This was interesting and light. I quite enjoyed it. Goldstone is a quite good writer but her research is often inaccurate. As I'm familiar with Empress This was interesting and light. I quite enjoyed it. Goldstone is a quite good writer but her research is often inaccurate. As I'm familiar with Empress Sisi, I will say while I enjoyed the picture this author drew of her, it deeply clashes with the biographies I've read on her. The Reluctant Empress by Brigitte Hamann is the best known biography of Sisi. I don't know much about Empress Eugenie. I found a biography on her by Desmond Seward but he struggles to include history that doesn't support his sexist viewpoints. The Last Empress of France by Petie Kladstrup looks promising.
Further studies will make clear the accuracy of the research in this biography....more
This was incredibly thorough as well as interesting. This was written in a contemporary style, as in this didn't have the endless lists that seem to dThis was incredibly thorough as well as interesting. This was written in a contemporary style, as in this didn't have the endless lists that seem to dominate historical texts of this period. At the same time, this balanced a more conversational tone with impeccable research and an overall deep understanding of the time and people covered.
This was accurate to the best of my knowledge and studies. The author points out that much of the modern view of Margaret is a result of sexism on the part of the men who recorded her life and has been upheld by increasingly modern historians. Scotland isn't like England and this author really helps a casual reader of history to understand how and why this is so.
I listened to this on audio and hope more of this author's work manages to make it to audiobook....more
This is an interesting and well-researched look at a British Princess I was barely familiar with. While this does focus on Joanna, it also gives a lot This is an interesting and well-researched look at a British Princess I was barely familiar with. While this does focus on Joanna, it also gives a lot of detail about the other players during this time period. Joanna, while central to the narrative, is at times over-shadowed by plethora of information available by the men in her era....more
This is a middle grade biography of Malcolm X. While much of what is offered in this biography covers information I'm quite familiar with, this offereThis is a middle grade biography of Malcolm X. While much of what is offered in this biography covers information I'm quite familiar with, this offered a few new pieces of information as well as a fresh perspective on the facts I'm already familiar with. This is written for a younger audience so there's a bit of repetition that can be tiring for older audiences. This offers an interesting perspective on Malcolm's life and is structured in a way that I think would appeal to adults who are unfamiliar with Malcolm's life. If you've only ever seen Spike Lee's movie on Malcolm, this will be a treat for an adult. This is very accessible, well written, and engaging. I highly recommend it for kids and some adults. This is a thorough introduction to Malcolm while also being less distressing than some of the adult centered biographies. I recently reviewed a book that covered his childhood and incarceration in depth and great detail. This is much lighter and more easily accessible to lay readers of history.
This audiobook is narrated by Ibram X. Kendi. Dr. Ibram has a cultured and smooth voice. The advantage of the audiobook is the reader gets to directly hear the author's own excitement and emphasis on words. I truly enjoyed the narration on this. It added depth and I think helps this appeal to the targeted age group. This also offers a rich opportunity for immersion reading, which is a wonderful way to study history.
Thank you to Ibram X. Kendi, 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
I first read the autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley in my 9th grade Social Studies class. We could read either Booker T. Washington's biI first read the autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley in my 9th grade Social Studies class. We could read either Booker T. Washington's biography or Malcolm X's. I'm pretty sure I chose Malcolm X but it may have been assigned to me. This was before Spike Lee's movie and I knew very little about Brother Malcolm. I now know much more about him as an activist but this filled in many holes about his childhood, life before prison and his transformation in prison into the leader we recognize today. This is truly fascinating and combines letters, articles and interviews seamlessly into an interesting perspective of Malcolm's development. I think this will appeal to scholars of all levels who are interested in how Malcolm was formed into Malcolm X. I loved the juxtaposition this style of biography yielded. I hope to see more important historical figures given this kind of in depth treatment. Most especially those figures who would've been marginalized by the society they lived in. Also I can not stress how intensely thorough this early focus on Malcolm's experiences are. These are the experiences that create Malcolm X the leader and it's a treasure to explore.
This audiobook is narrated by James Fouhey. James voice is rich and his intonation helps to keep the reader interested. This was well matched between narrator and text.
Thank you to Patrick Parr, HighBridge 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 well researched and interesting. In the beginning the author lets the reader know the idea for this story was in response to increasing policThis was well researched and interesting. In the beginning the author lets the reader know the idea for this story was in response to increasing police violence towards Black men in the United States. The author uses white Americans response to and treatment of Black boxers to show how racism impacts how Black men are viewed in our society.
This really brought to mind my Black father. He was a large man, he played college football, and very dark skinned. My father was always clean, clothes ironed, smelling good and usually smiling when he left the house. I did not notice until I was an adult that was a performance so he wouldn't be harassed by police or frightened white folks. As a toddler I got into medicine in an aunt's suitcase when she visited. My white mom grew up in an all white sundown town and I was visiting with her there when it happened. My father rushed to the ER where he was held by security because of his rightful concern over the impact to his toddler. My mom thought this was hilarious but I understand what danger he was in. Just for existing as a large Black man who wasn't bothering to smile to put white folks around him at ease. Its a lot of pressure and I witnessed the toll it took on him. This narrative resonated with me on every level.
The author cleverly uses the headlines from white papers and later news programs to express how Black man are viewed as less than human beings. Most of these were painful to hear. Yet more relevant today than ever before as we roll back protections for Black Americans from white supremacy at an alarming rate. The Federal government recently removed the ban against segregation in Federal contracts. Sadly, it looks like my grandsons will be subject to much the same treatment and experience my father had. Of course, we've never really, as a nation, gotten completely away from these white supremacist views as the author brilliantly points out in this history. I was expecting this to be about Black Heavyweight champs full of names I'd recognize. This was much deeper than what I expected. While I was familiar with the more famous boxers covered, I had the opportunity to learn about Black boxers I'd never even heard of.
I'd recommend this to fellow lovers of history, boxing, and Black history in general. This was incredibly thorough and the research offered was fascinating. I highly suggest the audiobook version as this flowed well and helped some of the ugly parts feel less painful. This audiobook is wonderfully narrated by L. Malaika Cooper. Her voice was rich and firm. It truly suited the text which dealt with white supremacy and racism. This never felt preachy or dry and the narrators voice was steady but interesting.
Thank you to Jordana Moore Saggese, HighBridge 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 is a fun and interesting biography of the oldest born daughters of British Monarchs. The final chapter quickly covers the Queens Regnant.
I would'This is a fun and interesting biography of the oldest born daughters of British Monarchs. The final chapter quickly covers the Queens Regnant.
I would've rated this more highly if it didn't pretend to be feminist. Feminism isn't synonymous with 'women leadership'. This is why Nazi women aren't included in feminist history. Or the multitudes of white women who participated in the Transatlantic Slave Trade and directly profited. Chattel slavery was an early area in which white women had a lot of power and agency. Those women definitely weren't feminist and its not appropriate to label them as such.
This attempts to include that slavery was wrong but erroneously identifies serfs as 'slaves'. When that's not really accurate. Serfs weren't forcefully bred to create surplus serfs to be sold for profit. They weren't refused the right to marry or regularly had their children stolen from them. They weren't refused personhood. They were restricted by class in ways that are a violation of human rights and terrible. However, just like Japanese Concentration Camps weren't synonymous with Nazi Death Camps, both were violations of human rights and horrible but not the same. Those differences are important and matter.
She is also clearly unfamiliar with the history of chattel slavery in Europe, which started with Portugal before 1450. So many of the Black folks named in the chapter on Margaret Tudor Queen Consort of Scotland were the descendants of enslaved Black folks from Portugal or Castile.
Her treatment of Queen Regnant Anne is egregious. Queen Anne made Great Britain the slave trading capital of the world for a time via the Asiento de negros in 1713. For better or worse a vast expansion of The Transatlantic Slave Trade *is* her legacy. That's not even mentioned. Instead, we're told about her work ethic and other bullshit.
She's harder on Queen Victoria but also soft on her abysmal human rights policies. Not to mention the 'scramble for Africa' or her atrocious behaviors in India. Sigh. I don't care about her being a bad mom.
Feminism means these monarchs have to be judged using an intersectional lens. The author ignores racism that would've existed in the lifetime of the last 'daughter' covered, Princess Anne, the current Princess Royal. Who's definitely said and participated in racism. You can't focus on the leadership and remove the ugly shit they supported and consider this a Feminist history of anything or anyone.
This is just your average white washed view of the oldest daughters of British monarchs. Which is fine, but let's not pretend because the focus is on women that alone makes this a feminist history.
For more on UK Monarchs and their expansion and profits from Transatlantic Slavery:
I'm a huge fan of James Baldwin, his work, and his history. This author is white and starts off with crediting the appropriate Black historians. The aI'm a huge fan of James Baldwin, his work, and his history. This author is white and starts off with crediting the appropriate Black historians. The author is also a fan of Baldwin, and this book uses his own words to tell his lifestory in a very interesting and unique way.
There's only a few sections I take issue with. The author makes both sides equally bigoted arguments in relation to James Baldwin's experiences of homophobia in the Black Community and racism in the white community. It's an inappropriate argument for a white author to make. For many reasons. The main reason is that homophobia & transphobia are the result of European colonization. Pretty much every continent and Indigenous society Europeans colonized had histories of accepted same sex relationships and even transgender individuals accepted under certain social conditions. This is documented by the European colonizers themselves. So it's a bit disingenuous to blame Black folks for having their culture replaced with a homophobic one during the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Then using that argument to pretend that Black homophobia is similar to European racism. It's Western culture forced on James Baldwin's family that created the homophobic environment he fell victim to. Sure, they shouldn't have been homophobic trash. However, the burden for that even being an issue is laid at the same door of the Europeans who are now judging this behavior. It's frustrating. I see this in attitudes about the rampant toxic homophobia and transphobia that plagues West Africa today. Ignored is the fact that this attitude is as much a result of colonization as racism is. US toxic Christian churches are even writing and funding the rampant transphobia & homophobia in West Africa today. It's the same folks responsible for our current fascist government. West Africans weren't perfect, but transgender Orisha exist. This is part and parcel of the result of white folks' hatefulness becoming normalized in the Black Community worldwide. The Black Community has to fix it, but it's literally a white social construct, much like racism is.
Some great Black activists had complex relationships with whiteness, and many participated in aspects of antiblackness. James Baldwin supported the extremely racist and offensive William Styron novel, The Confessions of Nat Turner. He was wrong. In doing so, he supported antiblackness, and it impacted his legacy. Instead, in many ways, it felt like she was using homophobia in the Black Community as a gotcha moment for Black folks. It was inaccurate and inappropriate. Also, just as many white homosexuals had similar experiences to James Baldwin in their own all white communities. Sigh.
The narrator of this novel is Sanya Simmons. Sanya does a lovely job narrating this. Narrators are extremely important in helping nonfiction books accessible to lay readers of nonfiction. Sanya was very successful at keeping the text interesting.
The way this novel was structured is delightful, and I highly recommend this to fans of his novels and activism.
Thank you to Magdalena J. Zaborowska, 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 is narrated by Janina Edwards. Janina is one of my favorite narrators. I truly appreciate the author and publisher for choosing such a This audiobook is narrated by Janina Edwards. Janina is one of my favorite narrators. I truly appreciate the author and publisher for choosing such a skilled nsrrator for this unusual biography. I highly recommend consuming this as an audiobook if possible. It's a whole experience.
This is truly a unique biography of Octavia E. Butler. The author had access to her notes stored at the Huntington Library and she makes fantastic use of all that was left behind.
I've been a fan of OEB since I was a high school student and sobbed when I heard she had passed. Much like this author, the first novel I read by her was Dawn. I still have the old cover with a white woman on the cover representing Lilith Iyapo. Imagine my surprise upon discovering the main character was a Black woman leader. She's been my favorite author since. Her work has informed the adult I grew up to become.
This author takes all of her writings, not just related to her published work, but her childhood stories, her affirmations, her notes on places she visited and creates the fullest picture of Octavia I've ever encountered. I feel like I know so much more about Octavia. I'll never get permission to access her archive myself, but this is an excellent synopsis of what it contains.
This is structured, kind of like a children's ABC book with chapters that can be read in any order and are extremely eclectic. Still, each chapter speaks not just about her writing but also includes interviews from those that knew her, descriptions of images she drew and photographs she took, what reference books she studied, and her childhood obsessions. This is a side of Octavia Butler I have never had the chance to experience before. She was such a fascinating woman.
I've read and enjoyed every biography published on OEB, but this is by far my favorite. Octavia E Butler is my favorite author of all time. Though Toni Morrison is a close second. If you are a casual fan of the work of OEB or have been intrigued by her thought processes and how her mind worked, I can not recommend this highly enough.
I, of course, purchased this in audiobook format. This also includes interesting information about the author and how OEB's work impacted and fascinated her.
Thank you to Chi-Ming Yang, HighBridge 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 book resonated with me in many ways. It fell flat for me in others. I am younger than this author as I was born before she finished high school. This book resonated with me in many ways. It fell flat for me in others. I am younger than this author as I was born before she finished high school. Our challenges would've been different but in ways relatable. My father is Black, and my mother is white. Although I have lightskin as a child, I was clearly perceived as Black. As an adult, I'm sometimes recognized as Black but sometimes thought to be Domican, Borican, or a different POC. I'm recognized to clearly not be white, but it isn't always clear I'm Black. I've always identified as Black as I was born before identifying as mixed was even an option on forms that collect racial data.
Race is a social construct, and situations like the author's really highlight the ridiculousness of how race is used in our society. Thanks to DNA advances, we now know the average Black person in the USA has anywhere from 10-25% or more of European ancestry. Dr. Henry Louis Gates himself is only about 54% West African even though he has 2 Black parents and 4 Black grandparents. Yet Blackness is more than the percentage of West African DNA an individual possesses.
This author can pass for white and is descended from folks who have extremely lightskin. Some were even mistaken as white. The author was challenged by an unambiguously Black man at university in the mid 70's and seemingly never got over it. She and all of her ancestors since slavery benefited from their access to whiteness via their complexion. That complexion being maintained through generations means her family actively participated in colorist beliefs and practices. It's not an accident at all that she's the complexion she is. Her ancestors chose, even down to her own parents, to marry other very lightskinned Black folks.
The author dismisses the idea that her Enslaved light skin ancestress, whom she looks like, could've participated in colorism or the rampant blue vein society and paper bag tests that start immediately post emancipation Now we know that's not true through the published writings of Charles W. Chesnutt. His short story, 'The Wife of his Youth,' features ex-Enslaved folks using skin color based discrimination against darker complexion Black folks in order to maintain a light skin, 'blue vein' Black community. This author is definitely educated enough to know this and is disingenuous in pretending her enslaved ancestress didn't participate in this deeply antiblack behavior. This section of the book feels like the author is still trying to prove something to the young man who challenged her at university. Only her tone in response proved he was correct to challenge her.
The author's ancestors were so successful precisely because of their lightskin privilege. As such, they definitely discriminated against other Black folks who didn't look unambiguously Black to maintain that complexion in their descendants. Whole Black social societies exist that this was their main function. It's still somewhat rampant today.
I know this from stories within my own Black family. My father was very dark skinned. He was called blue-black and blue gums within the Black Community growing up. His second wife, my stepmother, is very lightskinned and from a historically lightskin Black family. They married in their mid 40's but he told me that had he met her when they were young enough that they could've had kids he'd have likely not been welcome to date her by her parents. Now, her family was lovely and welcoming, but that was his experience growing up. Being Black with dark skin drastically impacts one's experience in society. This is backed by multiple scientific studies. It's important that colorism be acknowledged historically as well as in modern times.
I found the author's family history extremely interesting, fascinating even. My criticism isn't meant to deny the author's identity. I'm not saying she's not Black or that she doesn't deserve to be a subject matter expert on her studies of Black history. Nothing of the sort. She's still Black. Lightskin Black folks need to allow unambiguously Black folks to lead the discussion on the difficulty of moving through society in a Black body. Gatekeeping Blackness is important, and it's okay for her to be questioned by other members of the Black Community.
The tone of this memoir reminded me of the memoir Negroland by Margo Jefferson. Both women grew up in privileged families, and both women were reluctant to own their privilege as a result. They are also of a similar age, so maybe its a generational quirk.
This book is narrated by the author Martha S. Jones. I don't always think that authors should read their own books. I find this to be especially true with nonfiction. A good narrator truly helps nonfiction books to keep the narrative moving and not get bogged down in detail. Having said that, I actually quite enjoyed this authors voice and narration. Given the subject matter, it was informative to hear for oneself which words the author stressed and to hear the emotion in her voice. This was a good choice.
Thank you to Martha S. Jones, Hachette 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 is a high-quality audiobook production with a musical soundtrack and narrated by Melinda Sewak. I love the soft ragtime/jazz feel of the soundtraThis is a high-quality audiobook production with a musical soundtrack and narrated by Melinda Sewak. I love the soft ragtime/jazz feel of the soundtrack. It's fun and I think helps to get kids excited about the story.
This is primarily a biography of engineer Yvonne Clark. Yvonne is compared to a superhero living in your own neighborhood. What I find the most interesting is that Yvonne managed all of this in the 1930s, which is the height of the Jim & Jane Crow Era. This isn't addressed in the book because the story is kept at kid appropriate levels.
The musical soundtrack plays throughout the entire story. It plays lightly in the background and works to enhance rather than detract from the story.
This story is perfect for grade school-aged children. This has the feel of a Black History Month selection. I highly recommend this educational and fun story.
Thank you to Allen R. Wells, 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 is well researched, and I found it interesting if light reading. This is written more in the textbook or traditional historian style. I did not finThis is well researched, and I found it interesting if light reading. This is written more in the textbook or traditional historian style. I did not find it boring at all....more
This is about a very specific event in Anne's life, her relationship with the French court and royal family.
This isn't really a b3. 5 Stars Rounded up
This is about a very specific event in Anne's life, her relationship with the French court and royal family.
This isn't really a biography about Anne Boylen. It's more an overview of that time period and the author's theory that Anne's downfall was increased a betrayal she suffered from the French royal Court.
I didn't agree before reading this and don't agree after reading. That said, I think the author has done her research and makes an excellent fact based case....more
This was decent and interesting. I'm more familiar with her sister Alix.This was decent and interesting. I'm more familiar with her sister Alix....more
This was interesting. I'm not well versed enough on the history 9f this period to judge the accuracy of the history offered in this text. This is a quicThis was interesting. I'm not well versed enough on the history 9f this period to judge the accuracy of the history offered in this text. This is a quick, interesting, and light historical book....more
This was easily accessible to lay readers of history. This was reasonably paced and quite interesting. The reader is expected to know the basic BritishThis was easily accessible to lay readers of history. This was reasonably paced and quite interesting. The reader is expected to know the basic British monarchy or they might be a bit lost in this text....more
I quite liked this. It was thoroughly researched, very readable/accessible for lay readers of history. I felt that Baker took a somewhat royalist view I quite liked this. It was thoroughly researched, very readable/accessible for lay readers of history. I felt that Baker took a somewhat royalist view of Eleanor & Simon de Montfort. I think that bias, not really bias, more attitude impacted how he views her. There's a time after which, after more than a decade of thoughtless treatment by Henry III, Eleanor de Montfort can hold up a Treaty with King Louis in exchange for her tardy dowry payments. The author implies this was wrong of Eleanor de Montfort, but I don't agree. It's not Eleanor de Montfort's fault that Henry was perpetually broke. Henry found lands & money for their de Lusignan siblings, Eleanor de Montfort was within her rights to demand the same. She'd already tried asking nicely repeatedly. Her efforts were valid. It's weird because Baker seems to recognize that historical sexism has colored the public memory of Eleanor of Provence. So it was somewhat frustrating that he was unable to see Eleanor de Montfort's viewpoint given her biography made up half of this book. Perhaps this is just a view of biographers choosing a side, like modern biographers of Catherine of Aragon or Anne Boleyn who weirdly feel like they need, in modern times, to take a side in the women's dispute. It's weird because the dispute was between Henry VIII & Catherine of Aragon and later between Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn. There was no formal conflict between Catherine of Aragon & Anne Boleyn, I digress.
I removed a star because of awkward phrasing surrounding antisemitism in Henry III & Eleanor of Provence's Court.
There's an incident at the very end of chapter 6 in which a child's body is found dead in a well. The child's mother claims that Jewish folks ritually sacrificed her Christian child. This is a very common antisemitic claim during this time period. There's been no evidence in historical studies that there ever existed a group of Jewish folks that ritually sacrificed christian's nor their kids. This is just how antisemitism operated in society at that time. No doubt the boy was murdered and given what we know in modern times and understand about crime, it was possibly someone in his own family, almost certainly someone in his own community. Violence like this tends to fall along intra-community lines. Often ostracized and deeply oppressed communities are blamed due to bias in the dominant community in situations like this. It still happens today, which is why immigration is such a hot-button political issue. Statistically, very little crime is committed by immigrants, but that's not how society chooses to look at these relationships. Instead, the author chooses to act like, from this great distance, we can't possibly know what occurred. This is true but leaves the impression that Jewish folks might have ritually murdered christian children. I'm sure the author isn't himself antisemitic and I'm sure he meant no offense. Still, words matter, and it's incumbent on current historians to speak respectfully and carefully in regards to historically oppressed communities. Most of those communities are today still battling the long term impact of these oppressive policies. For me, that includes giving historical context to biased claims. With just a few simple sentences he could clear up that this practice wasn't a real concern which acts to bolster the modern communities claims of the same. Small changes can have large and far reaching impact....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