Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Dark Archives: A Librarian's Investigation into the Science and History of Books Bound in Human Skin by Megan Rosenbloom

6 reviews

percy_march's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Overall, this was a pretty good read. It definitely got better as the book progressed, but I did become very invested in and entertained by the stories told by Rosenbloom. We got the French Revolution, we got body-snatchers, we got death positivity, antique book loving, and discussions of body materiality.

What really pissed me off though is her dismissal of any other viewpoints on anthropodermic bibliopegy. She would use any topic to bring up how books containing human remains shouldn't be re-intered and stayed remarkably impartial - uncharacteristically so - when bringing up NAGPRA and repatriation. It was very... "neo-liberal millennial" style of speaking on the issues of historic racism, sexism, and medical abuse. 

Also, if you try to go for the audiobook - the narrator kept doing accents for people she was quoting/referencing, and it was too much. It really, really needed to stop.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Racism, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Slavery, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Sexual violence and Terminal illness

In-depth discussion of the process of tanning leather

sistersin124's review

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

I really enjoyed this book and the way the author presented the information. I will say there are some sections that are designed to provoke thought and can be uncomfortable. The focus is very heavy on the people who created the books and the ethics around it all but I also feel like she gives adequate discussion on those used to create the books as well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

dark informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

This book messed me right up, and I was here for it lol it totally freaked me out, and I'm not sure that many other people could have pulled this book off. The narrator was also a perfect match - some levity, while also focusing on the seriousness of the subject. So much information in here, and I really appreciated that the author wasn't afraid to touch on the racial implications of some of the books. There are so many tiny ways that white oppressors have tried to make sure their bigoted ideas were mainstream, and we have to catch them in history. Whatever else Ms. Rosenbloom writes, I'm in.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Medical content

Moderate: Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Racism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Forced institutionalization

If you think this is going to freak you out, it likely will, but it's not gross just to be gross.

musicalpopcorn's review against another edition

dark informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

A book about the history of books bound in human skin, Dark Archives gives the reader a lot to think about in terms of medical ethics. I found this book to be quite interesting. It made me think about a lot of things I’d never thought about and that would make a lot of people very uncomfortable. 

I did find that by about 3/4 through the book, there was less to do with books and more to do with the ethical dilemmas of using bodies for various means after death. I’m not necessarily complaining, as it was still thought provoking….I just found my interest starting to wane a bit. 

Overall I’m glad I read this book, although I doubt I will be able to recommend it to many people. It’s a tad niche. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical content, and Classism

Minor: Body horror, Genocide, Hate crime, Blood, and Colonisation

moore2030's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Genocide, Racism, Slavery, Blood, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Murder, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

maria_s's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Medical content

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Sexual violence, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, and Colonisation