
Nobody
Casualties of America's War on the Vulnerable, from Ferguson to Flint and Beyond
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Narrated by:
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Kevin Kenerly
About this listen
Protests in Ferguson, Missouri, and across the United States following the death of Michael Brown revealed something far deeper than a passionate display of age-old racial frustrations; they unveiled a public chasm that has been growing for years, as America has consistently and intentionally denied significant segments of its population access to full freedom and prosperity.
In Nobody, scholar and journalist Marc Lamont Hill presents a powerful and thought-provoking analysis of race and class by examining a growing crisis in America: the existence of a group of citizens who are made vulnerable, exploitable, and disposable through the machinery of unregulated capitalism, public policy, and social practice. These are the people considered "Nobody" in contemporary America. Through on-the-ground reporting and careful research, Hill shows how this Nobody class has emerged over time and how forces in America have worked to preserve and exploit it in ways that are both humiliating and harmful.
To make his case, Hill carefully reconsiders the details of tragic events like the deaths of Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, and Freddie Gray and the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. He delves deeply into a host of alarming trends including mass incarceration, overly aggressive policing, broken court systems, shrinking job markets, and the privatization of public resources, showing time and time again the ways the current system is designed to worsen the plight of the vulnerable.
Timely and eloquent, Nobody is a keen observation of the challenges and contradictions of American democracy, a must-listen for anyone wanting to better understand the race and class issues that continue to leave their mark on our country today.
©2016 Marc Lamont Hill (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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What listeners say about Nobody
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- Annie M Flores
- 08-11-20
Great book, well written, clear facts
This book was amazing. Marc Hill did a wonderful job with his story. He shows the facts about ever case and let’s you draw your on conclusions, he does eventually tell you his perspective but he explains so much. He is a wonderful writer and the books was just fantastic.
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- Michael Horner
- 12-07-20
Great book
Great book with many specific examples of racial inequality. Some points were a bit of a stretch but overall was an incredible book that shines a light on some of the darker parts of modern American society.
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- Ms. Green
- 03-04-19
Enlightened!!!
Bravo, Dr. Hill!!! Thank you so much for writing such an amazing book. I'm a huge fan!
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1 person found this helpful
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- l howard
- 02-29-24
Recap of the same
The book's narrative was well-constructed, providing a concise summary of the events that occurred over the course of 15 years. It served as a helpful reminder of the significant situations that took place, some of which had a negative impact. Overall, the brief history of events added depth to the conversation and made it more substantial.
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- Zahrac29
- 05-15-17
Well Done
I actually have the hard copy of this book and I've read it already. I've assigned to my classes. it is a great exploration of our current political, social, economic moment in American history. I think all citizens should read this book. much of it has been discussed in the Press. however, Professor Hill unpacks important histories and theories to fully understand these horrible yet important events.
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6 people found this helpful
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- Jerry K Lee
- 04-26-18
Civil liberties of America are dead
The book tells the forthright story of how we have become a selfish throw away society by throwing away people who are "not like us" while gutting legal due process and governmental protections. A good book for a critical thinker willing to consider how we got to where we are in our social justice and our broken legal system where economic crime is celebrated or goes unpunished and petty crimes are considered horrific. No one is innocent nor spared in this treatise.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Holly H
- 11-09-21
Nobody
This book was so good and very informative. I feel so much more informed after reading it.
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2 people found this helpful
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- normal person
- 08-12-22
excellent case studies to macro societal problems
The more I hear of Hill the more shock and amazement I feel that he was ever allowed ok CNN much less paid as a correspondent.
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- Amazon Customer
- 11-20-18
Important read
Marc Lamont Hill is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
A fresh perspective from a new generation. I recommend this to any/everyone I can.
I've already listened 3x.
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4 people found this helpful
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- all our stories
- 02-07-22
This book was published in 2017.
I listened with both ears, knowing that I would have struggled reading a hard copy of this book. The audio book afforded me processing time that I may have missed in the context of reading. Little has changed since the publication of this book. Still there has been steps towards change. Small steps are better than no progress at all. I’m hoping that another book is being written with more positive outcomes. I’m hoping!
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