Reviews with content warning for Slavery - On Juneteenth

Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed

13 reviews

leweylibrary's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

It's obvious how this author has won a Pulitzer because this was a really well done historical nonfiction 👏 I went into it pretty blind, so I was pleasantly surprised that it was largely about Texas and US history more than just a deep dive into that day in history like I was expecting. I also appreciated the mix of personal history of the author to put this history into a more intimate context. It was short, but it really packed a punch because I learned a lot!

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tlaynejones's review against another edition

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informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

I enjoyed this short collection of essays providing a broad history of Texas and the USA. The author was the first person to integrate a school in her community, entering first grade as the lone Black child in her school. She went on to become a Pulitzer Prize winning historian and university professor. I appreciated that the history she writes about was always interpreted through her personal perspective and the wider social understanding.

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qqjj's review against another edition

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challenging informative medium-paced

4.0

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mandkips's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective fast-paced

3.5

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mariaviola's review against another edition

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medium-paced

4.0

really not a fan of non fiction in general but had to read this for school & it was honestly such an important read. a nice mix of the history of texas, juneteenth, & the author's personal experience. i also had the pleasure of attending a lecture by gordon-reed which was a great supplement to the book. wish i had learned more about this in high school!

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kshertz's review against another edition

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informative reflective fast-paced

3.25

This is a very short book that details the authors history with Texas and mixes in the history of Juneteenth with Black people’s history in Texas in general. There was some that I knew but a lot that I didnt. I think most impactful for me is realizing that origins stories for Black people don’t just come from being on a ship with Europeans as well as talking about what integration did to Black teacher’s lives. There’s so much good historical information to go through and learn.

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penguiniq's review against another edition

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informative fast-paced

4.5

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readingthroughinfinity's review against another edition

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informative medium-paced

4.0

This is a really interesting blend of memoir and history woven into a collection of essays about June 19th, or Juneteenth. Juneteenth is a national day/holiday in the US recognising the end of slavery after it was abolished on June 19th 1865. Annette Gordon-Reed describes her own life as a Texan, her family history, and their experiences of racism. She looks back at the history of slavery in Texas, how Major General Gordon Granger announced the end of legalized slavery there, and the role of Native Americans and Mexicans in the state. There's so much information packed into quite a short book book and I learned a lot from listening to it on audio.

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nadia's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

I don’t know whether it was the timing of me listening to this (and mostly listening when I was tired), or the structure of the book itself, or the Texas focus, but I really struggled to connect with it and stay focused, which is surprising to me given the subject matter.

Notwithstanding, this book is deeply researched and packed with information, and I’m realising that I love informative books that weave in memoirs/personal stories.

If you want to know more about the history of slavery, Juneteenth, and the state of Texas in relation to these, this book is a must read.

The narration of the audiobook by Karen Chilton is great also!

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jmc2187's review against another edition

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informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

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