Reviews

Civil Wars by June Jordan, Cindy Gitter

nettielou's review against another edition

5.0

Civil Wars is a gem of a book, filled with essays, letters, and speeches by the brilliant and prolific, yet often overlooked, revolutionary poets and writer of our time, June Jordan. Although the book was published in 1981, her writings about U.S. society, education, public/private space, police violence, racism, sexuality, and Black feminism still feel urgent and relevant. I have always appreciated Jordan's attention to youth and the rights of children in her work, and some of the essays touch on these subjects too. I learned about this particular book of hers in particular from the great Mariame Kaba, digital organizer and abolitionist (and author of We Do This 'Til We Free Us), who referred to this book in a podcast interview, urging everyone to read it.

sucdi's review

emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

3.0

noursie22's review against another edition

5.0

The Voice of the Children (1967)
White English/Black English: The Politics of Translation (1972)
American Violence and the Holy Loving Spirit (1972)
Notes Towards a Black Balancing of Love and Hatred (1974)
Declaration of an Independence I Would Just as Soon Not Have (1976)
Black History as Myth (1979)
Beyond Apocalypse Now (1980)
Civil Wars (1980)

bolden_6's review

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

4.5

comradebiblio's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

amygo's review against another edition

5.0

Prophetic and gorgeous writing.

jaclyn_youngblood's review against another edition

4.0

I loved Jordan's writing voice and found many of the essays compelling. It's also nice to see how so many of the Black female writers at the time were in conversation with each other.