Scan barcode
mreadsbooksnfics's review against another edition
4.0
Growing up as a mixed child is pretty common now... but I don’t think the stories are told often enough. Carolyn Holbrook shares her struggles as a mixed black woman trying to raise her five children. She highlights the struggles she has faced, along with the history of what many black people have endured. She shares her story of being a teen mom to becoming an important figure in the literary community. Her essays are very well written, highlighting the struggles Holbrook faced while also using a feminist perspective to show how she overcame the struggles of her early life.
I grew up in a community of diverse people, but history was whitewashed, I thought Columbus was not a bar person, and I didn’t even know about Malcolm X. Despite being black myself, I wasn’t given any of this history. It was just life was bad... then we had Abe Lincoln save the day... MLK was great... now racism is gone and black people are happy. But none of this is true, but I didn’t learn til later. I do have a huge list of must read books though... I’d be happy to share them.
Despite having grown up poor and in an area of black people and Mexican people, it still seemed like there was a lot of segregation by the white community. Milwaukee is one of the most segregated cities in America, and I see it getting better daily because of people speaking out against anti racism but it’s not perfect. Like I said about growing up poor and having food stamps... people look at you like you’re worse than them, but it’s nowhere close to the degree I’ve been told black people often face. It’s hard to identify with the struggle of being black and such, because I’m considering white passing. I don’t have a struggle or story to tell. This is why Holbrook and her essays are so important. It opens up the eyes of the reader to the issues black people face. And the importance about taking about them and working to change them. Taking the time to see how white people can become aware of privilege and work to make things better was a huge takeaway from this book.
The writing is gorgeous and sad too. My heart broke for all of her struggles and how her son ended up in prison. Holbrook takes the time to share her life in such a poignant way, this deserves to be read and shared .
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced review copy . All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I grew up in a community of diverse people, but history was whitewashed, I thought Columbus was not a bar person, and I didn’t even know about Malcolm X. Despite being black myself, I wasn’t given any of this history. It was just life was bad... then we had Abe Lincoln save the day... MLK was great... now racism is gone and black people are happy. But none of this is true, but I didn’t learn til later. I do have a huge list of must read books though... I’d be happy to share them.
Despite having grown up poor and in an area of black people and Mexican people, it still seemed like there was a lot of segregation by the white community. Milwaukee is one of the most segregated cities in America, and I see it getting better daily because of people speaking out against anti racism but it’s not perfect. Like I said about growing up poor and having food stamps... people look at you like you’re worse than them, but it’s nowhere close to the degree I’ve been told black people often face. It’s hard to identify with the struggle of being black and such, because I’m considering white passing. I don’t have a struggle or story to tell. This is why Holbrook and her essays are so important. It opens up the eyes of the reader to the issues black people face. And the importance about taking about them and working to change them. Taking the time to see how white people can become aware of privilege and work to make things better was a huge takeaway from this book.
The writing is gorgeous and sad too. My heart broke for all of her struggles and how her son ended up in prison. Holbrook takes the time to share her life in such a poignant way, this deserves to be read and shared .
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced review copy . All thoughts and opinions are my own.
mongoosenamedt's review
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Domestic abuse, and Death
parksidereads's review against another edition
3.0
In Tell Me Your Name and I’ll Testify, Carolyn Holbrook shares her life journey as a black woman in the Twin Cities and how the literary community was the stepping stone of personal growth, redemption, and a success.
I loved how Carolyn’s memoir shared life stories that will inspire the reader. Her drive to persevere is relentless. When faced with many trails and tribulations, including poverty racism, teen pregnancy, an abusive spouse, and single parenthood, Carolyn not only found a way to overcome but rise above whatever tried to pull her down.
I loved how Carolyn gave the reader an opportunity to see life through her lens. I always find seeing the world and how society treats those within it from multiple perspectives is not only very important in personal growth but in ensuring our society continues a progressive growth of acceptance and equality. I thank Carolyn for this opportunity.
What I found most difficult about this memoir was it’s format. It was made up of short essays of sorts, and had little fluidity. So it felt like she was all over the place. I’d liked to have had a little more tying her stories together. Especially the beginning of the book where she talks about a diseased relative visiting her and telling her to share her story. I would have liked to see this thread continue throughout the story by concluding each section with a “life’s takeaway”, as I feel it would make the story more meaningful in the sense of why it was being shared, especially since as is, there is little closure for the reader.
With that being said, this is a powerful and touching story that could be very impactful on those who need to hear it.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an eARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
I loved how Carolyn’s memoir shared life stories that will inspire the reader. Her drive to persevere is relentless. When faced with many trails and tribulations, including poverty racism, teen pregnancy, an abusive spouse, and single parenthood, Carolyn not only found a way to overcome but rise above whatever tried to pull her down.
I loved how Carolyn gave the reader an opportunity to see life through her lens. I always find seeing the world and how society treats those within it from multiple perspectives is not only very important in personal growth but in ensuring our society continues a progressive growth of acceptance and equality. I thank Carolyn for this opportunity.
What I found most difficult about this memoir was it’s format. It was made up of short essays of sorts, and had little fluidity. So it felt like she was all over the place. I’d liked to have had a little more tying her stories together. Especially the beginning of the book where she talks about a diseased relative visiting her and telling her to share her story. I would have liked to see this thread continue throughout the story by concluding each section with a “life’s takeaway”, as I feel it would make the story more meaningful in the sense of why it was being shared, especially since as is, there is little closure for the reader.
With that being said, this is a powerful and touching story that could be very impactful on those who need to hear it.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an eARC in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
santreads's review against another edition
4.0
Carolyn Holbrook is clearly a great storyteller and she’s lived a long enough life with a lot of stories to tell. From teenage pregnancies, living hand to mouth, lived through domestic abuse, seeing a son go to jail and just so much more, Carolyn Holbrook had a lot to add to the current dialogue about race and being black in the US.
It is interesting that Carolyn herself is from Minneapolis where George Floyd was murdered by the police and the Black Lives Matters protests have been taking place more than ever. Her essays date back to the 90s and her voice is just so important. Apart from being important, it’s also powerful. I like the way she wrote where she talks about one thing in the past and then effortlessly also interweaves another story or incident into it. There’s nothing meandering about it. You can see that it’s deliberate and it works. Not many can pull that off.
There’s a truth and honesty in the way that she’s written these essays. Almost felt like I was listening to a very eloquent friend talk about her life. I enjoyed my time reading this and would definitely recommend you picking it up as well.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.
It is interesting that Carolyn herself is from Minneapolis where George Floyd was murdered by the police and the Black Lives Matters protests have been taking place more than ever. Her essays date back to the 90s and her voice is just so important. Apart from being important, it’s also powerful. I like the way she wrote where she talks about one thing in the past and then effortlessly also interweaves another story or incident into it. There’s nothing meandering about it. You can see that it’s deliberate and it works. Not many can pull that off.
There’s a truth and honesty in the way that she’s written these essays. Almost felt like I was listening to a very eloquent friend talk about her life. I enjoyed my time reading this and would definitely recommend you picking it up as well.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.
thebookishfeminist's review against another edition
This collection of essays, compiled and expertly interwoven to form a memoir, and what a memoir it is. Carolyn Holbrook is a master of her craft. She is able to convey eloquently and seamlessly her own experiences - the challenges, the microaggressions, the overt racism, the family she loves, the work she found herself giving herself to - and situates those personal experiences within the context of the broader ongoing fight for equity and justice in our country.
The first essay had me in tears from the start. There is a poignancy, a sometimes chilling connection to her ancestors, a relentless dedication to helping youth succeed, and an openness in talking about and reflecting on her own experiences that makes Tell Me Their Names and I Will Testify impossible to put down. Holbrook is a staple in my own community, and this collection of essays will make it easy to see why.
The organization of the essays is also quite brilliant. It feels like a conversation - albeit one with the most eloquent person I’ve ever talked to. The way she goes from story to story is never haphazard. Rather, it feels like she has a narrative in mind at all times and introduces experiences and characters at just the right time to further that narrative. It reminds me of a way of speaking I often employ, which is to start by talking about some background relating to “this” before finally introducing what “this” is. You get the context and some preliminary thoughts - almost a prologue - before actually getting to the thesis. And I love that, not only because it reads like we readers get to be part of her fluid train of thought but also because each story really is interrelated, informing the next and informed by the previous and connected in meaningful ways. Sometimes those connections are explicit and sometimes it’s the feeling they leave you with, or a similar fight for justice and equity experienced by different people in her life. The organization also allows each reader to make their own connections, to see how an experience of meeting the spirit of her ancestor is connected to her work with youth is connected to her children’s lives. I found it all quite brilliantly interwoven, and I’ve gone back to several of the stories already to re-digest them and further reflect on all of their nuances.
Tell Me Their Names and I Will Testify is powerful, touching, and igniting in its messages, it’s structure, and it’s reflections. I cannot wait to add this to my library when it releases, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone. You can spend 15 minutes reading one essay or read it in its entirety in one sitting, and it will make us all more aware of systemic oppression, each of our place and role in our society, and increase our compassion. Holbrook is a magnificent writer and I’m really grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for my advance copy.
The first essay had me in tears from the start. There is a poignancy, a sometimes chilling connection to her ancestors, a relentless dedication to helping youth succeed, and an openness in talking about and reflecting on her own experiences that makes Tell Me Their Names and I Will Testify impossible to put down. Holbrook is a staple in my own community, and this collection of essays will make it easy to see why.
The organization of the essays is also quite brilliant. It feels like a conversation - albeit one with the most eloquent person I’ve ever talked to. The way she goes from story to story is never haphazard. Rather, it feels like she has a narrative in mind at all times and introduces experiences and characters at just the right time to further that narrative. It reminds me of a way of speaking I often employ, which is to start by talking about some background relating to “this” before finally introducing what “this” is. You get the context and some preliminary thoughts - almost a prologue - before actually getting to the thesis. And I love that, not only because it reads like we readers get to be part of her fluid train of thought but also because each story really is interrelated, informing the next and informed by the previous and connected in meaningful ways. Sometimes those connections are explicit and sometimes it’s the feeling they leave you with, or a similar fight for justice and equity experienced by different people in her life. The organization also allows each reader to make their own connections, to see how an experience of meeting the spirit of her ancestor is connected to her work with youth is connected to her children’s lives. I found it all quite brilliantly interwoven, and I’ve gone back to several of the stories already to re-digest them and further reflect on all of their nuances.
Tell Me Their Names and I Will Testify is powerful, touching, and igniting in its messages, it’s structure, and it’s reflections. I cannot wait to add this to my library when it releases, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone. You can spend 15 minutes reading one essay or read it in its entirety in one sitting, and it will make us all more aware of systemic oppression, each of our place and role in our society, and increase our compassion. Holbrook is a magnificent writer and I’m really grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for my advance copy.
wherethewildreadsare's review against another edition
4.0
Tell Me Your Names and I Will Testify is a uniquely written memoir, using a compilation of essays. Written by Carolyn Holbrook as she explores experiences in her life as a Black American woman in Minneapolis/St. Paul area, Minnesota. With a challenging upbringing, Holbrook finds herself a teenage mother forced to drop out of high school. She explores the systemic oppression the government welfare system puts her in: from an abundance of paperwork which leads her to lose time which could be spent with her children, to the grocery store checkout worker who looks down upon her for paying with food stamps (and the feeling of shame which follows). Determined to give her children a better life, Holbrook busts her butt to get out of the suffocating grasps of the system. Along the way, she must deal with racism and oppression, both personal and systemic.
Holbrook has been the recipient of many awards, including but not limited to her work in getting more accessible writing classes to the lower income, minority communities in the Twin Cities area. She founded multiple programs and organizations which worked to achieve that and more in the literary arts world. Holbrook is an incredibly successful woman and literary arts advocate. Due to the systemic racial oppression in America, she had to work ten times as hard for that success.
The greatest challenge in reading this book was the sometimes lack of organization with some of the essays, There were a few times where I had a tough time following along because the story would jump to a completely different thing. The only other issue I had (and may be due to the uncorrected advanced e-copy I read) was the formatting. There was an essay in particular where it's writing from the perspective of her son; I could tell the story was jumping back and forth from his voice to hers but it was very challenging. By italicizing one or the other, I may have had an easier time following along. This small formatting comment can easily be cleaned up in final edits and it doesn't take away from the power of her writing.
Thank you to the University of Minnesota Press and NetGalley for this advanced copy... I will post this review on my Instagram page two weeks prior to its release and update this review with Links to those additional posts.
Holbrook has been the recipient of many awards, including but not limited to her work in getting more accessible writing classes to the lower income, minority communities in the Twin Cities area. She founded multiple programs and organizations which worked to achieve that and more in the literary arts world. Holbrook is an incredibly successful woman and literary arts advocate. Due to the systemic racial oppression in America, she had to work ten times as hard for that success.
The greatest challenge in reading this book was the sometimes lack of organization with some of the essays, There were a few times where I had a tough time following along because the story would jump to a completely different thing. The only other issue I had (and may be due to the uncorrected advanced e-copy I read) was the formatting. There was an essay in particular where it's writing from the perspective of her son; I could tell the story was jumping back and forth from his voice to hers but it was very challenging. By italicizing one or the other, I may have had an easier time following along. This small formatting comment can easily be cleaned up in final edits and it doesn't take away from the power of her writing.
Thank you to the University of Minnesota Press and NetGalley for this advanced copy... I will post this review on my Instagram page two weeks prior to its release and update this review with Links to those additional posts.
rissraley's review
4.0
Ms. Holbrook has led an interesting life that has shaped her into a fascinating person and a wonderful essayist. Tell Me Your Names and I Will Testify kept my attention the entire time.
lauraramsborg's review
4.0
Inspiring and well-written. Holbrook overcame many obstacles, including but not limited to systemic racism, to reach success. I admire her as a writer, mother, and fellow educator.
coffeeandwashitape's review
4.0
Tell Me Your Names and I Will Testify is a memoir written in essay style by Carolyn Holbrook, not only did I absolutely love this book but it also helped me realize that this is my preferred memoir format however, I've never read one that I liked this much.
I was all-in immediately, Holbrook does such a great job of catching and maintaining your attention as well as your emotions. Hold on tight, because you will be experiencing a variety of feelings throughout this book. Carolyn tells her stories so well that you start to feel like you've known her for years and she's recounting parts of her life to you personally. The way she writes and tells stories is nothing short of magical. I cannot wait to read more from her.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy to review!
I was all-in immediately, Holbrook does such a great job of catching and maintaining your attention as well as your emotions. Hold on tight, because you will be experiencing a variety of feelings throughout this book. Carolyn tells her stories so well that you start to feel like you've known her for years and she's recounting parts of her life to you personally. The way she writes and tells stories is nothing short of magical. I cannot wait to read more from her.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy to review!
natyjaeger's review
3.0
A very interesting read, so compassionate and full of resilience. I hope to read more from Carolyn Holbrook in the future!
More...