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jellybean53's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Cancer, Medical content, Slavery, Xenophobia, Sexism, Police brutality, Violence, Gun violence, and Bullying
Minor: Transphobia, Homophobia, and Colonisation
jojo_'s review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Racism and Xenophobia
Moderate: Cancer, Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, and Violence
Minor: Child death, Gun violence, Police brutality, Slavery, and War
kylieqrada's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Cancer, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Death, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, and Trafficking
btg's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Cancer, Transphobia, Slavery, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Xenophobia, and Islamophobia
Minor: Mass/school shootings
Quick note on the content warnings -- this is a nonfiction book. Very few of these are explicitly described without the unpacking/dismantling of the reasons why it happens/what we can do about it, and I wouldn't strictly describe most of the content used as "graphic". It's definitely presented differently than a typical piece of media. That being said, be aware that this book covers heavy topics, probably because it's an antiracism book. Of course various types of prejudice are getting exploredalayamorning's review against another edition
3.5
Moderate: Cancer, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Transphobia, and Violence
Minor: Drug use
schenkepanky's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to the audio version narrated by the author. His narration is well done - stylized and slow at about 11 hours. Listening at about 1.5 speed felt about the pace of other books.
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, Slavery, Racial slurs, and Hate crime
jhpepper's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Medical content, Mental illness, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, and Violence
gagne's review against another edition
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
Minor: Cancer, Police brutality, Xenophobia, Transphobia, Slavery, Sexism, and Religious bigotry
nytephoenyx's review against another edition
5.0
At the same time, though, I personally struggled with How To Be An Antiracist. This book is a very slow read because of how packed full of information and formal studies and explanations it is. Kendi's choice to include relatable stories and a personal narrative alongside this mountain of information was a good one - it picked up the flow enough to urge me forward when I felt like I was drowning.
The weight and quantity of information isn't bad, mind you. It's necessary. But it is heavy and reading this book was a very slow process for me as I tried to catalogue everything and reflect on it. How To Be An Antiracist challenges its readers to look at the information and reflect on their own beliefs and reactions. This is best read by someone who really does want to be an antiracist, not someone who is picking up the book because they think they should.
Depending on where you are in your personal journey, some of the chapters may feel redundant or unhelpful. Everyone starts from a different place, and we all have different daily struggles. If you've been working on antiracism for a while, maybe chapters like "Definitions", "Biology", and "Ethnicity" don't offer much to you (other than reiterating practices you have already put in place). I personally resonated more with the latter half of the book. Every once in a while, I would come across a statement or sentiment that would stick with me - like the idea that we aren't one-or-the-other, but constantly striving to make antiracist choices in every decision. Like the comparison of racism to cancer.
If the early chapters don't hook you in, I encourage folks to keep reading. Each chapter is an individual essay to be mulled on and processed. And we are, none of us, perfect. There is no person who had finished the journey and achieved excellence - sometimes, we all falter. We will inevitably fail, and when we do, it's important to get back up and brush ourself off, make amends, and be better next time.
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Minor: Cancer, Hate crime, Gun violence, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Xenophobia