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heresthepencil's reviews
938 reviews
We Do This 'til We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice by Mariame Kaba
informative
3.0
Terra Nullius: A Journey Through No One's Land by Sven Lindqvist
hopeful
informative
4.0
absolutely feels like the other side of the coin of "exterminate all the brutes", and i highly recommend reading them both close together. personally, i think this one is better, which seems to be putting me in the minority of reviewers.
focuses heavily on the anthropology side of things. and anyone who spent any time studying that field knows that the forefathers were all ridiculous racist white men who didn't so much try to learn about other societies, as prove their own theories on said societies, which they mostly based on, i don't know, vibes. lindqvist does a great job of showing us all the big names of early anthro & their ideas, and then undermining them in a few succinct sentences.
it's definitely a book on genocide, with all the questions that brings. is genocide carried out only by direct violence? what about bringing new diseases, striping the peoples of their culture & resources, brainwashing them into hating their very roots?
focuses heavily on the anthropology side of things. and anyone who spent any time studying that field knows that the forefathers were all ridiculous racist white men who didn't so much try to learn about other societies, as prove their own theories on said societies, which they mostly based on, i don't know, vibes. lindqvist does a great job of showing us all the big names of early anthro & their ideas, and then undermining them in a few succinct sentences.
it's definitely a book on genocide, with all the questions that brings. is genocide carried out only by direct violence? what about bringing new diseases, striping the peoples of their culture & resources, brainwashing them into hating their very roots?
The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon
challenging
informative
5.0
a great critique of colonialism and a discussion on how decolonisation should ideally work (which is not creating a third europe)
obviously deals heavily with racism, including in a scientific setting, and describes in detail torture, abuse & sexual violence
obviously deals heavily with racism, including in a scientific setting, and describes in detail torture, abuse & sexual violence
The Housing Question by Friedrich Engels
challenging
informative
4.5
not so much a remedy to the housing question (though that is also mentioned, of course), but a discussion on why the proudhonian and bourgeois ideas wouldn't ever work (and don't make sense). not exactly groundbreaking in 21st century, but still insightful and unfortunately largely relevant.
also engels is an extremely sarcastic writer, amazing
also engels is an extremely sarcastic writer, amazing
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
was the term "fool in love" coined specifically based on mr john thornton?
i know for a fact that if i read this at a tender age of early teenagehood, it would have been over me. my standards would never again be met, and i would simply stop reading all together.
yes, the romance is exquisite (and frankly unhinged in the best of ways), but this is obviously so much more than that. on the prose level this is absolutely gorgeous. the social commentary, the clash of the classes, the feminism? chef's kiss.
i know for a fact that if i read this at a tender age of early teenagehood, it would have been over me. my standards would never again be met, and i would simply stop reading all together.
yes, the romance is exquisite (and frankly unhinged in the best of ways), but this is obviously so much more than that. on the prose level this is absolutely gorgeous. the social commentary, the clash of the classes, the feminism? chef's kiss.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Death and Xenophobia
Podpalić Gazę by Ewa Jasiewicz
informative
5.0
i wish i could make everyone i know read this book.
it's roughly divided into four parts: 1) a brief history of isntreal and its numerous invasions on gaza before operation cast lead (wih a focus on the role of anders' army in the nakba); 2) a detailed account of operation cast lead, as seen by the author on the ground; 3) a number of personal stories about martyrs; and 4) a look at isntreal standing in the world, especially its relations with the us and with poland.
i spent the last few months watching videos of massacre after massacre committed by the iof, and yet some of the descriptions in this book still took me by surprise. but it's that last part that really shook me to my core. i was in middle school and high school when all those events were taking place, and anyway i don't imagine they were even talked about publicly in the way they should be. i always just thought our gov supports instreal out of shame caused by our antisemitism, but turns out it runs so much deeper than that & it's so much more disgusting. the poland-isntreal-us love triangle truly belongs in hell.
it's roughly divided into four parts: 1) a brief history of isntreal and its numerous invasions on gaza before operation cast lead (wih a focus on the role of anders' army in the nakba); 2) a detailed account of operation cast lead, as seen by the author on the ground; 3) a number of personal stories about martyrs; and 4) a look at isntreal standing in the world, especially its relations with the us and with poland.
i spent the last few months watching videos of massacre after massacre committed by the iof, and yet some of the descriptions in this book still took me by surprise. but it's that last part that really shook me to my core. i was in middle school and high school when all those events were taking place, and anyway i don't imagine they were even talked about publicly in the way they should be. i always just thought our gov supports instreal out of shame caused by our antisemitism, but turns out it runs so much deeper than that & it's so much more disgusting. the poland-isntreal-us love triangle truly belongs in hell.
Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
rep: bi mcs
tw: mentions of self harm, depression
i was gonna give this 3 stars out of pity but the last two emails made me gag. i've never been more disappointed - i should have eat this book up! it has everything i love: messy characters, almost non-existent plot, cool formatting idea. and yet, the execution is just unbearable.
this whole book just feels like a very bad plot summary, in the sense that the prose is completely devoid of any emotions, beauty or character, and simultaneously it's needlessly focused on the most innate and unnecessary of details. movie scripts tend to be more moving than whatever this is. my theory is that with those ridiculous descriptions she wanted to highlight how mundane their lives are, but please, my life is uneventful too and i was still bored out of my mind while reading.
the omnipresent narrator absolutely doesn't help; i am aware, though, that this is strictly a personal preference.
tw: mentions of self harm, depression
i was gonna give this 3 stars out of pity but the last two emails made me gag. i've never been more disappointed - i should have eat this book up! it has everything i love: messy characters, almost non-existent plot, cool formatting idea. and yet, the execution is just unbearable.
this whole book just feels like a very bad plot summary, in the sense that the prose is completely devoid of any emotions, beauty or character, and simultaneously it's needlessly focused on the most innate and unnecessary of details. movie scripts tend to be more moving than whatever this is. my theory is that with those ridiculous descriptions she wanted to highlight how mundane their lives are, but please, my life is uneventful too and i was still bored out of my mind while reading.
the omnipresent narrator absolutely doesn't help; i am aware, though, that this is strictly a personal preference.
Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
tw: racism, corporal punishment, fatphobia
what a cute wholesome fantasy! absolutely bonkers in the best way. the atmosphere, the execution, the foreshadowing? delicious!!!
but oh, it's such a 70s' book and it sure did not age well lmao
what a cute wholesome fantasy! absolutely bonkers in the best way. the atmosphere, the execution, the foreshadowing? delicious!!!
but oh, it's such a 70s' book and it sure did not age well lmao