Heavy reading for a revolutionary manifesto and unlikely to be remembered when 2020 rolls around.
The liberal firebrand belabors corrupt government policies, fingers corporate bad behavers, and lays out his legislative agenda in this young readers’ edition of Our Revolution (2016).
The author twice mentions that he drew more young voters in the 2016 elections than either of his rivals, but if he expects this mix of talking points, statistics, and campaign rhetoric to fire up readers of pre–voting age he needs another think. After an opening dedication to those young people, he then goes on at tedious length to deliver belligerent indictments of big corporations (“When it comes to dodging taxes, GE brings good things to life”); banks (“their business model is based on fraud”); the pharmaceutical industry (“It has effectively purchased the Congress”); and government policies that have left health care and child care systems “dysfunctional,” immigration “broken,” and public education a “pipeline from school to jail.” Glancing references aside, minorities do not enter his discourse until a late chapter on criminal justice reform. Though he frames his proposed remedies in big-hearted and common-sensical language, they can come off sounding grandiose, such as a claim that eliminating “wasteful and unnecessary administrative costs would free up all the funds we need to provide health care to every American.” Along with occasional charts and surpassingly fustian sidebar tweets (hey, Bernie tweets too!), each chapter features useful leads to activist organizations, online information resources, and videos. Afterword not seen.
Heavy reading for a revolutionary manifesto and unlikely to be remembered when 2020 rolls around. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-13890-3
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Aug. 6, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Small but mighty necessary reading.
A miniature manifesto for radical queer acceptance that weaves together the personal and political.
Eli, a cis gay white Jewish man, uses his own identities and experiences to frame and acknowledge his perspective. In the prologue, Eli compares the global Jewish community to the global queer community, noting, “We don’t always get it right, but the importance of showing up for other Jews has been carved into the DNA of what it means to be Jewish. It is my dream that queer people develop the same ideology—what I like to call a Global Queer Conscience.” He details his own isolating experiences as a queer adolescent in an Orthodox Jewish community and reflects on how he and so many others would have benefitted from a robust and supportive queer community. The rest of the book outlines 10 principles based on the belief that an expectation of mutual care and concern across various other dimensions of identity can be integrated into queer community values. Eli’s prose is clear, straightforward, and powerful. While he makes some choices that may be divisive—for example, using the initialism LGBTQIAA+ which includes “ally”—he always makes clear those are his personal choices and that the language is ever evolving.
Small but mighty necessary reading. (resources) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09368-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future.
An adaptation for teens of the adult title A Queer History of the United States (2011).
Divided into thematic sections, the text filters LGBTQIA+ history through key figures in each era from the 1500s to the present. Alongside watershed moments like the 1969 Stonewall uprising and the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, the text brings to light less well-known people, places, and events: the 1625 free love colony of Merrymount, transgender Civil War hero Albert D.J. Cashier, and the 1951 founding of the Mattachine Society, to name a few. Throughout, the author and adapter take care to use accurate pronouns and avoid imposing contemporary terminology onto historical figures. In some cases, they quote primary sources to speculate about same-sex relationships while also reminding readers of past cultural differences in expressing strong affection between friends. Black-and-white illustrations or photos augment each chapter. Though it lacks the teen appeal and personable, conversational style of Sarah Prager’s Queer, There, and Everywhere (2017), this textbook-level survey contains a surprising amount of depth. However, the mention of transgender movements and activism—in particular, contemporary issues—runs on the slim side. Whereas chapters are devoted to over 30 ethnically diverse gay, lesbian, bisexual, or queer figures, some trans pioneers such as Christine Jorgensen and Holly Woodlawn are reduced to short sidebars.
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future. (glossary, photo credits, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 11, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-8070-5612-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Beacon Press
Review Posted Online: March 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
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