Reviews with content warning for Racism - Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male Power

Just when I thought America couldn't surprise me, I pick up this book and realize how wrong I am.

I loved the way Oluo began from the very inception of America and moved chronology (for the most part) into 2021.

Her stories were easy to follow; from white cowboys to politicians through the ages. She picks specific people who would be the best examples of white mediocrity and tells their stories - bringing to light different racists that I honestly didn't know about it. She's also very careful to cite all her sources - nothing but facts here.

I also appreciated her inclusionary language - This isn't just a book for Black readers, she mentions ways that Indigenous people, all BIPOC, women, and LGBTQIA people have been hurt by white mediocracy.

I also loved her writing style not being totally detached from the quotes she was forced to share from racist white men. Her comments and insight made this heavy book a little lighter to read.

100% recommend.

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triple_m's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Absolutely incredible. Really informative and interesting without feeling dense. This was probably the fastest I’ve ever read/listened to an educational book.

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thenovelmaura's review against another edition

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challenging informative medium-paced

4.5

I've been wanting to read this book since it came out, so I'm glad 2022 was the year I finally checked out the audiobook from the library. I don't always love when authors read their own books, but I thought Oluo did a great job here. I also appreciate all the emotional labor that went into this one, as she acknowledged at the end that these were difficult topics to write about and research.

This one was formatted in such an engaging way, with each chapter showing how a specific theme or issue that we see today had its roots in early American history. Even the events or policies I had already heard about were given additional color and detail, and there were plenty of historical figures that were new to me, like Shirley Chisholm.

Admittedly, this often made me really angry on my walks to work, so it's both a frustrating and a worthwhile read! As a burgeoning nonfiction reader, I recommend adding this one to your list.

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