Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

49 reviews

fromjuliereads's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring slow-paced

This was definitely a dense read but so important. It had some really interesting insight and comparisons between the caste systems of India, Nazi Germany, and the United States. 
There were anecdotes from the author's own experiences which lended to proving the points outlined. And some of the information provided was interesting, important, difficult, brought forth a lot of thoughts. I especially found it interesting when Wilkerson discussed the Black anthropologists who went to the South, as this was not something I had heard about previously. And I liked having some of the references to things I had studied about or seen in Germany. 

The one thing I will say is that sometimes the switches between the three caste systems felt jarring, as it flipped from one to another in a single paragraph or page. I think it could have been laid out more cleanly where it didn't feel like a tangent.
But all in all, definitely a book that should be read widely.

(I'm not adding a rating for non fiction because I never know how to rate them properly.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Body shaming, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery

Minor: Child death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Genocide, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Mass/school shootings, Police brutality, and Xenophobia

Lynchings are discussed, treatments of Dalits in India

whisper88's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

3.75

A classroom must read.

The audiobook version narrated by Robin Miles is a good way to get this down, especially if you are reading another lighthearted book at the time as literary "spoonful of sugar" because Caste is indeed a bitter pill to swallow. 

I'm glad I read it and I know I'll need to reread it to be able to better grasp it's intent, however I left me feeling like I just watched Django Unchained: more or less sick to my stomach. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Genocide, Racism, Racial slurs, and Violence

Moderate: Rape

aqtbenz's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Child death, Death, Genocide, Grief, Xenophobia, Violence, Torture, Slavery, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Racism, Police brutality, Murder, and Hate crime

frenchiesquared's review against another edition

informative sad slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, and Torture

So very difficult but necessary for all to read.

bootsmom3's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Genocide, Hate crime, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent and Xenophobia

kelseyland's review against another edition

challenging informative medium-paced

5.0

A highly informative book that outlines the history of racism in America up to the present day and makes the argument that the embedded, institutionalized mechanisms of racism function like the caste system in India and the framework used in Nazi Germany to commit atrocities and genocide against Jewish people.  An essential foundational text to understanding the deeply embedded nature of racism in America.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Hate crime, Police brutality, Genocide, Antisemitism, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, and Slavery

thepassivebookworm's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual violence, and Slavery

abigailp's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Racism, Antisemitism, Torture, and Police brutality

alldebstinations's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Murder, Slavery, Xenophobia, Violence, Hate crime, Genocide, Death, and Antisemitism

julied's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Slavery, and Torture