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johndsouza's review against another edition
4.0
A collection of essays - some insightful, some tedious.
Skimmed through some of them, then paused and reflected on others.
Overall, a good book.
Skimmed through some of them, then paused and reflected on others.
Overall, a good book.
8little_paws's review against another edition
4.0
A mostly solid collection of poetry, short story, and essay around the theme of the title. I admit, I couldn't connect with all the material and tie it back to the theme. Two essays in particular stood out--Kiese Laymon's on academia, and Eula Biss's on white debt.
ninaprime's review against another edition
4.0
Incredibly thought-provoking read that opened my eyes to a slew of new perspectives of my fellow Americans and gave me an opportunity to examine my various privileges. However, like all collections, it was an uneven mix and I wish the fiction and nonfiction would have been more clearly delineated. Favorites include "Death by Gentrification: The Killing of Alex Nieto and the Savaging of San Francisco" by Rebecca Solnit (a journalistic look at police bruality against a Latino security guard and how SF fails its ideals); "Blood Brother" by Sarah Smarsh (about the plasma industry and its lure for impoverished Americans); "Apartment 1G" by Nami Mun (a immigrant Korean family grapples with complicity in a violent crime); "Looking for a Home" by Karen Russell (about homelessness in Portland); and "How" by Roxane Gay (the struggles of a disadvantaged family).
sunrisesara's review against another edition
3.0
Very mixed collection - some pieces were excellent, others not so much. The mixed non-fiction and fiction threw me off a bit too.
bookwormmichelle's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed the diversity of story and style in this little book. Inequality is such a big topic, and instead of giving us one window on the problem, one explanation, this book gives us many small windows, from different directions and in different colors so we see that there is not ONE inequality, but many. So we get to hear from and experience many viewpoints and hear many voices. I liked this very much.
rebeccakb's review against another edition
3.0
A mix of stories told in a variety of styles and voices all sharing their views on American inequality.
pmovereem's review against another edition
4.0
Not every piece here is stellar, but the ones that are are exactly what we need more of. This would be a great anthology to assign incoming college freshmen. My favorite pieces are by Rebecca Solnit, danez smith, Sandra Cisneros, Eula Biss, Kiese Laymon, Sarah Smarsh, and Chris Offutt.
crk90's review against another edition
5.0
I read this in sections over the last several months and it is the most important book I’ve read in a long time. It reminds me of how important stories are and how much work we have to do in learning to empathize with the struggles of everyone around us.
sherylk's review against another edition
4.0
This might be one of those, "if you only read one book this year" books - in that it truly captures what is going on in America today. Not my America, of $5 lattes, but of people struggling to make ends meet, facing deep questions about identity, and many other important things taking place right now. I noticed this book in Denver's Tattered Cover bookstore, and seeing that it included writing by Ann Patchett, Roxane Gay, and Rebecca Solnit was enough to convince me. After reading it, I found many, many more wonderful authors sharing their stories and those of others, and I learned a lot.
erikasmindfulshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent collection of essays, short stories and poems. Read it!