Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Black and British: A Forgotten History by David Olusoga

14 reviews

readandfindout's review against another edition

informative slow-paced

4.25

Style/writing: 3.5 stars
Themes: 4.5 stars
Perspective: 4.5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Murder, and Colonisation

thorbrand's review against another edition

challenging informative sad slow-paced

4.0

Wow wow wow wow. Everyone should read this wonderful, informative, lively, fascinating book. I can't even imagine the amount of research that went into this book and I'm immensely grateful to Olusoga for doing it. This is definitely one that I'll revisit on future, maybe a chapter here and there to remind myself. The only thing I found difficult about it (other than some of the horrific facts and stories, obviously, of which there are many) is how long it is - not a criticism of the book at all, because it's all killer no filler and I get the impression that it could have been twice or three times as long. More a criticism of myself and my inability to stick with historical tomes - but I did it, and feel all the more informed for it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Colonisation

Moderate: Sexual violence and Injury/Injury detail

readingelli's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative slow-paced

5.0

Brilliantly researched, very informative and well written for a lay audience. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Death and War

wetsokcs's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

lochanreads's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

Black and British was a huge undertaking, a book it took me over 2 months to read! But in the end, I’m so glad I committed to finishing it and I believe it to be successful in its aim of reinforcing the narrative that Black British history is a significant part of our national heritage and it is a history that concerns all of us. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Violence

labeanorita's review against another edition

challenging informative inspiring slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Trafficking

Moderate: Death, Police brutality, Trafficking, Murder, and Colonisation

nibs's review against another edition

challenging informative slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Violence

achingallover's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, and War

nell216's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective fast-paced

4.75

This was an excellent read - very readable, style wise; thoughtful and eye opening. It's a long read but well worth it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Slavery and Violence

Minor: Sexual violence

katymaryreads's review against another edition

challenging informative slow-paced

5.0

 

Well, it took me a long time to finish this, but I'm glad I persisted.
This book is a perfect illustration of how the past shapes the present, for good and bad. How colonialism and the attitude that the white man is superior shape the racism of today. But also how centuries of history shape the many black communities in Britain today, and how many black people made Britain their home in the past, and how their children and grandchildren and however-many-greats grandchildren are British.
This book looked at the big picture -thousands of people kidnapped and sold into slavery, for example - but also focused down to individuals and their stories.
A must for anyone who wants an antidote to the white-washed history many of us were taught, and who wants to understand more of the multiracial and multicultural Britain we live in today.

 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, and Kidnapping