Enraged By Sugar Coated History Book & My Hidden Review

I am not sure how many of you guys use GoodReads but if you like to read, I highly suggest it. I also highly suggest adding me 🙂

One of the things you are able to do is write book reviews (it is a lot more interesting of a site than it sounds; check it out you won’t be sorry 😀 ) and not long ago, I wrote my most recent review regarding a book called Slave Labor in the Capitol. Thankfully this POS was on Kindle Unlimited because I was expecting knowledge, raw knowledge like I have come accustom to in other pieces of literature on this topic (in fact, I will suggest two of my favorites after the review; please feel free to leave related book suggestions in the comments!)

The reason I have decided to make my “come back” with a book review is because of all the books I’ve reviewed, I’ve never had one be made ‘private’- I didn’t even know this to be possible. But, this review was private “somehow” and so to ensure it doesn’t get, “lost”, so to speak, I thought I’d repost it here.

Please be warned I may call this a book review, but upon adding it to this page and looking over it, I realize it is more of a book rant; still, I figure people will get the idea of what this book really is.

Slave Labor in the Capital: Building Washington’s Iconic Federal Landmarks (Kindle Edition)

I began reading this book with hope of enlightenment on the truth of what happened during this horrific time. The author seemed to be fair enough by opening his book with quotes from eye witnesses, but the deeper in you venture it becomes clear as crystal what his true goal was. I have suggested two highly respectable books on the history of Black men who were both forced and the few hired on Twitter (account @lady_makaveli71) but this book I wouldn’t recommend to anyone who can’t tell truth from fiction. Much to my disappointment, however, I quickly saw this book was written to tell a sugar coated version of what slaves and hired Black men had to endure, he goes out of his way to go defy what every other source I’ve read or seen states by trying to convince the reader Blacks may have been treated differently than whites….but not THAT bad. It’s written so white people can look back and say ‘it was bad but we were not THAT bad!’ It’s almost a spit in the face, with the above being noted, because the truth is of course right in front of the authors face. Instead of telling it as it is, 100%, he drizzles or saturates key things with sugar to an extent that makes them vanish, as if they were never there in the first place… Probably because he never did write the full truths. He was too busy comparing how decent living conditions were…….. This book left me sick at my stomach. Only white people who can’t bare reality and true history would read and applaud this book.

Another opportunity to be careful of the sources u read from. The former book I quoted from was written to make whites not “feel so guilty” – the two books below are excellent books&resources to start if interested in #BlackHistory pic.twitter.com/6kArjqSLe8

— Miss Kamaat Makaveli (@Lady_Makaveli71) August 16, 2021

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Book Review: Between the World & Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of those rare books that grab you by the core of your soul, refusing to let go. So I will start our with…

Wow. Simply wow.

This book was so powerful I had to put it down at times, to let this reality sink in. This book is eloquently written in the fashion of a letter; preparing him for life as a Black man in the country his ancestors built, the slavery and racism still felt today, the history and culture denied, along with justice in the legal system. What is it like to live your life in fear?

I challenge everyone to read this book; but above all I call on anyone who is not Black to read and let the reality so foreign come over you. Walk in his shoes through his childhood and his lessons, his fears, his love and pains. But this book doesn’t stop with racism against Blacks by non-Blacks, but being also part memoir, he delves into his childhood. Gangs, fear, thick fear, trying to act fearless; looking back and seeing who was the most afraid of all. He takes us to Howard University, where he for the first time gets to experience what he calls, “Black Mecca” for all the different nationalities and cultures among the beautiful Black men and women he saw around him. Police brutality hits him personally, and the tone is felt through out all of the book. Fatherless and/or broken homes, drug dealers and those lurking with guns -be it the local gangs or the police- the death and trauma he had experienced he doesn’t want for his son. That much is clear and no good father would; so he speaks of all different memories, and the moments behind each where, despite the good and joy, the weight of “his body” was ever present.

By that same note, however, he also doesn’t want to give his son false hope or false comfort. So, like his grandparents did to him, during more recent and actually televised police brutalities and murders, he describes what it feels like to be a father that cannot make the world safe for his son, and his son, indeed will grow up in, and already lives in, a dangerous world where he has to consider things, at times life or death choices, simple choices; choices he is only being tested on due to the color of his skin… These burdens fall down upon the Black youth as well as Mr. Coates son, and though cynical with the world he wants so painfully badly to believe things will be okay; so painfully it made me cry.

At times his pain, the pain he felt for his child, the realities they both face -along with my loved ones and friends, along with countless people alive right now I don’t know and never will, they all have the same fear… And it’s not one that spreads itself equally among the people. This is a fear that has locked on, for damn well good reasons, to so many.

This heartbreaking reality of being at a ‘privilege’ was never something I didn’t both see and hate growing up; but hearing a man speak out on how it is to live the side my friends and others live, cuts me deep and the guilt I feel for having pigmentation I don’t even want is very painful. But what would be worse would be to turn away; to pretend it isn’t there. To not fight it but abuse it.

I do not believe a white person who has compassion and wants to understand can ever again deny the fact of double standards- I saw these growing up and hated it then as I do now. It hurts realizing because you have light skin you’re likely not to be shot, beat, harassed, have the cops called on you for your dog playfully runs up to a white woman (that was in the news today)- Blacks and whites have different social worries; I’m not sure what whites have to fear nor why they are in denial of white privilege; especially after reading this book. 

HIGHLY recommended!

All I can say is beyond mind blowing. Everyone needs to be required to read this.. I will write a better review later, I must go now, but please, GO GET THIS BOOK!

View all my reviews

Random page with random knowledge on it. He

 

!Black Suicide-Book Review!

This book is full of information and stories from the suicides survivors; families, friends, etc. It is FREE TO READ on Amazon Unlimited, but this is one I had to go ahead and buy. Too much knowledge packed in.
Highly Suggested!
Black Suicide: The Tragic Reality of America’s Deadliest Secret by Alton R. Kirk

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There are a few books that I believe need to be mandatory reading for anyone who is simply concerned for humanity, for the children, for mental health awareness. This book also will benefit anyone who is engaged in helping bring awareness to mental illness, for those who want and actively work to end the stigma towards mental illness and breaking the stigma there is towards it; especially within the Black community.

One thing Mr. Kirk speaks on is the different needs between the Black and white communities. This is no empty statement; he goes on to explain why this indication is true and afterwards, as sad as it is to me, he is right. I wish we lived in a world where color doesn’t matter in any community, but of course white people can’t understand the struggles, fears and worries Black people go through on a day to day basis; how, then, could the majority of white psychologists help other than show compassion and sorrow?

He goes out of his way to make a point that this is no mere book; and he proves that point with a break from the facts and information on what’s going on, and gives the floor to survivors of those who have taken their own lives. These people are brave, some of their family still so stuck in the stigmatism associated with mental health they don’t want others to know. Still, these people spoke out and it is there stories that turn this already tragic book into a reality; a reality that makes you want to take action, expose lies and help everyone realize there is nothing shaming, demeaning or anything else that would make a person less than a man due to struggling with mental health problems. It has nothing to do with manhood, strength or anything like that.

I also must add really quickly… I am so grateful he mentions that there is more than one type of suicide, and that is so very important to me for personal reasons. The different types of suicide he speaks out on include more than just the “conventional” (for lack of better phrasing) but also recklessness, dangerous behavior some people develop knowing they want to die. Putting oneself on the front line, so to speak, waiting for someone else to take their life. Instead of this we should be reaching out for one another, not taking another life.

It has to do with saving lives; and I hope if you are reading this review, no matter who you are, you will read this book and feel the same fire to help in any way possible to expose, remind and help make changes so the suicide rates will drop.

This is a necessary read for anyone concerned with the betterment and empowerment of humanity.

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The Politics of Hate- Documentary Review

And for now, my review on a very crucial documentary, in my opinion…

The Politics of Hate – A documentary review… 

First I must say, the only reason anyone could hate on this documentary is if they are against proven facts, love and compassion. The documentary is very needed all over the world, as we see, but especially in America, where much of their hatefilled lies are first created and then accepted by those afraid to ask questions as well as those who simply, and sadly, don’t care.

This documentary should have been advertised and promoted across the world and shown in a “prime time” manner although it still can be…

Schools need to show this to students; there is not a place in which the people who see it will come away worse off…except in places where the viewers don’t want to hear truth spoken. Those who are active with hate as well as those who support those who do wrong will definitely not like this documentary.

With the exposure of truth regarding hate groups from history up til the present, it is definitely a reality check and an answer to the question of what America is being turned back into. We must not repeat history and this serves as a wonderful but horrifying and tragic visual reminder for those who need it or for those who want to understand more of what is going on in the White House as well as on the streets. Highly recommended!