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ashlightgrayson's reviews
738 reviews
The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina-Separating the Myth from the Medicine by Jen Gunter
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Everyone needs a copy of this book on their shelves, regardless of gender. It is a narrative encyclopedia of anything and everything you need to know about women's health and vaginas. if you are someone who does not identify as a woman this is still something that may serve you as a way of gaining insight into the struggle that is women's health. I listened to it in audiobook format and I still feel like I need to own a physical copy. The audiobook narration by the author is phenomenal and engaging, but there is just so much interesting information that it merits a physical read.
This book prompts a discussion about how women's pain is often dismissed. Scientific studies until very recently omitted women all together (which is mentioned in the text). Harmful marketing towards women is also addressed. The book elaborates heavily on how there are extensive societal expectations of odor and appearance of female genitalia. There are entire chapters dedicated to other topics such as birthing children, safe sexual activity, sexually transmitted infections, and the list goes on. It's quite refreshing as these topics are usually not approached openly and in layman's terms. I think any individual with female genitalia will relate and feel seen while reading this. Definitely one of the best books of the year for me and one I can universally recommend.
This book prompts a discussion about how women's pain is often dismissed. Scientific studies until very recently omitted women all together (which is mentioned in the text). Harmful marketing towards women is also addressed. The book elaborates heavily on how there are extensive societal expectations of odor and appearance of female genitalia. There are entire chapters dedicated to other topics such as birthing children, safe sexual activity, sexually transmitted infections, and the list goes on. It's quite refreshing as these topics are usually not approached openly and in layman's terms. I think any individual with female genitalia will relate and feel seen while reading this. Definitely one of the best books of the year for me and one I can universally recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Blood
Moderate: Miscarriage
Birth, sexual education, detailed descriptions of genital anatomy (in an educational context)
The Madame Curie Complex: The Hidden History of Women in Science by Julie Des Jardins
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This was a delight to read. The author really did their research. The book mostly focuses on the contributions various women have made to different scientific fields. It also goes into the history of how some scientific branches were more open to accepting women than others. There are handpicked detailed accounts of particular women in scientific history. One of my favorites was Lillian Moller Gilbreth. I had completely forgotten that the 2003 film Cheaper by the Dozen is actually a very loose adaptation of the book. The efficiency that Gilbreth implemented into her home life was used as a template for management in the work place. I imagine with 12 children it was more of a survival skill set at that point.
The book explores other amazing women like Rosalind Franklin and Marie Curie. There are minute details that are usually overlooked about these women's lives that the book explores. I was happy to learn how some of them had supportive husbands/romantic partners in their endeavors. Despite that support, they still endured many instances of gender discrimination, product of their time and incorrect prejudices about women in general. For anyone that is looking for an introduction to the contributions of women in science, this is a fabulous place to start. It is easy to read, entertaining, and very well cited.
The book explores other amazing women like Rosalind Franklin and Marie Curie. There are minute details that are usually overlooked about these women's lives that the book explores. I was happy to learn how some of them had supportive husbands/romantic partners in their endeavors. Despite that support, they still endured many instances of gender discrimination, product of their time and incorrect prejudices about women in general. For anyone that is looking for an introduction to the contributions of women in science, this is a fabulous place to start. It is easy to read, entertaining, and very well cited.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Woman Discovers Her Family's Nazi Past by Nikola Sellmair, Jennifer Teege
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
This book is a personal exploration of the turmoil Jennifer Teege, the author, had when she discovered that her grandfather was a Nazi. Teege's overlapping identities (being both German-Nigerian and a black woman who spoke Hebrew) created a sort of mid-life crisis for her. The book mostly focuses on her struggle with depression as well as being hesistant about bringing up this discovery with friends. She had lived in Israel for 5 years and was fluent in Hebrews. While in Israel she naturally made friends, and she walks the reader through the emotional struggle she endured revealing this discovery to some of her friends from Israel. Some of them had family members that were murdered and were direct victims of Nazi Germany.
As I read through the book, I can come to understand why this was such impactful discovery for Teege. She has fond memories of her grandmother and the image she had of her was warped when she found out about Amon Goeth. Her grandfather was an unsympathetic and racist man who would have very easily killed anyone who looked like her. I think her close connections to Israel and Jewish people also contributed to her emotional state while processing all of this.
I am glad Teege shared her story with the world. It serves as a reminder that the Holocaust did not occur in a vacuum. The Nazis were still people (as wrong as they were in their ideals), with families, friendships, and relationships. Their descendants lived on. Many of them, like Jennifer Teege, have had to come to terms with the repercussions of their legacy. Teege's case is particularly interesting since she also part of a minority group that was targeted by her grandfather. I'm glad that she brings light that she is probably not the only person dealing with something like this and that the atrocities of the Holocaust still has repercussions today.
As I read through the book, I can come to understand why this was such impactful discovery for Teege. She has fond memories of her grandmother and the image she had of her was warped when she found out about Amon Goeth. Her grandfather was an unsympathetic and racist man who would have very easily killed anyone who looked like her. I think her close connections to Israel and Jewish people also contributed to her emotional state while processing all of this.
I am glad Teege shared her story with the world. It serves as a reminder that the Holocaust did not occur in a vacuum. The Nazis were still people (as wrong as they were in their ideals), with families, friendships, and relationships. Their descendants lived on. Many of them, like Jennifer Teege, have had to come to terms with the repercussions of their legacy. Teege's case is particularly interesting since she also part of a minority group that was targeted by her grandfather. I'm glad that she brings light that she is probably not the only person dealing with something like this and that the atrocities of the Holocaust still has repercussions today.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, and War
Depression is spoken about throughout the book as the author is discussing their mental health.
How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith
I wish I had discovered this book sooner. I looked into it later, and the author wrote this as a PhD student. All I have to say to that is what a wonderful academic piece it is! Clint Smith traveled to different historical planatations throughout the country and did extensive research on both the history and the legacy of these historical sites. He interviewed people that had loyalties to the Confederate flag as well as people that had direct connections to those enslaved on these plantations. He explores the hypocrisy behind a lot of plantation owners, including Thomas Jefferson who defended liberty yet enslaved hundreds of people.
Smith is a poet, and it manifests in his writing. Listening to the audiobook narrated by him brought his work to life. The writing style is both impactful and informative. He intermittently inserts relevant anectdotes related to his own life and his family's experiences with the Jim Crow South. This helps make the facts feel more tangible and relatable. He puts into perspective that both slavery and Jim Crow laws did not end too long ago in the grand scheme of things. This was an incredibly poetic exploration of the history of plantations in the United States. The author, Clint Smith, was doing research pertaining to his PhD when he wrote this. He is a poet and it shows through the prose used in his writing. The prose is digestable and flows like poetry as you read it at certain points. Smith sprinkle anecdotes of his family's own history with the Jim Crow South and how it affected their opportunites and how they were treated.
Thomas Jefferson is one of the primary figures Smith explores who advocated for the freedom of man whilst owning hundreds of enslaved people himself. There are many examples of this in United States history some of which is explored in the text. Abraham Lincoln had the political interests of the Union at the forefront of his mind rather than the freedom of enslaved black people. Smith provides many historical examples that brings realism to these historical figures and takes them off of the pedestal that they are often put on.
The most interesting part to me was listening to Smith tie in some of our modern problems of poverty, housing shortages, mass incarceration, and the racial inequality of the past and present. A lot of aspects of the Jim Crow South and slavery are sometimes referenced as if it happened long ago, when we in fact, continue to see the impacts of it today. This is by far one of the best books I have read this year. I recommend it to anyone who wants a respectful and well researched work pertaining to Civil War and Jim Crow South history.
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
5.0
I wish I had discovered this book sooner. I looked into it later, and the author wrote this as a PhD student. All I have to say to that is what a wonderful academic piece it is! Clint Smith traveled to different historical planatations throughout the country and did extensive research on both the history and the legacy of these historical sites. He interviewed people that had loyalties to the Confederate flag as well as people that had direct connections to those enslaved on these plantations. He explores the hypocrisy behind a lot of plantation owners, including Thomas Jefferson who defended liberty yet enslaved hundreds of people.
Smith is a poet, and it manifests in his writing. Listening to the audiobook narrated by him brought his work to life. The writing style is both impactful and informative. He intermittently inserts relevant anectdotes related to his own life and his family's experiences with the Jim Crow South. This helps make the facts feel more tangible and relatable. He puts into perspective that both slavery and Jim Crow laws did not end too long ago in the grand scheme of things. This was an incredibly poetic exploration of the history of plantations in the United States. The author, Clint Smith, was doing research pertaining to his PhD when he wrote this. He is a poet and it shows through the prose used in his writing. The prose is digestable and flows like poetry as you read it at certain points. Smith sprinkle anecdotes of his family's own history with the Jim Crow South and how it affected their opportunites and how they were treated.
Thomas Jefferson is one of the primary figures Smith explores who advocated for the freedom of man whilst owning hundreds of enslaved people himself. There are many examples of this in United States history some of which is explored in the text. Abraham Lincoln had the political interests of the Union at the forefront of his mind rather than the freedom of enslaved black people. Smith provides many historical examples that brings realism to these historical figures and takes them off of the pedestal that they are often put on.
The most interesting part to me was listening to Smith tie in some of our modern problems of poverty, housing shortages, mass incarceration, and the racial inequality of the past and present. A lot of aspects of the Jim Crow South and slavery are sometimes referenced as if it happened long ago, when we in fact, continue to see the impacts of it today. This is by far one of the best books I have read this year. I recommend it to anyone who wants a respectful and well researched work pertaining to Civil War and Jim Crow South history.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, and War
Minor: Sexual harassment
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I wasn't sure what to expect when picking this one up. It was included with my Spotify Premium subscription and it sounded interesting, so I figured I'd give it a whirl. All I have to say is what a wonderful debut novel! Elizabeth Zott is such a refreshing character. She is very assertive and direct about her personal stances and has the intelligence to back it up. The story takes place in the 1950s and explores a lot of what the patriarchal culture was like for women at that time through Elizabeth's experiences. Themes such as sexual assault, workplace discrimination, homophobia, lack of support for single mothers, and abusive marriages are heavily explored within the story.
Elizabeth's romance with her coworker, Calvin, takes up the forefront of about the first quarter of the story. It was funny to see how Elizabeth disliked Calvin at the beginning and then ended up initiating the romantic relationship with him. Their romantic relationship is very cute and loving. Even before they were dating it was clear that Calvin had a crush on Elizabeth, it just also completely went over her head for a while. Calvin and Elizabeth are both nerdy and fascinated with scientific research. They end up adopting a dog together that they adorably dub Six Thirty. Despite the healthy compatability in this couple, the dynamics of the relationship are still limited by the patriarchy of the time. Elizabeth and Calvin living together despite being unmarried is looked down upon by coworkers and other characters. Calvin is a great partner to Elizabeth. They listen to each other's interests, and Calvin even introduced Elizabeth to rowing, his own personal hobby. Elizabeth at some point has a very serious discussion with Calvin pertaining to her aversion to marriage. Calvin respects Elizabeth as an equal. His opinions on women's issues are reasonably progressive for a man of his time, but even then there are obviously instances where his privilege as a man becomes apparent. Asking Elizabeth to marry him without completely understanding what the implication is for her is one of the instances where this shows. Women weren't even allowed to open a bank account on their own until 1974. She is living in a time where marrying a man meant becoming completely financially dependent on him. You would lose the little independence you had. Thankfully, Calvin genuinely loves Elizabeth and respects her wishes. It's possible that if the circumstances were different Elizabeth may have agreed to marry Calvin. Regardless, it's refreshing to know that even if she continued to refuse, they respect and love each other enough to stay together.
Elizabeth's past is both relatable and interesting. She is estranged from her parents as her father was a professional preacher and scam artist. Besides that, her parents are also homophobic,so much so that her gay brother, John, saw no other option other than to commit suicide . Unfortunately Elizabeth's father is just a representation of a religious leader who used his power to expoit. Elizabeth is an atheist, which is completely understandable after the hell of an upbringing she had. It's a quick way to lose faith, to say the least. It also informs how lonely and isolated Elizabeth is. She doesn't have a family or any real friends, which in retrospect also reveals how vulnerable she is despite being so intelligent and independent.
The men often serve as a vehicle to move the story along. This doesn't, however, undermine the relationships between the women in the story and the role that plays to the overall narrative. While working at Hastings Research Institute Miss Frank is a female coworker that consistently seeks approval from her male coworkers. This additionally comes at the expense of Elizabeth. Miss Frank is insecure and it manifests as judgement, jealousy, and bad mouthing towards her. Miss Frank and Elizabeth eventually meet again under different circumstances. This allows them to form a respectful bond with a strong sense of camaraderie, albeit due to an unfortunate event in common from their past.It's unfortunate that Elizabeth and Miss Frank end up bonding over both being subject to sexual assault. However, this is unfortunately a very believable .
Harriet is Elizabeth's neighbor, and over the course of the story they become amazing friends. She helps Elizabeth out as Elizabeth's life has major changes later in the storySpecifically, Calvin's death and the birth of her daughter . Harriet in an incredibly unhappy and abusive marriage. Elizabeth and her disagree often on religious tenets and appropriate behavior for girls in public. such as the proper way to raise a girl once Elizabeth becomes a parent . Everyone Elizabeth has an amicable relationship with grows with her throughout the story and it's very satisfying to see.
This is a wonderful literary fiction debut novel that has a very strong hopeful feminist message. I'm impressed that this was this author's first novel, and I hope she has more to come in the future. I'm looking forward to following their work closely in the future.
Elizabeth's romance with her coworker, Calvin, takes up the forefront of about the first quarter of the story. It was funny to see how Elizabeth disliked Calvin at the beginning and then ended up initiating the romantic relationship with him. Their romantic relationship is very cute and loving. Even before they were dating it was clear that Calvin had a crush on Elizabeth, it just also completely went over her head for a while. Calvin and Elizabeth are both nerdy and fascinated with scientific research. They end up adopting a dog together that they adorably dub Six Thirty. Despite the healthy compatability in this couple, the dynamics of the relationship are still limited by the patriarchy of the time. Elizabeth and Calvin living together despite being unmarried is looked down upon by coworkers and other characters. Calvin is a great partner to Elizabeth. They listen to each other's interests, and Calvin even introduced Elizabeth to rowing, his own personal hobby. Elizabeth at some point has a very serious discussion with Calvin pertaining to her aversion to marriage. Calvin respects Elizabeth as an equal. His opinions on women's issues are reasonably progressive for a man of his time, but even then there are obviously instances where his privilege as a man becomes apparent. Asking Elizabeth to marry him without completely understanding what the implication is for her is one of the instances where this shows. Women weren't even allowed to open a bank account on their own until 1974. She is living in a time where marrying a man meant becoming completely financially dependent on him. You would lose the little independence you had. Thankfully, Calvin genuinely loves Elizabeth and respects her wishes. It's possible that if the circumstances were different Elizabeth may have agreed to marry Calvin. Regardless, it's refreshing to know that even if she continued to refuse, they respect and love each other enough to stay together.
Elizabeth's past is both relatable and interesting. She is estranged from her parents as her father was a professional preacher and scam artist. Besides that, her parents are also homophobic,
The men often serve as a vehicle to move the story along. This doesn't, however, undermine the relationships between the women in the story and the role that plays to the overall narrative. While working at Hastings Research Institute Miss Frank is a female coworker that consistently seeks approval from her male coworkers. This additionally comes at the expense of Elizabeth. Miss Frank is insecure and it manifests as judgement, jealousy, and bad mouthing towards her. Miss Frank and Elizabeth eventually meet again under different circumstances. This allows them to form a respectful bond with a strong sense of camaraderie, albeit due to an unfortunate event in common from their past.
Harriet is Elizabeth's neighbor, and over the course of the story they become amazing friends. She helps Elizabeth out as Elizabeth's life has major changes later in the story
This is a wonderful literary fiction debut novel that has a very strong hopeful feminist message. I'm impressed that this was this author's first novel, and I hope she has more to come in the future. I'm looking forward to following their work closely in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Life on Mars by Tracy K. Smith
mysterious
slow-paced
3.0
Smith's poetry is beautiful in its own right. The poem's follow a girl's journey in a science fiction setting in space. I think this is one of those poetry collections that requires a reread for me. I had moments where I had trouble staying focused because each poem felt like it jumped around a lot even if it was still a part of the same thread. I'm definitely interested in reading more of Smith's poetry after this to see how her writing has evolved.
Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar
challenging
dark
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Listening to this was a stark reminder that some people live in small insulated religious bubbles. I have no doubt that Jill and her siblings grew up feeling very loved by their parents. However, the overprotectiveness that they experienced growing up definitely became suffocating in adulthood. Fundamelist religions typically don't like it when people start asking too many questions or challenging beliefs. Jill got a lot of push back once she started defying the tenets she was raised with. This defiance definitely helped her grow as a person and have the ability to share her experiences through this book, though.
I have qualms with the ethics of signing children up to be on reality shows. It becomes even more problematic when this kids are literally growing up on live television and have little say in how much privacy they get in their own homes. Additionally, it was unreasonable to me that Jills'father was getting all of the proceeds from their reality show without being transparent with them about the finances. Her husband and her weren't compensated for their time on the show and were financially dependent on Jill's father for quite a while. I'm glad that at least Jill found emotional support in her husband. He seems like a great guy based on the way she wrote about him, so good for her.
There is a common thread of creating emotional and financial codependency within fundamentalist religious groups. It's how a lot of them retain members. They create a sense of family that is isolated from the rest of the world, which makes it that much harder to choose to leave. The religious messaging Jill received was overall damaging for her, in my opinion. There is a part of the book where she talks about mustering the courage to wear pants in front of her family. Who knew pants could be so controversial for women? It's so odd from an outside perspective seeing someone have so much guilt associated just with what they choose to wear. She even felt the need to ask her husband his opinion about pants before she even took the dive. It's crazy to think that her family was so hyperfixated on what women were allowed or not allowed to wear, but not on the sexual abuse perpetrated by the church leaders they associated with and their own son. The priorities are just so skewed.
On a more positive note, Jill seems to have found a middle ground that makes her happy when it comes to her beliefs. She has respectfully distanced herself from her parents, which I think was probably the healthiest move. Her husband and her seem to have a common understanding of how they are growing in their personal religious beliefs, which is great for them. I'm happy that she is in a better place with her current family. I just also think it's unfortunate she had to go through so many hurdles to find a sense of independence because of the indoctrination of her parents. This was an interesting read overall. The audiobook is narrated by the author and I am happily able to recommend that version of the book.
I have qualms with the ethics of signing children up to be on reality shows. It becomes even more problematic when this kids are literally growing up on live television and have little say in how much privacy they get in their own homes. Additionally, it was unreasonable to me that Jills'father was getting all of the proceeds from their reality show without being transparent with them about the finances. Her husband and her weren't compensated for their time on the show and were financially dependent on Jill's father for quite a while. I'm glad that at least Jill found emotional support in her husband. He seems like a great guy based on the way she wrote about him, so good for her.
There is a common thread of creating emotional and financial codependency within fundamentalist religious groups. It's how a lot of them retain members. They create a sense of family that is isolated from the rest of the world, which makes it that much harder to choose to leave. The religious messaging Jill received was overall damaging for her, in my opinion. There is a part of the book where she talks about mustering the courage to wear pants in front of her family. Who knew pants could be so controversial for women? It's so odd from an outside perspective seeing someone have so much guilt associated just with what they choose to wear. She even felt the need to ask her husband his opinion about pants before she even took the dive. It's crazy to think that her family was so hyperfixated on what women were allowed or not allowed to wear, but not on the sexual abuse perpetrated by the church leaders they associated with and their own son. The priorities are just so skewed.
On a more positive note, Jill seems to have found a middle ground that makes her happy when it comes to her beliefs. She has respectfully distanced herself from her parents, which I think was probably the healthiest move. Her husband and her seem to have a common understanding of how they are growing in their personal religious beliefs, which is great for them. I'm happy that she is in a better place with her current family. I just also think it's unfortunate she had to go through so many hurdles to find a sense of independence because of the indoctrination of her parents. This was an interesting read overall. The audiobook is narrated by the author and I am happily able to recommend that version of the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment
Black Clover, Vol. 16 by Yûki Tabata
adventurous
dark
emotional
5.0
All I have to say to this is that I wasn't ready. There are huge plot twists involving the leader of the Midnight Sun in this volume. A lot of changes happen very slowly, and then all at once it feels like. I don't mean to say anything feels rushed. In fact I appreciate the pacing. It felt like a tsunami that slowly built up and then came crashing down all at once with a lot of loose ends unraveling in the process.
The battle between the Wizard King and the leader of the Midnight Sun was probably the most interesting part of the volume. Yami shows up at the end o the battle. By that point, everything is emotionally riveting and is a bit of a tear jerker. We don't see the Wizard King and Yami interact often, but when we do it's very easy to tell how close they are. It's reminscent of a father-son relationship. The Wizard King supported Yami when no one else did and Yami definitely came through with his potential. Yami's character is almost a foreshadowing of Asta's futureLet's hope that Yami doesn't follow in the Wizard King's footsteps and die too, because he is one of my favorites and I might cry . I'm looking forward to seeing how Asta's journey mirrors Yami's as far as beating the odds. This is a new pivotal point in the story. The entire status quo is going to be changed and that is both exciting and nerve wracking.
The battle between the Wizard King and the leader of the Midnight Sun was probably the most interesting part of the volume. Yami shows up at the end o the battle. By that point, everything is emotionally riveting and is a bit of a tear jerker. We don't see the Wizard King and Yami interact often, but when we do it's very easy to tell how close they are. It's reminscent of a father-son relationship. The Wizard King supported Yami when no one else did and Yami definitely came through with his potential. Yami's character is almost a foreshadowing of Asta's future
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Violence
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
This book coul not have a more eye catching and fitting title. Mccurdy adds a light hearted sense of humor to the more tragic and upsetting recollections of her childhood experiences. At times the tone is almost childish, reminding the reader that she experienced all of this trauma as a child. Her abusive mother is an overbearing presence in Jennette's life. Her influence lingers even after her death, affecting Jennette's self-esteem and how she engages in romantic relationships in her life.
Jennette had a very traumatic background, both because of her upbringing with her mother and her experiences in the professional acting industry. Thankfully, she was able to find help through therapy and carved out her own identity separate from the one her mother created for her. Part of what made it difficult for Jennette to form her own identity is that she was forced into the identity her mother carved out for her. Acting was her mother's dream, not Jennette's. Her eating disorder plays a large part in how she copes with her trauma through adulthood. I was very happy to see how supportive and understanding her therapist was considering what an odd experiece growing up as a child star is. I appreciated that the way she describes the progression of her eating disorder is not a straight chronological path to recovery. It's clear that mental illness, including eating disorders, ebb and flow. She relapses plenty, and that is the norm for mental illness and eating disorders. She also details aspects of her obsessive compulsive disorder that still manifest for her today. These mental health patterns are not harmful or intrusive in the way they were before she got help, but they are still very much a part of her.
She is raw in her exploration of the work and hurt that it took to a much healthier place. I feel this will be healing to anyone who has been subject to abuse, especially by a parent. One of the best reads of the year for me. I listened the audiobook partially and also think it's a good one.
Jennette had a very traumatic background, both because of her upbringing with her mother and her experiences in the professional acting industry. Thankfully, she was able to find help through therapy and carved out her own identity separate from the one her mother created for her. Part of what made it difficult for Jennette to form her own identity is that she was forced into the identity her mother carved out for her. Acting was her mother's dream, not Jennette's. Her eating disorder plays a large part in how she copes with her trauma through adulthood. I was very happy to see how supportive and understanding her therapist was considering what an odd experiece growing up as a child star is. I appreciated that the way she describes the progression of her eating disorder is not a straight chronological path to recovery. It's clear that mental illness, including eating disorders, ebb and flow. She relapses plenty, and that is the norm for mental illness and eating disorders. She also details aspects of her obsessive compulsive disorder that still manifest for her today. These mental health patterns are not harmful or intrusive in the way they were before she got help, but they are still very much a part of her.
She is raw in her exploration of the work and hurt that it took to a much healthier place. I feel this will be healing to anyone who has been subject to abuse, especially by a parent. One of the best reads of the year for me. I listened the audiobook partially and also think it's a good one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
To Free the Captives: A Plea for the American Soul by Tracy K. Smith
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
I appreciated the poeticism of the prose in Smith's narrative. However, the timeline of events is difficult to follow because it is so vague. There is some chronology to the stages of her life she explores, particularly pertaining to her marriages and romantic relationships. Other than that, she often goes off on tangents pertinent to the United States' relationship to race. She sprinkles in anecdotes about her family. Her father was a very important figure in her life. Her love and admiration for her father, especially in relation to how far race relations have come since his upbringing, are palpable in the text. I appreciated these anecdotes the most. I'm a history buff, and reading about how history affects people directly through their families is always interesting to me. As a mixed Afro Latinx individual myself, I can also relate to those parts of the narrative. Smith ties her own story into the overall narrative of the black experience within the United States. It makes her story more personal. I just would have wanted the narrative to be a bit more cohesive and tighter knit. It reads more like a long poem written in prose rather than a memoir. However, I think that this is also a matter of preference. As a disclaimer, I listened to the audiobook, so maybe this something that would have read better if I had physically read the book. Overall, it is an interesting read, though, and I would recommend it as an experimental read
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism