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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book appealed to me at this particular moment for several reasons (the most superficial of which is that I'm missing the East Coast). I recently attended a panel at the Western Montana LGBTQ center, which focused on an oral history project that's been going on with some funding from UM professors in the WGSS program. There has been an exodus of queer folks from Montana, and this oral history project has been trying to capture and archive their stories before they leave. I wasn't too familiar with methodology beyond its basic premise, so after the panel, this book went to the top of my TBR as a fun way to learn about oral history. The other major reason is that one of my goals this year is to read more theory, and this book also seemed like a fun way to do that!
I love it when fiction books push me to think about things differently, and this book definitely did that. Each chapter is an interview with a different person who is somehow a part of the New York commune in one way or another. I didn't think of myself as someone who is attached to "the way things are," but there were certain aspects of the new society in this book that I had weird reactions to! For example, I've read a decent amount about abolition of the nuclear family, communal parenting, etc., but then when I was reading about experiences in the book, I could feel myself having an "oh wow this is making me uncomfortable because it's so different from my idea of reality" moment.
This book is incredibly imaginative and hopeful, and I could see myself using chapters of it in a class eventually – no idea what class, but that's a problem for future me!
I love it when fiction books push me to think about things differently, and this book definitely did that. Each chapter is an interview with a different person who is somehow a part of the New York commune in one way or another. I didn't think of myself as someone who is attached to "the way things are," but there were certain aspects of the new society in this book that I had weird reactions to! For example, I've read a decent amount about abolition of the nuclear family, communal parenting, etc., but then when I was reading about experiences in the book, I could feel myself having an "oh wow this is making me uncomfortable because it's so different from my idea of reality" moment.
This book is incredibly imaginative and hopeful, and I could see myself using chapters of it in a class eventually – no idea what class, but that's a problem for future me!
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
ive been thinking about this book ever since i finished it. in political theory and revolutionary talk, there’s often a lack of focus on what comes next—it’s mainly centered on history and the here-and-now. this book offered something to point to, an example of what’s possible, what a future can look like and the road it took to get there. these kinds of stories are so important! reminds me that hope/optimism is absolutely necessary in collective action and that the future we’re fighting for should be front-and-center (worldbuilding as revolutionary!). it’s so easy to fall into despair over the now, but when you keep your vision clear and see that fruitful, love-centered future on the horizon, you’ll fight as hell to get there.
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No