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...unless it's written by Rachel Dolezal, who has legally changed her name to Nkechi Amare Diallo, which means "gift from the gods." (That is not a joke.) And why should you judge the cover? Because it's questionable how much of the book, if any, Ms. Dolezal actually wrote herself (look closely). In all fairness, Ms. Dolezal seems to be suffering from...something, and while this is not the forum in which to question her sanity or taste in the public eye, it is certainly fair game to do so in the context of her autobiography. So, I'll address both directly, just scratching the surface of the sociology and psychology on offer for professionals to explore: 1. People have compared the Dolezal debacle to those who struggle with others' perceptions of their gender identities in varying contexts. (Dolezal herself is hip to get in on this timely subject matter: She gave recent interviews to both the AP and Time "dedicating" the book to those struggling to find their identities. I believe there is an opportune implication of this sweeping generalization.) The mistake here (Dolezal's attempt to latch onto yet another disenfranchised group) is demonstrative both of her desperation and her utter disconnect from the rest of the world. The difference between Dolezal's so-called "struggle with identity" and those of the teens and adults who are actually facing the realities of realizing their non-birth genders? Wherever you may stand on this hot-button issue, one thing cannot be denied: those individuals must confront very real danger, humiliation and persecution. For Dolezal to glibly lump herself in with their struggles--the appropriate use of the term "struggle"--not only to find themselves but simply to survive, is tasteless and unfortunate. She may be iconoclast but her life has not been threatened. She has not been battered in a hate crime. 2. In her book, as many have noted, Dolezal compares her childhood chores to the unspeakable tortures of black slavery. Were she truly a "black woman," this thought never would have entered her head, let alone found its way to print. This notion further damages Dolezal's hopes of repairing relations with the community that she associated and subsequently duped. It is not simply insensitive, it is ignorant, it is devoid of actual cultural understanding and, furthermore, it reeks of white privilege cavorting as some twisted appropriation of "understanding"--the last thing she'd likely want. But there it is. "In Full Color" feels like a missed opportunity. Dolezal could have tried to make some traction by re-building a burnt bridge or two. And it feels like yet another lie: while many co-author their autobiographies (or even hire ghost writers), this is a book that calls for the voice of a highly educated woman, a former professor, to speak on her own.* *It should be noted that Storms Reback is credited as the co-author (not even a ghost author), so this calls into question the very authenticity with which Dolezal has presented "her" story--or even devoted herself to writing the book itself.