I struggled with the overt racist hate language.
588355
Compelling story, contemporary topic.  I struggled with the overt racist hate language.
1821021
I, too, find hate to be impossible to ignore. Racism is inexcusable, so why shouldn't trashing an entire religion? This really upset me because i have already read every Reacher book, but was re reading the series when the passage jumped out at me. Somehow i skimmed over it previously. Im glad i caught it this time, however, because as disappointed as i am to have to boycott Mr. Child, as a Christian...no not only that, as a human being, i must. Tolerating hate spawns hate. Sad, Mr. Child, unnecessarily hateful.
1880566
I knew you were going to ask, and so I thought carefully about what I would say. In the first chapter the language offended me. In the second chapter the violence offended me. I gave the book one more chance but now I'm sorry that I didn't just remove it at that point. I found the ending disappointing.
726850
I did not enjoy this book; could not finish it. I found it very negative and with an underlying racism that got to me. I kept thinking, well why don't you leave then?
1482881
First of all, I want to commend the author for his bravery in writing this book.

Although there was some social rhetoric, political views and even religious views I did not agree with, the text offered no easy way out, and after awhile I really began to listen.

Honesty sucks. Sometimes it hurts and makes anyone whos listening upset and being under a microscope for how we live, vote and treat other people rattles us.

I did not agree with everything the two characters had to say. Call me somewhere right in the middle of the two sides. What I do agree with... is having an important conversation about the ills of our society without violence, without fear of backlash and proceeding into a discussion with an open mind.

My grandfather was a difficult, old-fashioned man, but he taught me one thing I never forgot, Listen to the other person's side, think about it before you react and even if you don't agree, respect people for having an opinion.

I also have many conspiracy theories. Many I keep to myself, mainly because I believe there is danger in allowing certain people to know how you feel. The Malcolm X, Dr. King section had my mind reeling in fast-forward.

Regardless of what you know or think you know, this book is worth a read to hear another side that very often is silenced and afraid to speak out. Its integral that we keep this conversation going, because those who don't know their history or blindly follow the status quo- are doomed to repeat the horrific mistakes of our ancestors.
4709698
This is a suprise. All the racist people I know would call it stupid before they get the message. I bought it on accident so you could only imagine how even I felt. I kinda live the bad life through music and this was like hearing myself
1641441
Many of the phrases disliked and despised by the author are also some of my pet peeves, but after a while he just seemed to be 'beating a dead horse' (definitely a despised phrase). By the time I finished the book, however, I was more aware of what he had *not* included. One of my pet peeves is what I term "lazy language". For example, I cringe when I hear a well-known news commentator talking about what we're 'gonna' do. But I promise not to write a book about it.
4167042
Understanding how the labeling or projection of "Other" creates suspicion and even fear of that person was instructive. Maybe we can decrease our attitudes of racism, sexism, ageism and other isms by looking carefully at this tendency. After that, given that this book was from a talk, lecture at Harvard, the format was not reader friendly and her use of long, complicated run on phrases does not lend itself to easy reading nor digestion of the material. I love words and have a rich vocabulary but she sent me to the dictionary all too often.
Ron M.
2001472
I had a really hard time getting through this book.  Maybe I should have done a little more research before I purchased it.  While the author made some valid points, he also oversimplified lots of other issues that I believe are more complex than he posits.  I also felt he totally misunderstood our nation's founders quest for equality.  They wanted equality of opportunity and not necessarily equality of outcome.  What was really difficult for me to get through was his stance that White Supremacy is the cure for all of our ills.
3388043
Not one that I would highly recommend.  I found it full of racial comments and I truly was not interested in that.  I thought this would give me a clearer understanding of why people do these things to each other rather than a sense of anger and distrust.  I had heard some comments but wanted to judge for myself.  I would need to read another book by the author to truly evaluated her opinions.
3762113
I learned what being "Nazi" was all about and how it seems to relate to the racist views of some  at this time.  What a terrifying experience.
4022621
I barely made it through the first three chapters and then stuck the book on the bookshelf.  I'm no prude but the overuse of the "f" word was very offensive and quickly lost any intended emotional ambience.  I hope I can find some poor soul to give it to.
4075126
I just wrote a whole review and then erased it somehow.  Damn.  I now know what a troll is. I could never do lindy's lob.  Kind rejections from agents and publishers will send me to bed, discouraged.  I kept wondering if lindy will soften as she ages.  It's hard enough feeling tired when I'm heavier.  I imagine how hard it must be too live with such prejudice over an unacceptable size, or a deformity.  Me, I have a like-minded tribe that I hang out with at least four times a week.  It's so wonderful belonging to a large group of people who support me.  I suppose racists and bigots and all feel the same way.
2064825
I LOVE this emblem! I had it on my old car for a long time, but decided not to keep it when I got a new car. I was honked at, stared at, and visibly judged by rude onlookers who saw this on my car. The judgement goes both ways! Let me express myself however I would like. The reactions from bigots were exhausting. Be warned.
275309
I am not very happy with the use of such offensive language.  Also, some of the subject matter was very crude!!!
774109
Please note: the following review reflects my preferences on the use of slang...especially when applied to only certain characters of particular ethnicities. Please have a grain of salt on hand.

The storyline was interesting, rambling but interesting. However, the book was extremely difficult for me to read. The over-use of slang in an attempt to capture 'ethnic street vernacular' is distracting at best and offensive at worst. I have elderly family members with less than a fourth grade education who don't speak in such a broken way. I (for the most part) enjoyed the other books in the series. This one,primarily because of the wording, had me rushing to get to the end!

I can appreciate tapping into the vernacular to set tone and build personality. In this instance, it was over-done.
2066500
I was pretty much fed-up with this exercise in self-aggrandizement by the time I hit this passage at the end of the book:

"There is a common type of conversation mockingly called 'Jewish Geography,' in which one Jewish person gives a name or a long list of names to another to see if there is any mutual acquaintance, on the implicit theory that somewhere in the matrix of interfaced Jewish relationships, the two are connected.  This little game had always aggravated me;  it seemed primitive and tribal, and vaguely to confirm certain anti-Semitic clichs."

If you, too, are aggravated by Jewish Geography or think that it affirms some anti-Semitic clich, then maybe you'll like the rest of this book.  For me, this passage only confirms what I grew to feel as I got further into the book:  That the author, Mr. Levey, is an immature young man who had neither the background nor big picture appreciation for what he was doing.