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283 reviews for:
Read This to Get Smarter About Race, Class, Gender, Disability, and More
Blair Imani
4.32 AVERAGE
283 reviews for:
Read This to Get Smarter About Race, Class, Gender, Disability, and More
Blair Imani
4.32 AVERAGE
informative
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
I’ve never actually watched this author’s Smarter in Seconds series of videos on YouTube, so I didn’t know about her scholarship in various topics. I got to know about this book while browsing Twitter and immediately wanted to check it out. And I’m glad I did.
This book is definitely more of a primer if you wanna learn more about topics like race, class, gender, sexuality, disability and more which are highly relevant to our daily lives, both in a personal and political manner. And the author doesn’t just restrict herself to these issues. We also get to read about personal identity in general, the different kinds of relationships we can have, the importance of boundaries and consent in relationships, the historical differences between capitalism and socialism, the inherent value assigned to labor based on the occupation, the ableism which is ingrained in society preventing disabled people from navigating this world without troubles and much more. I loved how the author gave the historical context to everything, letting us know how things came to be, why they were right or wrong, and why it is important for us to learn these various terms and move towards a more progressive society.
I may have known about many of these topics but I found it was still knowledgeable for me to learn about them in depth, get more comfortable with inclusive language, understand the ways we might have been causing harm till now and how to unlearn such things so that we can be better in the future.
I love that overall, the one thing this book is predicated on is the philosophy of “Ubuntu” which might be translated as “humanity towards others” or in more easier terms, mutual respect. Respecting the humanity of others in every relationship and interaction, and not centering our privileged selves in every situation, reduces the harm we might cause and respect for everyone might lead to more harmonious life. I hope everyone can pick up this book, educate themselves on issues which are important to us as human beings, and learn to respect everyone on their terms and not ours.
This book is definitely more of a primer if you wanna learn more about topics like race, class, gender, sexuality, disability and more which are highly relevant to our daily lives, both in a personal and political manner. And the author doesn’t just restrict herself to these issues. We also get to read about personal identity in general, the different kinds of relationships we can have, the importance of boundaries and consent in relationships, the historical differences between capitalism and socialism, the inherent value assigned to labor based on the occupation, the ableism which is ingrained in society preventing disabled people from navigating this world without troubles and much more. I loved how the author gave the historical context to everything, letting us know how things came to be, why they were right or wrong, and why it is important for us to learn these various terms and move towards a more progressive society.
I may have known about many of these topics but I found it was still knowledgeable for me to learn about them in depth, get more comfortable with inclusive language, understand the ways we might have been causing harm till now and how to unlearn such things so that we can be better in the future.
I love that overall, the one thing this book is predicated on is the philosophy of “Ubuntu” which might be translated as “humanity towards others” or in more easier terms, mutual respect. Respecting the humanity of others in every relationship and interaction, and not centering our privileged selves in every situation, reduces the harm we might cause and respect for everyone might lead to more harmonious life. I hope everyone can pick up this book, educate themselves on issues which are important to us as human beings, and learn to respect everyone on their terms and not ours.
informative
medium-paced
There is a lot of information in this book written in a very accessible way. I can definitely see excerpts from this book being helpful for teachers to provide background for novel studies or social studies units. I especially appreciated the information and short explanations of what language should be avoided and why since sometimes you hear that a term is offensive but because you don't have enough context on the history of its usage, you don't get why it is a problem--this book does a great job of explaining what to avoid and why.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Wonderful content, bad editing. I was frequently caught off guard by hard to understand sentences, missing punctuation, and other editorial misses. A great read if you are interested in the basics and the nuance of intersectionality. Blair does a wonderful job inviting reflection and celebrating learning instead of inviting shame.
challenging
informative
reflective
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Genocide, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Police brutality, Colonisation, Classism
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
informative
medium-paced
Blair Imani has delivered on her promise of getting smarter by reading this book. While many of the topics she discusses may seem, at first glance, to be topics you may feel you already know a lot about, Imani goes in depth and presents information in such a clear, straightforward manner that I learned something new in every chapter. What I loved most about this book is that the information is given very matter-of-factly. The topics are not up for debate. They are presented clearly as how things are and it is up to us to do the work and become more educated so as to treat people, ALL people, with respect. Read this book if you want to get smarter or are just hoping to become a better human being.
informative
fast-paced
Thanks to Ten Speed Press for the free copy of this book.
- READ THIS TO GET SMARTER is a whirlwind trip through a range of topics everyone should be knowledgeable about. Just like Imani's "Smarter in Seconds" video series, this book serves up bite-sized lessons and tips about everything from pronouns to economics.
- I appreciated that Imani doesn't mince words or try to soften ideas that might be hard to hear for the first time. She doesn't shy from beginning statements like "the false belief that..." or "the racist historian..."
- I think this book would be a great tool for anyone who wants to learn more about not just how to use the right words, but how to approach the world compassionately and thoughtfully. Even if you feel like you already have a handle on these topics, it's still a good reference.
- READ THIS TO GET SMARTER is a whirlwind trip through a range of topics everyone should be knowledgeable about. Just like Imani's "Smarter in Seconds" video series, this book serves up bite-sized lessons and tips about everything from pronouns to economics.
- I appreciated that Imani doesn't mince words or try to soften ideas that might be hard to hear for the first time. She doesn't shy from beginning statements like "the false belief that..." or "the racist historian..."
- I think this book would be a great tool for anyone who wants to learn more about not just how to use the right words, but how to approach the world compassionately and thoughtfully. Even if you feel like you already have a handle on these topics, it's still a good reference.