Reviews with content warning for Sexism - Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America

Just when I thought America couldn't surprise me, I pick up this book and realize how wrong I am.

I loved the way Oluo began from the very inception of America and moved chronology (for the most part) into 2021.

Her stories were easy to follow; from white cowboys to politicians through the ages. She picks specific people who would be the best examples of white mediocrity and tells their stories - bringing to light different racists that I honestly didn't know about it. She's also very careful to cite all her sources - nothing but facts here.

I also appreciated her inclusionary language - This isn't just a book for Black readers, she mentions ways that Indigenous people, all BIPOC, women, and LGBTQIA people have been hurt by white mediocracy.

I also loved her writing style not being totally detached from the quotes she was forced to share from racist white men. Her comments and insight made this heavy book a little lighter to read.

100% recommend.

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thenovelmaura's review against another edition

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challenging informative medium-paced

4.5

I've been wanting to read this book since it came out, so I'm glad 2022 was the year I finally checked out the audiobook from the library. I don't always love when authors read their own books, but I thought Oluo did a great job here. I also appreciate all the emotional labor that went into this one, as she acknowledged at the end that these were difficult topics to write about and research.

This one was formatted in such an engaging way, with each chapter showing how a specific theme or issue that we see today had its roots in early American history. Even the events or policies I had already heard about were given additional color and detail, and there were plenty of historical figures that were new to me, like Shirley Chisholm.

Admittedly, this often made me really angry on my walks to work, so it's both a frustrating and a worthwhile read! As a burgeoning nonfiction reader, I recommend adding this one to your list.

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livlamentloathe's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

I did not stop talking about this book for the time it took me to listen to the audio. I loved it. I was taught by majority-white school systems that didn't go into detail about much black history. And if it wasn't "relevant," rarely spoke on the racism of important historical figures. So I learned a lot from Mediocre. I appreciated Oluo's writing and tone (in the audiobook). She's an incredible writer. I appreciated her honesty and fear and her empathy despite it all. Sometimes I struggle to see things fully without changing my POV. It's important to read books like this in order to better see the magnitude of what we're facing. I hope we CAN do better.

I think this book is SO BRILLIANT. I loved the diversity of topics and how Oluo connected past to present. How she'd start with a relatable recent event and go back into the past then slowly bring it forward again. I especially enjoyed chapters which I didn't have much knowledge of: I didn't know much about Buffalo Bill or football before this book, being a fan of neither Westerns or... football. Those chapters were just informational frenzies for me and I parroted them daily to my boyfriend as I read.

In reading and recommending this book, I encountered a lot of defensiveness from others, which was frustrating. It's easy to be defensive. It's a natural instinct. But as Oluo said repeatedly, why do we get defensive? It's important to investigate these feelings and consider fully opening our minds; listening without our guard up. Oluo is a phenomenal writer. Please read this. Please recommend this. Please talk about this with your white friends and loved ones.

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