wifeslife's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

5.0


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amsswim's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

I very much encourage everyone to read or listen to this book. Follow the author to important heritage sites to the legacy of slavery through the US and beyond; plantations, prisons, confederate cemeteries.  Made me very reflective on random interactions I have had over the years and how the people in my family history may have interacted. The content is graphic and unflinching, which is entirely necessary. It is also one of the best written non-fiction books I have read, I believe because you are going on a journey with the author. I am unable to summarize so much of one amazing book, so I am just going to say again read it.

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jaiari12's review

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0


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heatherilene's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0


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zachtrotz's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.75


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leahkarge's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

4.0


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wlreed312's review against another edition

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challenging informative slow-paced

5.0

Absolute must read. Beautifully written, heartbreaking, and hopeful all at the same time. This is a stunning work

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katiea714's review

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adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5


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sydapel's review

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dark informative reflective slow-paced
Part history compilation, part piece of journalism and partly the authors own reflections, but primarily I was fascinated by how Smith keeps coming back to how we teach others about slavery, both in America and abroad. A lot of the images described in this book, as well as the writing, will stick with me for a long time. 

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albernikolauras's review

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informative reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

An excellent nonfiction book very grounded in different locations across the US (with one exception). It's a history and discussion on the slave trade within the US and how the US twists itself up to avoid confronting it. Smith spends each chapter in the book at a different site and on a different tour discussing the slave trade in the United States, and interviews some of the individuals on the tour as well as the organizations conducting them.

I highly recommend for everyone to read this - although definitely look for some own voice reviews on this book. I found How the Word is Passed is approachable and without apology. Smith is an excellent writer and I loved the way he wove his own narrative throughout the story. 

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