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52 pages 1 hour read

I Write What I Like

Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 1978

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Book Brief

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Steve Biko

I Write What I Like

Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 1978
Book Details
Pages

216

Format

Biography • Nonfiction

Setting

South Africa • 1970s

Publication Year

1978

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

I Write What I Like, edited by Aelred Stubbs, is a posthumously published collection of nonfiction writings by South African antiapartheid activist Steve Biko, reflecting on his leadership of the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) and presidency of the South African Students’ Organization (SASO) from 1969 to 1972. The book explores Biko's advocacy for Black unity, pride, and empowerment as vital components for ending oppression and achieving racial equality. The book contains discussions of racism, racial segregation, violence, and human rights abuses.

Inspirational

Challenging

Informative

Contemplative

Hopeful

Reviews & Readership

4.6

2,893 ratings

87%

Loved it

10%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Steve Biko's I Write What I Like is heralded for its powerful and articulate exposition of Black Consciousness and anti-apartheid sentiment. Readers praise its incisive critique of systemic racism and its inspirational call for empowerment. However, some critics find the prose dense and occasionally dated. Overall, it remains a seminal work in social and political thought.

Who should read this

Who Should Read I Write What I Like?

Readers who appreciate I Write What I Like by Steve Biko are often engaged with social justice, anti-apartheid history, and African political thought. Comparable works include Nelson Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom and Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth. This audience values profound, transformative discourse on racial and political liberation.

4.6

2,893 ratings

87%

Loved it

10%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

Character List

Bantu Stephen Biko

A South African antiapartheid activist and leader of the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM), whose efforts in organizing Black students and communities significantly influenced the struggle against apartheid.

An iconic South African antiapartheid revolutionary and political leader who recognized Biko's impact on the resistance against apartheid, acknowledging his inspirational role in the movement.

Book Details
Pages

216

Format

Biography • Nonfiction

Setting

South Africa • 1970s

Publication Year

1978

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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