Reviews tagging 'Racism'

What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo

108 reviews

decie's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad

3.0

so.......mixed feelings. there were brief snippets of saneism throughout the book, which I didn't love. for example - the outdated (incorrect and stigmatizing) way the author explained DID was not great. and then later in the book she literally said cptsd is the only diagnosis that is caused by other people/isn't your fault, unlike [list of highly stigmatized conditions that are literally also caused by trauma]. 

I did like a lot of things she did in this book. rly struggling to rate it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Ableism, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts

clarabooksit's review

challenging dark hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.75

I’m not good at reviewing books that wow me, but this blew me away. I love a book that both moves me and educates me, and this did both in spades.

Foo narrates her journey toward self-discovery and well-being with incredible candor and immersive storytelling. Her writing feels effortless and inclusive: it’s not just her story but an invitation to the reader to join her on her journey.

I loved it. Highly, highly recommend. A favorite of the year, for sure.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Addiction, Mental illness, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Racism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Suicide, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Medical trauma

Minor: Death and War

nowtheyreinpurple's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Child abuse, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Racism

gabym's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Racism

lexboenker's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, and Domestic abuse

emileesmith's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Mental illness, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcohol, Suicide, Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical trauma, and Drug use

viv_pcu's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

The author is incredibly courageous for publishing her story about complex PTSD. She weaves together themes of racism, intergenerational trauma, and research into a moving story. This book is cathartic and deeply personal. It’s hard to read at times, but it’s a hopeful journey in the end. Better than any self-help books I’ve come across.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Abandonment, and Racism

provo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Luckily, Stephanie Foo did not just write a memoir - as a journalist, she researches very well and takes the reader on a journey from her childhood to the first real results of her recovery. 
By doing so, she doesn’t try to paint a picture of a miracle healing, but shows, how hard it is to find individual solutions in a dysfunctional medical system where not enough professionals are familiar with this young diagnosis. She elaborates how racism and sexism play a part in c-ptsd and does not shy away from talking about genetics and intergenerational trauma.

At some points in the early chapters the abuse is written quite graphic, so be aware of that, otherwise I’d say it is the perfect book for someone recently diagnosed with c-ptsd or people who are close to someone with this diagnosis. It also has a lot of quotes for follow-up-literature.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Self harm, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, and Racism

aishallnot's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Suicide, Racism, and War

Minor: Self harm

keeganrb's review against another edition

dark emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Racism