Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Oluo

10 reviews

livlamentloathe's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

I did not stop talking about this book for the time it took me to listen to the audio. I loved it. I was taught by majority-white school systems that didn't go into detail about much black history. And if it wasn't "relevant," rarely spoke on the racism of important historical figures. So I learned a lot from Mediocre. I appreciated Oluo's writing and tone (in the audiobook). She's an incredible writer. I appreciated her honesty and fear and her empathy despite it all. Sometimes I struggle to see things fully without changing my POV. It's important to read books like this in order to better see the magnitude of what we're facing. I hope we CAN do better.

I think this book is SO BRILLIANT. I loved the diversity of topics and how Oluo connected past to present. How she'd start with a relatable recent event and go back into the past then slowly bring it forward again. I especially enjoyed chapters which I didn't have much knowledge of: I didn't know much about Buffalo Bill or football before this book, being a fan of neither Westerns or... football. Those chapters were just informational frenzies for me and I parroted them daily to my boyfriend as I read.

In reading and recommending this book, I encountered a lot of defensiveness from others, which was frustrating. It's easy to be defensive. It's a natural instinct. But as Oluo said repeatedly, why do we get defensive? It's important to investigate these feelings and consider fully opening our minds; listening without our guard up. Oluo is a phenomenal writer. Please read this. Please recommend this. Please talk about this with your white friends and loved ones. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, Bullying, Classism, Racism, Violence, Slavery, Police brutality, Murder, Colonisation, and Hate crime

Minor: Racial slurs and Gun violence

This book is anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-classism. It's about how white supremacy has created a hateful and harmful system for minorities, especially people of color, in America. The trigger warnings I mention exist within the book but the author and the book is clearly AGAINST these acts. It does in no way promote them.

bookcasey's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense

5.0

Required reading for anyone in the United States.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Violence, War, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Genocide, and Colonisation

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Suicide attempt, Murder, Islamophobia, Hate crime, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Mass/school shootings, and Homophobia

haileybones's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Emotional abuse, Racism, Misogyny, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Mental illness

maxgdy's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Sexism, Antisemitism, Police brutality, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Rape, Religious bigotry, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Xenophobia

traciereads's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Bullying, and Hate crime

Moderate: Sexism, Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Police brutality, Misogyny, Murder, and Slavery

Minor: Antisemitism, Cursing, and Islamophobia

aqtbenz's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Murder, Hate crime, Gun violence, Death, Antisemitism, and Xenophobia

emfass's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Ijeoma Oluo is simply one of the best writers writing today. In both this and So You Want to Talk About Race, she takes very tough and complex issues and makes them accessible. She is thorough and thoughtful and I honestly could have read another 100 pages or more of this book. It was also incredibly impactful to listen to the audiobook and hear Oluo's words in her own voice.

The introduction and conclusion chapters are vibrant and necessary overviews of the violence and harm caused by white male supremacy in the U.S. The chapters in between cover related topics by way of specific stories throughout American history. I deeply appreciated the unpacking of these important moments, and in particular the historic events I've lived through. 

Especially eye-opening to me were:
-the stories of Buffalo Bill and the Bundy brothers (Chapter 1)
-an exploration of Bernie bros (Chapter 2, possibly my favorite section of the book, as it helped put to words so many things I've sensed but didn't know how to say)
-the history of access (or lack thereof) to higher education in the U.S. (Chapter 3)
-the horrific tactics that white people used to try to keep Black people from leaving in the post-Reconstruction South (Chapter 4)
-the "problem" of women in the workforce after World War II (Chapter 5)
-the Squad's political career as women of color in Congress (Chapter 6)
-the racist history of football in the U.S. and the tidal wave of backlash that follows when players (including Colin Kaepernick and Michael Bennett) try to use their voice for change (Chapter 7)

Throughout the book, Oluo also shares many instances of the cruel, unjust, horrifying abuse she has endured as a Black woman writing very visibly about racial, feminist, and social justice issues. She does it not for pity, but I think as firsthand examples of the lengths white men will go to when they feel threatened.

I highly recommend this to everybody.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Xenophobia, Violence, Suicide, Slavery, Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Murder, Misogyny, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Genocide

Moderate: Antisemitism, Bullying, Sexual assault, Islamophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: Excrement

vvoman_of_darkness's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Xenophobia

meganelise's review against another edition

dark informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Mass/school shootings, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Police brutality, and Murder

Moderate: Antisemitism, Sexism, Hate crime, and Gun violence

Minor: Self harm, Suicide, Sexual assault, Mental illness, and Excrement

sydneyj's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Antisemitism, Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Murder, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Xenophobia