nb_leftist's reviews
270 reviews

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I really like it. I think there is an automatic disconnect between me and the story because I am from the United States and the story takes place in Britain (so we are working with completely different histories and perspectives) but it doesn't matter very much. I don't need to know the history, the backing, etc. of what is going on to understand because the feeling of it is done incredibly well. I like the refusal to mince words and the over-reliance on theater and literature to make points (as it meshes incredibly well with the characters they have built).
The issue I have is that there are a few unneeded rape scenes which, although do serve a good point, are not done in the best way. Rape scenes in texts (movies, comics, literature) when done by AMAB/male writers is always iffy. Rape is usually used as a signal to highlight how "messed up" things have gotten. In this, specifically, it is that the police are able to rape someone as part of their repertoire of punishments. The issue, of course, arises when we discuss real experiences, that rape done by police officers is quite common, that rape is a consistent worry for non-men. It is not particularly safe for non-men to walk down the street alone at any time, and trying to portray rape as being something off in the future to show how bad it's gotten, rings false when we face this fact.
I will say, though: usually an unneeded rape scene will change my opinion greatly. The rest of this series is absolutely beautiful. It is a masterpiece. The movie is a masterpiece. The dialogue, the artwork, even the lettering, is beautiful. I cannot recommend it enough.

Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk

dark funny lighthearted tense fast-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

3.5

I think Chuck Palahniuk has a writing style that works well over shorter books but both Fight Club and Survivor get repetitive. At a punt the 250th page it gets to the point of “yeah it’s a disturbing shock factor thing” over and over again.

The actual storyline seems very Vonnegut-esque, so did Fight Club. I like it but like I said (not to be repetitive), it’s a little bit repetitive.

Ur-Fascism by Umberto Eco

challenging informative reflective fast-paced

For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.

How Non-Violence Protects The State by Peter Gelderloos

challenging hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

3.75

Overall, well-written and comprehensive. I don’t have too much to say, it is quite similar to “In Defense of Looting” by Vicky Osterweil. I would recommend reading them together as they touch on different sides of the argument and can form a much more comprehensive understanding than reading just one would create.

Intersectionality: Foundations and Frontiers by

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

I did not expect this to have the depth and scope that it does. Can’t recommend it enough as an intro to intersectional theory and it provides a mountain of continued reading.

Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

Very interesting way of writing and performing a play. I will definitely want to watch it as I feel that is going to be the best way to experience it.

Perspectives: An Open Invitation to Cultural Anthropology by Society for Anthropology in Community Colleges

informative reflective medium-paced

3.75

Read this for a college class, introduction to cultural anthropology. I liked it, there was a lot of new things that I learned but a lot of it felt disjointed. It definitely was not meant to be read all the way through, in order, rather it was meant to be used as a tool to structure some lectures as bonus readings. I really liked the chapters on performance and media anthropology (which were not required reading for my class) and I liked the ones on gender, globalization, and the history of anthro (which were required readings).

Street Journalist: Understand and Report the News in Your Community by Lisa Loving

informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Made me think of things in a new way regarding how to do some street journalist stuff

The Chibok Girls: The Boko Haram Kidnappings and Islamist Militancy in Nigeria by Helon Habila

dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

3.75

It reads like true crime which I don’t usually read, but the writing style was very engaging. I originally picked it up at a used book store solely because the author is a Chinua Achebe Fellow(?) and that’s enough for me (lmao), but reading through it I was surprised by how informative and straightforward it was while still providing enough writing flair to make it interesting and to have a style.

All My Sons by Arthur Miller

reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Not as good as Death of a Salesman, but it comes close.