SKINNED is a book of poems exploring African American history from the 16th century to modern times. The poems call attention to the complexities of Black history beyond common narratives and delve into the dehumanization of Black bodies, highlighting both systematic oppression faced and persistent struggles for autonomy and recognition. The scope of this work alone is impressive and its ability to reveal the deep and resilient history of Black Americans makes it a valuable read for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of this crucial aspect of American history.

As a personal aside, I only wish there was a nonfiction mini-companion book to help the reader understand more of the specific historical context of each poem. While I understood the background for many of the poems, it is clear the author deeply researched plights and joys in African American history, and I would love to know more about her interpretations of what she found. Separately, I do think this would be a great companion to Yaa Gyasi’s “Homegoing” (5⭐️, will always recommend), sharing many historical themes. 



Wonderfully done. I look forward to reading future works by Kayla Stone.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kayla Stone for the book copy in exchange for an honest review.

Flash poems, some good, others well, who’s to say. Some worthy of remembering, others quickly forgot. Your enjoyment and appreciation may vary from one to the next because poetry is the one form that tends to land highly individually.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

A thought provoking and interesting read in verse. It's a quick read, but one you can go back to and read several times so that the weight of what you're reading truly sinks in.

This is an ambitious project that aims to chronicle the history of Africans in the United States from their arrival in the early 1600’s to modernity. The collection is a timeline - starting from the justification of the slave trade, the laws that enforced it and the profit that drove it through the most recent Black Lives Matter movement and The Return. The work is expansive – poems cover the Middle Passage and key moments in history, along with the infamous and significant people/groups (Deacons of Defense, Nat Turner, The Black Panthers, etc), notable places/events (Igbo Landing, Juneteenth, the March on Washington, The Return, etc.), the importance of the church and musical references, and controversial issues that plague the community (colorism,
respectability politics, etc.) and so much more.

Poetry, for me, can be difficult to follow – In this collection, I’m sure much went over my head because I didn’t connect with every poem or recognize its significance in the culture or African American experience. In a few of them, there was enough to allow me to google the event or person. It would have been helpful if notes were included to help readers (such as myself) appreciate all the author offered.

Thanks to NetGallery for the opportunity to review.

I requested this book because I'm always looking to upskill with regard to history. Unfortunately I didn't learn anything except I'm not sure our story can be told via poetry?

The poems were shared based on era starting with 16th Century to present time. But the context of the poems didn’t resonate with me. I knew the words and their meaning but I still didn’t find our story.