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valhecka's review
5.0
Fascinating, informative collection of articles and essays, ranging from journalistic reviews of the compounding dangers piled on incarcerated peoples, medical (mis)management in refugee camps for Syrian asylum-seekers located off Greece, the state of sex workers in a society that now exists online under increasing surveillance, and the plights faced by groups most readers don't think about (the article about workers in commercial shipping was particularly gutting) to more personal reflections on communities of elders, the psychological pressure of the surveillance state, and the transformation of cityscapes since March. There's at least one "oh, wow, I'm a writer in New York writing about being a writer in New York" self-deprecating bitter-humor bit, which felt like an odd (not bad-odd) echo from a past time when the prospect of Being a New Yorker was aspirational as opposed to deeply unsettling.
Obviously the collection is hard left - rent strikes, mutual aid networks, workers' rights, tenants' rights, and the right of all humans to the fulfillment of basic needs are all themes throughout. I'd expect nothing less of Verso.
Obviously the collection is hard left - rent strikes, mutual aid networks, workers' rights, tenants' rights, and the right of all humans to the fulfillment of basic needs are all themes throughout. I'd expect nothing less of Verso.
courtneyfalling's review
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Really liked this anthology overall as a time capsule of the early to mid-2020 COVID-19 pandemic experience. It is heavily focused on NYC (again, early days of the pandemic in the US), but there's some international perspectives and understanding. Definitely would revisit some of these essays.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
State violencewonderfool's review
4.0
Great, balanced collection. Most of the essays were written last spring and summer, so it made for an interesting read now, seeing how much has changed, but really moreso, how much hasn't. Will be a great time capsule, too.
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