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daumari's review against another edition
5.0
There are plenty of other reviews that go into detail on why this is a worthwhile read. For me, this provided the legal cases, statistics, and laws that have turned mass incarceration into another form of a second class caste. Chapters are thoroughly cited with end notes in the back. Even though this was initially published 7 years ago, not much has changed and unfortunately remains relevant, especially in the age of a president who promises to bring "law and order" specifically to "troubled inner cities".
Not much else to say other than if you don't know much about the impact of the War on Drugs or what happens to citizens after they've been labeled as felons, this is a must read.
Not much else to say other than if you don't know much about the impact of the War on Drugs or what happens to citizens after they've been labeled as felons, this is a must read.
hillmeister's review against another edition
5.0
Michelle Alexander explains how our criminal justice system keeps minorities "caught in a closed circuit of perpetual marginality" and disenfranchisement. Alexander provides a meticulous analysis and highly original framework for understanding the legal structures and policies that allow this system to not only continue, but thrive.
discokath's review
challenging
informative
sad
slow-paced
4.0
A dense but incredibly informative read. Hard to get though at points, but so is the system of social control it attempts to explain as simply as possible without omitting important court cases and complicated legal rules and proceedings.
zalbion's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
youngthespian42's review against another edition
4.0
This book was one of a series of books I read to educate myself on the concepts of anti-racism and the current state of oppression for black people in America. New Jim Crow stands wayyy out from the pack. This is not some cultural studies/ critical race theory text that makes lots of reaching claims with little evidence. This is a scholarly text. Michelle Alexander dives deep into the history of racial oppression in America and cites hundreds of sources.
If I had to give one book to summarize where we are at on race in America this is the book. It also dovetails nicely with Woke Racism where McWhorter argues ending the war on drugs is 1 of the 3 things we can do to fix our systems of oppression. I would strongly add a prison abolition addendum to that change, especially after reading Michelle Alexander's book.
This book is dense, long, and dry. To me, it represents actually educating yourself and "doing the work" instead of role-playing with books like "How to be an Anti Racist" or "White Fragility." I think activism is the real work but you can't make a case until you have the facts. As a crude little internet troll screams repeatedly "facts don't care about your feelings" We aren't changing any minds with these cultural theory books. Alexander is the real deal.
If I had to give one book to summarize where we are at on race in America this is the book. It also dovetails nicely with Woke Racism where McWhorter argues ending the war on drugs is 1 of the 3 things we can do to fix our systems of oppression. I would strongly add a prison abolition addendum to that change, especially after reading Michelle Alexander's book.
This book is dense, long, and dry. To me, it represents actually educating yourself and "doing the work" instead of role-playing with books like "How to be an Anti Racist" or "White Fragility." I think activism is the real work but you can't make a case until you have the facts. As a crude little internet troll screams repeatedly "facts don't care about your feelings" We aren't changing any minds with these cultural theory books. Alexander is the real deal.
jamesarosen's review against another edition
5.0
I just read this for the first time — ten years after it was initially published. It’s amazing to see what a powerful impact Alexander’s work has had on the framing of public discussion over the last few years. This book gives me a new and better appreciation for many of the things I’ve been hearing elsewhere.
zachnachazel's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very enlightened read, but was incredibly repetitive. As content, I am overwhelmed by the likelihood that previous decades of political aspirations and cultural stigmatization generated an unspoken problem of racism in America. As a book, Alexander could have cut at least half of the pages, and more effectively delivered the message.