bethanyhyde's review
5.0
Just finished this book and I highly recommend for anyone who is white and a native Minnesotan. It’s a collection of essays on what it’s like to be a person of color in MN. The stories are brutally honest and painful, tearing apart the myth of exceptionalism and exposing the truth of Minnesota Nice. I was particularly disappointed to read of so many racist experiences at the U of M, an institution I’m so proud to be a graduate of. While this book offers no easy answers, it’s impossible to view this state the same way and it’a a call to action to listen, learn, and do better. Highly recommend. #bethanyhydeyourbooks
bthnywhthd's review
5.0
Wonderful collection of really honest and important essays. Excellent perspectives all around.
katrinky's review
4.0
read on recommendation of my best friend, who teaches taiyon coleman's (amazing) child in school. coleman's essay touches on why I love new orleans- because at least there the problems are obvious. Coleman visits a graduate school in alabama and decides not to attend when she sees confederate flags everywhere. instead she goes to Minnesota, and is ground down by microagressions she didn't see coming, from folks who always have a smile on their faces. she comes to question which is actually worse- the place that displays its troubles openly, or thinks there is no trouble at all.
kjboldon's review
5.0
For Gods & Monsters October 2016. As with any anthology, some essays were stronger than others, but this was necessary, sometimes painful, often lovely, always moving education for me, a white woman of privilege in MN. I'd recommend it to everyone.
rebeccamn's review
5.0
This book is so good. I needed to read it. You need to read it. Just read it.
christinajleaf's review
4.0
All of the essays were thought-provoking and I believe I took away something from each one, though there are a few that stylistically weren’t for me
ichabodreads's review
5.0
I've never read a book about race that was this expansive, covering so many different racial groups, histories, experiences. This is not only an important read for every Minnesotan, but for the rest of America.