Political correction is here to stay, whether we like it or not. What Paul Beatty's novel, "The Sellout," gets at is that those who like it do so only as it pertains to their own particular social group or community. The rest be damned.
This book made The Times Ten Best List. I enjoyed it, but wasn't blown away, but I can see why it made the list. It fits The Times' agenda of being trendy and hipster. We all have our own agendas, darlings; make no mistake about that.
I did not laugh my way through Beatty's book, but I was continually amused by lines like "Bugs Bunny was just B'rer Rabbit with a better agent," and the claim that straight Black men repeatedly cry out, "Who owns the pussy?," while engaged in sex. It would not surprise me one bit. Hell, it wouldn't surprise me if straight White men did it.
What makes the book reading are the constant cultural references, especially those centered around "The Little Rascals," and the presence of Hominy Jenkins, one of the most amusing characters in American fiction. He was, basically, Buckwheat's understudy, and his presence in this is a delight. What a role for the right actor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have to agree with the vision of America that Beatty presents, where there is more racism around us than many would like to admit.
He just makes owning up to it a lot of fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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