Book Review: You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar

You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar
Publisher:Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: January 12, 2021
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Publisher’s Description:

Now a writer and performer on Late Night with Seth Meyers and host of The Amber Ruffin Show, Amber Ruffin lives in New York, where she is no one’s First Black Friend and everyone is, as she puts it, “stark raving normal.” But Amber’s sister Lacey? She’s still living in their home state of Nebraska, and trust us, you’ll never believe what happened to Lacey.

From racist donut shops to strangers putting their whole hand in her hair, from being mistaken for a prostitute to being mistaken for Harriet Tubman, Lacey is a lightning rod for hilariously ridiculous yet all-too-real anecdotes. She’s the perfect mix of polite, beautiful, petite, and Black that apparently makes people think “I can say whatever I want to this woman.” And now, Amber and Lacey share these entertainingly horrifying stories through their laugh-out-loud sisterly banter. Painfully relatable or shockingly eye-opening (depending on how often you have personally been followed by security at department stores), this book tackles modern-day racism with the perfect balance of levity and gravity.

You may know Amber Ruffin from her appearances on Late Night with Seth Meyers or The Amber Ruffin Show. While she lives in culturally diverse New York City, her older sister Lacey lives in Nebraska. You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey is a collection of racist incidents that Lacey has experienced living in the Midwest. It’s supposed to be a humorous take on these events but it mostly just made me mad and ask myself, “Why are people so stupid?” Most of these stories are about overt, unmistakable racism. People have no shame. I might have chuckled a few times but mostly I was rolling my eyes. And I’m sure Lacey has hundreds more stories that didn’t make it into the book. I understand why the stories try to be funny – it’s like if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.

I think this book would be extremely helpful to people who think they aren’t racist but still commit micro-aggressions without even realizing it – like the woman in the grocery store who put her hand in Lacey’s afro. And since it’s marketed as a comedy book, your friends won’t be suspicious when you gift them a copy.

Even though I didn’t find it laugh-out-loud funny, I did find it to be an engaging read. I finished in one night, which is rare for me. Highly recommended.