stormlightreader's review against another edition
3.0
A few interesting topics were researched and presented, and others discussed at a more anecdotal level. The message is important, but the book feels rushed.
zonderling's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.25
need_to_read's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
shadira78's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
3.0
A book for every American. This is journalism, without the “objectivity.” Speaking as a reporter, I think Maharidge did a nice job of covering a handful of topics in a concise, yet thorough, way, while also humanizing these systemic issues. The book is a call to action, simply because it states the dire truth: that perhaps the “American Dream” is not accessible, and never will be, to some of its people from the time they are born.
Note: I did feel some sections lacked substance and could have gone deeper. For example, the BLM chapter felt thin to me; I wish he’d talked to more people and reported on a greater number of instances of police brutality. I also would’ve liked to read more about generational divides and how younger generations approach wealth and success differently than older generations. While it’s impossible to touch on everything — or even know what “everything” means in this context — there were several relevant topics I felt were excluded. Overall, this book stands somewhere between a 3-4 rating for me. It could’ve been a bit stronger, but I stand by the fact that it is a must-read going into 2023.
⭐⭐⭐
Note: I did feel some sections lacked substance and could have gone deeper. For example, the BLM chapter felt thin to me; I wish he’d talked to more people and reported on a greater number of instances of police brutality. I also would’ve liked to read more about generational divides and how younger generations approach wealth and success differently than older generations. While it’s impossible to touch on everything — or even know what “everything” means in this context — there were several relevant topics I felt were excluded. Overall, this book stands somewhere between a 3-4 rating for me. It could’ve been a bit stronger, but I stand by the fact that it is a must-read going into 2023.
⭐⭐⭐
hbeags's review against another edition
5.0
god this was so fucking good like idk what i expected going into it but it was just so beautiful and devastating and interesting and i loved realizing the photo was the common thread throughout the book idk just perfection to ME
stevia333k's review against another edition
5.0
Very helpful book, very needed book, told me about a new genre of non-fiction I need to read. I'm tired of capitalism in general so I don't think we can just buy some damn time, but this book is very helpful for understanding how the economic crash is separate from the pandemic especially due to the bourgeois media's conflation & the bourgeoisie's push to reopen the country. We also have a segregationist in office instead of Bernie Sanders to say the minimum of the horror. We reuped on George W Bush era horror of refusing to stop the war, or at least letting the GOP have power.
mkokias's review against another edition
3.0
An intimate survey of America at the beginning of the pandemic, chronicling how many of the problems we as a collective conscious suddenly became aware of had been there forever. The message was important, but the rushed narrative of this type of quick-turnaround book always counts against it in my mind. It's not that it was dated, I actually think is a strength of the book to capture such a specific moment in time, but it felt little more than disjointed (still thoughtful) journal entries on the road that got a cursory pass by an editor.
Also didn't help that I read this while in isolation in a Dallas hotel room...
Also didn't help that I read this while in isolation in a Dallas hotel room...