{"title":"Kendra James","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to our curated selection of works by \u003cem\u003eKendra James\u003c\/em\u003e, a compelling voice in the realms of biography and memoir. Known for her poignant storytelling and insightful reflections, Kendra James captures the intricacies of identity, race, and privilege with remarkable clarity and empathy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHer enlightening memoir, \u003cem\u003eAdmissions\u003c\/em\u003e, stands as a cornerstone of her writing, offering a deeply personal narrative that delves into her experiences at an elite American preparatory school. Through this book, James provides a nuanced exploration of the educational landscape, highlighting the challenges and triumphs faced by students of colour in predominantly white institutions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJames's work is characterised by its honesty, humour, and incisive commentary, making it an essential read for those interested in understanding the complexities of race and education. Whether you're a fan of memoirs or just discovering Kendra James, this collection offers a profound look at the societal structures that shape personal journeys.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"admissions-by-kendra-james-9781538753484","title":"Admissions","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"[C]harming and surprising. . . The work of \u003cem\u003eAdmissions\u003c\/em\u003e is laying down, with wit and care, the burden James assumed at 15, that she - or any Black student, or all Black students - would manage the failures of a racially illiterate community. . . The best depiction of elite whiteness I've read.\" - \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEarly on in Kendra James' professional life, she began to feel like she was selling a lie. As an admissions officer specialising in diversity recruitment for independent prep schools, she persuaded students and families to embark on the same perilous journey she herself had made—to attend cutthroat and largely white schools similar to The Taft School, where she had been the first African-American legacy student only a few years earlier. Her new job forced her to reflect on her own elite education experience, and to realise how disillusioned she had become with America's inequitable system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eAdmissions\u003c\/em\u003e, Kendra looks back at the three years she spent at Taft, chronicling clashes with her lily-white roommate, how she had to unlearn the respectability politics she'd been raised with, and the fall-out from a horrifying article in the student newspaper that accused Black and Latinx students of being responsible for segregation of campus. Through these stories, some troubling, others hilarious, she deconstructs the lies and half-truths she herself would later tell as an admissions professional, in addition to the myths about boarding schools perpetuated by popular culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith its combination of incisive social critique and uproarious depictions of elite nonsense, \u003cem\u003eAdmissions\u003c\/em\u003e will resonate with anyone who has ever been The Only One in a room, dealt with racial microaggressions, or even just suffered from an extreme case of homesickness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46797541114092,"sku":"9781538753484","price":59.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/23699193482735.jpg?v=1757153598"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/kendra-james.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}