Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them by Timothy Egan

28 reviews

kayschwe's review

fast-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Medical content, Hate crime, Blood, Racism, Murder, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Cannibalism, Self harm, Xenophobia, Torture, Trafficking, Suicide, Death, and Alcoholism

interactivereader's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Murder, Sexism, Racism, Death, Antisemitism, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual assault, Hate crime, Kidnapping, and Blood

flowchelle's review

dark informative sad fast-paced

4.5

Very informative! A well organized through line explaining the beginning and expansion of the KKK and the disgusting insanity that occurred within and because of this group. This was eye opening and felt more important in the shaping of our country than I would’ve thought. Even still! I didn’t know how wide spread and accepted the KKK was in the early 1900’s. The traces of these ideals are so much more deeply ingrained in American culture than I would’ve guessed.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Classism, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Genocide, Alcoholism, Death, Racism, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Antisemitism, Hate crime, Sexual violence, and Misogyny

fkshg8465's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

Justice was done! Sadly, it often isn’t. A man who takes will keep on taking until there’s nothing left to take. She hasn’t stopped him, he would’ve continued his savagery. But mostly, felt good that a woman won.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Racism, Sexual assault, Torture, Alcohol, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Abandonment, Antisemitism, Bullying, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, and Violence

aloevera's review

challenging dark informative medium-paced

4.25

A very in depth look at the history of the KKK with a focus on what enabled the group to rise to power and what ended up doing them in. The storytelling is very dynamic and does not shy away from the grisly details that are needed to provide the proper impact. Without this book, far fewer people would know Madge’s name and it is great to see a book that highlights a minority where history would usually erase her. Definitely recommend checking the TW given the topics discussed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Medical trauma, Rape, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, and Suicide attempt

fleetwitchmac's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Murder, Domestic abuse, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

alwaysanna's review

challenging hopeful informative reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Rape, Violence, Domestic abuse, Medical content, and Racial slurs

sgrizzle's review against another edition

challenging dark informative medium-paced

4.25

"The Klan had been so influential at the 1924 national conventions of both Democrats and Republicans that Time magazine had put Imperial Wizard Hiram Wesley Evans on the cover, and dubbed the GOP gathering the 'Kleveland Konvention.' The Klan got most of what it wanted at both national party meetings."

We have absolutely memory-holed the massive influence that the Ku Klux Klan had in America. Truly, it was seen at its height as a lovely, patriotic, GODLY organization, and its power at every level of society- Ku Klux Kiddies!- was beyond anything we could picture. This book sheds a light on what has been hidden away, holding up the state of Indiana as one of the strongholds of the Klan, and told through the story of how one trial was key in taking the Klan down there. I didn't realize how powerful it was outside of the Deep South, and so many details in this story blew my mind. 

Its written in a pretty accessible way, straightforward, while still being thoroughly researched (there is an extensive Notes section) and while it is graphic in parts, I didn't find it bombastic. I could have used a list of people featured for quick reference because there were a lot of names, but it wasn't difficult to follow. 

I've heard criticism that it was written for white people, and I think that's fair. It feels clear that it is meant to shock people and to make them think about how their families may be connected, which is something that Black people already know. Also the story is centered on the head of the Klan in Indiana and a white woman who he assaulted, and while there are mentions of Black, Jewish, and other Americans who resisted, they are definitely not centered. I read this for the Sharon McMahon book club where it is paired with The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson, and I'm eager to consider the juxtaposition of how the two books were framed. I don't think the framing here means it is a bad book, or that this specific story shouldn't be told, but I do think it should inform who is the right audience for it, and that readers should not stop here.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Antisemitism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

cclift1114's review

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

5.0

This has now become the book that I will recommend that everyone read. It is that powerful. Egan does a masterful job at giving at broad look at the history of the Klan, but then focusing more specifically on Indiana and the monster that was Stephenson. He does great at never getting too bogged down in all the different players so that you can keep track of who’s who quite easily. I also appreciated that, just like with the Tolerance newspaper that he references in the book, Egan has no room for nuance as far as the Klan goes. He demonstrates a clear bias against the group and their actions, as he should. While denigrating the Klan to the fullest extent possible (and necessary), he simultaneously enshrines the actions of Madge Oberholtzer, whose brave actions and testimony were the catalyst to finally ruining the Grand Dragon. When I say that this book made me tear up multiple times, it is no exaggeration. You can’t help but feel for what Madge went through and how she fought to do what was right. 

Aside from the historical importance of this narrative, I would also have to recommend it for the echoes of it that are happening today. A decade or more ago I might have wondered at how the people of Indiana could be so taken in by this man’s words and charisma, that they would blindly follow him, that they would join him in his tirade of hatred against so many minority groups. It would have seemed wild that someone like him could proclaim, “I am the law” and insinuate that he could get away with any crime. It would have seemed crazy for him to even think he could get to the presidency. Unfortunately, these last years have made it clear that it is very much still possible for these kinds of things to happen. At the very least, though, this book shows that with the persistence of the righteous few, things can be saved. It may take time, sacrifice, bravery and patience, but it can happen. 

It should go without saying that this book has trigger warnings, given that it’s about the Klan. As you might expect, there is violence, racism and murder. However, it should also be stressed that the description of the sexual assault is quite thorough and graphic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Hate crime, Suicide attempt, Rape, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

mcmurdoc97's review

dark informative medium-paced

3.75

A well-written history of a dark time in American history. The book has loads of information, but is written in a digestible manner. 
This story is not one that is taught in schools about 1920s America, but I think it is incredible important to understand this time was not just the Gatsby era as many of us believe. 
The story is also a triumph of the judicial system, especially considering the opinions of the highest court around this time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Death, Antisemitism, Toxic relationship, Murder, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Racism, Violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Torture, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, and Hate crime