Reviews tagging 'Violence'

All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks

10 reviews

fuzzygazelle's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

A really insightful look to the place of love in society, and a really hopeful look at incorporating love into one's daily life. The framing of love as a conscious action one takes, a choice, is really interesting and forced me to consider my own actions, and take accountability for some of my own emotions on the topic. The range of considering love at the societal and individual level makes hooks' analysis very comprehensive. I also find reading about hooks' life very interesting, and while I don't align with all her spiritual beliefs, I still thought I got something out of reading her perspective on spirituality to incorporate into my own practice. At some points I felt as though some of the words put too much emphasis on generalising some groups of people (though not all the time, sometimes it did work more as a genuine critique of behaviours) and I do feel as though hooks at some points uses too broad of brush strokes to make her points that it comes across as overly naive or optimistic, even if you do accept that the book is intending to be hopeful. Even still, I do think the optimism is welcome in a world where as hooks discusses, we tend to default to cynicism and scepticism on the topic of love if we have been hurt by it before. Definitely recommend if you're looking to see a refreshing perspective on love, and how we can incorporate an approach to living guided by it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse

jeimy's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

I thought I would like this book a lot more than I actually did, sadly! I really enjoyed learning about love as a theory, and I respect the arduous task of taking on such a colossal topic.

I was disappointed by her pervasive use of gendered language and her focus on heterosexual relationships. Even though she wrote the book 24 years ago, I think I expected her to be a bit more progressive than this. 

I also was taken aback by the religious/church references. I understood them since I do have a christian background, but I wondered if they were the most effective arguments.

Finishing the last chapter about angels was a drag.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse and Violence

lessa_riel's review against another edition

Writer needs a hood therapist instead of writing this book. Patronising and dated in its views it just made me angry that people thought this was concise and good!
Also, personally I had dealt with anise disclosures at work recently and seh talks too much about her personal abuse instead of making this an academic text.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Violence

Moderate: Physical abuse and Toxic relationship

Minor: Sexism

lindseyhall44's review against another edition

An absolute must read. 
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““We all long for loving community. It enhances life’s joy. But many of us seek community solely to escape the fear of being alone. Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with others without using them as means of escape.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Child abuse, Violence, Sexism, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Death

moo_p's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Violence, Sexism, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

ruthhelizabeth's review

challenging informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Violence, Police brutality, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Grief, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse

isaa's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

Estoy de acuerdo con muchas de las criticas que he leído al respecto de este libro. La perspectiva super hetero, el enfoque espiritual desde un punto cristiano, y la falta de fuentes para sus conclusiones son cansados después de un rato. Para el punto en el que llegue al capitulo sobre espiritualidad ya no me dieron muchas ganas de continuar leyendo, como quiera continue y qué bueno que lo hice pero definitivamente me tomo esfuerzo. Sobre la falta de fuentes y datos, entiendo la critica pero también simpatizo con razonamiento de porque escribir así -que sea accessible para cualquier audiencia -, especialmente porque previo a empezar el libro yo tenia la preocupación de que iba a ser muy complicado de entender. A final de cuentas creo que él no acordar con bell hooks en todo fue un buen ejercicio de reflexión.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Violence

vixenreader's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

The themes are familiar (especially when compared to the years 2000 and 2023), but its perspective on finding love in a society that continues to promote lovelessness is still relevant.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Death, and Sexism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Addiction, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Drug use, Fatphobia, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Homophobia, and Racism

Minor: Mental illness, Violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

Discussions of isolation, homelessness, the negative affects of the mass media, and hopelessness are featured.

unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

Transformative.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Racism

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

cuartolimon's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Violence