Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Skin We're In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power by Desmond Cole

26 reviews

cpearse97's review against another edition

informative reflective sad

5.0

My most highly recommended non-fiction, especially for those living in Canada.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

siobhanward's review

informative medium-paced

4.0

 So many books on anti-Black racism focus on the United States, which, while it does have problems with systemic racism, is often used as a scapegoat by Canadians. "Well we're not nearly as bad as the US," isn't really a great benchmark, ya know? Cole's deep-dive into racism in Canada was fascinating and well-developed. While at times it hit close to home (literally - I was shocked to hear Cole tell a story that took place blocks from my house), it was a good balance of stories and areas of focus.

I especially appreciated the context Cole gave to all of the stories he told. The statistics on school suspensions were sobering, and his comparison of the Toronto Star's reaction to his activism versus the activism of a white colleague in a similar position was especially interesting. Cole really knew what he intended when he wrote this, and I appreciated how well it was written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, and Murder

vanesst's review

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Police brutality

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Colonisation, Classism, and Deportation

Minor: Sexual assault and Slavery

lemoneverdeen's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism and Police brutality

cjsays's review

challenging emotional informative reflective slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Police brutality, and Murder

medhuvada's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

For anyone that thinks Canada is a bastion of inclusivity - this book holds a mirror to every wrong assumption and ingrained, systemic anti-Blackness and anti-Indigeneity. Cole writes of a year of activism in Canada, wraps each story and chapter with care and concern for those whose stories he shares, and demonstrates failures in a racist settler-colonial system. This should be mandatory reading across the country, and hopefully then the activists working to dismantle these harmful institutions will be joined by more Canadians.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence, Mental illness, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Colonisation, and Deportation

spec_tacles's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, and Violence

Minor: Child death, Death, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

lizard800's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Police brutality

Moderate: Gun violence, Mental illness, Colonisation, and Deportation

reb_knits's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, and Police brutality

Moderate: Mental illness and Suicide

demonbaby's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

A necessary read for all Canadians to understand the state of Black and Indigenous peoples in this country. Cole intertwines personal experiences, historical context, and hard-hitting journalism to illustrate what it means to be Black in Canada.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Police brutality

Moderate: Sexual assault