Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib

18 reviews

jourdanicus's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5

I find it hard to rate a book of essays - many of these essays made me feel so much. The ones to which I couldn't relate as much felt a little more like a drag to get through. Usually I love a book read by its author, but prose read by a poet can actually be hit and miss (for me personally I guess).

Some of the essays hit deep and others seemed, idk, a little unfinished? But still beautiful.

I loved the concept - it was almost like memoir plus social/political commentary through the lens of music criticism. All things I love, especially when early pop punk is involved. I can't wait to read Abdurraqib's poetry.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Police brutality, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

erinmcav's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Police brutality, and Death

Minor: Islamophobia

danimcthomas's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Classism, Drug abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Racism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, and Violence

annejmartin's review

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Police brutality, Racial slurs, Violence, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Racism, Suicide, Death, Death of parent, and Hate crime

beezinda's review

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Insightful collection of essays that perfectly explore the swirl of identity, race, grief, change, and music. Genuinely beautiful prose and masterfully evocative.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Racism, and Police brutality

blackberryjambaby's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Islamophobia, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Addiction, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, and Mental illness

Moderate: Homophobia, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, Terminal illness, War, Rape, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Drug use, Child death, and Alcoholism

Minor: Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Slavery, and Pedophilia

kers_tin's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Racism, and Gun violence

imstephtacular's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.25

This is one of those books that I don’t feel smart enough to read and I mean that as a compliment. The poetry and criticism are so sharp and deep and wholly human. The stories are horrifying and harrowing but also hopeful and fascinating. I learned a ton and I know these essays are going to haunt me for days to come 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Gun violence, Grief, Islamophobia, Hate crime, Cursing, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Classism, Misogyny, Suicide, Sexism, Bullying, Slavery, Child death, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

Minor: Religious bigotry

lilybear3's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

I wish I had read this book earlier.  I don't have a lot of words to describe this experience.  In short, it was incredible and it is a must-read for everyone.  Abdurraqib's writing is beautiful and accessible.  There is so much emotion, it is impossible to keep it all in while reading.  He has inspired me to think about the ways music has impacted and interwoven itself in my life. 

You don't have to have heard all of the artists, albums, and songs he mentions to read his essays, but I feel it might help.  He gives readers the vibe of his references and it's pretty easy to understand how the music fits in the context.  It will certainly open the doors to new-to-you music.  I listened to Carly Rae Jepsen's Emotion after reading the first essay on it and, again, why did I wait so long to listen?  

His stories and experiences on being black in the United States are a number of things: difficult, informative, joyful.  Empathy is one of the most important feelings to be human.  I read the 5th anniversary edition, the first edition was published in 2017.  He writes on the turbulent year of 2016 and shortly after.  What he has to say in this book continues to be relevant in 2023.

As a person who resides in the Columbus area, it was interesting to learn about Columbus through his perspective.  I don't know a lot about the city, I've been here a little over a year and half.  But knowing Columbus isn't a requirement, just a little perk.

I look forward to reading more of his work.  I cannot recommend this book enough.  It might be cliche to say, but my life was changed by this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Classism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, Suicide, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Mass/school shootings

Minor: Addiction

caseythereader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful relaxing sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Murder, Racism, Slavery, Bullying, Hate crime, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Grief, Islamophobia, Suicide, Death of parent, and Violence