Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi

5 reviews

stephmcoakley's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective slow-paced

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Deadnaming, Ableism, Addiction, Chronic illness, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Torture, Gun violence, Hate crime, Police brutality, Bullying, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, War, Drug abuse, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Grief, Cursing, Death, and Racial slurs

brookey8888's review

challenging dark emotional informative slow-paced

3.5

This was a lot. Was it a very important read and worth it yes. Did I sometimes feel dumb reading this yes. Most of the topics discussed are horrible so trigger warning. This book made me mad and sad. I do think people should read this, but it is basically a history book so I don’t know how assessable this would be for everyone. I do understand why it went through the whole history of slavery, but I don’t know as much about that so it was harder to I guess understand, but when we got more in the current day I was able to understand and like connect the dots more. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, Torture, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, and War

therainbowshelf's review against another edition

challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

Ibram Kendi covers an extensive chunk of the history of racism and racist ideas in the United States in this book.

For readers looking for 💕: history, racism, American history, social issues

My thoughts 💭: the author ties things together well throughout, and really shines a light on how racism evolved to stay ahead of laws against racism over time. It was a bit dry, but I'm also not a big history reader. It was also a thick book! The audiobook is 18 hours long. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Slavery

decklededgess's review

challenging dark informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

Most non fiction books give me the vocabulary to communicate ideas I was already familiar with this is an invaluable asset. This one though... I have come across a LOT of new information and innumerable ways of seeing through the societal structures we protect that continue to uphold racism and white supremacy. 
Perhaps the most depressing yet enlightening tidbit was in the epilogue where the author says something along the lines of: you can't expect people to be altruistic but they certainly can function with "intelligent self interest" to see that the systems they protect actually do not help them at all.
Which....yeah dude that's exactly it.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery

mezzano's review

challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

Ever since I read Ibram X. Kendi's book How to be an Antiracist, I've been meaning to read Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. While I am no means an expert in racial politics or antiracism, I was stunned by how much I didn't know even after making the conscious effort to be more aware of how race affects my everyday life. I really appreciated how Kendi focused this story over 5 key historical figures, and used that as a tether to the political climate of each figure's respective period in American History. It was also really eye opening to see how race affected the very standards we learn in school, such as Shakespeare and the Salem Witch trials, even though race was never a part of any academic conversation at the very white schools I attended. 

The humble nature of Kendi's work, where the author himself recognizes that everyone has an incomplete understanding of history and can improve on themselves to become more anti-racist, is very refreshing. It reminds readers that this is important, consistent, and constant work. Antiracism doesn't end with saying people are equal, just as it doesn't end with education (or reading a book). Even so, I was really pleased with how comprehensive this historical analysis really was. After reading, I felt like I walked away with a missing volume of history. As we continue to become more inclusive and accepting as a nation, I hope that this book replaces others in educational curricula. This is a book everyone should be exposed to at least once. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, and Violence