The author and racism

[Katherine Smith]

When someone faces prejudice, they deal with it in a variety of ways. For Franck, he kept his dignity intact as others showed their true colors and the ugliness of hatred. I think that being someone who wanted to achieve his dreams at all cost made him more determine to be the best.

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

When someone faces prejudice, they deal with it in a variety of ways. For Franck, he kept his dignity intact as others showed their true colors and the ugliness of hatred. I think that being someone who wanted to achieve his dreams at all cost made him more determine to be the best.

He wanted to achieve his dreams at all costs and that meant he had to accept that racism and discrimination might always follow him. His resilience and hard work had overcome these two and he leaned into them.

[LeeleeByoma]

The author faces several instances of discrimination in the USA to an extend where a lecturer feels he can't be a scientist and doesn't deserve that kind of education. At some point, the racist think he can't have a job for he is black.

Resilience and eventual success are truly the best way to get back at racists. I can imagine how infuriating it was for the author.

[LeeleeByoma]

When someone faces prejudice, they deal with it in a variety of ways. For Franck, he kept his dignity intact as others showed their true colors and the ugliness of hatred. I think that being someone who wanted to achieve his dreams at all cost made him more determine to be the best.

I agree. That kind of focus is the line between throwing in the towel and pushing for the finish line. I am very inspired by the author.

[Laila Hashem]

I think he faces it in the best and most effective way possible: holding his head high and proving himself to others so their racist beliefs would be tested, but I do not believe anyone can achieve that level of confidence, especially if they are exposed to this kind of treatment in their childhood, which he was not. I do like the message he is sending to others who are facing it, though.

[chiefsimplex]

The proffessor's attitude is so unproffessional. What happened to Frank is so painful considering that he had come such a long and uneasy way, having to overcome huddles of similar nature along the way. It is however maddening to imagine that such forms of discrimination are happening around the world - so outrageous

[Erin Painter Baker]

I think it is very interesting that Dr Douglas does not comment on racism until he reaches the United States. It is obvious from his thoughts and his questions to his priest that racism is rampant (and most likely, even more systematic) in Guyana while he is growing up than it was in the US. But the US had a reputation that that was not true, so I think it struck him harder than the complete racism of Guyana at the time.

For the most part, I felt he dealt fairly well with racism. At the same time, I wondered if there were other instances where he did not face it as stoically as he shows in the book. He doesn't address bringing his wife to the US (only his mother, and then his mother bringing his siblings). I wondered if he faced any housing discrimination or if his wife or kids faced any discrimination? Or if he even knew about it if they did. He talks in the forward about writing this book to tell his wife and kids about the struggles he faced that he never showed to them. It feels as if he thinks they did not face the same kind of discrimination, and I find that very doubtful.

Sadly, racism is still alive and well in the US, and, as in the case of the MIT tenure issue, often disguised as "fit" or some other supposed neutral criteria.

[DC Brown]

So in the book, when Frank gets to the US, he experiences instances of racial discrimination that he hadn't in Guyana, from one of his professors saying that he would never be a scientist to Ciba Geigy's DLs not wanting to give him Max's job in full because of his ethnicity. This is obviously still a problem the world over, but the author makes it a point to confront these because he has a different experience of it. What do you think of Frank's experiences in this area and how he confronts them?

I worked with doctors from all over the world. While their home life was not known, their country of origin was. The discrimination I saw was directed more at their country of origin. I wonder, then, if Frank had two strikes against him? One because he was from another country the other because he was black?

[Nisha Ward]

I think it is very interesting that Dr Douglas does not comment on racism until he reaches the United States. It is obvious from his thoughts and his questions to his priest that racism is rampant (and most likely, even more systematic) in Guyana while he is growing up than it was in the US. But the US had a reputation that that was not true, so I think it struck him harder than the complete racism of Guyana at the time.

For the most part, I felt he dealt fairly well with racism. At the same time, I wondered if there were other instances where he did not face it as stoically as he shows in the book. He doesn't address bringing his wife to the US (only his mother, and then his mother bringing his siblings). I wondered if he faced any housing discrimination or if his wife or kids faced any discrimination? Or if he even knew about it if they did. He talks in the forward about writing this book to tell his wife and kids about the struggles he faced that he never showed to them. It feels as if he thinks they did not face the same kind of discrimination, and I find that very doubtful.

Sadly, racism is still alive and well in the US, and, as in the case of the MIT tenure issue, often disguised as "fit" or some other supposed neutral criteria.

I'm from a country in the same region, so while I may not have had the Dr.'s exact experiences, I can say that it's a different sort of racism based more on tribalism and party lines as encouraged by former colonial masters. It's completely possible to work your way up and not be barred from certain opportunities here that wouldn't be possible in other countries and I think that's what struck him most on coming to the US. It's more about how different it is to what he grew up with than that it existed at all.

As to his wife and children, I had similar questions as he only ever mentioned them in passing.

[Areej Tahir]

Honestly, I belong to a brown community and even here black people face such serious discrimination that it breaks my heart. And I feel the point where someone feels they're not eligible to get a certain level of degree just because of their skin color is so heartbreaking. And the sad reality is that it still happens!

[AntonelaMaria]

So in the book, when Frank gets to the US, he experiences instances of racial discrimination that he hadn't in Guyana, from one of his professors saying that he would never be a scientist to Ciba Geigy's DLs not wanting to give him Max's job in full because of his ethnicity. This is obviously still a problem the world over, but the author makes it a point to confront these because he has a different experience of it. What do you think of Frank's experiences in this area and how he confronts them?

He was brave and stuck to his principles. Unfortunately, racism is still alive and well in the US. Just last year, a friend and I went to a restaurant in a northern state and the staff did not want to serve us because my friend is black. I was shocked. She was not.

I want to say that is hard to believe but considering things happening since 2016 well.... sadness and anger are my to emotions that I get when hearing stories like this.

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

So in the book, when Frank gets to the US, he experiences instances of racial discrimination that he hadn't in Guyana, from one of his professors saying that he would never be a scientist to Ciba Geigy's DLs not wanting to give him Max's job in full because of his ethnicity. This is obviously still a problem the world over, but the author makes it a point to confront these because he has a different experience of it. What do you think of Frank's experiences in this area and how he confronts them?

He was brave and stuck to his principles. Unfortunately, racism is still alive and well in the US. Just last year, a friend and I went to a restaurant in a northern state and the staff did not want to serve us because my friend is black. I was shocked. She was not.

I want to say that is hard to believe but considering things happening since 2016 well.... sadness and anger are my to emotions that I get when hearing stories like this.

I found the author to be inspiring and resilient. Having to face discrimination and social bias in his home country, then coming to America and realizing how Racism would be his next challenge.

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

When someone faces prejudice, they deal with it in a variety of ways. For Franck, he kept his dignity intact as others showed their true colors and the ugliness of hatred. I think that being someone who wanted to achieve his dreams at all cost made him more determine to be the best.

I agree. That kind of focus is the line between throwing in the towel and pushing for the finish line. I am very inspired by the author.

It was very inspiring seeing him achieve all he set out to do despite of the many challenges and obstacles that were theown his way. Racism was a ne challenge that he had not expected, but one which he endured.

[briellejee]

When someone faces prejudice, they deal with it in a variety of ways. For Franck, he kept his dignity intact as others showed their true colors and the ugliness of hatred. I think that being someone who wanted to achieve his dreams at all cost made him more determine to be the best.

I think the same. He knows to not take his eyes off his goal no matter what and that made him resilient against all the racism and hatred he encountered.

[LeeleeByoma]

When faced with racism, one can either confront it or ignore it. Some might even cower from it. The author's grit and determination certainly helped him rise above racism.