Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Somebody's Daughter: A Memoir by Ashley C. Ford

45 reviews

bashsbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

Ford's descriptions are cinematic; rarely before have I been so enthralled by the way a writer describes people and emotions. Truly, this memoir is a thoughful and complex picture of Ford's youth and family, and hearing her read it herself made it all the more personal. I felt as though I stepped into some of these scenes and lived beside her. 

I also greatly enjoyed the interview at the end between Ford and Clint Smith; it is always enlightening to hear great writers discuss their craft. (I may listen to that portion again after reading Smith's book, since he discusses his own word in-depth, too.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Rape

Moderate: Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Miscarriage

Minor: Cancer, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, and Stalking

Incarceration also comes up a lot, since the author's father is in prison for most of the book.

rachelmarie220's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse

Minor: Eating disorder, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Pedophilia, Death, and Blood

sarahmae531's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

4.75

A beautiful memoir that had me laughing and crying through out it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Child death, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Racism, Cancer, and Miscarriage

queerghstbuster's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Mental illness, Gaslighting, Rape, and Sexism

Minor: Bullying and Racism

thenovelmaura's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

I don't read many memoirs (or much nonfiction in general), but I'd been wanting to pick up Somebody's Daughter ever since I heard Ford speak on the Financial Confessions podcast. The power of her honesty and vulnerability was riveting when I listened to her speak there, and I got that same sense of connection to her via her writing here. It of course helped that she narrated her own audiobook, so I was literally being told the story of her life in her voice.

There are a lot of intense themes in this book, including sexual assault, poverty, and a complicated mother-daughter relationship. While I could never claim to understand the experience of having an incarcerated parent, as an adoptee, I found solace in Ford's reflections on a connection to a biological parent who she's never really known. This is a powerful and worthwhile read, and I'm glad to have added it to the (admittedly short) list of memoirs that I've enjoyed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Child abuse

Moderate: Racism and Body shaming

bookish_purrsuits's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Rape

lpfoley's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Racism

donnique's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

Some of the best memoir writing I've ever seen. A perfect encapsulation of a life filled with heartbreak, trauma, and triumph. I cried. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism

annabulkowski's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Body shaming, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Racism

ashza12's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Racism, and Domestic abuse