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A review by bookmaddie
Ida B. the Queen: The Extraordinary Life and Legacy of Ida B. Wells by Michelle Duster
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.5
This is such a gorgeous and bright book, literally and figuratively. It celebrates the life of Ida B. Wells and other historical and contemporary figures who she worked with and inspired. The illustrations, by the amazing Monica Ahanohu, are gorgeous and filled with life and energy.
I didn’t know much about Ida B. Wells prior to starting this book, and I loved learning about her life, filled with both tragedy and joy, and amazing activism and civil rights work. This is a great coffee table book that provides both in-depth information and remains a light read. However, I did find the format to be confusing at times—the structure of this book doesn’t follow a linear timeline and instead incorporates a variety of viewpoints and storylines from chapter to chapter. Some information was repetitive, which I found annoying in such a short reading experience. There is also a section at the end that highlights contemporary civil rights activists, which is helpful to those who may have been ignoring current events of the last year or so. But to anyone else, it seemed a bit elementary and surface-level.
Even so, I think this is a great place to start if you want to learn more about Wells, whose work truly makes her an American icon. Duster provides a very unique perspective, as the great-grandaughter of Wells, and I loved reading about her family stories and the work that they have done to ensure Wells’ legacy is protected. This is a lovely introduction to a woman and an ongoing movement, packaged in a beautiful, colorful book filled with amazing illustrations. What’s not to love??
I didn’t know much about Ida B. Wells prior to starting this book, and I loved learning about her life, filled with both tragedy and joy, and amazing activism and civil rights work. This is a great coffee table book that provides both in-depth information and remains a light read. However, I did find the format to be confusing at times—the structure of this book doesn’t follow a linear timeline and instead incorporates a variety of viewpoints and storylines from chapter to chapter. Some information was repetitive, which I found annoying in such a short reading experience. There is also a section at the end that highlights contemporary civil rights activists, which is helpful to those who may have been ignoring current events of the last year or so. But to anyone else, it seemed a bit elementary and surface-level.
Even so, I think this is a great place to start if you want to learn more about Wells, whose work truly makes her an American icon. Duster provides a very unique perspective, as the great-grandaughter of Wells, and I loved reading about her family stories and the work that they have done to ensure Wells’ legacy is protected. This is a lovely introduction to a woman and an ongoing movement, packaged in a beautiful, colorful book filled with amazing illustrations. What’s not to love??
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Violence