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bookishmillennial's review against another edition
This collection of essays by Alicia Elliott did not let me catch my breath for one moment. I feel like I highlighted so much throughout the book, probably every other page, if not every page 😭
Alicia comments on and asks questions about so much: colonization, capitalism, racism, misogyny, desire, selfies, “reality” tv, truth versus opinion, familial dynamics, indigenous practices, and so much more.
I desperately want a print copy of this now, as it was such an important read. Capitalism and colonization has brought so much horror to the world, and the solutions will not be found with them. I look forward to reading more from Alicia Elliott and I am so grateful that I read this book.
Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Sexual violence, Genocide, Classism, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Police brutality, Transphobia, Sexism, Addiction, Mental illness, and Racism
abbie_'s review
4.25
- Loved the essay about diversity being a white word and the new buzzword in publishing. White authors feel threatened by BIPOC authors seemingly monopolising all the publishing deals (lol sure) so they do their best to shoehorn characters of colour into their work - as long as they’re writing with empathy, so the saying goes, no harm done. But Elliott argues that unless you’re writing about a particular community with love, it’ll be glaringly obvious and damaging to said community. White authors like Lionel Shriver immediately go onto the defensive, claiming censorship, criticism turned into censoring free speech.
- There’s a hard-hitting essay about Elliott’s sexual assault. During sexual violence trials, it’s the woman’s innocence that’s put on trial, not the man’s guilt. Before choosing to believe a man is *not* a rapist, people do not subject him to the barrage of questions we demand of women to prove they *are* a victim. We demand a woman put her trauma and pain on display, to watch as we pull it apart, put fingers into open wounds, make her perform her trauma again and again before, more often than not, still choosing not to believe.
- The essay about food deserts in North America was amazing, the way the US and Canada have manufactured them, enabled poorer people to become overweight and then ill. Why do people believe that the answer to what is choking us - capitalism and colonialism - is to shove more of those same things down our throats while we choke?
- Essay on photography, voyeurism, colonialism, consent, power, desire - not as strong as some of the others but I liked how she explored white photographers encroaching on communities they don’t belong to to further their and western white society’s stereotypical views of a community
- Essay on lies and fiction (made me think of something else I read recently) where women writers are often conflated with their characters. Men rarely receive this treatment, but people often treat fiction written by women as autofiction
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Violence, and Domestic abuse
paperbackportals's review
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Physical abuse, Colonisation, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Rape, Gaslighting, Body shaming, and Pregnancy
kchin's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Police brutality, Murder, Genocide, Sexism, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Racism, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, and Colonisation
alexxcp's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Racism, Colonisation, Genocide, and Mental illness
remimicha's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Alcoholism, Classism, Police brutality, Body shaming, Child abuse, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Murder, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Violence, Cultural appropriation, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide, Gun violence, Homophobia, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Cancer, and Death
voidboi's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Mental illness
Moderate: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer
buttermellow's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Xenophobia and Racism
Moderate: Mental illness, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault
ltulisiak's review
5.0
Additionally, the author is originally from Buffalo, NY, and was partially raised in the greater Cleveland, OH, area, so I felt a geographical connection with her, as well.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Classism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Violence, Cultural appropriation, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Mental illness, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Sexual violence
Minor: Suicide attempt
raelin's review
5.0
This book covers so many categories, since each chapter is written almost as a stand alone essay then grouped together to make one book that does tie every chapter together into a cohesive work. It is masterfully done.
All people represented in this work are dimensional humans, with several different facets. Her mother isn’t just a bipolar religious fanatic. Her father isn’t just an alcoholic abuser. They are also caring, loving, supportive parents. This is how real people are, but not often how people are captured in the written word. The beautiful contradictions that fill our relationships with people are so accurately described.
This book is so much more than memoir. It is also history, inspires self reflection (by directly asking the reader to answer hard questions about their perspective), insight into the writing process, commentary on social media, self persecution, and so much more.
A definite must read for everyone that can handle the content warnings.
Moderate: Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual assault, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Murder, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse