Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

We Are Not Broken by George M. Johnson

6 reviews

stevia333k's review against another edition

4.5

4.5

I read this book so I could attend a bookclub. I liked "all boys aren't blue" by this author, so mood.

I'm not sure how to feel about this one. Like it describes how a family was able to support each other, but at the same time my family experience is so different (granted I'm white & my family broke up, but still. It was nice to hear about different families' histories because my knowledge of the sociology of family within a family is lacking.)  I'll probably want to reread this book as I learn more about different family structures & care networks.

The book is about black joy & family with a woman at the head of the "clan". I learned from said bookclub that the police involvement of the family had to do with the police department being a job, and it was nice to hear about a diversity of responses to that sort of thing.

Anyways the aphorisms were cool

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Bullying, Cancer, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Violence, Homophobia, Racism, Terminal illness, Cancer, Grief, and Sexual assault

dominicangirl's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Death

mandkips's review

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cancer, and Gun violence

Minor: Sexual assault

betweentheshelves's review

emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

5.0

A memoir about Johnson's childhood, and more specifically, an homage to their Nanny. Right from the beginning, you can feel how much emotion and love was poured into this book. This book has a different feel than <i>All Boys Aren't Blue</i>, but it's a feel that works for this particular story. 

I really enjoy Johnson's writing style, as they do a great job weaving these cherished memories in a way that other readers can releate to them. But Johnson also connects these to the realities of growing up Black in America, mostly the reality that Black boys have to grow up faster than most. Throughout the book, you can see how fiercely their Nanny fought to protect them, to allow them to grow up in a home where they could feel loved and cared for. 

The inclusion of the letters from Johnson's other family members also adds a nice touch to the book. Even though I don't read much nonfiction, I will continue to read what Johnson puts out because it's just so well done.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, and Gun violence

toofondofbooks_'s review

emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

In their second memoir, George M. Johnson delivers a love letter to their beloved grandmother and matriarch of the Johnson/Elder family, "Nanny." The book is also full of stories about Johnson and their cousins' lives as children told with the help of "Nannyisms." It is a beautiful tribute to their grandmother and to the experience of growing up as a black boy. At this point, having read and loved both of Johnson's books, I feel like I knew Nanny - this force of nature who would do anything to take care of and protect her own. I absolutely bawled my eyes out during the chapter where they discuss Thanksgiving without Nanny. This was overall such a beautiful memoir and I so look forward to reading more from George M. Johnson

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Incest, Cancer, Violence, Slavery, Racism, Physical abuse, Medical content, Homophobia, Gun violence, Grief, and Child abuse