3.5 Stars Rounded up This was a truly unique story, and I enjoyed multiple aspects of this narrative. This is definitely a creepy and dark story, perf3.5 Stars Rounded up This was a truly unique story, and I enjoyed multiple aspects of this narrative. This is definitely a creepy and dark story, perfect for spooky season. I love that this is set in an all Black town with history. I love that the creepy aspect has to do with Black folks and not racism directly. In many ways, this town was formed as a refuge from the racism in the rest of the US. At the same time, over time, this town has warped into its own horror.
This has many relatable elements even though it's set in a dark but magical space. Osira's struggles with her mother were relatable to many mother and daughter power struggles. Even the dynamic with her siblings was quite relatable to many family dynamics. In many ways, even the restrictive society felt relatable.
The writing in this story is excellent and engrossing. I was always deeply invested in Osira's well-being no matter how confusing the story got. The closing 30 percent of this story is just confusing for me. I enjoy the bizarre aspects, but this ends in a weird place for me.
Joniece Abbott-Pratt's narration of this story was perfection. Her voice has the perfect matter of fact tone that increases the deeply creepy aspects of this story. Definitely consume this as an audiobook.
Thank you to Yvonne Battle-Felton, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own....more
This sweet children's audiobook is narrated by the author, Tameka Fryer Brown, beautfully. This has a soft soundtrack laid beneath the audiobook narraThis sweet children's audiobook is narrated by the author, Tameka Fryer Brown, beautfully. This has a soft soundtrack laid beneath the audiobook narration that enhances the listening experience. There's soft instrumental music and sound effects like children laughing.
This all about how a younger child is growing up and praises their accomplishments. Like what a good helper they are or how resilient their spirit is. This is a love letter from a mother to their child. It's full of compliments, affirmations, and love. It is a very sweet and loving story.
Thank you to Tameka Fryer Brown, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own....more
This was interesting on multiple levels, but the 1st half is really just random tidbits on paganism across various cultures worldwide. The informationThis was interesting on multiple levels, but the 1st half is really just random tidbits on paganism across various cultures worldwide. The information was interesting but was quickly followed by unrelated but also interesting information. It did not feel cohesive. I kinda felt I was listening to an anthology of paganesque worldwide practices. It was interesting but chaotic.
This is basically a 'bible' of spells, practices, histories, medications, essays, and other writings on the topic of Lunar importance in worldwide pagan belief systems.
This definitely has value and adds to the conversation on witch or pagan beliefs and practices worldwide focusing on the moon. I just think this needed to be more ordered in the dispensing of this knowledge.
This audiobook is narrated by Morgan Dalla Betta and Krysta Gonzales. They both did a job keeping this somewhat loose text flowing and interesting.
Thank you to Casey Zabala, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own. ...more
This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Andrew Lipman, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley.
I'm unfamiliar wi3.5 Stars Rounded Down
This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Andrew Lipman, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley.
I'm unfamiliar with this time period in the history of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas. As a result, I am unable to judge the accuracy of the historical information shared. I have an audiobook copy and not a digital copy, so I am unsure if this history accurately portrays the sources used. Since this was published before I requested the audiobook I did try Hoopla & Libby for a library copy of the digital book so I could verify the sources used but neither library had a copy of the digital book. Hoopla does have the audiobook for any interested. That said, the sources mentioned in the text check out and seem to be used accurately. The author is a professor, and so his resources in this field are probably accurate or at the least based on the latest research. The text indicates this to be so, and I am unable to verify independently otherwise.
This was a treasure trove of information on the Wampanoag peoples in the early stages of European colonization. I learned so much about living situations, family settings, women's roles in society, children's roles and activities, family life, and just wow. I was so thoroughly engrossed in these details. I had no idea so much information was available to researchers. I truly need a digital copy of this book so I can mine the resources for more information. I need more than what this book offers.
This is structured in such a way that the reader really learns about early colonization of the Americas by multiple European colonizing peoples. This is important because this period in European history, with which I am very familiar, is frought with complicated history and inter-country struggles. That said, some of the information given on European nations at this time is slanted.
The author takes great pains to point out that the Wampanoag engaged in slavery adjacent practices and pointed out Arabic and other European slavery adjacent practices at this time. I don't like this. This author is the descendant of the Europeans who committed this genocide in the Americas; less than 3% of the current US population is Native American, and about 5% of Canada is First Nations. Indigenous peoples in these nations live on Reservations & Reserves, they aren't allowed political power, and their population is not represented in the federal government of either colonizing nation at population percentage rates. In many respects, they live in 'ghettos' in which they don’t have access to clean water and food is not affordable. They live under apartheid. We simply don't use those words to describe their treatment because it would reflect badly on our respective countries. They aren't the only marginalized group in North America treated this way, but considering this is their land, it's especially heinous.
I take issue with the author pretending that Captain John Smith who was briefly captured while he was a mercenary soldier and comparing that to Squanto's capture and expulsion to Europe. Squanto did not hire himself out as a soldier, nor was he fighting a war when he was captured. His captors stole him when he was engaged in regular trade. If John Smith had been stolen from the London wharf while unloading his ship, maybe that would compare. What was done to Squanto and other Indigenous Peoples of the Americas was something that Europeans would never consider doing to other European nations. Such behavior would be considered cowardly, anti-christian, and deeply shocking. Other European nations would've declared war on a European nation that was moving in this manner in Europe. This behavior was only considered okay because it was done to non-Europeans. Early racism is why these horrible practices were carried out, and greed is why they became normalized. Historians need to say this explicitly and not waste time trying to negate the genocidal behaviors of their klancestors. This pretense that everyone was behaving badly is a very colonialist viewpoint. Squanto and the Wampanoag deserve better.
This audiobook is narrated by David Colacci. David did a decent job with this. His tone was educational but not droning or boring. It's fairly good for an information dense text like this.
Thank you to Andrew Lipman, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own....more
This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Odie Henderson, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley.
This audiobook is narrated by the authThis audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Odie Henderson, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley.
This audiobook is narrated by the author, Odie Henderson. Having the author narrate their own work can sometimes go wrong. Not in this case, though. I loved hearing Odie's own excitement and emotion as he narrated this fun book.
This is for folks who know and love these movies as well as for folks who've not watched a single movie and aren't entirely sure what blaxploitation movies are. This is a fun and fundamental education about this era in film, told in a nostalgic tone.
I grew up in the 80s, so I missed the opportunity to see these movies in the theatre. Like the author, I grew up patronizing first family or individually owned video rental stores and then Blockbuster once they put the smaller places out of business. Unlike the author, my parents and family did not rent or talk much about blaxploitation films. My first exposure to the blaxploitation genre was in high school. I had a teacher who was a fan, and I think I rented and watched Shaft. I grew up in Detroit, so I'm somewhat surprised that I didn't have more exposure.
This book takes you behind the scenes of this era; the movies, the actors, and the filming itself. I truly loved this. This made me miss my late father tremendously as he was a huge movie buff, and I bet he saw these films in the theatre. After Eddie Murphy did that Netflix Dolomite movie, my husband and I laughed all through the original movie. These movies represent an era, and I enjoyed this history tremendously.
I grew up watching Spike Lee Joints, and I want to point out that these blaxploitation films proved that a Black audience existed and paved the way for filmmakers like Lee. I also want to say that this covered early Black filmmakers like Oscar Micheaux, this is a thorough history of Black Cinema.
Thank you to Odie Henderson, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own....more
This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Jason Rekulak, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley.
This audiobook is narrated by John PThis audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Jason Rekulak, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley.
This audiobook is narrated by John Pirhalla. John did a fantastic job with this. His voice conveyed a lot of emotion, which really enhanced the experience of this audiobook.
This was my first time reading a book by Jason Rekulak, but it definitely won't be my last. I was aware of his reputation as a horror writer when I requested this audiobook from NetGalley. Luckily for me, the only horror I felt reading this was in the reveals. This has multiple reveals, and each reveal works to pull the reader in more. This works as a thriller as well as a study of the relationship between a father and his adult daughter.
Frank Szatowski is a single father to an adult daughter who has successfully launched with a good job. Frank and his daughter, Maggie, are estranged and haven't spoken in about 3 years when the novel opens. This is an interesting dynamic given how common parent and adult child estrangements have become in our current society.
Anyway, Maggie calls Frank out of the blue, acts like nothing much has happened, and invites him to her upcoming nuptials. Frank had no idea his daughter was seeing anyone, much less engaged. None the less he's desperately waited for her to reach out and immediately agrees to come. Frank is a UPS driver, a former soldier who was deployed to the Middle East, a smidge over middle-aged, and a widower. Frank's late wife, Colleen, died suddenly of a brain aneurysm when Maggie was just 10. Frank is fairly close to his sister, Tammy, and she supported him in raising Maggie.
Maggie had also cut off Tammy when she became estranged with Frank, so they are both eager to reconnect. Tammy is a sweet person who has largely spent a lifetime helping others: she cares for the elderly in their homes and takes in foster kids in her home. The weekend of the wedding, Tammy has a last-minute foster placement, Abigail Grimm (with 2 mm's...more
This ebook was made available for me to read and review by Elliott Smith, Lerner Publishing Group, and NetGalley.
The illustrator of this picture ebookThis ebook was made available for me to read and review by Elliott Smith, Lerner Publishing Group, and NetGalley.
The illustrator of this picture ebook is Subi Bosa. Subi does a fantastic job. The illustrations of the characters are warmly colored and beautifully rendered. With pops of brightly colored objects that help to enhance the text. Like the brightly striped Barbers Pole in the corner of the barber shop.
This book is part of a series featuring Bo and his grandfather, Roger, better known as Pop-Pop, and largely set in the Grandfather's Barber Shop. This book in the series focuses on the celebration of Juneteenth with a community picnic. This features important information about this newest of American holidays as well as relevant cultural information. I look forward to reading this with my grandkids. Juneteenth is a favorite holiday of theirs.
I love the setup for this series and look forward to reading about more of Bo's adventures in the future.
Thank you to Elliott Smith, Lerner Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ebook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own....more
This ebook was made available for me to read and review by Cicely Lewis, Lerner Publishing Group, and NetGalley.
The illustrator of this picture book iThis ebook was made available for me to read and review by Cicely Lewis, Lerner Publishing Group, and NetGalley.
The illustrator of this picture book is Anastasia Magloire Williams. Maglore's illustrations are brightly colored and inviting. I adore how Maglore illustrates an afro. The afro is so stunningly drawn that it conveys movement on the page. I love it so much because hair features prominently in this story.
This ebook is part of a series about a Black girl, Imani, whose very hair is magic. Imani's grandmother, Grandma Dottie, mom, and Aunt Netta also share this hair magic.
In this edition of the series, Imani is hosting a sleepover with her friends Keisha, Alejandra, and Penelope. They are telling ghost stories by flashlight when they hear something creepy. The story follows Imani and her brother, Isaiah, as they use detective skills to determine the source of the creepy noises.
This is adorable, fun, and beautifully illustrated. I plan to pick up the rest of Imani's adventures for my granddaughter.
Thank you to Cicely Lewis, Lerner Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ebook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own....more
Honestly, I quite enjoyed this. I'm pretty sure the target audience for this is YA, and the story has enough angst to fit nicely into that genre. I diHonestly, I quite enjoyed this. I'm pretty sure the target audience for this is YA, and the story has enough angst to fit nicely into that genre. I did feel frustrated with some of the unnecessarily complicated narrative, but it all came together in the end.
This is a coming-of-age story primarily with a Black main character. Noni is an only child, finished with high school, and the story begins the summer before she is set to attend Boston University. Her parents have recently divorced, and the parents agreed that Noni would join her mother in Virginia.
This is about ancestry, small southern towns, and white supremacy dressed up as "culture wars." This felt relevant, timely, and current. While awkward in a few areas and some of the supporting characters aren't well developed, this is well worth the read.
I look forward to reading more novels written by this author in the future.
The narration of this audiobook really brought this story to life for me. Maggie Thompson did a fantastic job, particularly with her use of alternate tones for the supporting cast of characters. This was extensive and could be confusing, so the tonal changes helped to differentiate between the supporting characters.
Thank you to Kalela Williams, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own....more
This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Kwei Quartey, RBmedia/Recorded Books, and NetGalley.
This was delightful. This is tThis audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Kwei Quartey, RBmedia/Recorded Books, and NetGalley.
This was delightful. This is the 4th book in the series, I haven't read the first 3 books in this series. None the less, I wasn't confused or lost starting with this book. This a blend of both police procedural and cozy mystery with elements of law & order, mixed in for spice. I loved Emma, her boss, and her team. This had that familiar character feel that sometimes occurs with cozy mysteries. At the same time, this was fairly police procedural in set-up, though this focused on a PI.
I like that this addressed the hypocrisy regarding anti-gay bills, which are human rights violations being pushed by white Americans. US christian hate groups target many West African nations with their horrible transphobia & homophobia. Those hate groups are run by racist far-right groups. Which is really just the cherry on the giant poop pie of this bizarre situation. Homosexual & transgender people aren't the result of white people bringing toxic culture to the Motherland. Rather, the phobia is what the white missionaries brought. The gay and Trans folks were already there...more
This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Jordan Chariton, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley.
Flint, Michigan STILL does not haThis audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Jordan Chariton, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley.
Flint, Michigan STILL does not have clean water, a decade after this whole mess was exposed. This crisis began under President Obama, continued unabated under the presidencies of both Trump & Biden. This will still be a crisis despite whomever wins in November 2024. Both political parties are equally responsible for this nightmare. The cost of this crisis in human lives is tremendous.
This was especially hard to read. The narrators, Pete Cross and Sophie Amoss, do a wonderful job conveying with the tones of their voices how serious and grave this situation was. I was born and raised in Detroit. As a result, the Flint water crisis is both next door and personal. I remember the horror I felt as this situation was exposed. I remember how shocked I was. This book let me know it was so much worse than I imagined.
I truly appreciate the author for calling out directly that this is a result of racism. Governor Snyder is a Republican and a racist. He set up a system in which his state government overrode the legally elected city and town officials with this program called 'Emergency Management'. He would appoint a manager who had the power to override the government elected officials. He did this in primarily Black areas, Detroit also had an 'Emergency Manager'. This is part of the Republican cheatbook, and they've set up similar anti-democratic systems all over the USA in Black Communities. These managers are unpopular with local citizens and usually racist or anti-Black themselves. These managers are corrupt and always make the situations significantly worse than the democratically elected officials.
Anyway, Snyder forced this change by using his cronies to take self-governance away from marginalized communities. This was done because Snyder illegally was profiting off of creating a new water treatment plant because cities were beefing with the Detroit Water Treatment facility. They knew the water was toxic, and the governor specificity worked to cover up the health crisis.
The failure for this isn't just the state and federal government. Journalists and reporters failed us as well. With the exception of this author, reporters stopped caring about this crisis. Most Americans think this issue was resolved. Instead of focusing on this important issue, the trump circus started, and these poor folks suffered. Honestly, our press is so partisan and complicit it's in effect, like we don't have actual journalists anymore. The level of complicity the news has with this crisis is almost on the same level as the government.
This crisis changed me personally. I watched Obama drink the water in Flint and joke about licking lead covered walls. I'll never forget what it felt like to have the first Black president not care at all about a Black town poisoned because of racism.
The author points out that by the country not demanding clean water for Flint, we've set a horrifying precedent, and this will happen and, in fact, is already happening all over the USA.
I want to personally thank Jordan Chariton for caring. I want to thank him for his research. I want to thank him for continuing to research and write about these people and this story. This book broke my heart, but thank you for not letting this story die.
Thank you to Jordan Chariton, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own....more
I did not realize when I requested this from NetGalley that it had ties to my hometown. In my teens, I adored The Shrine of the Black Madonna bookstorI did not realize when I requested this from NetGalley that it had ties to my hometown. In my teens, I adored The Shrine of the Black Madonna bookstore. I regularly visited as a high school student in the early 90s. It's a beloved aspect of Black Detroit. I'm embarrassed to admit I had no idea this was attached to a church, much less the history of the church founder.
While the focus on Albert Cleage Jr. and the Black Nationalist church he founded in Detroit was my favorite aspect of this, I learned about Black towns as well. This focused on the time period post-Civil War and included the author's own family town of Promise Land, Tennessee. This history is enhanced by the author's father's perspective on Black Utopias as a former convict with memories of Promise Land.
This creates a rich tapestry of a narrative, including history & politics deftly mixed with the concept of a Black Utopia. The author himself points out that when the concept of an American Utopia is brought up, Black towns don't immediately come to mind. Yet the author makes the case that Black Towns, Cities, Villages, etc, by their very existence, were founded on utopic ideals, and the author makes a compelling case.
The history of Black towns isn't always pretty, and few of these places still exist. Those that do still exist, often they are barely functioning and mostly empty. None the less these places speak to a uniquely Black American version of the American Dream. After all, as the author themselves points out, a Utopia isn't concerned with being profitable being too busy focusing on what is possible. In that regard, all of these places succeeded.
The narrator of this audiobook is Dion Graham. Dion did great with their narration of this text. The dialogue flowed well, and the narrator managed to convey warmth and interest in this rich history.
I need to plan a visit to the church and bookstore, now that I know it's still open
Thank you to Aaron Robertson, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own....more
This ebook was made available for me to read and review by Carole Boston Weatherford, Lerner Publishing Group, and NetGalley.
The illustrator of this pThis ebook was made available for me to read and review by Carole Boston Weatherford, Lerner Publishing Group, and NetGalley.
The illustrator of this picture book is David Elmo Cooper. The illustrations are very powerful and beautifully artistic. The illustrator notes indicate that he purchased dolls like those used in the experiment, took pictures of them, and the artwork is created from composite images. The effect is both beautiful and somewhat haunting.
This is well researched and delicately phrased. This is a very difficult experience to explain to young children. Last year, I was trying to explain the civil rights movement in terms a 2nd grader can understand to my own grandkids, so I appreciate the struggle of the author. The information is factual and uncomfortable. The book adds nice images and softens the story by telling it from the dolls point of view. This manages a challenging topic very elegantly.
The text is a poem that was modified for a picture book, which worked well. I would consider this a low trauma introduction to this subject with grade school-age kids. While this is geared towards younger kids, it's also a good resource for an older demographic because it contains quite a few facts, including an expanded further reading list on this topic. As well as pictures and facts from the actual studies. This functions as a resource beyond the picture book aspect.
Thank you to Carole Boston Weatherford, Lerner Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ebook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own....more
This ebook was made available for me to read and review by Julia Pierre Hammond, Teacher Created Materials/Free Spirit Publishing, and NetGalley.
The iThis ebook was made available for me to read and review by Julia Pierre Hammond, Teacher Created Materials/Free Spirit Publishing, and NetGalley.
The illustrator of this picture ebook is Ana Latese. The illustrations were warm, inviting, and engaging. I loved the artistic styling of the characters. The effect of the styling invoked movement artfully.
This is a sweet and fun book. It's mostly about a father and daughter having fun during their weekly cleaning. The father injects music, dancing, imagination, laughter, and fun to the dreaded chores. This focused on completing chores as a family and with an upbeat attitude. I like that the father is leading the teaching on housekeeping. This includes age appropriate questions to engage young ones in the story and help with story comprehension. This also includes suggested similar activities that kids can do at their homes, a musical playlist, and a recipe for gumbo. This could easily function as a gateway to exploring cleaning focused kid appropriate activities. I'd say this is appropriate for toddler age through early readers.
Thank you to Julia Pierre Hammond, Teacher Created Materials/Free Spirit Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ebook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own....more
This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Kemi Ashing-Giwa, HighBridge Audio, and NetGalley.
This audiobook is narrated by CaThis audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Kemi Ashing-Giwa, HighBridge Audio, and NetGalley.
This audiobook is narrated by Catherine Ho. Catherine sets a creepy atmosphere with her narration of this haunting story. This is told from multiple points of view, and the narration seemed to fade into the background. It was exactly what I wanted with this novella.
I quite liked this. It's definitely science fiction, and I wished I had more time on New Belaforma. I truly loved the descriptions of the planet and the 'Grey'. I liked the premise of the story, which I don't want to spoil here. The science aspects of the story are unique and incredible. The relationship aspects of the story felt forced. Perhaps due to the limitations of the novella format. ...more
This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Odd Dot, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley.
This audiobook is narrated by Melinda SewaThis audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Odd Dot, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley.
This audiobook is narrated by Melinda Sewak. Melinda's voice is engaging and upbeat. This is an enhanced audiobook with music and a soundtrack.The music plays lightly in the background, which helps to hold children's attention but at the same time isn't distracting to older listeners. The soundtrack is used to enhance the narration and appeal to young readers/listeners. This is skillfully done, and my grandkids always love this style audiobook.
This has a fun positive affirmation vibe. The effect is a sweet book that works to build self-esteem in young kids. In essence, this encourages kids to dream big while reinforcing that they can choose their own future. I like the focus on joy and the power of imagination. This is light and the perfect length for toddler and young grade school-age kids.
Thank you to Odd Dot, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own....more
This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by George M. Johnson, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley.
I highly encourage the reader toThis audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by George M. Johnson, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley.
I highly encourage the reader to consume this as an audiobook. This is narrated by the author George M. Johnson with a lively jazz based musical soundtrack. Each chapter we are introduced to another queer Harlem Renaissance artist, and as they are introduced, music plays. If they were a singer its a song of theirs. Mr. Johnson's narration is powerful. The listener can hear the emotion in his voice. This is beautifully done, as much of an experience as it is a book.
I love the Harlem Renaissance. I've studied it since I was school-age. Like the author, Black History Month was my favorite time in school. I love history, and reading about historical Black folks always makes me happy. I'm also queer. I'm older than this author and grew up in a time none of this was discussed or accepted. So I love that resources like this exist for today's young readers. I remember when I found out Josephine Baker was bisexual. I held that detail close to my heart throughout my childhood.
This book also serves as a wonderful introduction to the artists of the Harlem Renaissance. I love that the author pulls no punches and calls in bad behaviors like internalized homophobia, colorism, classism, and misogynoir.
Even if you don't have a young person to suggest this to or purchase this for, consider giving it a listen as an adult. It's short, entertaining, and packed with important facts.
Thank you to George M. Johnson, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own....more
4.5 Stars Rounded Up This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Jacqueline Jones, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley.
This was exc4.5 Stars Rounded Up This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Jacqueline Jones, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley.
This was excellent, respectful, knowledgeable, well-sourced, and interesting. It mostly avoids focusing on the more harrowing aspects of slavery in the Antebellum period. I'd rate this as low as far as slavery trauma focus. Though this does focus on segregation and racism in Boston and the wider Northern states. Perhaps in terms of trauma, this is closer to reading about the Civil Rights Movement than many texts that deal with chattel slavery. I add this to say: don't shy away from this for fear of trauma. That's not the tone or focus.
The main subject matter and focus of this is Black folks' opportunities and everyday lives in Boston in this era. This takes specific individuals and follows their lives and includes some generational information when available. This explores the opportunities available in employment, housing, and personal lives. So this includes marriages, births, relocating even outside of Boston, and what the records reveal about how this person ended their days. This focuses on the basic struggle for even free Black folks during the antebellum era. It's very in-depth and fascinating. Often, the history of this period tends to focus on the few famous Black individuals, but while this did include them, the focus was primarily on regular folks' struggles. This highlighted the differences that Black women faced in finding and maintaining freedom and affording to live. This was a hard and harrowing life for the vast majority of folks. Even more well-known figures like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman really struggled to survive in the available economy. I was really enlightened at the struggle between the established Black Boston community and the immigrant Irish community. Irish folks attacked established Black communities and accused them of taking their jobs and housing. It was wild. I forever think Irish Americans badly bungled this. Imagine the world we would all live in if Irish Americans had made common cause with Black Americans rather than focus on whiteness.
I really liked that this focused on and gave examples of the hypocrisy in white liberals/abolitionists of this era. I mean, it's historically focused but also relevant today. Many wealthy white liberal will march for Black Lives Matter but only so long as those lives stay in their respective red-line restricted communities. This focuses on the fact that white abolitionists were overwhelmingly anti-Black and held very troubling views of Black folks. This isn't a view of white abolitionists that we often see presented this clearly.
White abolitionists were largely in control of the funds raised to help formerly enslaved Black folks, whether escapees or post civil war. They seemed to operate from a fear that Black folks were inherently lazy and needed to be 'encouraged' to work hard. So, almost the same view that enslavers held of Black folks. Their policy was to give funds to aid escape but nothing to help formerly enslaved folks settle in a new place without family. In effect, their attitude reminded me of today's pro-lifers. Pro-life/anti-abortionists are obsessed with halting abortion but don't want to feed, clothe, or house these unplanned babies they insisted be born. If you consider the base wealth of the major white abolitionists, their hypocrisy is glaring. It's the historical version of Kim Kardashian's empty-headed 'Nobody wants to work anymore' nonsense.
I was appalled at the bootstrap rhetoric employed by white abolitionists post Civil War. At the same time, these same white abolitionists largely refused to employ Black folks in their businesses. They'd hire a few favored folks in their home, but they refused to integrate their businesses. Instead, white abolitionists overly focused on Black folks' willingness to work. As if enslaved people were taken care of and not exploited. It's frustrating because historically, white women really struggled post Civil War, and that was behind many of the Jim & Jane Crow era laws requiring Black women to work outside of the home. There were laws forcing Black women into domestic labor because white women were unprepared to care for their own homes, families, and children. As enslaved peoples, Black folks had been providing enough labor to provide for themselves and to enrich an entire white demographic/community/country and enrich Europe in the process. So clearly, they could provide just fine for themselves as they had been since they 'arrived' in the colonies.
This also does an excellent job pointing out what would today be termed 'respectability politics', which was how some Black folks responded, and continue to respond, to racist and eugenicist views common in US society. This behavior isn't directly called out nor a focus of the book, but it is included. This is important because just like the Jim & Jane Crow era racist beliefs that still plague our nation, this also works to increase racism and oppression. Black folks don't need to prove anything to be worthy of basic humanity. This is just a function of internalized racism.
This audiobook is narrated by Leon Nixon. Leon does an excellent job keeping the narrative interesting and from feeling like a very long history lecture. I pretty much binged this, and my attention never waivered.
Thank you to Jacqueline Jones, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own....more
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