Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America
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- Create Date：2020-12-02 04:11:03
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Ijeoma Oluo
- ISBN：9781580059510
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Editor Reviews
★ 10/26/2020
Freelance writer Oluo （So You Want to Talk About Race） contends in this incisive treatise that American society revolves around “preserving white male power regardless of white male skill or talent。” This privileging of white male mediocrity has brought the U。S。 to “the brink of social and political disaster” in the Trump era， Oluo writes， and led to the devaluing of a college education， the promotion of leadership styles that hurt businesses， and the marginalization of policy issues that primarily affect communities of color， including police brutality and gerrymandering。 Surveying American history through the lens of white male entitlement， Oluo reexamines the actions and legacies of Wild West performer Buffalo Bill Cody， early–20th century “socialist feminists” Floyd Dell and Max Eastman， and segregationist NFL team owner George P。 Marshall， among others。 Skewering political pundits who contend that white men’s needs still must be catered to in an increasingly diverse country， Oluo asks， “If white men are finding that the overwhelmingly white-male-controlled system isn’t meeting their needs， how did we end up being the problem？” Erudite yet accessible， grounded in careful research as well as Oluo’s personal experiences of racism and misogyny， this is an essential reckoning with race， sex， and power in America。 （Dec。）
Reviews
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Ben
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Thanks to NetGalley and Seal Press for access to an ARC of this title。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， Thanks to NetGalley and Seal Press for access to an ARC of this title。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。 。。。more
Tess Blanch
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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 ed 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 。。。more
bella
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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 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！ 。。。more
Maja - BibliophiliaDK ✨
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THE FEMINIST IN ME LIKED THIS - THE ACADEMIC IN ME DID NOTIf 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。 THE FEMINIST IN ME LIKED THIS - THE ACADEMIC IN ME DID NOTIf 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。 ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest reviewFollow me for more book loving content！Blog ✨ Facebook ✨ Instagram ✨ Twitter Blog Post: 9 Hallmark-esque Christmas Romance Books 。。。more
Jade
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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 sto 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。 。。。more
Karen
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I really found Ijeoma Olou's "So You Want to Talk About Race" to be an excellent read and I knew Mediocre wouldn't disappoint。 and I was so right。This collection of essays reveals so much of history and clearly articulates the extensive and systemic nature of white patriarchy。 It's hard to read these stories because Oluo makes the case so clearly and the stories span history and go across politics， activism， SATs， football and much， much more。 She shows that time and time and time again the toxi I really found Ijeoma Olou's "So You Want to Talk About Race" to be an excellent read and I knew Mediocre wouldn't disappoint。 and I was so right。This collection of essays reveals so much of history and clearly articulates the extensive and systemic nature of white patriarchy。 It's hard to read these stories because Oluo makes the case so clearly and the stories span history and go across politics， activism， SATs， football and much， much more。 She shows that time and time and time again the toxicity of the country created and ruled by mediocre white men and all that they are doing to maintain it。 It's painful to read and undeniable that there's systemic racism and sexism across all of our history。 And yet， the best part of all this is that Oluo is not pessimistic。 She has hope that we're capable of making change。 You leave the book feeling possibility for humanity。 with gratitude to Perseus Books， Basic Books and netgalley for an advanced copy in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Isabelle
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Mediocre // by Ijeoma OluoWow。 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 becaus Mediocre // by Ijeoma OluoWow。 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。 。。。more
Devon H
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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 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。I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Poonam
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This is a scathing collection of essays about how white men have perpetuated a society that places them at the top of the pyramid and when that supremacy is threatened， they lash out。 Ijeoma Oluo's book So You Want To Talk About Race felt to me more about her own experiences with racism， whereas this book is more of look back on history to define how various parts of our society were designed to uphold white male patriarchy。 This is a blunt， at times sarcastic collection， and you can hear her cl This is a scathing collection of essays about how white men have perpetuated a society that places them at the top of the pyramid and when that supremacy is threatened， they lash out。 Ijeoma Oluo's book So You Want To Talk About Race felt to me more about her own experiences with racism， whereas this book is more of look back on history to define how various parts of our society were designed to uphold white male patriarchy。 This is a blunt， at times sarcastic collection， and you can hear her clear voice through the writing。 This book covers a variety of topics including the western rugged cowboy， feminism & history of men in feminism， 2016 election and Bernie boys， higher education， and American football。This book is most likely going to be a book preaching to the crowd， but I did learn things that I did not know about certain histories such as the rugged cowboy。 I did feel like some topics weren't explored with a wide enough lens or deeply enough for true analysis and there seemed to be some data skew。 But overall， it's a quick， good read！ 。。。more
Karen
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Readable and informative， and I liked her overarching idea of comparing a historical situation to a modern one to show how times haven't changed。
Paulina
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Timely， honest， a necessary read。 Ijeoma Oluo has done it again。 Through Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America， she’s able to explain how the racism and oppression we face is due to a system built to repeatedly elevate sub-par white men。 While this is basically a history book， it doesn’t read like a dry textbook。 I believe that anyone who is of high school age and beyond can comprehend this book。 She interweaves facts with her valuable commentary and the result is a book that ever Timely， honest， a necessary read。 Ijeoma Oluo has done it again。 Through Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America， she’s able to explain how the racism and oppression we face is due to a system built to repeatedly elevate sub-par white men。 While this is basically a history book， it doesn’t read like a dry textbook。 I believe that anyone who is of high school age and beyond can comprehend this book。 She interweaves facts with her valuable commentary and the result is a book that everyone needs to read as part of their anti-racism journey。 People of color and other marginalized communities have been saying this for ages—we’ve lived these experiences。 To read Oluo’s book is to be closer to understanding our experiences and to get a history of the entire system that is built to keep marginalized communities down。 One thing that I liked about this novel is how deeply Oluo can delve into an event without being exhaustive。 Numerous times， I found myself wanting to do my own research about the events to further my own understanding。 She truly demonstrates how oppressive systems are ALL around us even if we don’t realize it。 。。。more
Kristina
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Sarah Hagi's quote from 2015 "Lord， give me the confidence of a mediocre white man" sets the stage for Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Olou。 She asks the question "How can white men be our born leaders and at the same time so fragile that they cannot handle social progress？" She gives the reader a lot to chew on- many historical examples of white men exerting their power over others。 Chapters include ones on anti-government white male militias， higher education， po Sarah Hagi's quote from 2015 "Lord， give me the confidence of a mediocre white man" sets the stage for Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America by Ijeoma Olou。 She asks the question "How can white men be our born leaders and at the same time so fragile that they cannot handle social progress？" She gives the reader a lot to chew on- many historical examples of white men exerting their power over others。 Chapters include ones on anti-government white male militias， higher education， politics， and sports。 We learn more about the Great Migration， and while many African-Americans traveled north， so did a lot of poor whites along with their bitterness。 Women are able to gain employment during difficult times in America's history （Great Depression， World War II）， only to be forced out when white men need those jobs back （disregarding that many of the positions held by women were not ones they would want）。 She closes by focuses on sports， especially football and how it used to be dominated by white men， but now primarily the players are black。 Playing for frequently a white quarterback， white coaches， white owners， white male audience， etc。 Putting their bodies on the line every week， and the consequences of them "stepping out of line" when they try and acknowledge racism in America。 Thank you Goodreads and Seal Press for this ARC giveaway！ 。。。more
Weekend Reader_
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Ijeoma Oluo picked up where she started So You Want to Talk About Race with a critical analysis of race relations in America。 The focus on this book is how white men wield power and assume the right to it regardless of effort。 The examples were clear， damning， and serves as a reminder that racism needs willing participants to stoke fear and maintain power。 I applaud gender and race thinkers because the vitriol described in the book is a deterrent in itself。 I think if you pick this book up you s Ijeoma Oluo picked up where she started So You Want to Talk About Race with a critical analysis of race relations in America。 The focus on this book is how white men wield power and assume the right to it regardless of effort。 The examples were clear， damning， and serves as a reminder that racism needs willing participants to stoke fear and maintain power。 I applaud gender and race thinkers because the vitriol described in the book is a deterrent in itself。 I think if you pick this book up you should also read Rage Becomes Her。 I think they pair well together。 。。。more
Maria
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This is a book everyone should read。Thank you to Seal Press and NetGalley for the eARC！
Traci at The Stacks
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I mostly liked this book a lot。 Really loved Oluo’s writing and voice。 Incredibly well done mixing the history with the modern day examples with her authors personal experiences。 A good crash course in systemic racism in The US。 The first few chapters were stellar。 White men have created a toxic country in many respects and this book drives that point home。 The ending isn’t as strong as I would’ve liked。 The thesis got lost toward the end。
Amanda Mae
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Oh wow。 This book made me so angry and sad a lot。 I very much appreciated the hopeful tone she took at the end to help me not feel as defeated。 I was already pretty familiar with the rhetoric she presented， but seeing it divided into digestible sections and covering the same ground over and over of white male supremacy。。。 it heated me up。 It made me incredibly grateful to not have been raised with the heightened level of this kind of talk my whole life。 To have been privileged enough as a white Oh wow。 This book made me so angry and sad a lot。 I very much appreciated the hopeful tone she took at the end to help me not feel as defeated。 I was already pretty familiar with the rhetoric she presented， but seeing it divided into digestible sections and covering the same ground over and over of white male supremacy。。。 it heated me up。 It made me incredibly grateful to not have been raised with the heightened level of this kind of talk my whole life。 To have been privileged enough as a white woman in the solid middle class to have encountered ideas and people that counter the white male supremacy rhetoric just enough for me to question its validity at a young age。 This is a tough book to read， but like pretty much everything Oluo has written， it’s extremely important that you do read it and take the time to digest it and contemplate it and act on it。 I’m looking forward to this book coming out and having even more productive discussions on it。 。。。more
Kelly Parker
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I’m not one who needs to be convinced that a majority of the issues we’ve been dealing with since， well。。。the country’s inception， stems from white men who like being in charge， have always been in charge， and want to continue being in charge。 So， while the author was basically preaching to the choir， she did offer viewpoints on topics of which I either hadn’t considered or was completely unaware。 I wish the digital ARC copy I received had a table of contents included so I could look back at whi I’m not one who needs to be convinced that a majority of the issues we’ve been dealing with since， well。。。the country’s inception， stems from white men who like being in charge， have always been in charge， and want to continue being in charge。 So， while the author was basically preaching to the choir， she did offer viewpoints on topics of which I either hadn’t considered or was completely unaware。 I wish the digital ARC copy I received had a table of contents included so I could look back at which chapters I found particularly enlightening， but since there wasn’t one， I can’t remember well enough to list examples。 I found this book to be jam packed with a lot of information to chew on。 It took me longer than usual to finish it， due to the fact that I would need the occasional break from being reminded of how shitty people can be。 One thing I did find myself periodically thinking throughout the text was that， while I agreed with the author’s examples of white men doing their damndest to keep everyone but other white men down， I didn’t necessarily always think that it should be attributed to them being mediocre。 Sometimes， they are very smart and capable people who are just entitled assholes。 One sentence that I thought summed things up pretty succinctly was this one:It’s the idea not only that they think they have less than others， but that they were supposed to have so much more。 Thanks to #netgalley and #sealpress for this ARC of #mediocre in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Victoria （Latte Nights Reviews）
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RTC
Leah
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While we would like to believe otherwise， it is usually not the cream that rises to the top: our society rewards behaviors that are actually disadvantageous to everyone。Intelligent and incisive as always， Ijeoma Oluo delivers a well-researched and excellently-argued highlight reel of the extremes American society has gone to just to prop up mediocre white men as having some esteemed birthright to the control of our society。 From the earliest days of the European colonization of what is now the U While we would like to believe otherwise， it is usually not the cream that rises to the top: our society rewards behaviors that are actually disadvantageous to everyone。Intelligent and incisive as always， Ijeoma Oluo delivers a well-researched and excellently-argued highlight reel of the extremes American society has gone to just to prop up mediocre white men as having some esteemed birthright to the control of our society。 From the earliest days of the European colonization of what is now the United States and the tall tales cowardly and fame-seeking white men told to amplify their role in the already horrific genocide of American Indians to the Jim Crow laws and redlining to the fierce bullying and vitriol directed at women of color in high-ranking business or political roles。 Throughout American history， white men have been sold a myth that they will inherit the earth， and their continued failure to do so has fueled a lot of anger and embarrassment。 The rewarding of white male mediocrity not only limits the drive and imagination of white men; it also requires forced limitations on the success of women and people of color in order to deliver on the promised white male supremacy。Oluo makes a strong case that white men are not pushed to their full potential and face little incentive to improve themselves personally or professionally due to a societal structure that positions only other white men as their real competition。 Take， for example， the resistance to integration in just the National Football League。 I had no idea prior to reading this book that football as a competitive sport has its roots in toughening up mediocre wealthy white men。 And that southern college teams refused to play northern teams once they integrated （although unfortunately it doesn't surprise me） and that the *ahem* Washington Football Team was the last in the NFL to integrate， resisting until 1962 when its virulently racist owner promptly had a literal stroke。 And that the NFL only integrated because the AFL was already rostering Black players and the quality of play there was threatening the NFL's legitimacy。She also highlights the racist and sexist abuse hurled at female leaders from former reddit CEO Ellen Pao to former NYT Executive Editor Jill Abramson to Congresswomen Ocasio-Cortez， Omar， Pressley， and Tlaib。 Not to mention herself。 Oluo makes a cogent case that women and people of color are routinely put in charge of businesses only once they are doomed to fail and are "often seen as Hail Marys for businesses in desperate need of change。 They are tossed， eyes closed， fingers crossed， across the field with little direction other than a prayer that they will and the team somewhere better than it is now。" Oluo also has a whole chapter showcasing higher education and the roots of the argument that colleges that were once the solid and uncontested domain of white men alone have become centers of liberal propaganda。 She clearly highlights that the very people making those arguments are themselves the products of higher education and would never dream of allowing their own children to forego that experience。 She talks about explicit and implicit racism in admissions， the racist origins of the SAT （works as designed being a key theme in this book）， extreme racism in funding for PWIs vs HBCUs or institutions primarily serving Hispanics or American Indians （this last group having been locked out of land grant funding until NINETEEN NINETY FOUR）， and the traction for re-investing in STEM once liberal arts colleges began to （even just minimally） diversify their curriculum。 Mediocre touches on so many different examples of its core thesis， it's a challenge to write a succinct review。 Every chapter enhanced my perspective on race and American history。 Exemplary book。Huge thanks to NetGalley and Seal Press for the eARC in exchange for the review。 。。。more
R。J。 Sorrento
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I requested this book immediately after reading So You Want to Talk about Race。 Mediocre is next level， pushing the reader to think outside the box when it comes to what power is， what leadership is， and the urgency to change the system。This is a fascinating sociopolitical read that pushes boundaries and is exactly the book needed in a county that is polarized politically and socially divided。From American football to mass shootings to higher education， Oluo delves into each topic with heavily r I requested this book immediately after reading So You Want to Talk about Race。 Mediocre is next level， pushing the reader to think outside the box when it comes to what power is， what leadership is， and the urgency to change the system。This is a fascinating sociopolitical read that pushes boundaries and is exactly the book needed in a county that is polarized politically and socially divided。From American football to mass shootings to higher education， Oluo delves into each topic with heavily researched detail and insight。Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Casey the Reader
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Thanks to Seal Press for the free advance copy of this book。 MEDIOCRE is one of those books that makes the reader feel like they've put on a new pair of glasses and everything is clearer。 So much of what Oluo dissects in this book are ideas that I've seen half-formed in many places， but she really expands on them and places them into the larger social context in a way that made lightbulbs go off all over the place for me。 📚•The thesis of this book is that American men have been told the world is Thanks to Seal Press for the free advance copy of this book。 MEDIOCRE is one of those books that makes the reader feel like they've put on a new pair of glasses and everything is clearer。 So much of what Oluo dissects in this book are ideas that I've seen half-formed in many places， but she really expands on them and places them into the larger social context in a way that made lightbulbs go off all over the place for me。 📚•The thesis of this book is that American men have been told the world is theirs， and when that wasn't delivered， they needed scapegoats - women， BIPOC， poor people - anyone who isn't them is taking away what is rightfully theirs。 📚•Oluo traces several threads throughout American history - from the Wild West to the NFL - that have converged over time to bring us to where we are today。 I feel like I have a much deeper understanding of these social forces now， and am better equipped to have conversations about them in the context of our current political landscape。 I think if you are still trying to grasp all the reasons why Trump voters act the way they do， this book is a must-read。 📚•Content warnings: Antisemitism， bullying， death， gun violence， hate crime， Islamophobia， mass/school shootings， misogyny， physical abuse， police brutality， racial slurs， racism， slavery， suicidal thoughts， violence， and xenophobia。 。。。more
Tina
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Another five star book by Ijeoma Oluo！ Mediocre is really eye opening and I learned a lot。 I read this book quite slowly as there was a lot to take it and it’s all very heavy。 In the end I’m so glad to have read it and hopeful for the future of America。Thank you to Seal Press via NetGalley for my advance review copy！
Susan
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Through my own journey， I have learned that I want to solve everything and that isn't always a good thing。 As I finished this book， I had the same problem。 I wanted solutions。 Don't tell me about a problem without providing somewhere to go。 But， that isn't what this book was intended to do。 Ms。 Oluo invites the reader into a casual feeling conversation， as though you are chatting over tea and cookies， about the very serious topic of a white male centered society and the ramifications of that on Through my own journey， I have learned that I want to solve everything and that isn't always a good thing。 As I finished this book， I had the same problem。 I wanted solutions。 Don't tell me about a problem without providing somewhere to go。 But， that isn't what this book was intended to do。 Ms。 Oluo invites the reader into a casual feeling conversation， as though you are chatting over tea and cookies， about the very serious topic of a white male centered society and the ramifications of that on all of us。 Not just Black Americans， but all Americans。 Her writing style contradicts her solid pointed message about how this problem has damaged our country through both historical and current examples。 I was thoroughly impressed by how far I was through the book before she used the catch phrase "male toxicity。" After all， that seems to be the go to phrase。 But her adept writing goes beyond generalized qualifiers as she educates the reader about things they might already know a little about and things they never took in to consideration。 Sadly， by publication date， Ms。 Oluo could add a completely new chapter。 Thanks to NetGalley and Perseus Books for a copy of the book。 This review is my own opinion。 。。。more
Olivia Crandall
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The deal: Ijeoma Oluo is the author of the NYT Best Seller， “So You Want to Talk About Race，” which all the white ladies bought this summer but apparently did not read。 In this follow-up， Oluo explores the last century of American white male supremacy across research， interviews， and eviscerating personal writing。 （Sidenote， I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for this review。） Is it worth it？: This book is so good， it’s honestly an insult to even ask this question。 Oluo covers topics f The deal: Ijeoma Oluo is the author of the NYT Best Seller， “So You Want to Talk About Race，” which all the white ladies bought this summer but apparently did not read。 In this follow-up， Oluo explores the last century of American white male supremacy across research， interviews， and eviscerating personal writing。 （Sidenote， I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for this review。） Is it worth it？: This book is so good， it’s honestly an insult to even ask this question。 Oluo covers topics from the racist origins of the SAT to the soul-crushing phenomenon of the glass cliff， and she truly never misses。 My opinion is not going to do this any justice， so instead， I’ll just implore you to pre-order it。 If you’re even a tiny bit surprised about the “razor-thin margin，” PRE-ORDER IT！ If you’re a little fuzzy on America’s bussing history， PRE-ORDER IT！ If you don’t know who Shirley Chrisholm is， oooooooh baby PRE-ORDER IT！ （from a place that isn’t Amazon）。Pairs well with: Actually reading the social justice books you buy; moving beyond thanking Black women and committing to supporting and elevating their work in every single arenaA+ 。。。more
Casey Marlow
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“These oppressive systems were built by people - with our votes， our money， our hiring decisions - and they can be unmade by people。”This eye-opening book breaks down how white male supremacy is deeply woven into American institutions。 Everything from higher education to political campaigns to the workforce to football center around white men while oppressing people of color and women。 Oluo explores both the historical roots and present day examples， plus includes her own heartbreaking personal “These oppressive systems were built by people - with our votes， our money， our hiring decisions - and they can be unmade by people。”This eye-opening book breaks down how white male supremacy is deeply woven into American institutions。 Everything from higher education to political campaigns to the workforce to football center around white men while oppressing people of color and women。 Oluo explores both the historical roots and present day examples， plus includes her own heartbreaking personal stories。I couldn’t put this down。 I learned a ton。 Oluo's personal touch makes it all the more appealing， especially how she doesn't shy way from sharing her own experience or showing the harsh language that repeatedly is directed at people of color and women。 Excellent book all around。 。。。more
Jane
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'Mediocre' is an exploration of the way the US was designed to cater to straight white men， first and foremost。 Anyone interested in feminism， racism and LGBTQ+ issues will have awareness of this， but here the focus really is on white men as the problem。 And it makes for pretty appalling reading。 Especially right now as the votes are being counted to decide which mediocre white man will be next to lead the US （don't get me wrong， one option is miles better than the other， but still）。 Ijeoma Oluo 'Mediocre' is an exploration of the way the US was designed to cater to straight white men， first and foremost。 Anyone interested in feminism， racism and LGBTQ+ issues will have awareness of this， but here the focus really is on white men as the problem。 And it makes for pretty appalling reading。 Especially right now as the votes are being counted to decide which mediocre white man will be next to lead the US （don't get me wrong， one option is miles better than the other， but still）。 Ijeoma Oluo digs into the history of the US and looks at areas like education， sport and politics to analyse how white men have ensured they have the power and remain top of the pack， at the expense of virtually everyone else。 As I progressed through this book， it was evident that this attitude hasn't served anyone， not even the men who are clinging to their privilege like babies to their blankies。 It's really sad， infuriating and laughable， all at the same time。Ijeoma writes with clarity， intelligence and class。 I could tell she was really fucking tired， and angry。 But throughout she explained things with grace and generosity。 It's wrong to call on a black woman to do this labour of education for the guys who created this mess。 She mentions what a toll writing this book took on her mental health， and it's completely understandable。 Things don't have to be this way。 Can white men please pick up this book and give it a read？ Can they come to their senses？ Can they learn to listen to other voices， put their egos aside and start working with all the groups they have oppressed for so long？ Can they finally show some humility， some acknowledgement of how disastrous their leadership has been？ Fingers crossed。Thank you to Perseus Books and Netgalley for the advance copy of this book。 。。。more
Emily
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This book reads like a PhD dissertation on white male supremacy and the lengths to which they have consciously worked to maintain this imbalance。 It’s dense but well written。 Eye-opening and infuriating。 Worth the read for changing how I see many of our “institutions” including football。 ARC from the publisher via NetGalley， but the opinions are my own。
Jane
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Mediocre by Ijeoma Oluo discusses America's history as a way to highlight white men's deliberate efforts to subvert women， people of color， and the disenfranchised。 Through research， interviews， and the powerful， personal writing for which she is celebrated， Oluo investigates the backstory of America's growth， from immigrant migration to our national ethos around ingenuity， from the shaping of economic policy to the protection of sociopolitical movements that fortify male power。 In the end， she Mediocre by Ijeoma Oluo discusses America's history as a way to highlight white men's deliberate efforts to subvert women， people of color， and the disenfranchised。 Through research， interviews， and the powerful， personal writing for which she is celebrated， Oluo investigates the backstory of America's growth， from immigrant migration to our national ethos around ingenuity， from the shaping of economic policy to the protection of sociopolitical movements that fortify male power。 In the end， she shows how white men have long maintained a stranglehold on leadership and sorely undermined the pursuit of happiness for all。After reading So You Want to Talk About Race by Oluo earlier this year， I couldn't wait to get my hands on her newest book。 This book is very informative and I'm glad I read it leading up to the 2020 election in order to help me explain where white male rage comes。 This book also helped me better understand how Trump was able to win his first term as president and the historical context of past political leaders that I previously was not aware of。 This book used many different methods to make me view American outside of my bubble and explore the biases that exist in my seemingly liberal state。 I highly recommend！I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Lucky Nwosu
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Thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for the advance review copy of this book。This was a timely read， particularly in the week of the 2020 Presidential election。This book was insightful， and posed a lot of food for thought around politics， education and segregation in US schools， feminism， history， hyper masculinity， race， and more。 It taught me a lot I didn’t know about America， including the history around Native Americans and the challenges， and appropriation of land that they faced， mig Thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for the advance review copy of this book。This was a timely read， particularly in the week of the 2020 Presidential election。This book was insightful， and posed a lot of food for thought around politics， education and segregation in US schools， feminism， history， hyper masculinity， race， and more。 It taught me a lot I didn’t know about America， including the history around Native Americans and the challenges， and appropriation of land that they faced， migration， race riots， Shirley Chisholm， segregation， and much more。 Reading this comes at a time when power structures and racial and gender inequality are under more scrutiny - especially in 2020。 。。。more
Kaitlyn
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