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emma's Reviews > The Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad
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emma's review
bookshelves: historical, literary-fiction, non-ya, diverse, owned, 4-stars, recommend, reviewed, authors-of-color
Aug 02, 2021
bookshelves: historical, literary-fiction, non-ya, diverse, owned, 4-stars, recommend, reviewed, authors-of-color
I can't believe it's only been a month since I read this book.
Not only because a one-month review time turnaround is actually very good for me, but because it feels like this book changes your way of thinking.
Or maybe not quite - maybe like it opens your eyes to different perceptions, that it reframes and reworks in a logic so obvious afterward it casts its light on everything, not just the time since you finished.
We all talk a lot about the pitfalls of American education - Abraham Lincoln being an awesome guy who was so antiracist that he dedicated his life to breaking apart the systems that held bigotry up (instead of a guy who was also racist and just kind of politically ended up having to half-heartedly and -assedly do so); Christopher Columbus the adventurer and explorer (who was not an idiot who was bad at his job but very good at raping and pillaging); most pertinently here, the glossing over of slavery.
This book reframes the metaphorical into the literal, taking the underground railroad we know (because the American education system does give Harriet Tubman her due) and transmogrifying it into the subway we know better. And in the same way, it turns so much of what we've learned or thought we did on its head. From the 19th century to the current, just like the railroad.
It's just f*cking brilliant. It's so good that I know I'm the millionth person to say so, and yet look how long-winded I still was.
Bottom line: Just as fantastic as everyone said. Maybe better.
-----------------
pre-review
it's nothing that barack obama and oprah and the pulitzer committee haven't said before, but...
this book is very good.
review to come / 4 stars
-----------------
tbr review
author so nice he won the Pulitzer twice
Not only because a one-month review time turnaround is actually very good for me, but because it feels like this book changes your way of thinking.
Or maybe not quite - maybe like it opens your eyes to different perceptions, that it reframes and reworks in a logic so obvious afterward it casts its light on everything, not just the time since you finished.
We all talk a lot about the pitfalls of American education - Abraham Lincoln being an awesome guy who was so antiracist that he dedicated his life to breaking apart the systems that held bigotry up (instead of a guy who was also racist and just kind of politically ended up having to half-heartedly and -assedly do so); Christopher Columbus the adventurer and explorer (who was not an idiot who was bad at his job but very good at raping and pillaging); most pertinently here, the glossing over of slavery.
This book reframes the metaphorical into the literal, taking the underground railroad we know (because the American education system does give Harriet Tubman her due) and transmogrifying it into the subway we know better. And in the same way, it turns so much of what we've learned or thought we did on its head. From the 19th century to the current, just like the railroad.
It's just f*cking brilliant. It's so good that I know I'm the millionth person to say so, and yet look how long-winded I still was.
Bottom line: Just as fantastic as everyone said. Maybe better.
-----------------
pre-review
it's nothing that barack obama and oprah and the pulitzer committee haven't said before, but...
this book is very good.
review to come / 4 stars
-----------------
tbr review
author so nice he won the Pulitzer twice
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Reading Progress
June 3, 2020
– Shelved
August 2, 2021
–
Started Reading
August 2, 2021
–
Finished Reading
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message 1:
by
Ahana
(new)
Aug 02, 2021 06:50AM
wow, you're a poet
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It rhymes! Respect :)
his writing is brilliant !!
Good to know if goodreads doesn’t work out for you, you could just turn your skills to Spotify
Ahana wrote: "wow, you're a poet"didn't even know it
Letterrausch wrote: "It rhymes! Respect :)"much appreciated
Sahiba wrote: "his writing is brilliant !!"it really is!!
Aisha wrote: "Good to know if goodreads doesn’t work out for you, you could just turn your skills to Spotify"this is a good backup plan
Kyla wrote: "always listen to oprah asf"too true
Mark wrote: "Nice review Emma!"thank you!
I dunno that Harriet Tubman gets her full due. She was a spy for the union and when she retired she wasn't eligible for benefits because of her race and sex. She only ended up getting a union retirement check once her husband died and she collected his. This tidbit should be included in the American education system imo.
yes! you should watch the adaptation series directed by barry jenkins. it's equally brilliant (it might even be better?)
Inês wrote: "yes! you should watch the adaptation series directed by barry jenkins. it's equally brilliant (it might even be better?)"HOW DID I NOT KNOW THAT THIS EXISTED
Amanda wrote: "I dunno that Harriet Tubman gets her full due. She was a spy for the union and when she retired she wasn't eligible for benefits because of her race and sex. She only ended up getting a union retir..."definitely one of the few americans who's at the core of our history education and deserves even more time
