RC’s Comments (group member since Jan 04, 2017)

RC’s comments from the 2022 ONTD Reading Challenge group.

I planned to read "once I was happy" but I could not for the life of me get into it. I don't think I will try any longer. I'm going to move on to the June challenge and see if I can pick another May book.

I am between Often I Am Happy (thanks, Kim!) and The Three Musketeers for this month. The page length of the latter is putting me off, and I am in the mood for a little heartbreak, so maybe I'll go with the former.

Eve, I don't know what I was thinking when I said I wouldn't love it! Catch me if you can is a wild ride!!! After the initial set up the story becomes more and more thrilling. Some of it seems so outrageous to be true, but I fact checked some of it and he aint lyin. I think you'll enjoy reading it in the summer for "no fam, it was I". Thanks again for recommending. Looks like I'll be able to squeeze in another book this month so I'm planning to read the "Handmaid's Tale" in anticipation of the series. My first foray into Atwood didn't really pan out so here's hoping this one delivers.

Eve wrote: "Rochelle, I haven't read the book either! The movie is great though, it's pretty light for the most part. If the book has a similar tone, I'm sure it'll be what you're looking for :) Enjoy!"

I started it yesterday and so far I'm liking it. I don't think I'm going to *love* it but I can easily see it translating well to film. At this point I just I wanna finish it quickly so I can watch the movie :)

sraxe wrote: "Rochelle wrote: "I ended up reading for this month "their eyes were watching God" (Oprah's recckmenation). I just finished the book and find myself filled with many thoughts, I don't know where to ..."

Oh!! I totally forgot about the movie. I'll do the same. I just don't know how to express my feelings about the book. There are so many dimensions to it. I don't know whether to think about the love part, race part, gender part, etc. I'm glad you liked it, too.

Thanks for recommending "catch me if you can", Eve. I've surprisingly never seen the film and I want to switch gears into something lighter for this month. I actually don't know if this is light but it seems fun(?). I'm also interested in reading Pygmalion because I only remember some of it from my youth and I think it deserves a proper read so if there is time (and there probably won't be) I'd like to read this one, too. Also, one of my residents was reading Schindler's List for class and now I want to read it but like I said I'm in the mood for *light* so that'll have to wait :)

I ended up reading for this month "their eyes were watching God" (Oprah's recckmenation). I just finished the book and find myself filled with many thoughts, I don't know where to begin!!

I'm going to read the "blind assassin" because "their eyes were watching God" wasn't available at my local library...

Lea, I am finally able to spend some time properly sharing my thoughts with you!!

Thank you for letting me know about the oversight regarding the Brazilian context. I think it goes without saying that many scholarship excludes the Caribbean, Latin America, and South America. These regions remain understudied despite their incredibly rich and relevant histories. Of course, I am biased being I am from the Caribbean, but the point stills stands.

I have to say that I was overall very impressed by this book, especially given it is a very lofty undertaking. In my point of view, the strength of the book lies in Fredrickson highlighting the different ways leaders sought support for their racist ideas; from biology to religion to culture, the reasons were numerous. I was most taken by his discussion of religion and how it has been used in order to advance racist agendas. That religious leaders were called upon to search the Bible for religious justification of antisemitism and Black inferiority was striking. Of course, this was not necessarily new to me, but some of the finer points, like “the curse of Ham”, were not something I knew a great deal about. It’s funny because if anyone has a even a basic understanding of the Bible, the story of Ham, or simply how the bloodlines evolved, they would see that this example was not a good one. But, as we know, racism is senseless and illogical, so every argument made in support of it will undoubtedly be a weak one.

I was also taken by his discussion of cultural essentialism and how this serves function similar to biological racism. The epilogue did a great job showing the muddiness in definitions of racism. Is it racism, religious intolerance, xenophobia, racialism, etc.? He does a good job unpacking each of these concepts, how they differ from one another, and offers, I think successfully, a working definition of racism. The idea that the racism needs to contain two components: 1) a view that the races are inherently and unchangeably different, and 2) that this difference gives license to exclude/ render one group inferior is really a strong woking definition for me. I’m eager to see what you think. And again, when thinking about religion, I really think he made a good distinction when he talked about conversion, and if conversion is a legitimate option, then this is not a pure form of racism.

I actually wished he spent more time talking about color-coded racism, especially in the South African context, but even in his sections on the Jim Crow South, even though this latter context was decently explained. I feel the sections on antisemitism were very well-developed, but this other form of racism was not given as throughout of a treatment. Relatedly, he tried really hard not to make one form of racism seem greater (or worse) than the other, but I feel that there could be a case made for color-coded racism being much more destructive, especially given it functions across and within minority communities (i.e. colorism, and pigmentocracy). Does this make sense? I did find some of his discussion on Nazi Germany a little weak, especially in his articulation of the Jewish people as economic scapegoats for Hitler. I feel others have done a better job presenting this argument and his felt a little rushed, but sufficient given this pace of the book.

I will need to read this book again to get an even better understanding of some of his points. Maybe some of my above comments reflect a still limited understanding of his work. Nevertheless, I feel this book is an important one and will serve as a good reference for me, especially in conversations with those who do not understand that power is an essential component of racism, and that racism is not and cannot be something as simple as one race treating another another poorly.

Have you finished yet?

Lea!!! I haven't forgotten you!! Last week was so hectic and I want to write a very thoughtful response to you. Hopefully I can find some time later today...

I'm torn between "their eyes were watching God" (Oprah rec) or "The blind assassin (Alan Cumming rec)... I'm leaning to the former but I've never read Atwood...
I expected to be very excited by this month, but perhaps I'm feeling a bit dubious about celebrity opinion.

Lea! I finished this today. How did it go for you?? Thoughts?

I'm in chapter one, and while I like it so far, his writing style kills me. I just want commas to separate these thoughts!! I have a feeling I'll be better able to articulate what racism is after reading so I'm gonna push through.

Rachel wrote: "Rochelle wrote: "Anyone else reading "Racism: A Short History" by Fredrickson? I can't get a copy of Freedom is a Constant Struggle :(, but I am still hopefully I will get "White Trash: The 400-Yea..."

Oooh excellent suggestions, Rachel! I'll check out both places. If I can find a good price, then I may buy it. Thank you :)

Lea wrote: "I'm reading it, Rochelle! This month I also wanna read Café Europa and Born in Blood and Fire - gonna be pretty busy"

Oh! Awesome!!! We should start a discussion thread for it then :)
You are going to be busy! There is so much to learn

Anyone else reading "Racism: A Short History" by Fredrickson? I can't get a copy of Freedom is a Constant Struggle :(, but I am still hopefully I will get "White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America" before the month is up. I want to squeeze that one in as well.

lanie wrote: "I tried reading Between the World and Me early last year and I had a hard time. I was enjoying the topic, but I'm not sure Coates's writing style agrees with me. Is it one of those books where you ..."

I had a somewhat similar experience, Lanie. Although Coates made really strongly points early on, towards the middle I felt that his treatment of the Black American experience was too general and prescriptive when it was based on his experience in the DMV. Some parts really resonated with me, such as when he contrasts the troubles facing white boys (a pimple, getting rejected by popular girl) and the troubles facing black boys (trying to keep their bodies safe), but others fell flat, such as when he talks about everyone knowing the leader in the hood (paraphrasing here). Anyway, I picked it up again in anticipation of this challenge, but will likely finish it sometime this month and chose another book. Someone recommended "White Trash..." and it piqued my interest.

I chose wonder for my January book because this had a long waitlist and I really wanted to watch the movie. that being said, is the book still worth a read if one has seen the film?

I just finished this. I'm very interested in seeing it in film.

I just started reading this this morning. Since both of you mentioned that it's an easy read I also got station eleven. I like wonder so far. Julien is pissing me off and August is funny. Hopefully I don't start weeping.