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shannanh's review against another edition
5.0
Although the contents of this book is very triggering for African Americans, It is a very powerful read. It recounts one of the worst and deadliest events in the United states. It took me a while to get through the book, because it broke my heart to read what some of our ancestors went through. I had heard bits and pieces of what happened in college, but not to the magnitude of what was brought to light in this book.. And to think, with the re edition coming up around the 100th commoration of that horrid event makes it just the more sorrowful. Phenomenal read
brooklynpace's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
509daves's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
j_hall85's review against another edition
5.0
A definitive resource on the Tulsa Race Massacre. Should be required reading for Americans!
danyell919's review against another edition
5.0
Trigger warning: this book is historically accurate, down to the degrading and offense racial slurs used of the time. The events described are absolutely horrific and could be triggering or traumatic for some readers.
That being said, this is a comprehensive, eye opening look at the Tulsa Race Massacre that should be included in every textbook in the US. The book is well researched and well written.
That being said, this is a comprehensive, eye opening look at the Tulsa Race Massacre that should be included in every textbook in the US. The book is well researched and well written.
bookishactor's review against another edition
5.0
Sometimes you read a book and when you finish, you’re mad. That’s what reading The Burning by Tim Madigan was like. You might think I objected to the prose. I did not. Madigan’s writing is fantastic. The book manages to read like a mosaic novel with all the suspense and character development of a thriller or horror novel. Not being well versed in the chronicles of true crime, this may be standard fare, but it impressed me! Perhaps you think it was the content that made me mad? It did, the events described in the book are horrifying beyond all imagining, and as the book itself says, sound more akin to Nazi Germany than the United States. Yet there was something that made me madder still. I was angry that this was all such a revelation. I learned about the Tulsa massacre from HBO’s Watchmen. I have no recollection of learning about it in high school. Perhaps the fault lies on me, and not my teachers, but surely we could have spent less time chronicling political campaigns and wars, and more time learning about events such as this- lest they be repeated. In 2020 it seems vital that books like The Burning are read carefully, and by many. I found the writing to be very enjoyable, even as the subject matter was frightening, disheartening, and shameful. My shame is further compounded by the fact that not only did I learn of this event from Watchmen, but the world of Watchmen seems to have done substantially more to pay reparations and educate people able this event than we have in the real world. We have to do better. This event should be a major part of high school history curriculums across the nation, and especially in the south. Perhaps reading this book could be a part of that?
jenlisy's review
4.0
Should be a must read for all Americans. Recounts the horrific events in Tulsa in 1920.
ericoatmeal's review against another edition
5.0
I can’t believe I was never taught about the Tulsa race massacre while I was in school. Not only that, I never even heard of it until I moved to Tulsa. This detailed history of the massacre is essentially reading for any Oklahoman and student of Black history. As the author recounts, “If the atrocities committed on Black Wallstreet had taken place overseas, the post WWI U.S. military would unquestioningly responded with immediate decisive action.”
renatasnacks's review against another edition
3.0
I read this because both of my (older, white) parents read it and loved it and were so interested in this piece of history, and they wanted to talk to me about it. And I was like, oh yeah I watched HBO Watchmen, but, OK.
Anyway I think it is an interesting piece of history and where this book does its best is when it's talking about the climate leading up to the riot, as well as the lingering impact it's had on the survivors of that day. A lot of this history had been lost--literally burned. I was fascinated to read that the Oklahoma Historical Society offered a reward to anyone who could produce a copy of Richard Lloyd Jones' editorial that spurred on the riot. But apparently the text of that editorial is still lost to history.
Where this book faltered for me was its attempts to fill in lost history, with imagined dialogue from people who died or recreations of scenes that there obviously wasn't documentation for? Especially when he was recreating scenes from the POV of white folks who were using the n-word liberally. Like I mean, I'm sure they were, but then it was his choice to like...type the n-word into his book a bunch of times.
Still, clearly well-researched and did a great job of illuminating (so to speak) this moment in history. But you could probably just watch Watchmen instead tbh.
Anyway I think it is an interesting piece of history and where this book does its best is when it's talking about the climate leading up to the riot, as well as the lingering impact it's had on the survivors of that day. A lot of this history had been lost--literally burned. I was fascinated to read that the Oklahoma Historical Society offered a reward to anyone who could produce a copy of Richard Lloyd Jones' editorial that spurred on the riot. But apparently the text of that editorial is still lost to history.
Where this book faltered for me was its attempts to fill in lost history, with imagined dialogue from people who died or recreations of scenes that there obviously wasn't documentation for? Especially when he was recreating scenes from the POV of white folks who were using the n-word liberally. Like I mean, I'm sure they were, but then it was his choice to like...type the n-word into his book a bunch of times.
Still, clearly well-researched and did a great job of illuminating (so to speak) this moment in history. But you could probably just watch Watchmen instead tbh.