Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by nancf
Do Better: Spiritual Activism for Fighting and Healing From White Supremacy by Rachel Ricketts
3.0
Do Better was not what I expected. A couple of chapters in, I was ready to abandon reading, and though there are things I did not like I am glad that I finished it. I did learn.
I did not like Ricketts' use of words (folx, humxn, Periodt, frequent expletives) though I can understand her reasons for doing so, and she would likely call me out for my comment. I am glad that she included a Glossary in the back as there were some terms unfamiliar to me. Ricketts wrote as if she was talking and I think that a published book should be more formal. I also thought that she stereotyped races and women to an extent. I did appreciate her personal life stories, and while I did not always understand her perspective, I could empathize with her feelings of mistreatment. Some of the author's points were things that had never occurred to me and I am glad to gain that insight. Other points I could identify with, though I am different from Ricketts.
Ricketts is dismissive of Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility, without mentioning her by name. Interestingly, I rated both books the same and found that neither gave me all of what I wanted from reading them.
The spirtuality aspect of the book was very different than I expected. Ricketts' concept of spirituality seems to be rooted is self-care, breathing. She is critical of Christianity/Catholicism. (I agree with some of her criticism.)
Although I skimmed some parts of the book (too much repetition), I do think I learned from Ricketts' point of view. Perhaps, though, she could have better expressed her perspectives in a series of articles or talks (and maybe she has; I don't know) instead of book form.
"One of the many privileges afforded to white people by white supremacy is the ability to simply be who they are without preconceived negative stereotypes regarding intellect, ability, class, criminal history, language, origin, or otherwise thrust upon them strictly due to the color of their skin." (7)
I did not like Ricketts' use of words (folx, humxn, Periodt, frequent expletives) though I can understand her reasons for doing so, and she would likely call me out for my comment. I am glad that she included a Glossary in the back as there were some terms unfamiliar to me. Ricketts wrote as if she was talking and I think that a published book should be more formal. I also thought that she stereotyped races and women to an extent. I did appreciate her personal life stories, and while I did not always understand her perspective, I could empathize with her feelings of mistreatment. Some of the author's points were things that had never occurred to me and I am glad to gain that insight. Other points I could identify with, though I am different from Ricketts.
Ricketts is dismissive of Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility, without mentioning her by name. Interestingly, I rated both books the same and found that neither gave me all of what I wanted from reading them.
The spirtuality aspect of the book was very different than I expected. Ricketts' concept of spirituality seems to be rooted is self-care, breathing. She is critical of Christianity/Catholicism. (I agree with some of her criticism.)
Although I skimmed some parts of the book (too much repetition), I do think I learned from Ricketts' point of view. Perhaps, though, she could have better expressed her perspectives in a series of articles or talks (and maybe she has; I don't know) instead of book form.
"One of the many privileges afforded to white people by white supremacy is the ability to simply be who they are without preconceived negative stereotypes regarding intellect, ability, class, criminal history, language, origin, or otherwise thrust upon them strictly due to the color of their skin." (7)