Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

The Icepick Surgeon by Sam Kean

22 reviews

lauramegan's review against another edition

The author seemed a bit flippant at times about the atrocities committed. Additionally, he kept plugging his podcast in the middle of chapters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, Racism, and Slavery

monstersinspace's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective fast-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Chronic illness, Medical trauma, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Ableism, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, and Child abuse

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Blood, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Slavery, Body horror, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Racism, and Suicide

chloethonus's review against another edition

dark informative lighthearted relaxing sad medium-paced

4.75

This was a great book, a very interesting collection of scientific ethics being set aside and how it has gone very wrong. Allows us to see scientists as humans rather than unquestionable gods who can do no wrong, but also acknowledges that we cannot fully discredit scientists as a whole and should instead be skeptical and read scientific media critically. I learned a lot of interesting stories that range from questionable ethics to outright murder. Some content is quite shocking, and for the faint of heart there are mentions of psychological torture and in some cases extreme physical harm coming to people.

My only critique is some outdated language like calling Native Americans "Indians" and the prologue about Cleopatra being very clumsy. The prologue is made up of information that can't be proven which is a questionable start for this book. The language, however, bothers me more. Native Americans should be respected and referred to using proper terms that do not have to do with the entirely unrelated nation of Indian. Native American, indigenous peoples, tribe name, there are a lot of options.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma and Slavery

Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, Torture, Terminal illness, and Suicide

Minor: Misogyny

chupacobbruh's review against another edition

dark funny informative medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Mental illness, Slavery, Physical abuse, Body horror, and Medical trauma

kbergsten's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Gore, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Torture, Transphobia, Ableism, Abortion, Animal death, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Physical abuse, and Rape

panthalassa's review against another edition

dark informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Slavery, Transphobia, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Mental illness, Murder, and Racism

Moderate: Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Deadnaming, Grief, and Dysphoria

Minor: Rape, Addiction, and Abortion

laurenkimoto's review against another edition

challenging funny informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

Here are some non coherent thoughts on this book as my brain is still reeling from it and the appendix…

The transitions between chapters and delightful little paragraphs that are reminiscent of the “next time on…” that follow tv shows 

Kean’s sense of humour, sarcasm, and wit shine through on occasion to bring some relief when talking about such a serious topic. 

I appreciate that the section breaks in each chapter are little pictures of objects that relate to the content of each chapter. 

The book starts off “easy” talking about pirates but then hits you with the trans Atlantic slave trade. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Transphobia, Torture, and Slavery

Moderate: Ableism, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Genocide, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Torture, Suicide, War, and Toxic relationship

clarabooksit's review against another edition

dark informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Dysphoria, Xenophobia, Violence, Torture, Medical content, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Classism, Mental illness, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racism, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Genocide, Colonisation, Child abuse, and Antisemitism

Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt

Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism

nyearthmama's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

If there were a category for speculative non-fiction, this book would be in it. I am looking up many things the author mentions in the book for more information and confirm accuracy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Racism

akazzy8's review against another edition

challenging dark funny informative mysterious medium-paced

4.75

This book was excellent! I was looking for a good spooky season book, and this was really the perfect option for me. It has notes of creepiness and dark themes, but isn't a murder mystery which is a genre I can't stand and really dominates the spooky book aisles. It is extra creepy as it talks about real happenings, and like any history book as a way to educate and make adjustments for a more equitable future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Xenophobia, War, Violence, Transphobia, Torture, Slavery, Racism, Murder, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Gore, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death, Colonisation, Antisemitism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Alcohol

While there are many content warnings, I would mention they are stated in more of a detached academic fashion. While there are horrible portions, it is not always written like a story, so readers detachment from some of these acts make this book less "graphic". This certainly is not to say that these warnings aren't still there!