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nancynishihira's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Every American should read this
lulo49's review
5.0
Excellent. It helped me better understand the depths of the systemic racism in our society as well as ways to work to change this.
ell_jay_em7's review
5.0
This book is a great place to start in a journey toward understanding racism. I am speaking as white person who has been learning about racism for a few years now. I had some familiarity with the issues the book addresses but also found this book to be very educational. It illuminates many core issues such as microaggressions, the school-to-prison pipeline, addressing racism as a system and not just individual acts of hate, police brutality, the use of the “N” word, and more in a way that is accessible, moving, and clear. Oluo expertly balances personal stories with facts and statistics, and in doing so she paints a clear and detailed picture of the harm and scope of racism, all while giving advice throughout on how to address it.
This book was written for a wide range of people; for example, it has sections addressing white people in particular as well as sections written for Black people. The book is both sensitive and truthful; how the author takes the time to explain these important and difficult issues, how she includes painful personal stories, painstakingly shares statistics that prove systemic racism, and provides critique for the common missteps that white people make is truly an act of care. I hope many people will support Oluo’s labor by purchasing this book and sharing it widely.
This book was written for a wide range of people; for example, it has sections addressing white people in particular as well as sections written for Black people. The book is both sensitive and truthful; how the author takes the time to explain these important and difficult issues, how she includes painful personal stories, painstakingly shares statistics that prove systemic racism, and provides critique for the common missteps that white people make is truly an act of care. I hope many people will support Oluo’s labor by purchasing this book and sharing it widely.
barnesbookshelf's review against another edition
5.0
What i really like about this book is that it not only explains common racist problems, but offers solutions as well. Oluo is very frank about the situations people will find themselves in, and she offers examples of how to respond in a way that will hopefully minimize any potential harm. When I read White Fragility by Robin D'Angelo, I felt hopeless for a large part of the book because it talked about all the problems, and offered solutions only in the last couple of chapters. I loved that Oluo aligned the problems and solutions.
I also love the call to action. As Oluo says, it is incredibly important to not just talk, but do. I'm looking forward to becoming more active in my community to try and help dismantle systems of oppression, and I'm glad for all the tips this book gave me.
I also love the call to action. As Oluo says, it is incredibly important to not just talk, but do. I'm looking forward to becoming more active in my community to try and help dismantle systems of oppression, and I'm glad for all the tips this book gave me.
shelfexplanatory's review against another edition
4.0
A good primer for people who have had little to no experience with racism. This very much feels like a 101 course in thinking about and discussing race, which makes it a great resource to share with white friends and family.
Oluo introduces topics such as affirmative action, police brutality, and the school to prison pipeline (to name a few). Her narrative voice is frank, but still approachable and easy to understand.
However, this book is still just an introduction. It is up to the reader to take the roadmap map that Oluo provides and delve deeper into these topics with further reading.
Oluo introduces topics such as affirmative action, police brutality, and the school to prison pipeline (to name a few). Her narrative voice is frank, but still approachable and easy to understand.
However, this book is still just an introduction. It is up to the reader to take the roadmap map that Oluo provides and delve deeper into these topics with further reading.
valrie_m's review
4.0
As a white woman I can tell you I didn’t enjoy reading this book but enjoyment wasn’t the intention here. A must-read.
tophat8855's review
5.0
I listened via Hoopla but the Oakland Public Library also has unlimited copies available as an audiobook to check out if you don't want to use your Hoopla credits.
As a book, this is approachable and she is good at explaining most of the academic-sounding terms surrounding race. She also tries to be inclusive of racism- that while in America it seems very white supremacy vs. Black people, it's also white supremacy vs. Native people, Asian people, Latinx people, Middle Eastern people, etc. And she also describes how white supremacy hurts white people too.
This was full of very good reminders and I'd do well (we all would) to return to this book regularly and re-examine my thoughts and actions.
As a book, this is approachable and she is good at explaining most of the academic-sounding terms surrounding race. She also tries to be inclusive of racism- that while in America it seems very white supremacy vs. Black people, it's also white supremacy vs. Native people, Asian people, Latinx people, Middle Eastern people, etc. And she also describes how white supremacy hurts white people too.
This was full of very good reminders and I'd do well (we all would) to return to this book regularly and re-examine my thoughts and actions.
wanderingmole's review
5.0
First I started listening to the audiobook. The narration was excellent, but I wanted it to slow right down so that I could absorb everything. So I checked the hard copy out the library. But I wanted to underline and make notes in a lot of the book. So I had to order myself my own copy.
This is a clear and direct guide to better understanding, discussing and agitating on issues of race. And even if you don’t agree with the author at every step immediately, it will have you thinking long and hard. My best learnings came from chapter 1 “Is it really about race?”, and the discussions of intention vs impact and tone policing.
This is a clear and direct guide to better understanding, discussing and agitating on issues of race. And even if you don’t agree with the author at every step immediately, it will have you thinking long and hard. My best learnings came from chapter 1 “Is it really about race?”, and the discussions of intention vs impact and tone policing.