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Reviews
Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy. Barbara Ehrenreich by Barbara Ehrenreich
lspargo's review against another edition
1.0
I read Ehrenreich's "Nickel and Dimed" and I really liked it. This however, was really boring and I did not like it.
juburstein's review against another edition
3.0
Not the fun read I expected! Limited perspective and, ironically, a bit joyless
beaniegremlin's review against another edition
2.0
This book was not at all what I was expecting, but still had some interesting points.
What I liked:
- Interesting observations on the history of rituals and festivities lending themselves to protest and dissent.
- I enjoyed the commentary on how religion and class impacted collective rituals.
What I didn’t like:
- Overall the book was more Eurocentric than I would have liked. I was excited to get a taste of a wide swath of cultures and time periods, but the book was pretty narrowly focused on a European/Christian lens.
- The author showed a moment of awareness around this euro centrist slant about halfway through the book, but then proceeded to only dedicate one chapter to non-white culture. That was very disappointing.
- When the author did address non-European cultures, it felt like an afterthought, or like they were treated only in the context of how they come into contact with Europeans.
I wish the author had been more cognizant of writing a more well-rounded book of more diverse cultures, or had been more accurate in the naming of the book. Call it what it is— a European history of Collective Joy— instead of acting like all of human history should be looked at from the lens of white people.
What I liked:
- Interesting observations on the history of rituals and festivities lending themselves to protest and dissent.
- I enjoyed the commentary on how religion and class impacted collective rituals.
What I didn’t like:
- Overall the book was more Eurocentric than I would have liked. I was excited to get a taste of a wide swath of cultures and time periods, but the book was pretty narrowly focused on a European/Christian lens.
- The author showed a moment of awareness around this euro centrist slant about halfway through the book, but then proceeded to only dedicate one chapter to non-white culture. That was very disappointing.
- When the author did address non-European cultures, it felt like an afterthought, or like they were treated only in the context of how they come into contact with Europeans.
I wish the author had been more cognizant of writing a more well-rounded book of more diverse cultures, or had been more accurate in the naming of the book. Call it what it is— a European history of Collective Joy— instead of acting like all of human history should be looked at from the lens of white people.
dani7silver's review against another edition
2.0
Great concept, but Western focused with a poor grasp on the scholarship. Definitely motivated towards collectivism, which I suppose is to be expected.
breadandmushrooms's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
simlish's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting arguments. Not sure I'm fully convinced, but definitely has given me a lot to think about.
gavmor's review against another edition
5.0
Ehrenreich leads the reader through ecstatic rituals' persistent effervescence despite several millennia's authoritarian campaigns against collective joy.
As a white American, I have always felt an important part of myself locked down, and tied up. Ehrenreich identifies it as a practice of social movement that's been stripped from me over long generations of Orwellian memory-holes.
As a white American, I have always felt an important part of myself locked down, and tied up. Ehrenreich identifies it as a practice of social movement that's been stripped from me over long generations of Orwellian memory-holes.
grauspitz's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting topic, but I felt that the book was limited by its narrow definition of collective joy and a Western-centric focus. I expected more glimpses of different expressions of collective joy across cultures and discussions about their shared commonalities and potential differences.
Instead, this book is more about how group dancing and festivals have diminished in importance in the West over the centuries, and the impact that it's had on society more broadly. Which, while not a bad topic in itself, is not something that the author really makes clear at the beginning or even by the very title of the book.
Instead, this book is more about how group dancing and festivals have diminished in importance in the West over the centuries, and the impact that it's had on society more broadly. Which, while not a bad topic in itself, is not something that the author really makes clear at the beginning or even by the very title of the book.