havelock's review
3.75
Moderate: Racism and Police brutality
beauvisseau's review against another edition
4.25
Moderate: Confinement, Classism, and Police brutality
youreawizardjerry's review against another edition
3.5
Minor: Death, Murder, Hate crime, Police brutality, Mental illness, and Racism
ukamushu_the_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.5
"They are very happy to 'blackout' their social media for a day, to read all-black books, and 'educate' themselves about black issues – as long as this education does not occur in the form of actual black children attending their actual schools."
"Intimations" by Zadie Smith is a small collection of short essays penned during the early months of lockdown. It is, without doubt, the single most eloquently-written reflective streams of consciousness I have ever read, paradox aside. Smith, possibly with mind exhausted from the overwhelming thoughts of finding something to do to fill time, does something I find quite funny: she shows why art like writing is so powerful and needed.
It's very fascinating to see someone's thoughts laid out so plainly in black and white. It's even more fascinating to see thoughts that mirror yours – so simply and powerfully. Writing, and art in general, do this to people. They do this to me. I love it when, even miles and lifetimes apart, people can find these little ways of connecting. Smith's writing is powerful for that. She doesn't attach moral weight to the experiences she narrates: they are presented as experiences. Her thoughts are hers, her reflections and interpretations are hers. In a way, that makes this book difficult to rate and review, so my rating and this review are EXTREMELY subjective. That being said, this read took my mind on a journey, back to the days of lockdown and all the loss and confusion and anger and helplessness and peace and self-discovery and reflection that I experienced.
The book reflects on the period encapsulated by the first six months of 2020, so the latter half of the book delves deeply into racial inequality and police brutality. Smith spat fire in these parts, criticizing America and all its self-righteousness. There are no words for how much I enjoyed devouring her words.
"Intimations" is a powerful book, concentrated with moving and insightful reflections on love, life, and on a global pandemic and the ways it shifted and exposed many things.
Graphic: Racism and Police brutality
laurenpage's review against another edition
3.0
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts
angel_kiiss's review against another edition
3.5
Minor: Death, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Police brutality, and Racism
aerialcataloger's review against another edition
3.0
Moderate: Murder, Police brutality, Racism, and Suicide
becandbooks's review against another edition
4.5
This small collection of essays, touching of various going-ons in the year 2020 is no different.
I absolutely adored the place that my mind went when listening to Smith's essays. I also have the greatest desire to get a physical copy so I can annotate and entwine my own thoughts with her musings.
Thank you to Libro.FM for providing me a copy of the audio book. This does not impact my opinions, whatsoever.
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Medical content, Police brutality, Racism, Violence, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts