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lottie1803's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
moody_gobling's review against another edition
Honestly I can’t handle the fact that this is all about Trump. It puts me in a dark place again for this 2024 election cycle and even though I agree to my core with the important feelings and thoughts this book has, I can’t handle an artsy fartsy poetry slam style interpretation of some of the shittiest times in our recent history. DNF for my mental health
atran122's review against another edition
3.5
There's something about reading this, eight years later, on the cusp of another election with Donald Trump as one of the possibly candidates. Maybe this is why this book did not quite resonate with me as I'd hoped. While not bad by any means, much of the writing simply did not click with me.
susanbrooks's review against another edition
3.0
A time capsule. Responses to the 2016 US election written in letter form. I started reading after Biden’s win and thought wow, sure glad I’m reading this knowing the outcome of the 2020 election. Then the insurrection of Jan. 6 happened as I was finishing up, putting the chills back down my spine.
mikkelsonch's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so uplifting. It was truth and inspiration. It was many essays written in direct response to Trump's election because "no soloist can fully capture the music of our times; we also need symphonies." It was written by a diverse collection of authors because "it is precisely this dazzling range that gives our voices power."
Carolina De Robertis
Carolina De Robertis
kmatthe2's review against another edition
5.0
So needed right now as American politics appear to be one unextinguishable dumpster fire.
scarletohhara's review against another edition
4.0
To be quite honest, when I read the introduction and understood the seed for this book - That fateful election day in November 2016 when everyone sane lamented the brief death of sanity and reason in this world - I judged it a bit. Yes, we live in trying times, but it surely is not apocalyptic. It is very entertaining, in fact, and very sad, to see some basic rights being questioned, but it is not the end of the world.
Then I asked myself if I was being honest really. No, I was not. How could I forget the sinking feeling in my heart as I saw the election results on Nov 8, as I was in the flight? How did I forget the conversations I had with my seat-mate, an Afghani-American? What possessed me to forget the collective sad vibe in the flight that day, as we all looked at each other in disbelief as we locked eyes with strangers for the next 7-8 hours!
No, it wasn't the sadness that Trump was elected. Neither was it the question of how he won, enough analysis has been done on this and I can even understand why people voted for him. It was the shock that someone who stood for divisiveness and stupidity was supported and not condemned. It was a brutal fact that stared in the eyes of the world that there were people who thought he was right and commended him. Those racist feelings which always existed but were supposed to be shameful were expressed out loud and met with Ayes. This was what was worthy of a lament.
And that is what this book is about. A bunch of smart people writing letters to people in their past, present and future, giving anecdotes from their personal family histories about The Resistance they all had to stand up for, during various phases in the last century. With heavy references to humanity and America's dark past, this book is a good reminder of the struggle civil rights had to go through to reach where we are today.
I believe that history is important to be taught to the next generation because how else are we supposed to progress as a population if we forget where we come from. This book has plenty to support this feeling.
Pick up this book if you believe in accepting reality and want to work towards a better future. Make your innocent teens and racist family members read this book because every once in a while, it is important to know the struggle humans have had because of their race, religion, color, Creed, caste, language and looks.
However, talking about such things with people who already agree with us on principle is not something The Resistance should focus on, in this climate. Let this book give you fodder to reason with those that believe that the extreme-right-slogans we see today are right. Coz, I also believe that the intellectual war can be won only when we can reason with the enemy and show why hate is wrong. So, think about reaching into the other side and trying to understand why they think what they think. Think of innovative arguments to show them a mirror about victimhood and entitlement. More than anything, let's all not judge and let's be open to listening to the arguments and debate with facts, not feelings.
Then I asked myself if I was being honest really. No, I was not. How could I forget the sinking feeling in my heart as I saw the election results on Nov 8, as I was in the flight? How did I forget the conversations I had with my seat-mate, an Afghani-American? What possessed me to forget the collective sad vibe in the flight that day, as we all looked at each other in disbelief as we locked eyes with strangers for the next 7-8 hours!
No, it wasn't the sadness that Trump was elected. Neither was it the question of how he won, enough analysis has been done on this and I can even understand why people voted for him. It was the shock that someone who stood for divisiveness and stupidity was supported and not condemned. It was a brutal fact that stared in the eyes of the world that there were people who thought he was right and commended him. Those racist feelings which always existed but were supposed to be shameful were expressed out loud and met with Ayes. This was what was worthy of a lament.
And that is what this book is about. A bunch of smart people writing letters to people in their past, present and future, giving anecdotes from their personal family histories about The Resistance they all had to stand up for, during various phases in the last century. With heavy references to humanity and America's dark past, this book is a good reminder of the struggle civil rights had to go through to reach where we are today.
I believe that history is important to be taught to the next generation because how else are we supposed to progress as a population if we forget where we come from. This book has plenty to support this feeling.
Pick up this book if you believe in accepting reality and want to work towards a better future. Make your innocent teens and racist family members read this book because every once in a while, it is important to know the struggle humans have had because of their race, religion, color, Creed, caste, language and looks.
However, talking about such things with people who already agree with us on principle is not something The Resistance should focus on, in this climate. Let this book give you fodder to reason with those that believe that the extreme-right-slogans we see today are right. Coz, I also believe that the intellectual war can be won only when we can reason with the enemy and show why hate is wrong. So, think about reaching into the other side and trying to understand why they think what they think. Think of innovative arguments to show them a mirror about victimhood and entitlement. More than anything, let's all not judge and let's be open to listening to the arguments and debate with facts, not feelings.
amd2bear's review against another edition
5.0
This book is beautiful! Compiled in an intentional, moving way, Carolina De Robertis takes readers on a journey to hopefulness that was needed 4 years ago and again now as we face our Nation’s current Presidential Election. Celeste Ng’s letter was one that moved me in particular. She writes “resist the urge to grow a shell. Don’t let fear convince you that hardness is good.” As I count down the days until the next election, I am trying to stay open, with radical hope as my guide.