spiderfelt's review
4.25
I wasn't expecting to find humor in a book about such a serious subject. And yet, between the author including his academic wife's appropriate criticism, and his rebuttals to her comments, I was consistently amused while learning the history I have overlooked and misunderstood.
evakuj's review against another edition
5.0
so well written, at the end I am embarassed to be part of the human race.
yellowcape's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Honestly the only reason I deducted a 1/2 ⭐️ is because it took me so long to get through but I must stress this is not at all the thought of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, I just found it hard to find the time to read it in what has been a pretty hectic time for me personally. It is very well written and super readable. Coming from someone who has never successfully completed a work of non-fiction until today, that’s some pretty high praise. Just read it honestly it will open your eyes, enrage you, and educate you.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Slavery, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Drug abuse, Death, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Genocide, Drug use, Rape, Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Murder, Hate crime, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Child death, Child abuse, Classism, and Addiction
imposterwalrus's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
lanid's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
4.75
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Police brutality, Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, War, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, and Religious bigotry
ladyofthelake68's review against another edition
3.0
This book confuses me. I want to like it, but at the same time there is nothing to like. The author is funny, and yet completely serious. He throws a lot of stuff in your face that you would rather not think about.
For the most part this book is a list of many of the bad things that have happened to Native Americans since the first white people showed up. There is no happy endings or even happy times. It is just the truth, the ugly, blatant, offensive truth. I think that is the point though. King wants us (white, ignorant, Americans) to at least start to understand the scope of what we did to his ancestors, and what we continue to do. We continue to oppress Native Americans and the majority of us don't even know it. We are constantly pushing our culture onto them and making it almost impossible for them to practice their own. We want to integrate them into our European society, and yet as soon as they make progress, we have to stick our noses into their business and take more of their stuff. That is all we ever do to them, take.
For the most part this book is a list of many of the bad things that have happened to Native Americans since the first white people showed up. There is no happy endings or even happy times. It is just the truth, the ugly, blatant, offensive truth. I think that is the point though. King wants us (white, ignorant, Americans) to at least start to understand the scope of what we did to his ancestors, and what we continue to do. We continue to oppress Native Americans and the majority of us don't even know it. We are constantly pushing our culture onto them and making it almost impossible for them to practice their own. We want to integrate them into our European society, and yet as soon as they make progress, we have to stick our noses into their business and take more of their stuff. That is all we ever do to them, take.