Colored Television: Book Review

Today, we will be reviewing Colored Television by Danzy Senna, a comedy about race and cultural appropriation. Keep reading to find out what we thought of this novel and if you should read it next!

Colored Television Summary

Jane is a writer and is married to Lenny, an unsuccessful painter. They have two kids and are currently living in their friend’ big home in Los Angeles, house sitting while he is in Australia. Both Jane and Lenny are teaching and Jane needs to finish her novel that she has been working on for ten years if she wants to get tenure. 

But things don’t go as Jane envisioned them to and now, Jane has turned to Hollywood. Her novel let her down and now she is pitching a gig to Hollywood executives. That is when Jane meets a young producer who wants Jane to help him release “diverse content.”

What started out as a plan to help her family soon takes over Jane’s life. She has turned to Hollywood but things don’t go as smoothly as Jane hoped. With her friend Bret returning from Australia, she has to make something happen or Jane and her family will find themselves in a dire situation.

Commentary

Colored Television received high praise, was selected by Good Morning America for their book club, and was The New York Times Notable Books of 2024. After reading this novel, I can see why it was as popular with critics as it was. The novel is well written and Danzy Senna is a fantastic storyteller.

Writing a story about racial identity is not easy and Senna doesn’t filter anything and gives you the good, the bad, and the ugly. It is raw writing and it is a big reason that the novel works so well. We see Jane critique everyone around her for their shortcoming and how it all comes back around.

The overall theme of the novel provides a lot of food for thought but Senna does an incredible job of incorporating humor that you will be laughing throughout the book. Just like her character, Senna is also mixed and all of her novels have included themes about mixed-race. Senna is married to writer Percival Everett, the author of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel James.

Conclusion

The book cover for Colored Television is beautiful and one that will look good on any bookshelf. And the novel itself is a great read and one that is worth reading multiple times. Senna is an author that everyone needs to read and one I recommend to everyone who enjoys a good novel. Happy Reading!

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