Scan barcode
3littlewordz's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.75
This work was a necessary undertaking, and I am glad that the New York Times backed Nikole Hannah Jones in bringing this work to fruition. I read this with a book club, and the discussions we had on each chapter were enlightening, even when we had to calm ourselves from getting angry because of the subject matter. The essays provide a comprehensive introduction to race and racism in the United States and how it is baked into nearly every institution in the country (it’s also been exported worldwide, but that’s another topic entirely.). I will say that I don’t think readers should stop at this work, but explore the references provided at the end of the book. Also, I think near the end, several of the chapters were waaaaay too short for their subject matter (Traffic and Healthcare, for example). The poems and short stories could have also been a separate book entirely. They were amazing pieces that deserve shine! Highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Police brutality, Slavery, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Violence, and War
Moderate: Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Classism, Gun violence, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, and Gaslighting
More...