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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
..... there are MANY problems with this book. but it's an amazing product of its time, and i have to ignore the many retrospectively cringe-worthy racist (and many many sexist) things, because of the extraordinary attempt to bridge a gap that at the time was considered unbridge-able.
My high school history teacher had everyone read this book. It has stuck with me ever since. As a farm kid in the middle of Kansas, I didn't know any black people and had no educated or informed idea of their lives... this helped broaden my mind beyond my tiny town. It remains one of the most influential books I've ever read.
This book was powerful when I was young. I prefer to listen to the voice of the the black Americans lived experience now. I am glad that I found this so young and that it was one of many things that helped me search for equity for all humans.
dark
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
While I understand that this is not nearly as accurate a glimpse into the life of a black persons during that era as it would be if written by a black person, I still learned quite a lot about racism in our country and the way complacency contributes to status quo in regards to social structure. The fact that he was able to act as a “double agent” allows some insight about white attitudes and beliefs that a black person writing this novel wouldn’t have had access to. I have no idea what impact this novel had on white society at the time, but I suspect that for some, this message had to come from a white person or they wouldn’t have acknowledged it in the first place. Consider it “Get Woke 101 for White People” and then move on to authentic voices.
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
tense
220914
Bumping my score down to 1 stars, because I have grown a lot as a person in these 10+ years, and I no longer see the value in this book. For 1961, sure, but for 2022? No.
Go read black authors instead.
110602
I feel kind of uncomfortable about a white man telling a black mans story, and some of the things he said were just a bit.... eh. But over all I appreciated the insight. Specially for it's time. I also think it brings up ideas and thoughts that white readers should be thinking about, which a truly black written story may not have done, sadly, because as this book points out, white people don't want to listen to black people.
I don't know. I am torn.
I think I lean on the side of this book being important for it's time. I feel like this book opened doors for ignorant white people to start actually listening to what real black people have to say. I hope so, at least.
Bumping my score down to 1 stars, because I have grown a lot as a person in these 10+ years, and I no longer see the value in this book. For 1961, sure, but for 2022? No.
Go read black authors instead.
110602
I feel kind of uncomfortable about a white man telling a black mans story, and some of the things he said were just a bit.... eh. But over all I appreciated the insight. Specially for it's time. I also think it brings up ideas and thoughts that white readers should be thinking about, which a truly black written story may not have done, sadly, because as this book points out, white people don't want to listen to black people.
I don't know. I am torn.
I think I lean on the side of this book being important for it's time. I feel like this book opened doors for ignorant white people to start actually listening to what real black people have to say. I hope so, at least.
A must-read for any conscious adult in this country.
informative
reflective
medium-paced