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s_armstrong's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
crystal_reading's review against another edition
5.0
This is a fabulous collection. For my outdoor education, two essays specifically stood out - Seeds for Seven Generations by Diane Wilson and Dark Trees in the Landscape of Love by Kao Kalia Yang.
kelseywaters's review against another edition
5.0
This is an example of a book where you shouldn’t judge the cover—what I did when it first came out. I thought it looked boring and cheap, so I skipped over it. But this book is such an eye-opener of so many different perspectives throughout Minnesota that we so rarely hear from. It smacks you in the face when you feel any thought of pride at where our state currently is. It’s a loud wake up call. Every essay is unique and worth reading, with one of the ongoing themes of being invisible while in the spotlight at all times. There’s a lot of writing about the complexity of being bi-racial/multi-racial and forced into categories of black or white, the shame of “passing.” It’s so good and even more meaningful being completely written by writers based in Minnesota.
bethanyhyde's review against another edition
5.0
Just finished this book and I highly recommend for anyone who is white and a native Minnesotan. It’s a collection of essays on what it’s like to be a person of color in MN. The stories are brutally honest and painful, tearing apart the myth of exceptionalism and exposing the truth of Minnesota Nice. I was particularly disappointed to read of so many racist experiences at the U of M, an institution I’m so proud to be a graduate of. While this book offers no easy answers, it’s impossible to view this state the same way and it’a a call to action to listen, learn, and do better. Highly recommend. #bethanyhydeyourbooks
bthnywhthd's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful collection of really honest and important essays. Excellent perspectives all around.
katrinky's review against another edition
4.0
read on recommendation of my best friend, who teaches taiyon coleman's (amazing) child in school. coleman's essay touches on why I love new orleans- because at least there the problems are obvious. Coleman visits a graduate school in alabama and decides not to attend when she sees confederate flags everywhere. instead she goes to Minnesota, and is ground down by microagressions she didn't see coming, from folks who always have a smile on their faces. she comes to question which is actually worse- the place that displays its troubles openly, or thinks there is no trouble at all.
kjboldon's review against another edition
5.0
For Gods & Monsters October 2016. As with any anthology, some essays were stronger than others, but this was necessary, sometimes painful, often lovely, always moving education for me, a white woman of privilege in MN. I'd recommend it to everyone.
rebeccamn's review against another edition
5.0
This book is so good. I needed to read it. You need to read it. Just read it.
christinajleaf's review against another edition
4.0
All of the essays were thought-provoking and I believe I took away something from each one, though there are a few that stylistically weren’t for me