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150 reviews by:
rainbopagn
challenging
informative
slow-paced
This is an excellent deep dive into the truth about slavery's relationship with the creation of modern capitalism; both in the United States and worldwide. Baptist (ironic name indeed) uses first hand accounts from formerly enslaved persons as well as the very records of enslavers who were proud of their "production". I also enjoyed the way he broke down the chapters; by focusing on each part of a slave's body that was destroyed in slavery, he described how our modern world was literally built by and on Black bodies.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was born and raised in West Virginia. Judging by the way it's written, Demon is only a few years older than me. You can tell Kingsolver is Appalachian herself because this is a haunting account of poverty in this area. The depiction of the prevalence of substances and the ease to get it in the early 00s is so vividly real I wonder if the author had family fall victim to it like mine did. My grandmother was one of the first victims of opioid abuse and it distorted the way my childhood should have been.
This is not a book for the faint heart. I had to stop several times as passages brought my own traumas back up. But this is a masterwork in not only literature but life in some of the poorest parts of the United States.
Oh and she name dropped Purdue. That gets an extra star alone.
This is not a book for the faint heart. I had to stop several times as passages brought my own traumas back up. But this is a masterwork in not only literature but life in some of the poorest parts of the United States.
Oh and she name dropped Purdue. That gets an extra star alone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism
Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting
Minor: Car accident, Abortion
challenging
informative
fast-paced
In a book that mixes Angela Y. Davis' directives and demands with the research of sociologists like Mathew Desmond, Kendall has crafted a masterpiece that is part history, part manifesto and completely unapologetic. There is no sugar coating of facts here, but those facts are also approachable. Kendall offers both personal anecdotes and years of listening to other marginalized voices. This book belongs on a shelf next to Women, Race and Class, Stamped from the Beginning and Evicted.
Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II
challenging
informative
tense
slow-paced
This is not a fun book to read, but it is very needed. This takes a look at how enslavement for Black Americans went well into the 20th century. It details the beginnings of convict labor and how that sets the stage for the the current penal system and the disproportionate number of Black persons in the criminal justice system.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Addiction
I could not get into this book. I think because it is young adult and dealing with religious trauma (of which I have plenty), I just couldn't enjoy it. I typically struggle with books surrounding a cult regardless of age demographic.
This is not for me but I can tell that it is well written and other people would enjoy it.
This is not for me but I can tell that it is well written and other people would enjoy it.
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
This is a quick read and I read and listened to the audiobook as well.
The author provides quick information and context on a variety of racism and racial topics, including the ever popular "but my family didn't have slaves!". He broke everything down into a quick history, what makes us (white people) uncomfortable about it and ways to help work to better things. I think this is another great introductory piece for white people who don't know where to begin in antiracism work.
The author provides quick information and context on a variety of racism and racial topics, including the ever popular "but my family didn't have slaves!". He broke everything down into a quick history, what makes us (white people) uncomfortable about it and ways to help work to better things. I think this is another great introductory piece for white people who don't know where to begin in antiracism work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Police brutality, Colonisation, Classism
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Overall I enjoyed the audiobook. The author reading it makes it feel like you are having a conversation with someone. I appreciated that she recognized that her terms might be outdated, but at the same time she used what felt right for herself. The humor hit well and this provides a valuable look at transgender lives that is still so needed in 2024.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
This selection of essays is important representation of disability and the many forms it can take. Each perspective brings something a little different to the conversation and I find that Wong did well in editing and choosing the order of them. That said, this is a hard read for anyone who is disabled or has a disabled loved one. Some of the essays are a brutal look at eugenics, ableism and more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting
Moderate: Addiction, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Homophobia, Classism
I had to switch to the audiobook to be able to finish this. I am not sure if there is something lost in the translation, but each character is identified by two or three different things; sometimes first or last name, some times title, and that makes it incredibly hard to follow.
The biggest problem I had with the book itself and why I had to switch to audio is the fact that there is no separation between the text and when someone is speaking. It is hard to tell when something is being thought versus being spoken and by whom.
SPOILERS
The ending being semi open doesn't accomplish what I think the author intended. If he intended for this to be the "what if" of Cortez's mission failing and the Maya Empire surviving him, then it is too ambiguous.
The biggest problem I had with the book itself and why I had to switch to audio is the fact that there is no separation between the text and when someone is speaking. It is hard to tell when something is being thought versus being spoken and by whom.
SPOILERS
The ending being semi open doesn't accomplish what I think the author intended. If he intended for this to be the "what if" of Cortez's mission failing and the Maya Empire surviving him, then it is too ambiguous.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Incest, Racism, Xenophobia, Blood, Colonisation