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asparker's review against another edition
5.0
Great book, incredibly relevant to current issues in the US. I noticed a fair amount of grammatical/ punctual errors, so poor job on the editor's part but overall a great read.
f6x's review against another edition
5.0
Heartbreaking anecdotes supported by infuriating statistics illustrate that while we may be “free,” we’re still fighting for all to be equal.
Thankfully, Mr. Crump includes 12 tangible ways to create a more perfect union.
Thankfully, Mr. Crump includes 12 tangible ways to create a more perfect union.
sassyykassie's review against another edition
4.0
Such an important read! Ben Crump is extremely thorough and goes through many cases that both he himself has represented as well as others that show the continued systematic oppression of Black and brown individuals. I highly recommend as both an educational resource and to get you fired up when it's put right in front of your face that this fight is far from over.
My one star knock is due to some editing issues. There were a couple paragraphs repeated word for word as well as quite a few words dropped grammatically, etc.
My one star knock is due to some editing issues. There were a couple paragraphs repeated word for word as well as quite a few words dropped grammatically, etc.
tracithomas's review against another edition
3.0
Really string overview of the many kinds of racism Black people face in America. Crump lays out his thesis and uses a ton of examples to drive the points home. Not a lot of this book felt new to me, but a refresher is always nice. The cases he uses as examples are the standouts in the book.
I listened in audio and the narrator is very solid.
I listened in audio and the narrator is very solid.
kappareads's review against another edition
5.0
This was easy to understand and covered a wide range of topics. Highly recommend!
carrienation76's review against another edition
4.0
This book is meticulously researched. Each chapter is filled with lived examples of the legalized genocide of people of color in the United States - and for each topic, he pulls in examples that explore the inequity from every angle, painting the unsettling picture of how speaking out against the ongoing injustices still lands people in terrible situations. This is an incredibly powerful read that's difficult to get through, but critically important. Others noted that there are not considerable transitions between the examples, but that feels intentional. Each chapter rains down the trauma and sacrifices paid by many for this ongoing injustice - adding transitions may make it easier to read, but it would cost the book its momentum and impact.
While it is well researched, it is poorly edited. There are many errors beyond simple typos. One that stood out is pretty early on. In recounting the massacre at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston in 2015, Crump writes "There was nothing out of the ordinary in Charleston, North Carolina..." (p. 34) Of course, Charleston is in South Carolina. The errors are peppered throughout, including errors in direct quotes, like "Voter suppression, not fraud, looks large in US elections." This is the title of a 2016 report from the Brooking Institutes, but Crump paints it as a quote with a typo - as "looks" is actually "looms." (p. 125) This book is so powerful that the inaccuracies do not totally undermine it, but certainly feel unprofessional. The editors really did Crump dirty on this one. Looking at you, Tracy Sherrod.
While it is well researched, it is poorly edited. There are many errors beyond simple typos. One that stood out is pretty early on. In recounting the massacre at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston in 2015, Crump writes "There was nothing out of the ordinary in Charleston, North Carolina..." (p. 34) Of course, Charleston is in South Carolina. The errors are peppered throughout, including errors in direct quotes, like "Voter suppression, not fraud, looks large in US elections." This is the title of a 2016 report from the Brooking Institutes, but Crump paints it as a quote with a typo - as "looks" is actually "looms." (p. 125) This book is so powerful that the inaccuracies do not totally undermine it, but certainly feel unprofessional. The editors really did Crump dirty on this one. Looking at you, Tracy Sherrod.
buckeyegolden's review against another edition
4.0
A really strong presentation of legal evidence to back up the claim that in nearly every aspect of life, Black and Brown folks in America are subjected to a slow and agonizing legal genocide.
nashwa017's review against another edition
5.0
Ben Crump, the author of this book is an attorney and now presenting George Floyd’s family in court. And this book was eye-opening and extremely engaging. Crump tells us case by case why the killing of black people in the US is a modern day genocide. Just because they’re not being killed in large numbers, it doesn’t mean it’s less of a genocide. He talks about all the ways the system is designed to protect white people and criminalise black people. There are so many examples in this book where white shooters are arrested without being harmed and black kids are killed for wearing a hoodie. He talks about modern day segregation, environmental racism, voter suppression and all the ways black and brown people are kept in oppression. As someone who loves history, this was brilliant but I feel like if you’re American, you’d benefit a lot from this book. Listened to this as an audiobook by and the narrator did a wonderful job!