Thank God I'm Natural

Way overdue review here.

Thank God I'm Natural by Chris-Tia E. Donaldson is a natural hair handbook/bible/manual. I know reviews should look at negatives but I didn't find any with this book! It made me want to take extra special care of my hair. It's realistic and down-to-earth in that even though it's specifically written for people with natural hair, it's useful for people with perms and weaves too. It's very clearly and coherently written and it's also quite personal because she's very honest and open about her own (sometimes painful) journey to natural hair and how lost she got in trying to reign in her natural hair.

Among many other topics, Chris-Tia gives a historical explanation of how black women's hair conceptions have been formed. No matter where on this earth you are from, as a black woman you're bound to identify with one or more aspects of this historical account. She also questions the safety of hair relaxers. This was the main concern I myself had and it's what forced me to go natural. We still don't officially know how un/safe relaxers are!
She also has an entire chapter for transitioners in there so it's useful for anyone who's considering whether they should go natural, what transitioning will entail and what kind of options are available to transitioners.
Chris-Tia discusses the root causes of and treatments of hair loss, an issue that's rarely talked about except for by people affected by it. She also goes through natural hair remedies based on hair type.

Also, this book gave me a real education on locks. Among other things I discovered that cutting them off completely is not the only way to get unlocked. *Now that I think about it, I should have known there had to be other options but...ah well*

There's so much information packed into TGIN's 254 pages that it's hard to believe it could be such an easy read but it is because everything is explained in such simple terms.

"Yes, I could look like Beyonce, Ashanti, or any girl in a rap video for a mere $24.99. But with that terrific flexibility and variety came a hefty price -- paranoia. What if my wig was on crooked or if, heaven forbid, a mighty gust of Chicago wind came and carried my precious hairpiece right down Michigan Avenue?"

"My natural hair journey has taught me many lessons -- but most importantly, that we, as black women, must embrace our unique differences and traits and no longer be ashamed of who we truly are. It has taken me close to twenty-five years to accept my hair for what it really is, but now, I can finally say, THANK GOD I'M NATURAL!"

Thank God I'm Natural is available for purchase on amazon.co.uk or amazon.com. For UK naturals, it's also now available in Waterstone's bookstores.