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A review by tirill
Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People by Ben Crump
5.0
I'll start with the disclaimer that I don't really rate non-fiction books, because I feel weird about rating and reviewing facts. So this review will mainly be based on writing and how well it brings its message across. When it comes to the facts and statistics, I have no other qualifications than 1) some of them I've heard before and 2) the rest does (unfortunately) sound like they're right as well. I say unfortunately as it all surrounds rather depressing statistics and facts around racism and oppression.
Now, going into this book I was worried I would end up having to sit with the dictionary open next to me while reading, since the book is written by an attorney and they often use rather complicated language. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. The entire book is written using easy to understand language, everything is supported by stories or examples to explain the situation and the tone itself is really engaging. It doesn't feel like I'm reading a non-fiction book, in many way it has the same flow as storytelling, because there are many stories and situations used to tell things, rather than dry facts. Because of this I feel like this will be easy to understand by pretty much everyone, you don't need to know much about the American Legal System going in, it gives you a good introduction to afrocan american history (introduction, I know it's barely touching the surface) and you never get bored.
All the chapters are nicely put together, following one theme each, with some red threads moving among them, before everything is collected in the last chapter, followed by steps to how we can all be a part of bettering what has been going on for way too long.
As well as the last few lines of the books leaving you rather inspired to go out and actually do something:
"Truth is light.
Truth is knowledge.
We must speak truth to power.
America, we rise, we rise, we rise."
Now, going into this book I was worried I would end up having to sit with the dictionary open next to me while reading, since the book is written by an attorney and they often use rather complicated language. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. The entire book is written using easy to understand language, everything is supported by stories or examples to explain the situation and the tone itself is really engaging. It doesn't feel like I'm reading a non-fiction book, in many way it has the same flow as storytelling, because there are many stories and situations used to tell things, rather than dry facts. Because of this I feel like this will be easy to understand by pretty much everyone, you don't need to know much about the American Legal System going in, it gives you a good introduction to afrocan american history (introduction, I know it's barely touching the surface) and you never get bored.
All the chapters are nicely put together, following one theme each, with some red threads moving among them, before everything is collected in the last chapter, followed by steps to how we can all be a part of bettering what has been going on for way too long.
As well as the last few lines of the books leaving you rather inspired to go out and actually do something:
"Truth is light.
Truth is knowledge.
We must speak truth to power.
America, we rise, we rise, we rise."