grantsharpies's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
bellmelr's review against another edition
5.0
"But I'm told that another way of looking at this is to understand that in order to finally get to some sort of end there must be an examination of the beginning. We must understand the past if there will be any attempt to move forward."
I've just finished reading this piece of non-fiction for my seminar class and I am absolutely floored. There isn't a singular book, in a long time (including the ones that I've read for other classes), that has made me truly question our society and its obsession with oppression and concealment. McQueen's mixture of past and present, slavery and modern oppression, and language creates a piece that is so effective in telling readers of the struggle that white people don't have to think about. Where is African American history? We all have the ability to track our genealogy to understand where we come from, but what about those of us that don't come from countries that have their history written into the basic curriculum? How would you feel if you knew absolutely nothing about your past? How would you know where to go in the future? There were so many questions that came to mind while reading this and my book is so marked up it's not even funny.
I, at times, was so irritated by her mixture of tenses and lack of transition between past and present, personal and global stories, but the further I got into these essays I was able to find an appreciation as everything came together. Her style seems to be unlike anything I've ever read, which is why I think I was so irritated, but there's beauty in that. You cannot tell your story in a way that everyone else would because then what do you have? A formulaic account of things that have already been said. Using a new format, something that might make people uncomfortable is so important in advancing the way that we write, understand writing, and understand the way that our society works for the oppression of people of color.
I wish there was more I could say that was concrete but I really just think that everyone should read this for themselves.
I've just finished reading this piece of non-fiction for my seminar class and I am absolutely floored. There isn't a singular book, in a long time (including the ones that I've read for other classes), that has made me truly question our society and its obsession with oppression and concealment. McQueen's mixture of past and present, slavery and modern oppression, and language creates a piece that is so effective in telling readers of the struggle that white people don't have to think about. Where is African American history? We all have the ability to track our genealogy to understand where we come from, but what about those of us that don't come from countries that have their history written into the basic curriculum? How would you feel if you knew absolutely nothing about your past? How would you know where to go in the future? There were so many questions that came to mind while reading this and my book is so marked up it's not even funny.
I, at times, was so irritated by her mixture of tenses and lack of transition between past and present, personal and global stories, but the further I got into these essays I was able to find an appreciation as everything came together. Her style seems to be unlike anything I've ever read, which is why I think I was so irritated, but there's beauty in that. You cannot tell your story in a way that everyone else would because then what do you have? A formulaic account of things that have already been said. Using a new format, something that might make people uncomfortable is so important in advancing the way that we write, understand writing, and understand the way that our society works for the oppression of people of color.
I wish there was more I could say that was concrete but I really just think that everyone should read this for themselves.
kzoojess's review against another edition
5.0
Beautifully written and thought-provoking memoir. I'm really looking forward to discussing this with Dr. McQueen and with our first-year students in September through our summer common reading program.
wcsheffer's review
5.0
A brilliant and varied essay collection on McQueen's heritage, experience at Mizzou, and reflections on being black in America. Short, pwerful, and innovative, I couldn't put it down.
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