Books that changed me

this is not all of them

Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash

I’ve been too sad to write anything that makes sense other than fuck everything over and over again so to make myself feel better and tell y’all a little bit more about me I decided to list the books that changed me. This is not all of them just some of them.

How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney - made me an anarchist.

Assata: An Autobiography by Assata Shakur - truly helped me understand that the United States of America is an evil settler hellscape that cannot be reformed.

feminism is for everybody by bell hooks - spelled out for me how terrible the patriarchy is for cis men too.

Futures of Black Radicalism - taught me that the Black bourgeoisie are not our friends. Yes, this includes Rihanna; I’m sorry.

We Do This 'Til We Free Us by Mariame Kaba - taught me that Abolition is not just about abolishing the police, it’s about creating a better world.

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi - taught me that I am a genderless queer human without even knowing what those things meant.

black looks by bell hooks - made me realize how large of a role television plays in maintaining and reinforcing white supremacy. Like the fact that dark-skinned Black women are so underrepresented is because white supremacy wants to maintain the idea that only white women are attractive and deserving of protection.

Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber - taught me that most jobs are not needed. Also made me realize that the more important your job is, the less money you make, ex. trash collectors. The more damaging and useless your job is, the more money you make ex. bankers.

Debt: The First 5000 Years by David Graeber - taught me that money did not come from barter and there is no proof that bartering actually existed before money. What they thought were bartering were actually gift economies. I know wild.

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander - opened my eyes to the fact that we live in a racial hierarchy that is constantly evolving. Slavery and segregation never ended. This book was the beginning of my radicalization.