Poetry and art, work together in this collection, that challenges the things that are ubiquitous in modern life. Genesis Be is an activist, and her struggles and frustration with the status quo really shines through in this book. There are such strong emotions evoked by both the art and poetry, and you'll feel your own anger at the injustice rampant in society rising up within you. It's a unique skill to be able to evoke that level of emotion in a reader, and this is definitely a book I'll be recommending and re-reading.

I hadn't heard of this poet before, but am a glad to have given them a shot. They're a great poet, truly. I loved how well the art fit in here.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own opinions.

I have a deep love for poetry that not only makes me feel something but opens my eyes and makes me think.
People Not Things had many poems that checked both those boxes. The Red River is one of my favorites along with Nature's Call, Leave me Be and Autumn leaves.

I really enjoyed this collection of poems and hope another book is published someday.

People not Things is a Poetry (and art) collection from an activist in soul and life, Genesis Be. I really enjoyed seeing the media combination. The subject matter is often quite strong, with race, gender, sexuality, and other, crying out for a break in the (various) status quo.

The lyricism is very strong, although it took me a good while to figure out Be's voice: many of the pieces have a strong hip-hop cadence and rythm, which makes sense when I learned that the author has a recording artist background. For those reasons, I think this would be a great audiobook.
My favourite poem was by far Holding Paws, and I enjoyed the last quarter (Barrier of Love) the most.
Although I enjoyed reading this book, I think, in the end, it was not my style, which is why I am giving it 3*, but I strongly believe many other people will enjoy thoroughly.

Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the eARC. All thoughts are my own and freely given.

People Not Things is a debit collection of poetry and paintings from Genesis Be. I really liked getting to see the two together, as if we were seeing the artist’s work in her own context.

This is an honest yet hopeful reflection on the author’s experience as a queer Black woman in America. She explores what it’s like to love, to be betrayed, to be ostracized, and to continue loving (and loving humanity). I was swept along by the lyrical cadence of the poetry and moved by the emotion and experienced shared. This collection is so worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for sending me this book as an ARC. All opinions are my own.

I love the art in this book and it complements the poems intricately.
From the brief outline about the book, it says that the author draws from experiences in activism and throughout the book you can feel the anguish, rage, sorrow, hope, clarity, conviction...all of them blend in with human nature and the quest to be a better human. I related to "Activist for sale," because I've often been caught in the crossroads of calling things out for what they are and meeting demands of those who fund the campaigns I'm in. And, if there is something that called to the desire for security you'd better read "assess the exits," and you'll understand just how much of a privilege that is.
Thank you Netgalley for this eARC.