As we all know bell hooks was a prolific, trailblazing author, feminist, social activist, cultural critic, and professor. She used her pen name to center attention on her ideas and to honor her courageous great-grandmother, Bell Blair Hooks.

With unflinching dedication to her work for the feminist and anti-racist movements. This collection of 7 interviews, stretches from early in her career until her last interview, we watch hooks discuss feminism, the complexity of rap music and masculinity, her relationship to Buddhism, the “politic of domination,” sexuality, and love and the importance of communication across cultural borders.

Whether she was sparking controversy on campuses or facing criticism from contemporaries, hooks relentlessly challenged herself and those around her, inserted herself into the tensions of the cultural moment, and anchored herself with love.

I’ve never personally read much of bell hooks work. I started All About Love awhile ago and never finished it. But I can tell from her interviews that her writing is not only personal and thought-provoking but she’s very honest. We experience the brilliance she’s presented in our community and now I see why so many people cling to her books and theories.

I don’t think the book does hooks justice with only a couple interviews compiled into a few pages. But I did enjoy Mikki Kendall’s introduction of the author and how she’s impacted her life and the life of other women.

Overall, this collection was decent again probably does no justice compared to her actual books but she does go into depth on why she mentioned certain things in them. I enjoyed her outspokenness and how unapologetic she was about her stance towards feminism and black women in general. Special thanks to @MelvilleHouse for my gifted copy!!!

Rating: 4/5⭐️