Even more striking than the incredible depth of the book, which details the minutiae of growing up black in America during the Great Migration, and the sweep of the book from the 1930's to the 1990s, is the compassion with which Wilkerson conveys the stories of her three charges. A pleasure to read even if the material was at times emotionally and mentally draining.

Somewhat repetitive, Leung sends dispatches from the front lines of the fight against sexual harassment in the United States while also providing context through personal stories, summaries of legal battles, sociological & psychological studies and discussions with industry leaders. While all the women’s stories are set in different places, they all showcase the gross power struggle women of color face in the workplace.

Honestly, this was a case of having too high expectations. I’ve been aching to read this book for years, finding crumbs of it online here and there. It is indeed poetic and beautiful. It’s just that for years now I’ve sucked the marrow and now it’s bone dry.

This is one of the first books I’ve read that actually a) acknowledges non white bodies and history in England and b) acknowledges that there is structural racism in England. Emotionally driven, Reni makes excellent points & carefully distilled research to back up her critiques of modern British life. As she’s trying to showcase examples of racism in so many aspects of life, the book covers a lot in a relatively short period of time and therefore doesn’t go into as much depth as I would have liked.

This short collection is a love poem to broken borders, blood left in the sand, bones whittled dry by institutionalized racism and imperialism. It is gritty, smash your face like an ICE agent level of gratuitous violence. Within the violence, there is humanity, there are people trying to find love, relationships and hope. Stirring deep emotions as tumultuous as the borderlands, Verging Cities is a winning collection.

Hilarious & beautiful as always