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Reviews tagging 'Racism'
Dark Archives: A Librarian's Investigation into the Science and History of Books Bound in Human Skin by Megan Rosenbloom
23 reviews
jhbandcats's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
A fascinating look at a fairly taboo subject, this book delves into the history of bookbinding, paper making, medicine, and anatomy education. It deals with racism, classism, and sexism, and shows how medicine is still perpetuating antiquated approaches to anyone who isn’t a white male. This book is well-researched and well-written, illuminating and intriguing. The author deals with the subject of anthropodermic bibliopegy with great sensitivity and respect.
Definitely recommended for people who love books and want to learn more about the less salubrious history of medicine.
Definitely recommended for people who love books and want to learn more about the less salubrious history of medicine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Medical content, Death, Classism, Gore, Blood, Murder, and Sexism
bibliobsessive's review against another edition
informative
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Medical trauma, Medical content, Racism, and Death
aegagrus's review against another edition
3.75
Dark Archives begins with a seemingly niche focus -- books bound in human skin -- and successfully covers a lot of ground -- medicine, history, psychology, ethics, law, artistry, craft, archiving, collecting. The amount of work Rosenbloom put into Dark Archives is immediately evident. Her book reflects a wide array of fieldwork -- visits to tanneries and med schools, conversations with eminent collectors, novel scientific testing, intensive rummaging in museums and archives. It also reflects considerable thoughtfulness. Rosenbloom has clearly tried very hard to treat the stories she's telling seriously, treating the dead and the living alike with empathy and curiosity. Her most interesting reflections arise from that commitment; for instance, she wonders at length about the clinical gaze, about the status and responsibilities of physicians, about the relevance of gender, race, and class to our notions of doctors and doctoring. In a genuinely moving (if somewhat tangential) epilogue, Rosenbloom muses about her own death and her mother's own tragic interaction with the medical establishment.
The personal angle so central to Dark Archives certainly ties everything together fairly neatly, along with lending real credibility to Rosenbloom as an expert librarian and bibliophile. On the other hand, the highly conversational personal asides were often the points at which I was least satisfied with the book as a whole. A roughly chronological narrative about Megan Rosenbloom and her journey into and through the world of human-bound books and the lessons they hold could have been very successful. A more expansive and thematically-organized book could have been equally successful, taking full advantage of the rich interdisciplinary knowledge Rosenbloom is drawing upon. Instead, Rosenbloom has attempted something of a middle ground between these approaches. She is not wholly unsuccessful at striking this balance, but it does produce a book which is, from time to time, dissatisfying in its multifarious structure and direction. This objection is not to be overstated, however: wherever a reader's interest in the subject derives, Dark Archives has much to offer.
The personal angle so central to Dark Archives certainly ties everything together fairly neatly, along with lending real credibility to Rosenbloom as an expert librarian and bibliophile. On the other hand, the highly conversational personal asides were often the points at which I was least satisfied with the book as a whole. A roughly chronological narrative about Megan Rosenbloom and her journey into and through the world of human-bound books and the lessons they hold could have been very successful. A more expansive and thematically-organized book could have been equally successful, taking full advantage of the rich interdisciplinary knowledge Rosenbloom is drawing upon. Instead, Rosenbloom has attempted something of a middle ground between these approaches. She is not wholly unsuccessful at striking this balance, but it does produce a book which is, from time to time, dissatisfying in its multifarious structure and direction. This objection is not to be overstated, however: wherever a reader's interest in the subject derives, Dark Archives has much to offer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Medical content
Moderate: Racism, Classism, Misogyny, and Animal death
Minor: Sexual violence
barelyconcealed's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
An interesting reads that hits not only the existence of human skin books - but also on the ways in which they manifested in a historical sense, and what is being done with them now. It weirdly paired well with the Caitlin Doughty book I just finished, even though it's on a different subject with a vastly different tone.
I think when Rosenbloom gets into some of the more related subjects the book loses its focus and kind of my interest. But it's a relatively fast read and definitely worth checking out if you're even remotely interested in the subject matter.
I think when Rosenbloom gets into some of the more related subjects the book loses its focus and kind of my interest. But it's a relatively fast read and definitely worth checking out if you're even remotely interested in the subject matter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Medical trauma
Minor: Racism and Antisemitism
Holocaust, dismembermenttalonsontypewriters's review against another edition
dark
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Blood, Antisemitism, Racism, Medical content, Body horror, Death, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Misogyny, Animal death, Genocide, Child death, War, Sexism, Suicide, and Slavery
Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Sexual violence
Descriptions of the Holocaust and other acts taken/beliefs espoused by the Nazi Party throughout WWII era. Descriptions of tanning process and related topics, of both animal and human skin. Discussion of medical ethics and violations thereof, including desecration of corpses. Mostly allegorical mentions of sexual violence/rape.enchantressreads's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Minor: Antisemitism, Slavery, Sexual violence, Racism, and Misogyny
bookbrig's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Racism
cryptidkay's review against another edition
dark
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
4.5
Normally, the only NF books I read are "thrilling" true crime ones (I'm aware it's a problem... you should see my netflix suggestions...). I saw this book referenced in The Madman's Library: The Strangest Books, Manuscripts and Other Literary Curiosities from History and, due to the macabre subject, knew it'd be the next nf title I read. I put it on hold at the library and profited!
50 pages in I'd had a page of notes, my own copy in the mail, and several imaginary conversations I'd like to have with the author. Librarian to librarian conversations.
The book and author's death-positive look at the practice of anthropodermic bibliopegy is fantastic. Rosenbloom matches my awe and fascination with these books while acknowledging the issues surrounding their conservation, curation, and creation; the classist origins of the practice and the medical field that made it popular, how the nazis were never actually involved (Whaaaat?), and how we as a contemporary society can deal with death better.
Rosenbloom's work is easy to read and easy to follow. My only wish is that this be republished as an illustrated edition so the reader can see some of the specimens and examples (especially of the beautiful reading rooms) she references in the text.
50 pages in I'd had a page of notes, my own copy in the mail, and several imaginary conversations I'd like to have with the author. Librarian to librarian conversations.
The book and author's death-positive look at the practice of anthropodermic bibliopegy is fantastic. Rosenbloom matches my awe and fascination with these books while acknowledging the issues surrounding their conservation, curation, and creation; the classist origins of the practice and the medical field that made it popular, how the nazis were never actually involved (Whaaaat?), and how we as a contemporary society can deal with death better.
Rosenbloom's work is easy to read and easy to follow. My only wish is that this be republished as an illustrated edition so the reader can see some of the specimens and examples (especially of the beautiful reading rooms) she references in the text.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, and War
This book is explicitly about books bound in human skin. Often the skin is not taken with a person's consent and is taken by a person (usually a medical "professional") in a place of power. Also there's a whole chapter on concentration camps and WWII.jenny_d's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Racism, Slavery, and Antisemitism
paolina's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Fascinating and dark, another informative book that shows the truth is stranger than fiction.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Medical content, Murder, and Racism
Minor: Antisemitism