Literature in Review
By Olivia Moorehead-Slaughter ,
My Grandmother ’ s Hands : Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies
Resmaa Menakem Central Recovery Press ( 2017 )
My Grandmother ’ s Hands : Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem begins with a strip of “ caution tape ” on the opening page , a prescient heads-up that this book is not for the faint of heart . From opening to closing , there are poignant stories about the relationship with his grandmother , including the story he tells at the very beginning about his grandmother ’ s hands . These personal renderings from his own life and relationships add an element of real-life sweetness and allow the reader a glimpse of his ever evolving personal life journey and ongoing quest to grow up . This is also a scholarly book with plenty of research and historical references to ground the author ’ s own commentary and conceptualizations , some of them in the anticipated style of the academy and some in quite “ colorful ” and directly stated language . Be prepared to ponder , to feel , and to find both personal and professional connections to this powerful rendering on how racialized trauma lives in our bodies and moves through us to future generations .
Indeed , come to this important and deeply moving read with an expectation that you will be challenged , that you will be asked to attend to what you are feeling in your body , and expecting that some of what you feel will cause you some if not considerable discomfort . This is a book of healing that delves deeply into the subject of racial trauma and how racial trauma is particularly impactful to our bodies , the place where we live and carry the full range of our feelings — love , grief , disgust , hope , fear — to name just a few . Menakem ’ s book posits that racial trauma is damaging to all bodies .
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CSEE Connections Summer 2021 Page 25