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Reviews tagging 'Violence'
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness (10th Anniversary Edition) by Michelle Alexander
15 reviews
zombiezami's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
4.0
I'm glad I finally got to read this after having it on my shelf for so long. It's an important political touchstone for a reason. Well reasoned and well researched. It's amazing how the impact of this book has been felt in the last few years, to the point where this book almost seems not to go far enough, since discussions of abolition are more mainstream. Still, very foundational.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, and Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Slavery, Torture, and Alcohol
Minor: Genocide, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Excrement, Antisemitism, Car accident, Colonisation, and War
incarceration, capital punishmentmeganpbennett's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
The New Jim Crow starts with an interesting premise, and explains it quite well. It focuses on Black men in America, specifically Black men who have been arrested, have served jail time, are currently incarcerated, or have been released on parole or similar. It also looks at how we got here, how we went from slavery to the War on Drugs.
The author acknowledges that this book has a very narrow focus, and I think that this narrow focus helps the book. While it would have been helpful and informative for there to have been sections on Hispanic men or Black women, keeping the focus on Black men emphasized how 'colorblind' politics really aren't, and how the modern day prison industrial complex had its roots in Slavery, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow.
It's a fascinating, if depressing, read about something that most people don't think about in modern day America - prisoners, parolees, those who have been arrested, those who have pled guilty, those who have to "check the box".
The author acknowledges that this book has a very narrow focus, and I think that this narrow focus helps the book. While it would have been helpful and informative for there to have been sections on Hispanic men or Black women, keeping the focus on Black men emphasized how 'colorblind' politics really aren't, and how the modern day prison industrial complex had its roots in Slavery, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow.
It's a fascinating, if depressing, read about something that most people don't think about in modern day America - prisoners, parolees, those who have been arrested, those who have pled guilty, those who have to "check the box".
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Police brutality
horizonous's review
challenging
informative
slow-paced
2.75
I fully agree that the War on Drugs disproportionately affected black communities throughout the United States and that the U.S. justice system needs a complete overhaul, but I'm having a hard time recommending this particular book to anyone who wants to start learning about these topics.
I not only found it to be heavily biased, bordering on going through a list of liberal talking points, tiringly repetitive and at times dated (even though I read the 10th anniversary editon). The more I read the more I also became aware of the author's way of presenting some of her statements without properly backing them up or cherry-picking facts in order to underline her arguments.
I'm well aware that I'm in the minority with my opinions, but I really do hope I will find better books about these topics in the future and in the meantime I will re-watch the Netflix documentary The 13th. In my recollection this film was truly eye-opening and a must-watch for anyone who doesn't know where to start with their education about the intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States, which I unfortunately cannot say about The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.
I not only found it to be heavily biased, bordering on going through a list of liberal talking points, tiringly repetitive and at times dated (even though I read the 10th anniversary editon). The more I read the more I also became aware of the author's way of presenting some of her statements without properly backing them up or cherry-picking facts in order to underline her arguments.
I'm well aware that I'm in the minority with my opinions, but I really do hope I will find better books about these topics in the future and in the meantime I will re-watch the Netflix documentary The 13th. In my recollection this film was truly eye-opening and a must-watch for anyone who doesn't know where to start with their education about the intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States, which I unfortunately cannot say about The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Police brutality
Moderate: Slavery and Violence
Minor: Racial slurs
cecilianicole97's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Violence, and Police brutality
readandfindout's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
On first read in 2018: 4.5 stars. Though I can't say that this was an enjoyable read (as the topic is maddening), it was extremely informative. It only lost half a star because it was at times repetitive.
2023 reread:
Overall rating: 4.5 stars
Style/writing: 4.5 stars
Themes: 4.5 stars
Perspective: 4.5 stars
2023 reread:
Overall rating: 4.5 stars
Style/writing: 4.5 stars
Themes: 4.5 stars
Perspective: 4.5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, and Violence