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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
Wow, what a book. If you haven't read it, you should. It should be an essential American text. Du Bois' way with words is staggering and he deals fairly with the past and takes a long hard look at the world around him. He seemed like a very good man, in all senses of the word.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
the only thing i really have with this book is that dubois is pretty elitist and sexist in this text and it really shows in certain places. however, he gives a very beautiful and yummy critique on politics, the world, but ultimately the self and the moral problems that black people often go through. it is timeless and tense yet beautiful and moving.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Colonisation, Classism
this Du Bois is no doubt a classic in every sense of the word
What an authentic look into Blacks' lives during Reconstruction. Powerful, beautiful woven narrative.
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
It took me a while to get used to the language in this set of essays published in 1903. DuBois was a brilliant scholar and an astute and unflinching observer of humanity. These essays are each preceded by a verse from some classical text, plus a phrase or two of music. Then he goes on to explore some topic in depth. Over and over, I needed to remind myself that these words were over 100 years old, because their truth is the reality of our racial divide today. We have made no progress.
To be honest, it was a bit of a dense read. But that shouldn't be surprising considering it is a work of sociology more than anything else. It covers the causes and the effects of the time between Emancipation and the turn of the century, revealing the culture and hardships of the African Americans during that time.
The language here is so beautiful and descriptive, written in a way that makes it feel more modern and easy to read. However, don't let the simplicity of the language trick you into thinking that there weren't some very profound and interesting things to say.
Anyone looking to understand the racial history of America as well the social dynamics that still exist today would do well to start here. Not only is it a political and social piece, but there is a really powerful emotional element.
Anyone looking to understand the racial history of America as well the social dynamics that still exist today would do well to start here. Not only is it a political and social piece, but there is a really powerful emotional element.
The idea of "double conciousness," first described in this 1903 essay collection is fascinating and applicable to anyone who has been treated as insignificant or peripheral, I think. Also, four or five generations after publication, these observations on colonization, education, policies, segregation, and privilege still hit, too.