up and the whole thing promptly disbanded! 😔😤 8y
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aoife
The Hate Race | Maxine Beneba Clarke
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incredibly written. a new australian classic.

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