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A review by jmross10
Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT Up New York, 1987-1993 by Sarah Schulman
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
This is a monster of a book, both from the perspective of size and content. It took me forever to get through, and once I finished, I had to stew on my feelings for a while.
I think that it does it does a lot of things really well such as discussing who, why, and how situations were addressed within the group. It has some really rough moments (as it should) and some really validating moments of achievement and togetherness.
While I picked up the book to learn about the history of the AIDS epidemic the narrative isn't necessarily geared towards someone seeking the history itself. I feel this work more strongly targets (and it says as much) current day activists and spends the majority of its time catering to their potential needs or questions about succeeding in their mission. This is especially apparent in the organization of the book which jumps around so consistently it's also impossible to follow the chronological timeline without taking notes.
That said, I found it incredibly information but also drawn out and repetitive. Towards the end I could not wait for it to be over. There was a lot of important information in these pages but I think it overstuffed itself with interviews and exposition that wasn't essential to successfully telling story. Many of which could have been more beneficial as additional resources or further reading.
I think that it does it does a lot of things really well such as discussing who, why, and how situations were addressed within the group. It has some really rough moments (as it should) and some really validating moments of achievement and togetherness.
While I picked up the book to learn about the history of the AIDS epidemic the narrative isn't necessarily geared towards someone seeking the history itself. I feel this work more strongly targets (and it says as much) current day activists and spends the majority of its time catering to their potential needs or questions about succeeding in their mission. This is especially apparent in the organization of the book which jumps around so consistently it's also impossible to follow the chronological timeline without taking notes.
That said, I found it incredibly information but also drawn out and repetitive. Towards the end I could not wait for it to be over. There was a lot of important information in these pages but I think it overstuffed itself with interviews and exposition that wasn't essential to successfully telling story. Many of which could have been more beneficial as additional resources or further reading.