Reviews with content warning for Medical trauma - Das heimliche Imperium

Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

Das heimliche Imperium by Daniel Immerwahr

11 reviews

ntawn0's review against another edition

challenging dark informative medium-paced

4.25

Overall a really informative read. Enjoyable, in that it conveys information well, without being dry (but the topics discussed are not, exactly, enjoyable). First half of the book, which covers the territorial expansion of the US on the continent and the Spanish-American War is told, mostly, chronologically and deep dives into some obscure aspects of US imperialism.

The second half of the book covers the decolonization that happened post-WWII and the transition to US globalization. This part is told topically, rather than chronologically, so each chapter begins by describing the origins of the topic at hand (language, industrial standards, etc.) which largely relate to WWII, so the second half of the book is very WWII heavy, so that is something to keep in mind.

.75 points off because the second part drags a little bit. Also, immerwahr toes around some of the more nuanced, but currently, relevant aspects of the US international presence, discussing how widespread military bases are, but ignoring the direct shape of encirclement present in relation to China, North Korea, USSR/Russia, and Iran. As current US policy continues to push towards ever more conflict with these countries, Immerwahr's glossing over of this is a little disappointing (though understandable, as it could be its own 400 page book).

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elisalasater's review against another edition

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challenging informative tense slow-paced

3.0

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rooks_books's review against another edition

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challenging informative medium-paced

5.0

An excellent dive into U.S. imperialism and how it has shaped both the U.S. today and the modern global order. From the settler-colonial violence of Manifest Destiny to the 60 degree thread pitch of standard U.S. screws to the fallout (political and literal) of nuclear testing on Bikini Atoll, this book covers a vast array of dramatically overlooked topics that are essential to understanding why the world is the way it is today. Though academically rigorous, the writing is entertaining and easy to digest, and Immerwahr does a good job of giving serious topics the gravity they deserve while also including moments of levity and humor where appropriate.

Even as someone profoundly interested in and generally well educated on U.S. settler-colonialism, I learned a huge amount of new information that reframed my understanding of the U.S. from this book.

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in truly understanding U.S. history, and should be required reading in any U.S. history curriculum.

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elook's review against another edition

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informative

4.25

While at some point this book did drag a bit for me, I thought it was really eye opening. It was definitely a nonfiction book where I was constantly bothering the people around with new facts. I ended it with a desire to learn more about several of the topics covered, which I think is just about the best thing a nonfiction book could do! It discussed America's history with imperialism and colonialism.

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