Publishers Weekly
08/10/2020
Brown, a recent graduate of Georgetown University, offers a heartfelt and insightful debut memoir documenting his conflicting experience of race and class in America. Born to an Ethiopian mother and a Black American father, Brown grew up in Fort Wayne, Ind., and Philadelphia’s wealthy Chestnut Hill neighborhood, where he attended private schools and encountered other Black teens primarily on vacation on Martha’s Vineyard or in bourgeois social organizations such as Jack and Jill. To his white friends, Brown’s socioeconomic privilege rendered him “Not Really Black.” But as he got older and came face to face with people of color who were far less elite than he was (in particular, during a vacation to the Bahamas), Brown began to see himself as a “greyboy,” or “one caught in the between place.” He describes his parents’ awareness that their financial security (his father is a “Fortune 100 executive”) would not protect their children from the threats posed by systemic racism, the tumultuous 18-month period before high school when his parents split up, the challenges of both intraracial and interracial dating, and, most movingly, his and other young African-Americans’ experiences of “the reveal”: the moment when even the most privileged Black American realizes that he or she is not immune from racism. Brown’s lyrical prose makes this coming-of-age story a pleasure to read, despite the sadness of much of his narrative. Readers will empathize with Brown’s struggles and celebrate his eventual decision to “take pride in my mix.” (Sept.)
From the Publisher
"Cole Brown’s Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World is a lens into a world that few have written about—a world at the intersection of race and class that my children wake up in every day. Brown presents an honest and sometimes uncomfortable view into the reality of growing up Black in white spaces. The Black experience in America is complex and Greyboy shines a light on the unique challenges that come with us achieving success."
—Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Entertainment Mogul, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist
"In the pages of Greyboy, a world of access and angst is revealed with alarming honesty and insightfulness. If you have ever struggled with the anxiety of being the only or the isolation of living between two spaces, this book is a must read!"
—Queen Latifah, Rapper, Actress, Singer, Producer
"Penetrating and insightful! Greyboy opened my eyes to the world my son was raised in."
—Andre Harrell, Hip-Hop Pioneer, Founder, Uptown Records
"I absolutely felt Cole Brown’s words in my gut. His voice is unapologetic, introspective, powerful, and conscious, yet comforting. The way Cole addresses his understanding of 'privilege,' whether white or black, is grounded in transparency and wit. So vivid are the blurred lines of identity. And though he may feel gray, I felt very Black, and at one with Cole on his journey in navigating the world as an African American."
—Misty Copeland, Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theatre
"Greyboy captures the complexity of what it means to live 'between' in vivid detail with uncompromising honesty."
—Anthony Anderson, Actor, Black-ish
"Cole Brown speaks to issues of race and identity with honesty and depth. He challenges the reader...no forces the reader to reconsider their notions of what it means to live black in America."
—Doc Rivers, Head Coach, Los Angeles Clippers
"Brown's valuable perspective highlights the many grievances felt by those who are successful and Black in America."
—The New York Times Book Review
