Reviews tagging 'War'

How to Hide an Empire by Daniel Immerwahr

25 reviews

sn03's review against another edition

dark informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and War

Moderate: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Racism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Xenophobia, Excrement, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer, Sexual assault, and Car accident

aleyajo's review against another edition

informative

3.25

I didn’t know about everything in this book but none of it surprised me. Colonization is racist and the US really likes to ignore the fact that territories deserve equal rights. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Colonisation

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Antisemitism, Sexual harassment, and War

amachonis's review

adventurous informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Slavery

sareidle's review

funny informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

This book should be essential reading for all Americans. Recognizing the United States as an empire and colonial power is crucial to understanding past and present global politics.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, and War

ntawn0's review against another edition

challenging dark informative medium-paced

4.25

Overall a really informative read. Enjoyable, in that it conveys information well, without being dry (but the topics discussed are not, exactly, enjoyable). First half of the book, which covers the territorial expansion of the US on the continent and the Spanish-American War is told, mostly, chronologically and deep dives into some obscure aspects of US imperialism. 

The second half of the book covers the decolonization that happened post-WWII and the transition to US globalization. This part is told topically, rather than chronologically, so each chapter begins by describing the origins of the topic at hand (language, industrial standards, etc.) which largely relate to WWII, so the second half of the book is very WWII heavy, so that is something to keep in mind. 

.75 points off because the second part drags a little bit. Also, immerwahr toes around some of the more nuanced, but currently, relevant aspects of the US international presence, discussing how widespread military bases are, but ignoring the direct shape of encirclement present in relation to China, North Korea, USSR/Russia, and Iran. As current US policy continues to push towards ever more conflict with these countries, Immerwahr's glossing over of this is a little disappointing (though understandable, as it could be its own 400 page book). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Medical trauma

Minor: Genocide, Racial slurs, Slavery, and Xenophobia

Immerwahr quotes numerous politicians/bureaucrats/military personnel who use slurs. Some war crimes are discussed.

friendlypoet's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation

Moderate: Cancer, Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, and War

bootsmom3's review

challenging dark informative medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation

Moderate: Genocide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical content, and War

Minor: Animal death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Alcohol

elisalasater's review against another edition

challenging informative tense slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Genocide, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, and Police brutality

taybot's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

It does a great job of describing America as what it really is; an empire that is sometimes benevolent, but still capable of doing horrible things

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Genocide, Hate crime, and War

thacattack's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Torture, Xenophobia, and War

Minor: Rape