Mediocre was my most anticipated read of the year, and it still blew me far and away.

Since I read my first book by Ijeoma Oluo back in August, I keep finding myself referring time and again back to it: So You Want to Talk About Race. This is because I am consistently floored by its uncomplicated prose—language that is direct and informative without ever being unkind.

Oluo brings this same pithy clarity—these gem-bright insights, steeped in history and culture and social justice—to Mediocre. This book is an incredibly timely examination of white male mediocrity. It is a call to action, an underscore beneath events throughout history that have seen the oppression of marginalized peoples by mediocre white men.

It is undoubtedly a seminal social justice text that I urge everyone to read.

All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.

TL;DR REVIEW:

Mediocre is an incredible work of nonfiction, a revelation on the history of white male supremacy. It’s in the top five best antiracist books I’ve read so far.

For you if: You’re interested in learning more about how the white patriarchy holds its power, now and throughout history.

FULL REVIEW:

“White men lead our ineffective government with almost guaranteed reelection. They lead our corrupt and violent criminal justice system with little risk of facing justice themselves. And they run our increasingly polarized and misinforming media, winning awards for perpetrating the idea that things run best when white men are in charge. This is not a stroke of white male luck; this is how our white male supremacist systems have been designed to work.”


First and foremost, thank you so much to Seal Press for granting me an advanced review copy of this book on NetGalley.

Because books are the primary medium through which I like to learn about the world, I’ve sought out quite a few (especially this year) on antiracism. Mediocre is in the top five — maybe even the top three. It’s a must-read.

If you read Ijeoma Oluo’s first book, So You Want to Talk About Race, you know she can write a book that’s so much more than the sum of its parts — so much more than what you expect. Mediocre is no different. Just like SYWTTAR went way beyond a conversation guide, Mediocre goes way beyond highlighting white men’s mediocrity. It’s a deep dive into the intentional systems that white men have put into place, throughout history and today, to maintain their position on the social hierarchy despite their continued mediocrity.

This approach — clarifying history and unearthing the details that don’t get taught — has opened my eyes to how systems of power work more than any other approach. It’s been a catalyst in helping me begin to better understand the world and my place in it. This was true for Stamped From the Beginning and White Tears/Brown Scars, and it’s true for Mediocre.

Throughout, Ijeoma Oluo takes no shit. There’s an entire chapter on football and how white men have gone from physical dominance over Black men to controlling the physical dominance of Black men — which was an excellent chapter, by the way, that really made me think — called “Go Fucking Play.” Between research and truth bombs, she masterfully inserts moments of outrage and connection with her readers. And so while you read, you can just tell that this book was written by someone who cares so damn much about the topic, and the world, and justice, and even you.

This book hooked my attention, and it taught me a lot. I read it in one day. I couldn’t look away, couldn’t get enough of the information provided. Read it, read it, read it.


TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Suicidal thoughts (briefly alluded to); Depictions of racism; Violent threats against women

📚REVIEW📚 Book 125 of 2020 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)

Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America came out yesterday. I requested this from netgalley knowing I would like it. I'm familiar with the author's work and I think she an amazing, intelligent writer.  So yes, this review is a little biased.  BUT everyone should read this book!

Every chapter is full of interesting history that relates to the topic at hand. Some things I knew but a lot of it was me learning something and gaining perspective. And me telling my partner,  "DID YOU KNOW..." and now I'll ask you:

Did you know that American football was partly created as a tool to keep company workers busy after work so they wouldn't organize and ask for more?

Did you know that there were men in the 1910 socialist feminism movement who were championed as leaders, who really were advocating for women to be more free to sleep with more men? (I really should not be surprised...)

Did you know that the Washington DC football team of the racist name was the last holdout NFL team to remain segregated? For decades after the rest of the NFL?  (Again, why was I surprised to learn this...)

Did you know that while the GI bill helped millions of Americans get ahead after WWII, racism + the GI bill effectively contributed to a huge wealth gap for Black Americans since they were redlined out of buying a house anywhere with property value, and they were blocked out of most universities based on their race?

Did you know that 70% of suicides in 2017 were white men? And that the vast majority of domestic terrorism in the US is done by white men (this one I did know, but Oluo puts these statistics together and argues that the way things are going is not sustainable, even for white men, it's hurting them along with the rest of us. Excellent thesis.)

While many topics may be familiar, the author does an excellent job of tying things together and offering new perspectives on each one.

This is a book that needed to be written. As the title goes, Iljeoma Oluo discusses the dangers of white male supremacy. Each of her chapters highlights a different dynamic in which it is dangerous and details historical events to present day in how this developed, from the reliance on POC and colonialism in the early 1800s to present day abuse of POC in work places (particularly WOC) and unfounded fear of Black men. I really enjoyed it.

My personal favorite chapter was When Women of Color Challenge the Political Status Quo. I find it hard to talk about white male supremacy without including white women, as women of color often face the harshist criticisms from both sides. I thought this was articulated well in this chapter.

I also loved the discourse on Bernie Sanders' campaign and why so many people didn't quite jive with it. I was also in that camp, but could never place my finger on why until she laid it out in here.

White Men's Assault on Higher Education is a very enlightening chapter on how the educational system doesn't actually set us up for success (unless you're white and male).

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's not the most groundbreaking if you've read a lot of books on race, but I like that books on race are now getting enough traction to focus on specific aspects of racism (systemic or not) and would love to see more as racism is such a complex and layered subject. The more we talk about this, the better our understanding and ability to make changes are.

Thank you NetGalley for the review copy.

5 stars

Like most people I assume will be drawn to this book, I loved Oluo's first book, and I am an avid follower of all of her content. Her insights are fantastic, and her voice is both readable and relatable.

I really enjoy the way this work is organized and the topics Oluo covers. Recommended for fans of Oluo and for future fans, too!

This book absolutely blew my mind. I was so engrossed in Oluo's writing and careful analysis of the history of white mediocrity and the patriarchy in the U.S., that I had ordered four copies to give to friends by the time I finished the first chapter. My feelings and reaction from the earliest pages did not change. Medicre is important, and necessary, and I wish everyone would read it. While there are probably readers who may find her approach polarizing – too aggressive to point out how easy it is for men to succeed in this country, how rigged the system is for white men – it will be those some people who insist Trump isn't racist, or he's refreshing because he's not a politician, etc.  Oluo's approach and perspective were so validating to me. I suspect women and people of color would find it the same. I learned something new in every. chapter. She articulated my feelings on Bernie Sanders, misgivings about Joe Biden, and more much more eloquently than I ever could. She calls out so many topics and facets of our broken society I had yet to consider: higher education, America's unacknowledged reliance on people of color, football, the criminal way colleges take advantage of student-athletes, and more.

Everyone should read this book. I am so grateful to Perseus and Seal Press for giving me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley.

The title is clever and interesting, but it doesn't really tie the book together. It's not that I disagreed with her arguments, I just felt that the topic was too big for a single book and so the whole thing had a kind of up and down quality. The section on the NFL seemed to be from another book entirely. Definitely an author to watch, this made me want to read her other book about race.

This is a great book. Looking beyond the potentially controversial title-it was an informative read explaining how and why the status quo harms POC and women and how that has been incorporated into politics, the workplace, and educational institutions. I found it both educational and interesting and would definitely recommend it. Oluo does a good job discussing common racial and societal concepts in a modernly unique way. 4/5 stars ⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Overall, the way this was approached was not the best for this topic at times. Overall, however, the topic was handled well. I can't wait to see what Ijeoma Oluo comes out with next.

I couldnt get enough of the author's first book and my feminist self was so excited to pick up this book about why white men are the worst. it was everything i expected and more. Definitely pick up!

This book provides a genius blend between history and modern day analogies that demonstrate how white male mediocrity is the foundation of our country, and how attempts to escape it have been thwarted time and time again. It is searing, but hopeful. If you are looking to better inform yourself on the ways gender and race impact American culture (in politics, education, and more), then this book provides a snappy but informative way of examining the power structures we are all accustomed to. The author's voice is fresh and clear, never ambiguous or droll. I found the chapter regarding the eugenicist roots of the SAT to be particularly enlightening. Ijeoma Oluo's Mediocre is a necessary read in 2020.

This book could not be more timely and relevant. Iljeoma Oluo expertly points out how white patriarchy has marginalized women and people of color, and how this system of leadership and toxic masculinity continues to reaffirm biases, mediocrity and structural racism. Lots of poignant examples and truly a must-read. Thank you to NetGalley, Seal Press and Iljeoma Oluo for an advanced copy!

Mediocre // by Ijeoma Oluo

Wow. I mean, I was expecting a great book and that is what I got but still: Wow. There is so much stuff packed into this book that applies to so many different aspects of our society, from when this country was still young to where we are now. Even as I am writing this review, I am still getting my thoughts together on this book. I jumped to request this book as soon as I saw it available but the closer I got to actually reading it, the more nervous I became. Not because I didn’t want to read it but because I didn’t feel my review writing skills up to par. But I am really glad I read this.

None of the information in this book was necessarily surprising, but it was laid out in a way that I hadn’t considered it all together before. I didn’t realize how many things in this country are connected through literally just this one aspect: white male supremacy. The topics she explains range from politics (no surprise there), sports (and the origins of football), jobs (the confusion of disliking women in the work place, then wanting them there, then wanting to get rid of them again – the changing whims of men), and more. While there have been difficulties for all people that aren’t straight, white men in this country, she does address how women and people of color had struggles that sometimes were similar but ultimately still weren’t (and aren’t) the same. In this book, you will learn about the expected feminine vs masculine characteristics, which ones are wanted in the work place and which ones are actually needed and more successful, how women and people of color are often set up to fail in leadership positions, and how even meeting set expectations is never really wanted either.

I learned a lot when reading So You Want To Talk About Race and I learned just as much while reading Mediocre. She takes issues that permeate our entire society and explains them in ways that are easily understood and difficult to argue with. They are shocking, yet not surprising and I often find myself putting down my book or kindle, sitting back, and wondering how we still haven’t come that far from this country’s beginnings, despite many people claiming that this is a new age where everyone is equal. I cannot wait to read more of Oluo’s writing and continue learning from her.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Ijeoma Oluo's previous book, So You Want to Talk About Race, and was excited to see that this was set to be released after that book's profile re-entered national conversation this year. Just like with that book, Mediocre deftly discusses its premise and finds all the ways that the legacy of straight white dudes being in power has been dangerous, pulling such diverse examples as Buffalo Bill Cody, football team owners, and others, and finding examples where ignoring women (and primarily women of color) has been harmful. There's a wealth of information here and I hope readers who enjoyed her insight before get a lot out of this as well.

Mediocre is a very informative book, well researched in which the author points out that white men even before rule America and everything revolves around their successes and to their benefit regardless whether it puts the marginalised people in a harmful way. She expresses her own experiences backed up by history in how systemic racism works for the white men, mediocre at that and their belief that the world belongs to them and they have every right to be in it more than any other race. From education to women to football, it’s an eye opener and makes you think that every word she has written here is true.

Mediocre by Ijeoma Oluo is out today, December 1. Thanks NetGalley for the e-ARC

Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America is a relevant and eye-opening read. Ijeoma Oluo sheds light on how white male supremacy has had devastating effects on women, people of color, and even white men themselves. Oluo presents the information in a way that is enlightening and comprehensive, yet easily understood even by non-academics, and I would recommend this read to all. I learned a great deal from this book and found it easier to get through than many other heavy academic texts. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

I was a huge fan of Ijeoma Oluo's previous novel "So You Had to Talk About Race" so I was glad to read another book of hers early! This book was great however at the same time it is more history rather than personal experiences (which I was hoping more for personal experiences). That's not the books fault, more of a preference on my part but I thought it was still interesting! I would reccomend this to anyone and I thought that the cover was just extremely clever. I will admit this did take me awhile to read and it felt less put together than her previous novel but other than that it's still an important read! Thanks so much to Netgalley for the advanced copy!

THE FEMINIST IN ME LIKED THIS - THE ACADEMIC IN ME DID NOT

If you'll ask me to label myself, I would definitely use the words feminist and academic early on. Those are two of the labels that really describe me and define me. And these two sides of me were at war when it came to this book. Because as a feminist I really sympathized with Oluo's struggles and I loved learning more about the race aspect of feminism. But as an academic, I really struggled to get behind Oluo's methods and approach.

"[...] we have, as a society, somehow, convinced ourselves that we should be led by incompetent assholes."


👍 What I Liked 👍

Own experience: My favourite part of this book was without a doubt when Oluo drew on her own experiences and told stories from her own life. Those had the most impact for me and moved me the most. This was also where Oluo's feminist standpoint and opinions really shone and stood out. I really wished this whole book was only her experiences.

👎 What I Disliked 👎

Academic approach: As an academic I have had training in writing and reading academia. To me, it seemed like Oluo didn't have the same training, or at least didn't care about it, and took a very different approach, even though she made it sound like academia and facts. One thing that really bothered me was her lack of references and sources. Sure, she had a few, but had it been up to me there should have been A LOT more. Too often I found myself questioning her conclusions. And more than a few times she presented a "we used to think XX but the truth is actually XX" statement without referencing how she new, she had the right of it. That is a big no-no. Also, Oluo gets carried away by emotions in these academic parts of her book. And I get why she does, its an emotional subject. But when you mix emotions with academia, your judgment is clouded and your readers have to question the truthfulness of your conclusions. I am sorry to say that the academic parts turned me off, even though I really wanted to love this book an learn a lot of new things.

Mediocre is an immersive and specific history of racism and white supremacy. This nonfiction title I found to be really appealing, especially after having read Oluo's So You Want To Talk About Race earlier in the year. Titled for the experience of mediocre white male Americans not only feeling superior to women and POC, but also creating a system that keeps them in power over everyone else. Through this historical journey through the continued efforts of white male supremacy, I found this deeper look into the racism prevalent in America an important book to dive into.
Due to the nature of the text, I had to read this in bite sized pieces. There's a lot to think about and unpack, and neither history not politics have been my strongest subjects. But the information provided is important, relevant to my life (especially as a white female), and interesting to read from Oluo. Oluo is genuine with her feelings and experiences that have led her to writing this book. She weaves historical information with personal narrative together in a way that enhances the overall themes and strengthens her arguments.
This book provided pathways for critical thinking on white male supremacy that I haven't experienced since my undergraduate program. And it took me one step further than I was willing to go back then, providing me opportunity to recognize my own complicity and ignorance. In many ways, institutional oppression is daunting, but it also feels easier to examine than having those personal conversations with family. It also becomes easier to have those conversations with family when we can all examine the way the systems are structured to keep everyone but white men down. There is a lot we all can and need to do to change the system.

This brilliant book examines the deep-rooted structures built by white supremacy and patriarchy in this country, and how each and every one of these structures was built in the image of the white man, and how the white man has striven and continues to strive to maintain these structures at all costs. Ijeoma Oluo digs deep into research and weaves both historical and present facts together to create a cohesive and damning portrayal of 200 years of white male supremacy in the US. From the real story of “Buffalo Bill” to the present day racism and exploitation of Black men in the NFL, the author explores many poignant areas in our everyday lives where women and people of color constantly find ourselves fighting to survive in a world that was not built for us to thrive in. Ijeoma Oluo shows just how deep-rooted and dangerous these structures are, and how destructive the white man’s rage is whenever these structures are threatened.

I love Ijeoma Oluo’s writing style: it is conversational and smart, and brings the reader into the fold, but she is also direct and to the point, and all of her facts and examples are relevant and important. I didn’t grow up in this country, but I did study a lot of its history, and even abroad was often condemned by my teachers for being too damning in my writing (I will always remember the big red line drawn through the word “massacre” that I had used in an essay about Wounded Knee, with the words “please use a better word for this conflict”). We can’t rely on whitewashed history classes at school, here or anywhere else, to teach real history, so books like this are of utmost importance to me. The chapter on the GI Bill for example, widely celebrated as an amazing bill that helped so many people, was in reality extremely sexist and racist, created solely for the benefit of the white man. History really is cultivated by those who want us to see it differently, whitewashed and told in a different light than what really happened.

This really is a brilliant book, and one that I will be going back to over and over again. I can only imagine how difficult this book was to write, especially for a Black woman, which makes me appreciate it even more. Thank you so much Ijeoma Oluo, for the work that you have done and continue to do for us all.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.