mayaperkins's review against another edition
4.0
This was a surprising yet much needed read that I happened to stubble upon by pure chance.
After going through an unexpected rollercoaster of the first chapter of Wright's youth, I needed some time to reflect as my thoughts raced through the various emotions I had just experienced. Although I could in no way relate to this black boy's experience growing up in the south in a time of racial injustice (then having to experience it again but in a different way as an adult up north), I strongly sympathised and felt passionately for not just the main character, but for all the boys and girls who grew up just like him, like I never experienced from any book before. Unfortunately my engagement with this book was not as strong once Wright's character got involved with the communist party, as I felt the text became a little dryer (which is a mere 10-15% of the book towards the end), I will cherished growing up with Wright along with reading about his honest thoughts/observations, curiosity to learn, and passion for writing and making change.
After going through an unexpected rollercoaster of the first chapter of Wright's youth, I needed some time to reflect as my thoughts raced through the various emotions I had just experienced. Although I could in no way relate to this black boy's experience growing up in the south in a time of racial injustice (then having to experience it again but in a different way as an adult up north), I strongly sympathised and felt passionately for not just the main character, but for all the boys and girls who grew up just like him, like I never experienced from any book before. Unfortunately my engagement with this book was not as strong once Wright's character got involved with the communist party, as I felt the text became a little dryer (which is a mere 10-15% of the book towards the end), I will cherished growing up with Wright along with reading about his honest thoughts/observations, curiosity to learn, and passion for writing and making change.
kevindern's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliant. This is what kids in high school should read.
briaraq's review against another edition
4.0
This reminds me of my great grandma telling me stories about her and her brothers growing up
capranna's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
babymandrake_666's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, Violence, and Hate crime
sabregirl's review against another edition
3.0
I read this the summer before my sophomore year of high school. I think I was to young to appriciate the actual story and the meaning behind it.
dllh's review against another edition
3.0
Initially, I had ignorantly expected fiction, so this was a departure from my usual reading. I found it a little slow, but powerful at times. The long section about communism that wrapped the book up interested me less than the rest. Reading some of the episodes described in the book that took place nearly a century ago and connecting them to very similar racially motivated brutality in the present day was sobering.
fluffernutterfriday's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
This book was brilliant. Painful, but brilliant.