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tracithomas's reviews
991 reviews
Disposable: America's Contempt for the Underclass by Sarah Jones
informative
medium-paced
3.0
This was very straightforward and basic around covid and what happened to the most vulnerable Americans in the face of the pandemic. Pretty repetitive and likely could’ve been an essay. I liked the reporting but hated when the author incorporated her own story into it. It was unnecessary.
Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism by Eve L. Ewing
dark
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
5.0
This is an extremely impressive work of history and cultural studies. The book is well organized and packs in a lot of information in just under 300 page (the other 100 pages are notes/bibliography). While the book is dense (so much history in here) the skill of the writing and structure help the reader stay focused and rooted in the narrative Ewing puts forth. This isn't a book to speed through but to study and reflect on. This is for parents, teachers, students, and anyone who cares about education and racism.
Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People by Imani Perry
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Imani Perry is a brave and loving writer who is experimenting on the page as to what it means to write a history of a people. This book is so unique and something only she could write. I loved it and was moved deeply by certain sections, passages, and pages. Some parts were so dense I know I need to return to them again and again. Other parts felt like a reach of connection. The ambition and complexity of this one is to be applauded. I never had really considered blue and Blackness but now I will never be able to see them apart.
Pure Innocent Fun: Essays by Ira Madison III
funny
medium-paced
3.0
I was so hyped for this book but think the idea was pulled off better than the execution. I do not feel like I know Ira Madison any better after reading this book nor do I have a better understanding of pop culture. A bit all over the place.
The Kissing Bug: A True Story of a Family, an Insect, and a Nation's Neglect of a Deadly Disease by Daisy Hernández
informative
medium-paced
3.0
I liked the idea behind this book and the writing but also found it to lack a structure that really made the story compelling. It is a solid book and I learned a lot.
Black Water by Joyce Carol Oates
dark
emotional
sad
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? No
4.0
This book is so haunting, when I got about 50% in it really clicked for me and I couldn't help but feel chilled by it. Such an inventive way to fictionalize history. Super stylized which I liked a lot. The repetition pays off but did feel tedious in sections. I was surprised by how well the passes at humor worked out in this book, they are surprising and land.
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
This one is fantastic. Some really beautiful and sharp writing on empire and the hypocrisy that makes empire possible and powerful. It’s smart how he anchors the book with Gaza and genocide and circled back through both personal essay, cultural touchstones, and other examples of empire sacrificing humans to save itself. The moral clarity is refreshing as hell.
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
adventurous
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
I wanted to like this. I did not. This was an idea in search of a book. I didn’t think the author had much to say but just seemed to enjoy writing about these characters.
Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering by Malcolm Gladwell
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
2.0
Look, Malcolm Gladwell can turn any antidote into a compelling argument for just about anything. He does that again and again in this book. However, as with all of his books, the logic and research do not back him up. He makes up ideas and then takes large leaps of logic to make them true. I find his books fun to read and infuriating to think about after the fact. This one follows that pattern for sure.
God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer by Joseph Earl Thomas
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a sort of stream of consciousness book. It is wildly creative and so voicey. Voicey is my favorite. The book has a lot of sex talk which is always hard for me (a prude) but it is well done. It is funny and fucked up and Thomas has such a unique and singular voice on the page. There were parts where I would zone out on the audio and think thats the nature of a book like this, but it didn't always hold my attention.